Miss Winter in the Library with a Knife
a murder mystery with a delightful twist
Published on 11. September 2025
Book
Hardback
448 pages
978-1-0359-1058-8 (ISBN)
Description
'A true master of British crime writing.' RICHARD OSMAN
'All the entertainment you'll need this Christmas. Wonderful stuff.' IAN MOORE
'A delight from the first page to the last.' DAILY MAIL
Can you find the clues and solve the murder first?
Six people with links to the world of crime writing have been invited to play a game this Christmas by the mysterious Midwinter Trust.
Solve the murder of a fictional crime writer in a remote village in north Yorkshire and win a life-changing prize.
Each guest has been meticulously vetted by the shadowy Trust, which has staff on-hand to make sure everyone plays fair. But with the village about to be cut off by a snow storm, they must be extra vigilant.
The game is set - but playing fair isn't on everyone's Christmas list.
And when the prize is to die for, it's so tempting to inject a little murder into the mystery...
Includes a Cluefinder where you can check the clues you spotted - and missed - as well as puzzles to solve alongside the characters. Perfect for lovers of classic murder mysteries and for fans of Janice Hallett, Alexandra Benedict and Alex Pavesi.
'Only a writer with Martin Edwards's knowledge of and feeling for British crime fiction in all its breadth and depth could have pulled off Miss Winter in the Library with a Knife.' MORNING STAR
'Excellent.' CRITIC
'A real masterpiece. . . perfect for fans of crime, puzzles and escape rooms!' DARLING READS, BOOKSELLER'S CIRCLE
'Very clever and funny, with lots of jokes about the book world to enjoy. Loved it.' MW CRAVEN
'A wonderful puzzle mystery from the master of the Golden Age.' RAGNAR JONASSON
'The king of the puzzle mystery novel.' ALEX PAVESI
'Nobody knows the game of murder like Martin Edwards.' ANTONY JOHNSTON
'Fiendish, hilarious and utterly addictive.' ORLANDO MURRIN
'A celebration of crime fiction... As thoughtful as it is fun.' CRIME FICTION LOVER
'What a treat.' SJ BENNETT
'I absolutely loved it.' MARY GRAND
'Martin knows more about crime fiction than anyone.' ANN CLEEVES
'A fine writer.... . . his novels feature an acute sense of place as well as deep psychological insights.' IAN RANKIN
Included in the i newspaper's best new crime and thriller books to read, September 2025
DISCOVER MORE THRILLING READS FROM THE KING OF CLASSIC CRIME, ALL FEATURING A CLUEFINDER SO YOU CAN PLAY DETECTIVE YOURSELF.
THE RACHEL SAVERNAKE GOLDEN AGE MYSTERIES
#1 GALLOWS COURT
#2 MORTMAIN HALL
#3 BLACKSTONE FELL
#4 SEPULCHRE STREET
#5 HEMLOCK BAY
STANDALONE MYSTERIES
#1 MISS WINTER IN THE LIBRARY WITH A KNIFE
'All the entertainment you'll need this Christmas. Wonderful stuff.' IAN MOORE
'A delight from the first page to the last.' DAILY MAIL
Can you find the clues and solve the murder first?
Six people with links to the world of crime writing have been invited to play a game this Christmas by the mysterious Midwinter Trust.
Solve the murder of a fictional crime writer in a remote village in north Yorkshire and win a life-changing prize.
Each guest has been meticulously vetted by the shadowy Trust, which has staff on-hand to make sure everyone plays fair. But with the village about to be cut off by a snow storm, they must be extra vigilant.
The game is set - but playing fair isn't on everyone's Christmas list.
And when the prize is to die for, it's so tempting to inject a little murder into the mystery...
Includes a Cluefinder where you can check the clues you spotted - and missed - as well as puzzles to solve alongside the characters. Perfect for lovers of classic murder mysteries and for fans of Janice Hallett, Alexandra Benedict and Alex Pavesi.
'Only a writer with Martin Edwards's knowledge of and feeling for British crime fiction in all its breadth and depth could have pulled off Miss Winter in the Library with a Knife.' MORNING STAR
'Excellent.' CRITIC
'A real masterpiece. . . perfect for fans of crime, puzzles and escape rooms!' DARLING READS, BOOKSELLER'S CIRCLE
'Very clever and funny, with lots of jokes about the book world to enjoy. Loved it.' MW CRAVEN
'A wonderful puzzle mystery from the master of the Golden Age.' RAGNAR JONASSON
'The king of the puzzle mystery novel.' ALEX PAVESI
'Nobody knows the game of murder like Martin Edwards.' ANTONY JOHNSTON
'Fiendish, hilarious and utterly addictive.' ORLANDO MURRIN
'A celebration of crime fiction... As thoughtful as it is fun.' CRIME FICTION LOVER
'What a treat.' SJ BENNETT
'I absolutely loved it.' MARY GRAND
'Martin knows more about crime fiction than anyone.' ANN CLEEVES
'A fine writer.... . . his novels feature an acute sense of place as well as deep psychological insights.' IAN RANKIN
Included in the i newspaper's best new crime and thriller books to read, September 2025
DISCOVER MORE THRILLING READS FROM THE KING OF CLASSIC CRIME, ALL FEATURING A CLUEFINDER SO YOU CAN PLAY DETECTIVE YOURSELF.
THE RACHEL SAVERNAKE GOLDEN AGE MYSTERIES
#1 GALLOWS COURT
#2 MORTMAIN HALL
#3 BLACKSTONE FELL
#4 SEPULCHRE STREET
#5 HEMLOCK BAY
STANDALONE MYSTERIES
#1 MISS WINTER IN THE LIBRARY WITH A KNIFE
Reviews / Votes
The perfect way to unwind during the holidays. What a treat. -- SJ Bennett Martin Edwards is a magician who conjures up a captivating crime story before your eyes. -- Janice Hallett The king of the puzzle mystery novel. -- Alex Pavesi A mystery-within-a-mystery you can play along with, all done in the best classic style. Nobody knows the game of murder like Martin Edwards. * Antony Johnston * You can put down the Radio Times and highlighter pen, this book is all the entertainment you'll need this Christmas. Wonderful stuff. -- Ian Moore Editor, aficionado, reviewer, collector - Martin Edwards must have crime fiction coursing through his veins. But it is as a writer that he is revealed at his best, synthesising all of that knowledge and love of the genre into work that is singularly his own. -- John Harvey A classic murder mystery as fresh and sparkling as a snowy day. A perfect read for the long winter evenings. -- Kate Ellis This year's must-read Christmas murder mystery. I absolutely loved it. -- Mary Grand Fiendish, hilarious and utterly addictive, this belongs under every Christmas tree. -- Orlando Murrin Miss Winter is an absolute treat for armchair detectives! With a cast of suspicious characters, a bleak, snow-bound location, and a plot full of unexpected twists and turns, it's a Christmas slay ride every murder mystery fan will enjoy. * Fiona Leitch * Miss Winter in the Library with a Knife is a fiendishly clever murder mystery rooted in the traditions of the Golden Age but also fresh and innovative. Plot wrapped in plot, puzzle wrapped in puzzle - it's delicious fun to peel back the layers and see if you solved the mysteries of Midwinter before the hapless Harry Crystal and his fellow sleuths. * Andreina Cordani * Brilliant * The Courier, Dundee *More details
Language
English
Place of publication
United Kingdom
Publishing group
Bloomsbury Publishing PLC
Product notice
Laminated cover
Illustrations
5 Maps
Dimensions
Height: 229 mm
Width: 148 mm
Thickness: 23 mm
Weight
581 gr
ISBN-13
978-1-0359-1058-8 (9781035910588)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Other editions
Additional editions
Martin Edwards
Miss Winter in the Library with a Knife
A Twisty Christmas Murder Mystery, the Perfect Read for Winter 2025
E-Book
09/2025
1st Edition
Apollo
€5.99
Available for download
Person
Martin Edwards is an award-winning author and life-long fan of books and mysteries, puzzles and games. He has won the Edgar, Agatha, H.R.F. Keating, Macavity and Poirot awards and, in 2020, he was awarded the Crime Writers' Association Diamond Dagger for his outstanding contribution to crime fiction. He is the President of the Detection Club, a position previously held by crime-writing royalty Dorothy L Sayers and Agatha Christie, and he is the editor of the British Library's bestselling Crime Classics series. Martin is the author of the Rachel Savernake Golden Age Mysteries as well as several other works of fiction and non-fiction.