Ten Lords A-Leaping: A Father Christmas Mystery
The Reverend Tom Christmas, vicar of St. Nicholas Church, arranges a fund-raiser for his church starring the Leaping Lords, members of the aristocracy who skydive for charity. When Tom injures his ankle upon landing after his own jump, he, along with his young daughter, is invited to recuperate at Eggescombe, the estate of the Earl of Fairhaven, host of the event. Tom soon learns a past scandal has led to tensions among the half-siblings, cousins, and in-laws who are currently staying at Eggescombe. When Tom, on an early morning walk, finds the body of one of the relatives in a labyrinth on the estate, there are many suspects. With Tom also hiding a secret from the police, he decides not to tell them all he knows until he is able to talk to the parties involved. It becomes apparent that the murder may be rooted in the past actions of the victim. This leisurely paced, English-country-house mystery has multiple plotlines and plot twists as Tom finds a long-lost relative of a friend and solves several mysteries. --Sue OBrien