Miss Winter in the Library with a Knife - EXTRACT

A Christmas murder mystery like no other

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Pub Date Sep 09 2025 | Archive Date Not set

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Description

AN EXTRACT 

'A true master of British crime writing.' RICHARD OSMAN

Six down-on-their-luck people with links to the world of crime writing have been invited to play a game this Christmas by the mysterious Midwinter Trust. The challenge seems simple but exciting:


Solve the murder of a fictional crime writer in a remote but wonderfully atmospheric village in the north Pennines to win a prize that will change your fortunes for good.

Six members of staff from the shadowy Trust are there to make sure everyone plays fair. The contestants have been meticulously vetted but you can never be too careful. And with the village about to be cut off by a snow storm, everyone needs to be extra vigilant. Midwinter can play tricks on people’s minds…

The game is set – but playing fair isn’t on everyone’s Christmas list.

After all, when the prize is to die for, it’s so tempting to inject a little murder into the mystery.

AN EXTRACT 

'A true master of British crime writing.' RICHARD OSMAN

Six down-on-their-luck people with links to the world of crime writing have been invited to play a game this Christmas by the...


Advance Praise

'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

'I’m delighted that Martin has created a Christmas story. He writes in the best traditional style, always with a vivid setting and his own modern twist. It will be the perfect way to unwind during the holidays. What a treat.' S J 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

'I’m delighted that Martin has created a...


Available Editions

EDITION Hardcover
ISBN 9781035910595
PRICE £16.99 (GBP)
PAGES 400

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Average rating from 30 members


Featured Reviews

I really loved the premise of the book. It sound so interesting and i will definitely pick it up once it's out.
I enjoyed reading the rule of the games, having the invitations and other elements.
We still haven't met half of the characters and i'm already hooked

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I really liked this sampler. martin Edwards' writing was as good as always and the premise set up was done well. I'll be sure to pick this up when it becomes available next year!

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Martin Edwards is a new author, and I thank Aries for the extract of Miss Winter in the library with a knife.
Six down in their luck people that are related to crime writing are invited to a game in a remote spot in the North Pennines with a prize that will change their lives.
The storyline sounded really intriguing which I liked. This premise is mysterious and the characters that I did read sounded interesting. In what I read I found the storyline to be unique than other locked room mysteries I read. I can’t wait to find out more once it has been published. 4 stars from me.

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I am aware of Martin Edwards via his work with the British Library Crime Classic and I knew he was a crime writing in his own right, but never red any of his titles, but when I saw this extract (with its intriguing title), I had to try it out.

And I am very intrigued from what I have read. Six people (all connected the crime writing) invited to the mysterious village of Midwinter to play a game: Solve the murder of a fictional crime writer. There will be six member of staff to make sure everyone plays fair, but with a snow storm cutting the town off and the prize that people are willing to kill for, things might not stick the Golden Age rule of play fair...

Will keep my eyes and ears out for this title when it comes out in the latter half of 2025.

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With thanks of the author, publishers Aria & Aries, and NetGalley for providing me with an eARC extract of this book in exchange for my honest review.

I really enjoyed what I read in this extract. The concept sounds like a fun one, and what I read was certainly enough to make we want to seek out the published work to see how it unfolds!

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I was lucky enough to receive an ARC extract of this book from Net Galley.

I enjoyed the opening pages of this book. It beautifully sets up a page-turner of a book.

Two people are out in a snowstorm, battling to see what is before them. They are looking for someone. But who? And why did this person go out in a snowstorm in the first place?

We are then introduced to two characters who are heading to the village of Midwinter as part of a Christmas murder mystery. As they are about to be snowed in due to a huge snowstorm the attendees are eager to get to town before the storm hits. From the first few pages the attendees look to be in for a killer Christmas.

Really looking forward to reading the full book when it comes out later in 2025.

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This was an extract from NetGalley and was such a fun, quick read from the book. The concept seems engaging and definitely entertaining. A whodunnit, a whydunnit and a howdunnit is how it was put and I can’t wait for the full story!
Thank you NetGalley for the sampling.

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Fantastic, can’t wait to read the whole story, this little sample certainly has me hooked.
The village of Midwinter is remote and the Midwinter Trust that oversees the village is running a Christmas Murder game, we are treating to hints and clues as to the game, the village and some of the guests who are to play the game, it seems they are all connected through crime writing, but by anything else?
Really looking forward to the book.

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I love Martin Edwards' work and was intrigued to read this sample of his 2025 novel Miss Winter in the Library with a Knife. The extract was just enough to pique my interest and I very much look forward to reading the whole book when the time comes.

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A sampler - so not reviewing in detail for the risk of giving anything away, but Martin Edwards has always been playful and clever in his writing - whether it's in the stories themselves or little twists/ easter eggs/ bonuses (the cluefinder from Hemlock Bay being an example).
This looks as if it's taking cozy crime to the next level of multi media innovation and looking forward to it very much!

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More I need more. What I have read so far has completely got me hooked. I need to read the rest of this book. I need to know what happens next!!

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An Exciting Prospect…
An extract of what will soon be a Christmas murder mystery with a difference where six people, all with links to the literary world of crime, have been invited to a play a game by the rather elusive Midwinter Trust in an idyllic Yorkshire village. The prize, they are told, will be potentially life changing. With six members of the Trust also in attendance and the village about to become cut off by a snow storm, what could possibly go wrong? This is a tremendously exciting prospect and will, no doubt, be both intriguing and entertaining, brimming with red herrings, clues and misdirection galore.

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