Going home for the holidays can be murder in a bracing mystery by Amazon Charts bestselling and Edgar Award–nominated author Jess Lourey.

After more than a decade away, Mira James isn’t keen on returning to her Minnesota hometown for the holidays. Her childhood memories aren’t particularly jolly. Even less festive is the news of a serial killer on the loose.

With only ten shopping days till Christmas, the Candy Cane Killer has been very busy slashing through the snow. Eager to earn her official PI stripes, Mira is anxious to track him down. But when the latest victim is a woman from her high school graduating class, the investigation hits a little too close to home.

Even worse? Mira has good reason to fear that she’s next. To stop a killer in his tracks, she may have to start digging into the ghosts of her own Christmas past.

Revised edition: This edition of December Dread includes editorial revisions.