Featuring Agatha RaisinAgatha Raisin has always been ambivalent about holiday cheer, but her cozy little village of Carsely has long prided itself on its Christmas festivities. But this year Mr. John Sunday, a self important officer with the Health and Safety Board, has ruled that the traditional tree on top of the church is a public menace; that lampposts are unsafe for hanging illuminations; that May Dimwoody’s homemade toys are dangerous for children… Things have reached such a desperate pass that the Carsely Ladies’ Society joins forces with the ladies in the neighboring village of Odley Cruesis to try to put a stop to Mr. Sunday’s meddling—only to find that someone has literally put a stop to him with a kitchen knife. Millionaire and prime suspect Miriam Courtney, who threatened to kill Sunday, hires Agatha to clear her name. Complications ensue after someone strikes Miriam a fatal blow to the head.
Agatha and her perky young protégé, Toni Gilmour work together on the case and along the way Toni's friend Sharon who also works for Agatha goes missing and is later discovered murdered. This provides more insight into Toni's character and is a small detour in the story. We continue the original storyline as Agatha now is trying to determine who murdered Sunday & Courtney. She even ventures to Boston to meet up with Miriam's estranged children who didn't even come over for the funeral. this part of the mystery gets very complicated as there are several cases of mistaken identity. As with most Agatha Christie novels nothing is quite as it seems and sometimes those small villages harbour violent people.