For OCTOBER 2024 Release!

The Festive Mayhem mystery and crime fiction anthology is back for another year! In this fourth edition, thirteen crime writers of color have teamed up to offer you a baker’s dozen of brand-new short stories centered around the winter holidays. From uplifting cozies to action-packed thrillers to darker suspense, this collection has it all!

What You’ll Find Inside

“The Townhouse That Cried: A Valentine’s Day Haunting” by Persia Walker

In a gorgeous but haunted townhouse, a couple’s darkest secrets and buried pasts threaten to destroy their relationship and their lives.

“Chocolate Kisses, Deadly Wishes: A Clover City Files Short Story” by Barbara Howard

When a candy-themed reality TV show comes to Briarwood College, the event turns chilling. A celebrity chef is found dead amidst the winter wonderland set, thrusting two friends into a hunt for the killer.

“Dearly Departed: A Crescent City Short Story” by SG Wong

Betta Ha believes deeply in her vocation as a Healer. However, can her convictions be enough to protect a gifted new protégé from a predatory family? Can she shield her best friend from past mistakes that might now prove more dangerous than anyone imagined?

“A Tokyo Christmas Dish” by Elizabeth Wilkerson

A burnt-out home health aide’s impromptu trip to Japan takes a wild turn. She finds herself entangled in a scheme to spread Christmas cheer.

“Valentine’s Vengeance: A Cozy Cat Caper Mystery Short” by Paige Sleuth

Cherry Hills amateur sleuth Imogene Little investigates an attempted murder during a Valentine’s Day double date.

“Appalachia Kidnappings” by Lavelle Andrew Miller

A winter storm unearths a decade-old mystery.

“The Case Of The Missing Body: A Lara’s Detective Agency Mystery” by Stella Oni

In the days leading up to Christmas, the body of a respected Yoruba chief vanishes from a funeral home under mysterious circumstances.

“Yuletide Clean-Up” by Delia Pitts

Denise’s post-holiday chores include dismantling the Christmas tree, baking cookies, and covering up a death.

“Before The Ball Drops” by Lekecia Barclay

With the clock ticking down to a killer’s midnight deadline on New Year’s Eve, a jaded private detective makes a deal with her estranged best friend. She must find the would-be murderer in exchange for freeing her son.

“Street Smarts” by P.M. Raymond

Against the backdrop of New Orleans Mardi Gras, a savvy stripper and her most ardent admirer share a dangerous secret. This secret puts them in the crosshairs of a scheming law enforcer.

“Sweeten: A Naomi Sinclair Short Story” by Ashley-Ruth M. Bernier

When blackmail threatens to ruin a perfect Virgin Islands Christmas, St. Thomian food journalist Naomi Sinclair trades her usual bush tea for a glass of maubi. She dives in to uncover the truth.

“The Paradise” by Jill Brock

Nia Jackson, the new tenant, discovers that living at the Paradise Apartments could be deadly.

“Delilah And The Dangerous Diva” by Carolyn Marie Wilkins

When her boss’s client, a renowned Negro opera singer, is accused of killing a crooked theatrical producer at the turn of the last century, legal secretary and aspiring novelist Delilah Rhodes must confront a vicious killer.