Auralee Wallace is getting hygge with it! The author of the Otter Lake Mystery series gets warm and cozy with 5 snow-filled mysteries and offers YOU a chance to win a copy of her latest book, Snowed In with Murder. Make sure to sign in a comment below for a chance to win!
I’m a bad Canadian. I admit it. I’m ambivalent about hockey. Most days, I’d choose Starbucks over Tim Horton’s. And I hate winter. That’s right. You heard me. I hate winter.
It’s approaching the time of year in Ottawa when the deep cold sets in. You can’t let your pets outside because they’d be dead in minutes. You can’t send your children walking across the schoolyard without a strict no sibling left behind policy. And, believe it or not, I have caught myself pondering on more than one occasion whether eyeballs turn to ice before a person freezes to death. I know. Not nice thoughts.
And that’s why, this year, I’ve decided to get hygge with it.
You haven’t heard of hygge? Well, it’s all the rage. It even made the 2016 Oxford Dictionaries’ short list for word of the year. What does it mean? While there is no direct translation for the word hygge (pronounced HOO-gah), it is basically the Dannish obsession with getting cozy. Still not clear? Well, you know that feeling you get when it’s snowing outside but you’re warm inside—preferably in a wood cabin—and you light a candle, snuggle under a blanket, and rub socked feet with someone else in front of a fireplace? That, my friend, is hygge.
In order to truly embrace the hygge this year, I decided to do all the above—minus the wood cabin—while reading five snow-filled mysteries in four weeks, and I’ve decided to share the list with you. Who knows? You might want to get hygge with it too.
I found it led me down all sorts of unanticipated cozy paths. So, get a warm drink and let’s drive right into my icy list of murder. (BTW: Right now, I’m drinking TAZO’s Berryblossom White tea. The package describes it as having enticing hints of blueberry and white cranberry. Mmm, I can really taste the white cranberries. I’m kidding. I have no idea what white cranberries taste like.)
Snow Angels
by James Thompson
Okay, this one is for those readers who like their mysteries dark. I mean really dark. This book takes place during Kaamos in Lapland, the time of year when the sun doesn’t rise at all. The murder in this story is also quite dark. A beautiful Somalian refugee/actress is mutilated and murdered on a reindeer farm.
Unintended cozy consequence: An all-consuming desire to travel to Lapland.
While it seems strange to equate this book’s setting with cozy, warm feelings, in a weird way it does make you feel like you’ve been transported into a Bizzaro Santa’s Village where everybody is drunk and maybe a little mentally unstable … but not, you know, in a totally bad way. And, well, there are Northern Lights! And stars!
A Fright to the Death
by Dawn Eastman
After all the dark of Kaamos, I thought I had better find something that would be less likely to turn me into an alcoholic. So I went out and found the absolute coziest looking mystery I could find. Look at that cover would you? Puppies. Yarn. A castle in the snow! And it doesn’t stop there. This murder mystery also has knitters, pet psychics, hidden tunnels, and a ghost story!
Unintended Cozy Consequence: Knitting.
I now want to knit. Big time. I even bought a teach-yourself kit. Sure, I already crochet, but we all know that’s like being the Miss Congeniality of the crafting world. I’m ready to wear the crown.
The Sittaford Mystery
by Agatha Christie
Granted, this may be an obvious choice, but how could I not choose an Agatha Christie? The O.G. in the UK? Seriously, what’s cozier than cuddling under a blanket on a bitterly cold night with a cup of Earl Grey reading about a murder predicted by a Ouija board?
Unintended cozy consequence: Speaking like a 1920s British man.
Try it. It’s an instant mood booster. I have used the word tommyrot more in the past month than I have in my entire life. Even more aggravating for my poor husband is the fact that I’ve been able to work the phrase or was it murder? into most of our conversations. He doesn’t want to rub socked feet with me anymore. It was worth it though. Tommyrot.
Cover of Snow
by Jenny Milchman
This mystery is about a woman waking up one wintry morning in her farmhouse huddled in the Adirondack Mountains of New York to find that her husband has committed suicide. She then goes on a mission to unravel the mystery of her spouse’s final days despite the entire town turning against her.
Unintended cozy consequence: An adult perspective on home-buying.
Turns out, I no longer want to live in an old farmhouse in upstate New York. Sounds like the opposite of hygge? Well, you see, when my husband and I first got married, we almost bought a century home, and ever since I’ve wondered, what if? But the way the main character in this mystery kept having to turn up the thermostat? Well, I feel validated in my warm, well-insulated life choices.
1222
by Anne Holt, translated by Marlaine Delargy
So, here we have a small group of people who get stuck in a hotel during an apocalyptic snow storm after a train derailment in the Norwegian Alps. On the first night at the hotel, a man is found murdered, and then all the people get squirrelly.
Unintended cozy consequence: You’ll want to hug a misanthrope.
When I read the blurb for this mystery, my first thought was, You know what would make this book awesome? Vampires. But as it turned out, it had something way better than blood-suckers: a grumpy, misanthropic detective who just rolls away from people in her wheelchair when they ask stupid questions. Oh, how I love Hanne. I can’t help it. Her disdain for humankind just makes me all warm and fuzzy inside.
Read an excerpt from Snowed In with Murder!
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Snowed In with Murder Comment Sweepstakes: NO PURCHASE NECESSARY TO ENTER OR WIN. A purchase does not improve your chances of winning. Sweepstakes open to legal residents of 50 United States, D.C., and Canada (excluding Quebec), who are 18 years or older as of the date of entry. To enter, complete the “Post a Comment” entry at https://www.criminalelement.com/blogs/2017/02/5-snowed-in-mysteries-to-keep-you-cozy-around-the-fire-comment-sweepstakes beginning at 11:00 a.m. Eastern Time (ET) February 1, 2017. Sweepstakes ends 10:59 a.m. ET February 15, 2017. Void outside the United States and Canada and where prohibited by law. Please see full details and official rules here. Sponsor: Macmillan, 175 Fifth Ave., New York, NY 10010.
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Auralee Wallace is the author of the Otter Lake Mystery series which includes Skinny Dipping with Murder and Pumpkin Picking with Murder. She has played many roles in her life, including college professor, balloon seller, and collections agent. When this semi-natural blonde mother of three children (and psychiatric nurse to two rescue cats) isn't writing humorous novels about quirky characters, she can often be found pontificating about the Golden Age of soap operas or warring with a family of peregrine falcons for the rights to her backyard.
I’m currently snowed in, in Canada, and I’m looking forward (?) to being snowed in, with murder. That way, maybe I won’t know why I’m shivering.
Must read these – maybe I can annoy husband and children even more than I already do. 🙂
Love the list ( including yours, natch). Thanks for the opportunity to win a copy of Snowed in with Murder.
I into warm and cozy reading for winter and snow. I also love murder and mystery.
I just really need something to engross my mind- feeling cooped-in.
What great books! I would love some hygge!
I would love to sit in front of a fire reading a mystery.
lots of books
A good selection of winter books to reads in cozy circumstances. Hope to win Snowed In With Murder. Wish me luck!
We are having an unusually cold winter and nothing is better than sitting in a warm living room reading a cozy mystery.
Great list of winter books to read during another snowy month here in Ontario. Thanks for the suggestions.
Just the right books for winter in New England.
Just the right books for winter in New England.
I hate snow and cold, and love snuggling down for a good read on a cold Winter’s day.
It’s been a mild winter here, so I’m ready to read about snow, cold, and murder.!
Thanks for the great read suggestions and I totaly agree with the concept of
hygge and have embraced it for years without even knowing!
Nothing like curling up with a good mystery book to forget about the cold wintry weather outside.
Nothing like curling up with a good mystery book to forget about the cold wintry weather outside.
The weather has been strange in MI this year. No big amounts of snow which I love. Even this last summer we missed out on a monster thunderstorm. Must be global warming…
I love to read mysteries they are my favorite genre. I really like the cover of ” A Fright to the Death is so cute.
Oh, I would especially love to read “A Fright to the Death.” Love the cover.
Oh, I would especially love to read “A Fright to the Death.” Love the cover.
Not much snow here so far this year, but that does not stop me from cuddling under a blanket with a good mystery.
still waiting to get snowed in here in Kentucky but still love to hygge in front of a nice fire
Oh, this looks so good. I love to curl up with a cuppa and great read, especially when the weather is bad.
We had snow, then more snow, then more and still the forcast is for more. Good time to stay in under the quilt with a good mystery!
It’s been a pretty mild winter for me. I prefer my snow in book form!
Thank you for the opportunity!
I love to read good mysteries and this sounds like a great one to read.
Would love to win these books.
Would love to win these books.
Thanks for this great feature. Winter for being cozy and reading non-stop.
I want to get hygge with this book!
I’m gonna have to put these on my must-read list.
I love getting hygge. It’s my favorite thing to do, especially if a book is part of it!
always like a murder mystery
Thanks for the wonderful sweepstakes. This is perfect weather to curl up with a good book.
Thanks for the wonderful sweepstakes. This is perfect weather to curl up with a good book.
You make it easy….everything, just everything about it….
sounds like a fun one
It would be nice to get snowed in with books like this around! I love mysteries!
so want to read these….so let me win
so want to read these….so let me win
As Inalways state : this is one of two of my #1 favorite genre. I cannot get enough of it. My other fav is horror. Omg, I hope those two genres don’t give me a profile of one deranged. lol
would lve to read this.
You say Hygge, I say Huggy. We all say we love a stack of new books for February!
I have been hearing about hygge but was pronouncing it wrong so I’m glad you put in the proper pronunciation! I would love to be snowed in with a new mystery – some interesting-looking ones above!
These sound like fun reads.
You have given a great list of cozy (hygge) mysteries to read. Thanks.
It is cold here in Michigan too.
I haven’t thought about snow since we moved from New Jersey to warm Louisiana. So this should be a delightful read. Thanks for the sweeps.
Count me in, please!
Want to win. 🙂
Thanks for this opportunity!
I am a not so bad Canadian sitting here in the cold trying to win a book!
I am a not so bad Canadian sitting here in the cold trying to win a book!
storm’s coming, now I just need to win!
Love to read!
Love to read!
This book sounds perfect for the season. i’d love to win!
WINTER is My Favorite Season! I would love to read Auralee Wallace’s Otter Lake mysteries and wouldn’t mind starting at the End with “Snowed in with Murder”!
I could use everyone on the list but will settle for “Snowed in with murder”. So far no big storms this year but still need a cuddle-up book.
As I look at the snow falling outside, I wish I had these books to read!
Frozen delight!
Although I don”t want to live in snow country again (had enough of that!), I still enjoy other people in the snow.
i look forward to reading this combination of past mystery stories of Agatha Christie and the new mysteries in this group.
i look forward to reading this combination of past mystery stories of Agatha Christie and the new mysteries in this group.
What an assortment. This is perfect for winter reading, hope I would get snowed in for a few days so I could read undisturbed.
Thank you for the chance to win .
I would enjoy reading this.
Oh I would like this one!
I need them all! Yes!
I would love to read this snuggled in on a wintry day.
Oh this would be great for these snowy days!
It’s snowing tonight! I’m ready for my mysteries!
It’s snowing here AGAIN! I need some good reads to get me through this winter.
Looking forward to reading this book while not snowed in.
Looking forward to reading this book while not snowed in.
Want!
Sounds great–I’ll read it!!!
Thanks for the contest!
Cold in MI. Great time to read. I want this.
Love to cozy up to a fire with a good mysterty. Thanks for the chance to win this.
It’s a bitter coldOttawa winters day. Just the weather for curling up with a cup of tea and a good book.
sounds great sign me up
love reading new books
I need all these for beach reading next month.
I’m in !!
Would love it.
Would love it.
Love a good mystery!
Sounds like some good ones!
Sounds like some good ones!
Would love to read this – sounds awesome!!~
Would love to read this – sounds awesome!!~
I really want to read this
always looking for something new to read on the metro into work
thank you for the chance to win
Thanks
Not exactly snowed in here in southern California, but I would adore to make some cocoa and read these!
great reading!
Thanks so much for the chance 🙂
Happy Valentine’s Day
Thanks for throwing the Embracing Hygge: 5 Snowed-in Mysteries to Keep You Cozy Around the Fire Sweepstakes.
I would like to read the work of Auralee Wallace.
I would like this
It sounds like a great read. Thanks.
Auralee, we have much in common. I live in Florida, I hate the winter so much. Can’t. Be. Cold.
Good deal, count me in!
[b]Consider this my entry.[/b]
Thanks for the great giveaway!
A good book to curl up with this Winter.
sounds like a great read!
win
It’s unusually warm this year, but I can pretend it’s winter.