The Jackson Square Mysteries

This audiobook is narrated by an AI Voice.
A festive gathering, a poisoned pewter goblet, and a historic San Francisco publishing house under siege.

Snow rarely falls on Jackson Square, but this December, the atmosphere inside The Clayton Press is as crisp and chilly as winter frost. The historic boutique publishing imprint is hosting its celebrated annual holiday gala. Cinnamon spice and fresh pine fill the wood-paneled library, carols echo from the rooftop terrace, and goodwill seems to abound—until managing trustee Felix Coldwell toasts to the company's future, takes a sip from a vintage pewter tankard, and collapses dead before the final chorus of "Silent Night."

Enter the unlikely amateur sleuthing trio of The Clayton Press: Maya Lin, the brilliant head archivist with an eye for detail; Julian Vance, the charismatic senior acquisitions editor; and Vivian Sterling, the sharp-witted production director. Accompanied by Barnaby, the clever tuxedo cat who knows every secret passageway in the four-story brick building, the group must untangle a web of corporate rivalries, hidden manuscripts, and long-held grudges.

With the local police quick to cast suspicion on the imprint's staff and the threat of immediate eviction looming over their historic premises, Maya, Julian, and Vivian have until Christmas morning to catch the killer. Can they decipher the clues hidden in the press's archives before the holiday lights go out for good?

Murder at the Christmas Gala is a delightfully cozy, clean, and atmospheric holiday mystery filled with warm wit, clever puzzles, and zero graphic violence.