Kate Carlise’s THE TWELVE BOOKS OF CHRISTMAS begins when the holidays find Brooklyn Wainwright and her husband, Derek Stone, celebrating with her family in Dharma when her friend Claire invites them to her New Year’s Eve wedding in Loch Ness, Scotland. When Brooklyn explains that she and Derek had plans with her parents, Claire includes them in her invitation to the nuptials.

So, bookbinding expert Brooklyn, security professional husband Derek, and her parents, Becky and Jim, set out for Castle MacKinnon right after Christmas. On the flight, Brooklyn studies the list of twelve collectible books Claire reports missing from the castle library. Claire asked Brooklyn to help locate the missing volumes while staying at the castle.

Determined to find the missing books, Brooklyn and Derek search and find one of the books, along with a young man’s body, in one of the castle’s towers. The couple also picks up on feelings of ill will from folks who resent the Lard’s choice for his soon-to-be wife. Bitsy, a woman set on having the Laird for herself, shows up to claim an ancient tradition that enables her to move into the castle as a guest. With a murder in the castle and Bitsy making demands, the wedding is postponed for a few days.

As Brooklyn and Derek find more of the missing books, Bitsy becomes more aggressive and challenges Claire to an archery contest. Claire becomes a suspect when an arrow ends Bitsy’s life, at least according to Bitsy’s family. Brooklyn, Derek, and Claire’s aunt Gwyneth begin investigating the two murders.

A consummate storyteller, Ms. Carlise offers readers a complex mystery enriched by a peek at Scottish traditions where the Loch Ness region serves as the setting. THE TWELVE BOOKS OF CHRISTMAS provides an excellent addition to her Bibliophile Mystery series.