Part of The Rev. Clare Fergusson & Russ Van Alstyne Mysteries, book 10
First published 2025
Clare Fergusson plans a quiet Christmas in Millers Kill with her husband Russ van Alstyne and their baby. Russ has stepped down as police chief. They want to visit Santa, decorate their tree, and watch the church pageant. White supremacists shatter their peace when they crash the town's holiday parade. Clare and Russ get pulled into a dangerous world of militias and murder. Officer Hadley Knox struggles to balance her children and police duties while her former partner Kevin Flynn vanishes after taking leave from Syracuse PD. Lawyer Joy Zhao conducts a secret investigation into alt-right conspiracies from her position at the state Attorney General's Office. Forest Ranger Paul Terrance searches for his missing uncle, a veteran park service employee. Strange rumors circulate about dangerous men hiding in the mountains. As December days grow shorter, these five people discover their separate concerns connect through one twisted thread leading to the Adirondack High Peaks. They must unravel a deadly plot before Christmas arrives.
Genres: mystery, crime, thriller, action
Vibes: atmospheric, fast-paced, suspenseful
Tropes: enemies-to-lovers, found-family
Setting: Millers Kill, Adirondack High Peaks, Syracuse
Period: Christmas, December
320 pages · Hardcover · Minotaur Books
Content warnings: racism, violence