Ski Resorts: Murder with a Dash of Romance

Although local weather doesn’t make for great ski conditions, you can always find it in fiction. When it comes to the slopes, there is always the possibility of finding somebody.  Whether it's a romantic somebody or a dead somebody, depends on the author. In reality, the chances of dying while skiing and snowboarding are 1 in 1.4 million and 1 in 2.2 million respectively (https://snowbrains.com), with 600,000 people injured annually.  The leading cause of death and injury, on the slopes is due to colliding with other people or stationary objects, (it’s probably best to stay away from the trees). Aside from the potential for murder, mayhem, and accidentally imitating George of the Jungle by flying into a tree, there are romantic elements. The mountain views of ski resorts ensure that wedding photos at any time of the year will have the greatest of backdrops. A search online shows that some venues even offer proposal packages, (https://www.skitheday.com/colorado-ski-proposal-pricing-guide). Whether you prefer murderous slopes or romantic tropes, we can help you find what you're looking for.

Book descriptions featured are provided by the publishers.

One by One by Ware, Ruth

Getting snowed in at a luxurious, rustic ski chalet high in the French Alps doesn't sound like the worst problem in the world. Especially when there's a breathtaking vista, a full-service chef and housekeeper, a cozy fire to keep you warm, and others to keep you company. Unless that company happens to be eight coworkers...each with something to gain, something to lose, and something to hide.

When the cofounder of Snoop, a trendy London-based tech startup, organizes a weeklong trip for the team in the French Alps, it starts out as a corporate retreat like any other: PowerPoint presentations and strategy sessions broken up by mandatory bonding on the slopes. But as soon as one shareholder upends the agenda by pushing a lucrative but contentious buyout offer, tensions simmer and loyalties are tested. The storm brewing inside the chalet is no match for the one outside, however, and a devastating avalanche leaves the group cut off from all access to the outside world. Even worse, one Snooper hadn't made it back from the slopes when the avalanche hit.

As each hour passes without any sign of rescue, panic mounts, the chalet grows colder, and the group dwindles further...one by one

Winterkill by Ragnar Jónasson

"Easter weekend is approaching, and snow is gently falling in Siglufjörður, the northernmost town in Iceland, as crowds of tourists arrive to visit the majestic ski slopes. Ari Thor Arason is now a police inspector, but he's separated from his girlfriend, who lives in Sweden with their three-year-old son. A family reunion is planned for the holiday, but a violent blizzard is threatening and there is an unsettling chill in the air. Three days before Easter, a nineteen-year-old local girl falls to her death from the balcony of a house on the main street. A perplexing entry in her diary suggests that this may not be an accident, and when an old man in a local nursing home writes 'She was murdered' again and again on the wall of his room, there is every suggestion that something more sinister lies at the heart of her death... As the extreme weather closes in, cutting the power and access to Siglufjörður, Ari Thor must piece together the puzzle to reveal a horrible truth... one that will leave no one unscathed"--. Provided by publisher.

Everyone In My Family Has Killed Someone by Stevenson, Benjamin

"Everyone in my family has killed someone. Some of us, the high achievers, have killed more than once. I'm not trying to be dramatic, but it is the truth. Some of us are good, others are bad, and some just unfortunate. I'm Ernest Cunningham. Call me Ern or Ernie. I wish I'd killed whoever decided our family reunion should be at a ski resort, but it's a little more complicated than that. Have I killed someone? Yes. I have. Who was it? Let's get started"--. Provided by publisher.

Shiver by Reynolds, Allie

"In this propulsive locked-room thriller debut, a reunion weekend in the French Alps turns deadly when five friends discover that someone has deliberately stranded them at their remote mountaintop resort during a snowstorm"-- Provided by publisher.

The Body in the Snowdrift: a Faith Fairchild mystery by Page, Katherine Hall

On a family reunion celebrating her father-in-law's seventieth birthday at a Vermont ski resort, Faith Fairchild discovers a body on one of the cross-country trails. As vandalism and mayhem disrupt the resort routine, Faith investigates, hoping to get to the bottom of the crime spree, salvage the reunion, prevent the closing of Pine Slopes resort--and save her own life.

Ski Weekend: a novel by Ross, Rektok

"Sam is dreading senior ski weekend and having to watch after her brother and his best friend, Gavin, to make sure they don't do anything stupid. Again. Gavin may be gorgeous, but he and Sam have never gotten along. Now they're crammed into an SUV with three other classmates and Gavin's dog, heading on a road trip that can't go by fast enough. Then their SUV crashes into a snowbank, and Sam and her friends find themselves stranded in the mountains with cell phone coverage long gone and temperatures dropping"--. Back cover

The Drift: a novel by Tudor, C. J.

"Three ordinary people risk everything for a chance at redemption in this audacious, utterly gripping novel of catastrophe and survival at the end of the world, from the acclaimed author of The Chalk Man. Hannah awakens to carnage, all mangled metal and shattered glass. Evacuated from a secluded boarding school during a snowstorm, her coach careered off the road, trapping her with a handful of survivors. They'll need to work together to escape - with their sanity and secrets intact. Meg awakens to a gentle rocking. She's in a cable car stranded high above snowy mountains, with five strangers and no memory of how they got on board. They are heading to a place known only as "The Retreat," but as the temperature drops and tensions mount, Meg realizes they may not all make it there alive. Carter is gazing out of the window of an isolated ski chalet that he and his companions call home. As their generator begins to waver in the storm, the threat of something lurking in the chalet's depths looms larger, and their fragile bonds will be tested when the power finally fails-for good. The imminent dangers faced by Hannah, Meg, and Carter are each one part of the puzzle. Lurking in their shadows is an even greater threat-one that threatens to consume all of humanity"--. Provided by publisher.

Falling Stars by Michaels, Fern

Emily Ammerman has always felt at home amid the ski runs and slopes of Snowdrift Summit, the Colorado resort her family has operated for decades. Snow is her element, and she doesn t hesitate when a new client asks her to train him to ski The Plunge, one of Colorado s most treacherous runs. But Zach Ryder is no regular client. On screen, he's famous for starring as a daring CIA officer who always saves the day. In real life, he's just as handsome and charming as his alter ego, though not everyone is impressed. Some are concerned about what kind of impact these slick, showbiz types will have on their town. As for Emily she's got a secret, and it's one she can't reveal to anyone, especially not to Zach: she's his biggest fan. But she's also a professional. She'll train him till he's ready to tackle any slope, but she won't fall in love with him, the way so many others have. Still, not everything in life can be planned, and sometimes, no matter how hard you try, you just can't help but fall.

Love On The Lifts by Hawthorne, Rachel

Kate finds the perfect chance for romance when she spends winter break with her two best friends at a ski resort.

Holiday Havoc

 'Twas the night before Christmas, when all through the house,

mother is still stirring, and there is cookie batter on her blouse;

The stockers are hung, precariously, at best;

because the stocking holders are cheap and not meant to bear weight.

The children are finally nestled and sprawled across their beds,

in sugar-induced snoozes, and dreams of video games in their heads.

And Mamma is still wrapping while I take a nap,

having settled my brain, not realizing the trap.

Because out on the lawn there arose such a clatter,

I sprang from the lay-z-boy and mumbled 

"whazz-a-matter"

Away to the window Mother flew like a flash

Prying it open, ready to sass.

The moon shed some light on what was momentarily snow,

as the neighbors' holiday lights blinkered on with joy.

When what to my wife's irritated  gaze did appear

chaos and disarray, in a rusted old coupe,

I knew in an instant; that it must be cousin Nick.

More rapid than the 25 mph, he should be,

he whistled and shouted, and called out by name:

"Now Donna and Danny! and Penny and Vincent!

Carol and Conner! and Douglas and Betty!

Cousin Nicky is here and I've brought my dog, Paul!"

"go away, go away, go away now" Mother mutters

as she heaves a breath and tries not to cry.

Then they meet at the doorstop, Mother heaves a great sigh,

arms full of laundry, cousin Nicky sighs too,

here I mutter "Incoming" as Nick stomps his boots.

his dog prances and paws, and gives a big woof.

I sank in my chair, head in my hands.

Nick had come early, he came with his hound.

He was dressed in faux fur from head to foot

and looked rather tarnished with what might have been varnish to boot.

He held up his laundry, and his lips gave a smack,

His eyes gave a twinkle, and his dimple made me wary,

His face looked all ruddy, his nose like a berry, 

And his mouth held a smirk, always ready to row,

a beard, looking scruffy, like it didn't want to grow.

Overall, he looked as if an escapee

from where I wasn't sure, or if his stay had been brief.

 at least, I could tell he was well-fed by his belly,

I laughed when I saw him, surprising myself,

My wife gave me a look like she just saw a louse.

Nick steps inside, giving a shake of his head.

"It's just family," I whisper, "nothing to dread."

Nick talks about how he took time off of work,

something about his boss "being a jerk."

Then asked my wife to wash some of his clothes.

And so up from the recliner I quickly rose,

grabbing his bag and moving toward the laundry like a missile,

hoping to cut off any start of a quibble.

And I heard him exclaim, as he took over my chair,

"Happy Hols, cuz, I'll sleep here alright!"

Holiday havoc is upon us!

(Poem by Jennifer Vogenthaler

With inspiration from Clement Clarke Moore's "A Visit from St. Nicholas")

Book descriptions featured are provided by the publishers.

Wreck the Halls: a novel by Bailey, Tessa

Melody Gallard may be the daughter of music royalty, but her world is far from glamorous. She spends her days restoring old books and avoiding the limelight (one awkward tabloid photo was enough, thanks). But when a producer offers her a lot of money to reunite her mother's band on live tv, Mel begins to wonder if it's time to rattle the cage, shake up her quiet life... and see him again. The only other person who could wrangle the rock and roll divas.

Beat Dawkins, the lead singer's son, is Melody's opposite--the camera loves him, he could charm the pants off anyone, and his mom is not a potential cult leader. Still, they might have been best friends if not for the legendary feud that broke up the band. When they met as teenagers, Mel felt an instant spark, but it's nothing compared to the wild, intense attraction that builds as they embark on a madcap mission to convince their mothers to perform one last show.

While dealing with rock star shenanigans, a 24-hour film crew, brawling Santas, and mobs of adoring fans, Mel starts to step out of her comfort zone. With Beat by her side, cheering her on, she's never felt so understood. But Christmas Eve is fast approaching, and a decades-old scandal is poised to wreck everything--the Steel Birds reunion, their relationships with their mothers, and their newfound love.

The Wake-Up Call by O'Leary, Beth

"Two hotel receptionists--and archrivals--find a collection of old wedding rings and compete to return them to their owners, discovering their own love story along the way. It's the busiest season of the year, and Forest Manor Hotel is quite literally falling apart. So when Izzy and Lucas are given the same shift on the hotel's front desk, they have no choice but to put their differences aside and see it through. The hotel won't stay afloat beyond Christmas without some sort of miracle. But when Izzy returns a guest's lost wedding ring, the reward convinces management that this might be the way to fix everything. With four rings still sitting in the lost and found, the race is on for Izzy and Lucas to save their beloved hotel--and their jobs. As their bitter rivalry turns into something much more complicated, Izzy and Lucas begin to wonder if there's more at stake here than the hotel's future. Can the two of them make it through the season with their hearts intact?"--. Provided by publisher.

Up On the Woof Top by Quinn, Spencer

"Chet the dog, "the most lovable narrator in all of crime fiction" (Boston Globe) and his human partner Bernie Little find themselves high in the mountains this holiday season to help Dame Ariadne Carlisle, a renowned author of bestselling Christmas mysteries, find Rudy, her lead reindeer and good luck charm, who has gone missing. At Kringle Ranch, Dame Ariadne's expansive mountain spread, Chet discovers that he is not fond of reindeer. But the case turns out to be about much more than reindeer after Dame Ariadne's personal assistant takes a long fall into Devil's Purse, a deep mountain gorge. When our duo discovers that someone very close to Dame Ariadne was murdered in that same spot decades earlier, they start looking into that long ago unsolved crime. But as they reach into the past, the past is also reaching out for them. Can they unlock the secrets of Dame Ariadne's life before they too end up at the bottom of the gorge? Is Rudy somehow the key? Up on the Woof Top is a brand-new holiday adventure in Spencer Quinn's delightful New York Times and USA Today bestselling series that the Los Angeles Times called "nothing short of masterful.""--. Provided by publisher.

Faking Christmas by Winfrey, Kerry

"Laurel Grant works as the social media manager for Buckeye State of Mind, an Ohio tourism magazine and website. She is most definitely not an owner of a farm--specifically, the owner of her twin sister Holly's farm just outside of Columbus--but she lets her boss think she is. Laurel only handles the social media for the farm, but she's happy to keep her little white lie going. And keep it going she must, when Gilbert--recently dumped by his wife--invites himself over for the farm's big holiday dinner (as advertised on Meadow Rise Farm's Instagram, thanks to Laurel herself). Laurel immediately goes into panic mode to figure out how she can trick Gilbert into thinking she's basically the Martha Stewart of rural Ohio and keep her job in the process. Laurel and Holly come up with a plan: all Laurel has to do is pretend to own the farm for one dinner. But when Laurel shows up at the farm, an unwelcome guest is there: Max Beckett, her nemesis since Holly's wedding. The annoyingly attractive man she hates will be posing as Laurel's husband just for the evening, but when a snowstorm traps them all for the entire weekend, Laurel is going to have to figure out how to survive with her job and dignity intact. Whatever the case, this promises to be the most eventful Christmas in ages."--. Provided by publisher.

Eight Dates and Nights by Aldredge, Betsy

New Yorker Hannah Levin is allergic to exactly two things, horses and tinsel. Unfortunately, she's surrounded by both when she's snowed in at her grandmother's home in a small Texas town.

Super lonely, missing latkes and reliable Wi-Fi, Hannah wanders into an old deli where she meets the only other Jewish teen around, Noah, who happens to be equal parts adorable and full of annoying, over the top festival of lights spirit that he's determined to share with Hannah one itchy Hanukkah sweater at a time.

As the days pass--and a spectacularly memorable kiss following Noah's made up game of truth or dare dreidel takes place--Hannah begins to wonder if maybe there's more to Hanukkah than she thought. . .

Three Holidays and a Wedding by Jalaluddin, Uzma

"As strangers and seatmates Maryam Aziz and Anna Gibson fly to Toronto over the holidays--Maryam to her sister's impromptu wedding, and Anna to meet her boyfriend's wealthy family for the first time--neither expect that severe turbulence will scare them into confessing their deepest hopes and fears to one another. At least they'll never see each other again. And the love of Maryam's life, Saif, wasn't sitting two rows behind them hearing it all. Oops. An emergency landing finds Anna, Saif, Maryam, and her sister's entire bridal party snowbound at the quirky Snow Falls Inn in a picture-perfect town, where fate has Anna's actor-crush filming a holiday romance. As Maryam finds the courage to open her heart to Saif, and Anna feels the magic of being snowbound with an unexpected new love--both women soon realize there's no place they'd rather be for the holidays."--. Provided by publisher.

The Holiday Trap by Parrish, Roan

Greta Russakoff loves her tight-knit family and tiny Maine hometown, even if they don't always understand what it's like to be a lesbian living in such a small world. She desperately needs space to figure out who she is.

Truman Belvedere has just had his heart crushed into a million pieces when he learned that his boyfriend of almost a year has a secret life that includes a husband and a daughter. Reeling from this discovery, all he wants is a place to lick his wounds far, far away from New Orleans.

Enter Greta and Truman's mutual friend, Ramona, who facilitates a month-long house swap. Over the winter holidays, each of them will have a chance to try on a new life...and maybe fall in love with the perfect partner of their dreams. But all holidays must come to an end, and eventually Greta and Truman will have to decide whether the love they each found so far from home is worth fighting for.

Eight Nights of Flirting by Reynolds, Hannah

Shira Barbanel has a plan- this Hanukkah, she's going to get a boyfriend. And she has the perfect candidate in mind-her great-uncle's assistant, Isaac. He's reliable, brilliant, and of course, super hot. The only problem? Shira's an absolute disaster when it comes to flirting.

Enter Tyler Nelson, Shira's nemesis-slash-former-crush. As much as she hates to admit it, Tyler is the most charming and popular guy she knows. Which means he's the perfect person to teach her how to win Isaac over.

When Shira and Tyler get snowed in together at Golden Doors, they strike a deal-flirting lessons for Shira in exchange for career connections for Tyler. But as Shira starts to see the sweet, funny boy beneath Tyler's playboy exterior, she realizes she actually likes hanging out with him. And that wasn't part of the plan.

Amidst a whirl of snowy adventures, hot chocolate, and candlelight, Shira must learn to trust her heart to discover if the romance she planned is really the one that will make her happiest.

One Day in December: a novel by Silver, Josie

Laurie is pretty sure love at first sight doesn't exist anywhere but the movies. But then, through a misted-up bus window one snowy December day, she sees a man who she knows instantly is the one. Their eyes meet, there's a moment of pure magic . . . and then her bus drives away.

Certain they're fated to find each other again, Laurie spends a year scanning every bus stop and cafe in London for him. But she doesn't find him, not when it matters anyway. Instead they "reunite" at a Christmas party, when her best friend, Sarah, giddily introduces her new boyfriend to Laurie. It's Jack, the man from the bus. It would be.

What follows for Laurie, Sarah, and Jack is ten years of friendship, heartbreak, missed opportunities, roads not taken, and destinies reconsidered. One Day in December is a joyous, heartwarming, and immensely moving love story to escape into and a reminder that fate takes inexplicable turns along the route to happiness.

The Matzah Ball by Meltzer, Jean

Rachel Rubenstein-Goldblatt is a nice Jewish girl with a shameful secret: she loves Christmas. For a decade she's hidden her career as a Christmas romance novelist from her family. Her talent has made her a bestseller even as her chronic illness has always kept the kind of love she writes about out of reach.

But when her diversity-conscious publisher insists she write a Hanukkah romance, her well of inspiration suddenly runs dry. Hanukkah's not magical. It's not merry. It's not Christmas. Desperate not to lose her contract, Rachel's determined to find her muse at the Matzah Ball, a Jewish music celebration on the last night of Hanukkah, even if it means working with her summer camp archenemy--Jacob Greenberg.

Though Rachel and Jacob haven't seen each other since they were kids, their grudge still glows brighter than a menorah. But as they spend more time together, Rachel finds herself drawn to Hanukkah--and Jacob--in a way she never expected. Maybe this holiday of lights will be the spark she needed to set her heart ablaze.

A Catered New Year's Eve by Crawford, Isis

"It's been years since Bernie and Libby's parents became estranged from Ada Sinclair's side of the family -- though the reasons for the rift are lost to history. The sisters, however, are intrigued when Ada makes contact. She tells them about the long-ago deaths of her father and his business partner, which happened within hours of each other -- and were both ruled accidental. Ada thinks otherwise -- and has a plan. On New Year's Eve, she'll gather a group of guests and read from a diary she's found in her mother's attic that she thinks will expose the culprit. The Simmons sisters agree to provide refreshments for the bash, and when the night arrives, Ada's ready to count down to a confession. But as midnight approaches, a guest drops dead. It looks like the menu tonight includes champagne and cyanide . . . In the tumult, the diary disappears. When Ada is arrested for murder, she'll have to hope that Bernie and Libby can provide a resolution before the clock runs out."--. Provided by publisher.

My True Love Gave To Me: Twelve Holiday Stories

"If you love holiday stories, holiday movies, made-for-TV-holiday specials, holiday episodes of your favorite sitcoms and, especially, if you love holiday anthologies, you're going to fall in love with My True Love Gave to Me: Twelve Holiday Stories by twelve bestselling young adult writers, edited by the international bestselling Stephanie Perkins. Whether you enjoy celebrating Christmas or Hanukkah, Winter Solstice or New Years, there's something here for everyone. So curl up by the fireplace and get cozy. You have twelve reasons this season to stay indoors and fall in love"-- Provided by publisher.

Together at Midnight by Castle, Jennifer

What does it really mean to be kind . . . and why does it sometimes feel like the hardest thing in the world to do?

High school senior Kendall, who just returned from a life-changing semester in Europe, and Max, who is drifting his way through a gap year before college, struggle with these questions when they witness a tragic accident in New York City during the holiday season.

Racked with guilt, the two accept a dare to perform random acts of kindness to strangers. The challenge pulls these two teens, who have a history together from back home, closer and closer as they explore a vibrant city filled with other people's stories and secrets.

Kendall and Max can't deny their growing bond, even though they both have other romantic entanglements and uncertain futures. As the clock counts down on New Year's Eve, will they find themselves together at midnight?

The Fright Before Christmas : Surviving Krampus and Other Yuletide Monsters by Belanger, Jeff

Christmas time is truly the darkest and creepiest time of the year filled with devilish creatures lurking in the shadows waiting to get us. Best known is the Krampus who has been the subject of films and songs. There was a time in the late 1800s when people sent Krampus cards, not holiday greetings. There are other violent and dangerous monsters from all over northern climes who have been hunting naughty children for centuries. From shapeshifters to mountain trolls, to elves, to heavy-handed cohorts of Saint Nicholas, the Christmas holiday has been filled with ghosts and monsters ready to dole out punishment to those who need it. The Fright Before Christmas will delve into the folklore of Krampus and his friends with the elf-like Tomten and the goblinesque Karakoncolas. The Belsnickel is ready to hit us with his switch of sticks and Gryla may drag you back to her mountain lair. And watch out for the Yule Cat ready to pounce! These are just a few of the yuletide beasties coming for us in The Fright Before Christmas in the hope they can save us from ourselves. The folklore roots of Christmas under its many other guises (Yule, the Winter Solstice, Saturnalia) is examined in a different, darker light. The Winter Solstice is a time to be afraid. It's the shortest day of the year. The longest night. In some parts of the world, the sun doesn't rise at all. It's dark, and we have to wonder if the sun will ever come back at all. Christmas has always been creepy and with The Fright Before Christmas you'll see the other side. This is a book for everyone who loves a little darkness around the holidays.