Everyone knows the story of Ebeneezer Scrooge. How after years of miserly behaviour inflicted misery on all those around him, one Christmas morning he transformed into a benevolent figure, bringing kindness to all those around. But one doesn’t become a saint overnight without a second thought.

Scrooge has been making every effort to renounce his ways, bonding with the Cratchit family, giving Tim a job and schooling, but as the next Christmas approaches, he begins to fear for the return of the three spirits that changed his life. But when, on a regular visit to the grave of Jacob Marley, he comes across the body of Christina Parley, a young woman with her throat cut, it is her spirit who starts to haunt him. As he desperately tries to avoid slipping into his selfish ways, he finds himself hunting for her killer – because if he doesn’t find them, then Bob Cratchit will swing for the crime…

So the self-proclaimed, according to the acknowledgments, “Christmas Death Fairy” is back. I’m optimistic for the Christmas mystery novel – some authors have written excellent one-offs, such as Everyone This Christmas Has A Secret or Miss Winter In The Library With A Knife – but generally I’ve been a little disappointed by those authors who write exclusively for the Christmas market. There is, however, one exception.

I loved The Twelve Days Of Murder, finally a one-by-one murder mystery based around the carol. Andreina did not forget that first and foremost she was writing a murder mystery, but had such success in weaving the Christmas element through every aspect of it. And then last year, Murder At The Christmas Emporium, the story of a hanful of customers lured and trapped in a Wonka-esque toyshop was such a delightful blend of mystery, Christmas and madness. So I was looking forward to what Andreina was going to come up with this year.

I was not expecting a sequel to A Christmas Carol. But I was expecting it to be wonderful and I was not disappointed.

I’m no Dickens fan – Hard Times at O Level for English Literature will do that to you. I did start reading a “Charles Dickens as sleuth” book a while ago, but my lack of knowledge of Great Expectations et al made me feel like I was missing quite a lot. It wasn’t a problem here, as I do know the basics of A Christmas Carol – everyone does, even if Muppets were involved.

Good use is made of what has gone before – Tim (very rarely called Tiny) is the secondary investigator, alongside the more streetwise young Jem, with his unwavering loyalty to Scrooge really heartening. There are other recurring characters too from the original novel, some of whom I won’t mention, but I suppose a word is needed on the use of the supernatural.

As I said, Christina, the victim begins haunting Scrooge and we get a few sections from her spirit’s point of view – she was killed from behind though, so we can’t solve it that way! – and these section are really effective and moving, as we find out more about her past and what past sins are adding links to the chains that bind her.

Back to the mystery, though, and it’s a really effective whodunnit. I don’t think it’s massively clued – the method Scrooge uses to identify the murderer is magical, though – but the motive and identity of the killer form a coherent part of the narrative and themes of the story.

Obviously, I need to pick out a flaw to balance the review and it’s this. The title. The title “A Scrooge Mystery” implies there’s only going to be one of these, but the ending implies there could be more. Dear Santa, I want to see “Another Scrooge Mystery”, “Yet Another Scrooge Mystery” and “Holy Sh@t, Ebeneezer’s Solved Another One”…

So, absolutely marvellous, wonderfully Christmassy and a stonking mystery. After a few duds and non-starters, this is the sort of book that reminded me why I do this…

A Scrooge Mystery is out this Thursday in hardback and ebook from Zaffre Books. Many thanks for the review e-copy via NetGalley.