This is a complex mystery mostly because of the number of people in the house at the time of the murder and the effort of keeping track of where they all were.

These accounts form the first chapters of the novel. At the suggestion of Kenneth Stour, a former suitor of Sir Osmond’s daughter Lady Evershot, he asks several of the guests to write up their accounts of the days leading up to Christmas and the event itself. He did not execute the will, so did the murderer kill him to prevent the change, or did he think the new will was already in effect?Ĭolonel Halstock is left with a house full of suspects who all seem to be hiding something. He also finds that Sir Osmond planned to rewrite his will, leaving his property in different proportions to his family and his secretary than originally planned. While the children are playing with Christmas crackers, Sir Osmond is shot to death in his study and Oliver finds the body.Ĭolonel Halstock, the investigating constable, establishes that Sir Osmond did not commit suicide. But the store sends out another suit and Sir Osmond presses a guest, Oliver Whitcombe, into putting it on and delivering gifts to the children. Sir Osmond has arranged a visit from Santa Klaus and is disappointed when the Santa suit he ordered doesn’t appear on time. Sir Osmond is a mean old man who uses the promise of his fortune-or the threat of disinheritance-to keep his family in line. It’s Christmas time at the home of the overbearing Sir Osmond Melbury, and the entire family is gathered together for the holidays at his bidding.

The santa klaus murder