C. S. Challinor

15% of royalties for CHRISTMAS IS MURDER go to Soldiers' Angels, an organization that helps rehabilitate United States veterans wounded in Afghanistan and Iraq.

C.S. Challinor was born in Bloomington, Indiana, and was educated in Scotland (St. George's School for Girls, Edinburgh) and England (Lewes Priory, Sussex; University of Kent, Canterbury: Joint Hons Latin & French). She now resides in Southwest Florida. Her short stories have been published in women’s magazines in the United States and the United Kingdom. Challinor is a member of the Authors Guild, New York.

CHRISTMAS IS MURDER is available in Large Print hardcover (Thorndike Reviewer's Choice). All Rex Graves titles (published by Midnight Ink Books, US) are available in trade paperback and Kindle. #5 will be released in March 2012.

Reviews for CHRISTMAS IS MURDER:

STARRED REVIEW from Booklist: "The first installment in this new mystery series is a winner...At times, it seems we are playing Clue or perhaps enjoying a contemporary retelling of a classic Agatha Christie tale (And Then There Were None, or At Bertram’s Hotel) with a charming new sleuth. A must for cozy fans."
—Judy Coon for Booklist (American Library Association), September 2008

"Shades of Agatha Christie. A disparate group of guests snowed in at an English hotel await Christmas and death. Rex Graves, QC,...uses his prosecutorial expertise to work his way through method and motive until he announces the murderer in a denouement in the classic style. Challinor's debut is a pleasant modern knockoff of Christie."
—Kirkus Reviews, July 2008

"It's a charming novel, especially since the violence occurs offstage. CHRISTMAS IS MURDER is full of people with interesting characters and clues...Ms. Challinor was educated in Scotland and England, which explains how she writes so convincingly of both her setting and her characters."
--Prudy Taylor Board, Florida Weekly

**** 4-Star Review (Recommended) by The Mystery Reader: "CHRISTMAS IS MURDER has all the elements traditional English cozy fans have come to love. The plot is tight, suspects limited and an investigation uses Rex’s wit rather than a lot of outside sources. The setting is lovely and the characters entertaining without being so overdrawn as to appear as caricatures. A great start to a new series that is sure to become a modern favorite traditional English cozy series."
--Jennifer Monahan Winberry for The Mystery Reader, October 2008

"C.S. Challinor's CHRISTMAS IS MURDER (Midnight Ink, $13.95) dishes up an English manor house mystery with the traditional elements: a murder, a small contingent of suspects thrown together, and an engaging and witty sleuth... Challinor will keep most readers guessing as she cleverly spreads suspicion and clues that point in one direction, then another.”
--Alfred Hitchcock Mystery Magazine, Jan/​Feb 2009 issue

"CHRISTMAS IS MURDER is the first book in a new series featuring Rex Graves as barrister and sleuth. The book is an enjoyable and quick read. The setting is great, a Victorian hotel in England in modern times, the characters are interesting and the mystery is engaging. I couldn’t figure out who the murderer was -any of the guests could have done it! This is not a very 'Christmasy' book. It could be read just about any time of the year. I look forward to more books in this series."
--The Friendly Book Nook, December 2008

"CHRISTMAS IS MURDER is a most enjoyable first mystery in what promises to be a fantastic series. Challinor writes with wit and cheek, and with Rex Graves she has created a thoroughly charming sleuth."
—Rick Miller, author of Bigger Than Jesus and host of ABC’s primetime hit series "Just for Laughs"

"C.S. Challinor has crafted a delectable murder mystery set in an old English manor turned hotel. CHRISTMAS IS MURDER has all the charm and ambience of a classic Agatha Christie novel. This is mystery at its very best! Challinor is an author to watch. I’ll be anxiously awaiting her next book!"
—Nancy Mehl, author of The Ivy Towers Mystery Series

"Agatha Christie fans, here you go! You have been waiting for a mystery writer that can hold the torch, well we found her: C.S. Challinor. CHRISTMAS IS MURDER is her first book in the Rex Graves series, and we didn't solve the mystery! In fact, we were not even close. She told such a wonderful story that we were lost in her world for a while!"
--John Raab, Suspense Magazine

"CHRISTMAS IS MURDER is an engaging whodunit populated with an interesting and imaginative mix of characters and a very appealing and charming sleuth in Rex Graves. The story effortlessly combines elements of a classic country house mystery with an Agatha Christie-style denouement to great effect. With some of the guests concealing secret objectives for being present, this quick-reading mystery will keep readers guessing until the end."
--Mysterious Reviews, September 2008

"Authors are sometimes compared to Dame Agatha but, in my opinion, few of their books have those characteristics and – more important -- the overall feel of hers. CHRISTMAS IS MURDER does."
--Cozy Library

"Wanted to let you know I just finished the book and enjoyed it very much. I'm thinking of pairing it up with a large assortment box of shortbread at the holidays. Eat some shortbread, make a cup of tea and curl up with a good book."
--Barbara Selvaggio, Walkers Shortbread US

"Cozy fans will want to find CHRISTMAS IS MURDER tucked into their stockings for a cold, winter's night read. This is one to help you while away the hours without scaring you out of your slippers; a delectable tidbit of a puzzle that will leave you hungry for the next Rex Graves Mystery...Challinor, a longtime fan of Agatha Christie, knows that a good plot is essential to a story, and that characters give it a life of its own. "Christmas is Murder" has an element of romance but is not a love story. There is something, or someone, in the storyline to appeal to readers across the genre...the English setting in her story is spot on...The cast is full-bodied and as enjoyable as a glass of brandy on a cold night, meant to be sipped slowly and savored. Although cozy and comfortable, Challinor's story unfolds in a modern, if timeless, setting. Humor, both dry and bold, makes it all the more enjoyable. Barrister Rex Graves is a character you'll embrace and look forward to. I've got the feeling we've only seen a few of the many facets of his personality. The book offers a peek at the next in the series, MURDER IN THE RAW, set in St. Martin, French West Indies. It sounds like another fun adventure for Rex, and for Challinor's new fans. Cozy up, grab a cuppa, and visit Swanmere Manor for a Christmas to remember!
Another reason to put CHRISTMAS IS MURDER on your gift list is that the author is setting aside 15 percent of her royalties for the Soldiers' Angels, founded by the great niece of WWII General George S. Patton. The charity's volunteers help rehabilitate the war wounded from Afghanistan and Iraq."
--Mysterical-E Magazine, September 2008

"Rex gives the reader just enough hints to keep them guessing until the very end when the final pieces to the puzzle are revealed. Look out, Hercule Poirot; Rex Graves will give you a run for your money."
--Once Upon A Romance, November 2008

"CHRISTMAS IS MURDER is a classic country house mystery true to the tradition of Agatha Christie, with a remote country manor, a house full of guests, all of whom can be suspects, and a discerning man who seeks the truth and then assembles all the guests into a drawing room to unmask the culprit. We are introduced to Rex, a welcome addition to the ranks of amateur sleuths. Rex is charming, astute, intelligent and witty. There are strong elements of suspense and mystery and a touch of romance with a fellow guest who assists Rex in his investigations. We can only hope to see more of Rex in the future.
Highly recommended. This is a great read."
--MyShelf, 2008