For those of us who enjoy seasonal reads, here's a list of books for the Thanksgiving Season -
Thanksgiving Mysteries
Seasonal reads are most often found in cozy mysteries. Included in this list is one that may not qualify as cozy - it's a book by Craig Rice, who in the 1940s, was almost as popular as Agatha Christie.
This is a 1940's mystery, from an author I am not familiar with - but I'm intrigued by the description of the her:
"Known for her hard-boiled mystery plots combined with screwball comedy, Georgiana 'Craig' Rice was the author of twenty-three novels, six of them posthumous, numerous short stories, and some true crime pieces. In the 1940s she rivaled Agatha Christie in sales and was featured on the cover of Time Magazine in 1946. However, over the past sixty years she has fallen into relative obscurity."
Bingo and Handsome take their cameras and head for Hollywood, only to break down in the small town of Thursday, Iowa. While stuck there, a convict escapes, there are murders, and a disappearance, with clues leading back to a 15-year old bank robbery, with money reputed to be hidden in the town.
Thanksgiving Cozy Mysteries
Swamp Sweets by Jana Deleon
Miss Fortune #21
This is one of my favorite light, funny, series. I do think they are best read in order, but this could be read as a stand alone.
It’s November in Sinful and everyone is gearing up for Thanksgiving. But when Fortune, Ida Belle, and Gertie bag a body on their turkey hunting trip, the quiet enjoyment of fall is over. No one really knew Miles Broussard well, and as he’d recently sold the building his business was in to retire in another state, no one could explain how he’d ended up murdered and dumped in the bayou.
Ally Lemarque has been waiting her entire life to open her bakery, and that day finally arrived when she purchased the building from Miles. But when she visits the site late at night and interrupts an intruder, she comes away with a crack on her head and concerns about why someone would break into an empty building.
Fortune doesn’t think for a minute that Miles’s murder and the attack on Ally are unrelated. And Swamp Team 3 won’t rest until they’re sure Ally is safe.
Six Geese A-Slaying by Donna Andrews
Book 6 in the Meg Lanslow Series
This is another series that I think is probably best read in order - but I've been reading them out of order for years now. They are light, funny, and typically perfect over the Christmas season.
Meg Langslow and Michael's house is serving as the marshaling point for the annual Caerphilly holiday parade. The theme is "The Twelve Days of Christmas," and it features twelve drummers from the school marching band, eleven bagpipers, ten leaping lords costumed in medieval finery from the college drama department, and so on. There are also assorted floats, a live nativity scene on a flatbed truck, the Three Wise Men on Caerphilly zoo camels, and Santa in a bright red horse-drawn sleigh. As organizer, Meg's job is already hard enough. But when her nephew Eric, wide-eyed and ashen-faced, whispers, "something's wrong with Santa," things take a tragic turn. Turns out the local curmudgeon, whose beard and belly made him a natural for the role, has been murdered. Now it's up to Meg and Chief Burke, who is playing one of the wise men, to tackle a two-fold mission: Solving the murder and saving Christmas…
Murder Talks Turkey by Deb Baker
#3 in the Gertie Johnson Series
It's spring in Michigan's Upper Peninsula an exciting season of rising temperatures, budding romances, and the turkey-hunting opener. But for sheer adrenaline value, neither love nor turkeys can compete with the Credit Union being held up at gunpoint. It's not the best planning to commit a robbery in a town where everyone is armed for combat, and the gunman is shot dead in a room full of witnesses but the stolen money has disappeared right in front of their eyes.
Faster than you can say "Tom Turkey," Gertie, Cora Mae, and Kitty are on the case, in this hoot of a whodunit.
Thanksgiving Cozy Mysteries:
At Death's Door by Karin Kaufman
Juniper Grove #3
Thanksgiving in Juniper Grove is a time for family, good friends, and good food. But at Nora Barberton’s home, Thanksgiving ends in tragedy when one of her dinner guests is murdered and a precious artifact disappears from her house—seemingly vanishing into thin air.
When Nora pleads for help, Rachel agrees to tackle the case. Soon she uncovers a web of deception wove by those Nora trusts most. In a race against time, and as her relationship with James Gilroy, the town’s police chief, takes a surprising turn, Rachel must solve the mystery before the killer strikes again.
This light, cozy mystery offers a clean read with a female amateur sleuth in a small-town setting. No foul language, sex, gore, or graphic scenes of any kind. It can be read as a standalone, but it will be enjoyed more as part of the series.
The Cat Who Talked Turkey by Lilian Jackson Braun
The Cat Who Series, #26
This is a series I read years ago -
"When a body is found on Jim Qwilleran’s property, he and his cats Koko and Yum Yum will have to determine who committed the fowl deed in this mystery in the bestselling Cat Who series...
The good people of Moose County are in a fever of excitement. It’s almost time for the gala groundbreaking for the Pickax bookstore—and the town of Brrr is preparing for its bicentennial celebration. All the festivities, however, are spoiled by the discovery of a man’s body on James Qwilleran’s property. Could it be the work of the killer who used the same MO in northern Michigan? To solve the case, Qwill and his feline pals, Koko and Yum Yum, will have to prick up their ears to find the thankless killer..."
Raspberry Danish Murder by Joanne Fluke
Book 22 in the Hannah Swenson Series
Thanksgiving has a way of thawing the frostiest hearts in Lake Eden. But that won’t be happening for newlywed Hannah Swensen Barton—not after her husband suddenly disappears . . .
Hannah has felt as bitter as November in Minnesota since Ross vanished without a trace and left their marriage in limbo. Still, she throws herself into a baking frenzy for the sake of pumpkin pie and Thanksgiving-themed treats while endless holiday orders pour into The Cookie Jar. Hannah even introduces a raspberry Danish pastry to the menu, and P.K., her husband’s assistant at KCOW-TV, will be one of the first to sample it. But instead of taking a bite, P.K., who is driving Ross’s car and using his desk at work, is murdered. Was someone plotting against P.K. all along or did Ross dodge a deadly dose of sweet revenge? Hannah will have to quickly sift through a cornucopia of clues and suspects to stop a killer from bringing another murder to the table . . .
The Thanksgiving Trip by Kathi Daley
Tess and Tilly #5
The entire Thomas family takes a Thanksgiving trip to a mountain cabin after Tess learns that her father visited the area every autumn to hunt and fish before his supposed death in a fiery truck accident. After arriving at the cabin, Tess and Tony, along with Mike and Bree, team up to investigate a suspicious death, while Tess and Tony secretly talk to people who live in the area and once knew her father. Hoping to finally find answers for her unanswered questions regarding her father's current whereabouts, Tess widens her search which lead her to a startling realization. Meanwhile, a stray dog seems intent on adopting Mike in spite of Mike's insistence that there is no way he has room in his life for an energetic and mischievous puppy.
Overkilt by Kaitlyn Dunnett
#12 in the Liss MacCrimmon series
Liss MacCrimmon's meddlesome mother is back in Moosetookalook, Maine, to serve a hefty portion of trouble in time for Thanksgiving. But when a scandalous murder case threatens to leave Liss alone at the table, family drama takes on a terrifying new meaning . . .
While Liss preps the Scottish Emporium for November's inevitable shopping rush, other local businesses aren't half as lucky. Year after year, her father-in-law's rustic hotel can barely turn a profit during the stretch between autumn's peak and ski season. Except this time, Mr. Ruskin realizes that the recipe for success lies in enticing an untapped niche clientele—childless couples desperate for a holiday away from family . . .
The unusual marketing tactic has everyone in Moosetookalook talking. Unfortunately, it also inspires a scathing social media campaign aimed at persuading tourists to boycott the hotel for affronting family values. Liss dismisses the bad publicity as being totally "overkilt"—until angry mobs fill the streets, the troublemaker who started it all turns up dead, and her loved ones are suspected of murder . . . With so much at stake, Liss can't possibly follow police orders to stay out of the investigation. There's just one wee problem: saving her own clan could mean sending a friend or two behind bars. Now—partly helped, partly hindered by her difficult mother—Liss must digest a slew of unsettling clues and catch the real killer . . . or else everything she's ever been thankful for may vanish before her eyes.
The Killer Wore Cranberry
An Anthology of Thanksgiving Short Mysteries
There are 5 different volumes, one a year published from 2010 to 2015
General Thanksgiving Fiction
Stuffed: Thanksgiving Will Never Be The Same by Robert Davis
Tom wasn't the only turkey to get roasted on Thanksgiving in 1955 when the small town of Bobsville experiences its first homicide. Since childhood, Slayter Jones has been coddled and enabled by family, friends, and townsfolk. Through the years, his habit of using people as shortcuts has morphed into a dysfunctional condition, limiting his ability to do things for himself. To that point, in high school Slayter was voted "Most likely To Succeed Without Ever Trying." He knows no other way of life until a malicious lie snowballs into a series of lies to become the straw that breaks the turkey's back. Five individuals with different agendas unite to make Slayter the entrée to a revenge scheme meant to teach him a lesson. But their well-intentioned message turns into a disaster. For the first time in his life Slayter is challenged to fend for himself and survive - an unimaginable task.
The Ghost at the Table by Suzanne Berne
Strikingly different since childhood and leading dissimilar lives now, sisters Frances and Cynthia have managed to remain "devoted"—as long as they stay on opposite coasts. When Frances arranges to host Thanksgiving at her idyllic New England farmhouse, she envisions a happy family reunion, one that will include the sisters' long-estranged father. Cynthia, however, doesn't understand how Frances can ignore the past their father's presence revives, a past that includes suspicions about their mother's death twenty-five years earlier.
As Thanksgiving Day arrives, with a houseful of guests looking forward to dinner, the sisters continue to struggle with different versions of a shared past, their conflict escalating to a dramatic, suspenseful climax.
Thanksgiving Blessing By Marta Perry - An Amish Romance
Although romance is not my normal genre, Marta Perry is a local author I have had the pleasure of meeting, so her books often end up, incongruously, on my to read list.
As a widow with two-year-old twins and a struggling orchard, Rebecca King’s dreams of expanding her business seem near impossible. To make matters worse, a troublesome string of destructive acts around Promise Glen threatens her roadside fruit and vegetable stand, forcing Rebecca to accept the help of her condescending new neighbor, Nathan Mueller.
Nathan didn’t intend to offend Rebecca with his offer to share the stand, especially since he’s a widower and single parent himself. He admires Rebecca’s strength and kindness in the face of adversity. If only they hadn’t started off on the wrong foot…
Despite their best efforts to shield their hearts, working side by side through the busy harvest plants the seeds of a budding friendship. But when the vandalism spreading through Promise Glen escalates to arson and rumors blaze through the town, they’ll have to learn to rely on each other more than ever. As Thanksgiving approaches, Rebecca and Nathan are forced to reconcile with their own grief, forgive what can’t be changed, and come to truly understand the core values of the holiday: love and gratitude.
The Giving Quilt by Jennifer Chiaverini
Elm Creek Quilts Book 20
At Elm Creek Manor, the week after Thanksgiving is 'Quiltsgiving,' a time to commence a season of generosity. From near and far, quilters and aspiring quilters - a librarian, a teacher, a college student, and a quilt-shop clerk among them - gather for a special winter session of quilt camp, to make quilts for Project Linus. (In real life, Chiaverini has long been active in this charitable organization, dedicated to providing handmade quilts and blankets to children in need.)
Thanksgiving by Janet Evanovich
A romance from the author of the Stephanie Plum Series
When Megan Murphy discovered a floppy-eared rabbit gnawing on the hem of her skirt, she meant to give its careless owner a piece of her mind, but Dr. Patrick Hunter was too attractive to stay mad at for long. Soon the two are making Thanksgiving dinner for their families
Non Fiction Thanksgiving
The Mayflower by Nathaniel Philbrick
This is an in depth, long, and a little dry. VERY informative.
For a much quicker read, there's an excerpt from this book called The First Thanksgiving.
The First Thanksgiving: What the Real Story Tells Us About Loving God and Learning from History
By: Robert Tracy McKenzie
"The events behind America's most iconic holiday in a single accessible volume.
The Pilgrims' celebration of the first Thanksgiving is a keystone of America's national and spiritual identity. But is what we've been taught about them or their harvest feast what actually happened? And if not, what difference does it make?
In The First Thanksgiving Robert McKenzie tells the captivating story of the birth of this quintessentially American holiday, and helps us to better understand the tale of America's origins--and for Christians, to grasp the significance of this story and those like it. McKenzie avoids both idolizing and demonizing the Pilgrims, and calls us to love and learn from our flawed yet fascinating forebears.
The First Thanksgiving is narrative history at its best, and promises to be an indispensable guide to the interplay of historical thinking and Christian reflection on the meaning of the past for the present."
This Land Is Their Land: The Wampanoag Indians, Plymouth Colony, and the Troubled History of Thanksgiving by David J. Silverman
"In March 1621, when Plymouth's survival was hanging in the balance, the Wampanoag sachem (or chief), Ousamequin (Massasoit), and Plymouth's governor, John Carver, declared their people's friendship for each other and a commitment to mutual defense. Later that autumn, the English gathered their first successful harvest and lifted the specter of starvation. Ousamequin and 90 of his men then visited Plymouth for the “First Thanksgiving.” The treaty remained operative until King Philip's War in 1675, when 50 years of uneasy peace between the two parties would come to an end.
400 years after that famous meal, historian David J. Silverman sheds profound new light on the events that led to the creation, and bloody dissolution, of this alliance. Focusing on the Wampanoag Indians, Silverman deepens the narrative to consider tensions that developed well before 1620 and lasted long after the devastating war-tracing the Wampanoags' ongoing struggle for self-determination up to this very day.
This unsettling history reveals why some modern Native people hold a Day of Mourning on Thanksgiving, a holiday which celebrates a myth of colonialism and white proprietorship of the United States. This Land is Their Land shows that it is time to rethink how we, as a pluralistic nation, tell the history of Thanksgiving."
1621: A New Look at Thanksgiving (National Geographic) by Catherine O'Neill Grace
"Countering the prevailing, traditional story of the first Thanksgiving, with its black-hatted, silver-buckled Pilgrims; blanket-clad, be-feathered Indians; cranberry sauce; pumpkin pie; and turkey, this lushly illustrated photo-essay presents a more measured, balanced, and historically accurate version of the three-day harvest celebration in 1621."
We all know the story of Thanksgiving. Or do we? This uniquely American holiday has a rich and little known history beyond the famous feast of 1621. In Thanksgiving , award-winning author Melanie Kirkpatrick journeys through four centuries of history, giving us a vivid portrait of our nation's best-loved holiday. Drawing on newspaper accounts, private correspondence, historical documents, and cookbooks, Thanksgiving brings to life the full history of the holiday and what it has meant to generations of Americans. Many famous figures walk these pages--Washington, who proclaimed our first Thanksgiving as a nation amid controversy about his Constitutional power to do so; Lincoln, who wanted to heal a divided nation sick of war when he called for all Americans--North and South--to mark a Thanksgiving Day; FDR, who set off a debate on state's rights when he changed the traditional date of Thanksgiving. Ordinary Americans also play key roles in the Thanksgiving story--the New England Indians who boycott Thanksgiving as a Day of Mourning; Sarah Josepha Hale, the nineteenth-century editor and feminist who successfully campaigned for Thanksgiving to be a national holiday; the 92nd Street Y in New York City, which founded Giving Tuesday, an online charity established in the long tradition of Thanksgiving generosity. Kirkpatrick also examines the history of Thanksgiving football and, of course, Thanksgiving dinner. While the rites and rituals of the holiday have evolved over the centuries, its essence remains the same: family and friends feasting together in a spirit of gratitude to God, neighborliness, and hospitality. Thanksgiving is Americans' oldest tradition. Kirkpatrick's enlightening exploration offers a fascinating look at the meaning of the holiday that we gather together to celebrate on the fourth Thursday of November. With Readings for Thanksgiving Day designed to be read aloud around the table
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