The Twelve Scams of Christmas
(2025)(The tenth book in the Holmes and Garden Mystery series)
A novel by Anthony Frazer
In the charming village of Hamsley Black Cross, Christmas preparations are in full swing when disaster strikes the prestigious Harrington-Reed Foundation. A priceless diamond brooch dating back 300 years has been revealed as a flawless fake, and over £3 million in charitable donations have mysteriously vanished from the foundation's cutting-edge digital donation system.
Enter the unlikely detective duo of Sherman Holmes and John Garden. Holmes, with his theatrical flair for the dramatic and keen eye for human behavior, approaches the case through historical context and personal observation. Garden, his technically brilliant partner, sees the world through data patterns and digital forensics. Their conflicting methods are a constant source of friendly friction, but together they form a formidable investigative team.
What begins as a sophisticated financial fraud soon reveals layers of deception stretching back decades. As Holmes and Garden unravel the twelve distinct scams hidden within the foundation's donation system, they discover something far more sinister—a Cold War espionage operation with tendrils reaching into the present day, family legacies built on dangerous secrets, and a conspiracy willing to resort to kidnapping to keep those secrets buried.
When the foundation's financial officer disappears after uncovering historical anomalies, Holmes and Garden find themselves racing against time to locate him before Christmas Eve, when their suspects plan to complete their operation under the cover of holiday celebrations.
With the help of Shirley Garden's meticulous research and the reluctant cooperation of Detective Inspector Streeter, Holmes and Garden must navigate a web of historical betrayal, government secrets, and personal vendettas—all while determining who among the foundation's leadership can be trusted.
"The Twelve Scams of Christmas" is a modern cozy mystery that blends traditional detective work with contemporary cybercrime, delivering a holiday case that proves the perfect gift may be the truth, no matter how long it's been wrapped in deception.
Genre: Mystery
Enter the unlikely detective duo of Sherman Holmes and John Garden. Holmes, with his theatrical flair for the dramatic and keen eye for human behavior, approaches the case through historical context and personal observation. Garden, his technically brilliant partner, sees the world through data patterns and digital forensics. Their conflicting methods are a constant source of friendly friction, but together they form a formidable investigative team.
What begins as a sophisticated financial fraud soon reveals layers of deception stretching back decades. As Holmes and Garden unravel the twelve distinct scams hidden within the foundation's donation system, they discover something far more sinister—a Cold War espionage operation with tendrils reaching into the present day, family legacies built on dangerous secrets, and a conspiracy willing to resort to kidnapping to keep those secrets buried.
When the foundation's financial officer disappears after uncovering historical anomalies, Holmes and Garden find themselves racing against time to locate him before Christmas Eve, when their suspects plan to complete their operation under the cover of holiday celebrations.
With the help of Shirley Garden's meticulous research and the reluctant cooperation of Detective Inspector Streeter, Holmes and Garden must navigate a web of historical betrayal, government secrets, and personal vendettas—all while determining who among the foundation's leadership can be trusted.
"The Twelve Scams of Christmas" is a modern cozy mystery that blends traditional detective work with contemporary cybercrime, delivering a holiday case that proves the perfect gift may be the truth, no matter how long it's been wrapped in deception.
Genre: Mystery
Used availability for Anthony Frazer's The Twelve Scams of Christmas