Murder on the Winterline Express
- 24 days, 24 fair-play puzzles, one killer to catch.
- 86 full-color illustrated pages in a large 8.5 × 11 format.
- Hints and explained solutions when you need a nudge.
- No apps. No QR codes. Just the book and a pen.
The Christmas Manor Murders FREE Digital Bonus
A second advent mystery · digital edition · included with every order
FREE🎄 Order now to start your mystery as soon as possible.
Fast shipping: flat $7.99 per order.
What a clever way to write a murder mystery. It is set up like an advent calendar - each day beginning Dec 1 to Dec 24- you get a clue to solve the mystery. This would be a family fun activity for December.
Murder on the Winterline Express will be a wonderful addition to our class for late November and December. The book offers intrigue to keep my high school students involved and reading to find out who the murderer is.
Why is this book so addictive?
A normal mystery lets you watch a detective work. This one hands you the case. Each day you continue the story, examine new evidence and solve a puzzle woven directly into the investigation: tickets, timetables, passenger records, messages, routes, times that do not match.
Every answer moves the case forward, and each solved puzzle reveals another piece of what really happened aboard the train. By the last stop, you make the final accusation yourself.
Can you really solve it yourself?
Yes. All 24 puzzles are fair-play: everything you need is in the book. They range from easy to moderately challenging, and if you get stuck there are hints that give you a nudge without giving everything away, plus explained solutions at the back.
What is the Digital Bonus?
The Christmas Manor Murders is a second complete advent mystery, set in a snowbound country house: 24 doors, 24 puzzles and a hidden sentence to unmask the culprit by Christmas Eve.
It's the digital edition (PDF): you can download it right after checkout, and we email you the link too. Nothing extra is printed or shipped. It's included FREE with every order.
Shipping & returns
Shipping is a flat $7.99 per order, added at checkout. Every copy is printed especially for you and shipped fast, with a tracking link emailed as soon as it's on its way.
Because each book is printed especially for you, we don't accept returns. If your copy arrives damaged or misprinted, contact us and we'll send you a replacement.
All Aboard for a Christmas Mystery.
The Winterline Express is supposed to be a journey through snow-covered country, glowing stations and Christmas lights. Then someone aboard is murdered. The killer is still on the train, and every mile brings the Winterline closer to its final stop.
Murder on the Winterline Express is an interactive Christmas escape-room mystery told across 24 days. Each day, from December 1 to Christmas Eve, you follow the Winterline deeper into the case, examine the evidence, and solve the puzzle that moves the investigation forward.
No apps. No QR codes. No downloads. Just a quiet December evening, a mystery in your hands, and another piece of evidence waiting somewhere along the line.
All aboard. The Winterline is leaving.
Real Evidence. Real Puzzles. Every Night.
86 full-color pages: an illustrated chapter for every evening, the documents the passengers left behind, and one question to answer before the train moves on.
- 24 illustrated chapters, one for each village on the line
- Evidence to examine: berth cards, ticket manifests, letters and the guard's timetable
- The timetable of the line and a plan of the train, carriage by carriage
- A question every night, room for your workings under every puzzle, plus hints and explained solutions at the back
The First Pages, Exactly as Printed
Swipe through real spreads from the book. Nothing here gives the killer away.
Step Into the Story. Follow the Journey.
Illustrated scenes, atmospheric storytelling, and a route map to keep your place at every stop along the line.
Read
Continue the story: the Winterline travels on and the case grows as Christmas Eve draws closer.
Examine
Study the day's evidence. Tickets, timetables, passenger records, details someone hoped you would overlook.
Solve
Crack the puzzle and carry the answer forward. On the last day, follow the evidence and name the killer.
An Advent Calendar You Solve
24 evenings of mystery for about a dollar a day, and a story you will still be talking about after Christmas.
| What you get | Winterline Express | Chocolate calendar | Mystery novel |
|---|---|---|---|
| Made for a day-by-day December countdown | ✓ | ✓ | ✗ |
| You solve the case yourself | ✓ | ✗ | ✗ |
| A puzzle to share with family or friends | ✓ | ✗ | ✗ |
| Hints and explained solutions | ✓ | ✗ | ✗ |
| Yours to keep after Christmas | ✓ | ✗ | ✓ |
One Book. All of December.
Open it on December 1, solve one puzzle each evening, and bring in whoever is on the sofa.
Your Next Christmas Tradition.
A warm drink. A winter evening. A mystery to make time for.
Unwind with a little intrigue
A few quiet minutes a day and a puzzle to look forward to. An advent calendar without the chocolate.
Share the suspense
Compare clues, argue theories, and find out who was right when the train reaches the last stop.
Give a mystery lover a new adventure
A gift that lasts all month. That's why Buy 2 is our most popular choice.
Rosamund Kestle
Rosamund Kestle writes advent calendar mysteries: stories built to be opened one day at a time, from the first of December to Christmas Eve.
Her books are designed as a nightly ritual. One chapter, one piece of evidence, one puzzle, and a case that only comes together if you have been paying attention all month. Every clue is placed so a careful reader can solve it, and every answer earns the next door.
She believes the best part of December is the waiting, and that it is better spent with a pen in your hand and a killer still on the loose.
Choose Your CopiesWhat Readers Are Saying
Murder on the Winterline Express is a delightful twist on the traditional advent calendar. Instead of chocolates, you get 24 bite‑sized puzzles that slowly unravel a murder mystery set aboard a festive holiday train. The daily format kept me genuinely excited to open the next section, and the story maintained a cozy, wintery atmosphere throughout. The puzzles range from very easy to moderately challenging, so it’s accessible for beginners while still being fun for seasoned mystery lovers.
I loved the setting and how seamlessly the puzzles were woven into the storyline. Not all of the puzzles are challenging--there were a couple that were fairly easy--but overall I found it interesting. There are optional hints available and I loved that none of it is required to use your phone or another device. If you love mysteries or escape-room style puzzles then Murder on the Winterline Express is a fun new way to countdown to Christmas.
I love murder mysteries, especially those that challenge me to examine clues, question what I think I know, and solve a puzzle. […] The book is organized into 24 evenings, with each chapter taking readers to another village along the Winterline railway. Along the way, readers investigate mysteries, examine documents, interpret clues, and solve puzzles. […] Rather than simply observing the mystery unfold, I am expected to help solve it.
Printed Perfect, or We Replace It
Every copy is printed especially for you. If yours arrives damaged or misprinted, write to info@thewhodunithouse.com and we will send you a new one at no cost.
Frequently Asked Questions
How is this different from a regular mystery novel?
Do I have to start on December 1?
How hard are the puzzles?
Can I solve it with someone else?
Who is it for?
Is this a printed book or a digital download?
Paperback or spiral bound: what is the difference?
How fast does it ship?
All Aboard. The Killer Already Is.
24 puzzles. One moving train. One killer to catch before the last stop.