Tied up in Tinsel is a murder mystery novel written by Ngaio Marsh, featuring Inspector Alleyn as the detective tasked with solving the case. The story takes place during the Christmas season in 1972 and revolves around a house party where Agatha Troy, an artist, is painting the host’s portrait.

As the party progresses, a local holiday pageant takes place, but things go awry when one of the players goes missing. The guests, who are all eccentric in their own way, are suspected of being involved, as are the manor-house servants, each of whom has recently been released from prison.

Inspector Alleyn is called in to investigate the disappearance and soon finds himself embroiled in a complex web of secrets, lies, and deceit. As he delves deeper into the case, he discovers that the missing player is not the only one with something to hide, and the suspects are not as straightforward as they seem.

With his keen eye for detail and his ability to read people, Alleyn slowly unravels the mystery, uncovering the motives and means behind the crime. In the end, he identifies the culprit and brings them to justice, solving the case in his trademark style.

You can buy this Christmas classic from Amazon here.