A Christmas Malice — John Bainbridge

December 1873. Inspector Abbs is spending Christmas with his sister in a lonely village on the edge of the Norfolk Fens. He is hoping for a quiet week while he thinks over a decision about his future. However all is not well in Aylmer. Someone has been playing malicious tricks on the inhabitants. With time on his hands and concerned for his sister, Abbs feels compelled to investigate.. This complete tale is a novella of around 33,000 words. The events take place one month after the conclusion of Inspector Abbs's first case, A Seaside Mourning.