The Secret Christmas Library

The Secret Christmas Library

Mirren Sutherland didn’t expect an old book in her great-aunt’s attic to change her whole world. But one minute she is staring resentfully at the sparkly London Christmas lights, dreading the thought of another Christmas alone. And the next, she is being whisked away on a secret night train to a grand old house in the highlands.

Jamie McPherson is desperate to save his family home – and he needs Mirren’s ability to sniff out an antique to do it. There is a very rare, very valuable, and very lost book somewhere in the nooks and crannies of his family’s crumbling estate. And if Mirren can find it, they might just be able to save the McPhersons from financial ruin.

But the house has its secrets, and when a snowstorm traps Mirren and Jamie in, along with rival book hunter Theo Palliser, they realize that there is much more than just a book hidden in the halls. With old feelings and new sparks slipping through the cracks, it’s a race against time – and snowfall.

With the help of a sprinkle of Christmas magic, will Mirren uncover the clues and find the book – without losing her heart?

“Evocative, sweet treat.”

Jojo Moyes

Review by 1000 Libraries

In the mist-shrouded Scottish Highlands, where ancient castles cling to sheer cliffs like forgotten stories etched in stone, Jenny Colgan whisks us into a Yuletide adventure that’s equal parts puzzle-box mystery and fireside romance. Mirren Sutherland, our plucky antiquarian book hunter, owes her unlikely career to a serendipitous attic find: a priceless tome tucked away in her great-aunt’s clutter. Now, as snowflakes dust the moors and Christmas carols echo through the gloaming, she’s summoned to the crumbling McPherson estate. The young laird, Jamie—devastatingly handsome beneath his woolen tartan, yet burdened by ancestral debts—believes a legendary lost book from his grandfather’s hoarded collection could ransom the castle from ruin. But there’s a catch: the eccentric patriarch, a riddle-loving philanthropist, has hidden it behind a trail of cryptic clues scattered through secret passageways, dusty attics, and forgotten nooks.

What elevates this beyond a simple holiday romp is Colgan’s reverence for books as lifelines—gateways to lost histories and mended hearts. The castle itself emerges as a character: a labyrinth of “strewn” volumes where every creak whispers of bygone eras, mirroring the characters’ own quests for belonging. Shadows of financial peril and familial legacy lend emotional heft, ensuring the triumphant resolution feels hard-won. And to top it all, Colgan’s prose, effervescent and immersive, sweeps you along like a Highland gale, leaving you with that post-blizzard glow: all crisp clarity and quiet magic.

For fans of Midnight at the Christmas Bookshop or anyone who believes a well-turned phrase can unlock more than just a door, this is pure seasonal sorcery. Curl up with cocoa and a plaid blanket—The Secret Christmas Library is the bookish balm your winter shelf deserves.

“The Secret Christmas Library was infused with hope and a call to lead life with a focus on joy. I found this book to be a quick, easy, pleasurable, joyful read.”

“At its heart, The Secret Christmas Library is indeed a fairy tale, a delightful adventure, and a great deal of fun. If you’re looking for a heartwarming, atmospheric novel to read this winter, I happily recommend it.”

“If you’re in search of a cozy read that combines thrill, holiday charm, and a dash of romance, this might just be the perfect book to curl up with this season.”

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