Under the Tree

It's all merry and bright... until it isn't.

Lucy Holt loves Christmas. She also loves her job scouting land for data centers. And she's never met a landowner she couldn't win over.

So when her boss sends her to Sorrel Creek to close a deal before the end of December, Lucy packs up her darling dog Bella, her cutest boots, and all the cheer she can muster.

The snowy mountain town looks like a holiday movie: twinkling lights, a jolly Santa, and a Christmas festival on Main Street.

The Winsteads have been offered millions for their tree farm. But Xavier Winstead refuses to sell. He won't negotiate or explain, and he doesn't want Lucy asking questions.

Lucy is determined to get answers, even if it means getting closer to the brooding man who keeps telling her to leave.

But Xavier isn't the only one who wants Lucy gone.

The longer she stays, the more she suspects that beneath Sorrel Creek's Christmas charm lies a secret someone will do anything to keep buried.

If you want a little murder with your mistletoe... welcome to Sorrel Creek.

A holiday thriller from USA Today bestselling author Jenifer Ruff, for readers who like their Christmas stories cozy on the outside and chilling underneath.