The festive month is kicking off in style, and Pearl is rushed off her feet. She's busy running her restaurant, planning a family Christmas and providing mulled wine for the church fundraiser when Christmas cards begin arriving all over town - filled with spiteful messages from an anonymous writer. Having pledged not to take on a case before Christmas, Pearl reluctantly agrees that DCI Mike McGuire should take over; poisoned pen cards are after all a matter for the police. With only the church fund-raiser between Pearl and Christmas, she invites McGuire along as her guest. The event appears to be a great success: the hall is packed, and Pearl happily finds herself standing close to McGuire beneath some mistletoe ... but then a guest suddenly collapses. Too much of Pearl's delicious mulled wine--or something more sinister? The last thing Pearl expects for Christmas is murder but soon the bodies are piling up. Can she possibly solve the mystery in time for the 25th--or will the murderer contrive to ensure her goose is well and truly cooked before then?