The Christmas Eve Catastrophe

Paris prides itself on elegance—especially on Christmas Eve—yet beneath the glitter of Rue Montaigne, hospitality can conceal design. When the Belgian Detective and Captain Hastings accept a meticulously timed dinner invitation, they expect social discomfort, not a medical emergency that turns a fashionable salon into a locked room: a husband collapses at the table, a doctor speaks the word poison, a crystal glass vanishes, and no guest is permitted to leave before midnight. What follows is not violence in haste but a crime planned like paperwork, timed like a balance sheet, and nearly undone by chance, unfolding in real time over the final hours of Christmas Eve in 1920s Paris. The Christmas Eve Catastrophe is an original Golden Age–style holiday mystery about control, appearances, and the danger of believing everything can be accounted for, presented as a full-length audiobook by Nocturnal Tales . This is an original mystery inspired by the traditions of classic detective fiction. All characters and events are fictional. No affiliation or endorsement is implied. Is Christmas the perfect cover for a crime—or the worst possible night to lose control? Patreon – ad-free episodes, early access, bonus content Buy Me a Coffee – one-time support PayPal – one-time tip Spotify Children’s Book (Amazon) Sherlock Paws and the Diamond of the Nile #ClassicMystery #MysteryAudiobook #GoldenAgeMystery #ChristmasMystery #ParisMystery #LockedRoomMystery #DetectiveStory #NocturnalTales