Anne Perry's annual Christmas novella has a most unusual setting. A Christmas Garland (#241) takes place on the British outpost of Cawnpore, India in 1857 during the Mutiny.
Victor Narraway (a familiar name to Perry's fans) has arrived several months after the lifting of the hideous siege of Cawnpore. He is summoned to his commanding officer's rooms and given a most unwelcome assignment: to defend a skilled and well-liked medical orderly on a charge of murder in the case of a Sikh prisoner who murdered his Sikh guard in a ghastly way making his escape. Information he took with him led to the ambush and massacre of a British patrol. The only person who could not account for his whereabouts at the time in question was Tallis, the medical orderly. The only possible outcome of this trial is the hanging of John Tallis, but justice must appear to be done, and done quickly so the encampment can celebrate Christmas by putting the incident behind them. If Narraway can find a reason to explain why Tallis acted as he did, the commander wants to know so everyone can at least make sense of his actions. Narraway is nothing, if not stubborn, but even he can see no hope in saving Tallis, whom he has come to like. That is, until a chance meeting and the gift of a paper garland provide him with the key to this mystery.
Ms. Perry's Christmas stories provide an engaging (though dark) mystery with a moral dilemma predicated on faith to ponder long after the reader has closed the cover. Much as I enjoy the light, frothy holiday tales, it's good to read something with more depth related to the season. Highly recommended.
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