Whispers in the Snow JustRead Tour {book review and giveaway}
Welcome to the Blog Tour for Whispers in the Snow by Heidi Eljarbo, hosted by JustRead Publicity Tours!
About the Book
Title: Whispers in the Snow
Series: Heartwarming Christmas
Author: Heidi Eljarbo
Publisher: independently published
Release Date: January 27, 2026
Genre: Cozy Historical Mystery Romance
Of course, a young woman in Norway during the late nineteenth century can be a successful amateur sleuth, and goodness knows, Cornelia’s days are always more exciting when she can devote her time to resolving a local mystery.
Cornelia Gran is a dedicated daughter, friendly and kind; although, she has an exorbitant amount of curiosity. She devours Arthur Conan Doyle’s magazine articles and tries to follow the fictitious Sherlock Holmes’s investigative examples, but her fascination with solving puzzles always gets her into mischief.
Each morning, Cornelia reads the newspaper, looking for a conundrum to solve. Searching for clues—and then chronicling her discoveries—thrills her. She certainly finds those activities more entertaining than taking her grandmother’s advice and attending one Christmas ball after another in search of a husband.
But chaos and danger turn Cornelia’s quiet days upside down when her attempt to find information about the owner of a nearby abandoned cottage takes her into dangerous territory. As winter winds rattle the windows and swirl snowdrifts against the doors, she faces off with a ghost, gets in trouble with the police, and finds herself staring down danger without thinking of the consequences. In the middle of it all, she meets Simon and is captivated by his charm, good looks, and personality.
Meanwhile, a real killer is after her, and he won’t stop until he gets information she doesn’t have! Christmas, with all its cheery festivities, hygge, and family traditions, has never been more threatened. Cornelia must call on all her investigative skills, not only to stop the ruination of her family’s holiday, but also to make certain Simon and his aunt keep what belongs to them. And maybe, just maybe, the amateur sleuth will discover the meaning of true love.
Set in a fictitious town in Norway in 1891, this cozy historical mystery is perfect for those who enjoy curious and determined women sleuths, clean and wholesome romance, and the discovery of buried secrets in an abandoned house.
PURCHASE LINKS: Goodreads | Amazon | BookBub
More in This Series
Excerpt 1
December 1891.
THE EVENING WAS DEADLY quiet until it wasn’t. A faint sound of a dog barking in the distance, the rustling of leaves, and a shot.
Cornelia stared at the words on the paper. Her writing had already been heavily revised. She couldn’t quite find the right words to describe the murder. She turned her gaze to the view outside while tapping her fingertips on the desk. The early December sunlight was just peeking above the horizon in the East, painting the sky delicious shades of soft pink, yellow, and pale orange. The sun didn’t show its face until after nine at this time of year and disappeared again below the skyline only five or six hours later. Such were the days in the north in December, becoming ever shorter and darker until the winter solstice in a couple of weeks’ time.
Already, carriages were heading up and down the dirt road, filled with people on their way to work, visiting, shopping, doctors’ appointments, or other errands.
Cornelia dipped the nib into the ink jar and crossed out the words deadly quiet only to add quiet as the tomb above. She sat and chewed the top of the quill for a while. Why was the tomb quiet? People standing on the ground outside would be talking, singing, and praying. They would most certainly be crying. She made some scribbles and arrows in the margin to indicate the use of her first choice.
Excerpt 2
No matter how simple and silly a case was, Cornelia jotted down all the details of her investigation and kept the account in her personal mystery folder. Oh, how she’d enjoy working a proper mystery, while using the research techniques she’d studied, and she’d be proud to write the date and the words CASE CLOSED in big, bold letters.
She ran her fingers through the rest of the newspaper then turned to the last page. A drawing of an old, dilapidated house stared back at her. A familiar sight. The yellow, two-story house was at the end of Hasselveien…the east road, lined with hazel trees, that led to the forest.
She read the headline. “Abandoned house on Hasselveien.”
The ingress mentioned no one had lived or visited there for decades, and since no owners claimed the place, the authorities would now take possession of the house. Cornelia leaned back and tapped her lips. “Very curious indeed,” she mumbled. Although the building had stood empty for the entire twenty-five years of her life, someone had to know who used to live there.
Excerpt 3
Cornelia climbed the stairs to her room and closed the door. Lying on her stomach on the bed, she browsed the Sherlock Holmes articles—all five of them—looking for ways to approach her mystery. She had not witnessed a murder, and she was not aware of any criminal acts like theft, kidnapping, or life-threatening violence. But she had to admit that even though she’d brushed off the things she’d seen and heard as nothing to worry about, the situation had escalated from curious to eerie.
An hour later, she closed all the magazines and put them back in a neat pile on her nightstand. Skimming through the stories for the hundredth time had not enlightened her mind whatsoever. It was time to venture out on her own. If she was persistent enough, surely, she’d find enough clues to piece together the mysterious puzzle. Something very peculiar was going on inside the abandoned house.
My Thoughts
"The evening was deadly quiet until it wasn't."
This is a sure way to grab one's attention from the first sentence of the book! I wanted to keep reading, and couldn't put the book down until I finished (which meant, yes, losing sleep!).
I can relate to Cornelia, who wants to write, and to solve mysteries. Simon is so kind and caring, well, at least after initial contacts with each other. I like that it's set in small-town Norway. You can almost feel the cold of the short winter days.
Whispers in the Snow is a quick read, yet captures your heart.
If you enjoy historical fiction, with a large dose of faith, a touch of mystery and a bit of romance, this quick read should be on your TBR list.
I received a complimentary copy. These opinions are my own.
About the Author
HEIDI ELJARBO grew up in a home full of books, artwork, and happy creativity. She is the author of historical novels filled with courage, hope, mystery, adventure, and sweet romance during challenging times. She’s been named a master of dual timelines and often writes about strong-willed women of past centuries.
After living in Canada, six US states, Japan, Switzerland, and Austria, Heidi now calls Norway home. She lives with her husband on a charming island and enjoys walking in any kind of weather, hugging her grandchildren, and has a passion for art and history.
Her family’s chosen retreat is a mountain cabin, where they hike in the summer and ski the vast white terrain during winter.
Heidi’s favorites are her family, God's beautiful nature, and the word whimsical.
Connect with Heidi by visiting heidieljarbo.com to follow her on social media and subscribe to email updates.
Tour Giveaway
(2) winners will each receive a paperback copy of Whispers in the Snow and The Relic Thief, plus a $10 Amazon gift card!
Full tour schedule linked below. The giveaway begins at midnight February 23, 2026 and will last through 11:59 PM EST on March 2, 2026. Winners will be notified within 2 weeks of close of the giveaway and given 48 hours to respond or risk forfeiture of prize. No shipping restrictions. Void where prohibited by law or logistics.
Giveaway is subject to JustRead Publicity Tours Giveaway Policies.
Follow along at JustRead Tours for a full list of stops!
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