The Christmas Eve Murders: Setting the Story in Stone Ridge

While planning The Christmas Eve Murders, I had in mind a quaint little town that could offer a compelling juxtaposition to the chaos and energy of Manhattan. After poring over maps of upstate New York, I focused on a particular area that was situated not far from the Hudson River, and bordered by the Catskill Mountains. After further research, I decided on the hamlet of Stone Ridge in Ulster County, New York.

With several key locations spread about Stone Ridge, the inquiries begin with a visit to the local sheriff's office, where Detective Ryan and Cadet Vincenti get orientated and liaise with the local police. The deputy sheriff seems an eccentric but helpful individual, if you can forgive her love for the small mascot she keeps beside her desk, a handsewn cow purchased from the local farm shop.

The Wynkoop House, an eighteenth century Dutch stone building with peaceful gardens, provides the perfect location to serve as a temporary incident room for the investigation. Tony proves to be particularly enamored by the smell of cookies baking from the kitchen.

The Stone Ridge public library, presided over by the rather stern Mrs Baxter, holds secrets in its venerable archives, hidden under layers of history and dust, waiting to be uncovered. The library also yields some surprises, and an unexpected trip into the past.

The Orchard Diner on Main Street serves as the central hub for the village to get a sense of the community, and to determine whether anything might seem out of the ordinary. It functions as an important refueling station for Ryan and Tony, and although the coffee is not up to the standards of Valentino's, the pear pie from the local farm shop proves to be more than sufficient to keep them both going. The waitresses are well positioned to see the comings and goings of people every day, and may also be an ideal source of local knowledge - if handled with the right degree of care and sensitivity.

Given the village's strong connection to dairy farming, the local veterinarian's office is also on Detective Ryan's radar. As such, Doctor Stewart is among the individuals on Ryan's list of persons of interest.

The last stop on the list is reserved for Old Man Johnson's farm, a sprawling parcel of land, extending around the western edge of Stone Ridge. Known by all the villagers, and arguably the very reason Stone Ridge exists, it has been held by the same family for generations, and is owned by the local legend, Old Man Johnson himself, still very much alive and kicking.

Despite Stone Ridge's bucolic charm and tranquil appearance, it harbors a dark secret. Under the looming shadow of the Catskill mountains, Detective Ryan and Cadet Vincenti now have the challenging task of tying all the pieces of the puzzle together to solve the case.