From beloved Norwegian author Jostein Gaarder, this enchanting Christmas classic weaves together magic and miracles
'All the elements of a perfect Christmas tale' The Times
'A gentle wise gem' Independent
'Totally delightful' Irish Times

Hidden in the corner of a dusty old bookshop, Joachim discovers a handmade advent calendar and begs his father to let him take it home.

The next morning, when he opens the calendar's first door, out falls a tightly folded piece of paper: the first instalment of a magical story about a young girl named Elisabet.
Little by little these pieces tell the girl's story, and as we learn what happened to her, another story is revealed - that of the strange old man who made the calendar . . .

'Anyone who enjoyed Jostein Gaarder's philosophical bestseller Sophie's World will relish ­The Christmas Mystery ' Sunday Times

Translated by Elizabeth Rokkan