The Egyptian Cross Mystery

One of the renowned detectives from the Golden Age of mysteries returns in a case that blazed a trail for countless authors in the years to follow (according to American Culture).
As Christmas approaches in the city of Chicago, Inspector Richard Queen finds himself taking a break from his usual duties to attend a conference centered on organized crime. Meanwhile, his son, the amateur detective Ellery, is feeling utterly bored. That is until Ellery stumbles upon an unusual murder case in rural Arroyo, West Virginia: a schoolteacher has been discovered decapitated and crucified. Without hesitation, Ellery persuades his father to hop into their roadster and embark on a journey eastward, as there's nothing Ellery desires more for Christmas than a challenging and macabre mystery to solve. Upon their arrival in Arroyo, the Queens uncover that the victim was an unconventional atheist, an individual who typically didn't attract enemies. What initially appears to be the handiwork of a sadistic cult soon reveals itself as something even more ominous. In the months ahead, additional victims will surface worldwide, all meeting their demise in the same gruesome manner. It will take the discovery of several more bodies before Inspector Queen unravels the clue that will solve the enigma of the Christmas crucifixion.