Tag: The Deaths of December

My Top 3 Christmas-themed Reads

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I love a Christmas themed murder mystery at this time of year.

For my top three Christmas-themed reads I’ve picked a favourite from a couple of years back plus two brand new releases that I think you’ll enjoy as much as I do.

The Christmas Murder Game by Alexandra Benedict

Lily Armitage returns to rural stately pile, Endgame House, one last time to take part in the annual family tradition – the Christmas Game. Along with her relatives she must try to solve 12 clues and find 12 keys. The prize for the winner is ownership of Endgame House. But as the game begins, and the snow blocks the roads and holds the family captive, people begin to die. Lily has to solve the murders and the clues if she’s to have any chance of making it through Christmas alive. This atmospheric locked room mystery is a super more-ish, puzzle-filled read that’ll have you solving the clues along with Lily. It was published last month and you can find out more HERE.

Mistletoe and Crime by Chris McDonald

Published earlier this month, this modern cosy mystery sees best mates and amateur sleuths Adam and Colin investigating the death of a homeless man. Although the police have written the man’s death off as an accident, Adam and Colin think foul play is involved. Undeterred by a warning from the cops to stay out of it, they leap into action and soon find themselves getting much closer to the killer than they’d ever imagined. This is a fun, jaunty-paced read with lots of clever classic and modern Christmas references. You can find out more HERE.

The Deaths of December by Susi Holliday

This advent calendar themed novel is a fast-paced race against time to catch a killer who has gone undetected for a long time. When an advent calendar is sent to the police, and they discover there’s a crime scene behind each door, DC Becky Greene and DS Eddie Carmine must piece the clues together and find the serial killer before they strike again. This is a twisty, turny serial killer novel with lots of Christmassy action that’ll pull you in and along for the ride. It was published a few years ago and is still just as fresh. You can find out more HERE.

So if you’re looking for a Christmas-themed read I highly recommend you check out these books. Then pour yourself some mulled wine and have a cheeky mince pie as you settle down for a good read.

CTG REVIEWS: THE DEATHS OF DECEMBER by SUSI HOLLIDAY

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Here’s the blurb: “It looks like a regular advent calendar. Until DC Becky Greene starts opening doors… and discovers a crime scene behind almost every one. The police hope it’s a prank. Because if it isn’t, a murderer has just surfaced – someone who’s been killing for twenty years. But why now? And why has he sent it to this police station? As the country relaxes into festive cheer, Greene and DS Eddie Carmine must race against time to catch the killer. Because there are four doors left, and four murders will fill them…”

I’ve never read a serial killer book set at Christmas time before, but there’s something creepily macabre and don’t-you-dare-look-away compelling about the combination of Christmas tunes, tinsel and blood splatter.

In The Deaths of December, Susi Holliday introduces a great new police pairing – DC Becky Greene and DS Eddie Carmine. Becky is fresh into the job and as enthusiastic as she is tenacious. Eddie has more experience, and is more measured, thorough – or at least he believes he always has been. They make for a great duo, not always seeing eye-to-eye, but getting on and recognizing each other’s strengths nonetheless. And that’s important, because the case they’ve been assigned is a tricky one.

How do you catch a serial killer who’s been killing for twenty years undetected? He doesn’t have a specific victim ‘type’ and he kills in different ways, in different towns, on different days. The only thing that seems to connect the crimes is the gruesome advent calendar he sent to the police – but why send it?

As Becky and Eddie investigate the case it takes them away from their loved ones just as the festive period is beginning in earnest. They’re focused on the case, on catching the killer before he strikes this Christmas. They assume that there’ll be able to spend time with their families afterwards. But will they? Because the closer they get to the killer, the closer he gets to the ones they love…

Peppered with sharply observed Christmas holiday and habit references, this is a sparkly and blood-splattered read. It’s the perfect antidote to too much turkey and Christmas pudding – creepy, tense and twisty-turny as hell. I loved it!

Fans of police procedurals are going to want to make sure they’ve got a copy of The Deaths of December in their Christmas socking.

THE DEATHS OF DECEMBER is out on 16th November.

You can pre-order it from Amazon HERE

And find out more about Susi Holliday and her books by hopping over to her website and blog HERE