"White Elephant" by Trish Harnetiaux is a clever and entertaining mystery that unfolds like an intriguing puzzle, keeping you guessing until the very end.

Both the christmas and spooky season are my favorites, so this book was right up my alley. Not only did the characters enchant me, they also scared me in some ways! I loved this book.

Thanks Netgalley and Simon & Schuster for an e-copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This book is about a real estate company and the owners throwing a white elephant party at a house they are trying to sell to a pop star. I thought the story itself was pretty interesting and entertaining but some of the twists were predictable.

I think this book is a decent "who done it" mystery but I would definitely go into this one not reading the synopsis. Based on other reviews, they complained it gave too much of the story away so I'm glad I didn't really read what it was about.

I'd recommend this to someone who wants to get into murder mysteries and enjoy twists.

3-3.5/5

Very mysterious and twisty this was an action packed book for me trying to guess who was hiding what and who was trust worthy a very atmospheric thriller perfect if you want a read that will really take you away for awhile!

This is a story line that most readers can relate to. A Christmas gift exchange for employees of an Aspen, Colorado real estate firm. The competition to have the most coveted gift is fierce and this year a extra gift shows up that looks tacky and cheap. A cowboy statue that sends shock waves through the owners, Claudine and Henry. A murder mystery with lots of twists and turns. I enjoyed the story. I received a copy of this ARC in exchange for a fair and honest review.

First of all let me say this is an extremely short thriller at roughly 230 pages. While sometimes I find shorter books lacking, that wasn't the case with White Elephant and the fact that I was able to sit down and read it in its entirety during one Saturday, only made me love it even more.

So pretty much the synopsis from Goodreads, shown above, pretty much tells you more than you need to know about the plot. It's a snowy holiday season in Aspen and Claudine's real estate business desperately need to see a mansion her husband built in order to make a comeback. She's in luck because pop star Zara is very interested, so much so that she has been invited to the holiday party at the location.

I loved so many things about the tale. First of all, the setting is an isolated mansion during a blizzard. Second of all, there are some really great characters, and some who you just love to hate. Claudine is not likable at all, which I found only increased my fondness for Henry. I felt badly that he was married to such a self-centered woman and if you read this novel, I believe you might just feel the same. And finally, I actually made it to the end of the book and didn't know the culprit. It was clear someone was out to get Claudine and her husband, but there were several people to chose from. I didn't see the twist at the end coming at all.

And I feel I must mention Zara. She's a spoiled pop star who really isn't spoiled at all. And she just so happens to be a true crime buff meaning she ended up in exactly the right place this holiday season. I really connected with her and think she added a lot to the overall plot. Plus she has a cute dog.

So if you love mysteries and thrillers, and just happen to be looking for a holiday read, you should consider picking up White Elephant. It's definitely worth the time it takes to read and is a wonderful way to usher in the holiday reads.

A very original story line that drew my attention and pulled me in. The story benefited from the character building in the first few chapters. When the white elephant gift appears, seemingly from nowhere, we THINK we already know which one of the realtors is ready to poke the boss and see what their reaction will be. I hope Trish Harnetiaux had as much fun writing this book as I did reading it.

Thanks to NetGalley for providing a free digital ARC in exchange for an honest review. This book has such a great premise! Unfortunately, for me, it failed to fulfill its original promise that made me select it. Claudine is a hip, stylish realtor who partners a company with her brilliant, but nervous husband, Henry. Every year, they host a white elephant gift exchange for their employees, but far from being a light, fun holiday romp, it is a cutthroat game in which each employee tries to outdo the other in their efforts to gain Claudine's praise and favor.
This year, the stakes are even higher, as Claudine is trying to land a big fish: the young pop star (and true crime enthusiast), Zara. Adding to the tension: Zara is interested in seeing the first house Henry ever designed, which is conveniently back on the market (and not-so-conveniently, the site of a murder apparently perpetrated by Henry decades ago that resulted in the two acquiring the land from an owner who didn't wish to sell up ...).

As I said, such a great premise, but the writing is bogged down by overdevelopment of one or two characters to the detriment of others who aren't nearly as developed as they need to be in order to make the reader care about them. Plenty of fun, extraneous characters (perhaps too many?) and relationships that exist maybe simply to be used as red herrings and not to further the plot or enrich the characters in any way. And, the Whodunnit is spotted a mile off (I'm very good at not allowing myself to try to figure out the culprit, but this one was just TOO obvious).
Harnetiaux has lots of promise, but she's just not there yet.

I wish the Party happened sooner in the book. I don’t mind setting up the characters. But it’s possible to do that within the storyline.

I was extremely excited to read this book as Christmas thrillers are few and far between. The synopsis of the book promises a party with a sinister white elephant gift that sets off a dramatic chain of events. Unfortunately, the party and white elephant exchange don't occur until the second half of the book. The first half was a lot of setup and character development, which I found a bit boring. The party scene felt like it was rushed and that the synopsis had been a bit misleading.

I would definitely recommend going into this book blind as the synopsis gives almost all of the plot away and, as stated above, a lot of it doesn't occur until the second half of the book.

Overall, I found the story interesting once the action began but I was somewhat disappointed by the execution of the story.

I received an e-arc of this book from NetGalley and the publisher to read and review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

I was unable to read and review the book by the publishing date due to other commitments. I will update the review immediately upon completion of the book. Thank you NetGalley and publisher.

eh. the premise was fun but overall it was just ok. the Big Twist was so predictable i thought it was just going to be a red herring but nope. it was legit. honestly, it kind of reminded me of some of rl stine's fear street books. i absolutely love those books but i always know what i'm getting into w those (+ the nostalgia factor) so it's a little bit different. i really wasn't looking for that vibe when i picked this up. the best part for me was the wintry/Christmas setting, and i had hoped we'd get a little bit more of the snowed-in part.

White Elephant was a fun quick read - and fit what I was looking for when I wasn’t sure if I felt like reading a mystery or something Christmassy - so why not both?

Claudine and Henry own an upscale residential design firm in Aspen - he’s an architect and she’s a realtor so they sell luxury clients uniquely designed homes. When mega pop star Zara wants to come see a home they have available - they end up moving the company Christmas party to the house and invite Zara to attend. Including the renowned White Elephant gift exchange.

If you’ve ever taken part in a gift exchange where some people took it a little too seriously - you know how this can go. Over the years it has become super competitive - with employees trying to one up each other and each come with the best gift.

As they are all at this beautiful secluded home and the snow is coming down hard and fast....maybe they are going to get more than they planned for.

I loved the setup but for me the execution and resolution fell a little flat. This was a quick and fun read but I don’t think it’s one that will stick with me.

Thank you very much to Netgalley and the publisher for the free review copy.

Interesting! This novel was so well written, and incredibly well researched. I had a hard time liking Claudine, and couldn't WAIT for her to be exposed. The addition of Zara, a famous popstar, didn't make sense at first, but she became not only my favorite character, but someone who was very necessary to the plot line. I felt for the characters, one way or another-- felt sorry for Henry; contempt towards Steve and Claudine). Overall, I just all around enjoyed this, and think others will find it easy to do so, as well.

This book is so fast paced!

It was a great light read with a little Christmas, but also a little who done it style mystery.

I did like the characters and am very surprised the author was able to development in such a short amount of time. I totally saw the twist of who the actual killer was coming, but I think most of the anticipation came from two questions. How will the night will end?
And who is the author of the italicized letter that breaks up the chapters?
Both answers are great and fun to discover. What a nice quick read!

This was a tough read for me. I wanted to love it. I really did. I came into it excited and the first few pages had promise. But it didn't grab me at all. It dragged and never really picked up for me. I forced myself to finish it, and really didn't enjoy it at all. I'm so sorry

Thank you #netgalley for an advanced reader's copy

I really enjoyed this book and thought it was a unique spin on this Christmas game. It did somewhat remind me of an Agatha Christie novel and there is nothing wrong with that! I finished this book in the same day and though none of the characters are ones you will really root for, they were interesting to get to know and follow along on their journey. If you are looking for a holiday read that is different from your traditional love story, give this a shot!

The elevator pitch:

Million dollar Murder listing

What i liked:


Claudine, a fifty-year-old real estate agent, is obsessive about presenting the perfect facade. Every detail of the holiday party she will throw at a lavish property has to be perfect. Her guests receive careful instructions. They want to be there but are also coerced in participating in the White Elephant gift exchange, and their presents better blow the guest of honor away. The guest of honor is the pop diva Zara.
Being a control freak like Claudine is not a good thing, but sometimes it pays off. And it certainly pays off That White Elephant is carefully constructed down to every detail. The style and substance of White Elephant perfectly coincide. It is compact; the plot sparsed out flawlessly. I like books that are economical, spare, and to the point, and White Elephant unwraps his mystery with great attention.
For those who don't know what a White Elephant gift party is, it's holiday gift exchange with a nasty twist, where guests are allowed to steal each other gifts. And it's an excellent title, seeing this is a story about greed and stealing the most prized possession from someone.
It's an appropriate holiday book for the ones that don't necessarily think of it as a magical time. The setting is lovely, though, Aspen, just as the first snow starts to fall. But even there gloom lurks underneath.

Their protagonist is all well-drawn. I liked Zara, the pop star, the most.
Somehow it made me think of the Miley Cyrus episode of Black Mirror. The story is told from several points of view, and Zara's is fresh. She is astute, acerbic, and fair. Driven by a broken heart, she heads to Aspen to take a look at a house. She is obsessed with a true-crime story that happened there long ago, and totally by accident, she becomes the center of another murderous disaster.
White Elephant does take its sweet time getting to the real drama. Like the gift exchange, it ups the ante, going from a cozy holiday party, and some very nervous real estate people, staging this party all for Zara benefit, to a decade long mess, and the consequences of a deal drenched in blood.
Here the weather is still warm, but it is a perfect book to curl up underneath a blanket with, or even better yet, next to a roaring fire.

What it is about:

Claudine and her architect husband Henry are hosting a holiday party in the first house they ever build and sold together. Their agency is successful, but Claudine wants to take it to the next level. When Zara, the pop star du jour, expresses interest in the property, Claudine pulls out all stops, to host the perfect party — not forgetting to include Zara in the White Elephant gift exchange that they traditionally host every year.
Henry doesn't want to be there. He cants forget what happened so many years ago at this particular property. And when one of the guests brings a horrible gift, the past comes crashing back in their lives.

This is unlike any White Elephant gift exchange you have ever attended. When Claudine throws a Christmas party to entice popstar Zara to buy a house, things gets out of hand when a statute is gifted. It has meaning for Claudine and Henry. I don't want to give to much away but it will change everything.

Claudine is so unlikable. Do you want to see her get her comeuppance? Yes. Do you want Henry hurt in the process? No. I guess opposites do attract.

I enjoyed the book. It was a pretty quick read. I just had a hard time getting into it because of Claudine. I did find Zara's fascination with the Claudine Longet murder trial, very interesting.

Thanks to Netgalley for a copy of this book and the views are solely my own.

A white elephant gift exchange is usually full of raucous laughter and stealing of gifts. But this time the white elephant gift is met with silence and a look of horror. This gift is a memory from the past and it is not funny, in fact it is a memory of murder.
A good mystery book to start the holidays. Thank you Netgalley, Publisher, Simon Schuster and author, Trish Harnetiaux for an ARC. I voluntarily read this book and the comments and review are my honest opinion.