The Christmas Killer is a whodunnit, as the police search for a killer who is targeting people in a tiny English village in the days leading up to Christmas. While the book flows quickly, it’s not much of a mystery, and it really failed to hold my interest. While the premise seemed promising, I thought the story fell flat. I received an ARC of this book from the publisher through @NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

The Christmas Killer is a slow burn detective novel following Detective James Walker and his wife Annie who recently moved to Annie's hometown, the very small village of Cumbria, from London. I particularly enjoyed the setting, as well as that the author included short one time only chapters from the victims perspectives.

Content Warnings: racism; pedophilia (not on page)

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the ARC. The opinions in this review are honest and my own.

This book was for me about finding the serial killer in a small town. I liked the book Even though i early knew WHO the killer was. I liked the hunt for the serial killer. And i liked all the small town secrets that appeared when you scratched the surface. I would recommend this.book. Thank you to netgalley for letting me read this e arc in exchange for an honest review

This book was ok. I was surprised who the killer turned out to be. In my opinion the story line moved slowly.

After a rock is thrown through their window following the release of a prisoner he was responsible for putting away, Detective James Walker and his wife Annie decide to give up the bustle of London life and move back to the quiet Cumbrian village of Kirkby Abbey where Annie grew up. As they settle into their new home and prepare for a family Christmas, James and Annie can’t think of a more laid back, idyllic place to live. Until James finds a parcel on his doorstep one afternoon which includes a dead bird and a Christmas card with a sinister message: Twelve days. Twelve murders. And they all deserve what’s coming to them.

In a village as quiet as Kirkby Abbey, the possibility of a serial killer is so outlandish it’s laughable … until the bodies start to pile up, one by one. In the run up to Christmas, James is pushed to find the killer, but must simultaneously deal with personal revelations and the onset of one of the worst snowstorms England has seen in years.

Overall, I thought this book was quite enjoyable: the characters seemed relatively fleshed out, and the book read quickly and easily. A few people complain that the story takes too long to get going (mostly because the first murder only occurs about 20% of the way into the book), but I think that the pacing of the story was fine, and I didn’t feel like it was a slow start at all.

Maybe it’s because I am a complete Christmas Elf myself, but there is something about the atmosphere of an English Christmas that always appeals to me, and to me, Alex Pine captured the atmosphere of an English village at Christmastime beautifully. Granted, the language was sometimes a little bit stilted – I honestly don’t think people speak quite as formally as Pine’s characters do – but the book read easily and I zoomed through it, finding it an easy and engaging read all round.

One aspect of the book I did struggle with was the storyline surrounding the released prisoner that drove James and Annie away from London in the first place. The book seemed to set everything up in the start to make this seem like a major storyline, but it quickly fizzled out and was relegated to a back burner, which seemed an odd choice of plot. Maybe this was a choice made to try and tie together multiple books in this series (since I believe there are more books in the James Walker series in the works), but it felt a bit odd and out of place in this book.

There were also some odd character changes in the book. The investigation begins with James being partnered up with a disgruntled officer by the name of DS Stevens, who was overlooked for promotion because of James’ transfer. But halfway through the investigation, DS Stevens suddenly became a desk officer and a new partner was brought on the scene to help James through the second half of the investigation. I’m not completely sure why this was done, and it didn’t feel necessary, but it didn’t really detract from my enjoyment of the book itself.

As for the central mystery in this book: I found that I was engaged and intrigued throughout the book. As I was reading the book, I got the feeling of an Agatha Christie novel, where the cast of characters is relatively small, and you are trying to guess who the culprit is before the big reveal. Although I had suspicions throughout the book, and at one point I was suspicious of the correct culprit, my final guess as to whodunnit wasn’t right, and I was pleased with that. In hindsight, I can see that the clues are all there, and they are put together cleverly, but it is the mark of a good writer to give all this information and still mislead the reader the way Pine did here. I definitely think the mystery itself delivered and makes for a compelling story that will keep you flipping pages and trying to work out who the murderer is.

Overall, I was impressed at the meat of this book and I would recommend it as a “light” murder mystery read. There were some issues on the periphery of the book that needed work, such as some of the language being a bit stilted, and tightening up of the plot in one or two places, but overall, I think Alex Pine has crafted a good whodunnit mystery that is atmospheric and enjoyable. I will definitely be looking out for more of his work in the future!

Thanks to NetGalley and AvonBooks UK for the ARC!

Thriller/crime/whodunnit books are my go to genre. I personally love high levels of forensic detail, and the feeling of being completely immersed in a book. The Christmas Killer sadly fell very short for me.

I found the characterisation very shallow. I usually “feel“ alongside characters, happiness, sadness, anger, a feeling of wanting to protect, but there was nothing. The writing didn’t evoke any emotion any emotion in me. I regularly laugh, smile and cry while reading, but I felt none of this.
I was also really irritated by a number of characters questioning the DI’s approach to the case. These included his own wife, constantly, and a DS in his team, despite her saying at another point how happy the team were to work with him.
There seemed to be not much substance to the book, with so much of the conversations being “fillers”, continuously reminding us of the details we already knew, as if the reader was somehow incapable of holding this information in their minds. I also found the use of the F word really bizarre. I am not offended by swearing, and regularly read books that use this language. It was as if f*** was used to show how upset and shocked the cast were, but surely this should come through better and deeper writing. No other swear word was used, and it was even said by the Catholic Priest. Nobody even said damn, blast or blasphemed, so it just didn’t sit well in the writing.

It’s possible that if you rarely read thriller and crime books, you may enjoy the book. If you regularly enjoy “a good murder”, my advice would be to choose another book. It took me a week to read The Christmas Killer, while having a week off work. I usually read two books each week, whilst working, this sums up how little I was gripped and drawn in to the pages.
Just 2* from me.

I was so disappointed with this book.
I feel like the story could have been so good but the way it was written definitely felt like a first edit to me.

There was too much unnecessary description to get the information across but it didn't flow.
It felt like the characters were saying bits of information to each other rather than having a conversation.

I was so sad. I thought this would be 5 Stars.

I quite enjoyed this book but the denouement was a bit predictable. I was also a bit sceptical of the poor police work carried out.

Overall, I can recommend it for a light read, but don’t expect great insights.

Full of suspense and I was hooked from the beginning.
DI James Walker moves to Cumbria for an easy life then receives a gruesome gift with a christmas card promising 12 deaths in 12 days.
A blizzard descends and the bodies start being found whilst his help is reduced due to the blizzard.
Full of twists and turns trying to found out who did the murders.
Loved the cover and description of the book very enticing
.
Loved James character but found his wife very weak and wimpy would definitely recommend this book and would read more from this author.
Thanks Netgalley for this ARC in return for an honest review.

The synopsis of this book and it’s title grabbed my attention and I couldn’t wait to start reading.

DI James Walker and his wife Annie have recently moved from the bustle of London to the sleepy village in Cumbria where Annie grew up. Shortly afterwards, DI Walker comes home to find a package on his doorstep but when he opens it he makes a gruesome discovery - a dead bloodied bird (partridge) and a Christmas card (depicting the twelve days of Christmas) warning him that twelve people in the village were going to be murdered. Not sure whether it’s real or a sick joke, DI Walker reports it to his superiors and tries to put it out of his mind. Shortly afterwards, the first bloodied body is found and the hunt for the killer begins.

I found that the start of the book was somewhat slow and then it picked up (20% in before the first murder) but I felt it dipped again in the middle and then the ending was very rushed. In fact I did wonder (with less than 10% to go) whether the case was going to be solved in this book or carried on to another. I had guessed the killer quite early on and my instincts proved right. One thing that did stick out in my mind was how much wine DI Walker’s wife consumed during the book - it got to the stage that every time she featured I wondered how long it would be before she had a drink! All in all it was an ‘okay’ read.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an advanced read copy of this book in exchange for an honest and unbiased review.

D.I James Walker and his wife Annie are forced to flee London to Annie's family home in Kirkby Abbey, Cumbria, when a vengeful ex convict targets them. Little do they realise they move into the village just as the Christmas killer begins his rampage.
This sounds my type of thing, exciting a good thriller and the idea and plot are strong however the not so subtle hints from early on meant I knew where this was going and who they were looking for.
I believe the end was meant to be a twist but I feel the order of ruling out suspects gave away the game and reduced any tension built. I read on more expecting an almighty surprising u turn and real shocker but that did not materialise.
The characters were likeable and you were endeared to them (albeit feeling slightly sorry for Annie being a bit of a wet rag) however in parts they seemed unbelievable as they were too perfect.
The village was described beautifully and set the scene well.
Unfortunately the writing did tend to ramble a little and was repetitive which took away any build up of anticipation.
All in all I read this out of curiosity rather than excitement.
Thankyou to netgalley for providing me with the pre release.

Twelve days. Twelve murders. Twelve victims.

Pine has penned a Christmas shopping list like no other in his first of a new series, The Christmas Killer, to be published October 29, 2020! This fantastic cozy murder mystery will definitely get you in the mood for the holiday season! It has all the ingredients of a great holiday read: a snowed-in remote Cumbrian village, dark and bitterly cold winter evenings, a crackling fire, a Christmas market, carol singing, a killer terrorizing villagers via Christmas cards, an unrelenting detective, and a cast of close-knit villagers with an abundance of gossip and built up bitter resentment. Added to this mixture is just enough suspense, misdirection, and intrigue to quietly captivate you and keep you turning pages to find out who’s sending those macabre Christmas cards.

DI James Walker and his wife, Annie, have just relocated to quiet Kirkby Abbey from bustling London seven weeks ago. Intending to escape the job-related anxiety, Walker discovers that in even the quietest of locations at the happiest time of the year, evil continues to percolate.

Author Alex Pine has successfully captured the essence of that cozy feeling of Christmas in a small town and, with such descriptive detail, makes readers want to live there to experience it for themselves. Pine’s career in journalism and television production in addition to his childhood summers spent in the Lake District no doubt contributes to his success as a writer. Pine’s storyline has all the essential ingredients for a great mystery - means, motive and opportunity – and doesn’t focus on sordid details, but rather allows his protagonist to focus on the detective work. I look forward to my next read about DI Walker.

This book is a must-have on your Christmas reading list! You’ll never sing ‘The Twelve Days of Christmas’ nor sing another Christmas card again without thinking about Kirkby Abbey.

Thank you to Alex Pine, Netgalley and Avon Books for providing me with this advance copy in exchange for an honest review.

When I first heard about The Christmas Killer, I was so excited, and when I was approved for a ARC through NetGalley, I couldn’t wait to get started. A Christmas themed thriller, twelve days, twelve murders, what more could you want, right? Well, I have to be honest and say that the idea for the story is great, but I was slightly disappointed.

The writing is okay, but is a little repetitive at times, and you’re 20% of the way in to the story before there is even a murder. I do feel that if the start hadn’t of been so slow, it would have been much more exciting, and I would have enjoyed it a lot more.

I did feel sorry for James at times, because he seemed to have a lot of shit to deal with, not only at work, but also at home. I found James’ wife, Annie, to be extremely annoying and whiny, and all she seemed to do was cry or complain. There was a very mixed bunch of characters, but I have to admit, I didn’t really connect with any of them much.

The blizzard caused quite a few issues for the investigators. They didn’t have an easy run of things, and it made the investigations a little more interesting. I also really enjoyed the Christmas “gift” aspect of the plot, and thought it was a great touch having the murderer deliver them personally. There’s nowhere near twelve murders, which was a little disappointing, but the murders themselves were actually rather brutal, and that is exactly what I look for in this type of book.

At the beginning of the story, I was sure I knew who the murderer was, but as the story went on I had completely different theories, and suspicions, which led me away from my initial thought. But, it turned out that I should have gone with my gut instinct, because my first guess was indeed the killer.

I did like this story, and there are clearly some positive aspects. It has the potential to be fantastic, but there is definitely room for improvement, and it wasn’t as exciting as I had expected.

A huge thank you to NetGalley and Avon Books for my copy of the book, in exchange for an honest review.

I give The Christmas Killer a 3 star rating.

DI James Walker has recently moved from bustling London to the small and quiet village of Kirkby Abbey.
But the peace of the village is about to be shattered when he receives a package that contains a dead partridge and a message.
"12 days. 12 murders. 12 victims."
The threat is soon followed by the discovery of the first dead body.
Will DI James Walker find the killer before he strikes again?

I was really taken in by the blurb, which promised a fast-paced and thrilling race to stop the killer.
I did like the atmospheric setting of a village blanketed in snow; it is definitely a winter read best enjoyed snuggled up under a blanket.
Unfortunately, despite the great premise, this book didn't meet my expectations.
I found the story slow, and the build-up of tension wasn't sufficient.
At first, I enjoyed trying to guess who the killer is - there were a lot of suspects - but I soon figured it out. The ending, therefore, felt flat for me, and I found that it lacked a suspenseful delivery.
I was hesitating between 2 and 3 stars, but because the ending didn't bring any jaw-dropping twist, I had to settle on 2 stars.

DI James Walker has just moved to Kirkby Abbey where his wife grew up. Christmas is just around the corner when he receives a card stating that there will be 12 days and 12 murders . The first victim is the landlord of the pub. As a blizzard and heavy snow cuts the off it is a race against time for James. Will he solve it before all the murders have been carried out?

The Christmas Killer was so fun to read just as the weather was turning cooler! In this holiday thriller, Detective James Walker, a London transplant to the sleepy village of Kirkby Alley, is taunted by a serial killer who promises to kill twelve people over the course of twelve days in a gruesome spin on The Twelve Days of Christmas. To top it off, the village is in the midst of a massive snowstorm, cutting it off from the rest of the world.

What I liked:
•The multiple POVs - The book shifts between James, his wife Annie, and the victims of the serial killer! I thought it was so cool how the victims’ weren’t identifiable from their POV, so you were left guessing about who was next!
•The cast of characters was large and everyone was a suspect. Unfortunately I guessed the identity of the killer about 20% in, but I did second-guess myself quite a few times as the story progressed.
•James was such a vivid main character. I absolutely felt his mounting anxiety as the investigation dragged on and I enjoyed seeing the story through his eyes.
•Not too much gore and it wasn’t too scary. I’m a wimp and was glad to be able to sleep soundly after finishing this one!

What I could have lived without:
•Sometimes there was a little too much description of the investigation and “police talk” that was repetitive
•I felt like some plotlines and characters didn’t lead anywhere. However, this is the first in a series, so I’m hoping those pan out in the future

Overall I would recommend this to anyone looking for a quick, cozy thriller to read this Winter!

I really enjoyed this book. Didn’t guess the villain in the story. I hope there are more stories to follow with these characters. Would thoroughly recommend.

An enjoyable thriller with different threads running through the relationships. Killer was a little predictable I thought but didn't detract from the enjoyment of the book.

A crime procedural with a interesting plot.
Intriguing family drama....
Suspenseful mysteries....
“Twelve days, Twelve murders, Twelve victims. And they all deserve to die”
Sounds very intriguing doesn’t it?
Detective James Walker and his wife, Annie, decide to move to a smaller town hoping for a safer environment then they had in a big city. It doesn’t take long for things to become tense.
The characters were ok and the overall plot was interesting.
Thank you to NetGallery, the publisher and author for the opportunity to read and give my honest opinion about this book. All opinions expressed are my own.

This is the first book in the DI Walker series. Someone in the village has promised there will be 12 murders in 12 days. As DI Walker deals with the first few murders in this cleverly plotted mystery, an approaching blizzard and family drama make finding the killer that much more difficult.