I was intrigued by the premise of this story. A newly relocated DI is adjusting to life in the Cumbrian village of Kirkby Abbey after relocating from London. Then, just as the festive season starts a chilling note and package is left on his doorstep threatening twelve murders...

The story itself was ok and I wanted to finish and discover if my theories about the killer were correct (they were) but I was frustrated by some of the characters- mainly DI Walkers wife, Annie whose sections of the narrative I really struggled with.

Not really for me I’m afraid.

Alex Pine has made a masterpiece that leaves me wanting more. Awesome story, unforgettable characters and an ending you don’t see coming. Eagerly awaiting the next one.

Thanks to Netgalley and Avon books for approving my request to read The Christmas Killer. The description sounded just up my street – ‘twelve murders’, ‘gruesome’, ‘panic’, ‘atmospheric’, etc. There is nothing I love more than to settle down with an exciting book that is so gripping that I just can’t stop reading. Sadly, this was not the case on this occasion. To be honest, I wanted to stop reading after the second chapter, but because I am new to NetGalley I felt it only right to finish the book and give it a review. I’m sad because this could have been a good book. Detective Inspector James Walker moves from the Murder Investigation Team at Scotland Yard to a sleepy village in Cumbria, where he receives a Christmas card with a warning of twelve murders before Christmas. Sounds promising? Not for me it wasn’t. The first murder didn’t occur until I’d read a fifth of the book, by which time I had almost lost interest. I found the writing to be simple and amateurish to the point of being childlike. For me, it lacked depth and tension. The dialogue between characters was unrealistic, and I found the characters themselves to be bland and boring – especially Annie Walker, the DI’s wife. She moaned all the way through, and it grated on my nerves every time her husband called her ‘hon’. Each time DI Walker interviewed a suspect it was followed by a team meeting where he retold the whole conversation word by word. In the end the killer was identified more by accident than detective work, and I certainly won’t be rushing to read any follow-on books.

On the book description it says ‘This is a proof copy and may contain errors’. Why??? Surely a new book should be sent to a proofreader before it’s released to any other reader? I came across the first error very early in the book, and was disappointed to find that it was the first of many. There were wrong words – ‘… stabbed it the stomach …’, missing words – ‘… when a horrid thought occurred her …’, extra words – ‘So what is this is all about?’, missing full stops, apostrophe errors, and we even have ‘an estate agent with a recessed entrance’!!! I’m sorry that this review is so negative, but it is honest. The only teeny bit of excitement for me was when I got to the last page. Sorry!

I felt this book had great promise, but couldn't make up its mind if it was a police procedural or a cosy mystery. Some of the characters seemed to have no depth or motivation for their actions. I enjoyed the narrations from the victim's point of view, hearing their inner thoughts before they were attacked. I thought that Annie was too 'wet' to be the wife of a London policeman and wanted to tell her to pull herself together. Spoiler, the abortion was too signposted to be a twist and I guesses the murderer very early in the book. I would have liked to know how Uncle Bill turned from nice uncle to berating Annie at her mother's funeral, to then turning up for Christmas as nice uncle again. The most vibrant, realistic and best written character in the book was the pub landlady, whose husband was the first victim. She sparkled on the page, showing how well the author can give life to his characters.

I admit, I've tried to read this nearly three times. I keep dnfing, it feels slow and dreary. I'm hesitant to say anything else, struggled with this...

My thanks to NetGalley and publisher Avon Books UK for the ARC.
I really wanted to like this book; it starts so well.
Fearing reprisals from a criminal released from prison, Annie Walker convinces her husband DI James Walker, to move out of London to a remote village in Cumbria, to her mother's house. Joining the Cumbria Constabulary James misses the frenetic activity of his team in the Met. It's a week before Christmas and Annie has invited her estranged Uncle Bill, together with all of James's relatives from London, to spend Christmas with them. Nothing bad really happens in Kirkby Abbey - until James receives a gruesome parcel accompanied by a Christmas card depicting the 12 days of Christmas - warning of 12 murders of 12 victims, all of whom deserve to die. Not sure whether this is a sick joke or not, James and his boss decide on discrete enquiries, until Father Silver receives a similar card telling him to prepare for a spate of funerals.
As James quietly investigates possible suspects the first victim turns up, followed by more - this quiet village has a crazed serial killer on its hands - but who?

So far so good but, unfortunately, I was constantly annoyed at the incessant repetitive hand-wringing anxiety from Annie who seemed intent on second-guessing how James is handling the investigation - agonizingly pathetic. I couldn't really get into any of the characters and couldn't understand the actual relationship between Annie and James and their sometimes bizarre interactions.
Yes, there are some twists but I'd figured-out the culprit well before half-way through.
The scenes are atmospherically portrayed with dire warnings of bad weather closing in, lots of snow to reflect festive lights etc, but then again, James and his colleagues seem to be jumping into their cars and whizzing around the village amongst it all without a care in the world - or snow ploughs.

Sorry, but a lot of things just didn't allow the writing to flow or actually provide any depth to the story, the dialogue, or the characters.

When DI James Walker opens an early Christmas present left on his doorstep, he soon realises it is no gift. Inside is a gruesome surprise, and a promise – twelve days, twelve murders. Not long after, the first body is found, half frozen in the snow.

As the blizzards descend, panic spreads through the remote Cumbrian village – there’s a killer amongst them, and with eleven more victims to go, anyone could be next….

The minute I saw this book and its cover, I knew I had to read this one! I love holiday mystery & thrillers, and this book didn't disappoint me at all.

It was so well written, that I was hooked on right from the first page and couldn’t put it down until I finished it. Even though the main focus of the book was the investigation and finding the killer, I was more interested to find out who would be the next victim and discovering the reason behind it.

I had a guess as to who could be the killer and I was glad when I found out that my guess was right. There were instances when the investigation would slow down and some clues overlooked, but that didn't affect my reading experience. In terms of the main characters, I found Annie a bit annoying but DI James is a very likable detective and I would definitely look forward to read more of him.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book and would highly recommend it to anyone who is a fan of murder mysteries.

Thank You to NetGalley and Avon Books UK for this ARC!

Idyllic Village, A Killer Lurks.....
Kirkby Abbey, a small and idyllic Cumbrian village. Christmastime is approaching. As the snow begins to fall and life feels idyllic the village makes festive preparations. However, all is not well in this seemingly perfect place and a killer is at large. DI James Walker, opening what he thinks is an early present left on his step, makes a gruesome find together with a promise of killings to come - 12 days of Christmas and 12 murders. A blizzard arrives along with body number one, panic spreads, who’s next? Enjoyable mystery to keep the reader guessing with a clutch of suspects and a likeable protagonist. Wholly entertaining reading.

Utterly gripping, spine tingling and simply brilliant.
This had me hooked from page one and I was unable to put it down, it’s dark and twisty and brilliantly written.

Alex Pine has written a true spellbinding thriller. The characters are thought out, very well , written. The background, the police procedures, are very interesting. With this taking place in England, it has all of the language of that region. The plot was, thought out, the emotions were how I would react, and the thrill is there. Figuring out who is the culprit, is part of the awe, in the book. I think you will enjoy this book.

DI James Walker and his wife Annie have just left the bustling city of London to move to a quiet village in Cumbria. But not all is as quiet and peaceful as they thought in the little village on Kirkby Abbey. After James returns home from work one evening to find a rather gruesome package left on his doorstep, along with a Christmas card containing a rather sinister message, all of the locals become suspects.

This book had me gripped from the very beginning. Finishing it over the course of two days as I dipped in and out of it whenever I had the chance. Just when you think you're figuring it all out, there is a twist. It was very hard to put this book down and I highly recommend it if you like a thriller or a whodunnit! I was looking for a Christmas book that wasn't all candy canes and mistletoe and this was just right. The lovely setting of a quiet little village where everyone knows everyone, and the way you are suddenly drawn into these characters lives so easily, makes it a perfect read. I only wish it was longer so I didn't have to leave the lives of the characters so soon. And I still find myself picturing Kirkby Abbey and walking around the village square in my head. Fantastic read! 10/10

DI James Walker has moved with his wife Annie from London to the village of Kirkby Abbey in Cumbria. Hoping for a quiet family Christmas, he discovers a package has been left on his doorstep revealing that 12 people will be murdered over 12 days. With the first three victims dead and a blizzard about to engulf the area, DI Walker is in a race against time to identify the killer.

A bit slow to start but a good solid mystery nonetheless. I would look to read more by this author.

A great story line, lots of twists and turns with a great ending. Set in the Cumbrian countryside. Good characters, hopefully we will see more of D I James Walker and the team soon.

This book has it all. Suspense, twists and turns and a little Christmas thrown in. DI James Walker is on the receiving end of a 12 days of Christmas card, suggesting there will be 12 murders in 12 days. Can James find the killer before that happens? A blizzard is on the way and that will complicate things even more for this small town.

I loved this book. It Flowed nicely and did not drag like so many others do. I didn't know for sure who the killer was until the end, which doesn't happen that often. Pick this one up. This is a new author and the first in a series. I definitely be looking for the next one.

Thanks to netgalley and Avon Books for the arc

I really liked the premise of this Christmas thriller. The 12 gifts that DI James Walker is promised aren't what anyone wants to get for Christmas - the promise is 12 murders! Walker has a past that involves a vengeful gang boss who has cheated his way out of prison, and we're left wondering if this is the perpetrator - or if something else is going on. Either way, the stakes are pretty high and DI Walker has to get to the bottom of it or it's not only Christmas that is ruined, it will be the rest of their lives for these victims and their families.

Unfortunately I didn't really feel this book lived up to the potential. There's very little mystery or tension as the writing is very simple and to the point. The characters felt unrealistic and I didn't like, or connect with any of them, including our main character (and especially not his annoying wife!). Since a great deal of the book is stilted dialogue, I find myself being bored rather than thrilled. The ending felt rushed and predictable, so not a great conclusion, leaving me unable to recommend it.

Really good. Full of suspense with great believable characters. I loved the setting. It was an emotional and compelling read.

Thank you to Netgalley for my copy.

I absolutely loved “The Christmas Killer”.
It’s a perfect combination of a Christmas book and thriller. It’s not a regular murder story set around Christmas time. The atmosphere in Kirkby Abbey is just magical.

You’re getting that warm, cosy feeling and suddenly there are chills running down your spine.

Small village cut off from the rest of the world by snow. Close knit community and a serial killer who decided to make this Christmas period extra special by performing his own version of 12 Days of Christmas.

Just that there is nothing festive about it. His ambition is to kill 12 people in 12 days. In his mind they all deserve to die and by doing this he’s giving the community the greatest Christmas gift ever.

The book is definitely a page turner and there’s not a dull moment.
The only thing I have to mention is I’ve guessed the murderer right at the beginning but then... Maybe I’m just a good guesser, detective or I have a mind of a psycho. Your guess is as good as mine.

I definitely recommend you get your hands on this book.

Don't be fooled by the opening of this book, although full of threat it isn't quite what this book is all about. Not yet at least. It does give the reader a good grounding though into the world of Detective Inspector James Walker and how one of the Met's finest Murder Squad detectives finds themselves in the 'not so sleepy as it should have been' backwater village of Kirkby Abbey in Cumbria. Don't ignore it completely though, file it away for later reference as I think that it's one situation that's going to come back and haunt our latest Detective on the block.

For me this book sits on the cosier side of crime. The murders are cruel, the threat ever present and the potential for carnage great, but despite this, the violence is not gratuitous and the method of passing messages from the killer to the police ... Well, let's just say that it fits in with the spirit of the season, if not quite echoed by the sentiment it contains. It is with DI Walker that the killer first communicates, sending him a warning of what is set to happen, almost a Ghost of Christmas yet to come if you like, although I'd rather a ghost appear on my doorstep than the grisly message Walker is sent. Initially dismissed as a strange prank, or perhaps a message from his past, Walker soon realises that there is far more to the strange parcel than he thought and Christmas plans in Kirkby Abbey may just need to be placed on hold.

The author does a good job in creating a whole host of suspects and for such a small village there are a good number of people I wouldn't quite trust. Being his wife's home village, be prepared for a number of long buried secrets to come to the fore, adding to the mystery that unfolds and also creating a wider pool of both suspects and potential victims to be uncovered. I have to be brutally honest and say that I guessed the killer very early on, but it didn't mar my enjoyment of the book as I liked the characters that I met, even if some of them really did make for some very worthy victims. Just my opinion. One of the other mysteries that fed through the book also came as no surprise. I was more surprised no-one else picked it up sooner, but then with a killer in their midst, I guess they were somewhat preoccupied.

Setting really does play into the sense of isolation for the book, the village being somewhat remote and ending up cut off by a snow storm - more believable than you'd think in those parts, although it seldom actually seems to fall at Christmas. this adds jeopardy to the story as the whole village is trapped with a killer amongst them but who, if anyone, still 'deserves to die'?

If you are looking for fast paced, hard action, this really isn't the book for you. If you want a solid police thriller with a great central character and a very seasonal twist, then definitely give this a whirl. I'm intrigued to see how the author develops the series, and the characters, from here.

This got off to a slow start & didn't really hold my interest. The idea was really good but the execution was just lacking something. I didn't particularly like any of the characters and didn't feel any connection to them.

When a notorious London thug is released from prison and makes it known that he has his sights set on Detective Inspector James Walker, James and his wife Annie decide it is the perfect time to make the move to the quiet town where Annie grew up. But when townsfolk start turning up murdered and James begins receiving cryptic Christmas cards from the killer, he realises his departure from London hasn’t gone unnoticed.

I’ll be honest here, with a cheesy name like The Christmas Killer and a cliche sounding storyline, I was sceptical. I have never been happier to be proved wrong! This blurb (and title) simply do not do this book justice. It is a perfect detective mystery that quite reminded me of a Tana French novel. There were only hints of Christmas, but it was the perfect atmosphere and something I didn’t know my thrillers were missing! I had the ‘twist’ picked a mile off, but it didn’t ruin the book at all. Absolutely would recommend.