I love a good seasonal mystery or thriller - especially when it's Christmas-themed because it makes such a stark contrast with the joy and holiday spirit that are all over TV and in the stores. That's why I was excited to find "The Christmas Killer" by Alex Pine. And it didn't disappoint.

A British police detective, DI James Walker, recently moved with his wife Annie to the quiet village of Kirkby Abbey. They're escaping the hectic London life, where a mob boss is eager for revenge because James put him in prison. Their expected quiet life is anything but when James's first case is a murder the comes with a Christmas card promising 12 deaths for the 12 days of Christmas.

A blizzard essentially shuts the village off from the outside world, and the killer is making good on the promise of multiple murders. James knows he needs to solve the case before more villagers are killed, but there are plenty of suspects and not many clues aside from the threatening Christmas cards. With an entire village essentially being under suspicion, it's a complex story with a fascinating and twisted reveal.

I received this book from the publisher through Netgalley for review and all thoughts and opinions are my own.
DI Walker and his wife have slowly been settling in her home town after a recent move from London. They were embroiled in a case and threatened by the perpetrator at the time. Now he's out and safety and security is paramount. In this small hamlet, city living seems so far away what with quaint shops and the local pub, friendly neighbors and a church parish priest who cares for them all. Not all is as it seems as the bodies start piling up during Christmas. Secrets come to light. Christmas cards hold threats. A storm is on the way and it's not all ice and snow. Blood will spill. Strong characters and a holiday feel make this a good thriller set at Christmas holidays.

This was a fantastic alternative to the usual romance Christmas fiction that I normally read. I really connected with the characters and the narration, was well paced yet detailed. I was so invested in the plot that I finished this in two sittings. I didn’t guess the killer until it was revealed! I have since read the follow up novel in the series and cannot wait for the next in the series.

DI James Walker and his wife Annie relocate to the small village of Kirkby Abbey. One night he receives a Christmas gift left on his porch, when he opens it, he soon realises it’s not a gift. It’s shocking, accompanied by a Christmas card containing a threat of Twelve murders to be committed in twelve days. Shortly after receiving the card, the first body is found… A blizzard is rapidly approaching, and when the killer strikes again, the town is in full panic mode. James is fighting against the clock… Can he stop the killer?



The Christmas Killer is a good crime novel however, I felt like it was missing something, and I can’t put my finger on it. The writing and the pace were great, the story instantly hooked me and I finished this book in 3 hours. I love the way the murders were written, so much suspense which I found interesting, I was looking forward to those chapters the most. I really liked DI Walker, he was thorough, level-headed and determined, I’m looking forward to continuing the series.



Thank you Netgalley and Avon for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

The author wanted to create a nice suspense thriller story but somehow lost his way in the middle.
I am little confused how Annie started to dominate the story , despite of being just the wife of the detective, who doesn’t have the authority to lead, clearly. The plot is really good but the character developments are a bit disappointing.

The Christmas Killer has a great premise. Police detective James receives a parcel containing a chilling note that promises a Christmas slaughter. 12 days of Christmas; 12 murders.

So far so good, right? Sadly, though, the book failed to live up to its premise. The story was quite slow to get going, focusing on seemingly inane internal monologues and side characters rather than James' investigation. It's also quite formulaic and repetitive which wears a little thin after a while. Did you know it's going to snow?

On the flip side, the village is well described. It's easy to imagine the picturesque Kirkby Abbey with its covering of snow and fairy lights twinkling in each window - even as the murderer stalks its streets.

What should be a fast-paced thriller with the detectives racing against the clock turns into rather a bizarre mish-mash of typical festive scenes interspersed with murder. It's jarring and just doesn't flow well. Coupled with unnatural dialogue and a lack of investment in the characters, sadly, The Christmas Killer falls short of the mark.

This was a brilliant read and is being featured on my blog for my quick star reviews feature, which I have created on my blog so I can catch up with all the books I have read and therefore review.
See www.chellsandbooks.wordpress.com.

This is a great police procedural/mystery story, where DI James Walker has to find out who is murdering residents of the village of Kirkby Abbey in Cumbria during the Christmas season. The murderer has been leaving Christmas cards with different people who he feels are sinners and should be punished for their 'crimes'. He plans to kill twelve people over the twelve days of Christmas. He also leaves James a disgusting Christmas present at his front door. James has his wife Annie to protect, so he sets out to find out who the killer is and he is very surprised when he discovers who it is. I really enjoyed this book, even though I guessed who the killer was very early on. I enjoyed the relationship between James and Annie and their back stories. I love a good murder mystery and this one ticked all the boxes! I especially liked that it was set at Christmas time.

Many thanks to the author, publisher and NetGalley for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Overall I enjoyed this book. I liked the idea of the christmas killer and the setting was perfect. It was a little predictable but that didn't really matter as it was still a good story.

This was a thrilling read by a new author - to me anyways. I love the way the author weaves a story, keeping the reader entertained throughout. Recommended for anyone who loves a good read.

A awesome thriller set in a Christmas background, I really enjoyed it. I give it 4 stars. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an ARC of this book.

A great start to a new series. When DI James Walker finds an unexpected parcel on his doorstep with the promise of 12 murders in 12 days he thinks it is a hoax but he soon finds himself under pressure to find a depraved killer before time runs out.

*received for free from netgalley for honest review* okay first off i have to say, i really hate the whole " woman had abortion, it will come back to get her" BS. not a horrible book but that was a pretty annoying thing that kept popping up and i found it distracting compared to others "sins", not a bad read tho.

After moving his family to the quiet village of Kirkby Abbey, DI James Walker is hoping for a equally quiet Christmas. But, as the snow begins to fall, he finds a parcel on his doorstep containing a gruesome 'present' as well as a macabre promise - twelve days, twelve murders. Walker hopes this is someone's idea of a practical joke being played on the new DI but shortly after, a body is found frozen in the snow. As the snow continues to accumulate, isolating the village from the outside world, Walker must discover if this is just a coincidental accident or if the inhabitants of Kirkby Abbey are trapped here with a determined murderer and this is just the first of many murders.

Ok, I know it's a little early to be thinking of Christmas even in books but I am a sucker for a good Christmas cozy mystery and The Christmas Killer is definitely that. It is the first in a series of murder mysteries by Alex Pine and I was pulled me in from the first page and fully engaged throughout. There's plenty of red herrings and twists and turns to keep the reader guessing. For fans of cozy mysteries, especially those set during the Christmas season, this one's for you.

<i>Thanks to Netgalley & Avon Books UK for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review</i>

Just couldn't get into this one. Have heard very good things about it from others but reading is for pleasure and it became a chore just giving it a few more pages.

This book started out great. I liked how it was set in a small town and all the vibes that comes with a small town. It was also a fast read and didn’t take me long to finish once I’ve gotten into it.

But I felt like we never got to know the characters deeply. I wanted to get to know more about them. I could also early guess who the murderer was so I wasn’t that surprised in the end. The ending also felt very rushed as we got to know who the murderer was around the last five percent of the book.

It will be a great Christmas read if you want a fast and easy book. Definitely the kind of book you can read by the fire during the winter months.

DI James Walker moves to the small Cumbrian town of Kirkby Abbey with his teacher wife, Abby, after a tumultuous time working and living in the Big Smoke. Wanting to escape the drama and fear of his job identifying gangsters, he thinks that life will be much easier in a tiny village. But of course things are never that easy. After settling in, he surprised to find a package that states that over the 12 days of Christmas there will be 12 murders. His perception of a quiet life is now in tatters and the imminent threat of murder leaves him reeling? Is the threat linked to work from his previous work place?

I found this book really interesting. Each new chapter had me suspecting somebody different and that is the true sign of a good 'whodunnit'. I loved the picturesque background of the story and I could perfectly visualise some of the chapters and scenes in the book.

Overall this was really enjoyable and it had me turning the pages as fast as I could to find out who the murderer was. I would 100% recommend.

Good plot and story line, nice to read a novel about Christmas that isn’t romance.

Thank you NetGalley for my complimentary copy in return for my honest review.

I did not like this book sorry. I did not like the tone or language it was written in and I found it lacked substance and detail which meant I found it boring. Predictable even without any detail which is never good sign

An enjoyable crime novel, with believable procedural details, but I wasn’t over-impressed with the writing style.