A good police procedural though it was more gentle than gritty. It was up to James Walker to solve the surprise gift that landed on his doorstep.

It was an interesting mystery, though it lacked the punch. The characters could have had more depth, but James had enough pizzaz for me to enjoy the story. This was one of my fast but predictable reads.

This Christmas read went the opposite direction of most books for the holiday season, featuring a Christmas-themed murder mystery set in a small English village. Detective James Walker and his wife Annie have just moved from London to her small hometown village of Kirkby Abbey after a murderer James put away was released from jail and sent a threatening message directly through the window of their London home by brick. Kirkby Abbey seems words away from the bustle of London, the perfect place for the couple to live safe (if a bit boring) lives. Until a box containing a grisly surprise shows up on their doorstep, along with a frightening Christmas card for Det. Walker - 12 days of Christmas, 12 murders, and they all deserve what's coming. Is this some sort of strange prank? Is it another threat from the murderer-set-free? Or is this something more? One murder, then another, starts to make it seem like this is no joke and there really is a deranged serial killer out for blood in Kirkby Abbey just before Christmas.

I love a murder mystery with a quaint, intimate setting and the village of Kirkby Abbey was the perfect place to set this story. A small village where everyone knows each other, secrets abound, and the gossip runs like a river - what better place for a whodunnit with many suspects but no clear answers. And the blizzard that hits the village halfway through the book made the setting even more ideal - the town is blocked off from the outside world, the snow covers everyone's tracks, and villagers are shut up in their homes. The storm helped build the suspense since the murderer was also trapped in the village as the cat-and-mouse chase intensified. The book kept me guessing, and while the final reveal wasn't quite believable to me, I enjoyed the buildup of the hunt. The writing sometimes felt a bit stilted and some of the clues were emphasized a bit too much, but I liked the short chapters and in all, this was a fun change-of-pace from my usual holiday reading.

Thank you to Avon and NetGalley for the eARC in exchange for my honest review.

Detective James Walker and his wife Abby have just moved to the small quiet village of Kirkby Abbey in Cumbria from the hustle and bustle of London where there are many crimes taking place on a daily basis so James is somewhat disappointed with the slow pace and lack of crimes and excitement that he was so used to with keeping him busy in a job that he loved. So when a Christmas package arrives with a gruesome gift inside and a card wIth the "Twelve Days of Christmas" on the front and written inside the words that this was the first gift and eleven more to go. James thinks this is just a prank until the village priest Father Silver calls him and tells him he just received a "Twelve days of Christmas" card also and this card leads to something far more sinister. Within a few days this quiet and beautiful community will have fear and terror knocking on their doors while one of the largest blizzards is also expected at any moment and the small village will literally come to a standstill with roads completely closed and power outages throughout the community where police work will have to be accomplished on foot while making it easier for a serial killer to carry out his mission under the cover of snow to complete the work that was stated on those holiday cards that have now given a whole different meaning of Christmas for this lovely little village this year and James Walker is facing the most difficult case of his career while not knowing that the killer will be making this much more personal for James, his friends and family.

This was a very enjoyable Christmas murder mystery with red herrings and twists along the way. I loved the snowy atmosphere and the quaint village lifestyle where almost everyone is a suspect while the murders are taking place. Good information on how the police deparment works when dealing with a blizzard and having to carry out their tasks when life basically comes to a complete standstill except for the police in the village. This wasn't a cozy mystery yet it wasn't a hardcore mystery either for me either. The killer was kept in the dark throughout the book although I figured it out almost in the beginning so for me that was somewhat disappointing although I still found this mystery fun and on the lighter side. I didn't care for Jame's wife because she seemed bossy while needy at the same time and the story kept mentioning how and where she drank wine on a daily basis and I thought that was funny though odd because she didn't have an alcohol problem but seemed to drink wine everyday and any hour of the day instead of tea or coffee and I found that amusing and a little confusing. If you do enjoy a snow filled story and Christmas too, I definitely recommend reading this book.

I want to thank the publisher "Avon" and Netgalley for the opportunity to read this snow filled story and any thoughts and opinions are unbiased and mine alone!

I have given this book a rating of 3 Christmas Tree Top 🎄🎄🎄 Stars!!

I wanted to read this book as it was Christmas themed and so many of the Christmas books available are romances, so I thought it would make a nice change.

This book is mainly a whodunit police procedural but is much more light hearted than the none festive variety. If you're looking for something set in a small village in the snow around Christmas but want a twist, then this is perfect for you. If you're looking for a deep, serious and complicated murder investigation then I would avoid.

I enjoyed it but it didn't grip me and I had a good idea of who the killer would be quite early on. On a side note, the lead detective's wife is so unbelievably irritating, I was hoping she would hurry up and get murdered so I didn't have to read about her anymore...

Slow pacing, clunky wooden writing, with a very strange narrative. The conversations were odd and I really disliked the main character. Nothing has really happened up to this point and it isn't keeping me engaged, so Unfortunately a dnf at 20%.

DI James Walker and his wife Annie move to Kendal in Kirkby Abbey after James worked on a horrific case in London when he sent a man to prison for murder.
After receiving a Christmas card refering to the Twelve Days of Christmas with a threat of twelve murders DI Walker automatically thinks the case is related back to London.
I really enjoyed this book, yet again Alex Pine delivered. There were twists that I did not see coming and it kept me gripped to the end.

I loved reading The Christmas Killer.
A brilliant twist on the usual Christmas fiction. I thought the story line was strong and the characters were believable. I really liked DI Walker's character.

The idea for this book was gripping. Unfortunately the writing was amateurish and the characters lacked depth and personalities.

The main character Detective James Walker moves to Cumbria with his wife Annie to escape London and the wrath of a gangster he helped convict.

Soon after arriving in the picturesque village they receive an unwelcome Christmas card telling him they'll be twelve murders in twelve days leading up to Christmas!

All is not as it seems as James investigates the threatening Christmas cards and the body count rises.

The culprit wasn't obviously throughout the story which was a bonus. I just wish the author had given more of an idea as to who the characters actually were. That said the book improved as it went along.

Thank you #netgalley and the publisher for allowing me to review this title.

Such a gripping story that leaves you guessing right until the very end.

Great character development and a really enjoyable read for the lead up to Christmas.

Really enjoyed reading this book, loved the village murders and had no idea who did it, until the end ! Easy to read and looking forward to reading other books by the author .

A very atmospheric crime novel based in Cumbria. Scene is set with bad weather and plenty of snow to keep the police out of the village and the killer in. I enjoyed it and there were lots of red herrings but felt the build up was let down by a very quick ending. Enjoyable none the less.

When a convict James put away is discovered to be innocent, him and his wife Annie decide to move to the small village Annie was raised in.. With Christmas coming soon, James discovers a Christmas card and a dead bird in a parcel on his doorstep. The card threatens 12 murders will be happening soon. James thinks it's probably a hoax until the first body turns up.
Although a bit repetitive in places, the story keeps you reading until the end wondering who the next victim will be and why and also who the mysterious killer could be.

I enjoyed this book, it was a nice procedural read but for those who read a lot of books like this it was very obvious who the killer was unfortunately. I guessed very quickly and so the book dragged a little.

I liked the differing perspectives and guessing who the next murdered victim would be- at the end there was a short list of reasons why but it didn't include all 12 which would have been far more interesting

Overall a good, quick, easy Christmas read

An enjoyable thriller, with some intriguing characters set in a quiet, sleepy village. A quick read and as the title suggests, events occur at Christmastime.

A very interesting premise and full of tension and atmosphere. Lots of twists and turns before the killer was revealed and I admit I didn't suspect that person! I think this is my first introduction to the author but I can't wait to read more in the future!

The 12 days of Christmas, the 12 days of murders. That’s what’s promised in the small town to detective James walker. He and his wife moved to the small town to get away from big trouble in the bigger city of London. James and his team has to fight against time, and weather, to solve the murders before the murderer gets to all 12.

I liked this book, it’s the start of a solid new series following a hard working cop and his wife. The book started a little slow, but worked well. The murders started happening and it seemed like everyone was a suspect until the end when it all came together.

This was an easy to read crime book. I loved the fact that it was set at Christmas so was festive, but not your typical Christmas read. James has moved with wife Annie to an idealic village and all seems boring and safe. That is until a Christmas package turns up on their door with a chilling Christmas card. 12 days and 12 murders.... there are a few twists and turns to keep you interested with enough clues to solve the mystery by the end. The perfect winter story!

I love the idea of a festive thriller and this was the first one I have read. This follows the character of Detective Inspector James Walker, who has had to move from London to the ‘quiet’ countryside due to threats from a case he was involved with.

He soon discovers the area is far from quiet, when murders start happening and the killer threatens that there will be 12, to match the 12 days of Christmas. The book then follows the detective trying to work out who the killer is, and we get introduced to lots of characters from the village, so we are left to guess who it might be.

I gave this one 3.5 stars, I enjoyed it and it is definitely my kind of book. The reason I didn’t give it 5 was because I thought there was quite a slow build up at the start, and we have to wait a while for the murders and the action to start happening. Having said that it did build up the back story of the characters to help us try and guess who the killer was.

I didn’t actually guess the killer, and love it when that happens! It’s much better having a surprise and trying to think back if there were any clues it was them.

I did like the ending but thought it was a little rushed, which is another reason I didn’t give 5 stars. I would recommend this to any thriller lover who likes a good whodunnit mystery!

Thank you to @netgalley for my free digital copy in exchange for an honest review!

DI James Walker and his wife, Annie, have relocated from London, to the sleepy Cumbrian village of Kirkby Abbey. The reasons for their move up north are complicated but each are looking forward to spending time renovating the house which once belonged to Annie's mother.

Life seems to be finally on an even keel for them as James gets used to his new policing role, that is until a gruesome warning turns up on their doorstep. James suddenly finds that he is leading a murder investigation which gets more and more complicated as Christmas approaches, and as the weather closes in, and a huge snow storm hits with a vengeance, it all makes for a chilly and tense atmosphere.

I enjoyed reading this Christmas whodunit as there is certainly enough going on to maintain interest and there's a nice amount of tension with a few red herrings thrown in for good measure. I did suss out the perpetrator quite early on but that was ok and didn't spoil my enjoyment of this festive murder mystery.

The Christmas Killer is the first in a new series of crime novels by this experienced crime writer. I look forward to catching up with DI James Walker in future stories.

𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗖𝗵𝗿𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗺𝗮𝘀 𝗸𝗶𝗹𝗹𝗲𝗿' - 𝗔𝗹𝗲𝘅 𝗣𝗶𝗻𝗲

Another night with next to no sleep, but this was well worth staying up for! This is the debut novel from the pen of Alex Pine & is the first in his DI James Walker series.

You don't normally find many thrillers set around the Christmas period so it made a change. This was a slow burning yet compelling thriller, that kept you second guessing every step of the way. Even toward the end I still had no clue who was the killer.

Someone's on a killing spree & has decided the 12 days of Christmas are going to be a little bit different this year, but who are they & what are their motives?

Many thanks to Netgalley for my ARC in return for my honest review.

𝗜 𝗴𝗮𝘃𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗯𝗼𝗼𝗸 𝗮 5 🌟 𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴.