Thank you NetGalley and Poisoned Pen Press for the advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

Twelve clues.
Twelve keys.
Twelve days of Christmas.
But how many will die before the 12th night?

If you love The Inheritance Games, then you are going to also love this one! Lily returns home, to Endgame House, after her aunt dies to compete in one final Christmas games to figure out who is going to inherit the estate. However, Lily has no interest in the estate, she is only there to uncover the truth on her mother’s death years before.
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This book is such a wild ride and I absolutely loved it. I love when authors are creative and can come up with games inside of a novel. She did such a wonderful job with the riddles and creating the puzzles for the characters to figure out. I also loved the variety of the characters in the novel. There were some that were likable and there were some that I wanted to punch in the face every time they opened their mouth. I feel like this is a great book that would be perfect for either spooky season or to cozy up with a mug of hot chocolate on a winter’s evening and it’s snowing outside.

This review will be posted to my Instagram blog (read_betweenthecovers) in the near future!

A cozy mystery, a dysfunctional family, an aging hotel with a maze and lots of secrets? Let's do this!

The Christmas Murder Game was a fun, who-done-it style mystery that was filled with riddles. After her aunt dies, Lily must return to her childhood home (which was also a hotel) and compete with her cousins in a game of puzzles to determine who will inherit the estate. Hijinks ensue, more murders happen, and the clock keeps ticking toward the final clue on the twelfth day of Christmas.

Things I enjoyed about this book-
This book is a word lovers dream. It is filled with anagrams and poems that are filled with clues.
The housekeeper Mrs. Castle is the grumpiest, sharpest lady and I loved her character.
The dual mystery of a decades old murder and new murders happening.
Reading this feels like curling up next to a fire with a mug of hot chocolate while it is snowing outside. It is a great cozy mystery for the holiday season!

Things I could have done without-
The current day mysteries seemed easy to guess early on. I was able to guess the murderer long before the reveal.
The past family dynamics were convoluted and didn't make much sense. The solving of the old murders wasn't a big shock or even a momentous moment, it was slow trickle with a result that ultimately didn't feel realistic.
The current family characters were a bit one note. I kept expecting the characters to show some other dimensions but they were pretty flat and stuck to their tropes.

Overall, none of the cons kept me from enjoying this book too much because it was still a really fun Christmas themed read. For me, it was a solid 3.5 stars.

↓ Similar Reads ↓
1. Roger Scarlett’s Cat’s Paw
2. Lucy Foley’s The Hunting Party
3. Maureen Johnson’s Truly Devious

The Christmas Murder Game involves a brutal family reunion. Cousins lie and scheme to give themselves an upper hand as they compete for the deed of Endgame House. Meanwhile, Lily wants to uncover the truth about her mother's supposed suicide decades before. And her deceased Aunt Liliana has promised her the answers can be found only if she plays the game.

I was quite intrigued by the premise of this novel. Estate settings involving murder and deceit are a favorite of mine. I thoroughly enjoyed the snowy atmosphere and sprawling Endgame House, and it was fun to watch the clues be analyzed and solved.

I had a difficult time pinning down this mystery's tone and subgenre. Certain elements were reminiscent of Golden Age detective fiction and then a comment about Netflix would remind me abruptly that we were in modern times. Benedict also includes thriller/horror aspects in her writing - the possibility that Tom might knock on the door just seconds too late to join the game or Isabelle fearing for Lily's life if she were pregnant and the other Cousins knew (thriller vibes), the warnings from Mrs. Castle about Endgame house wearing the "skins" of past families' traumas/ghosts (horror vibes) - which added great tension but left me feeling confused and unsure how much further we would dip into those genres.

Many of the characters are unlikable, and typically I don't care if none are unlikable. However, there were some I felt we were meant to like - such as Aunt Liliana - but her cruel comments toward her daughter, Sara, felt unjust even if Sara was a brat at times. While I liked and rooted for Lily, our story's heroine, her timidity
and desire to be a wallflower frustrated me, and its repeated mentioning started to ring false for me. This was especially so when things started to become quite serious with her finding the coat her mother had wore the day she died, stained with blood, or the fact someone intentionally locked her in the ice house. And neither event seemed to alarm her sufficiently. Instead of alerting the others of the ice house incident, or strategically keeping it quiet, Lily's friend Tom offers to say he was the one who was locked in to "protect" Lily from the spotlight when that is the last thing we should be worrying about.

In the end, I elected to DNF this book at 36%. While there were many aspects of this narrative that I didn't enjoy, I do believe that I would willingly try something by this author again because she is clearly very creative, if not always realistic.

Thank you so much to Poisoned Pen Press and #Netgalley for gifting me an ARC of The Christmas Murder Game by Alexandra Benedict in exchange for this honest review!

This book is unlike anything I have read before. I love that the author has games within the book that add even more layers for the reader to work through. I was slightly mad at who the killer was but it made the story. It keeps you guessing the whole book and had a lot of crazy twists and turns.

The Christmas Murder Game is an enticing thriller with a festive twist! I gave this book rating of 4/5 stars. I was gripped by the story for the most part but, the ending fell a bit flat for me. There was such an enthralling build up to the explosion of the story. It was interesting and suspenseful, the perfect combo for a thriller. I was quite shocked when it came time for the reveal. I wish that there was more detail unraveling the story. It was a bit flat compared to the rest of the story.

Alexandra Benedict curated interesting characters, and all for different reasons. The backstory behind our main character Lily was very well developed and added much needed context to the story. Setting a murder mystery/thriller in a giant mansion over christmas time is a great combination that worked extremely well. I got Clue/Knives Out vibes which made the book more fun to read. I would totally recommend this book to anyone looking for a festive murder mystery!

Thank you to Poisoned Pen Press and NetGalley for this Advanced Reader's Copy. All thoughts and opinions in this review are my own.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. I love a well-built mystery with just enough breadcrumbs left to follow the trail. I had my suspicions from the beginning but was gently steered by the author in another direction. And it turns out I was right all along. Game well played. I hope I get the chance to read Murder on the Christmas Express, a nod to Agatha Christie perhaps?

Loved the holiday atmosphere. The mystery was also super entertaining and it was really fun to solve the mystery alongside the characters . All the characters were great and
I liked them all.Definitely a 5 star read

For a thriller, this book has no tension at all. The premise was very interesting and intriguing, but the way the Christmas murder games was executed? So stupid. And the fact that the catalyst for Lily to partake in these games is because of a letter that info-dumps everything that could've been used for reveals and twists in the future just made me laugh because wtf. And because we already know what is happening at the 4% mark, there's no excitement or interest for the rest of the book for me. I think the author wanted the letter to gave a little bit of tease for the readers for what's to come, but I don't think see realized that she already gave away the tension and the reason for why we should continue reading the book. The rest of the book? Snooze fest. It's a no for me.

I simply LOVED this title!! Games within the "game", trying desperately to figure out all of the twists and whodunnit, it was like a Christmas game of Clue, with only one left standing.

I will definitely read any other material this author publishes, it was excellent!

When I first saw this book available to request, I just had to read it. The plot sounded so interesting to me. With a female protagonist looking to find out what happened to her mother, a mysterious family game, and centered around the holidays. I found this book a wonderful read, perfect for the holidays. If you are looking for something different to add to your reading list, check out this book.


My thanks to Poisoned Pen Press for a digital copy of this book for my review!

It's always obvious when an author is focusing only on one aspect of the story and instead of writing cohesive, quality prose, they just cater to one element and entirely ignore the rest. In this case, Benedict was bent on writing a crime novel where characters solve one riddle for each day of Christmas in order to win a mansion from a dead wealthy aunt. The problem is the author also started killing off those characters and despite them being one family, each death is simply brushed off by everyone and every day they go back to solving riddles, as if no one died. It was clear to me that should the author care about psychological credibility in her story, she would have added some emotional reaction from people that were still alive, but no, if she did that, they wouldn't focus on the riddles, and riddles were the only thing that the author seemed to enjoy when writing.
Despite being a crime mystery fan it was very hard for me to read a book where characters are blank and deprived of emotions (at some point it was deemed sort of a quality for the main character, as if to explain why she doesn't display any feelings, but sorry, it doesn't work like that) so it seems like their relatives dying is like every other Tuesday for them. The plot was also very repetitive and I guessed who is the killer around 30% of the book.
Very mediocre read.

This was such an enjoyable read. The family at the heart of this mystery is beyond messed up. Each person is flawed and most are hateful to the core, but that makes us root for our heroine all the more.
If you’re a fan of Agatha Christie or Murder She Wrote, but want something a little darker than those, but still in the breezy-read category, this one can’t be topped. Very clever and a ton of fun!

The Christmas Murder Game was an interesting, fun book! I thought the storyline was great and thoroughly enjoyed the mystery! A fantastic read!

SUPER FUN PUZZLING MYSTERY

In Yorkshire Dales resides Endgame house - the family home of Lily ARmitage and her cousins. All have returned home, gathered for the annual Christmas Game which includes 12 days of riddles and puzzles to solve. This year the prize it the deed to the house itself and the competition is brutal.

Lily is present but not interested in winning the home where her own mother died suspiciously. When her Aunt leaves her a letter stating that the clues will also provide answers to the death, she jumps in with the rest.
Add in a brutal snowstorm cutting off communication with the rest of the town and there is suddenly a very Agatha Christie type scenario. Will Lily live to solve the mysteries? Lily for sure wasn't my style of heroine, I like a strong woman, not simpering but the atmosphere is so well created, you will feel like you are right there with the family (and maybe you need an extra sweater or sock in that snowstorm)!

If you like puzzles and riddles, if you like an English mansion in the snow or just want a unique mystery for yourself or a Christmas gift a mystery loving friend, The Christmas Murder Game is for you! #AlexandraBenedict #NetGalley #Poisonedpenpress #TheChristmasMurderGame

3.5 stars - I had a hard time getting into this one. Once I felt the story start to speed up and get interesting, I had figured out who the murderer was. The plot was intriguing, but halfway through I figured it out and only kept reading to see how it ended. There were some weird interactions between characters that were never explained and we were just supposed to accept as normal.

Thank you to NetGalley and Poisoned Pen Press for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I received this ARC via Netgalley and Poisoned Pen Press, in return for an honest review. This is an version of the snowstorm housebound family mystery with murder in the offing and a major prize for the winner. It started a bit slow for me with understanding the protagonist and her situation. Upon arriving at Endgame, it felt very much like a cerebral version of Knives Out with never knowing whom to trust and whose secrets were deadly. Some of the interpersonal relationships were creepy. Kudos to the author for encouraging the reader to engage in the Christmas game clues identification and solutions.

Thanks to NetGalley for this opportunity to review.

This book is a labor of love and it works on both it's surface level and it's hidden clues. Even the acknowledgements are a test.

It's Knives Out at Christmas
All the characters are defined (albeit not all likeable, like real people)

I don't know how I missed this one, but I'll be recommending here on out.

When Lily’s aunt last wish is for her to return to her childhood home that haunts her, Lily feels obligated to play the Christmas game one last time for her aunt. But there is more to the clues and the game, specifically for Lily in the last messages from her aunt. Once Lily and her cousins all convene at Endgame to play the game, murders begin to occur and a winter blizzard makes escape is impossible. One by one family members are eliminated until the one who remains standing earns the deeds to Endgame house. I enjoyed all the riddles for each clue and the pacing was good to keep the story and plot moving forward. I really wasn’t sure how the ending would turn out, making it all the more fun to read!

Want to feel better about your next family reunion? This is your book! Lily Armitage currently works as a costume designer in London, specializing in recreations of vintage corsets. She wants to start her own line but can’t quite escape the trauma of her childhood. Lily’s Aunt Liliana raised her after her mother’s apparent suicide; her father was never in the picture. Every Christmas, her mother, aunt, and grandmother would put together a Christmas game for the children. Whoever solved all the clues got a bonus gift. But following Aunt Liliana’s death, the now-grown cousins have been invited to one final Christmas game. The prize? The aptly named Endgame House itself. But someone isn’t willing to wait and starts murdering the competition. Add in a snowstorm that traps everyone in the house with the killer and you’ve got the classic ingredients of a thriller.
Likes: This is a clever whodunit where the violence mostly occurs offstage. There are plenty of shifting alliances along with a spooky subplot about Lily’s mom. Lily’s competitors are her cousins, including Tom, Ronnie, and Rachel, the children of Lily’s Uncle Edward, along with Liliana’s nasty daughter Sara and enigmatic son, Gray. Liliana’s attorney Isabelle and Endgame’s housekeeper Mrs. Castle have been enlisted to organize the game. All the players have something they’re hiding, including Lily. There’s a family tree and a map, both of which I love, and the author has sprinkled in bonus puzzles (including a fun one for the acknowledgements). A pair of relationships, one developing and one revealed at the end of the book, made me smile.
Dislikes: Lily occasionally got on my nerves. A few characters are a little one-note or have backstories that aren’t fully explained. I did spot the big twist in advance, but that may be because I have an overly suspicious mind. These are minor criticisms and shouldn’t keep you from picking up The Christmas Murder Game if you like English country house murder mysteries, thrillers, or both.
FYI: murder, suicide, some acts of violence. One character expresses prejudice against LGBTQIA characters.

The Christmas Murder Game by Alexandra Benedict is quite the read! This novel reminded me of And Then There Were None by Christie - an ill-fated guessing game, though perhaps a bit less eerie.

Lily finds herself back where it all began: The Endgame House deciphering her aunt’s puzzles in a race to claim ownership of the familial estate. But, for Lily, the stakes are even higher as she attempts to unravel the mystery surrounding her mother’s death. Cousins are pitted against one another in a game that could result in death.

The book was a quick read, full of intrigue as the characters seek to outwit their competitors. I found the clues to be very opaque, meant for a singular audience - one particular character. It would have been more intriguing if the reader were able to decipher clues in Liliana’s poetry. In effect, playing the game alongside the characters. I think the author was trying to attempt this by including anagrams, but it felt a bit disjointed in the way it was included.

In addition, I wish there was a bit more character development, especially for some of the secondary characters. These characters made strange decisions which were curious considering there was a murderer on the loose.

Overall, an interesting and festive take on a classic whodunnit.

Many thanks to Poisoned Pen Press and NetGalley for this title in exchange for my honest review.