When Lily Armitage was growing up the whole family would gather at Endgame House for Christmas and the annual Christmas Game. She and her cousins would solve elaborate riddles and clues to find their cache of Christmas presents. But since her mother died on the grounds twenty-one years ago Lily hasn't returned. She was raised by her Aunt Liliana so of course it's because of Liliana that she's returning. Liliana's dying wish was that Lily would return for the final Christmas Game. Over the twelve days of Christmas Lily and her cousins will vie with or against each other to find twelve keys with the prize being the deeds to Endgame House. Lily doesn't want Endgame House, what she wants is answers, and that's the reason she agrees to return. Liliana has promised that the clues will reveal who killed Lily's mother. Wearing her own designer couture that is concealing a secret Lily returns to Yorkshire. There she is reunited with relatives and retainers. Liliana's children, Sara and Gray are there, as are Uncle Edward's, Tom, Rachel, and Ronnie, with Rachel's spouse Holly, and Ronnie's spouse Phillipa. Housekeeper Mrs. Castle is on hand to take care of them and provide the daily clues while Liliana's solicitor and Lily's former crush, Isabelle Sterling, is on hand to dot the i's and cross the t's. While Lily is shocked how happy she is to see all these people the warning from her aunt is clear in her mind, don't trust anyone. Because it's all fun and games until someone loses an eye, or as happens here, Ronnie ends up dead. He might be the first but he won't be the last. Because when the first corpse appears they realize that they are trapped in Endgame House with a killer. The snow is piled high and there's a tree down across the drive. And then the car batteries go missing. Someone wants them to stay and play the game and Lily is ready to play. She came to find out who killed her mother and she is not about to die like she did.

A book claiming to be Clue at Christmas that happens to be loosely a golden age locked room mystery is a must read for me. The problem is that's not what this book is, this book is more Game of Thrones murder mystery though with even more animosity, hate, and incest. I truthfully can say not only did I dislike every single character in this book I hated them. They are all horrible horrible people who I would not like to spend one single second in the presence of. And that's not the main problem of this book! The main problem is there is no motive for the deaths. We are supposed to buy into the fact that obviously anyone would want to inherit a Manor House in Yorkshire. Yet Manor Houses aren't cash cows, this one was run as a business center for years that seemed to just barely be in the black, and everyone has horrible memories of the place, yet they want it? Even if their future plans are solid the horrible memories should make them rethink their plans. But then again, they are all either sociopaths or psychopaths, throw a dart and it's one or the other. So maybe the bad memories don't bother them? Whatever way you look at it the truth is that all these relatives go to Yorkshire to slaughter each other. And Liliana had to know what she was doing. After all her own brother killed her sister! This isn't generational trauma, this is generational homicide. The only answer I have is that they are evil. Evil evil evil. Yes, I love a Christmas murder mystery, I don't want Christmas slaughter. This book has literally one and only one thing going for it, it flips the script on the bury your gays trope. The whole idea that gay characters are expendable or deserve to die is so outdated it's shocking how many people still use it. The Christmas Murder Game was the exact opposite, and for that it should be cheered. Any character who was alive at the start of the book who identifies as queer, gay or bisexual, is alive at the end. And only they are alive at the end. All the straight characters are cleared from the board. So at least that was refreshing. About as refreshing as a snowball in your face, but you take what wins you can sometimes.

The annual Christmas Game is starting at Endgame House, the Armitages' family home. This year's prize is the deed to the house. Lily has no intention of returning, as she has not returned home since her mother died, twenty-one years ago, until she gets a letter from her aunt promising to tell her the identity of her mother's murderer.

A mix between Clue and The Westing Games, the family must solve clues and riddles in order to find keys and win the house, but there is a murderer in the house and family members start dying. This books had me hooks from the beginning, easy to read, entertaining, suspense and puzzles are rolled into one. The character has different sides and developments along the way, and had enough personality to keep the reader engaged.

The book contained some LGBTQ relationships in here, making the book feel "current", as the rest of the story has an old times feel; horse stable, ice box, dark mansion, corsets, no cell phones (a rule before the game started), etc. I had guessed at who the murderer may have been, but there were enough twists to keep you guessing and changing your mind (as I had done a couple of times). Although the ending was good, I feel like it missed something, or that it ended somewhat abruptly. I still enjoyed this book and would recommend it others!

I rate this 4 🌟!

I'd like to say a huge thanks to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for an ARC of this novel in exchange for an honest review

In The Christmas Murder Game we join Lily who has been 'summoned' to the house she grew up in to play a Christmas game with her cousins. The prize - the house itself. They get a riddle every day which will lead to a key but for Lily it's about more than solving the puzzles. She's trying to find out who killed her Mother years ago but it seems there's a killer also playing the Christmas game.

I absolutely loved this and devoured it in a couple of days. It was fast-paced, I didn't see any of it coming which was great. I liked the overall plot, the characters, the writing style. It really was a good time. A 4.5 out of 5 from me.

The Christmas Murder Game is a delightfully witty holiday themed mystery by Alexandra Benedict. Originally released in 2021, this reformat and re-release from Sourcebooks on their Poisoned Pen imprint, it's 288 pages and is available in paperback, audio, and ebook formats. Other editions available in other formats. It's worth noting that the ebook format has a handy interactive table of contents as well as interactive links and references throughout. I've really become enamored of ebooks with interactive formats lately.

This is an engaging cozy with a nice closed circle mystery revolving around the Armitage family gathered for the holidays at Endgame House for the annual Christmas Game. The mystery is well constructed and the characters well rendered. It's a very slightly harder-edged cozy, with lots of very clever wordplay, and is an enjoyable, diverting read. The plotting is *full* of twists with lots of undercurrents and red herrings to keep readers engaged. The resolution and denouement were written with finesse and facility and readers will find it a satisfying read. Bonus for cruciverbalists: the author has included lots of clues for readers to find and puzzle out parallel to the main story.

This one reminded me in a lot of good ways of the best of the golden age authors, especially Dorothy Sayers, Ngaio Marsh, or even John Bude or Edmund Crispin's slight shadings of campy lighthearted repartee. Quite a worthwhile read. Fans of golden age British crime shouldn't pass it up since there won't be anymore classics from the original sources.

Four stars.

Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.

The Christmas Murder Game gives readers the chance to enjoy a variant on a locked room mystery with the added bonus of both the Christmas season and some side puzzles for solving. These extra puzzles are things like anagrams.

Lily is in her thirties and is a designer of corsets, many of which she reproduces from historical sources. She spent a great deal of time at Endgame House when she was young but has not wanted to return there since her mother’s death…was that a murder?

When Lily’s aunt dies, she wants Lily and her cousins to come to the manor over the festive season. While there, they are set a series of tasks which will require their solving skills with a lot at stake; the winner will become the new owner of the house. Oh, by the say, there will be a number of deaths over the twelve days of Christmas.

Whodunnit? Why? This was a fun read as I waited for answers. I also enjoyed Ms. Benedict’s images. For example, Lily talks about wanting to make a briefcase shaped corset for lawyer, Isabelle. She describes a housekeeper as something like a candy cane without the sweetness.

I enjoyed this book and recommend it to those who would simply like to be entertained.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Poisoned Pen Press for this title. All opinions are my own.

A mix of the movies Knives Out & Ready or Not in book-form. It's got a little mystery, suspense, and puzzle-solving during the holiday season. The characters were real and complex, although sometimes annoying. The clues that need to be solved moved the story forward in a way that sucks you in and keeps you turning the page. This is one for Agatha Christine lovers.

While this was a fun read, it was not outstanding in anyway--just good holiday season entertainment. Nicely plotted, but stereotypical characters and situations. I enjoyed it.

Thank you Poisoned Pen Press and NetGalley for the ARC. I had so much fun reading this. Especially during the holidays. I was going through a particular difficult time but I love my passing away in December and this helped get my mind off things for a little bit. If you like Clue, Knives Out and Agatha Christie you'll enjoy this!

Although it took me months of plodding through, while finishing one book or another in the meantime, I actually really did enjoy this story . If not, I would surely have hit the pilot eject button early in the game.

Cousins and extended members of The Family Household join together in the Family Mansion after the death of Aunt Lillian - mother, sister and spouse of everyone gathered to play or perform in one final traditional 12 Days of Christmas Family Game. Whoever solves the riddles in the (really dreadful) poems Lillian has written, will find a key. Whoever finds all the keys will be the sole beneficiary of her estate....house/manor, in particular. Lilly, her niece, and only child of her sister, who died under mysterious circumstances when Lilly was young, was Aunt Lillian's favorite and it is clear from the start who Lillian intended to win the game and house. Lilly is in this (she would not otherwise have come) to find out who murdered her mother - her Aunt's letter inferred that she would divulge - but there are a myriad of other secrets to be uncovered in this variation on a closed room Christie-like mystery theme, with cousins dropping one by one.

The book is twisty and cute. If the reader's attention span is greater than mine. It is likely to be devoured in one sitting.

Many thanks to Netgalley and Poisoned Pen Press for the opportunity to read and enjoy this story for review.

A delightful holiday treat! This will easily be one to reread each year and discover new puzzles to be solved. I enjoyed the creativity and prose of the author with their skill for weaving mystery and clues throughout. This is no straight to the end book, this is a journey. Settle in and let it obsess you.

This was a fun murder mystery and Christmas story! I thought the mystery was pretty clever. There were many twists and turns. I also like the characters. They are very clever and witty. Thus, this was a very compelling mystery that will be sure to please fans of cozy mysteries! I hope that there will be more in this series!

Imagine your friend telling you about the worst family Christmas they ever had. The Christmas Murder Game hears that story and says "hold my beer." It's takes you on a wild, twisted mystery of a family competing to win the house left in their aunt's will. You'll root for Lily, the main character, while trying to figure out what family member is killing off people, one at a time. And after you're done, every family event will feel like a piece of cake.

The writing and characters in this fell a bit flat for me. It was okay, but the plot was kind of predictable and it wasn’t anything that stood out to me. Some of the phrases and word choice used were odd to me and took me out of the book.

So, to start with I'll say that I love a Knives Out, locked room, lots o' clues type of mystery. This one had loads of promise but ended up falling flat for me. It's possible that it just couldn't stand up to The Family Game, which has a similar kind of concept but does a better job. If I had to nail down a reason that this wasn't a hit for me, I'd say that 12 days of Christmas and 12 clues is just about 6 too many clues. It made the whole thing predictable and repetitive and just dragged things along. I didn't love the writing and the characters weren't interesting. It's not a bad book, but there wasn't anything that I could grab onto and love about it.

Was so excited to read this book. Loved all the clues throughout. A great mystery thriller book, I couldn’t put it down.

The book had a good premise but I couldn’t find all of the clues in every chapter. I felt it kind of took away from the story trying to find them. But overall, still a good book.

⭐️⭐️⭐️

𝘼𝙜𝙖𝙩𝙝𝙖 𝘾𝙝𝙧𝙞𝙨𝙩𝙞𝙚 𝙢𝙚𝙚𝙩𝙨 𝘾𝙡𝙪𝙚 𝙞𝙣 𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙨 𝙙𝙚𝙡𝙞𝙜𝙝𝙩𝙛𝙪𝙡, 𝙩𝙚𝙣𝙨𝙚 𝙢𝙖𝙣𝙤𝙧 𝙝𝙤𝙪𝙨𝙚 𝙢𝙪𝙧𝙙𝙚𝙧 𝙢𝙮𝙨𝙩𝙚𝙧𝙮.

📍 Read if you like:
• Murder Mysteries
• Predictable Stories
• Christmas Games
• Knives Out

𝙏𝙬𝙚𝙡𝙫𝙚 𝙘𝙡𝙪𝙚𝙨. 𝙏𝙬𝙚𝙡𝙫𝙚 𝙠𝙚𝙮𝙨. 𝙏𝙬𝙚𝙡𝙫𝙚 𝙙𝙖𝙮𝙨 𝙤𝙛 𝘾𝙝𝙧𝙞𝙨𝙩𝙢𝙖𝙨. 𝘽𝙪𝙩 𝙝𝙤𝙬 𝙢𝙖𝙣𝙮 𝙬𝙞𝙡𝙡 𝙙𝙞𝙚 𝙗𝙚𝙛𝙤𝙧𝙚 𝙏𝙬𝙚𝙡𝙛𝙩𝙝 𝙉𝙞𝙜𝙝𝙩?

I was a bit disappointed after finishing this one. I had such high expectations. The premise had me so intrigued: a family playing a Christmas game to see who wins the family fortune - and staying to play for 12 days of Christmas.

Unfortunately, this book was a bit slow and started a bit boring. It didn’t pick up until the ending, but the ending was way too predictable.

While the book was an overall interesting holiday murder mystery, the killer was too predictable… such a disappointment!

Normally most of the Christmas books lately are romances so I was so excited to read something different. I loved the knives out and clue vibes the book gave, but I think it would’ve been better as a movie.

The clues were quite clever, but they were solved too quickly and the characters needed more depth to them. The house setting and premise had me so invested, but overall it was just an okay read!

If you're looking for a holiday read that will keep you on the edge of your seat, "The Christmas Murder Game" is a perfect choice. This page-turner takes place at the grand family home of Endgame House, where Lily Armitage returns to take part in the annual Christmas Game. The challenge? To solve twelve clues to find twelve keys and win the deeds to the house. The twist? The clues will also reveal who really killed Lily's mother twenty-one years ago.

Benedict has crafted a masterful mystery that will keep you guessing until the very end. The game turns deadly as Lily and her estranged cousins become trapped in the house during a snowstorm. With the stakes raised, the competition heats up and not all of her cousins are playing fair. Lily soon realizes she's no longer fighting for an inheritance, but for her life. With twists and turns at every corner, "The Christmas Murder Game" is a thrilling read that will have you racing to the finish.

With a compelling cast of characters, a timeless setting, and an intriguing storyline, "The Christmas Murder Game" is a must-read for fans of holiday mysteries and whodunits. Whether you're in the mood for a heart-pumping thrill ride or a classic mystery, Benedict's novel has something for everyone. So curl up by the fire with a cup of cocoa and let the mystery unfold in this exciting and suspenseful novel!

I really enjoyed this domestic murder mystery. The story felt like Clue meets Knives out and was compulsively readable. I am looking forward to reading more books by this author.

This book had such promise but didn't, alas, live up to it. And I'm bummed about it.

I liked this book but didn’t love it. The 12 days construct hog-tied it and made it feel longer and more repetitive than it should have.

The over use of metaphor and simile kept taking me out of the parts of the story I did like. And the resolution felt both predictable and also out of left field.

The whole thing felt like it was trying soooo hard but never quite getting where I wanted it to go.