Member Reviews

I loved this! Such a cozy thriller. I love the holiday train vibes that harks back to an Agatha Christie type atmosphere.

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Thank you NetGalley for allowing me to receive this book for an honest review.

I had such high hopes for this book but I was slightly disappointed.
I guess when reading the title I thought of Agatha Christie Murder on the Orient Express.

I enjoyed the first part of the book because I had the whodunnit in my mind but then I lost it. The mystery feeling was lost. I finished the book but felt like I wasted time.

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Princess Fuzzypants here: Newly retired from the Met, Roz is on the sleeper from London to Fort George but sleep is going to be the least of her worries. Her pregnant daughter in Scotland is rushed to the hospital in distress and the survival of mother and baby are iffy. There is nothing that Roz can do. The train is derailed in the Highlands and there is not one, not two but three murders on a very lightly populated train. What is even more confusing for her is someone from her distant past is also on the train and whether that person means well or ill is uncertain.

There is quite the hodgepodge of little sub story lines to complicate the mystery. It tries very hard to be a modern take on Agatha Christie with varying results. It looks at the lifelong wounds from rape and abuse. It looks at the concept of celebrity in the internet world and the vacuous nature of that celebrity. It also has lots of woke things but not too annoying. I did almost give up at the start when the whole pronoun nonsense was used for the killer until I realized the author was using it so the reader did not twig to whether the killer was male, female or something else. I guess I am too old fashioned. When I read a book, I want to know who the characters are and the blurring of the lines is too much for my feeble brain.

There were good moments in the book and the story of being stranded in a snowstorm on a derailed train with a group of mismatched travellers held me. My favourite character, however, was the Maine Coon mix, Mousetache, who may not have solved the crimes but was the star of the show.

Four purrs and one paw up.

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I very much enjoyed this book. Like others, I was surprised at the darkness in this, as I was also expecting something more on the cozier side, but it did not take long for the tone to be set. The story features a wide cast of characters and a terrible snow storm on Christmas eve. A seemingly genuine young internet influencer is found apparently murdered in her locked cabin, resulting in both a whodunit and HOW did they do it? Thank goodness there's a retired police investigator on board, although she really wants nothing less than being placed in such a position. Plus, she needs the train to get her to her daughter, who is having her first baby! There is also an unexpected (but not shoved in) romance, and some fun trivia. This was a great read!

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This sounded like a book that I would enjoy - a modern day Agatha Christie type read! A sleeper train derails on Christmas Eve on the way to the Highlands. There aren't many passengers left on board by that time, but the ones that are find themselves with a serial killer amongst them!

I really enjoyed this and liked the main character, former Metropolitan Police Detective Roz Parker. She has just retired and is taking the sleeper home to get there in time for her new grandchild's birth. She is a likeable character, but she does have some personal issues from her past which keep rearing their ugly heads. The story twists and turns with the discovery of the death of one of the passengers and we see Parker trying to keep her head whilst investigating the deaths on the derailed train.

Whilst there wasn't many passengers on the train, it did feel like there were a lot of characters to keep track of and I struggled to remember who was who initially. It was a clever 'whodunit' however and I joined in with the former detective to try and work out who the killer was. It had a few surprises along the way and some red herrings and dead ends thrown in also. There were some parts however which I thought to be a little far-fetched, but was still enjoyable to read.

This was my first book by this author and I'm looking forward to reading the follow up book. Despite being set at Christmas, it isn't terribly festive (if you don't count all the snow!) but it is definitely a recommended holiday read!

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**3.5-stars rounded up**

Murder on The Christmas Express is an engaging and dramatic Locked Room Mystery by Alexandra Benedict.
This story is set aboard a Sleeper Train, traveling from London to the Scottish Highlands, on Christmas Eve.

I have a thing for stories set on trains. It's one of my favorite set-ups and this story did not disappointment in that regard. I was a little nervous starting this one, since the overall rating seemed on the low-end for a newer release. I almost didn't pick it up because of that. I'm so glad I ignored the rating and gave it a go. It sure paid off for me.

This story mainly follows Roz Parker, a former Met Detective, who is about to become a Grandmother for the first time. She's traveling on the train to try to reach her pregnant daughter's side before Christmas. Unfortunately, due to a severe storm, the train schedules are a mess, with many routes cancelled. This Sleeper Train is the only way to get to the Highlands for the holiday.

Eighteen passengers. Seven stops. One killer.

That tagline sold me, and for the most part, I feel like this story delivered on that. It did give me what I was looking for. I'll admit, initially, the writing style did feel a little wonky. It took me a minute to get myself grounded in this author's style and to connect with the narrative voice.

I did end up enjoying Roz quite a bit. Her no-nonsense attitude drew me in. She's tough, but she's also at a turning point in her life and still grappling with some earlier trauma that's had a hold on her ever since. In that regard, I found her realistic and relatable.

We did get various other perspectives as well and some of those were a little strange. I did feel most connected when I was reading from Roz's perspective. The other passengers are quite a mix and it was fun watching them all interact. There's some real jerks aboard, make no mistake about that. I tend to really enjoy an unlikable cast of characters though, and that was definitely the case here.

There is a murder foreshadowed in the beginning and then it takes a wee bit to catch up with that event. I had a lot of theories as the story was building-out. I liked how this is a true locked room mystery. That type of set-up, figuring out how the killer would have been able to achieve their goal is always so fun for me and I enjoyed Roz trying to piece it together here.

There were many red herrings and false leads. Enough to keep me engaged and guessing throughout. Some things I got right, others I didn't, but regardless of the outcomes, I enjoyed scratching my head about it.

I think some Readers may have been turned off by the repetitive theme of sexual assault and its aftermath. I think perhaps this was marketed as a Cozy Mystery and you generally wouldn't explore that type of thing to the depths that this story does in a Cozy.

I will say, for me, I didn't think this was a Cozy going in, so didn't end up having that experience with it. I don't think I've ever read a Cozy with a black cover, so when I picked this up, I was just expecting a straight-forward Adult Mystery, which I would argue this is.

Either way, Readers should be aware that this does discuss sexual assault, as well as abuse, in detail on page. If that could be triggering for you, proceed with caution

For me, I was much more invested in the actual mystery than in the side details of the characters lives, so that portion of it didn't really impact me. Further, I think just anticipating an Adult Mystery, versus a Cozy, I felt this fell right in line with my expectations.

While this isn't perfect, I enjoyed it a lot. The ending dragged a bit, but I still felt it to be a solid Locked Room Mystery. The train setting was an absolute delight and I always love when inclement weather traps characters in an unsavory circumstance.

Thank you to the publisher, Poisoned Pen Press, for providing me a with a copy to read and review. I had fun with this and would actually love to see another story with Roz Parker in the lead. Perhaps she can solve a New Years Eve murder next?

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A sleeper train is derailed on Christmas Eve and amongst the passengers is a killer! Can Roz find the murderer before more people lose their lives. I love the setting of Christmas and it made the book feel even more urgent. The characters are eclectic mix of personalities all with there own personal problems which I enjoyed reading about. The mystery made the book just like a Agatha Christie and I highly recommend it for mystery lovers'. There was also drama which had me hooked with heart palpitations and I feel festive cheer after reading this book.

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Thank you so much to NetGalley and Poisoned Pen Press for my copy of Murder on the Christmas Express by Alexandra Benedict in exchange for an honest review. It published October 5, 2023.
How I wanted this to be a cozy mystery, set on a train in Scotland during Christmas. What I got was a lot of violent recalling of terrible sexual abuse, traumatic birth, and a lot of feeling very not cozy or Christmassy. This book did not seem like it was going to be like that based off of the description, and I think that failed those that read it that were looking for something a little lighter.

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Retired DI Roz Parker is desperate to make the last train to Fort William before snow shuts down the rail lines entirely. Her only child Heather has gone into premature labor, and Roz is trying to make up for a lifetime of strained relations by making it to her daughter’s bedside in time. Luckily, Roz’s train to Scotland has not been canceled due to weather conditions. Even more agreeably, her former co-workers splurged to get her a sleeper berth, a luxury she’s looking forward to with the overnight trip.

She’s somewhat surprised to discover that she’s sharing first class with minor celebrities. Meg Forth broke into the limelight by winning a televised singing competition, and parlayed her fame into a thriving career as an influencer. With her on the trip is her handsome reality star boyfriend Grant McVey. It doesn’t take long for Roz to see the cracks in their relationship, despite Meg’s best efforts at pretending that everything is perfect:

QUOTE
He stopped and turned to [Meg]. His eyes had no softness in them. “You should get your face on. There may be press when we get near the platform.”

Which meant there definitely would be photographers, and that he’d called them. Their relationship with the press was circular–photos of them looking happy, photos of them in crisis, photos of Meg looking sad and fatter, photos of Meg happy and thin again in her “new body.”

“I’ve already got enough makeup on, I think.”

“I’d trowel on some more.” He kissed her face and held her chin. Looking deep into her eyes, he whispered, “I know how you don’t like to look old.”

Meg felt like a Coke can crushed under his feet.
END QUOTE

Always watchful for abusive situations, Roz can’t help being on alert, even though her retirement was both well-earned and timely given how frustrated she’s become with trying to solve other people’s problems for them. She has to keep reminding herself not to get involved as a parade of eccentric characters crosses her path in first class, even before the delays and drinking and partying begins. It’s thus a mixed blessing that the news from her daughter’s household is looking increasingly serious, as she learns from the brief updates Heather’s partner Ellie is able to send to her.

But when the train crashes and a dead body is found in one of the cars, Roz knows she has to put her detective shoes back on and take charge. It isn’t just to placate her innate sense of justice. The longer it takes for the murderer to be apprehended, the longer it will take for her to hurdle all the obstacles standing in the way of being reunited with her daughter. But what can even one detective do as the body count rises and the tangled relationships between the passengers finally come to shocking light?

Roz is fortunate in having at least a few allies among the crew. As she commiserates with a steward who’s taken a fatherly interest in Meg:

QUOTE
Silence held them together again. “I should’ve done more last night, when they were arguing,” he said. “Or gone after her when she ran out before the crash. I thought about it.”

“Then decided it wasn’t your business?”

He nodded.

“We all should have done more, but none of us could have. Not without her consent.” Roz hoped she was speaking the truth. Because she could have done more, but only if she had dragged Meg away from Grant, Meg’s will again being ignored. “Some people who have been abused feel they don’t deserve to get help.”
END QUOTE

There is a lot of talk about sexual abuse and domestic violence in this locked room murder mystery, more so than one would usually expect from the genre. It’s all thoughtfully handled but still very heavy going, especially as the sorrowful truth is revealed. Lightening the mood are the games Alexandra Benedict inserts into the proceedings, from quizzes sparked by a university team traveling alongside Roz to anagrams hidden in each chapter. There’s also a recipe for the yummy Christmas Tablet Roz uses to feed her fellow passengers as they’re all recovering from the crash.

Overall, however, Murder On The Christmas Express is a book willing to tackle some very heavy subjects as a guilt-stricken mother tries to solve a series of murders so she can be home in time for Christmas. It’s not the most lighthearted read, but is certainly worthwhile.

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This review will appear in multiple newspapers and magazines Oct. 31, 2023

https://admin-chicago2.bloxcms.com/cullmantimes.com/tncms/admin/action/main/preview/site/opinion/columns/a-season-of-reading-a-dozen-titles-for-your-holiday-basket/article_0e224226-6a0d-11ee-ba78-ef64fad95495.html

A season of reading: A dozen titles for your holiday basket

by Tom Mayer

The year-ending, pre-holiday book season is one bibliophiles wait for all year. October and November are traditionally the months we watch as names blockbuster (Grisham, King), rising (Gerritsen, Ward) or just heartwarmingly familiar (McCammon, Dugoni) descend from the upper echelons of ivy towers to the stacks of our local bookstores and online shopping carts.


This year is no different, though it is marked by a couple of significant deviations to the norm from two stalwart fall-release authors: Stephen King, who makes his own rules, gifted us with “Holly” in early September and Nicholas Sparks — almost unbelievably given his decades-long track record of releases — won’t have a new book for us this year (a fact I had to double check with his publicist, though when I spoke with Nicholas in 2022 about his wonderful book, “Dreamland,” he did promise something completely surprising and different for his next release. Give some grace, get some grace — surprising and different can take time.)


Still, October and November 2023 are filled with exciting and fresh titles, including a dozen that we’ll touch on here. Far from exhaustive and brief in scope, consider this a primer for the season we’re just dipping into.

I’ll be laser-focusing on some of these in pullout columns during the next few weeks — and adding more titles for November and December — but send me a quick note at tmayer132435@gmail.com if you want a link to those when they appear.


For now, happy holidays, book lovers.



‘One Last Kill’ (Thomas & Mercer, 379 pages, $16.99) by Robert Dugoni


The prolific Robert Dugoni gifts us with his 10th detective Tracy Crosswhite novel, and in this one the stakes are raised. Set in familiar environs, after 13 victims Tracy reopens the cold trail of Seattle’s Route 99 serial killer. Closure for the families and redemption for the Seattle Police Department are on the line, but if Tracy’s going to achieve either she’ll have to do it by partnering with an old nemesis: Captain Johnny Nolasco. Those who traveled with Tracy through her earlier thrillers know exactly what that means. New readers will soon find out.



‘Murder on the Christmas Express’ (Poisoned Pen Press, 272 pages, $24) by Alexandra Benedict


What’s the holiday season without a murder mystery to help pass the time? A sleeper train en route from London on Christmas Eve is buried in snow in a remote and isolated location. As a killer tries to pick off passengers one by one, a former detective, Roz Parker, decides to give the investigation a go. You’ve been here before, but this locked room puzzle both is and isn’t what you’ll expect. Bon voyage.



‘Long Past Dues’’ (Ace, 411 pages, $27) by James J. Butcher


Bringing us into volume 2 of The Unorthodox Chronicles, James J. Butcher now presents Grimshaw Griswald Grimsby as an auditor for Boston’s Department of Unorthodox Affairs. Tasked with enforcing laws about magic, the job sounds more glamorous than it is — which explains why Grimshaw steps outside of his role to take a special case for a friend. Werewolves and a journey to the bowels of Boston’s subterranean city ensue.



‘Weird Tales: 100 Years of Weird’ (Blackstone Publishing, 659 pages, $28) edited by Jonathan Maberry


Who doesn’t love a compilation of a century’s worth of stories from one of the world’s most storied publications? Coming from the hallowed halls of “Weird Tales Magazine,” this book is simply beautiful in style, substance and craft (pro tip: buy the hardcover; it’s a gem). Celebrating the 100th anniversary of the magazine, this volume contains 100 years of the most peculiar tales you’ll ever encounter or, as the periodical likes to boast, those “too strange to publish elsewhere.” A true reader’s delight.



‘The Exchange’ (Doubleday, 352 pages, $30) by John Grisham


You know you’ve been waiting for this one. Published 32 years after John Grisham’s “The Firm,” the king of legal thrillers picks up the thread of the lives of Mitch and Abby McDeere and family as they’re caught in an international kidnapping plot — and struggling to retain the normalcy they’ve worked 15 years to achieve since they exposed the crimes of the mob-related Memphis law firm of Bendini, Lambert & Locke. With just enough backstory to fill in the history of those unfamiliar with “The Firm,” Grisham crafts a credible and timely (though it’s set in the mid-2000s) story filled with his hallmarks: greed, crime, deception and more than a bit of heroics. A worthy successor and one, I should mention, completely unlike the 2012 TV series sequel to both the original novel and film adaptation.



‘The Spy Coast’ (Thomas & Mercer, 341 pages, $29) by Tess Gerritsen


The Martini Club continues in Tess Gerritsen’s “The Spy Coast” as former spy Maggie Bird is drawn from her bucolic Maine chicken farm life into a new thriller — something that tends to happen when the body that appears in your driveway is sent as a message from your former adversaries. The former spies, like Bird, may all be retired, but they’re definitely up for a fresh case, and especially a case that involves those who are bent on killing one of their own.



‘The Life and Times of Hannah Crafts: The true story of the Bondwoman’s Narrative’ (Ecco, 432 pages, $40) by Gregg Hecimovich with a foreword by Henry Louis Gates Jr.


In 1857, a woman escaped enslavement from a North Carolina plantation. Fleeing to a farm in New York, she found time to craft a manuscript about her trials. This important and groundbreaking book about the nation’s first Black female novelist comes from the biographer who first solved the mystery of her identity.



‘American Girl’ (Blackstone Publishing, 246 pages, $27) by Wendy Walker


This important thriller from best-selling author Wendy Walker introduces Charlie Hudson, an autistic teen with a desire to leave her small, Pennsylvania town as soon as she graduates. But first, when the owner of the sandwich shop at which Wendy works is found dead, the 17-year-old and her friends are drawn into a dangerous case with an unusual point of view: The story is told through the eyes of the protagonist.



'Let Us Descend' (Scribner, 320 pages, $28) by Jesmyn Ward


Jesmyn Ward is a two-time National Book winner, and “Let Us Descend” shows us why. This tale, a reimagining of American slavery, is a beautifully harsh read. The story comes to us from Annis, a slave sold south by her white enslaver father and her heart-wrenching journey is punctuated only by the fleeting comfort of memories of her mother and African warrior grandmother. An emotional narrative rich in description.



‘The Last Applicant’ (Lake Union Publishing, 317 pages, $29) by Rebecca Hanover


A deep dive into this ripped-from-the-headlines story by Rebecca Hanover takes us into the life of Audrey Singer, an admissions director of an elite private school in Manhattan. One overachieving mother will do anything — anything — to get her son enrolled, but as the ploys escalate it rapidly becomes clear that this might not be all she is after. Secrets are threatened to be revealed as this tale takes a deep, dark turn.



‘Seven Shades of Evil’ (Lividian Publications, 424 pages, $39.50) by Robert McCammon


You had me at, Robert McCammon. Literally, I would buy anything with this Alabama author’s name on it, but you’ll never go afield picking up a book involving Matthew Corbett. This volume of short stories, the ninth installment in that world, is the penultimate volume of the Corbett series — a tremendous set of historical thrillers that have been drawing legions of readers into Early America for more than two decades.



‘Robots through the Ages: A Science Fiction Anthology’ (Blackstone, 495 pages, $26) by Robert Silverberg (introduction) and Bryan Thomas Schmidt (editor)


OK, I’m cheating a bit by including ‘Robots’ in this list — it first published during the summer — but with the conflation of technology and well, our entire world, igniting in the form of AI at an exponential pace, this is one that more than a few readers would welcome under the tree. A vast and inclusive sweep of robot stories told through the ages (really, we begin the journey with “The Iliad”), this volume includes tales from the heroes of science fiction, including names such as Philip K. Dick, Seanan McGuire, Connie Willis and Roger Zelazny. A fascinating journey, “Robots through the Ages” is replete with prescient tales of today.

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Well, that wasn’t exactly what I envisioned this book to be. I was preparing myself for a cute, cosy wintry mystery, but was presented with some dark topics read in a somewhat bubbly fashion. Trigger warning: SA topics.

There were a lot of characters and I did wish to know more about them/have them flushed out more. The main character that we follow, Roz, had quite the background story!

The idea of incorporating quizzes and anagrams is quite fun though!

Thank you to the author, Alexandra Benedict, Poisoned Pen Press and NetGalley for the eARC of Murder on the Christmas Express in exchange for my review!

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What a book. I loved every aspect of it and it really kept you guessing right up until the end. The last 30% was a constant jaw drop. This book also covers a really hard hitting topic, so look up the trigger warnings first. Recommending this to everyone I know!

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Roz has always dreamed of a first class ticket on the sleeper train to Scotland. As a retirement gift, her co-workers on the police force provided that ticket. It is Christmas Eve and her daughter has gone into premature labor. This is the last train to Scotland before the holiday, but heavy snow leaves the train and its’ passengers stranded between stations. When one of the passengers is found dead, it is up to Roz to investigate until help can arrive. The victim is Meg, a popular influencer, who was traveling with her abusive boyfriend Grant. The diverse group of passengers include a college professor and his family, a group of college students traveling to a competition, a troubled young woman, a lawyer who looks vaguely familiar to Roz and a stowaway who had been accused of stalking Meg. Her body was discovered in her compartment, which was locked from he inside.

Watching Grant’s abusive behavior triggers memories of Roz’s own assault years earlier. Her story is told in flashbacks as she investigates with the lawyer’s help. Tired of being confined to the club car, her suspects question her authority until a second passenger is murdered, once again in a locked stateroom. Roz is not only under pressure to find a killer, but updates from her daughter’s partner are troubling. She suffered seizures and is now in the ICU. The killer must be found before they arrive in Scotland so that she can rush to her side.

Alexandra Benedict’s story is reminiscent of Agatha Christie, with one of the passengers even carrying a copy of Murder on the Orient Express. She offers the reader a challenge with a list of hidden anagrams in her story as well as a Christmas pub quiz with answers provided at the end. It is a mystery filled with twists and a true Christmas treat. I would like to thank NetGalley and Poison Pen Press for providing this book for my review.

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Roz Parker is on her way to see her daughter who is ready to give birth.
Things don’t go to plan and the train is derailed it also becomes apparent that there is a killer among the passengers.
Roz is an ex Met detective and begins investigating the murders.
There is darkness in this book and the topics that are included rape, sexual assault and domestic violence don’t make for a light read .
I was hoping for a cosy mystery but the seriousness of the topics adds an edge making for a more serious read.
Nonetheless it was an enjoyable mystery .
A perfect Christmas mystery .
Thanks to NetGalley and Poisoned Pen Press.

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Murder on the Christmas Express has all the tropes that I enjoy in a locked room (train in this case) mystery. A holiday, a birth, an abusive marriage, snow, etc. are all here. So why was it such a struggle to read? Too many characters and almost all were more stereotypes than genuine people. So many red herrings that I felt like a salmon struggling upstream. Does everyone have to have a motive for murder? It appears that short the babies and toddlers, they do. Ugh! Do yourself a favor and read, or even watch, the Agatha Christie version instead. 2 disappointed stars.

Thanks to Poisoned Pen Press and NetGalley for a digital review copy of the book.

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Thank you to Netgalley for a free ARC of this book.

I very much enjoyed this book. Like others, I was surprised at the darkness in this, as I was also expecting something more on the cozier side, but it did not take long for the tone to be set. The story features a wide cast of characters and a terrible snow storm on Christmas eve. A seemingly genuine young internet influencer is found apparently murdered in her locked cabin, resulting in both a whodunit and HOW did they do it? Thank goodness there's a retired police investigator on board, although she really wants nothing less than being placed in such a position. Plus, she needs the train to get her to her daughter, who is having her first baby! There is also an unexpected (but not shoved in) romance, and some fun trivia. This was a great read!

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Such a fun festive mystery that kept me guessing all the way to the conclusion. Will definitely recommend for holiday reading.

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When I read the description to Murder on the Christmas Express I was excited to read it, the idea of the story being set on the sleeper train from London to the Highlands interested me, but once I started the book it was nothing like I expected. I found it hard to read due to the subject matter. I was expecting a cosy Christmas mystery but I guess you shouldn't judge a book by its cover. I'm sure some people would love it but it just didn't work for me.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for my ARC.

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I am a fan of cozy thrillers, detective fictions, and murder mysteries and this one fits the bill for most of those categories. I want to explore Ms. Benedict’s first book The Christmas Murder Game to continue the Christmas- crime novel themes. On this Christmas Express, we are introduced to Roz and several of her other train passengers as they are eac trying to get somewhere for Christmas. For Roz, she wants to be with her daughter and the birth of her first grandchild, for many of the others, they each have their own motivations. I think this was a fun read which certainly kept me guessing. There are even some puzzles for the reader to solve as they go along. I give it 4.25* but it’s so hard to give partial stars, and my overall reasoning is that the beginning felt pretty slow to draw me in. I think it took me about 25%-30% before I was truly committed. Now I am familiar with Ms. Benedict’s style, I need to pick up her other novel and perhaps explore its Christmas crimes as the weather turns from fall to winter.

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Murder on the Christmas Express takes newly retired Met Detective Roz Parker on a first-class sleeper car trip – a parting gift from her colleagues – as she makes her way home to the Scottish Highlands for the holidays and the impending premature birth of her granddaughter.

Several references to the is Die Hard really a Christmas movie debate among a group of university students en route to try out for a reality quiz show was among the first clues that this wasn’t a cozy yuletide mystery.
Alexandra Benedict, author of The Christmas Murder Game, still embeds Christmas-related anagrams and quizzes into her well-plotted puzzle where the protagonist comes to terms with the death of her mother.

There is also a crippling snowstorm but this time, however, Benedict offers us an emotional locked room mystery that has our detective flashbacking to some of her own trauma, while trying to solve one last case, as the reader soon discovers that the dead aren’t the only victims.

Eighteen passengers and a cat board the train in London – some known to each other, some not. You’ll have to read for yourself to discover how many will live to disembark under their own power.

I recommend Murder on the Christmas Express for mystery lovers, puzzle lovers and readers of non-traditional holiday-themed novels.

I received this Advance Reader’s copy of Murder on the Christmas Express from Poisoned Pen Press, an imprint of Sourcebooks, courtesy of NetGalley.

Order online or buy now at your favorite independent bookstore. Mine is Sellers Books and Art in Jim Thorpe, PA.

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