It’s the holiday season and all former Met Detective Roz Parker wants to do is make it to her daughter’s in time for Christmas (and hopefully not miss the birth of her first grandchild!).

Roz is lucky to get a spot on the sleeper car amidst all the cancellations, right? Too bad about the train getting stuck in the snow, though.

At least her passengers are a nice group, no? Well…there may be a killer in their midst.

This was an absolute fun read! The characters are developed to make this feel like a cozy mystery but alternating POVs with the killer keep the pace of the story tense. The icing on the cake is Benedict’s hiding of puzzles for the reader throughout the book (did I mention I love puzzles?).

Murder on the Christmas Express releases on October 3, 2023 and is a great read to prep for the holi

Roz, a retired London cop, is taking the sleeper train, just before Christmas. She is travelling to the Highlands to be with her almost-due pregnant daughter. While in the waiting lounge and on the train, she meets her fellow passengers – a social media influencer and her partner, a group of teen quiz-enthusiasts, a couple with four children…quite a colourful bunch. As the title hints, one of the passengers is found dead on Christmas Eve. The train is stranded in the middle of nowhere. Although worried sick about her daughter who has gone into labour, Roz has to investigate and find the killer.

This book could have been so much more! But alas, it wasn’t meant to be. First off, the cover, title and the blurb of the book are very misleading. This is, by no means, a cosy read. It does try to be, but it’s not. Roz was raped when she was young and is still grappling with the trauma, and this is thrown at you right in the beginning. It comes as a shock, honestly. And then, there are instances of physical abuse, domestic violence, graphic mentions of rape, and pregnancy horrors.

The characters aren’t memorable or particularly likeable; I found it difficult to remember who was who. There’s way too much introducing and setting up and the death doesn’t happen until around the halfway mark. There were some unnecessarily complicated sentences that sort of ruin the reading experience.

Coming to what I liked: being a murder mystery, it kept me interested and guessing. While it’s not easy reading about rape and abuse in a book that’s meant to be a cosy read, it is something that needs to be written about. Just not like this, maybe. The book also talks a bit about the difficulties of motherhood, which is rare. It’s not badly written but could have done with some more thoughtfulness.

2.5/5

Thank you NetGalley and Poisoned Pen Press for the eARC.

Small Business BookTok ARC Reviews: “Murder on the Christmas Express" by Alexandra Benedict

Note: This ARC was given to me for free by the author and I am reviewing this book voluntarily.

Roz Parker is trying to make it home for the holidays, but things aren’t beginning to look a lot like Christmas! Her daughter is about to give birth and she’s fearful of not being there for her daughter’s delivery. She’s consumed with fear of not doing enough as a mother, grieving over the death of her mother, and is still haunted by the trauma of her assault. The train she boards is surrounded by families and couples, each hiding dark secrets and pasts of their own. When the train gets derailed and one of the passengers, a famous content creator, is found dead in her train car, it’s up to Roz to solve the case of this mysterious death! Will she solve the murder and make it home in time to see her daughter and grandchild?

This book isn’t a cozy Christmas read…It subverts expectations in the best way! This book not only pays homage to “Murder on the Orient Express" by Agatha Christie, but its a murder mystery with thought-provoking commentary on a serious issue that needs to constantly be addressed. Rape and domestic violence is still a serious issue in today’s climate. No matter the gender of the victim, if someone is suffering from abuse or has been raped, it’s important that the victim is given the proper support, protection, and justice needed to help them overcome their situation.

This book is telling survivors of rape and abuse that they are not alone, that they are not weak and that they can find the strength to overcome their experience with the right support group and accommodations. It’s not easy to speak up and pain won’t go away immediately, but the author assures readers who have been through these experiences that, with time, justice will be served and they will find peace.

Roz was an excellent protagonist to follow! As a mother and a former officer who was a victim of rape in her past, she utilizes her experience and her past work as an officer to not only take on the murder case, but she uses her position to do what she can to protect victims of rape and abuse. Instead of letting her past extinguish her, she comes out of her experience as a protector and caregiver who does all she can to make sure that the experiences she's been through doesn't happen to anyone else.

This book not only had important commentary and an empowering heroine, but the book also came with trivia and quiz games once you've reached the end of the book. This is probably the first murder mystery book I've read that made me think "Wow, I came out of this book learning a ton of fascinating new facts today"! If you're looking for a book that pays homage to Agatha Christie while shedding light on a serious topic in a powerful, thought-provoking, and respectful manner, don't miss this book when it hits online shelves on October 3rd, 2023!

Rating: 5/5⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

- Tropes to Expect: Whodunnit, Murder on a Train, Second Chance, Christmas Narrative,

- Trigger Warnings: Discussions of Sexual Assault, Domestic Abuse, Premature Birth, Birthing Complications, and Generational Trauma!

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for letting me read and review this book.

Roz, a recently retired Detective Inspector in London, is trying to get to Scotland for the birth of her grandchild. She is taking the overnight train and the weather is not cooperating. She joins a cast of odd train mates, trying to celebrate Christmas and getting where they want to be. We find out right away that there will be a murder at some point, so that sets the scene. As Roz is forced to investigate, she is also concerned over her daughter’s health as she gives birth. When the train stops mid-trip, Roz and the train staff have to investigate and keep the passengers happy.

There were some surprises in the plot and several twists, but should the reader be left wondering if everything was handled in the right way?

BEWARE: Wolf in sheep’s clothing.

I say this in a somewhat jesting way, but I mean this warning with seriousness. What is presented here in the title, the cover art, and the publisher’s summary is a fun holiday mystery. In actuality, this is a very upsetting book about the devastating effects of sexual assault and rape on survivors and includes multiple graphic and unsettling first person accounts of rape, as well as a lot of horror show pregnancy and delivery content as well that I would absolutely not recommend reading while pregnant or thinking about getting pregnant.

Did you expect any of that having read the publisher’s summary. Yeah, I didn’t think so. And that is a HUGE problem.

I cannot even begin to explain how frustrating it is and how negatively it impacts my feelings about a book when the publisher presents is as something it isn’t. And in this case it’s worse than just misleading the reader, it’s dressing content that is very upsetting to a segment of readers up in a cute Christmas outfit. Which is gross and irresponsible marketing.

And it’s a shame, because the story itself really isn’t bad. It just has nothing to do with Christmas, reads nothing like the summary implies it will in tone, content, or theme, and has the potential to be a nasty surprise for readers who are sensitive to this type of material.

It isn’t a bad thing at all to write a book like this. I actually think it can be good if the writer handles the material appropriately (for the most part, Benedict did). But to mislead readers about the style and content of a book like this is really, really not okay. It makes me very unlikely to review, recommend, or purchase from this publisher in the future.

One might expect a cozy mystery by looking at the cover, or at least I did. All the Poirot-esque elements are certainly here but in a much more modern, darker form. Just retired London Metropolitan detective Roz Parker took a first-class ticket to Scotland on the last overnight Express before Christmas. She must arrive on time as her daughter is in labor, and Roz has somehow managed to miss most of the significant events of her life. Just retired London Metropolitan detective Roz Parker took a first-class ticket to Scotland on the last overnight Express. She must arrive on time as her daughter is in labor, and Roz has somehow managed to miss most of the significant events of her life.

The train has a very motley crew of travelers on board. We first meet Meg, a social media influencer taking the train to post updates and sell some products. Meg is obviously in trouble with her boyfriend, Grant. Grant is a reality TV star who is handsome and can be charming but is also belittling, and there are more than hints of physical violence. Meg is terrified of him but also alarmingly co-dependent. We also have a put-upon husband with a herd of children and a drunken wife. A group of university students are on their way to Scotland to participate in a trivia contest on TV. An elderly woman and her son, and a mousy young woman who doesn't seem to fit in anywhere. Roz takes her under her wing but has her own problems because her daughter's labor has become life-threatening. When the train grinds to a halt in a blizzard, and bodies keep dropping, Roz must take things in hand to find the killer.

Murder on the Christmas Express tackles issues never seen in the cozy genre; sexual violence, rape, and the lasting effects of trauma. It also has the most unattractive cast of characters, except Roz and a few others I have ever encountered. What did I like about Murder on the Christmas Express? The plotting was excellent, with one twist, turn, and misdirection after the other. It definitely kept me reading until the end to see who the killer might be. I'm giving it 3 Stars based on that page-turning quality and the somewhat hopeful turn of events at the novel's close.

Thanks to NetGalley and Poisoned Pen Press for an advance digital copy. The opinions are my own.

This book was sent to me electronically by Netgalley for review. Thanks to the publisher and the author. This is a great mystery. This talented author has written a cannot put down novel. Enjoy the realistic characters and intriguing story. The red herrings abound. Trying to discern the ending is somewhat difficult.

Be careful that the sleeper car doesn't make you sleep forever.

In a refreshing, twisty, locked door, murder mystery, Roz has to solve who the killer is, before it's too late.

This is a perfect Christmas mystery, with puzzles, riddles and clues abound for the reader to try and unravel.

A content warning should be noted, there are several rape mentions in this book.

This was such a letdown. I was expecting something more along the lines of a cozy Christmas mystery. This was not the case. Definitely some triggering topics discussed and pretty frequently. The characters didn’t really have their own sense of self and I was constantly confusing several of them. I had such high hopes for this novel and was severely disappointed.

triggers, spousal-abuse, traumatic-delivery, PTSD, trains, closed-circle-mystery, multiple-murder, investigation, retired-cop, social-media***

A little too dark and fraught for me, but my neighbor really enjoyed the way that the characters were introduced and developed.
I requested and received an EARC from Poisoned Pen Press via NetGalley.

I’ve never read a book by this author before so I wasn't sure what to expect. I was pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed the story and the characters.

An updated Murder on the Orient Express! Super good locked room mystery! I highly enjoyed it and will recommend Alexandra Benedict's mysteries to anyone who will listen! Such a good Christmas mystery!

Murder on The Christmas Express is an obvious homage to Christie’s classic Murder on the Orient Express. Roz is a newly retired detective on the way to Scotland for both Christmas and the premature birth of her granddaughter. The weather is terrible and the train derails in the midst of a blizzard. In the aftermath of the crash, the first victim is found.
The passengers are stranded indefinitely until help can get to them and Roz can’t resist conducting her own investigation while waiting for the police to arrive. Before she can question all of her fellow passengers, one of the prime suspects is found murdered as well.
I tend to enjoy locked room type mysteries, but this wasn’t one of my favorites. None of the characters were very likable – including Roz. There was also a depressing and overwhelming emphasis on rape, domestic violence, and traumatic births. Even the ending was unsatisfactory and didn’t provide a sense of resolution or of justice really being served. Overall this story had potential, but it just didn’t deliver.
#netgalley

A strong four out of four stars for me - this was a wonderful detour in my life to Christmas-time. I read this in one sitting and will share the clear plotline, clever ideas, and trustworthy character development that made this book impossible to put down to all of my patrons!

Thank you Poisoned Pen Press and NetGalley for approving my request to read and review this book!!

The story is based on a sleeper train from London to Fort William. There is a host of fantastic characters, which have been written beautifully that you can imagine them in real life. The descriptions of the journey and the sleeper train are described in great detail. Can Roz find the killer before the end of the line? Only you can find out by reading this book. I will be recommending this to my fellow book friends.

If you like lovked room mysteries and Murder on the Orient Express this book is for you.

Christmas eve on a train that gets trapped in a snowstorm. A murder and just whodunit?

A good holiday mystery

2⭐

Murder on the Christmas Express follows newly retired Met detective Roz as she rushes to reach her daughter and new grandchild on Christmas Eve. As the title suggests, the story is heavily influenced by Agatha Christie's Murder on the Orient Express, which is a dark story, but one of my favorites of hers. I'm a big fan of locked room mysteries, and isolation thrillers, so I was excited to give this a read. Orient Express this is not.

The good:

1. Our main character, and Poirot stand-in, Roz is a likeable character.

2. The train setting, while done many times before, is a setting I enjoy for whodunits.

3. Following the story of Roz's daughter, who is in labor during the story, was entertaining and somehow more engrossing than the actual murder.

The bad:

1. TW - Rape. I'm so disappointed that a trigger warning isn't listed for the MANY mentions of rape. If I remember correctly, at least four characters mention being raped, and some in detail. I'm not at all a fan of throwing triggering topics into a book as a motivation for murder if it's at the expense of your reader's well-being.

2. So much forced drama, and too many unlikeable, know-it-all, and just straight up mean characters.

3. So. Damn. Many. unnecessary pop culture references. We get it, you like Kate Bush. And the annoying trivia? Ugh. It felt like a heavy handed way of trying to make this an actual "cosy". I found it cringy and that it absolutely detracted from the story.

There was just too much going on for this to be enjoyable. The dialouge felt clunky, and too many side character stories that were too inane to be "red herrings". I won't be reading another book from Alexandra Benedict, but that doesn't mean you shouldn't.

Thank you to NetGalley and Poisoned Pen Press for the e-copy I received in exchange for an honest review.

TRIGGER WARNINGS: domestic abuse, sexual assault and rape

Here was me thinking this would be a light hearted cosy read and it was so far from it.

While very Agatha Christie-esque with the Murder on the Orient Express vibe I found the Author trying to deal with too much darker subjects which totally took away from the actual story.

Please be aware of the trigger warnings before reading.

This mystery will remind readers of Agatha Christie’s Murder on the Orient Express. It uses the well known mystery trope of putting people together somewhere from which they can not escape and with a serious killer in the mix.

In this book, there is a disparate group traveling on the overnight train to Fort William. What a group they are! There is a (constantly on her media) instagrammar and her rather awful boyfriend; a group hoping to make it in a trivia contest; a recently retired police officer; a member of the CPS: an elderly mother and son who have a cat named Moustache; a young woman named Ember; train crew and more.

It takes a while for the first murder to occur although it is acknowledged on the very first page of the book. More trouble and chaos will ensue before the train is again in motion following its derailment.

The book’s protagonist has a bit of a complex backstory. Readers will hope that she is able to make it to her daughter and new granddaughter soon and unscathed.

As a bonus, this book is peppered with puzzles. I think that these extras are trademarks for this author.

I enjoyed this title. Readers of locked room mysteries will enjoy trying to solve the case.

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

Thank you so much for the ARC!

When I saw that this book was about murders on a train stopped in the middle of nowhere, I requested it right away as I love these kind of settings !

In the end, the story starts about 50% into the story. We spend a lot of time learning about the characters as we know one of them will be the killer, but none of them was attaching nor interesting except for the main character. They all seemed to have one personality trait for the whole book and that was it. It was a quick read, which is good because there's hardly any twist and turns until the very end, and even then, it felt a bit messy.

The main themes are rape, domestic violence, traumatic birth experiences, and there is good discourse about believing victims of assault and speaking up. Other than that, it wasn't an unforgettable read unfortunaly.

On another note, the formatting of the ARC on my kindle was terrible.