So, I didn't realize this was a novella when I requested it and I think my thoughts and opinions might be slightly skewed by that. However, even a novella can be written well and in un-rushed way. This story, unfortunately, did not accomplish that. I felt that the ending came crashing down at the end of the book, and the answers I was hoping for throughout the book felt like they were all dropped onto the last two pages. To be fair, I would consider this book to be on the longer side for a novella, so I really was hoping for a more skillfully written ending.
Did the suspense keep me reading? Absolutely. Were some of the characters complex and enjoyable? For sure. I especially liked the "presents" aspect of the story and the way that was integrated into the ending (no spoilers, I promise!). This was a creative concept, but I really wish she'd written a full novel and spent more time developing the story line.
Part of my problem is that I have loved many other Lisa Unger books, so I went into this one with extremely high hopes. That, combined with me not realizing it was so short, made this one feel very middle-of-the-road for me.
For those wondering, this is absolutely not a Christmas story. It's a story set around Christmas time, but if you're looking for a "spooky season" read, I'd recommend this one now versus around December. Can't say I loved it, but I wouldn't steer anyone away from reading it if they're interested!

This review will be featured on my bookstagram @leannaslittlelibrary on the publication day 10/24/23
Thank you for letting me read!

Love me some Lisa Unger and this book (novella) didn't disappoint. The writing was excellent and the characters well developed. I appreciate the opportunity of the ARC

Did I miss something?

For one thing I did miss the fact that it’s a novella so the quick wrap up with a bow makes sense in that context. The problem though is there are a lot of unanswered questions at the end. It feels like I missed something but I didn’t since I went back and checked.

Harley Granger, a true crime podcaster with questionable methods decides to come to a small town and did up a 10 year old partially unsolved case. And it’s just before Christmas and also the anniversary of the incident. What happened?Madeline, a local woman and bookstore owner, was 17 on the night 10 years ago. The night changed her life forever when her boyfriend attacked her and her best friend, killing the friend and leaving Madeline for dead. She’s rescued by her other best friend Badger who finds her and gets her help. That night two other girls, friends of Madeline’s, also go missing. The killer is caught but he’s maintained his innocence and there’s never been any proof that he came in contact with the other girls that night... so what happened?

Hardly does nothing more than stir up the past and without care bring it all up to the surviving victim because of course his search for truth is more important than anything else. He’s kind of superfluous, he doesn’t actually do much of anything. And he does not solve the case. At best his presence pushed Madeline and Badger to start truly face what happened that night. Madeline’s father the former sheriff who prior to the start of the book had a stroke leaving him unable to speak for six months, did all the work. He never gave up on the case or trying to find those lost girls. I suppose Harley did point out that there were other young women going missing in the general area. Which brings us to poor Lolly the latest victim who was kidnapped.

There are glimpses into the past from Madeline detailing her meeting the man convicted of killing her friend. How he changed her life back then and how things changed with her friends. At no point does it ever really paint the picture of him as some monster. What happened with him just seemed like something was missing there. The identity of the kidnapper was fairly obvious it literally could only have been 1 of 2 people. But that person’s motivations and connections to the other killer seem a bit too convenient. Like oh he was manipulative he made me do it. The kidnapping of the two girls didn’t make much sense. There was a how but not really a why or any real details of what happened. Everything was just wrapped up with a bow like a Christmas present, the details were not part of the present.

I get that it’s a small town police force or whatever but did nobody ever consider that the murder/attempted murder and the disappearance/kidnapping were two unrelated events? Sure they happened around the same time at the same place but no evidence ever connected the two.

The story just felt incomplete. Like there was something missing from every part of it. The reason for the title of the book was random. But really the one thing that made no sense was who was the shooter? It couldn’t have been the kidnapper who had been busy at the time. Though the timeline is all over the place it’s pretty clear in this instance. Police cars were seen going by just before the shooting which means they were headed to the scene with the Lolly and her kidnapper. I thought I missed something there I didn’t though I suppose considering Harley’s questionable morals and tactics there were probably a lot of people who wanted him dead.

It was an ok read, pretty easy to get through and I was curious enough to keep reading till the end. But it didn’t all work out right. Seriously if you took Harley out of the story and had Madeline and Badger get curious after the news of a missing woman it might have been better. I didn’t like Harley I found him insufferable. But I did like Madeline and Badger.

True crime author and podcaster Harley Granger shows up in town to investigate the case of Evan Handy, a man convicted of killing Madeline Martin’s best friend, stabbing Madeline, and leaving her to die, and suspected of being involved in the disappearance of two other friends of Madeline who have never been found. Now three other women have gone missing, but the cases can’t be connected to Evan, or can they?

Madeline and her childhood friend, Badger, work to help solve the crime of the latest missing women. And it involves digging into her father’s files on her own case. Can they come up with any new evidence or clues as to what happened?

An exciting thriller by a new-to-me author.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

This book combined 3 of my favorite things - Christmas, true crime podcasts and a thriller novel! Haunting Christmas presents left at the main character's door every year after she survived an attack that took her best friend's life. This was a shorter book and the story kept me turning the pages so definitely a quick read!

There are secrets that happened in the past for the heroine of this book, but the incidents of that night are fuzzy for her. On that night two friends go missing and one is murdered by her then boyfriend, who is not in prison. A person comes to town to reinvestigate the items in her past and she does not want to talk about it. What happens next is a powerful reliving of the past with new information from current days that will keep you going. Although I did figure out part of the story early, I could not put the book down as I tore through it in two days. Great story with twists and deception that keep you guessing. Thank you #NetGalley for the ARC of this book.

Thank you to Mysterious Press for letting me read CHRISTMAS PRESENTS early. This novella publishes on October 24.

This little novel is super fast paced. Lisa Unger packs a lot into a small amount of pages. She did a great job developing the characters and the settings felt so real. My only complaint is I wish this was longer. I think if it had been, I wouldn't have figured out the ending before I read it. Either way, this one is definitely worth the read.

Madeline is a survivor of a killer who murdered one of her friends while two others are still missing. She has tried to rebuild her life, but now a crime writer has purchased her missing friends' old house and is trying to get her to talk about her ordeal. And more women are now missing.

This is more than a Christmas novella. It is a lot of expertly crafted surprises in a small package. It will keep the reader guessing. The characters are easy to connect with and Madeline's pain is expressed well. Fans of thrillers will enjoy this novella.

My rating is 4.5 stars, rounded up to 5 on sites with no half-star option.

I received a free copy of this book from the publishers via Netgalley. My review is voluntary and the opinions expressed are my own.

Christmas Presents is the perfect holiday themed thriller that is just in time for the start of spooky season!

For years, the town of Little Valley has been haunted by a cold case involving one survivor, one deceased, and two missing girls. When more young women begin to go missing, the past that Little Valley can’t seem to escape from comes back, and brings along a notorious true crime podcaster who is seeking the truth, and fame.

This book was extremely well paced and each chapter kept me wanting to read the next! There are layered story lines and the family dynamics between the characters make for great bookclub discussions!

Christmas Presents by Lisa Unger was twisty, bingeable read that will be fun for the holiday season! This novella is short but also packed with enough suspense that I read the entire work in one sitting. My only qualm with the novella is that the dialogue and one of the relationships felt forced - too much was shoved into a short period of time.

Thank you to the publisher, Lisa Unger, and Netgalley for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for my fair and honest review.

I actually greatly enjoyed this novella. It was short, sweet, yet full of deadly twists and bloody murders. Unger is a master of slasher mysteries and by far one of my favorite authors. Heart-pounding, gut-wrenching, and all around terrifying, this is for anyone looking for a cold winter night slasher with lost love and hidden secrets in the mix.

Maddie is the only survivor of Evan Handy, the serial killer she was in love with when she was 17. A decode after her attack, he is behind bars and infamous true crime podcaster Harley Granger is in town to investigate the case and the unsolved disappearance of her best friend Ainsley and Sam Wallace who haven’t been seen since the night of her attack. Throughout all this more girls have gone missing including an exotic dancer names Lolly Morris.

So what secrets are there to be uncovered in this small town? Where are the girls and what will happen on this Christmas Eve a decade after the murders.

Fans of Lisa Unger will welcome her holiday thriller novel, Christmas Presents where protagonist Madeline Martin, owns a bookstore in her small town and is shocked when a famous true crime writer, Harley Granger, comes into her store on the guise of purchasing a book for his father for Christmas. A decade ago, Madeline was the surviving victim of Evan Handy, who was convicted of killing her best friend and is still a person of interest in the disappearance of two other friends. Granger wants to get her side of the story, and she doesn’t want to remember the horrible events. Unfortunately, three more girls have disappeared, and they seem connected to Evan Handy. Madeline investigates; her father who was the chief of police at the time but has had a stroke never stopped trying to uncover the truth.

Unger is an excellent storyteller, and the story flows with building suspense. Unger is very good at relationships between characters in her books, and this one is no exception. Madeline’s best friend, Badger, is on her side, and is trying to help her work through this unexpected need to relive her terrible ordeal. Unger also does a good job of developing her characters. Readers will be able to relate to them and find they seem real.

All told, this is an excellent psychological thriller with a surprise twist at the dénouement. The story flows and is fun to read.

Special thanks to NetGalley for supplying a review copy of this book.

CHRISTMAS PRESENTS
Lisa Unger

I love Lisa Unger and I love Christmastime so why not combine the two and make it short? What else could you ask for?

In CHRISTMAS PRESENTS we’re following Madeline Martin, Maddie to her friends. She owns a quaint independent bookstore in a small town. By day she runs the bookshop and by night she is a caretaker to her father, who recently suffered a stroke.

Maddie’s life sounds simple, it’s anything but. She has escaped a perilous past and now just wishes to escape this holiday season with her wits intact.

Enter Harley Granger. A novelist turned podcaster who is on the story of his career. Will he unlock the keys to Maddie’s past and bring her long-buried nightmares back to life?

This was so much fun. CHRISTMAS PRESENTS is a novella, only 224 pages. Although it was short, Unger had plenty of time to develop a good story with memorable characters and an intriguing plot. I read it as the weather was cooling and the universe was whispering at Fall. I recommend you read it with a cozy drink, under a warm blanket as snow falls outside.

Thanks to Netgalley, Penzler Publishers, and Mysterious Press for the advanced copy!

CHRISTMAS PRESENTS…⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Christmas Presents is a fast paced thrill ride, and I loved every minute!

Ten years ago, Madeline Martin and her friends were attacked while at a party. Her best friend was killed, two friends are still missing, and Madeline barely made it out alive. Madeline’s boyfriend Evan was arrested, and has never given up a location for the two missing girls. Podcaster Harley Granger is asked by the girls’ mother to investigate, and his digging may lead to the truth about what happened that night.

I love a dual timeline when done right, and it was executed so well here. Madeline doesn’t have many memories from the night in question, so the initial flashbacks are quite vague and even untrustworthy. In the present day, we switch between Madeline, Harley, and a girl who has been kidnapped, adding some extra fright to the story.

The atmosphere is set perfectly. This all occurs right before Christmas, with the icy cold numbing everyone’s bones and a blizzard rolling in to town. The small town feels isolated, with all of the mentions of woods and riverbanks.

The pacing was perfection, with new questions constantly popping up and a few scares along the way.

Thank you to NetGalley and Mysterious Press for the ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

Christmas Presents is a Christmas thriller/mystery that follows a bookstore owner who survived a killer. Ten years ago, she witnessed a boy kill her best friend and then leaves her for death. The guy is in prison for it,however, there are some questions because two other girls have been missing ever since that night as well. A podcaster and true crime writer comes to the town to investigate this case and find out the truth. We also have another woman who is kidnapped.

I enjoyed this book! We have flashbacks as well as the pov of the missing woman and the main pov as well. I really liked the different POVs and the flashbacks. Even though this book was short at 226 pages, we have a lot of character development and great relationships throughout. I liked the podcast element thrown in as well. It was just a little bit but I think it was a nice touch. It also touches on the ethics of true crime that I thought were interesting and good to reflect on.

I think the twists were pretty obvious from the beginning. I feel like the characters were kinda blind to it. I also feel like a couple of things were a little too convenient. I also wish it was bit more Christmasy. While it does take place leading up to Christmas, i do wish it was a bit more christmasy.

This was a short true crime thriller that was interesting and a great read. Thanks so much to netgalley and Penzler for the arc of this book in exchange for an honest review!

This book comes out October 24th and I will be posting a review on my blog within the next week!

I always enjoy books that Lisa Unger writes. I love her way of pulling you in to the story and dragging you along until the very end. I can't wait to get to the end of the story so I know what happens but then I am sad that the story is over. I was surprised by the ending and was happy with how Lisa Unger made it all play out.

Madeline Martin is the owner of a bookstore and it is pretty much her life besides taking care of her father that just had a stroke. There is a nurse that takes care of her dad too but Madeline tries to be involved with her dad's care as much as she can. When an author comes to town to try and find some information for his pod cast about a case that happened several years ago, Madeline is his target. Madeline doesn't want to bring up the memories of her being the only survivor of Evan Handy. Evan is in jail now but Madeline still doesn't like to talk about that night.

Madeline finally agrees to talk to Harley, the author that has a pod cast now. Harley is known for finding little clues that others miss in murder and missing persons cases. Madeline goes into her dad's office one day and notices all the information he has compiled on the whole Evan Handy case and wonders why he is still putting time and effort into the case. Of course that was before his stroke. One day Madeline's father is being very out of character and Madeline wonders why. Soon enough Madeline finds out why her dad is acting the way he is. The suspense will keep you turning the pages of this book and wondering what in the world is going to happen. Great read! I know you will enjoy this one as much as I did.

I voluntarily read and reviewed this book and all opinions are my own. Thanks to NetGalley, the author and the publisher for an advanced copy of this book.

Wow! I absolutely loved this book ! It was atmospheric and I was hooked after the first chapter.

Madeline is the only surviving victim of Evan handy. A man who killed her friend stephanie and is suspected of murdering two twins.

Harley granger is a podcaster trying to get to the bottom of this mystery. Where are the twins? Why is Evan saying he is innocent? Why have three other women gone missing? How can this be explained?

I was so wrapped up in this story. My only complaint is that it was only a novella. Pick this up and read it for a great and easy to read thriller.

Thanks to netgalley, penzler publsihers and mysterious press for this fantastic arc!

This was a fast, suspenseful read with parallel timelines and a great twist. I loved the Christmas theme with the small-town feel and how the whole community was impacted by the murders and disappearances. The characters were complex and realistic, and I wish the story had been longer so we could get to know them better.

3.5 A chilling, short thriller/suspense that centers in a small town still haunted by past unsolved murders of 3 young girls. Could they be related to current disappearance? Madeline Martin was the soul survivor many Christmas's past, she now owns The Next Chapter Bookstore (love the name!) and cares for her father, once sheriff, as he recovers from a stroke. Harley Granger, a failed author, now unsolved mysteries podcaster is in town unburying secrets and stirring things up. Until I got to about the half way part (which in this case was only about 100 pages) I thought this could potentially be a high 4 or maybe even 5 star read. And then the second half just didn't do it for me. The answer was staring us in the face and really had been the whole time - which isn't unusual, but the way it all came together was a bit much and didn't work for me. I expected to read this book in one or two sittings but the back half was just continual repetition and I kept putting it down, delaying its completion. Thank you to NetGalley and Penzler Publishers for an advance copy inn exchange for my honest opinion. Christmas Presents will be available on 10/24/23.

Also looking for a good Christmas Thriller and I believe this was the perfect one.
Loved the characters and the plot and I look forward to picking up a physical copy soon.