Another hit from Lisa Unger

A survivor of a mass murderer, Madeline, runs a bookstore. She has put her past behind her until a pod-caster/writer turns up to explore that past. While the supposed killer has been in jail similar murders have occurred.

What is the real truth and what cost will Madeline pay.

Set in Christmas time, the plot and setting make this a great distraction from holiday stress.

This was a quick read and one that was easy to follow. While relatively predictable, it was still worth the time it took to fly through this novella. If it was expanded to full-length, I'd definitely read that version.

Characters were developed just enough to feel invested, but the podcast seems to be a new trope in mysteries. Regardless, there was a bit of mystery, a bit of thriller, and a bit of romance--all of which balanced pretty well.

Overall: 4 stars

I'll tell my students about: alcohol, drugs, gore, death, language, trauma, murder, sexual assault

**Thank you to NetGalley and Penzler Publications for the free ARC. All opinions expressed are my own.**

Fast paced and quick read. I read it in a single afternoon and loved every minute of it. It has all the plot twists that Lisa Unger always delivers. This story also has podcast vibes and a serial killer. Will be buying copies as gifts. ,Round up to 4.5 stars! Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for my ARC

Thank you Net Galley for the advance copy of this book.

Christmas Presents by Lisa Unger is a fast paced thriller about a serial killer. Madeline Martin owns a bookstore in her home town. When famed true crime novelist and podcaster, Harley Granger, shows up to shop for a book, she knows he is here for here for her story. She was a victim of a crime in her teenage years. Madeline was attacked by her boyfriend in high school after she witnessed him murdering her best friend, yet she managed to escape. Her other two friends went missing that same night and have not been seen since. Harley plans on revisiting that crime to find the truth of what happened.
I figured out the myster
y quite uickly to be honest. There was little surprise for me when I finished the book. I still recommend reading it, although it is quite predictable, because the story is a quick read and is enjoyable as a mystery, seeing how it all unfolds.

Another fantastic edge of your seat thrill ride by Unger. Fast paced novella about a young bookstore owner who survived a horrific attack after watching her best friends murder. Madeline is a young woman with a tragic past that she would rather forget, so when a true crime podcaster comes to town to speak to her about her past she is less than thrilled. But as crimes and disappearances are still occurring in the small town, maybe the podcaster can help bring justice and healing to the town. Excellent and impossible to put down.

This haunting trip to Next Chapter Bookshop during Christmas turned out to be a truly satisfying adventure, just as I had anticipated. However, I must admit that the novella left me wanting more, especially considering the intriguing concept it presented. A cold case involving a dangerous killer targeting young girls in a small town, an elusive presumed accomplice still on the loose, and a renowned podcaster delving into the secrets held by witnesses and the last surviving girl.

The plot idea was undeniably captivating, and I found myself wishing for more time spent with the characters. Madeleine Martin, the soul survivor and last girl standing, had a striking resemblance to Harley Granger, the famous podcaster determined to solve cold cases that had eluded others. Both characters carried the weight of dysfunctional family dynamics. Madeleine was abandoned by her free-spirited mother and raised by her alpha father, the town's heroic sheriff, while Harley, too, was left behind by his mother and raised by his emotionally distant, alcoholic father. Both became emotionally guarded, avoiding intimate relationships, resembling lone wolves. I had hoped that their similarities would draw them closer together, connecting them as they worked to solve the case. However, Lisa Unger took a different approach in exploring how the characters dealt with their past traumas and gathered clues to uncover the mystery behind the disappearance of Ainsley and Sam Wallace, who were presumed kidnapped and never found for years. This brought forth the idea of a possible accomplice to the killer since Evan Hardy, who attacked Madeleine's friend Stephanie Cramer and stabbed Madeleine herself, couldn't have been in two places at once to kidnap the Wallace sisters, who were also Madeleine's close friends.

Initially, I was captivated by the fast-paced opening that immediately drew me into the mystery. As Harley Granger sought Madeleine's assistance in unraveling the mystery, we were also introduced to another crime: the abduction of Lolly Morris, an erotic dancer who had been planning to return to her hometown for Christmas after being expelled from college.

Once again, I found myself wishing that this brilliant concept had been explored in a full-length novel. The mystery was solved rather quickly, as soon as Madeleine and her childhood friend made their initial attempts to investigate the case. Furthermore, the identity of the culprit became quite predictable from the start, which took away the excitement of playing the guessing game of "whodunnit."

The conclusion was wrapped up swiftly, and I couldn't help but feel that this story would have benefited from a more extended narrative with additional suspects and mind games, allowing readers to spend more time with these intriguing characters.

Despite these shortcomings, I still find myself rounding up my rating from 3.5 stars to 4, thanks to the strong beginning and the intriguing plotline. I look forward to reading more of Lisa Unger's upcoming books.

I would like to express my special thanks to NetGalley and Penzler Publishers, Mysterious Press, for providing me with a digital reviewer copy of this thrilling novella in exchange for my honest thoughts.

Madeline Martin was viciously attacked at a party one night and left for dead. Her best friend was murdered and two more girls went missing. 10 years later Podcaster and Author Harley Granger investigates the unsolved case. He stirs up a hornets nest and trouble abounds.
This was an exciting read that I finished in a day.
Thanks NetGalley and Penzler Publishers for this ARC that will be released October 24, 2023!

Thank you Penzler Publishers, Mysterious Press and NetGalley for my ARC of “Christmas Presents.” This novella kept me on my toes the entire time I was reading. My heart was pounding, I was sweating and I had to keep the lights on. The fear was palpable as bookshop owner, Madeline Martin searched for answers from her childhood trauma (her ex boyfriend was a murderer). Along with the help from her best friend and a shifty podcaster. I loved all the characters and I was rooting for them the whole time. Truly excellent. 5/5 stars ⭐️ Lisa Unger is on my nice list.

It is Christmastime in New York, and Madeline is a proud owner of her thriving bookstore, The Next Chapter Bookshop. Her past is horrifying as she watched her former best friend get murdered by her boyfriend, who left her to run for her life. When a true crime podcaster and novelist, Harley Granger, came by her bookshop to talk to her about the case, she felt haunted by her past again.

I have to admit I am slightly disappointed in this book. I did love that Unger created a creepy atmosphere involving Christmas, where it should be joyful and less murderous. The two alternating narrations felt very disconnected from each other. I felt like I was reading two completely different stories at times. The story itself was very fast-paced and was an easy read. It was still easy to get hooked and keep reading to find out who was the killer. Christmas Presents is an excellent book for anyone who wants a Christmas-themed book with murderous, creepy vibes and none the sweet Hallmark ones!

Thank you to NetGallery and to Mysterious Press for giving me a copy of the book.

This maybe a novella, but Lisa Unger packs a great story into a tight, well-developed story. Maddie survived a vicious attack as a teenager. She saw her friend killed and two more friends went missing that same night. Her life has never been the same. Now a real life murder podcaster /novelist has come to town to look into the case of the missing girls. Another girl has gone missing and the stories of the past and present are skillfully woven together so they never feel disjointed. I enjoyed this mystery and its satisfying ending.
Thanks to NetGalleyand Penzler Publishers for the ARC.

This reviewer confesses to being a huge Lisa Unger fan who has read all of her books, including her novellas and short stories, since the beginning of her career. Full disclosure, I admit to being enthusiastic about her work. When I was offered an advance copy of Christmas Presents to read and review, I immediately accepted. Lisa’s books are always unique and compelling, and this holiday thriller is no exception.

Christmas Presents gives readers the mystery and suspense of a full-length novel, since it’s packed with relatable characters, perfect pacing, and great writing. We see through the eyes of the central characters in alternating sequence as they attempt to solve a ten-year old cold case. The story is dark–this is no sweet holiday tale–but Unger brings light to the darkness by adding a welcome touch of romance and the gift of hope to its resolution, which I loved. Every story should have a happy ending, especially at Christmas.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Mysterious Press for providing an advance copy of the book to read and review. This review will post to the Bayside Book Reviews website at https://baysidebookreviews.com and its Instagram page on release day. Follow us! *NetGalley Top Reviewer*

Thank you netgalley for this eARC in exchange for my honest review.

I'm s lover of all Lisa Unger books. A nice Christmas thriller? Sign me up. I enjoyed this thoroughly.

4/5 ⭐

ARC provided by publisher in exchange for feedback, review contains my unbiased opinions.

5/10

Not altogether bad but also not the best thriller I have read. Some of the choices in storytelling are a bit odd, but more so than that my real issue with the story was that it was very predictable. Everything is basically spelled out to you but then conveyed in a tone of mystery. I saw the twist coming a mile away, as well as other reveals that were supposed to be shocking or at the least revealing. The end of the book also felt a bit shorthanded like it was rushed and seemed to just ignore some details from previous chapters.

I will say that the character work in this book seemed better than in Secluded Cabin Sleeps Six the only other book I have read by Lisa Unger so far. This was also a short read so if you are looking for something that won't take long and won't require deep thought this may be a good choice, but if you are looking to channel your inner Sherlock Holmes you may wish to look elsewhere.

This was pretty goof. Unger is a goof author of mystery and thriller and while this wasn't her best it was interesting. I think the big pet down was the ending; had it been better the whole story would easily been four stars.

I’ll open by saying that I generally like Lisa Unger books (In The Blood was great), so I was very excited to receive this ARC. While the pace was good, and the premise was there, the execution simply was not.

Maybe it’s because it was a novella (which I didn’t realize at first, but seems to be the consensus), the story just didn’t have time to become what it could have been. Many of the characters seemed kind of irrelevant, particularly Harley Granger, who felt to me like he should have had more of a role considering the book was supposed to be about his podcast (which, btw, it barely was). It also felt like we went from having questions to solving a murder in a split second, and that scene where they ‘put the pieces together’ just didn’t really make sense to me. Also, who shot Harley? What the heck was the point of that?

The ending of this book was also a let down. It tried to circle back to the podcast plot but it felt a bit lacklustre. And the effort to throw in the romance piece felt disingenuous, and the couple didn’t feel right.

Overall, it’s not that this book wasn’t good - it was fun and easy to read, but it felt like it never got to where it could have, with perhaps many more chapters.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for this ARC.

Thank you NetGalley, the publisher and the author for the opportunity to read and write an honest review of this book.

Maddie owns a bookstore and lives in the town where she was severely injured, as a teen, and her best friend was killed by a boy who attended their high school.

Even though this killer is in prison for life, girls continue to go missing in their area. Did the killer have a partner that has never been caught? Maddie, her friend Badger, Maddie’s father, the retired sheriff, and author/true crime podcaster, Harley Granger are deep into solving this ongoing mystery.

Christmas Presents is about Madeline Martin a young woman who continues to live in her small town despite the darkness that holds her there. For ten years Madeline has had to live with the scar marring her face as a constant reminder of what Evan Handy did to her.
…
Harley Granger has written three true crime novels. His fourth sits on a shelf unpublished. With writing on hold he’s turned to broadcasting a true crime podcast show where he revisits unsolved cold-cases. So far he’s solved three cases. He’s in Madeline’s small town hoping to interview her about what happened with Evan Handy ten years ago. Evan is serving life without the possibility for parole at the state penitentiary. Harley Granger has a calling to this case hoping to find new evidence. Everyone in town doesn’t want to talk about it. Although, the past has a way of twisting and turning back into the present. In so many ways Madeline is still there in the past.
…
In recent news Lolly a young dancer has gone missing. She was suppose to be visiting her parents for Christmas, but she never showed. This news brings about old wounds and fears from ten years ago when two other girls went missing. Madeline’s father and former Sheriff believes Evan wasn’t working alone that another killer is on the loose.
…
Lisa Unger writes a chilling murder mystery set around Christmas time. Christmas is a time when families get together for food and presents. For some it’s a time of traumatic memories. This is not a Hallmark movie moment during Christmas time. Picture Gremlins during Christmas with crazy unhinged creatures roaming the small town. Except it’s ten years later and the murder scene has long been erased, yet the atmosphere hasn’t changed one bit for Madeline, the sole survivor.
…
This was a fantastic lay fast paced thriller. It’s an easy read that can be read in one sitting.

4 ⭐️

This is my second book by Lisa Unger and I have enjoyed this book! I did not know that this was a novella and I like novella and especially since I haven't read a lot of thriller books this month, it was a great change to read a short thriller! This is definitely fast paced and you can read this in one sitting. The winter chilly scary vibes are my fav and I don't know why and I love thrillers that have a snow cold setting bc I feel like I can feel it. The mystery crime aspect and the different POV was great with this writing plot style and there was times when I was confused bc of the different POV but overall I enjoyed the mystery vibes this book gave. Save this book for the winter cause the weather is going to enhance this book eerie vibes!

Thank you Netgalley, Penzler Publishers, and Mysterious Press, for this e-ARC in exchange for an honest review!

I didn’t realize that this was a novella and as a rule, I don’t read novellas, but in this instance, I am so happy that I did. Christmas Presents was Lisa Unger at her best. I first read Beautiful Lies when it first came out and was captivated by it. This latest book is just another beautiful feather to add to her cap.

The story is skillfully woven around a small-town upstate New York town at Christmastime where ten years ago one young woman was murdered, a friend left for dead, and two others disappeared without a trace. With the killer in jail, murders occurring again, and one young woman missing, a serial killer is on the loose.

I was hooked right from the start and invested in all the characters, constantly trying to decide who was guilty. There was Madeline Martin, the original surviving victim who now owns the town bookstore; her best friend Badger, expert car mechanic and antique car restorer; true crime novelist Harley Granger, who wants Madeline’s story for his podcast and book; Madeline’s father, the former Sheriff who is now infirm after suffering a stroke; or was it the strange man who took the young stripper out after her show?

I read this fabulous story in one sitting and was on the edge of my seat for the entire crazy ride. The last third was a nail-biting, squeeze-your-eyes-shut-tight type of experience. Many thanks to NetGalley, Penzier Publishers, and Mysterious Press for the opportunity to read this in exchange for my honest opinion. I overlooked that it was a novella and gave it five stars!

A big thank you to #NetGalley and #PenzlerPublishers for the read and review of #ChristmasPresents by #LisaUnger. I am a huge fan of Lisa and live her books. This one is a big hit like all her other books. I cannot praise this woman enough. Fifteen stars if I could!!!