This was a perfect cozy Christmas themed mystery book. I curled up with a blanket and read it by the Christmas tree. It was well written, perfect Christmas mystery vibes & was an easy read

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the audio ARC! What a wonderfully set mystery novel, perfect for the holiday season. This was atmospheric and gripping. Don’t miss this!

The Twelve Days of Murder by Andreina Cordani was a super fun and gruesomely descriptive audiobook. The narrator, Ella Lynch, was fabulous with a multitude of accents and inflections to differentiate between the various characters.
It is a fabulous slow burn of a murder mystery with a dual timeline. With the questions of a missing friend from years ago as well as the sinister happenings of present day, this story will keep you guessing right to the end. If you like your Christmas stories with an eerie, secluded & snowed in setting, this book is for you.

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Thank you to Dreamscap4 Media, NetGalley, and the author for an ALC of this book. This did not affect my review.

Audiobook....3 stars....ebook...4 solid stars

I could not connect with the narrator as her style wasn't for me. I could not tell which charactershe was portraying or which timeline I was in (past or present) so I was not enjoying the story. I eventually had to step away from the Audiobook and read the ebook from the library. I connected with this version a lot more and will say I give it 4 solid stars.

This is a story that follows the Masquerade Murder Society of 12 years ago and the group meeting up now. This group plays a murder mystery type game (think Clue in real life) and while dressed up and playing their roles, true death comes to visit, During their last get together a member of their group went missing. Suddenly the group is trying to figure out a real who dun it and stay alive.

The novel alternates between past and present to give you background on the players. This is what did not work for the Audiobook for me. The narrator used the same voice for every character in the book, it felt like to me, so I was having trouble knowing who was who and also knowing their personalities and traits. The Audiobook was dragging and I didn't want to listen to it.

Once I checked the ebook out of the local library, I was hooked. I was able to easily identify past vs present and also keep track of the characters.

I think the audiobook may work for some but not me. Maybe a different narrator would be better.

I still recommend this book but I recommend the eBook.

I honestly thought this book was predicatable. It wasnt super enjoyble for me because I had predicted most things that had happened. The audio part also just sounded like an AI. Not sure if its supposed to be that was as this is my first audiobook arc.

The Twelve Days of Murder by Andreina Cordani was both engaging and intriguing. I enjoyed reading this book and the narrator was amazing with the multiple points of view and characters. This is a classic Christmas murder mystery with great character development and sequencing.

I received a review copy of this book from the author/publisher through NetGalley for my honest review. The opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own.

This was a fun and engaging holiday-themed murder mystery. The narrator did a fantastic job of building voices for each character. The prologue doesn’t work as well in audio format but that’s my only complaint. Libraries with high circulation of mysteries should absolutely purchase.

The positives of this book: I liked the reveal at the end. It was a big plot twist but it was handled well.

The cons: this was a hard book to get through. I struggled through the first half. There are A LOT of characters and some of their stories get crossed with one another. It was hard to keep track of what was real and what wasn't. The character's personalities did not mesh. I also think back to the reveal and think that there was not enough foreshadowing that could point you to the ending until right before the reveal.

If you are a strong thriller/mystery fan, this might be a fun holiday-themed book for you. I definitely enjoy my fair share of thrillers so maybe I just was not in the mood for this.

All in all, I would not recommend this book unless you are an avid thriller reader.

Hold onto your jingle bells, mystery lovers! "The Twelve Days of Murder" is a holiday-themed murder spree that'll have you unwrapping clues faster than you can devour gingerbread cookies. Agatha Christie meets Elf on the Shelf in this delightful and suspenseful tale that's as addictive as hot cocoa on a snowy night.

The premise is pure genius: twelve days, twelve murders, each inspired by a different Christmas carol. From a deadly dasher dashing through the snow to a poisoned partridge in a pear tree, Cordani masterfully weaves festive folklore into a chilling game of cat and mouse. The setting is a cozy yet creepy old mansion, perfect for harboring secrets and shivers.

The characters are a delightful mix of quirky suspects and endearing sleuths. I found myself rooting for the amateur detective, a witty and resourceful outsider who unravels the mystery with a sharp mind and a mischievous twinkle in their eye. The red herrings are plentiful and expertly placed, keeping me guessing until the very last page.

"The Twelve Days of Murder" is not just a thrilling whodunit; it's a celebration of the holidays, albeit a slightly macabre one. The author infuses the story with a playful sense of humor that had me chuckling under my breath even as I gasped at the twists and turns. It's the perfect escape for anyone who craves a wintery mix of mystery, merriment, and a touch of the macabre.

So, if you're looking for a holiday read that's both chilling and charming, look no further than "The Twelve Days of Murder." It's a surefire five-star winner that will leave you guessing until the very last verse. Just remember, when the clock strikes midnight, don't be surprised if you find yourself peeking over your shoulder, half expecting a fruitcake-wielding murderer to be lurking in the shadows!

P.S. Bonus points for the killer soundtrack recommendations at the end of the book! It's the perfect playlist to keep the chills and thrills going long after you've finished the last page.

I hope this review is helpful and creative! Please let me know if you have any other questions.

Thank you NetGalley and Andreina Cordani for sharing an ARC of The Twelve Days of Murder with me in exchange for an honest review.

I honestly couldn't get into this one as much as I thought I would. The plot is right up my alley, and it's the perfect time of year to read a book about a Christmas murder, but maybe I wasn't in the right headspace for it. I liked it, but didn't love it.

3.5/5 stars rounded up

Thank you Dreamscape Media for the advanced listening copy!

The elite Masquerade Murder Society has not met in 12 years, not since one of their own disappeared forever at their last Masquerade party. Ever since then, the 8 members have been estranged and full of tension, throwing around various accusations and never really able to make amends. This year, however, they are making an effort to get together again and have one more masquerade murder party, this time in remote Scotland at a mysterious cabin. This time, it is themed with the 12 Days of Christmas in mind, and, unfortunately, there's a real killer amongst them, made clear when Lady Partridge is found hanging dead from a pear tree. Suddenly, the murder mystery becomes all too real, and the group is forced to solve the murder... or die.

This was a really fun wintery/Christmassy read! I thought the premise was super clever; I love a murder mystery party and reading about the group's process of putting these together was really entertaining. I thought that the mystery itself was pretty good, but could have been a bit better. There were a few things that felt unnecessary to me (I won't spoil!) and I felt took away from the story, rather than added to it. This was also fairly confusing on the audio at times! I think multiple narrators would have done this story a fantastic service and would have helped make sense of the various timelines and character points of view we were getting. The ending was slightly anti-climactic for me, though I can honestly say I did not predict it, which always elicits bonus points from me!

Overall, though, I did really enjoy listening to this story! I love a Christmas-themed thriller and add in the Clue-like gameplay, and it was super fun. I would love to listen to another story like this in the future.

✦ The Twelve Days of Murder by Andreina Cordani ✦
narrated by Ella Lynch
★★☆ 2.5/5 stars

✦ Synopsis
The Masquerade Murder Society started back at University: a group of friends who began a fictional murder mystery game. They act out characters & elaborate murders - dress up, play the roles & discover who's the killer. It’s been 12 years since they’ve last gotten together. Reunited for another masquerade, the theme is the Twelve Days of Christmas, & all seems to be going well until Lady Partridge ends up dead in a pear tree. This murder isn't in the script & no one knows who they can trust because, of course, they all have secrets.

✦ My Thoughts
Marketed as a holiday homage to the classic And Then There Were None by Christie, I was excited to read this one! But unfortunately, it fell a bit flat for me.

The good:
I loved how it read like a live action game of Clue. The 12 days of Christmas character names were fun (Lady Partridge, Lord Leapworth, Mr. Gold)
I really enjoyed the atmosphere. Snowed in at a Scottish Manor, those vibes made for a great wintery read.

The not so good:
At first it seemed like it was going to be fun to play along to see if I could solve the puzzle. But somewhere along the line it just got to be.. too much. Too many characters, all switching between their masquerade characters & real names, lots of bouncing between POVs & timelines. I felt a little disconnected. I got so confused I almost gave up several times, but because it was a book club read & I did enjoy the Christmas themes, I persisted.

I believe that a full cast audio narration rather than a single narrator would’ve eliminated a lot of the confusion. Overall I thought it was an entertaining enough holiday themed mystery.

✦ Read if you like:
* A Christmastime whodunnit
* Locked in by snow
* The game Clue
* Lots of characters & POVs
* Twists + turns
* Red Herrings

Thank you to @netgalley & @dreamscape_media for the opportunity to read this ARC! ◡̈

A fabulously festive but dark whodunnit incorporating my very favorite traditional christmas carol: The Twelve Days Of Murder by Adreina
Cordani
This was dark for a classic mystery quite a few people meet their gruesome and unnatural end before the mystery is solved but the plot is intricate so if you like your seasonal mysteries a little bit darker this one may be just right for you !
8 friends centering on outgoing people magnet Karl formed The Murder Masquerade Society while studying, their usual crime dinner parties are a hoot, so they don't expect their Christmas event to turn into a real life mystery until one of their group, Karl, their center, mysteriously disappears during the masquerade never to be seen or heard from again. Did he leave? Did he die? Those questions are never answered and his twin, girlfriend, best friend and lover are all left behind with questions but no one to answer them.
Fast forward 12 years later and invitations arrive for the members of the now defunct Murder Masquerade Society inviting them to spend Christmas in a remote country house in Scotland for a reunion masquerade - Karl's twin sister Allie is getting the gang back together for one last murder masquerade party. As characters are assigned it begins to feel like old times until the games begin and Pan, the Lady Partridge of this murder party is found hanging from a pear tree. Suicide or murder? Why? Who wanted such a grandiose display?
Are past and present linked?
Told through the voice of Charley, one of the group's underdogs - less wealthy, less fabulous but the only true actor of the bunch. There are twists, surprises and additional murders galore to keep you guessing until the end. With echoes of Agatha Christie, this is a perfect read for cold winter afternoons!
I listened to the audio narration by Ella Lynch it was fantastic!

I've seen this book being compared to the works of Agatha Christie and for once, I agree! The story and writing style definitely reminded me of Christie and is just as enjoyable. The premise was so fun with the murders being inspired by the song the 12 days of Christmas - a great holiday read!

The characters had unlikable traits but in this instance it worked with the story. I normally try to figure out who the murderer is but found myself just enjoying the ride with this one.

I listened to the audiobook and found the narration to be enjoyable. The characters came to life and I felt like the narrator did a great job adding to the atmosphere.

I would definitely recommend this one if you're looking for a holiday murder mystery, if you're a fan of locked room mysteries and if you're a Christie fan!

A huge thanks to Dreamscape Media, Pegasus Crime, Simon and Schuster and Netgalley for the ALC. All opinions are my own.

A twist on ‘And Then There Were None’, but with a Christmas twist set in Scotland. A little slow in spots, and the characters fell a little flat, but it was a quick cute holiday murder mystery.

A murder mystery dinner party over the Christmas holiday - what could go wrong? Years after a disastrous murder mystery weekend in which on person disappeared, remaining college friends reunite for another festive weekend. Only the script seems to be written very true to life, and when characters are found dead and not play-acting, the festive weekend soon turns into a nightmare. The Twelve Days of Murder was a thrilling and entertaining book to read - not my usual rom-com holiday book - and I would highly recommend it!

Sadly this was a DNF for me, but I think it was due to trying it on audio. There was no problem with the narration, but this book has a lot of characters. Not only that, but since each character plays a character in their murder mystery play, all those characters have two names. Trying to listen to it on audio was just too much for me. I would actually like to try this one in print. So not a bad book, but for me at least, the audio wasn’t working.

The audio for this crapped out on me half way through and I couldn't get it to continue. But I enjoyed what I read before that happened

Twelve Days of Murder was a suspenseful delight. Each of a group of friends who were once part of a murder mystery acting club has a secret. They have been brought together under the guise of a holiday reunion for sinister purposes. But the person who set up this murder mystery isn't who they think and the murders aren't all pretend.

I enjoyed this one it had shades of And Then There Were None a little closed room mystery and just a touch of I know what you did last summer,(or 12 years ago as the case may be).

My only quibble with this one is it was a lot of characters to keep track of made all the more difficult by the fake names they are using for the mystery game they are playing.

I do enjoy a mystery set at Christmas just because it adds a sense of urgency to solve to save the holiday.

Narrated by: Ella Lynch who did a great job keeping track of all the voices and characters.

This was my first book by this author and I would definitely buy them again!

4 stars

I received this audiobook from the publisher Dreamscape Media and NetGalley for a fair and honest review.