The Christmas Killer

Fantastic read. When detective James Walker moves to a Cumbrian house, with his wife Annie, it appears to be a quiet life, compared to the Met in London. How wrong that turns out to be. For a serial killer is stalking the village, and their modus operandum is to give messages on Christmas cards, and strike. A classic whodunnit, with many suspects.
I would recommend this book highly.

It’s Christmas in the little village of Kirkby Abbey, and all DI James Waller is a quiet holiday with his family. But what shows up on his doorstep is no gift, but rather a grisly surprise and the news that there will be 12 more gifts over the the next 12 days. It’s not long before the first body is found and panic descends on the village. Everyone is a potential victim, and one of them is a killer. Pine’s British police procedural is a well crafted mystery

Loved this!
I cannot say anything negative about this book. This is definitely in the top ten books I’ve read this year.
I’ve been gripped, there’s tension!! I absolutely need to read more by this author

Great introduction to the characters and would like to see the main characters get their own series of novels. Mystery and intrigue throughout

The Christmas Killer - Alex Pine

I was given a copy of this book in exchange for a fair review thanks to Avon Books and Netgalley.

At first I was apprehensive as to whether I would enjoy the book, as it seemed to get off to a slow start. However, very quickly the story developed and I was hooked.

On the approach to Christmas in the quiet village, James arrives home to find an unexpected Christmas present waiting for him, with the promise that there will be 12 deaths in the village. As the body count rises, it is James’ job to apprehend the killer whilst being cut off from the rest of the team during heavy snowstorms.

I had a few suspects lined up as I was going through the story, and one by one they were eliminated until I had absolutely no idea who the killer was. When the killer is revealed at the end of the book, it was interesting to see how the clues had been there but cleverly hidden by the author.

I would recommend anyone that is a fan of murder mysteries or crime to get themselves a copy of this book when it is released in October 2020.

The Christmas Killer
Rating: 4.5/5
I believe that this is Alex Pine’s first novel, but I am looking forward to reading more of this series when it is released.

An enjoyable book in many ways but not as tight as I would have liked it to be. Good concept and many winding paths to follow. a killer on the loose at Christmas starting with a partridge in a box.

This is an wonderful mystery that just pulls you in right from the start. We are introduced to Detective James Walker and his wife Abbie and the lovely English countryside town of Kirkby Abbey and its inhabitants. A serial killer is on the loose and everyone is both a suspect and a potential victim in this small town. I truly was hooked and found this an enjoyable read from start to finish. You won't be disappointed.

Thank you to Netgalley and Avon books for providing me with a free ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This was a different kind of a thriller with more of a focus on the "whodunit" part than the grizzly murders. Part of what makes crime novels so appealing is the depths killers will go when it comes to--ahem--brutally and maliciously killing their victims. Readers are always appalled and horrified at the lengths people will go, for whatever the reason may be, to kill a person. And deep down we all love that shocked feeling that comes with being horrified and intrigued by the sick minds of a murderer.

Here, another interesting aspect has been added to the crime/mystery genre, which is the tedious investigations and meetings police must have to find the best course of action of finding a murderer/serial killer. Which may sound boring to some, bad when a killer claims to be hunting down twelve victims and a winter storm isolates a tiny village from outside help, pressure builds and nobody is safe, the novel becomes fairly chaotic.

For those who rely heavily on those terrifying and grotesque corpses showing up one after another to get through a crime novel, you may find this one doesn't satisfy those needs. Yet, if there is a desire to seek out a different perspective on crime and serial killers with an emphasis on the "whodunnit," then this is going to be one hell of a ride.

Alex Pine is a talented writer who brings a seriously complex crime to an unsuspecting and seemingly innocent village where anyone could be the killer or the next victim. "The Christmas Killer" is definitely on my list of book recommendations as I was entirely pleased with the suspenseful and mysterious events that kept me second guessing my list of suspects. I'm very excited for others to read this and hear what they think. Check it out!

The expected publication date is October 29th, 2020!!

D.I. James Walker recently relocated with his wife to Kirkby Abbey in Cumbria, when a murder takes place in the village. The murderer delivers Christmas cards to the villagers, saying like the Christmas carol, the twelve days of Christmas, he will be killing someone over the twelve days. DI Walker has a race against time as the bodies are discovered in the deep winter snow. I thoroughly enjoyed this novel and putting my detective hat on, I am glad I got the right suspect! A cozy Christmas mystery.

#TheChristmasKiller #NetGalley
Suspenseful. Definitely recommend.
The story starts with Annie Walker who heard her husband car's home. They have a home in Tottenham.. She's freaking because fifty eight years old Andrew Sullivan is free from jail. The one who was behind the bars because of James. She thinks that he will definitely take revenge from them.
Sullivan served thirteen months of a life sentence in jail for the murder of a nightclub owner, Brendon Fox. Although he's denying of it.
Now one by one the bodies are turning up.
Twelve Days, Twelve Bodies. Who's doing it? What's their motive?
I adored this thriller. I loved its characters and narration. Give it a go.
Thanks to NetGalley and Avon for giving me an advance copy of this awesome suspense thriller.

I really enjoyed this book, read it in two days. The setting was rural, a village which sounded picturesque, at Christmas time but with a serial killer on the loose. The plot is what drew me in and kept me reading for the first half of the book. With a book like this, most of the characters feel like extras/fillers, we don't get to know them in depth because their role is that of suspect or future victim so we only have the main characters but I didn't feel attached to them at first. The main characters are a detective and his wife, who I found likeable but I didn't know enough about them. I feel like the author barely scratched the surface with these two. I'm hoping that's because they're planning on using them again. By the end of the book I was hooked, I want to know what will happen next in their lives. I would love a book explaining their history with an enemy who's briefly touched upon in this book. I honestly wish the book had gone on a bit longer, I felt the ending came around a bit too quick. I would have liked more of a build up. I didn't want it to end. I didn't guess the culprit which is great. This is the first book I've read by this author but I enjoyed it that much, I Googled and discovered they've written previous books in other names so I intend to read more by them. I only gave four stars because I would have liked to know more about the main characters personalities but I'm hoping there's a good reason for this. Otherwise it's a great read.

I always love reading new authors to me, but even more so new authors completely and a new series to boot! Alex Pine sets a good plot in the Christmas Killer. The police officer Walker relocates to the north after fearing for his family in London, and escapes up north for the quiet life. Well sadly the quiet life isn’t going to happen. Suddenly Christmas cards start to land with sinister messages planning to kill 12 people before Christmas. It’s up to Walker to solve the mystery before more lives are lost. I did really enjoy the book and pace of it, I felt it moved along quite nicely. The reason I gave it 4 stars instead of 5, well it may have been a small thing for others but for me, it annoyed me. The lead character Walker continually throughout the whole investigation tells his wife every day what is happening and all the details. Now I’m not a police officer but I know some and that rarely happens and they don’t bring their work home with them, even if they partners are interested. It was a small thing but an annoying one for me. Sorry that aside it was a good read! Thank you @netgalley for the ARC in return for this review. #BookReview

Absolutely loved this book. Had been given a teaser but hadn’t noticed it wasn’t the full book until the end of it and was so disappointed. So when I got the chance to read the full book I jumped at it. What a great book. I loved it from start until finish. It had me hooked from the off. I couldn’t put it down , interesting range of characters. Great plot to get your mind racing. It was fast paced and very well written. I didn’t want it to end. Was so disappointed when it can’t to an end . Will definitely be looking out for the author again

One thing they described Robs house as a bungalow. But said the police came back downstairs. This needs editing

27/7/20 updated review based on full copy of book!
DI James Walker and his wife, Annie, have moved from London to A small village in Cumbria. A different pace of life for James and the threat of an old case is hanging over him. Just before Christmas a package arrives that could spell the end of the peace and festive season. Someone is going to kill everyday over the advent period and it’s James’s job to find out who is doing this and why?
The characters are great. James and Annie are likeable and there is a massive opening for a sequel but this has the bones to be a great series and I look forward to reading more. Thank you to netgalley and the publishers for this arc in exchange for my honest review.

This book grips you from the begining with plenty of twists you will not want to put this book down.It has great characters that make this story.Well done to Alex Pine.5*

The Christmas Killer by Alex Pine. A police procedural with an intriguing mystery occuring during the holiday season. Really wouldn't want to receive one of the 12 Days of Christmas cards. Solid crime solving in the first of a new series featuring DI James Waller.

Thank you to the publisher, author, and NetGalley for the opportunity to preview the book.

After reading and reviewing the teaser courtesy of the publishers and netgalley I was excited and eager to read and review the whole book.
DI James Walker and his wife Annie have relocated to a small village in Cumbria from London with the threat if an old case hanging over him.
The Christmas theme is played out through a series of threatening Christmas cards being sent by a serial killer who is planning to kill 12 people over the 12 days of Christmas. The Christmas theme continued with a snowy backdrop.
I loved this book but if you are a fan of brutal grisly and detailed murders this may not be for you as it focuses mire on the 'whodunit part than the grisly details.
I look forward to reading more if the series in due course

This book starts off with married couple Annie and James having a brick thrown through their window following the release of a convicted criminal. Annie and James move da to Cumbria to the house Annie’s mother left them, hoping for a fresh start. Soon unpleasant gifts begin to arrive for them and others promising more deaths and they wonder if they are being targeted by a certain someone. Fast paced and easy reading. Well worth a read

The Christmas Killer - Alex Pine
⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️

I received this book from NetGalley and the publishers and as a lover of everything Christmas related I was excited to try a Christmas thriller and wow I was not disappointed!

If you are wanting a cosy, hot chocolate in front of the fire, listening to carols kind of vibe this is not for you!! Instead there is plenty of snow in the Cumbrian village of Kirkby Abbey and the Christmas theme is played out through a series of threatening Christmas cards sent by a mysterious would be serial killer, planning to kill 12 people over the 12 days of Christmas. DI James Walker has the task of discovering who is sending the cards before the body count starts racking up.

I loved this book! I have never read a thriller set around Christmas and I thought it worked perfectly. The book was fast paced and kept me guessing right till the end. I couldn’t put it down and am so glad to hear that it is the start of a series - I will definitely be looking out for the next one!

DI James Walker is persuaded by his wife Annie, to move back to the small Cumbrian village she was brought up in when things start going badly for them in London. On arrival he finds work very slow after working for the Met police, but soon ends up, literally, in the middle of a possible serial killing spree. With the snow falling and roads being closed, he finds himself cut off in the village trying to find the killer before more lives are lost.

This was an interesting take on the usual murder mystery, with the action taking place in a small rural village and focusing on basic policing rather than just hi-tech. James is torn between trying to protect his wife, and finding the killer, with few clues to the killers identity. Well written and plotted, this pulls you in from the start, although I didn’t warm to Annie. It also shows that small village life isn’t all cosy and idyllic. A good read, I did guess who the murderer was, but that didn’t spoil this satisfying who-dunnit. I look forward to reading more by this author,

Thanks to netgalley and the publishers for an ARC in return for an honest review.

I really enjoyed this book and will give it a huge thumbs up. With a great story line and excellent main characters - I would highly recommend this book.

This is the first in a new crime series featuring DI James Walker and I’m quite intrigued to see how they will play out. James wants a quiet Christmas with his wife in their new home. They need it; it’s been a tumultuous few months and living the city for a remote Cumbrian village could be the key to improving their lives. That’s if the village hadn’t been hit by a blizzard and someone promises James that there will be 12 murders in 12 days. Grim. Can James and his team find the killer before they succeed in a series of murders? There are plenty of clues throughout, enough to put you on the right track but also some red herrings to keep you a bit confused.

The DI James Walker series is off to a very promising start in Alex Pine's The Christmas Killer. It certainly is a worthy addition to the previous mystery stories centered around the holiday season. I appreciated the focus on the police investigations and the demands placed upon the investigative team. The hunt for a serial killer is never easy and this is even more so when a small village realizes it's one of their own. In a nice touch, Pine describes the moments of the crimes through the eyes of the victims. Walker has a good team to work with and there is the potential to build a strong supporting cast like we see in the DCI Banks books from Peter Robinson. The Christmas Killer is a slow-build but it will keep you turning the page. Thank you to Avon Books and NetGalley for the advanced reading copy. #TheChristmasKiller #NetGalley

It’s 9 days before Christmas and D.I. James Walker is looking forward to spending time with his wife and extended family in their new home in a sleepy little village in Cumbria.

However an unexpected and gruesome gift left on his doorstep is the start of a series of murders. The note says to expect twelve victims... can D.I. Walker discover the killer in time?

This had me hooked from the first chapter. I was on the edge of my seat.

A sincere thank you to the publisher, author and Netgalley for providing me with an ebook copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review.

This is not my usual genre, I’m more into romance stories and literary fiction however I wanted to take the opportunity to read something from outside my norm. And I am glad I did!! Thank you for  opening up my mind to something totally different.

**This review will be posted on my book blog close to publication date**

A DI moves to a small village, hoping for a new, peaceful start but soon bodies start appearing, one for each of the 12 days for Christmas all while a raging snowstorm is impending. But the investigations are all going in a loop since everyone in the village has a nasty secret to hide, some secrets, very close to home.

This is a pretty good police procedural, gripping, straightforward, and quick with a satisfying yet kinda predictable end. It took its time to get started though, the first few chapters made me want to dnf it so hard, because really, ‘the whining wife of a good detective’ is so typical and old, also why is the character’s inability to conceive overshadows everything else that’s going on in the story! Like I said, typical and old. But thank heavens I carried on and it was such a good decision.

It takes off after the first few chapters, the pace remains good, and the short chapters helped keep the interest up. I really liked how the whole process of investigation was told, how one point of interrogation lead to another, and this was the best part of the story imo. This the perfect thriller for the jolly season, and quite enjoyable. Much recommended.

I was interested from page 1 of this book! I connected immediately to DI James Walker who has been transferred from the Met in London to the small village of Kirkby Abbey, Cumbria, after the release of gangster, Andrew Sullivan. After Sullivan's release, James and Annie were receiving threatening letters, suspected to be from Sullivan, hence their move to Cumbria. Sullivan has served 13 months in prison for the murder of Brendon Fox until his release after an unnamed man confessed to the murder. Sullivan has always denied murdering Fox.

James's wife Annie, grew up in Kirkby Abbey and has a secret of her own, unbeknown to her husband. There are twists and turns, murders, infidelity, revenge all the things you would expect from a murder mystery with Christmas thrown in!!

I enjoyed the style of Alex Pine's writing, which flowed nicely and kept you interested in finding the killer.

I would recommend this book and have given a 4 star rating

I WANT TO THANK NEWGALLEY FOR THE OPPORTUNITY OF READING AN ADVANCED COPY OF THIS BOOK

Despite being a Christmas themed book I really enjoyed reading this book in the middle of July! It was a tense and entrapping read that I managed to read in a couple of sittings.

I liked that the book came from the perspective of the victims. It felt a little different to normal murder type suspense novels.

A great read for people who like the whole whodunnit type books

An excellent Christmas “who dun it”.

Enjoyable read with plenty of mystery and suspense.

5 stars, recommended.

Annie and James are a young couple who re-locate to a village in Cumbria, Annie's family home, to get away from the "bright lights of London" and a criminal who James, a police inspector, had put away. Little do they know that days before Christmas, a serial killer is "on the loose" in the Cumbrian village, but who is the killer and why "the twelve days of Christmas?"

The story get straight to the point from the first word and we soon meet the villagers - Annie and James's new neighbours, who start dropping like flies - which one of his neighbours could it be? So much for being safer away from London!

We also" hear" from each victim just before they are murdered - which I thought was an interesting addition since it's usually the killer.

With each murder James and Annie learn more about each victim's life, and how intertwined with each they were - this reminded me of the Miss Marple books.

Will Annie and James spend their first Christmas in the village without another murder?

And what is Annie's uncle Bill's role in the grand scheme of things, he's arrived early to spend Christmas with Annie and James but seems to be acting oddly?

I found the pace of the story okay, in that it kept reading to find out more about what was going to happen next, and I liked how we learnt about Annie's backstory, growing up in the village.

For some reason I was expecting more gory details, perhaps due to the title.

Thank you to Netgalley, Avon and HarperCollins for the eARC.

An interesting tale that keeps you interested right from the start, until the final reveal. Definitely recommended to those readers who enjoy reading a good detective story.

Detective Inspector James Walker and his wife Annie move to a quiet village in Cumbria after a notorious criminal is released from prison and may pay them a visit for putting him in there!

Things are not as peaceful as they hoped after a 12 days of christmas card is sent along with a dead partridge to their new home. Inside there is a promise 12 murders are to occur and every victim deserves it. Snow is falling fast and thick, worsening every day, the list of suspects are shrinking fast and the press is hot on DI Walker's heels! Using his police experience from London he must act quickly to prevent the christmas killings.

Using the twelve days of christmas was a creative way to keep the novel at a steady pace and hints at a dramatic ending, the book did not disappoint! At times I was second guessing who the murder might have been as there are plenty of red herrings and clues throughout.

My only critique is the professionalism and procedures of the investigation. It all seemed to be informal, based on visiting peoples homes. I wonder if the reality would be quite the same or would these interviews would have made more of an impact in a police station with lawyers.

If you are after a good seasonal thriller this year for the approaching winter months I would whole heartedly recommend this one! It wasn't too detailed and definately more about the investigation than the murders but I enjoyed it so much will definately be keeping an eye out for the rest of the series! 4/5 stars

This is a great 'who done it' book with a Christmas theme. DI James Walker, and his wife Annie have recently moved from London for a safer lifestyle, to the picturesque Cumbrian village of Kirkby Abbey. However, when the Walkers receive an anonymous 12 Days of Christmas card and nasty packet, indicating there will be 12 murders over Christmas, the Walkers are nervous. Then the bodies start appearing.
This is set over Christmas with seasonal blizzards. The story was a real page turner and I didn't guess the murderer until the end.
A perfect seasonal read. BUT the style of writing was rather 'DI reporting' rather than grabbing the opportunity to set the scene, atmosphere and intrigue. Also, why on earth does the dashing DI Walker stick with Annie, who seems to moan and be anxious all the time!
But this is a perfect read over the Christmas holiday season! Thank you to Netgalley for an ARC version of this book in exchange for an unbiased review.

This book was really good and gripping. It hard me hooked all the way though wondering who the killer was. The 12 days off Christmas with 12 murders. It was interesting trying to think who it could have been.

Thank you to Netgalley and Avon Books UK for the arc of The Christmas Killer by Alex Pine.

4 star read like wow just wow! i loved this book so much! This follows DI James Walker who is all ready for his christmas with his family until there is an early christmas present left on the door step in which he opens to find out it is a promise from somebody for the 12 days of christmas there will be 12 murders.... not too long after he read this the first body was found in the snow half of its body is frozen... it leaves residents of the village in fear as no one knows what 11 victims he kills next.... can he find it before its too late?

ho-ho-horrifying!

A classic whodunnit with holiday themed twists and turns, this book sucks you right in from the start and keeps your eyes glued to the pages until its conclusion.

I have read many thrillers this year, and I must say that this was one I definitely enjoyed, and admittedly even more so because its a Christmas thriller. There’s just something about holiday stories, whether it be a cozy romance or a suspenseful thriller, that makes it that much more fun and enjoyable to read.

I read the preview of this book before being given access to the full e-galley, and I was immediately gripped and wanting to read more. But because I was so eager to devour the entire story, I was a bit apprehensive that I would end up feeling underwhelmed and disappointed. But as soon as I picked up where the preview had cut off, I was once again instantly immersed into the story and the holiday horrors it contained.

This book has such an intriguing storyline, as it features a serial killer stalking a small village, killing his victims in a “twelve days of Christmas” manner; he leaves messages on Christmas Cards, and then goes in for the kill.

This story is twisty and suspenseful, and there’s never a dull moment to be found. There are many suspects to be suspicious of, and I was constantly on the edge of my seat in anticipation, trying to figure out who the actual killer is. There are so many clues to be found throughout the story, but they are cleverly hidden by the author, like a craftily wrapped Christmas present, purposefully wrapped in a way that's meant to deceive.

Gripping and utterly entertaining, this is a mystery that is very well crafted, like an artfully decorated gingerbread house.

To anyone who is a fan of murder mysteries and holiday themed stories-pick this one up!

4/5 twinkling stars!

This was a brilliant book I couldn't put it down . Defiantly recommend buying this book well worth it .

Thank you for the ARC of the Christmas killer. Strong start to book. Good development of characters. I enjoyed the plot and didn't actually see who the killer was until the very end, enough plausible characters to keep you guessing. Well worth a read and I will try the authors other books. I do not include spoilers or references to the book in my reviews

This was a very good book. I read it in one day. It had me on the edge of my seat and oh my! The twists and turns! A must read! I will definitely recommend this book!

The Christmas Killer is book 1 in the DI James Walker series.

Detective James Walker and his wife Annie are forced to move to a small Cumbrian village because of a threat to their life in London. But just when everything feels perfect and plans to enjoy Christmas with the family, DI James Walker is sent an early Christmas card telling him there will be 12 murders in 12 days!

I really liked this thriller. It had me suspecting almost everyone and I had my reasons why each person might have been the murderer (and in the end I was right!). Although I did find the second half of the book to be slower and sometimes just dragging. But overall, a great first in a series.

Thanks to NetGalley and Avon Books UK for providing me with an advanced copy.

We usually think of warm toasty reads when we think Christmas. Love stories and happy endings. Well not this Christmas read…..12 days of Christmas and 12 dead bodies, bring on my next thriller read.

Firstly I have to admit I’m a total sucker for British crime dramas. My Foxtel IQ is full of police and detective series and that is why I loved this one. This felt exactly like I was watching one of my favourites, complete with that memorable line that every crime show seems to have….. “Where to now guv?”

It’s the lead up to Christmas and a killer is on the loose in the small village of Kirkby Abbey. Not only is he is on the loose, but he’s taunting the police, and a few of the locals, by sending them creepy Christmas cards, and trust me, these aren’t Christmas cards you want to receive.

Twelve Days of Christmas and twelve murders, our killer has a hit list and it would seem, a score to settle. Who would have a vendetta against any of the residents of this sleepy little hamlet? Certainly not the warm welcome our new resident detective was expecting having left London to escape the evils of his past case and live a somewhat quieter life.

Very much procedural driven we follow Detective James Walker step by step through his investigation while he follows up leads and conducts his interviews. Even with the heavy detail, the story still skips along pretty rapidly.

Although for some reason I found the Detective’s wife Annie beyond irritating (is it wrong I was hoping she was on the killer’s hit-list?) I still found this a quick and enjoyable read, almost like reading an episode of Midsomer Murders.

Thanks to Netgalley and Avon Books UK for the opportunity to read this one.

Excellent book thank you Netgalley and the publisher for this copy in exchange for an honest review.
Well written, excellent characters that you can really invest in and a plot that twists and turns and keeps you guessing.
Highly recommended.

I love books set in the winter. I love books with Murders. I love a detective story. I loved this book!

I really enjoyed this book, well written, all the characters were good and the story line kept me involved all the way although I was wanting there to be more murders and I did guess who the baddie was!

I can definitely recommend this book and I look forward to reading more from this author who is new to me.

Thank you to Netgalley and Avon Books for giving me the opportunity to read this book.

An enjoyable read. A little slow paced and if it was on the TV would be comparable to Vera or Midsomer, so if that's your kind of murder mystery then this is definitely for you. Well written with great characters.

Thank you Netgalley for given me a chance to read this book. Its about a detective who lives with his wive in a small town near London and is trying to the solve a mystery. I enjoyed trying to get to know all of the characlters iving in the small town and figuring out who wa the mastermind behind the murders. It kept we guessing. I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book and look forward to many more.

The Christmas Killer tells the story of DI James Walker and his wife, who have left the stresses of life in the Metropolitan Police. Threats linked to a previous case of DI Walker's persuades him to move to the sleepy village of Kirkby Abbey in Cumbria, his wife's childhood home. They are soon to discover that Kirkby Abbey has many deep and dark secrets - and there is a killer on the loose who is set on taking the lives of the holders of those secrets. A cat and mouse game is on with DI Walker who is taunted by the killer's use of Christmas cards to hint at what is to come.
I started reading this book when I had a few minutes spare and couldn't put it down. The snowy Christmas scenes are very atmospheric and add to the sinister nature of the killer moving quietly through the village.
As with any good crime thriller, I had several suspects in my head and these kept changing with each twist of the plot.
My only slight criticism of the book is that the ending felt very rushed and the epilogue could have been slightly more detailed.

A Great Old fashioned Crime Novel.
Lots of great characters both amid the Police investigating the Crimes , the Villages who are at possible Risk, along with all the side plots to try keep you from guessing who the Christmas Killer is !
It was made extra interesting because the area where the Book was set is not that far from where I live so I had a wonderful picture of the Village Kirkby Abbey & it's surroundings in my head as I read the story, plus the local dialect of the Villagers& then the London accent of DI James Walker. All in all a very enjoyable Crime read not too much Violence!
I hope this does well once it it published ,& at such time I will then with permission post my review on GoodReads,,Amazon & with several Book Groups via FB that I belong too plus any friends I believe would enjoy reading it.

I received my ecopy of The Christmas Killer via Netgalley.

This is a good village based whodunnit which will keep you guessing. Although there is a serial killer on the loose it is not a heavy, gruesomely detailed scenario. It drew me in from the outset and I liked the main characters. The plot gives nothing away until you realise that the book is running short of pages, at which point it's obvious where the main clue lies which leads to the obvious answer of who the killer is. I felt this final point was really rather rushed.

My only peeve is that James called his wife 'hon' nearly every time he spoke to her and that whilst leading the police team in a race against time and the elements, he assured his wife Annie that he would always have time to chat to her during the working day!

An interesting, police drama in a village setting that ticked all the boxes.

"DI James Walker is ready for a quiet family Christmas in the sleepy village of Kirkby Abbey.
But when he opens an early Christmas present left on his doorstep, he soon realises it is no gift. Inside is a gruesome surprise, and a promise – twelve days, twelve murders. Not long after, the first body is found, half frozen in the snow.
As the blizzards descend, panic spreads through the remote Cumbrian village – there’s a killer amongst them, and with eleven more victims to go, anyone could be next…."

This is the 1st book in a new series by Alex Pine. I love thrillers that revolve around a holiday like Christmas or Halloween and this one did not disappoint! I am looking forward to reading the next book in the series and I hope it comes pickley after this one is published news!

Thank you NetGalley and Avon Books UK for the eARC!

The storyline was somewhat believable and the DCI was methodical in his investigations. Although as the story progressed there were things that I felt the DCI missed

Thank you to NetGalley and Avon books for the advance copy of this book.

I enjoyed this book. The characters were quite believable and the DCI was methodical in his quest to find the murderer. No real surprises but well written.

Thank you to NetGalley and Avon books for the advance copy of this book.

Oh I loved this book it was really good! I sat down and read it in one sitting. Being from Australia I really enjoyed the whole winter snow storm thing, I could really imagine the chaos and terror of being stuck in the village with a killer on the loose. I felt this was well written, it definitely sucked me in and I felt compelled to keep reading until I reached the end. I kind of had an idea who the killer was but I didn’t figure it out until the end. It was very atmospheric and tense. Highly recommend I really enjoyed it.

James and Annie move from London to her home village in Cumbria to escape a villain just put of prison and wanting revenge. James is a DI and he finds the drams follows him. Murders begin to be committed and as the weather worsens, the village is snowed in.
The author creates a good atmosphere and you can feel the tension with the poor weather, the murders and the lead up to Christmas.
I managed to work out who the killer was part way through but this did not spoil my monument of the book. It was nicely written and well laid out.

I would describe this book as more of a whodunnit type book rather than a thriller but I enjoyed it all the same!
I felt really involved with the storyline from the beginning and felt like I was investigating things as James Walker was.
I have never read a book like this before - but I found it very easy to read, and I felt myself wanting to continue to find out who the murderer was!

So DI James moves his family from London to the Cumbrian village his wife grew up in, in the anticipation of a safer life. There had been threats – or so he believed – against his family in London and his wife was increasingly nervous living there. Her home village was small – less than 1000 people, and set in a lovely part of the world – Cumbria is great – if you can take the weather – another wet, windy and cold area of the world.
There are incidents and James starts to wonder if this is a local sicko or were they followed from London?
For me, this read like a Midsummer’s Murders storyline – a local murder spree with village spite and secrets and rivalries all being played out through murder.
A little too predictable in all the murderer was for me although plenty of red herrings – and if like me, you get curious as to where some of these phrases we use in everyday life come from, we can trace ‘red herring’ to a journalist of the early 1800s, who claimed to have used a very strong (red = going off) herring to lay a false trail when he was a boy trying to prevent hare coursing. And I also learned recently about where the phrase red handed comes from. In the Inns of Court in central London, here is an old Mulberry tree which has black fruits. If you eat these fruit – or even pick them, your hands are stained. Mulberry fruit were valuable and loved to eat in the 16/1700s. so boys used to go and pick the fruit to sell – and got caught because of the staining on their hands.
This Mulberry tree has black fruits and was planted by mistake by King James. He wanted to grow mulberries to feed silk worms as silk was so expensive – and the Huguenot weavers has settled in London and thus could weave him silk cheaply. Except it is the white mulberry that feeds silk worms! Oops.

This was a great opener for what I assume will be a series for Detective James Walker and his wife.. The opening scenes in London and his nemesis will I assume feature in future novels.
The main storyline set in Cumbria was a really good whodunnit. It was not a gory novel but focussed more on the characters and clues which I really enjoyed. All the characters and scenes were really well written.
I really enjoyed this and thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for allowing me to read a preview copy of this book

I really enjoyed this book, there is all my favourite things from a thriller / police procedural. The creepy setting, the threat of it being closed off and the small community where everyone has a secret or two to hide. While I did think some parts were a bit obvious, it still left me guessing and I got a few things wrong! I do wish the ending hadnt been so rushed, I was at about 90% and I dont think the last 10% wsas enough time to fully wrap it up in a satisfying way, but if this book is going to be part of a series I am already eager to read the next one!

I read this book pretty much in 24 Hours as I could not put it down!

Utterly gripping, spine tingling and simply brilliant.
This had me hooked from page one and I was unable to put it down, it’s dark and twisty and brilliantly written.

Alex Pine has written a true spellbinding thriller. The characters are thought out, very well , written. The background, the police procedures, are very interesting. With this taking place in England, it has all of the language of that region. The plot was, thought out, the emotions were how I would react, and the thrill is there. Figuring out who is the culprit, is part of the awe, in the book. I think you will enjoy this book.

DI James Walker and his wife Annie have just left the bustling city of London to move to a quiet village in Cumbria. But not all is as quiet and peaceful as they thought in the little village on Kirkby Abbey. After James returns home from work one evening to find a rather gruesome package left on his doorstep, along with a Christmas card containing a rather sinister message, all of the locals become suspects.

This book had me gripped from the very beginning. Finishing it over the course of two days as I dipped in and out of it whenever I had the chance. Just when you think you're figuring it all out, there is a twist. It was very hard to put this book down and I highly recommend it if you like a thriller or a whodunnit! I was looking for a Christmas book that wasn't all candy canes and mistletoe and this was just right. The lovely setting of a quiet little village where everyone knows everyone, and the way you are suddenly drawn into these characters lives so easily, makes it a perfect read. I only wish it was longer so I didn't have to leave the lives of the characters so soon. And I still find myself picturing Kirkby Abbey and walking around the village square in my head. Fantastic read! 10/10

DI James Walker has moved with his wife Annie from London to the village of Kirkby Abbey in Cumbria. Hoping for a quiet family Christmas, he discovers a package has been left on his doorstep revealing that 12 people will be murdered over 12 days. With the first three victims dead and a blizzard about to engulf the area, DI Walker is in a race against time to identify the killer.

A bit slow to start but a good solid mystery nonetheless. I would look to read more by this author.

A great story line, lots of twists and turns with a great ending. Set in the Cumbrian countryside. Good characters, hopefully we will see more of D I James Walker and the team soon.

This book has it all. Suspense, twists and turns and a little Christmas thrown in. DI James Walker is on the receiving end of a 12 days of Christmas card, suggesting there will be 12 murders in 12 days. Can James find the killer before that happens? A blizzard is on the way and that will complicate things even more for this small town.

I loved this book. It Flowed nicely and did not drag like so many others do. I didn't know for sure who the killer was until the end, which doesn't happen that often. Pick this one up. This is a new author and the first in a series. I definitely be looking for the next one.

Thanks to netgalley and Avon Books for the arc

Really good. Full of suspense with great believable characters. I loved the setting. It was an emotional and compelling read.

Thank you to Netgalley for my copy.

I absolutely loved “The Christmas Killer”.
It’s a perfect combination of a Christmas book and thriller. It’s not a regular murder story set around Christmas time. The atmosphere in Kirkby Abbey is just magical.

You’re getting that warm, cosy feeling and suddenly there are chills running down your spine.

Small village cut off from the rest of the world by snow. Close knit community and a serial killer who decided to make this Christmas period extra special by performing his own version of 12 Days of Christmas.

Just that there is nothing festive about it. His ambition is to kill 12 people in 12 days. In his mind they all deserve to die and by doing this he’s giving the community the greatest Christmas gift ever.

The book is definitely a page turner and there’s not a dull moment.
The only thing I have to mention is I’ve guessed the murderer right at the beginning but then... Maybe I’m just a good guesser, detective or I have a mind of a psycho. Your guess is as good as mine.

I definitely recommend you get your hands on this book.

When a notorious London thug is released from prison and makes it known that he has his sights set on Detective Inspector James Walker, James and his wife Annie decide it is the perfect time to make the move to the quiet town where Annie grew up. But when townsfolk start turning up murdered and James begins receiving cryptic Christmas cards from the killer, he realises his departure from London hasn’t gone unnoticed.

I’ll be honest here, with a cheesy name like The Christmas Killer and a cliche sounding storyline, I was sceptical. I have never been happier to be proved wrong! This blurb (and title) simply do not do this book justice. It is a perfect detective mystery that quite reminded me of a Tana French novel. There were only hints of Christmas, but it was the perfect atmosphere and something I didn’t know my thrillers were missing! I had the ‘twist’ picked a mile off, but it didn’t ruin the book at all. Absolutely would recommend.

Wow! After reading the blurb, I just had to request this book. I was immersed from the beginning. DI James Walker is ready to spend some quality family time and this Christmas is the perfect time to do so. However, just as things start to settle in, he receives a present that is wrapped on his doorstep. When he opens it, he gets a gruesome surprise. There is also a note attached. Twelve days and twelve murders. Just like the note stated there was a body found in the snow. The quaint little town is now worried. Who will be the next victim? There are eleven more to go. This is a fast paced mystery that will have you guessing right along to the end. The writer does an amazing job with time sequencing and character involvement and keeping it to just what needs to be said. Not going off on tangents about things that only will confuse the reader. I love this book and will recommend it to anyone who is interested in this genre.

Thank you to netgalley as well as the author/publisher for allowing me to read this book in exchange for my honest review.

I enjoyed the Christmas killer as who doesn’t like a whodunnit in a small village at Christmas?? I really liked the character of James and would like another book that covers off him and Andrew against each other. Annie bugged me to the point ****spoiler alert*******

I wanted her to be the murderer just to make her interesting!! I was quite disappointed when the murderer was revealed as my theory of Annie had much more legs given her history with the rest of the villagers but hey ho! This was still a blooming good read and I enjoyed it.

DI James Walker has just moved to Kirkby Abbey where his wife grew up. Christmas is just around the corner when he receives a card stating that there will be 12 days and 12 murders . The first victim is the landlord of the pub. As a blizzard and heavy snow cuts the off it is a race against time for James. Will he solve it before all the murders have been carried out?

The Christmas Killer was so fun to read just as the weather was turning cooler! In this holiday thriller, Detective James Walker, a London transplant to the sleepy village of Kirkby Alley, is taunted by a serial killer who promises to kill twelve people over the course of twelve days in a gruesome spin on The Twelve Days of Christmas. To top it off, the village is in the midst of a massive snowstorm, cutting it off from the rest of the world.

What I liked:
•The multiple POVs - The book shifts between James, his wife Annie, and the victims of the serial killer! I thought it was so cool how the victims’ weren’t identifiable from their POV, so you were left guessing about who was next!
•The cast of characters was large and everyone was a suspect. Unfortunately I guessed the identity of the killer about 20% in, but I did second-guess myself quite a few times as the story progressed.
•James was such a vivid main character. I absolutely felt his mounting anxiety as the investigation dragged on and I enjoyed seeing the story through his eyes.
•Not too much gore and it wasn’t too scary. I’m a wimp and was glad to be able to sleep soundly after finishing this one!

What I could have lived without:
•Sometimes there was a little too much description of the investigation and “police talk” that was repetitive
•I felt like some plotlines and characters didn’t lead anywhere. However, this is the first in a series, so I’m hoping those pan out in the future

Overall I would recommend this to anyone looking for a quick, cozy thriller to read this Winter!

I really enjoyed this book. Didn’t guess the villain in the story. I hope there are more stories to follow with these characters. Would thoroughly recommend.

An enjoyable thriller with different threads running through the relationships. Killer was a little predictable I thought but didn't detract from the enjoyment of the book.

A crime procedural with a interesting plot.
Intriguing family drama....
Suspenseful mysteries....
“Twelve days, Twelve murders, Twelve victims. And they all deserve to die”
Sounds very intriguing doesn’t it?
Detective James Walker and his wife, Annie, decide to move to a smaller town hoping for a safer environment then they had in a big city. It doesn’t take long for things to become tense.
The characters were ok and the overall plot was interesting.
Thank you to NetGallery, the publisher and author for the opportunity to read and give my honest opinion about this book. All opinions expressed are my own.

I really enjoyed this story and meeting James and Annie. Its always fun to get to know new characters that will become friends during the series.

This was a fantastic storyline that gripped me throughout. I loved the association with Christmas and the recognisable theme of The Twelve Days of Christmas.

The case was very complex and constantly had me changing my mind throughout. I did guess the perpetrator very early on, but all the different lines of enquiry and different twists as more secrets were revealed had me keep changing my mind and then returning to my original thoughts.

I will look forward to reading more in this series and finding more out about why James and Annie left London.

Alex Pine has made a masterpiece that leaves me wanting more. Awesome story, unforgettable characters and an ending you don’t see coming. Eagerly awaiting the next one.

Actual rating 3.5 stars.

Welcome to the small rural Cumbrian village of Kirkby Abbey where DI James Walker and wife Annie have recently relocated. Formerly a Met officer, this couple have made the difficult decision to leave their London life behind, following the early release from prison of criminal gang lord Andrew Sullivan who blames James for his incarceration and may have an axe to grind. Swapping city lights for glorious countryside views, James is anticipating a very quiet life compared to the one he’s been used to. As Christmas approaches with his family descending on Kirkby Abbey to help the couple celebrate their new home and the festivities, life is calm, peaceful and maybe a touch boring!

That sense of tranquility lasts all of five minutes when James returns home from work one evening to find an unexpected Christmas gift left on his doorstep. Upon opening he is shocked to discover a dead partridge inside complete with a Twelve days of Christmas card and a chilling message from an anonymous person intending to have some ‘fun’. Except this ‘game’ isn’t full of festive cheer; it’s extremely sinister. Should James take the threat “Twelve days, twelve murders,twelve victims. And they all deserve to die” seriously or is this a decidedly unfunny hoax?? Unfortunately James doesn’t have much opportunity to familiarise himself with his colleagues and his surroundings when a body is discovered in the village. Is this murder related to his recent unwelcome gift and if so who in Kirkby Abbey is next on the list??

To all intents and purposes Kirkby Abbey is a rural idyll with a population of barely seven hundred. However it is a village slowly dying thanks to the threat of closure facing both the local primary school headed by Lorna Manning and the local church presided over by Father Silver. As the place where Annie, a primary school teacher grew up, she is already familiar with a few faces. Good friend Janet Dyer is a resident, alongside Charlie Jenkins, landlord of The White Hart pub and giver of Annie’s first ever kiss. Like any small village it would seem to be a hotbed of gossip and barely kept secrets, providing James and his team with a few avenues to explore as they begin their murder investigation. With extremely bad weather forecast and the possibility of being cut off from the outside world James is keen to apprehend the killer before he/she strikes again.

Under pressure from both his boss and the local press to solve this murder, there are a few likely candidates on James’s radar. Annie’s ex boyfriend Daniel Curtis is back in the village which arouses suspicion given his past background. Janet Dyer, the local gossip has maybe a secret or two to hide and Keith Patel holds a grudge against a few of his neighbours. Even Annie’s uncle Bill, staying in the village for the Christmas period is acting very strangely alongside ex copper Giles Keegan whose name crops up in more than one conversation as James and his team carry out their interviews. Who is the killer and who will be the next victim? The fun is in the guessing!

I wasn’t sure initially if I’d enjoy this novel as the characters definitely lack substance but the straightforward style of writing makes this an enjoyable enough read. I think The Christmas Killer is more along the lines of a cozy murder mystery rather than a chilling thriller, making it the perfect novel to curl up with. Despite the author’s attempts to introduce numerous suspicious characters into the storyline I’m afraid I guessed very early on who the perpetrator is. Another minor criticism also is the use of the word perp throughout the narrative as it’s not in keeping with the very English tone of the novel. I have to admit to being disappointed that the characterisation is flimsy, expecting more of a backstory to DI James Walker and his wife Annie. Instead he comes across as a rather wooden and bland character. Given that The Christmas Killer is the first in a series featuring this detective, I do hope his character is allowed to develop into a more interesting fully fleshed out individual. As for the ending, it is abrupt and dealt with in a blink of an eye yet I couldn’t help feeling this is a series I might come to enjoy. Easy enough to read over the course of an afternoon,I think this novel would be ideal as a stocking filler gift thanks to the Christmas theme. My thanks as always to the publisher and Netgalley for giving me the opportunity to read in exchange for an honest review.

A good, interesting and enjoyable read.
It gave me the feeling of a Christmas TV Special edition of Midsomer Murders!
I found myself swapping between likely culprits several times throughout the book so the revelation of who did it wasn't too much of a surprise
My only other comment is to ask whether in the UK a British detective would call his wife 'hon'? I always though this was a USA term of endearment but I may be wrong

When DI James Walker opens an early Christmas present left on his doorstep, he soon realises it is no gift. Inside is a gruesome surprise, and a promise – twelve days, twelve murders. Not long after, the first body is found, half frozen in the snow.

As the blizzards descend, panic spreads through the remote Cumbrian village – there’s a killer amongst them, and with eleven more victims to go, anyone could be next….

The minute I saw this book and its cover, I knew I had to read this one! I love holiday mystery & thrillers, and this book didn't disappoint me at all.

It was so well written, that I was hooked on right from the first page and couldn’t put it down until I finished it. Even though the main focus of the book was the investigation and finding the killer, I was more interested to find out who would be the next victim and discovering the reason behind it.

I had a guess as to who could be the killer and I was glad when I found out that my guess was right. There were instances when the investigation would slow down and some clues overlooked, but that didn't affect my reading experience. In terms of the main characters, I found Annie a bit annoying but DI James is a very likable detective and I would definitely look forward to read more of him.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book and would highly recommend it to anyone who is a fan of murder mysteries.

Thank You to NetGalley and Avon Books UK for this ARC!

Idyllic Village, A Killer Lurks.....
Kirkby Abbey, a small and idyllic Cumbrian village. Christmastime is approaching. As the snow begins to fall and life feels idyllic the village makes festive preparations. However, all is not well in this seemingly perfect place and a killer is at large. DI James Walker, opening what he thinks is an early present left on his step, makes a gruesome find together with a promise of killings to come - 12 days of Christmas and 12 murders. A blizzard arrives along with body number one, panic spreads, who’s next? Enjoyable mystery to keep the reader guessing with a clutch of suspects and a likeable protagonist. Wholly entertaining reading.

Thanks to Avon Books and Netgalley for my free ARC copy in exchange for an honest review.
DI James Walker and his wife Annie swap their life in London for that in a sleepy village in Cumbria, where they imagine that life will be much quieter - until a murder occurs, with the promise of eleven more. The suspense builds throughout as the villagers wonder whether it is someone in their midst, or even someone they know, who is responsible - and who is going to be next? Certain individuals become suspects as the plot twists and turns and keeps you guessing right to the end. A great well formulated .read, which keeps you wanting to turn just another page. Would definitely recommend, and look forward to more books from the pen of Alex Pine.

I really enjoyed this very good police procedural .A gripping page turner set in a small village in Cumbria where some of the inhabitants seem to have a secret to hide !! The snow begins to fall and a body is found ,I liked DI James Walker very much, transferred from London for a quieter life but suddenly the body count is mounting !I must admit I didn't guess who the murderer was. I do hope there will be a series about DI Walker I look forward to reading more about him .Many thanks to the Publisher the Author and NetGalley for my copy in return for an honest review .

When Detective Inspector James Walker and his wife Annie moved from London to Kirkby Abbey in Cumbria they looked forward to their first Christmas in their new home until someone left a dead partridge and a Christmas card saying there would be twelve murders on their doorstep. A snowstorm was to hit Cumbria cutting off roads and villages and the body count started. Would James Walker be able to solve the murders before too many bodies were found.
This is an enjoyable murder mystery keeping you guessing right until the end. Hoping this is the start of a new series

Detective Inspector James Walker was a successful officer with the Met until the associated risks struck too close to home. Moving back to wife Annie's childhood home was supposed to be a new and peaceful start for them both but instead the danger seems to have followed them.

A macabre Christmas gift left on their doorstep is the first clue that their new location gives no guarantee of safety and soon James is facing the anonymous threat of multiple murder being committed on his patch. As the snow falls and the village risks being cut off from the rest of the world James knows it's up to him to prevent panic and suffering overtaking his life once again. 

This is an enjoyable murder mystery set at Christmas with the promise of more to come. James Walker is a very good main protagonist and has a back story which hints at the danger the inhabitants of his new small village home will soon be experiencing. I found his wife a bit clingy but the family aspects of the story were such an integral part of this mystery that it wasn't unrealistic. I would have been a wreck!

Set in the beautiful Cumbrian countryside the isolated location and insular lives of his neighbours, where everyone knows everyone else, is used to both help and hinder James's investigation and hopefully sets the scene for more novels in the future.

I was able to read an advanced copy of this book thanks to NetGalley and the publishers in exchange for an unbiased review and would recommend it to anyone who enjoys good British based fiction. I will definitely be on the lookout for more from this author.

This is the first book in a series about DI James Walker, who moves with his wife to the sleepy village of Kirkby Abbey. But the village proves to be anything but peaceful when he receives a Christmas card from a killer threatening to kill twelve people in twelve days.
This was a very good crime novel. It was a real page turner, and I had trouble putting it down. The author has created characters I care about, and I will keep an eye out for the next book in the series.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read this book.

James and Annie leave London and a particularly vicious gangster to live in Cumbria, in Annie's old family home. James find the change of pace far too slow. Until a missing spree begins. Christmas cards are sent, in them they claim that twice murders will take place in the twelve days before Christmas. Can Jane's stop the culprit amidst the difficult conditions, the village cut off due to snow and reinforcements unable to assist.....
Fat paced and thoroughly well written

I really enjoyed this book. It was a nice easy read and I feel instantly comfortable with the writing and the characters. . But I wanted to know more and who was the killer, so I had to keep reading until I finished in one setting. , It did keep me guessing with all the twists and turns. I am looking forward to exploring the rest of the series (there has got to be).

The protagonists are believable.

I was given an advance copy of this book by net gallery in exchange for an honest review which I have done.

This book was for me about finding the serial killer in a small town. I liked the book Even though i early knew WHO the killer was. I liked the hunt for the serial killer. And i liked all the small town secrets that appeared when you scratched the surface. I would recommend this.book. Thank you to netgalley for letting me read this e arc in exchange for an honest review

Full of suspense and I was hooked from the beginning.
DI James Walker moves to Cumbria for an easy life then receives a gruesome gift with a christmas card promising 12 deaths in 12 days.
A blizzard descends and the bodies start being found whilst his help is reduced due to the blizzard.
Full of twists and turns trying to found out who did the murders.
Loved the cover and description of the book very enticing
.
Loved James character but found his wife very weak and wimpy would definitely recommend this book and would read more from this author.
Thanks Netgalley for this ARC in return for an honest review.

After a rock is thrown through their window following the release of a prisoner he was responsible for putting away, Detective James Walker and his wife Annie decide to give up the bustle of London life and move back to the quiet Cumbrian village of Kirkby Abbey where Annie grew up. As they settle into their new home and prepare for a family Christmas, James and Annie can’t think of a more laid back, idyllic place to live. Until James finds a parcel on his doorstep one afternoon which includes a dead bird and a Christmas card with a sinister message: Twelve days. Twelve murders. And they all deserve what’s coming to them.

In a village as quiet as Kirkby Abbey, the possibility of a serial killer is so outlandish it’s laughable … until the bodies start to pile up, one by one. In the run up to Christmas, James is pushed to find the killer, but must simultaneously deal with personal revelations and the onset of one of the worst snowstorms England has seen in years.

Overall, I thought this book was quite enjoyable: the characters seemed relatively fleshed out, and the book read quickly and easily. A few people complain that the story takes too long to get going (mostly because the first murder only occurs about 20% of the way into the book), but I think that the pacing of the story was fine, and I didn’t feel like it was a slow start at all.

Maybe it’s because I am a complete Christmas Elf myself, but there is something about the atmosphere of an English Christmas that always appeals to me, and to me, Alex Pine captured the atmosphere of an English village at Christmastime beautifully. Granted, the language was sometimes a little bit stilted – I honestly don’t think people speak quite as formally as Pine’s characters do – but the book read easily and I zoomed through it, finding it an easy and engaging read all round.

One aspect of the book I did struggle with was the storyline surrounding the released prisoner that drove James and Annie away from London in the first place. The book seemed to set everything up in the start to make this seem like a major storyline, but it quickly fizzled out and was relegated to a back burner, which seemed an odd choice of plot. Maybe this was a choice made to try and tie together multiple books in this series (since I believe there are more books in the James Walker series in the works), but it felt a bit odd and out of place in this book.

There were also some odd character changes in the book. The investigation begins with James being partnered up with a disgruntled officer by the name of DS Stevens, who was overlooked for promotion because of James’ transfer. But halfway through the investigation, DS Stevens suddenly became a desk officer and a new partner was brought on the scene to help James through the second half of the investigation. I’m not completely sure why this was done, and it didn’t feel necessary, but it didn’t really detract from my enjoyment of the book itself.

As for the central mystery in this book: I found that I was engaged and intrigued throughout the book. As I was reading the book, I got the feeling of an Agatha Christie novel, where the cast of characters is relatively small, and you are trying to guess who the culprit is before the big reveal. Although I had suspicions throughout the book, and at one point I was suspicious of the correct culprit, my final guess as to whodunnit wasn’t right, and I was pleased with that. In hindsight, I can see that the clues are all there, and they are put together cleverly, but it is the mark of a good writer to give all this information and still mislead the reader the way Pine did here. I definitely think the mystery itself delivered and makes for a compelling story that will keep you flipping pages and trying to work out who the murderer is.

Overall, I was impressed at the meat of this book and I would recommend it as a “light” murder mystery read. There were some issues on the periphery of the book that needed work, such as some of the language being a bit stilted, and tightening up of the plot in one or two places, but overall, I think Alex Pine has crafted a good whodunnit mystery that is atmospheric and enjoyable. I will definitely be looking out for more of his work in the future!

Thanks to NetGalley and AvonBooks UK for the ARC!

Twelve days. Twelve murders. Twelve victims.

Pine has penned a Christmas shopping list like no other in his first of a new series, The Christmas Killer, to be published October 29, 2020! This fantastic cozy murder mystery will definitely get you in the mood for the holiday season! It has all the ingredients of a great holiday read: a snowed-in remote Cumbrian village, dark and bitterly cold winter evenings, a crackling fire, a Christmas market, carol singing, a killer terrorizing villagers via Christmas cards, an unrelenting detective, and a cast of close-knit villagers with an abundance of gossip and built up bitter resentment. Added to this mixture is just enough suspense, misdirection, and intrigue to quietly captivate you and keep you turning pages to find out who’s sending those macabre Christmas cards.

DI James Walker and his wife, Annie, have just relocated to quiet Kirkby Abbey from bustling London seven weeks ago. Intending to escape the job-related anxiety, Walker discovers that in even the quietest of locations at the happiest time of the year, evil continues to percolate.

Author Alex Pine has successfully captured the essence of that cozy feeling of Christmas in a small town and, with such descriptive detail, makes readers want to live there to experience it for themselves. Pine’s career in journalism and television production in addition to his childhood summers spent in the Lake District no doubt contributes to his success as a writer. Pine’s storyline has all the essential ingredients for a great mystery - means, motive and opportunity – and doesn’t focus on sordid details, but rather allows his protagonist to focus on the detective work. I look forward to my next read about DI Walker.

This book is a must-have on your Christmas reading list! You’ll never sing ‘The Twelve Days of Christmas’ nor sing another Christmas card again without thinking about Kirkby Abbey.

Thank you to Alex Pine, Netgalley and Avon Books for providing me with this advance copy in exchange for an honest review.

As the book is set at Christmas and features a killer who sends threatening messages using Christmas cards, I was expecting this book to be a bit twee to be honest. I thought it would be a lighter read, more of a cosy mystery despite it being categorised as a thriller. Twee premise or not, this is a proper thriller. Consider me better informed. The book is set in a small village, sort of like the one where I grew up, where everyone has secrets and things to hide. It’s actually the perfect place for a serial killer to be lurking. I found the threatening messages in Christmas cards a bit twee to be honest, but not as cheesy as I expected, the cards just muddy the waters for the police as dozens of boxes are on sale in the village store, most residents have bought some and have been sending them to each other. I like thrillers and horror novels set in small towns and villages, they have much more potential to be menacing than a big city where so many people are anonymous. Things get quite intense when the village is cut-off by a snow blizzard and the police scramble to find leads and clues before someone else dies. I had no idea who the killer was. Now I know, it should have been obvious but somehow it wasn’t.

When DI James Walker and his wife Annie decide to move back to Annie's home town in Kirkby Abbey and leave London behind they thought that it would be a quieter pace of life and from the stress that James was under in London from a gangster out to get revenge on James for putting him behind bars.
Little did they know that they is a serial killer amongst the quiet Cumbrian village.
When James receives a parcel with a dead partridge and a Christmas card stating that there would be twelve murders in twelve days little did he know what was to come.
A fantastic winter thriller that will keep you guessing until the very end.

This is the first book in the DI James Walker series. I’d already had a taster of this book a few months ago by reading the first few chapters, and was keen to finish the story. James, a police officer working for the Metropolitan Police and National Crime Agency has discovered a major London crime lord who he helped convict has just been released early from prison. There was always an issue of retaliation, but when on the day of his release a brick is thrown through the window of James and Annie’s home, they decide to relocate to the sleepy village of Kirkby Abbey in Cumbria. It’s now Christmas and it isn’t the same high powered, fast paced lifestyle that James is used to, but when a parcel is left for him on his doorstep containing a dead bird and a cryptic message, James finds himself thrown into this case.

I enjoyed this book and found the storyline really gripping. I loved the theme of Christmas and it’s been a while since I’ve read a Christmas themed murder book! The location of the book sounds beautiful, but when the snow starts to fall on the Cumbrian village the picture postcard image is spoilt by the killer’s victims scattered over the landscape! It was very easy to get into the storyline from the first page, and the writing was very clear, easy to read and not overly complicated! I love a good murder book where the only thing I need to think about is who the killer is, and not be distracted with complicated who’s who, what’s what and where’s where! DI James Walker seems like a good, solid, dependable character. He loves his wife; he loves his job and just wants to catch the bad guys! His wife, Annie though does seem to be hiding some secrets from her past, which has come flooding back to her after moving back to her childhood home.

The story moves along really well, and provided plenty of suspects to ponder on. The victims seemed randomly chosen, yet there had to be a link somewhere and it was fun trying to work out what that could have been. I honestly didn’t guess who the killer was and was pleasantly pleased that the identity was held off until very late into the book for maximum suspense!! The storyline certainly kept me hooked right to the end, although I did think the ending was a little rushed for my liking. There were a couple of parts of the storyline which I felt were forgotten about and whilst one was explained by the end of the book, I would have liked to have known more about the other one. However, this is the first book in the series, so hopefully future books will follow up this part of the storyline more!

All in all, it was a great murder mystery! I loved the fact it was set before Christmas and it did feel really festive – I half expected the killer to be revealed wearing a Christmas jumper and Rudolph antlers!! It was full of suspense, good characters and an interesting plot which kept you thinking of what was going to happen next! The perfect crime read for the Christmas season, and I’m really looking forward to another book in the series!!

#TheChristmasKillwe #NetGalley The first in a new series featuring DI Walker and set in the beautiful Cumbrian countryside. As I was reading this book I was enjoying it so much I was hoping that it would be the start of a series and I was delighted when I found out that it was. Well written with plenty of action and lots of twists and turns. The title may lead you to think it is a cozy murder mystery but not at all - a real thriller. I love the characters of DI Walker and his wife Annie. We got some teasers on their background but there is lots more to discover particularly in relation to the guy who was released from prison early on in the book with a grudge against DI Walker and who no doubt we will see in a future book! A great start to the series and I look forward to reading the next installment!

A bit of a stereotypical tale of murders in a village cut off by snow approaching Christmas. Starting off in London with the release of a gangster from prison the detective who put him inside moves to Cumbria his wife’s home village to avoid possible revenge. Of course the murders now start, The investigation jerks along to the shock denouement. A little light entertainment.

This was a bit of a slow start, but once you got past the background information the chapters just flew by. I started this two days ago and just finished it today. I am completely floored by how this book pulls you in. This is a perfect read to finish out spooky season reading! When it comes to reading mysteries I never predict the outcomes, and this was no different. I like books that keep you on your toes and have you constantly changing your opinion on what is going to happen.

4.5/5- Only giving it 4.5 because of the slower start!

I was sent this book by #netgalley as an advanced reading copy for my honest opinion and review of this.

I received this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. First of all, I would like to say that as excited as I was about this book, (Christmas and Killings), it did not hold my interest and I found myself only being able to read a chapter or two at a time. I don't know if that is specifically the book, or if it was me, so I cannot honestly say if this is a fast-paced or a very slow book. What I will say is that once I buckled down and read more than a couple chapters at a time, I did enjoy it.
DI James Walker and his wife Annie move back to her hometown, a small village in northern England. DI Walker receives a Christmas card stating that there will be one murdered villager, who deserves to die, for each of the twelve days of Christmas. DI Walker and his team try to find the murderer, amidst a blizzard that cuts them off from the rest of civilization.
If you find yourself bizarrely struggling like I did, do stick with it, it is worth the outcome.
This is the first book in a new series.
Thank you NetGalley, Alex Pine and Avon Books UK.

This book is brilliant. You are gripped from the very beginning. Annie and James are so likeable and their move out of London for a quieter and safer life is troubled from the outset. The murders start happening at a quick pace and I had no inkling who the murderer was until it was revealed in the book. I read the book in one day as I could not put it down.

3.5 stars rounded up to 4

DI James Walker 1

DI James Walker is ready for a quiet family Christmas in the sleepy village of Kirkby Abbey. But when he opens an early Christmas present that was left on his doorstep, inside the package is a gruesome surprise and a promise, twelve days, twelve murders. It isn't long before the first bodyb is found, half frozen in the snow.

In twelve days, twelve deserving people will die. DI James Walker is on the case. He is new to Cumbria. He moved to Kirkby Abbey from London with his wife, Annie for their own protection. The story drags out and the pace is slow. I had not idea who the killer was and this always makes a book a bit more interesting. The clues are cleverly hidden. There's a mixed bunch of characters and they all had secrets. This isna promising start to a new police procedural series and I look forward to reading the next installment.

I would like to thank #NetGalley, #AvonBooksUK and the author #AlexPine for my ARC in exchange for an honest review.

An enjoyable easy read set in a snow covered English village. The finger points here and there and keeps the reader engaged.
I liked the main character DI James Walker and this is a police procedural story with elements of Midsommer Murder because of the setting in a small village with a limited suspect base. The forecast snow storm makes the investigation more difficult than usual and there are plenty of clues and red herrings for readers to enjoy and to keep them guessing as to who the murderer could be. Happily by the end all loose ends are tied which is a big plus for me.

The twelve days of Christmas clearly means something different to someone in the village of Kirkby Abby that it does to the rest of us! Di James Walker needs a break- a break from work, a break from crime, a break from all of it- but he's not going to get to spend a quiet Christmas with his family. Nope. The killer has identified him and sent him a note outlining a plan- and one body is found almost immediately. Then there's the snow. The village is getting cut off and its residents are being dropped. No spoilers from me as to who dies or who does it. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. It's a fast paced read that will no doubt remind you of other novels in the locked space genre but it's entertaining.

A great festive who dunnit! Easily read in one sitting. DI James Walker relocates from London to the countryside where his wife, Annie grew up. One evening a package is left of the doorstep declaring there will be 12 murders over 12 days. The next day a body is found. Walker needs to solve the mystery of the killer quickly.
I liked the fast pace storyline and very enjoyable.

I was excited when I found this on Net Galley, a nice English mystery. I was not overall disappointed. The characters are extremely likeable and hopefully reoccurring. It was a good story that left one thinking they knew the answer only to change ones mind a few times before the end. But, even if one can figure out "whodunnit" that is not the only attraction of a mystery. One may know who the killer was but not exactly why and it is enjoyable to watch the story unfold. I will admit that in this story I did not figure it out until the very last. Granted I had my suspicions but that was all. The only real criticism I would have is to make the main character a bit less obtuse. In a few instances he missed some simple observations and had me yelling at the book. I know nothing about the author, on only just this reading I would think that he is a new hand at mystery and can only get better. A few more polishes here and there and maybe a more infallible main sleuth and there is a brilliant literary dynasty on his hands.

DI James Walker and his wife have recently relocated to a small remote village. It's a big change from London, but they're both working on fitting in. There's not much crime here and Walker finds himself a little bored ... he's used to all the 'big' crime in London. But when someone from their past gets out of prison prematurely, they are threatened and in order to appease his wife, they leave, and don't bother with a change of address note.

It's almost Christmas and Walker's thoughts are about decorating, buying presents, and his wife has invited his whole family to spend Christmas with them. Returning home after another long day, he finds an early Christmas on his front porch.

What he finds when he opens the box, inside is a grisly surprise with a note attached.

Think 12 days of Christmas ... promising a body for every day until Christmas. This was just the first. It's not too long before another body is found, buried in the snow.

How many more bodies will be found before the killer is caught? Is this connected to the reason they left London? Is there somewhere in their new home town who has taken issue with him and/or his family?

A new crime series is always welcome... especially when it begins with a lot of suspense that steadily increases until the very end. (No cliffhangers here). This is action packed and will keep you riveted from start to finish. The characters are solidly drawn lending credibility to the story. I look forward to more adventures of DI Walker.

Many thanks to the author / Avon Books / Netgalley for the digital copy of this crime fiction. Read and reviewed voluntarily, opinions expressed here are unbiased and entirely my own.

To be honest, I find there is more suspense with opening an advent calendar than there was in Pine’s murder mystery. I could not get a sense of danger and the perpetrator was too obvious.

The remote Cumbrian setting is intended to isolate the village, meaning there is no escape from this silent killer. I loved the excessive snow because it truly is synonymous to a jolly good Christmas! As such, I could vividly picture the silence as the snow falls, blanketing the village. James’s frustration to the weather did make me chuckle; having moved up from London, he struggles to see how life comes to a halt as a result of this extreme weather – such a recognisable quality!

The novel opens with a Prologue to establish what made James and his wife, Annie, move to Cumbria. However, this rapidly becomes a red-herring in the story and does not really feature. Indeed, I suspect this will become the basis of a future story in this series and I am sure the criminal will feature again.

Running around the village trying to find the killer, I found James’s approach rather slow and dull. His wife, Annie, was particularly grating and I was annoyed by her intrusive approach. She demands to know what is going on with the investigation and I was shocked with how much James shares with her – even down to crucial evidence! I did not find this realistic and it definitely lessened the impact of the story.

It takes a long time for the story to truly get going. It was only until I was 20% in did the first body appear. Consequently, I found the narrative quite mundane up until this point and this was a feeling that never truly disappeared, even as the tension is supposedly rising in the plot. There’s a lot of detail included in the story that I found was unnecessary and really slowed the pace down. I was left feeling bored and frustrated that there was not enough suspense and grit that the blurb appeared to suggest.

Despite my criticisms, this is a good candidate for a Christmas read. Aside from the obvious, it is not too gory or gritty to make you feel uncomfortable at such a festive time of year. Indeed, it almost felt like a cosy mystery because I could not fathom any danger and was not gripped by the plot development. Instead, it was a gentle read that eventually provided dead bodies and, finally, a killer at the end.

I was not blown away by this story. Should I read the next in the series, I am really hoping for something that has far more suspense and intrigue. For me, there was not enough of a thrill factor. I felt I was, like James, trudging through the snow trying to find some excitement.

With thanks to Avon books and NetGalley for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This is the first book I have had the opportunity to read and review via NetGalley and it has been a most enjoyable experience. I would give this book ‘ The Christmas Killer’ by Alex Pine 4 stars. This is a story full of twists and turns that kept me guessing right up to the very end. It is a murder mystery with all of the necessary grit to keep you hooked but none of the grim and gruesome details.
This is the first book in a new British crime thriller series and I am keen to learn more about the characters we have been introduced to, especially the detective James Walker. I want to thank NetGalley, the publishers Avon and the author Alex Pine for allowing me to read and share my own opinion of this book.
#books #reading #bookworm #firstreview #4stars #readersofinstagram #Netgalley #Alexpine #thechristmaskiller

Thank you to NetGalley and Avon Books Uk for this ARC!
"Twelve days, twelve murders, twelve victims. And they all deserve what's coming to them"
Merry Christmas Detective Walker, you get to play who's killing all these people for the holiday.
I give this book a solid 4⭐. It kept my attention and the story was interesting enough. I'm a sucker for a good detective/serial killer thriller.

The Christmas Killer is the first instalment in the Detective Inspector James Walker series and is a book as chaotic as the time of year it evokes. DI Walker has relocated to Cumbria CID, where he and wife, Annie, have moved into Annie’s mothers home bequeathed to her 18 months earlier, believing it'll be a change of pace from his previous police work in London, but little does he know, the serenity of the sleepy village of Kirkby Abbey is about to be shattered. One of James’s most high profile and dangerous convictions, Andrew Sullivan, has been released from prison unexpectedly, it having been deemed that he had been wrongly convicted. And on his mind is revenge against those who put him away with James and family being at the top of his list. Soon threats are being made. The decorations are up, the nativity is underway, the villagers are full of festive cheer and a blizzard of snow is predicted to be on its way. As Christmas approaches, James receives a present and card left on his doorstep. A dead partridge accompanied by a note stating that one villager, deserving of death, will be murdered for each of the 12 days of Christmas. As the snow begins to fall, and most are sipping mulled wine by the fireside, the body count begins to climb.

Although this starts out quite slowly, by introducing and building the central characters of James and Annie Walker in the prologue, once the scene is set the pace picks up and it becomes a dark, engaging and atmospheric police procedural. You may ask what could be more unsettling than a vengeful serial killer on the loose during the festive season but add to this a village of snowed-in residents and you have got yourself a Christie-esque ”locked room” thriller which has a mix of cosy elements associated with Christmas, some masterfully-executed twists and some incredibly threatening elements doled out by a killer who doesn't feel he has anything to lose. I didn't really get a good feel for the James and Annie but as it's just the first instalment I'm hoping in upcoming books we will get to learn more and see them develop as people. I also expected it to feel more Christmassy than it did but I'm not complaining about that at all as it's a perhaps a little early for festive-themed reads. There's quite a large suspect pool which keeps things interesting and I definitely felt the tension throughout and the Lake District location was remote and perfect. Many thanks to Avon for an ARC.

I was compelled to read this book as soon as I saw the cover. I love a good seasonal crime thriller and nothing better than a Christmas one!

I really enjoyed the premise and how it was written. It took me a while to get into it but once the investigation started I really enjoyed it.

Although I found that some parts were predictable I still enjoyed to find out that my guesses were right. I enjoyed DI James character and would definitely like to see more from him but I didn’t really relate to Annie as a character.

Overall, although it can be slow at times and there are some predictability, I still enjoyed the plot and found the book well written and I would recommend it to crime fiction fans.

I would like to thank Netgalley and Avon Books UK for an advanced digital copy of this book in exchange for an honest and unbiased review

This is a great read and an original concept for a crime thriller.
James and Annie move up to a village in Cumbria after some trouble in London.
All seems ok but James is a bit bored with the small amount of crime in the village. That soon changes when he receives a sinister gift along with a card that explains 12 murders will be carried on in the lead up to Christmas.
The first victim is soon found and James is unsure if it’s just a coincidence with the message he received.
When another body is found and a note saying she deserved it, he takes the cards seriously.
It’s a small village where everyone thinks they know each other but it appears some residents have been keeping secrets and the killer is punishing them.
This is a gripping crime thriller that had me hooked throughout the book.
Thanks to Avon Books UK and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book.

Thank you to NetGalley and Avon Books UK for kindly providing me with a digital copy of this book for review.
I really enjoyed this Christmas set thriller. I don’t tend to read that many thrillers- preferring my crime to be on the cozy side, but this wasn’t too psychologically challenging and I feel it had more of a Midsummer Murders feel to it.
I also have to pat myself on the back as I had guessed who the murderer was by the second death, but that didn’t spoil it for me- it was fun seeing if my suspicions were correct.
There were a few points which didn’t sit right with me but I did enjoy the character forming and felt the plot moved along at the right pace. Would definitely recommend and will most likely continue with the series.

I enjoyed this book very much, there aren't enough thrillers set around Christmas IMHO.
I liked the setting and DI Alexander, although his wife grated on my nerves.
The 'perp' got me guessing and I had a couple in mind.

All in.all a good book. Hoping there's more to come

DI James Walker, who has just moved from London to a small village in Cumbria, comes home to find a present on his doorstep. Inside is a dead partridge and a Christmas card promising 12 murders in the run up to Christmas.

The cover is striking really made me want to read this, and I love Christmas themed crime fiction. I found this a quick, fun read which hooked me in straight away. Most of the action is in the first half of the book, and the pace of the second half is much slower. I did guess fairly early on who the killer was but it didn't spoil my enjoyment of the book, though I do feel the ending was a little rushed. It is an interesting start to a new series, and I will certainly read book 2 when it comes out.

I started with reading a sample/teaser of this book. It was enough to get me hooked and I was thrilled when I got the chance to read the full book.
This is the first I have read of this author and it's the first in a series, that means I know I will have more to look forward to in the near future.
Never knowing what you are going to get when reading from a new author to me, I have to go in with an open mind. This book didn't disappoint, It was interesting, enthralling and gripping.
I genuinely didn't have a clue who was 'the Christmas Killer' and a little surprised when I did find out. Enough twists and turns in this book to keep you on the edge and guessing.
Moving from city life to village life is going to be so different for DI James Walker. He's moving for an easier pace of life. Just knowing that you know that where ever he goes it is not going to be quite. He's going to be dragged into something. That is exactly what happens.

Get a mug of hot chocolate, and put your feet up. get ready for a thrilling read. Enjoy!

A brilliant story that kept you hooked in until the end, you never knew who would end up dead next. The intrigue around it all and the characters were very well written, I loved this and read it in a couple of days.

A really good whodunit! Lots of characters and plenty of red herrings. A small village with virtually no crime is suddenly a target for a serial killer. Who could possibly be killing in this sleepy place without getting caught even with police patrolling? And why is someone taunting police with Christmas cards? Can't wait to read more in this (hopefully!) series.
I received a free copy of this book from Netgalley and the publisher and voluntarily chose to review it.

I so enjoyed reading this book,the more I read the better it got!
A great story line and I especially liked the interaction between the police Inspector James and his wife Annie.
Loved the little bit of background information at the start of the book and how it impacted on the story being told..
A totally compulsive read and I cannot wait for the next book from this author!

This book was enjoyable in that the plot was well-written and the suspense was sustained throughout. I personally did not guess the identity of the killer, which is always a plus, and keeps the reader on their toes and wanting to finish the book. I would therefore recommend The Christmas Killer to all crime novel fans as I am sure that they would enjoy it.

I love a good crime story, and this one is definitely one of the better ones I’ve read this year. When I started reading, I was instantly immersed in the story, followed the investigations, and kept thinking about who could be the Christmas killer. Very well written book, with a compelling story, where something happens every other chapter and you really really want to keep reading until you finish the book. I can only recommend it.

I’ve always loved crime and mysteries on television, but it was only during lockdown that I managed to get into reading them – and now I’m hooked!

This is an amazing debut novel from Alex Pine and I’m really looking forward to reading future books by the same author.

The story starts off in Tottenham, where DI Walker and his wife, Annie, live, but then we’re taken to Cumbria. Annie has inherited the family home in the village of Kirkby Abbey and when she gets a fright connected to her husband’s job, she starts to persuade him to move to a safer area. They’re only up there for a short time when a killer strikes, promising to kill a person on each of the twelve days of Christmas. Maybe Kirkby Abbey isn’t safer than North London after all?!

A brilliant, well-written story that I didn’t want to put down.

Thank you to NetGalley and Avon for an advance reader copy in return for an honest review.

Twelve days of Christmas, twelve murders all in one little town. Each victim deserves to die says the killer but why and who might the victims be. Can DI James Walker figure out who the killer is and why he received the first clue could it be someone from his past?

What a ride this was. I had no clue who the killer was until right at the end. It was well written and kept me guessing. The story itself is well paced, building to a dramatic climax with a clever unmasking of the killer. The ending was brilliant and finished the story off just right. I want more from James. The plot was clever and left you guessing who the victim might be or what they did to deserve dying. I liked how it all came together. James is really likeable as is his wife Annie. They work well as a couple and added more depth to his character. A great festive read for those who don't like light and fluffy but want a mystery.