This is not an ARC copy, so I was surprised to find several glaring grammatical errors in the book, early on- especially as the book has a seasoned publisher. This debut thriller is pretty rough around the edges. In blizzard like conditions a body is found in the snow – the potential first victim with eleven more to follow if the killer isn’t stopped… Just as they begin to settle into the small Cumbrian village, and a much slower, and hopefully less dangerous life, an ominous package arrives on their doorstep with a note attached which threatens a twelve-day reign of terror ala the Twelve Days of Christmas. When a dangerous criminal is released from prison, who happens to carry a grudge against DI James Walker, his wife insists they move away from the city. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and would highly recommend it to anyone who is a fan of murder mysteries.The Christmas Killer by Alex Pine is a 2020 Avon publication. In terms of the main characters, I found Annie a bit annoying because of her constant whining but DI James is a very likable detective, and I would definitely look forward to read more of him. There were instances when the investigation would slow down and some clues overlooked, but that didn’t affect my reading experience. Following my regular tradition of trying to take a guess as to who could be the killer, I did the same with this one and I was glad when I found out that my guess was right. Despite being a small village there are quite a few suspicious characters.

The murders are cruel but the method of passing the messages from the killer to DI James was creative and a perfect fit in with the spirit of the season. 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. 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. 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. Not long after, the first body is found, half frozen in the snow.Īs 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… Inside is a gruesome surprise, and a promise–twelve days, twelve murders. But when he opens an early Christmas present left on his doorstep, he soon realizes it is no gift. After shifting to the sleepy village of Kirkby Abbey he is ready for a quiet family Christmas.

The christmas killer by alex pine