This post is going to be a little different to my usual review posts – it’s going to be a round up of the festive fiction I’ve read this Christmas season. Enjoy!

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The Christmas Jigsaw Murders by Alexandra Benedict

When retired teacher and crossword setting extraordinaire Edie receives a mystery note and even more mysterious jigsaw pieces, her interest is piqued. When a body appears, connected to the parcel, and more of both continue to appear, she can’t help but investigate against police advice. She finds herself in a race against time to beat the police to stop a very personal Christmas Eve murder. ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Murder at the Christmas Emporium by Andreina Cordani

A seemingly unconnected group of individuals receive a special invite to the Christmas Emporium – a place filled with festive magic. But when they find themselves trapped inside after hours and the guests dying in unpleasant circumstances, things turn dark. As the evening proceeds, the victims come to uncover their perceived crimes and the one person who connects them all. ⭐⭐⭐⭐

The Christmas Cracker Killer by Alexandra Benedict

Another cracking, grisly festive murder mystery derails Edie O’Sullivan’s plans for a quiet, luxurious Christmas at the soft launch of a hotel on a Scottish island. As the perfect soft-launch unravels with ominous portents and bodies piling up on the isolated isle, Edie and Shaun find themselves in a race to catch a killer before Christmas Day. Another fun, fast murder mystery at the most wonderful time of the year. ⭐⭐⭐⭐

The Christmas Eve Murders by Noelle Allbright

When your car breaks down in a small Yorkshire Dales village on Christmas Eve as the snow sets in, what do you do? You accept the kindness of strangers and head to the local pub. When it’s clear there’s no rescue coming through the storm, a pub scavenger hunt seems a fun way to pass the time. Until a body turns up. The only suspects are locked in the pub. It makes for a thrilling Christmas Eve as the pub patrons seek to survive the night and unmask the murderer in their midst. ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Murder on the Christmas Express by Alexandra Benedict

A sleeper train to the Scottish highlands should have been the end of a career in the police and the start of a new life as a grandparent. That is, until a social media star turns up dead. When her abusive partner suffers a similar fate, followed by a student and a quizzer, it seems retirement will have to wait as a killer needs catching. A fantastic read for the festive season.⭐⭐⭐⭐

The Christmas Magpie by Mark Edwards

When Dani and Noel buy their first home together, they look forward to their first Christmas together. A street Christmas lights switch-on and festive parties give them a sense of community. That is, until strange and unsettling packages and happenings start to occur. When the pattern seems to mimic a locally-imprisoned murderer, Lucy, and her pattern of harassment, things take a dark and deadly turn. This one is definitely my pick of the festive reads for this year. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

King of Christmas by JE Rowney

A DNF is a rarity for me, but at the time of writing this is looking increasingly likely for this choose your own festive thriller. I’m struggling to engage with the characters, and the narrative choices aren’t overly compelling. If I do make it to the end of this and find it improves, I’ll revise my review, but I’m not holding out hope on this one.⭐⭐