Author: Lisa Unger
Publisher: Penzler Publishers
Publication Date: October 2023
Genre: Mystery / Thriller
Buy the Book: Amazon | BN | Audible
Description: Instead of presents this Christmas, one true crime podcaster is opening up a cold case…
When true crime podcaster Harley Granger drifts into Madeline Martin's bookshop days before Christmas, he seems intent on digging up a past that Madeline would much rather forget.
Granger's work has earned him fame and wealth - and some serious criticism for his various unethical practices. Granger also has a lot of questions about the night Madeline was left for dead, the only surviving victim of killer Evan Handy.
Handy, who also murdered Madeline's best friend and is suspected in the disappearance of two local sisters, has been in jail for a decade. Since then, though, three other young women have gone missing in similar circumstances. Is the true predator still out there somewhere?
As Christmas approaches and a blizzard bears down, Madeline must confront the past to answer questions that have haunted her since that day. Is the truth more terrible than she ever imagined?
Coupling a picturesque, cozy setting with a deeply unsettling and suspenseful plot, Christmas Presents is a chilling seasonal tale that can be enjoyed all year long.
My Thoughts: I was super excited to see Lisa Unger had published a Christmas thriller and though it’s not what most people would call a full-size story, it packs quite the punch and is a fairly quick read. Readers who enjoy some bloodshed underneath the Christmas tree will enjoy this story quite a bit. The Christmas ambience was there as well as the sinister chill in the air.
I really liked Madeline and loved that she owns her own bookstore. After the events that occurred when she was seventeen, she has come a long way trying heal from the trauma of seeing her friend murdered and nearly losing her life as well. She still bears the scars, physical, emotional and psychological from that night but she has worked hard to build a life beyond that and doesn’t want to be defined by that alone.
When Harley Granger shows up out of the blue, Madeline is less than happy. He walks a very fine line ethically and his work as a true crime podcaster has earned him a lot of notoriety, fame and wealth. He is investigating Madeline’s case and wants to interview her.
I liked Madeline right away. I admired her spirit and determination. I had a hard time warming up to Harley. True crime podcasts are rapidly gaining in popularity lately but it just seemed like he was more intent on the ratings this story would give him instead of the lives that were lost and the ones that were damaged.
Adding to the suspense are the women who have gone missing over the last several years. The man who tried to murder Madeline has been sentenced to life without parole for his crimes, so the big question stands out whether he is really innocent or is there a copycat?
The author does an amazing job of building on the tension for the reader and I loved how the story visits both the past and present from Madeline’s point of view as well as the perception of the most recent missing woman. I felt so much anxiety over whether she would be rescued in time and who was behind this. The author doesn’t disappoint with the twists in the story and some big surprises I didn’t see coming.
My Final Verdict: I highly recommend this book to fans of this author as well as readers who enjoy thrillers and suspense stories. I look forward to reading more of this author’s work.
Thank you to the publisher, Penzler Publishers, who provided an advance reader copy of this book via NetGalley.
No comments:
Post a Comment