The Christmas Murder Game
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- Create Date：2021-11-10 08:51:17
- Update Date：2025-09-07
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- Author：Alexandra Benedict
- ISBN：1838775382
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Summary
Follow the clues。 Find the fortune。 Solve the Mystery。 This Christmas is to die for。 Let the game begin。。。
'Endgame has kept our secrets for half a century， now it's time for it， and its secrets， to have a new owner。'
When Lily returns home to her aunt's manor house， she discovers that in order to inherit， she and her estranged cousins must stay together over the Christmas week and take part in a family tradition: the annual treasure hunt。
But as they are drawn deeper into the game， the clues seem to point not to the deeds to the manor house， but to the key to a twenty-year-old mystery: what really happened to Lily's mother？
As a snowstorm cuts them off from the village， it becomes apparent that the game has turned deadly and that Lily is fighting for more than just an inheritance: she is now fighting for her life。 Does she have what it takes to survive？
12 clues， 12 keys and 12 days of Christmas for the heirs of Endgame House to find their inheritance， but how many will die before Twelfth Night？
'Endgame has kept our secrets for half a century， now it's time for it， and its secrets， to have a new owner。'
When Lily returns home to her aunt's manor house， she discovers that in order to inherit， she and her estranged cousins must stay together over the Christmas week and take part in a family tradition: the annual treasure hunt。
But as they are drawn deeper into the game， the clues seem to point not to the deeds to the manor house， but to the key to a twenty-year-old mystery: what really happened to Lily's mother？
As a snowstorm cuts them off from the village， it becomes apparent that the game has turned deadly and that Lily is fighting for more than just an inheritance: she is now fighting for her life。 Does she have what it takes to survive？
12 clues， 12 keys and 12 days of Christmas for the heirs of Endgame House to find their inheritance， but how many will die before Twelfth Night？
Reviews
Tania （dreamyangel_in_disguise）
，
I love mistery thrillers ans this one had me from the synopsis。The clues and sonnets were bloody brilliant and the way Lily solved them made me admire her mind。 She's such a great and smart character and has the murders were happening （also adding to the murders in the past）， the question who did it came over and over again。I suspected a couple of people but after a certain time， I started suspecting the person who ended up to really being the murderer。 As it came closer to the end and the revel I love mistery thrillers ans this one had me from the synopsis。The clues and sonnets were bloody brilliant and the way Lily solved them made me admire her mind。 She's such a great and smart character and has the murders were happening （also adding to the murders in the past）， the question who did it came over and over again。I suspected a couple of people but after a certain time， I started suspecting the person who ended up to really being the murderer。 As it came closer to the end and the revelations start unfolding， my mind 2as blown。The only thing I'd change is the 3rs person narrative。 I'd rather it was all in 1st person narrative: Lily od course。 Great book for people who like misteries。 。。。more
Chloe
，
Really wanted to like this but couldn't get into it 😭 have up half way Really wanted to like this but couldn't get into it 😭 have up half way 。。。more
Dannii Elle
，
Actual rating 4。5/5 stars。"Follow the clues。 Find the fortune。 Solve the Mystery。 This Christmas is to die for。 Let the game begin 。 。 。"Lily is an impoverished artist who reluctantly returns to her family's manor home for the Christmas festivities。 The games this family play are far different from that of most others， however。 Twelve clues are dropped on the twelve days of Christmas and twelve keys are scattered throughout the house for Lily and her relatives to find。 This has long been a tradi Actual rating 4。5/5 stars。"Follow the clues。 Find the fortune。 Solve the Mystery。 This Christmas is to die for。 Let the game begin 。 。 。"Lily is an impoverished artist who reluctantly returns to her family's manor home for the Christmas festivities。 The games this family play are far different from that of most others， however。 Twelve clues are dropped on the twelve days of Christmas and twelve keys are scattered throughout the house for Lily and her relatives to find。 This has long been a tradition but the prize this year far exceeds all others。 The first individual to uncover the secret room will receive the entire house， and the land it resides upon， as their own。 Lily's prize differs however， as she is playing to discern which， amongst all those gathered， are keeping secrets about her mother's death。This read like the adult version of The Inheritance Games， which is a YA thriller series with a similar premise， mixed with the beloved game of Cluedo， given the setting and dual mystery that is presented。 I was immediately invested in guessing the answers to the riddles， anagrams， and clues that featured throughout this， as well as discovering who， amongst this large cast， could be trusted。 Answers to both were definitely had fought for。I did guess most of what the ending would contain and did find the trajectory a little predictable in places， but this did not detract from the fun I had whilst reading it， nor did I feel let down by all the conclusion consisted of。The plot initially captured my attention， but it was the quality of the writing that entirely captivated it。 This may not be a style for all readers， as it relies heavily upon simile and metaphor throughout， but I adored how inventive Benedict was with her prose and how vividly she conjured each scene， setting， and character for the reader。The plot included "twists and turns like a conversation"。 Lily describes a family member as "talk[ing] so quietly， as if he doesn't want his words to disturb the world。 His voice [was] loam-rich and grave-deep as he read of the dead。" Interactions are depicted as containing "the restful quiet of two people who can be silent with each other settl[ing] over them like an extra duvet。 Darkness tucks them up tight。" And similarities between setting， character， and plot are continually drawn:"His voice is monotone， as flat as the pane of glass between him and the freezing fog that haunts the grounds。 Lily can't see the woods or any trees at all。 Everything is a mystery in white。 'Is this how you feel？' she asks。 'As if you're covered in mist？'Ronnie nods。 'Cold。 Numb。 Like there's nothing in front of me。'"This all combined to completely enchant me and ensured that Alexandra Benedict is an author I will read anything， and most probably everything， from in the future。I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review。 Thank you to the author， Alexandra Benedict， and the publisher， Zaffre， for this opportunity。 。。。more
Dee
，
I was hooked on this book from the opening chapter。 This is a clever and captivating read。 Being set at Christmas gives it a cosy vibe but the tension is served up from the first chapter。 I would highly recommend this novel。
What Is Chelle Reading
，
When Lily’s aunt， Liliana， passes away she has no choice but to return to Endgame House。 She has to go back to play The Christmas Game in order to find out what really happened to her mother。I literally sped-read this one， it was so good！ With the members of a dysfunctional family all locked in a house with no phones， in a snowstorm for 12 days it results in nothing short of a page turner。 The characters are all lovable， well maybe not Sara， but the rest！ With added games from the author for rea When Lily’s aunt， Liliana， passes away she has no choice but to return to Endgame House。 She has to go back to play The Christmas Game in order to find out what really happened to her mother。I literally sped-read this one， it was so good！ With the members of a dysfunctional family all locked in a house with no phones， in a snowstorm for 12 days it results in nothing short of a page turner。 The characters are all lovable， well maybe not Sara， but the rest！ With added games from the author for readers to play as we go along it is a brilliant read for anyone coming into the festive season。 I highly recommend！ 。。。more
Noemi Proietti
，
Lily Armitage hasn’t been back to Endgame House since her mother’s death when she was young。 But， following the death of her aunt Lillian， she has no choice but spend Christmas in the family home with her estranged cousins for the reading of the will and to take part in the traditional Christmas Games。 Starting on Christmas Day and for the next twelve days， Lily and her cousins will have to solve the clues left by their aunt to find the keys and win and inherit Endgame House。Lily has always been Lily Armitage hasn’t been back to Endgame House since her mother’s death when she was young。 But， following the death of her aunt Lillian， she has no choice but spend Christmas in the family home with her estranged cousins for the reading of the will and to take part in the traditional Christmas Games。 Starting on Christmas Day and for the next twelve days， Lily and her cousins will have to solve the clues left by their aunt to find the keys and win and inherit Endgame House。Lily has always been good in solving the clues in the previous games， but she is not playing to win the house， but because， in a letter， her aunt promised that winning the game would reveal who really killed her mother。 As a snowstorm cuts them off from the outside world， people start dying and， unless someone managed to get into the house， it means that the killer is one of them。 But who can Lily trust？I really enjoyed The Christmas Murder Game。 It is suspenseful， full of twists and surprises， and so well-written that I found it difficult to put it down。 I liked the setting of a big remote house， with its many rooms and also a maze， where it become very easy to get rid of someone。The characters are intriguing and suspicious。 Everyone has its own motive to take part in the game， inheritance aside， and， at one time or other， I suspected everyone and I didn’t see the truth coming。Thrilling and unpredictable， with strong Agatha Christie vibes – like in And Then There Were None， who will survive？ – The Christmas Murder Game is the perfect immersive read to enjoy as the days turn colder and in front of a fire with a nice cup of hot chocolate。 。。。more
Holly Reynolds
，
This book is a tough one for me to review。 I loved the premise of it - making it sound ver Agatha Christie， and who doesn’t love a puzzling mystery。I found the pace to be quite slow， however， I was eager to keep reading。 I managed to guess the who myself， but I just HAD to find out the why。This was a good read if you enjoy trying to figure out whodunnit for yourself， and there’s even some readers’ challenges to keep your mind ticking over。
Sarah Sansom
，
The Christmas Murder Game is a highly enjoyable and well-plotted whodunnit， whose locked-room plot exudes golden-age intrigue against a Cluedo backdrop。 Whilst this is predominantly a cosy murder mystery - the roaring fires， afternoon teas， and pre-dinner cocktail gatherings all create the illusion of etiquette and bonhomie - the murders certainly stand out for their unexpected gruesomeness。 And if the grizzly deaths don’t startle you out of your arm-chair comfort， perhaps the descriptive remova The Christmas Murder Game is a highly enjoyable and well-plotted whodunnit， whose locked-room plot exudes golden-age intrigue against a Cluedo backdrop。 Whilst this is predominantly a cosy murder mystery - the roaring fires， afternoon teas， and pre-dinner cocktail gatherings all create the illusion of etiquette and bonhomie - the murders certainly stand out for their unexpected gruesomeness。 And if the grizzly deaths don’t startle you out of your arm-chair comfort， perhaps the descriptive removal of dead bodies to the ice house in Endgame House’s extensive grounds might give you pause for thought。The lavishly-catered， country house setting， with the trappings of bleak winter weather， and the gathering of a large， intensely dysfunctional and avaricious family all evoke a distinctly Christie-esque vibe。 This sensation is enhanced by the enforced confiscation of all the characters’ mobile-tech devices by the family solicitor … all in the name of fulfilling the rather capricious last wishes of Aunt Lilian。For twelve days， Lily and her cousins are pitched against one another in a deeply divisive treasure hunt， with daily clues each leading to a hidden key。 The person who solves the most clues and holds the most keys at the end of this cut-throat contest will inherit Endgame House。 For the greedy and competitive family members， it’s a game whose rules can be stretched to their very limit。At the centre of the story is Lily; a quirky， non-conformist dress maker who eschews the company of others and relishes a simple， quiet life。 Aged just twelve， Lily discovered her mother’s lifeless body in the famous Endgame House maze; an event that’s shaped her every waking moment since then。 She was adopted by her mother’s sister， Liliana， and grew up on the fringes of a spiteful step-sibling relationship with her cousins。 Lily was always led to believe her mother ended her own life， but a posthumous letter from Aunt Liliana inviting Lily to Endgame House some twenty years later for one final Christmas Game explains that her mother， Mariana’s， death was murder。 This letter forms the opening scenes of the book， and I have to admit I realised I would have to bite my tongue just a bit … who on earth would send a letter with such a massive bombshell and then insist the only way to find out the truth behind the murder is to play a twisted， twelve-day long game？！ Yes， it was a heck of a stretch … but there was something rather beguiling about the story-telling that kept me hooked。In a deeply unsettling trip down memory lane， Lily is forced to confront the living and the dead， as a heavy snowfall traps her in the remote mansion house with her fractious family。 Ghosts rattle round the rooms as she relives bittersweet childhood memories， bringing both her individual story and that of the family to life with compelling twists， and vividly descriptive scenes。The author has really flexed her mystery-writing prowess with The Christmas Murder Game; not content with posing a puzzle for her characters to solve， there are also clues within the chapters for us to spot and decode。 What a wonderfully inventive and fun way of embedding her readers right in the heart of the story。 Our clues are both festively themed， and an homage to some of literature’s great country house Christmas mysteries。 How she managed to weave the sinuous plot of the novel with all its puzzles and overlay it with an additional layer of complexity is genuinely admirable。The Christmas Murder Game is brimming with atmosphere and foreboding， noticeably laden with illustrative metaphors and similes （the story wouldn’t have suffered for reining these in just a bit）， and a cast of well-written characters。 It’s an easy read， making it absolutely perfect for a spot of winter escapism， with twists and misdirections keeping me guessing throughout the well-plotted mystery。 I’m afraid I didn’t keep up my end of the bargain though … I didn’t solve all the reader-puzzles as I have to say I found myself rather too absorbed in the goings-on at Endgame House， distracted from my quest by a very enjoyable story。 。。。more
Wendy Robey
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Wow！ This brilliant， clever story had me gripped from the very beginning and I could not put it down。 Christie and locked room vibes aplenty， this had me looking at every character with suspicion， guessing at every sonnet， and trying to work out every clue。 Such a wonderful twisted concept and I loved the sound of Aunt Liliana。
zoe Hitchen
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A great who dunnit！ This book is a great read the writing is of a high calibre and full of clever twists and turns。 The book is very much in the style of Agatha Christie and just as congenial。 I can’t really describe the plot it really needs to be read with no prior knowledge to fully appreciate it。A wonderful read on a cold snowy winters day ， sit back and enjoy the ride。Highly recommended！
☕Brenda☕
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Wishy washy thriller that is both simple， and repetitive。Like hello we got it the first 100 times。It reminded me of all the recent " group of friends go off together somewhere， and murder happens"。I can only read that premise once and have it actually be an enjoyable read。So if you like the above quoted description then you'll probably like the book。 ⭐⭐⭐ Wishy washy thriller that is both simple， and repetitive。Like hello we got it the first 100 times。It reminded me of all the recent " group of friends go off together somewhere， and murder happens"。I can only read that premise once and have it actually be an enjoyable read。So if you like the above quoted description then you'll probably like the book。 ⭐⭐⭐ 。。。more
Liz Barnsley
，
The Christmas Murder Game is wildly entertaining- a chilly， locked room mystery that echoes a classic Agatha Christie tale and offers the reader their own game to play within the novel。A family gathers， one of them will walk away with an inheritance but first they must solve the clues。。then a killer strikes and the stakes are suddenly much higher。 Fun to read， fun to unravel ， with excellent writing and plotting- darkly delicious as the bodies pile up and the snow keeps falling， there's a cosy s The Christmas Murder Game is wildly entertaining- a chilly， locked room mystery that echoes a classic Agatha Christie tale and offers the reader their own game to play within the novel。A family gathers， one of them will walk away with an inheritance but first they must solve the clues。。then a killer strikes and the stakes are suddenly much higher。 Fun to read， fun to unravel ， with excellent writing and plotting- darkly delicious as the bodies pile up and the snow keeps falling， there's a cosy sense of menace to the whole thing which sounds contradictory but is true none the less。I loved it。 I found nearly all the hidden elements and also guessed the killer so I'm pretty smug all in all。Recommended。 。。。more
Martha Hudson
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A very entertaining and intriuging murder mystery， set in a remote country house in a snowstorm。 Just my cup of tea！ There is a difference to this story in that there are clues and anagrams and extra puzzles for the reader to solve along the way。 You don't have to though， it reads just as well without the need to stop and unpick word puzzles if you prefer。。 I liked the traditional big country house environment but with the modern day setting。 It's pacy， there are plenty of twists and bumps in th A very entertaining and intriuging murder mystery， set in a remote country house in a snowstorm。 Just my cup of tea！ There is a difference to this story in that there are clues and anagrams and extra puzzles for the reader to solve along the way。 You don't have to though， it reads just as well without the need to stop and unpick word puzzles if you prefer。。 I liked the traditional big country house environment but with the modern day setting。 It's pacy， there are plenty of twists and bumps in the night。 I enjoyed the characters and it's a great plot。 If you like the sound of it， you'll probably enjoy it， great fun！ 。。。more
Emma G
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I quite enjoyed this， it was a nice murder at Christmas book that was easy to get into。 At times I felt I was a picturesque murder mystery weekend， and was pleased I wasn't part because my brain don't work with those clues！ I think that some of the outcomes where a bit obvious， but it was the getting there that made it enjoyable I quite enjoyed this， it was a nice murder at Christmas book that was easy to get into。 At times I felt I was a picturesque murder mystery weekend， and was pleased I wasn't part because my brain don't work with those clues！ I think that some of the outcomes where a bit obvious， but it was the getting there that made it enjoyable 。。。more
Annarella
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This is a quite dark and complex Christmas murder novel。 I think it's a sort of homage to the complex puzzle of Golden Age mysteries and it uses some of the GAD trops delivering an original and gripping novel。We are used to think as Golden Age mystery as light and cozy forgetting that some of them are quite dark and the families are usually dysfunctional。The characters are not likeable， I wouldn't be happy to spend time with them。 Lily， the MC， is damaged and still grieving the death of her moth This is a quite dark and complex Christmas murder novel。 I think it's a sort of homage to the complex puzzle of Golden Age mysteries and it uses some of the GAD trops delivering an original and gripping novel。We are used to think as Golden Age mystery as light and cozy forgetting that some of them are quite dark and the families are usually dysfunctional。The characters are not likeable， I wouldn't be happy to spend time with them。 Lily， the MC， is damaged and still grieving the death of her mother。Other characters are simply nasty but all of them are fleshed out。I wasn't able to solve the puzzles but I found them fascinating。The mystery is solid and， even if I guessed some twists， it kept me reading。There are some repetition and some less repetition of how Lily is feeling would have helped。Recommended。Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC， all opinions are mine 。。。more
Jonathan
，
Thanks to Bonnier Books for a review copy。I was very interested to read a novel by Alexandra Benedict having only encountered her work in audio drama before。This novel is the perfect festive read for those who enjoy a good mystery。 The central character of the novel， Lily， is persuaded， much against her better judgement， to spend the twelve days of Christmas at her childhood home where a series of games will be played with other members of the family。 So far so traditional but this year there is Thanks to Bonnier Books for a review copy。I was very interested to read a novel by Alexandra Benedict having only encountered her work in audio drama before。This novel is the perfect festive read for those who enjoy a good mystery。 The central character of the novel， Lily， is persuaded， much against her better judgement， to spend the twelve days of Christmas at her childhood home where a series of games will be played with other members of the family。 So far so traditional but this year there is a difference; the matriarch of the family， Lily’s aunt and adoptive mother has died and has left instructions that the winner of the games will win the house and all the family fortune… For Lily there is an added incentive。 She has never returned since her mother committed suicide two decades ago but now her recently deceased aunt has promised that she will also learn the truth of that terrible day - but only if she plays。The story is set in Yorkshire and the weather is bad， soon after their arrival the family find themselves snowed in with only each other and the mysterious Mrs Castle for company。 Then the games begin。Whilst plenty of Christmas mysteries take place in snowed-in mansions I have never come across one like this。 Lily has only agreed to take part so that she can find out what really happened the night her mother died and has no interest in winning the house but her cousins have very different ideas。Each of twelve days of Christmas has a clue in the form of a sonnet which leads to a key。 These sonnets have been beautifully constructed by the author to provide hours of entertainment for the reader as we try， along with Lily， to solve the anagrams， acrostics， hidden words and other clues concealed within them。 For extra head scratching entertainment we are also encouraged to spot an anagram of the relevant line from ‘The Twelve Days of Christmas’ in each of the days as well as the names of twelve festive crime novels cunningly hidden in the text。 This is a book which the puzzle enthusiast will savour – I will definitely buy a copy of the physical book so that I can enjoy the word play and word games over and over again。Lily is a keen sewer and I pictured her as a contestant on the Great British Sewing Bee。 Although she is an excellent puzzle solver she stumbles towards the larger truth slowly and and does not piece together the physical clues to the larger mystery until the very end。 As I reader I felt I could share her journey rather than just feeling as though she had Herculean deductive powers。The rest of the family are a mixed bunch; all well differentiated from one another。 As often in these types of stories some of the people are so dysfunctional that it almost impossible to believe in them but then there are some very strange folk around and forced family get togethers do tend to bring out the worst in people！The story is fun and well written though the ending is quite predictable。 But then this book is not really about the ending but about the Lily’s journey and， as such， it is wholly different from anything which I have read before。 It is written in the present tense which I normally don’t like but it works extremely well here and gives pace to the narrative。My only criticism is that there are rather too many similes which give some sections an unnecessary air of pretentiousness that detracts from， rather than adds to， the fun of the novel。 The writing is such that we could easily picture the characters and settings without the slightly forced similes that seem very out of place。 Other than that I thoroughly enjoyed my twelve days at Endgame House and I recommend this book to anyone who likes to lose themselves in a good puzzle as the nights draw in and the snow starts to fall。 。。。more
Maria
，
Oh my goodness， I loved this book。 I gobbled it up in one sitting。 The story is set over the Christmas holidays， running from Christmas Eve to the 12th January as a family attempt to unravel cryptic clues and avoid a killer to complete the annual 'Christmas game' as they compete to 'win' their inheritance of the family estate。 Our protagonist Lily is returning to Endgame House for the first time in over 21 tears。 She has no wish to return and only does so after receiving a letter from her recent Oh my goodness， I loved this book。 I gobbled it up in one sitting。 The story is set over the Christmas holidays， running from Christmas Eve to the 12th January as a family attempt to unravel cryptic clues and avoid a killer to complete the annual 'Christmas game' as they compete to 'win' their inheritance of the family estate。 Our protagonist Lily is returning to Endgame House for the first time in over 21 tears。 She has no wish to return and only does so after receiving a letter from her recently deceased Aunt Liliana - a letter that emotionally blackmails forces Lily in attending Endgame House for the 'game'。 Under the terms of the will the potential beneficiaries must participate in one final version of the annual Christmas Game as created by Liliana over the years。 Now， Lily is reluctantly reunited with her cousins and it's not long before old feelings of resentment rise and the group are fighting with each other。 Each day the group are faced with a cryptic clue （as long as they participate in all meals， remain at the house etc）。 When the weather worsens， the group realise that they are now snowed in and there is no way to connect with the 'outside' world。 And then the murders start 。。。。。There is a wonderful sense of the 'golden age' of mysteries in this book， filled with twists and puzzles。 The group are isolated and do not know who - if anyone - to trust。 Memories of Agatha Christie come to mind - and cannot think of a better recommendation。 This is a wonderfully original and intriguing tale with the added bonus on a 'game' for the reader to play。 Also， despite the title and Christmassy setting， this book can be read at any time of the year so don't miss out。 。。。more
The Cookster
，
Rating: 3。2/5Firstly， I would like to point out that although this is entitled "The Christmas Murder Game" it could equally well be read at any time of year and I hope people do not dismiss is as purely a seasonal read。 In this respect it shares something in common with Agatha Christie's "Hallowe'en Party"。 This is an enjoyable murder mystery with some fun elements that has its roots firmly in the "Golden Age" tradition， but with something of a modern day makeover。 Following the death of her Aun Rating: 3。2/5Firstly， I would like to point out that although this is entitled "The Christmas Murder Game" it could equally well be read at any time of year and I hope people do not dismiss is as purely a seasonal read。 In this respect it shares something in common with Agatha Christie's "Hallowe'en Party"。 This is an enjoyable murder mystery with some fun elements that has its roots firmly in the "Golden Age" tradition， but with something of a modern day makeover。 Following the death of her Aunt Liliana， Lily attends Endgame House， the manor house that will form the central part of the estate to be inherited。 She is joined there by her cousins and their significant others。 Under the terms of the will the potential beneficiaries must participate in one final version of the annual Christmas Game that Aunt Liliana loved to arrange when she was alive。 It is a pre-condition of winning the ultimate prize that the participants must remain in the house for the full twelve days of Christmas - but will they all live that long？There is more than a hint of Christie's classic "And Then There Were None" to the format - though that observation could be made about any number of latter day locked room style murder mysteries。 Alexandra Benedict has generally succeeded in transposing the action to a modern day setting， while still retaining the feel and atmosphere that is associated with a story from the "Golden Age"。 The cast of characters are generally engaging， if not always likeable。 The author has also tried to introduce an element of uniqueness by setting the reader some puzzles of their own to solve along the way， in addition to the usual "whodunnit？" question。On the whole， I found this to be an enjoyable read that is well-paced and holds the attention。 Stylistically it is a little awkward at times and comes across as a bit clunky on occasion， though this is a result - at least in part - of incorporating the reader's challenge into the narrative。Nonetheless， this is an interesting variation on an established theme and should provide fans of the genre with a worthwhile and entertaining read。Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for supplying an ARC in return for an honest review。 。。。more
Kirsty
，
The Christmas Murder Game - Alexandra BenedictI received an advance review copy for free thanks to NetGalley and Zaffre and I am leaving this review voluntarilyFollow the clues。 Find the fortune。 Solve the Mystery。 This Christmas is to die for。 Let the game begin 。 。 。'Endgame has kept our secrets for half a century， now it's time for it， and its secrets， to have a new owner。'When Lily returns home to her aunt's manor house， she discovers that in order to inherit， she and her estranged cousins m The Christmas Murder Game - Alexandra BenedictI received an advance review copy for free thanks to NetGalley and Zaffre and I am leaving this review voluntarilyFollow the clues。 Find the fortune。 Solve the Mystery。 This Christmas is to die for。 Let the game begin 。 。 。'Endgame has kept our secrets for half a century， now it's time for it， and its secrets， to have a new owner。'When Lily returns home to her aunt's manor house， she discovers that in order to inherit， she and her estranged cousins must stay together over the Christmas week and take part in a family tradition: the annual treasure hunt。First of all， it was nice seeing local place names in this book。 This is an entertaining read with an interesting twist on a Christmas book。 The writer has even stuck a puzzle in for the reader to play along with as they follow Lily's journey through the maze that is Endgame。 I was invested in this book until the end as whilst it is predictable in places， it also through up some interesting surprises。 It is very difficult to write a review for this book without giving away too much - but if you are a fan of Agatha Christie then you should enjoy this book。 Give it a read and see if you can survive the murder game。Rating 4/5 。。。more
Kath
，
This is a bit Agatha Christie in nature。。。 Set in big house， add a bunch of family members all vying to inherit， isolate them with no technology， and throw in a game they must compete against each other - to win the house。 Oh and there's a snowstorm coming。。。 What Could Possibly Go Wrong！ Murder and Mayhem ensues。。。Lily， our main character， is reluctant to take part in the shenanigans but there's an extra tempter for her to do so。 Her deceased Aunt has made it clear to her that as well as the ho This is a bit Agatha Christie in nature。。。 Set in big house， add a bunch of family members all vying to inherit， isolate them with no technology， and throw in a game they must compete against each other - to win the house。 Oh and there's a snowstorm coming。。。 What Could Possibly Go Wrong！ Murder and Mayhem ensues。。。Lily， our main character， is reluctant to take part in the shenanigans but there's an extra tempter for her to do so。 Her deceased Aunt has made it clear to her that as well as the house to play for， she will also get clues which will tell her the truth about the death of her mother。There's also games for the reader to play along the way which might appeal to some but I find that stuff distracting and competing would just take me out of the story so i passed on that invitation。。。 So there's 12 clues， one a day for the 12 days of Christmas and they are actually quite cleverly created。 I gave up quite early on trying to make head or tale of them。 But I appreciated them when Lily solved and explained them to me！ They added to the main theme of the story - that of being dark and claustrophobic。 And as the body count starts to rise - very Agatha - I was swept away with all that was happening and gave up trying to second guess everything。 I also didn't really fully buy into the characters。 I found them both a little flat and overcomplicated and didn't really connect to any of them fully。 But I still cared a bit about what happened to some of them so I guess I was invested in a way。Pacing was on the whole good but there were times when it went a bit wordy and I lost focus of the story。 Not many， but enough to notice。It's also alternately predictable and surprising - and yes that does make sense！ But it held my attention well and finished strong， if a little cheesy！My thanks go to the Publisher and Netgalley for the chance to read this book。 。。。more
Paromjit
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Alexandra Benedict serves up a traditional country house Christmas mystery set in the Yorkshire Dales as the snow falls heavily， threatening to cut off Endgame House。 33 year old Lily Armitage lost her mother， Mariana， as a child in an apparent suicide in the famous maze at Endgame House， an event that scarred her， which she has never got over， as she keeps the world at bay， not allowing herself to get close to anyone so that she would never be hurt again。 She is a gifted dressmaker， rustling up Alexandra Benedict serves up a traditional country house Christmas mystery set in the Yorkshire Dales as the snow falls heavily， threatening to cut off Endgame House。 33 year old Lily Armitage lost her mother， Mariana， as a child in an apparent suicide in the famous maze at Endgame House， an event that scarred her， which she has never got over， as she keeps the world at bay， not allowing herself to get close to anyone so that she would never be hurt again。 She is a gifted dressmaker， rustling up copies of whatever her clients desire， living in a tiny place in London。 Her adoptive mother， a professor of poetry at Cambridge， Aunt Liliana， has died， leaving behind instructions that Lily must go to Endgame House， a place she has avoided after her mother died there。 Lily really doesn't want to go， but is enticed by Liliana telling her Mariana was murdered， and if she wants to know more， then she must spend Christmas at the manor。 Her cousins will be there， and a Christmas puzzle game has been set up for them to solve with 12 clues， 12 keys they must get， with the prize， Endgame House itself。 However， they have to stay for the entire 12 days of Christmas， looked after by the housekeeper， Mrs Castle， but they have to give up their phones and any device that might provide them access to the internet。 All of them are welcomed by a familiar face， Isabelle Stirling， a lawyer who sets out the terms of Liliana's wishes which they must abide by， after which she leaves。 It is not long before the first murder occurs， and everyone is trapped with a ruthless killer among them intent on ensuring Endgame House will be owned by them。This is a dark and intense locked room Christmas mystery which I am sure many readers will enjoy， although perhaps there was a little too much repetition of Lily's grief and memories of the loss of her mother for me。 Benedict adds a series of anagrams from the 12 Days of Christmas in the narrative， along with titles of other known murder mystery novels too。 This is a entertaining and engaging seasonal crime read， of secrets， Lily's， Endgame House's and others in her family， and murders， past and present。 Although it did take me a little time to become immersed in it， I liked the second half of the book more， and the puzzles within the novel will appeal to those who love the crime and mystery genre and want to use their own little grey cells！ Many thanks to the publisher for an ARC。 。。。more
Melanie
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Death by simile。 I have no idea how this managed to be both utterly predictable and also way too complicated！
Fox Cub Books
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If you like a cosy murder mystery， this is the book for you！ Lily Armitage receives a letter from her deceased aunt claiming that Lily's mother didn't commit suicide， she was murdered。 The only way Lily will find out what really happened to her mother is to spend the 12 days of Christmas at Endgame House playing the Christmas Game。 With the snow falling heavily and all communication cut off at the house and the prize at the end of the game is Endgame House itself， we have the perfect setting for If you like a cosy murder mystery， this is the book for you！ Lily Armitage receives a letter from her deceased aunt claiming that Lily's mother didn't commit suicide， she was murdered。 The only way Lily will find out what really happened to her mother is to spend the 12 days of Christmas at Endgame House playing the Christmas Game。 With the snow falling heavily and all communication cut off at the house and the prize at the end of the game is Endgame House itself， we have the perfect setting for murder！ I absolutely loved this！ I thought the characters were brilliant but I am glad I don't need to spend any time with them！ I loved all the clues in the game and I found myself trying to solve the riddles！ One by one people in the house are killed and you are trying to find the killer but as usual I am a hopeless detective！ An absolutely brilliant read for this time of year！ 。。。more
Janet
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Cousins snowed in over Christmas in a country house。 A game set up by a deceased aunt to pass on the deeds of the house that leads to more deaths。 Puzzles in sonnet form and treasure hunts around the house。 Mysteries from the past to be uncovered。 If you like your mystery stories cheesy， predictable and totally implausible then this is the book for you。 There were so many things to dislike about this book。 The writing style was especially painful in it's over use of simile and metaphor， it was l Cousins snowed in over Christmas in a country house。 A game set up by a deceased aunt to pass on the deeds of the house that leads to more deaths。 Puzzles in sonnet form and treasure hunts around the house。 Mysteries from the past to be uncovered。 If you like your mystery stories cheesy， predictable and totally implausible then this is the book for you。 There were so many things to dislike about this book。 The writing style was especially painful in it's over use of simile and metaphor， it was like reading a school exercise in using imagery， totally overdone。 The characters were rather flat and conformed to a type。 The whole premise of the story was absurd and the ending predictable。 But having said all that， I did actually find it rather entertaining， just not really my cup of tea。I received a free review copy of the book from the publisher in exchange for my honest and unedited review。 。。。more
Books By Your Bedside
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Thanks to Zaffre for the advanced copy of this title in return for an honest review。Controversial statement incoming: I personally think this is as good， if not a slightly better murder mystery than Agatha Christie。 I admit， I’ve only read one Christie book in my times， but if I compare one book with the other， this definitely trumps it。 There I said it。 There’s not much I can say about this book without spoiling it， so I’ll leave it at the bare minimum - just enough to entice you。 It is eery an Thanks to Zaffre for the advanced copy of this title in return for an honest review。Controversial statement incoming: I personally think this is as good， if not a slightly better murder mystery than Agatha Christie。 I admit， I’ve only read one Christie book in my times， but if I compare one book with the other， this definitely trumps it。 There I said it。 There’s not much I can say about this book without spoiling it， so I’ll leave it at the bare minimum - just enough to entice you。 It is eery and fast-paced and tentative and chilling and thrilling and unassuming and surprising and keeps you on the edge of your seat and guessing right up to the last page。 There are several main characters - Lily， Tom， Sara， Philippa， Isabelle， Rachel， Holly， Mrs Castle， Ronnie， and Gray - and each one is so well developed， and each of them could be the murderer or a red herring。 They are lovely， kind， concerned， lustful， loving， timid， brash， nasty， grieving - they are very human。It is such an unusual mystery - clues laid out in poems and sonnets， most which are far too difficult for my brain to even begin to figure out。 Good thing Lily’s got her wits about her。 。。。more
Aileen （Ailz） Grist
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A Christmas game where the winner takes all and the others get nothing。 Every day the family are given a sonnet which is a clue as to where to find that day's prize。 Someone is certainly taking it all very seriously as player after player is murdered - not a good time to be snowed in in Yorkshire。Thoroughly enjoyed it - even if I couldn't work out the clues。Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher I read a free advance review copy of the book。 This review is voluntary， honest and my own opinion。 A Christmas game where the winner takes all and the others get nothing。 Every day the family are given a sonnet which is a clue as to where to find that day's prize。 Someone is certainly taking it all very seriously as player after player is murdered - not a good time to be snowed in in Yorkshire。Thoroughly enjoyed it - even if I couldn't work out the clues。Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher I read a free advance review copy of the book。 This review is voluntary， honest and my own opinion。 。。。more
Zoe M
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I quite enjoyed this book。 The fact there are puzzles hidden within the book itself makes this quite unusual and added another layer to this read。 Lily is sent a letter by her aunt， and adoptive mother， Liliana telling her that her mum， Mariana， was murdered and she must go to Endgame House and play the Christmas game and discover the truth。This is such a fun read with a great cast of characters。 Perfect for a cozy night in with a mug of hot chocolate as you also try to solve the clues。 Very ent I quite enjoyed this book。 The fact there are puzzles hidden within the book itself makes this quite unusual and added another layer to this read。 Lily is sent a letter by her aunt， and adoptive mother， Liliana telling her that her mum， Mariana， was murdered and she must go to Endgame House and play the Christmas game and discover the truth。This is such a fun read with a great cast of characters。 Perfect for a cozy night in with a mug of hot chocolate as you also try to solve the clues。 Very entertaining and a must read。 。。。more
4cats
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Lily Armitage receives a letter from her dead Aunt asking her to attend the family home Endgame House for Christmas， here along with her cousins they will take part in the annual tradition of the Christmas Game。 However， her aunt has also informed Lily that she will find out what really happened to her mother and how she died if she takes part。 And so Lily finds herself a participant of the game where the prize is Endgame House itself。 The is the perfect Christmas read， it's entertaining and is Lily Armitage receives a letter from her dead Aunt asking her to attend the family home Endgame House for Christmas， here along with her cousins they will take part in the annual tradition of the Christmas Game。 However， her aunt has also informed Lily that she will find out what really happened to her mother and how she died if she takes part。 And so Lily finds herself a participant of the game where the prize is Endgame House itself。 The is the perfect Christmas read， it's entertaining and is a modern take on Agatha Christie， think And then there were none。 Built into the story are riddles for the reader to solve， this is a nice touch。 Even though I worked out the killer very early on， it didn't spoil my reading experience 。。。more
Louise
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