I read 45% of this book and I just had to stop. I couldn’t finish it as the pace was killing me. Nothing was really happening except a cousin just verbally attacking everyone in the room which got on my nerves quite quick. I felt like the past and present kept meshing together with flashbacks that didn’t really help progress the mystery. I also felt the main character was too depressing and the fact she didn’t seem to want to try to participate in the Christmas game was a major let down since that’s half the whole point of the plot. I’m not sure if she does later on but I couldn’t force myself to read any further.

I was immediately drawn to this book because I saw there was a scavenger hunt for the reader within the story, which I found so fun and interesting. But because I found the book to be too slow paced for my liking, I just wanted to finish the book and didn't spend any extra time trying to solve the anagrams. You will find the answers at the end of the book though.

I did think the murder mystery portion was well executed. I thought most of them were the killer at some point.

I had a real hard time with this book though because there were too many things I found either annoying or I didn't enjoy; the sonnets (I've never been a fan of poetry), the ease with how the clues were solved by a certain person (almost to the point where I wanted to roll my eyes at how easy it was for them), how keys were being given away (to the person everyone seems to hate) when they are what is needed to inherit the house, and I didn't like any of the characters. I mean, one in particular was as nasty as nasty can get and I found myself getting a little angry, which is not how I want to feel when I'm trying to relax.

There were adultery and bisexuality/lesbian references if those things are offensive to you.

Thank you to NetGalley and Poisoned Pen Press for this eARC.

This story follows the character of Lily in third person as she returns to the family home of Endgame for one last annual Christmas Game with the title to the estate as the prize. Lily has no interest in the house but her aunt indicated that Lily would find answers about her mother’s murder which was originally deemed a suicide. The story is filled with a variety of eccentric family members, all with individual and distinguished voices. The setting of the estate was very atmospheric from the house, which was a former hotel, to the creepy icehouse, chapel and even a cool maze. The game is interspersed with riddles filled with clues that only the family members can discern based on their knowledge of their relatives (and anagrams for the reader).

The story had a good Agatha Christie style closed room mystery vibe reminiscent of And Then There Were None. I’m always looking for a good Christmas mystery and this one filled that need for me this year though maybe did not stand up to some of the non-seasonal mysteries. I do think that narration suffered from the lack of multiple points of view and the identity of the killer was a bit predictable; however, I enjoyed the journey and if you are looking for a seasonal mystery, I would recommend.

Thank you to Netgalley and Poisoned Pen Press for the free copy provided for an honest review.

A good mystery this holiday season. The plot was intriguing and had me invested all throughout...some parts i felt a bit too long but overall I enjoyed reading this one.
Thank you publishers and netgalley for this arc in exchange for my honest review.

A quick read before Christmas. I felt the killer was too obvious but I think people may find some fun in it. I don't know if the clues for each day of the game made sense but go try your brain.

While this one wasn't a holiday mystery for me even though I do love a closed room mystery. There are going to be readers who will enjoy this one. However to me it felt like I was trapped in a game of clue.

EXCERPT: Dearest Lily,
I hope you never have to read this letter, because if it now lies in your hands then I am dead. I've entrusted your old friend Isabelle Stirling with the task of making sure you get this if I die before the Christmas Game begins. I fear that I shall. I hope I'm utterly, shamefully askew on the subject. But I don't think I am.
So, this is my insurance policy, delivered by my lawyer. I know you don't want to come to Endgame, or play a silly divertissement. I know that you have absolutely no interest in inheriting the house, even though I dearly wish it to be yours. But I have another reason for asking you to take part in the game. It is time that you learned the truth, and the game is the way I will reveal it.
If that's not enough of a reason, then let me give you one part of the puzzle. Your mother was wrongfully killed. There. I've said it. I know you will have so many questions, and the answers will come. They will be there, in every clue: the beginning and end of all that has haunted our family for so many years.

ABOUT 'THE CHRISTMAS MURDER GAME': The annual Christmas Game is afoot at Endgame House, the Armitages' grand family home. This year's prize is to die for--deeds to the house itself--but Lily Armitage has no intention of returning. She hasn't been back to Endgame since her mother died, twenty-one years ago, and she has no intention of claiming the house that haunts her dreams.

Until, that is, she receives a letter from her aunt promising that the game's riddles will give her the keys not only to Endgame, but to its darkest secrets, including the identity of her mother's murderer.

Now, Lily must compete with her estranged cousins for the twelve days of Christmas. The snow is thick, the phone lines are down, and no one is getting in or out. Lily will have to keep her wits about her, because not everyone is playing fair, and there's no telling how many will die before the winner is declared.

MY THOUGHTS: Set at Christmas, this is a 'locked room' Christmas murder mystery, enhanced by the addition of a challenge to find a series of anagrams from the lyrics of the 12 Days of Christmas in the narrative, along with twelve titles of other known murder mystery novels. Unfortunately, I found the challenges quite distracting, so abandoned them quite early on in favour of just enjoying the read.

Although this wasn't quite as atmospheric as I expected, and became a little repetitive in places with regards to Lily's grief over the death of her mother many years previously, the mystery itself intrigued me.

There is some beautiful writing in this novel. The author sets the scene well and her character depictions are detailed and complete.

I had absolutely no idea who the killer was until it was revealed, and even wondered if there was an unknown entity hiding within the house.

This was an entertaining read, quick and fun.

⭐⭐⭐.6

#TheChristmasMurderGame #NetGalley

I: @a.k.benedict @poisonedpenpress

T: @ak_benedict @PPPress

#christmasfiction #contemporaryfiction #crime #familydrama #murdermystery #mystery

THE AUTHOR: Alexandra Benedict is an award-winning writer of novels, short stories and scripts.
She started writing early, and her first publication was in the school magazine when she was 7 and involved a creepy old house. She loves Golden Age crime.

DISCLOSURE: Thank you to Poisoned Pen Press via Netgalley for providing a digital ARC of The Christmas Murder Game by Alexandra Benedict for review. All opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own personal opinions.

For an explanation of my rating system please refer to my Goodreads.com profile page or the about page on sandysbookaday.wordpress.com

This review is also published on Twitter, Amazon, Instagram and my webpage

Thriller set during the Christmas season equals exactly my kind of book. The Christmas Murder Game is a fun who done it that keeps you guessing until the end. Read it if you love a fast paced murder mystery.

This was a fun and fast read. It probably doesn't bode well for intense mystery readers that I figured out who the killer was pretty early on. But I loved the spooky vibes of the house. The end result of the book made me a little sad, just for Lily's family in general. But I still loved the mystery and the puzzles along the way!

This felt a bit like a mashup of "And Then There Were None" by Dame Christie, and "The Westing Game" by Ellen Raskin. There's an old house/hotel, a maze, a game of riddles with the winner getting the house, acrimonious relationships amongst the family, so many secrets, and there are murders, in the family's past and during the game. So lots of fun, and it's a snowy Christmas, so everyone is forced to be together, whether they want to be or not.

Main character Lily has not returned to her childhood home in years, and suffers from nightmares since childhood when she found her mother dead in the maze. The death was deemed suicide, and Lily has had trust issues since then.

She returns home now on her aunt’s word that she believes her sister’s death was murder, and if Lily participates in the annual riddle game, she’ll find out who and why her mother was killed. (Lily stopped participating in the game years ago as her cousins resented her easy deciphering of clues each year.)

Very reluctantly, Lily and the cousins and their partners begin playing, but almost immediately deaths occur, triggering Lily’s nightmares, and exacerbating the already high tension amongst the family members, none of whom want to be in the house or play. It does become clear early on that select individuals are playing because they hope to win title to the house. The whole situation resolves with way more people dead than I anticipated, and the baddie revealed (as I suspected), and Lily contemplating the costs all the secrets have had on the family, and more importantly, on her mental health and relationships.

So, Lily is not the most dynamic person, but she’s used to making herself small to avoid notice. She’s also a terrible judge of character, as she doesn’t fully see all the plotting and nastiness around her for what it is. That she succeeds in figuring out the clues is good, but also a little surprising, as she seemed so taken in by some of the family. I am glad that she gets a happy ending, along with her former and now current girlfriend.

I liked this book, even though I knew who the baddie was almost immediately. I would have loved to have seen images of all the outfits Lily had designed and made, as they s seemed really intriguing.

Though not hard to figure out, I still enjoyed this.

Thank you to Netgalley and to Poisoned Pen Press for this ARC in exchange for my review.

Such a fun and different Christmas/holiday read! I was getting holiday romance burnout and this was the perfect palette cleanser!

Lily and her cousins gather for one last Christmas game after her aunt passes away and leaves the family house to whoever finishes the game first. What she didn’t know however, was how deadly this game could turn out…

This one was filled with twists, interesting characters, and even a game within a book. I highly recommend this one for next season or whenever you’re in the mood for a unique mystery! I did guess the killer pretty early on but I was still left shocked throughout the book

Who doesn't love a little murder at Christmastime?

The Christmas Murder Game takes all that is best of the mystery genre (cozy-locked-room-murder, anyone?) and throws in a little holiday flair. Lily and her cousins have been called back to the family manse to play one last Christmas Game, only this time the prize isn't presents, it's the deed to Endgame House itself. Aunt Liliana set up a game to remember, right before she died...or was murdered. Now Lily and the others must figure out Liliana's clues in order to find and win the deed, but along the way, a whole skeleton-filled closet's worth of family secrets will be unearthed... and someone (or a few someones) may not make it through the entire twelve days of the game alive.

A big house in the country, a blizzard that traps all the occupants, jealousy and distrust among family members, and greed that knows no limits make this a perfect tale for fans of Christie and of murder-mysteries in general. It's a fun little tale, great for curling up with in those cold days before Christmas, full of clever clues, intriguing mysteries, and the ever-present question of who to trust....or not.

New to me author, Alexandra Benedict, really wowed me with this fun Christmas murder mystery. She invokes Agatha Christie in her writing style. Not only was this a great read, but she also includes additional scavenger hunts and anagrams for the reader throughout the book. I just loved that addition and thought it was such a creative way of including the reader.

The book takes place in the Yorkshire Dales during Christmas. The snow falls heavily as we meet the family members who have come to Endgame House to play an Annual Christmas Scavenger Hunt Game. Although, this year the stakes are much higher as they are playing for the deed to the Estate. Lily, our main character, has not returned to the house since her mother died 21 years ago and had no plans to return to compete for a house that haunts her memories. After receiving a letter from her recently deceased aunt that promises the game's riddles will identify her mother's killer, she knows she must compete. As the snow comes down, Endgame House is cutoff from the rest of the World with downed phone lines and a tree that has fallen in front of the gate. As family members are found murdered one by one, Lily must be careful of who she can trust in order to make it out alive and find her mother's killer.

This came out in October but I wanted to save it so I could read it around Christmas time. I liked some of this book but I think the pace was way too slow. I put this down at least 20 times, which is abnormal for me. I found the characters to be very unlikeable, especially one. There were so many parts that just made me made. We are following Lily's POV and her actions drove me nuts. It took a while to get into the actual game part but once everything started the pace picked up. I loved the riddles and puzzles. The concept of this book was great but the execution wasn't quite there. I didn't love the end. This book is worth a shot. You may love it.

Thank you to NetGalley, the author, and Poisoned Pen Press for the gifted e-book!

Here's a Christmas romp!

We are in the Yorkshire Dales, where Aunt Liliana has set up the family home, Endgame, to be ready for the family's yearly Christmas Game. . .however she won't be there. Because she's dead. She knew it was coming for her, so she has invited all those who could possibly inherit, and there are real stakes. Lily will be attending, albeit reluctantly. Her own mother died at this place, smack in the middle of the maze (as large as the mansion), so for her this trip back is all about duty and ridding herself of all of it, and all of them.

This is a British mystery in classic style (with a dash of Cold Comfort Farm thrown in). . . .complete with anagrams, codes, and puzzles laid out (homework-style) for readers to find per each of the twelve days of the season in a 'before you read' preamble. It lays out the kind of sticky side bits a certain kind of reader deeply enjoys. Yet for those who will whisk over and above those kind of distractions, not a whit is lost by their choice of non-involvement! Bonus for both!

If you are a Reader who likes a seasonal taste in your TBR, this is a perfect choice!

A Sincere Thank you to Alexandra Benedict, Poisoned Pen Press and NetGalley for an ARC to read and review.

Yikes. This was not a great book. “Womb-like tomb” was a horrible sentence and I just could not get over it. The characterization did not work for me. It was slow and I did not like the author’s writing style.

Thank you to the author and publisher for my gifted copy in exchange for an honest review.

Purposely left this book unread till the holiday season and I’m so happy I did. This book was entertaining throughout. I had fun trying to decode the twelve anagrams in each chapter, while looking for the classic fiction titles and then trying to find out who’s the murderer. There’s an element of cozy in this locked room mystery. Thank you NetGalley and Poisoned Pen Press for this ARC.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and the publishers for this advance copy in exchange for my honest review. This one is already out, I wanted to save it for December to get in the season!

Well this one is definitely unique and not the traditional Christmas romance I normally gravitate towards this month - this one is much darker/more of a mystery, but it was fun to read that while maintaining the setting of Christmas in a giant house that’s now up for grabs for this now adult children vying for the deed. Throughout the book there’s riddles and puzzles for the reader to participate in (which I honestly forgot about), but I was also trying to make myself figure out what Lily figured out for each clue - it was definitely a unique spin on the traditional mystery. As more characters were murdered, I figured out pretty quickly who was involved, so I wasn’t surprised to find out I was correct, but this one was still a very quick holiday-themed mystery that I’d recommend to anyone who might want a seasonal read that isn’t necessarily a romance.

Again, thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for this advance copy in exchange for this review - pick this one up today!

I think the most enjoyable part of this book for me was trying to solve the anagrams within each of the 12 days of Christmas. Although, in the end they didn’t quite make sense to me. The writing was very enjoyable and this was an entertaining Christmas cozy murder mystery. I’ve not read anything like it so I highly recommend! I could sense the outcome, but then was also surprised by the twist.

I enjoyed this story about relatives involved in solving puzzles in order to win the family manor. This book had the right amount of puzzles, family drama, and deception to keep my interest the whole way through. It also shows you never know who you can trust, even if they are your family. The setting sounded beautiful and the snowstorm added to the craziness of the search during the holiday season. It sure showed you that you can never trust family. Some portions were unbelievable and some characters were downright nasty and unlikable but overall it was a wonderfully creepy Christmas themed book. I do recommend it.