Where this “lacked” in length, the plot certainly made up for it!
I did find at times it was hard to keep the characters straight, and wish I could’ve read this in winter for the true atmospheric experience!

This was my first Lisa Unger read and I am looking forward to more. The pacing was really satisfying.

I am so grateful for my advanced copy!

A well paced and appropriately short holiday thriller.

The holiday atmosphere could have been better rendered in this (it doesn’t truly feel like a Christmas book), but it moves well and it’s a solid, tight mystery that feels complete despite being pretty brief.

I liked the setup for the plot as well as the principal characters, and though missing girl stories sometimes feel a bit too on the depressing side for me, Unger keeps this one from getting too heavy.

The solve is revealed surprisingly early, so I kept waiting for a twist that never came at the end. It results in the story fading out in the concluding chapters rather than ending with a bang, as I feel most thrillers should, but the ending is certainly a satisfying outcome for a set of characters who Unger does a remarkably good job of making you care about in a relatively short amount of time.

Madeline Martin is trying to live her life in her small hometown after surviving near death ten years ago. Harley Granger is a true crime author and pod caster who comes to Madeline's small town to find out the truth of what happened that night years ago and how it might tie into events that are happening right now. And what Madeline discovers she couldn't remember has been right in front of her all these years.

Lisa Unger has written an entertaining holiday novella that is anything but merry and bright. As the author says in her Acknowledgements, it's 'a walk on the dark side,' very much a psychological thriller which just happens to be set at Christmastime.

Madeline Martin is a survivor. Just before Christmas, 2014, the teenaged boy she thought she loved murdered her best friend, Stephanie Cramer, and attempted to kill her as well, leaving her grievously wounded. Their other two friends, sisters Ainsley and Sam Wallace, have been missing ever since that night. The boyfriend, Evan Handy, is in prison, serving a life sentence for his crimes. Now Harley Granger, a true crime writer, podcaster, and self-styled cold-case detective, wants to write about Evan Handy and dig deeper into the case, especially now that another local girl has gone missing. Is it possible Handy had an accomplice who is still out there and active?

This is a quick, entertaining read with plenty of twists and turns to keep the reader guessing. I, for one, enjoyed it. I received an arc of this novella from the author and publisher via NetGalley. Many thanks! My review is voluntary and the opinions expressed are my own.

I didn’t find this story to be very much about Christmas, but it moved at a fast pace and kept me engaged throughout.

Maddie, our main character is a survivor of a terrible crime. She’s grown now, owns a bookstore and has tried to put the past behind her. As the holiday season draws near, a podcaster with a shows up in order to do an investigation for his show and possibly get the case reopened.

Things heat up quite quickly and it’s a fairly easy task to figure out who the culprits are, but I enjoyed the story in spite of it. Also, there were a few aspects that I questioned near the end, but I guess I can overlook them and hope she writes a sequel to wrap up the loose ends.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Penzler Publisher, Mysterious Press for allowing me to rad an advance copy. I’m happy to offer my honest review and recommend this to other readers who enjoy mystery/thrillers.

This was a very short, and quick read! I really enjoyed it, but I do wish that I could have read it closer to Christmas time! I was concerned that because of how short it is, that there wouldn't be much plot, but I was very surprised! I will be recommending this one to all the patrons during this Christmas season!

While this was short and to the point, I felt lost at times keeping up with all of the characters. Once everything started clicking, I was very interested in the mystery and I never figured out the murderer until it was right in my face. The ending was kind of abrupt but I loved how it was tied up in a nice bow.

While the story is set at Christmas time and definitely can be read all year long. I listened to the audiobook and enjoyed the narrators performance. If you are looking for a short read, this one would make a great addition to your TBR.

****Many thanks to Penzler Publishing, High Bridge Audio, and NetGalley for my gifted copy in turn for an honest review.

This was not my favorite Unger, but I liked it a lot more than the last of hers I read. I thought she did a great job setting up an interesting premise and building an uneasy atmosphere. The writing felt crisp, and the characters were dynamic and well-rounded. I thought it was fairly predictable and kept waiting to be surprised by a twist, and it didn’t live up to that hope, but it was very fast-paced (I read it in one sitting). My main complaint is she built a really cool villain with Evan and then didn’t give him nearly enough screen time. But in generally this was a decent thriller.

Thank you to Penzler Publishers and Netgalley for the ARC. Christmas Presents is out 10/24

Madeline survived the unthinkable. Now, years later, true crime writer and podcaster, Harley Granger is in town to dig up all of the buried secrets.

This was an interesting thriller. It was short and right to the point of the case. While I did figure out the twist ending, it was nicely structured by Unger with lots of secrets and twists. The added element of the podcast was really cool. I would have liked to see a little more from all of the characters and the town. This is short, more novella length, but overall enjoyable.

Thank you to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for the gifted copy.
My reviews are always honest.

Special thanks to NetGalley for the advanced reader copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinion. 'Christmas Presents' was a quick and predictable thriller. It is not very Christmas'y, so the title was deceiving. Just ok for me.

Lisa Unger does it again!!! I am just blown away by every single book she releases, easily making her one my my all-time favorite authors. This short Christmas Thriller is a MUST read this year. I am not even embarrassed to admit I read this in one sitting. I'm not even sure if I blinked? I was so submerged in this book, I needed to continue reading to see how it would all play out. I was not disappointed. I highly recommend!

3.5 stars

I had high hopes for this short holiday thriller, but unfortunately, I was expecting a bit too much (or at least something different than what I got). The plot sounded promising, and there were some intriguing moments and surprising interactions. That being said, though, I found my attention wandering at times, and it just didn’t captivate me the way I was hoping it would. It wasn’t bad, but it also wasn’t my favourite. Hopefully the author’s next book will work better for me.

Christmas Presents by Lisa Unger

Is it weird to read a seasonal book in the summertime? Not if it’s this novella by Lisa Unger.

Ten years ago Madeleine nearly died, two of her friends disappeared, and one of her close friends was murdered. Madeleine has since made a life for herself in town. She’s proud owner of a small bookstore and part-time caretaker of her father (the former sheriff). Her life is disrupted when real crime podcaster Harley Granger has started asking questions and digging everything up.

Don’t be fooled by the title it’s not really a holiday thriller. I think that’s why it’s a great anytime read.

Because of the book’s length and the bookstore setting, there is almost cozy mystery feel. Almost, but the deaths are a bit descriptive, the characters are kind of broody, there is too much procedural information to fit that genre.

Thanks to Penzler Publishers, Mysterious Press, NetGalley, and the author for an opportunity to read this ARC

"Christmas Presents" by Lisa Unger presents a gripping mix of a Hallmark style cozy, small-town holiday atmosphere with a chilling true crime mystery. Madeline's troubled past and the return of Harley Granger, a true crime podcaster, set the stage for a suspenseful narrative that explores cold cases and buried secrets. Unger effectively creates a sense of unease, blurring the lines between nostalgia and dread. The book excels in its ability to keep readers engaged with a well-paced plot and vivid characters. "Christmas Presents" offers a haunting and atmospheric read for those who enjoy a good holiday thriller.
I would like to thank NetGalley, Penzler Publishers, Mysterious Press for the ARC for my honest review.

Christmas Presents by Lisa Unger is a wonderful short story set during Christmas.
This story has everything, suspense, serial killers (my favorite) a bookstore and a podcast element.
Lisa Unger is one of my favorite authors and I absolutely devoured this suspenseful story. I never saw the end coming. Great actions and twists and turns.

For a novella, characters are well developed. The pacing is appropriate, and I enjoyed the multiple POVs and timelines. The ending didn't quite work for me, unfortunately, as there were some good twists throughout the book. This is not a cozy mystery. It's a quick read overall.

Christmas Presents by Lisa Unger, Pub date - 10/24/23

Shamefully, this is my first by Unger (despite presenting for years that we were related) and its a novella — a great, easy way to be introduced to her writing style! This is my second book in a month that revolves around a true crime podcast. But this also has a bookstore as the main character’s business — so say no more! I was hooked!

Madeline Martin had a tragic high school childhood — the victim of a brutal crime that left her the only survivor. Evan Handy was convicted of murdering her best friend and is suspected to be behind the disappearance of two of her other friends (gone for a decade). A true crime podcaster comes into town to get to the truth — Is he genuine? Or does he just want ratings? Harley Granger is contacted by the killer when another girl goes missing under similar circumstances (because how could he commit both crimes?) He’s determined to get to the truth - but at what expense?

Madeline’s best friend is super protective of her and wants Harley to just leave town — why open old wounds? Is he hiding something long buried in the back of Madeline’s traumatized mind?

This one was pretty easy to figure out but I still had fun on the ride! Unger’s writing was very atmospheric which is a win in my book. I plan to pick up her backlog as well as check out her newest out next year, The New Couple in 5B.
Thanks to #NetGalley and #MysteriousPress for this advanced copy in exchange for an honest review! This novella will be our December book club selection! 4.25 stars

Christmas Presents by Lisa Unger:
My rating:
4/5
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Madelyn was almost murdered when she was 17 years old by the guy she was seeing at that time. Years later, a woman is abducted and Madelyn is approached by a cold case true crime podcaster to hear her story and to see if the two events were connected.

This was such an enjoyable read! Lisa Unger is a great thriller writer and this did not disappoint.

I loved the two points of views and the timelines of the past and present all coming together.

This was a rather short book, being under 250 pages and had short chapters and great pacing. I will say I think this book could have been expanded with more details of what happened on that night where Madelyn was attacked.

Overall I would absolutely recommend this one for spooky season as well as the holiday season as it has lots of holiday elements!

Thank you Penzler Publishers and Netgalley for the ARC! This will be published October 24, 2023!

Christmas Presents by Lisa Unger is a very highly recommended psychological suspense thriller that is definitely not a Christmas story.

In 2014 Madeline (Maddy) Martin was the only survivor of a terrifying crime among friends and is trying to recover and move on. She is currently the owner of a successful bookstore, The Next Chapter Bookshop, and trying to balance working with making sure her father is cared for after his stroke. Now a true crime podcaster/writer, Harley Grange, is in town and looking into what happened years ago with Evan Handy. Handy was convicted for killing her friend, Steph, and is suspected in the disappearance of two sisters, also friends of Maddy, whose bodies were never found.

The problem is that since Handy went to prison, three other young women have gone missing. The most recent missing woman is Lolly and from the opening chapter readers know her from her job dancing at a club. Now Christmas is approaching, a blizzard is coming, and Lolly is still missing. She was looking forward to going home for Christmas. Grange is trying to look into the missing girls, but he needs help from those who were there when it started in 2014.

Billed as a novella, Christmas Presents weighs in at 224 pages so it's on the short side, but it is a complete, compelling story that readers will love. Unger expertly sets the atmosphere and introduces the characters. Maddy is a sympathetic character, She's trying to recover from what happened years ago, but it's a well known fact in the small town she's in. She's trying to help her father recover and make a living. Granger is who he is. He's not pretending or putting on a false front. He wants to dig and uncover anything that has been overlooked. Lolly is the only character experiencing terrifying circumstances, but her voice appears infrequently.

Admittedly, I guessed what was going on before the ending, but this is the pleasure in reading thrillers. Authors leave clues and readers follow them. Keeping in mind the page count, there wasn't a lot of extra time to distract readers and set up false leads.I knew what I was getting into at the start, but also knew Unger would write an exceptional story no matter the length. I was right.

Disclosure: My review copy was courtesy of Mysterious Press via NetGalley.
The review will be published on Edelweiss, X, Barnes & Noble and Amazon.

Christmas Presents by Lisa Unger is an intriguing short mystery which takes place during the Christmas season. It is about crimes which happened ten years ago, survivor's guilt, trauma, secrets and digging into the past. When the past becomes present, people are on tenterhooks.

The Next Chapter Bookshop is humming with Christmas busyness. Former writer, now true crime podcaster Harley Granger is on a mission to discover what happened in Little Valley (sounds like an innocent place, doesn't it?) a decade ago and meets awed Madeline Martin, owner of the shop. Madeline is a survivor of a murderous crime and doesn't want to re-live the experience which happened to her group of high school friends. Madeline's father is the former Sheriff but has suffered a stroke which has necessitated a care giver. Additionally, other women have gone missing in the area, including a dancer at a club. Coincidence?

In my view this is unfortunately not as strong a mystery (no real suspense or thriller elements) as I have come to expect by Unger. I liked it but it just doesn't dazzle or sparkle. Though Christmas wrapping and decorations are mentioned I would have loved to see more Christmas-y themes. The mystery itself is interesting yet in ways predictable. Lisa Unger will continue to be a go-to author for me but this time I was disappointed. Maybe it's a "it's not you, it's me" thing.

My sincere thank you to Penzler Publishers for providing me with a digital copy of this novel.