love the trend of holiday thrillers this year! this one was short but packs a punch - however although it’s set at Christmastime it wasn’t very holiday themed at all, just kinda served as a backdrop for a normal thriller.

This was not at all what I expected… but I wasn’t disappointed. Madeline, a local bookstore owner, never left the town where she was brutally assaulted as a teenager. She lives with her father, the former police chief, who suffered a stroke and is slowly recovering. The night Madeline was hurt, one of her friends was murdered, and two others disappeared without a trace. When a famous author and podcaster comes to town to investigate their cases, tightly wound secrets start to unravel.
Christmas is the setting of this book, but not the subject. Much like the ongoing debate of whether or not Die Hard is a Christmas movie, I imagine the same could be argued with this book.

dislikes:
- the writing. it was a strange mix of overly pretentious writing that doesn't really fit the tone of the book and overly simple writing.
- the POVs
- the characters
- very predictable

I love a Christmas story, but I REALLY love a Christmas thriller! Especially one as neat and twisty as this one. It was the perfect break from all the Christmas rom-coms I was reading.

Who doesn't love a fun, twisty Christmas novella?? I read this back around the holidays it was the perfect little thriller to get me in the holiday spirit. We discussed it with my book club and it made for such a fun conversation; a killer in a Santa mask? What could be better to discuss with a thriller book club?? This is a quick, easy read and I highly recommend for all thriller readers who like to read with a theme.

This was a fantastic holiday thriller. I liked the plot and the characters were a lot of fun. Very much recommend this book.

I’ve always enjoyed Lisa Unger, but maybe holiday related content just isn’t for me. I found it hard to get into this novel. Just wasn’t meant for me.

I love Lisa Unger and was thrilled to get an advanced copy of her Christmas novella. As most would do...I saved it for Christmas time and read it in the magical week between Christmas and New Years. I thought it was so different as Christmas novels are generally romance or rom-com. It was a quick engrossing read with a bookseller main character which I love. I absolutely recommend this one and will continue to read everything that Unger puts out -- frankly I think she just getting better and better!

3.0 stars!
Thrillers, suspense and mysteries set on Christmas time is usually not the kind of combination I prefer, but because it’s Lisa Unger, so here we are.

In this little town, young ladies are disappearing. Two of those missing ladies were Madeline’s bestfriends. Madeline herself has one been attacked when she was a teenager and the suspect was her boyfriend who is currently in jail for the said crime? So who is now responsible for these disappearances? That is what podcaster Harley has come to investigate, trying to uncover secrets to soon to be cold cases.

This was just an okay read for me. I would rather have a “Hallmark HEA” holiday plot than suspense and missing people but that is totally a me-problem. I don’t think it’s this is LisaUnger’s best work but it has potential. It was predictable and that disappointed me It was written well and has lots of potential.

Thanks yo Netgalley for the ebook file in exchange of an honest review.

Thank you Netgalley. This was a quick and engrossing read. I am normally not a fan of the podcast storylines but tis was well done. The story will keep you on your toes and delivers a great final twist.

I love anything Lisa Unger writes and this book is no exception. It was also exactly what I needed when things got a little rushed.

I was drawn to this read by the true crime podcaster aspect and I stayed glued to the pages because of Madeline Martin. I found her strong but believably so. This is a girl with trauma, and she does her best to put that behind her.

The dynamic between her and Harley was spot-on, and I enjoyed all the tension.

I really enjoyed this one. Not exactly a Christmas novel but rather a crime thriller set during the holiday season and I’m perfectly fine with that. It had a good mystery, lots of suspense and an especially likable main character that I would like to see more of in the future. I especially liked how the author wove cozy elements into the story so that you do get a hint of holiday atmosphere. Coming from a long time book seller, there is nothing more cozy than a small bookstore during Christmastime. And the picturesque setting combined with the sinister storylines e worked really well for me. My only complaint is that it employs the crime podcaster trope. It is admittedly well done but thrillers have become saturated with it and I’m ready to move on to something new. But overall I really loved this fast and suspenseful read! Thank you to @netgalley and @mysteriouspress for an arc of this novel.

Past crimes come back to haunt in Unger's Christmas Presents. Madeline is the only surviving victim of Evan Handy who is currently in prison for his horrific acts. Podcaster Harley Granger comes back to town and starts digging up old memories. Handy is in jail and other women start to go missing. Granger is able to put things together others aren't and with Madeline's help hopefully they can get to the truth. With many twists and turns and dare I say jump scares to keep your blood pumping, Unger does it again with this thriller. A perfect read for the holiday season.

"Christmas Presents" is a chilling seasonal novella that weaves a suspenseful plot through a picturesque, cozy setting. Madeline, the young owner of The Next Chapter Bookshop, finds herself drawn back into a haunting investigation when true crime podcaster Harley Granger arrives in town. The story unfolds with a gripping exploration of a past tragedy and the unsettling mysteries surrounding it. The combination of a festive backdrop and a deeply unsettling narrative makes this novella a captivating and chilling read that transcends the holiday season.

2.5 stars rounded up.

Most of the time when I'm frustrated about the length of the book, it's because I think it would benefit from some editing to remove unnecessary fluff. This was a book that hit the other end of that spectrum. We get so little character development on most of the missing or dead women, let alone the main characters, that it was very hard to be invested in the mystery or the outcome. I figured out the answer nearly immediately so most of the book was me slogging through to find out if I was correct (spoiler - I was). This book is a lot of telling not showing, the character interactions felt clunky and forced, and all the M names added confusion not complexity.

In the end, this had a lot of potential and I would consider picking up another book by this author, but this simply wasn't a favorite.

A huge thank you to the author and the publisher for providing an e-ARC via Netgalley. This does not affect my opinion regarding the book.

I will gladly read anything by Lisa Unger, so when I saw she had a holiday thriller novella, I knew I had to read it! Christmas Presents is the perfect Christmas read for those of you who like a little murder with your decorations, and this small book packs a mighty powerful punch. There were some great twists along the way, and the end literally made my jaw drop almost to the floor! I wasn't expecting it at all, and it was the perfect way to end this twisty read. There are multiple viewpoints to keep things even more interesting and even a little dash of romance.

The audiobook was extremely well done, and our sole narrator Jennifer Pickens did a great job. Since there are multiple viewpoints, it would have been nice to have a full cast, but as the saying goes, we can't always get what we want. I think Christmas Presents is best if you go in completely blind, and it doesn't have to be around the holidays to be a good time to fit this into your reading schedule. I knew there was a reason I loved Unger's books, and this little novella just made me love her even more. If you are a thriller reader this is a must!

Wow! Christmas Presents is really really good! The storyline is well done and had a crazy twist!

Thank you, Lisa Unger, Penzler Publishers, Mysterious Press & Netgalley for my copy. All opinions are my own.

Thank you NetGalley and Penzler Publishers for this arc of Christmas Presents by Lisa Unger.

I admit it, I’m probably one of the only readers to have never read a Lisa Unger book until this one. I enjoyed the atmosphere, the character development and it was a fairly quick paced thriller. I do wish this was a full length book because I felt like I was missing enough details and wanted more. Sometimes I did have a hard time following the POV change.

Overall I am interested in reading her full length novels. This one just didn’t hit home for me.

Christmas Presents by Lisa Unger is an amazing holiday read! The setting is perfect for a kindle-clutching, fireside Christmas tale.

This Novella takes the reader on a journey through strong character development and a deep look into Madeline Martin's past after ending up the only survivor of a murderous crime spree years ago.

Old scars of Madeline's are opened when a curious visitor moves into town. New questions reveal old secrets turning this town upside down just in time for Santa's arrival, only in Madeline's case, the presents are reminders that the threat is still real leaving one question left to answer- Will Madeline find peace this Christmas season or does she find herself standing death's doorstep one more time?

Lisa Unger proved that she can slay a Novella as powerfully as she does her full-length novels. If you are looking for a quick weekend read, this is the book! It doesn't have to be Christmas to enjoy Lisa Unger's Christmas Presents!

Ebook/Mystery: This was an easy, quick read. Because it was a novella, there wasn't any real character development, not plot twists.