This book was bittersweet and beautifully written. I liked the characters and the romance interwoven with the dark mystery plot. I really loved the fact that the FMC was a bookshop owner too. Overall I enjoyed this story, it was a little sad but the ending was very sweet and satisfying.

Lisa Unger never disappoints with her novels! This is another that I couldn't put down. Madeline Martin has a quiet life running a bookstore and doing normal, every day things. Harley Granger, a true crime podcaster comes into Madeline's store right before Christmas and wants to dig up her past, which isn't so normal. She is a survivor of a convicted serial killer. Since Evan Handy, the convicted serial killer has been in prison, more women have gone missing, leaving them wondering if the right man was convicted or if he had help. Madeline is forced to face her past to look for answers so she can finally put her past behind her.

Okay, so I have to admit that I've been avoiding Lisa Unger's books for years. I don't really have a good reason as to why, except that there are a couple of other thriller authors that I'm not particularly fond of and I guess I've always imagined her books to be similar to theirs? I dunno. But then I saw this one on NetGalley and it was short and I thought “why not?” because I wouldn't really be out a whole lot of reading time if it ended up being terrible. And, well, I am totally willing to admit that I was wrong about Ms. Unger because Christmas Presents is actually a really good book. Go figure.

The first thing that drew me to this book is that the main character is an independent bookshop owner. I love reading about people who love books. And then one of the other main characters is an author, so there are two bookish people in this one novel. Yay! Madeline and Harley are really great characters, and I found them both to be sympathetic and likable.

The plot is suspenseful and fast-paced, and I probably would have finished it in one sitting had sleep not been necessary (I could read so much more if I never had to sleep!). I had a good guess as to who the villain of the story was at around the 50% mark, which turned out to be correct. This didn't take away from my enjoyment of the story at all, however, because I also had just a slight suspicion that it could have been someone else entirely, so I was eager to make it to the end to find out if my guess was correct.

The end of this book might've gotten a little sappier than I normally go for, but I'm not totally anti-sap as long as it's not too overbearing (here's looking at you, Mitch Albom). I'm sure some people probably got a little teary-eyed over certain bits, but I totally, one hundred percent did not. Nope, not even a little bit. My eyes were completely and totally dry. (*sniff*)

So, yeah. Christmas Presents is an engaging and entertaining thriller that I enjoyed far more than expected. 4.35 stars, rounded down.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Mysterious Press for providing me with an advance copy of this book to review.

Don't let the title deceive you, this is a not a sweet Christmas story. Nearly a decade after two of Madeline Martin's high school friends disappear and one is killed, Harley Granger comes to town to interview Madeline for his true crime podcast. This brings up memories Madeline would rather not talk about, but it does raise questions again about where the two missing girls are and is the killer in prison really the killer, as in the last ten years more women have disappeared.

This is the first time I've read this author, but it will not be the last. Excellent plot, with interesting characters, fast-paced mystery/thriller from beginning to end.

I received this advance review copy from NetGalley & the publisher for my honest review.

Madeline has gotten her bookstore to be successful. She has a customer that she doesn't recognize immediately, but then realizes he's Harley Granger. He has a podcast for his investigations of cold cases. Maddy, herself, was injured in the cold case being looked into. Her friend was murdered, and two other friends disappeared on that night, 10 years before, and just before Christmas. Someone is already in prison, but should the case be closed?

Maddy's father had been the sheriff in town forever, but he's had a stroke and is now slowly recovering.

Harley's appearance in town brings pain, anxiety, and hopefulness. Has he discovered a new clue to the murder and disappearances? Is there someone out there who was an accomplice?

Absolutely not a traditional Christmas story, but it's a mystery that grows more complicated and and twisted as the reader uncovers the previous story and the current one.

I was tempted to skip through parts to get to the end, but I enjoyed every word, instead.

Great read! Typical Lisa Unger! A little bit slow in the beginning. 3.5 stars rounded up. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This was fine I guess. It was short and very fast, and hits a popular theme with a podcaster trying to determine if someone was falsely accused of murder 10 years earlier. He's also investigating women who have gone missing in past years.
*
At just over 200 pages, this is really fast to get through, and has a couple possible interesting suspects. One of my issues with this was actually that it was so short--the ending came up pretty abruptly. There was also no need for the podcaster, he didn't actually accomplish anything, and it felt like it was just a plot device to cash in on the trope.
*
Also the repeated references to Madeline's "sexual awakening" were just...why?
*
So yeah..fine, fits the bill if you want something quick and simple, but nothing I'd go out of my way to recommend

I loved this delightfully fun and wild read! Lisa Unger is an expert at weaving together various plot points into a very compelling story which moves along at a satisfying pace. Once you pick up this book, you won't want to put it down.

If you are looking for a cozy Christmas story, do not read this book! If you are looking for a story of suspense and danger centering around the Christmas season, this is your book! Tense moments and several surprises!

A chilling novella from Lisa Unger. Ten years ago, a young women was murdered, two missing and one injured. Madeleine was injured, but the only survivor. The attacker is behind bars, but now more women are disappearing. Is this related to the horrific event from the past, is it a copy cat or unrelated?
Madeleine is front and center when a popular author comes to town to investigate the past.
A must read!
Thank you NetGalley for the ARC.

Madeline was attacked on the same night that one of her best friends was killed. Two of her other friends disappeared without a trace. It is ten years later and Madeline still lives in the town, runs a bookstore and takes care of her father who was the Sheriff at the time of the attack. Harley Granger is a podcast host and an author who investigates cold cases and comes to town hoping to make a break in the case. Madeline struggles with whether to help him, or if it will be too hard for her to revisit the nightmare of her past.

As with all of LIsa Unger's books, I thoroughly enjoyed this one. It has well developed characters and just enough twists and turns to make it interesting and keep me engaged in reading.

Thank you to #Netgalley for the advanced reader copy of this fantastic book!

Love a good Christmas mystery without the Hallmark feel? Then this book is for you. I love Lisa Unger's work and flew through this Christmas novella. To appreciate this book this you have to put on your mystery/thriller hat. I like that it had a friend/family connection. Yes it's a mystery at Christmas time but the story line takes you through a time period of flashbacks. In the end who can you trust no matter the season? I'm always a sucker for a great father/daughter connection. Thank you Lisa for thinking outside of the box on this one!

I appreciate the ARC copy of this book that releases on October 24th. Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for seeking my honest feedback.

Christmas Presents - Lisa Unger
Despite her tragic past, Madeline has built a life where she can feel safe and leave the past behind her. She owns a thriving bookstore, and cares for her father, the retired police chief.
When Harley Granger comes into the bookstore, everything changes. When Harley pushes Madeline to be interviewed for his true crime podcast, he is met with resistance, with Madeline not wanting to revisit that tragic night.
But as women continue to disappear, it's hard to not compare these new cases with the case of Madeline's missing friends. Did Evan Handy act alone? How could he have murdered Stephanie, and did something with Ainsley and Sam within the same time frame? Does he have someone outside of the jail acting on his behalf?
After all these considerations, Madeline decides to give in and talk to Harley, hoping to do what drove her father mad, and solve this case for good, hopefully bringing closure to the ones left mourning.
After having enjoyed Secluded Cabin Sleeps Six so much, I was so excited to receive an ARC for Christmas Presents. However, I found myself slightly disappointed. This book had the basis for such an incredible story, but I found it rushed, missing out on so much depth and detail that it could've had. It had such a build up to that tragic night, leaving you dying to know what actually happened to Madeline, and it just fell flat. I sadly decided on ⭐⭐⭐/5. I really wanted to love it, and I love the idea of the story, but I just wanted more.

It's September, the temperature dropped below 100 degrees in Austin, you can find Xmas decorations in the stores so why not read a Xmas book!

I loved this Christmastime thriller. It's a simple storyline but it gripped me all the same. It was hard to put down since many chapters end with a hook...so I found myself saying "just one chapter". Of course, I guess the whodunnit wrong and I was so certain I had it right!!

A fun quick Christmas thriller. If you're looking for a break from the hallmark stories during the holiday season, this is it!

A podcaster revisits a high school murder...is the right guy in prison? I usually never let myself figure it out...but this one was a bit obvious from the get to. Fast and fun read

With 3.5 months left in 2023, I have begun planning my TBR for the rest of the year! Christmas Presents by @launger is an absolute must read for the upcoming holiday season❤️

This Christmas story is deeply disturbing and super creepy! It is fast paced and a real page turner. The contrast between the idealistic white Christmas with all the glittering decorations and the nightmare of missing women is perfect. I highly recommend this book for all thriller and suspense readers.

Thank you @mysteriouspress and @netgalley for allowing me to read this book ahead of publication in exchange for my honest review.

(I have also left this review on the Barnes & Noble website)

Very quick easy read that moves at lightning speed! Lots going on all the time! It keeps you on the edge of your seat!

I read everything I see by Lisa Unger, so when I found this one I immediately grabbed it. Her books are always full of mystery and suspense. The Christmas presents in this book are not ones you want.

Description:
Madeline Martin has built a life for herself as the young owner of a thriving business, The Next Chapter Bookshop, despite her tragic childhood and now needing to care for her infirm father. When Harley Granger, a failed novelist turned true crime podcaster, drifts into her shop in the days before Christmas, he seems intent on digging up events that Madeline would much rather forget. She’s the only surviving victim of Evan Handy, the man who was convicted of murdering her best friend Steph, and is suspected in the disappearance of two sisters, also good friends of Madeline’s, who have been missing for nearly a decade. It’s an investigation that has obsessed her father Sheriff James Martin right up until his stroke took his faculties.

Harley Granger has a gift for seeing things that others miss. He wasn’t much of a novelist, but his work as a true crime author and podcaster has earned him fame and wealth—and some serious criticism for his various unethical practices. Still, visiting Little Valley to be closer to his dying father has caused him to look into a case that many people think is closed—and some want reopened. And he has a lot of questions about the night Stephanie Cramer was killed, Ainsley and Sam Wallace disappeared, and Madeline Martin was left for dead, bleeding out on a riverbank.

Since Evan Handy went to jail, three other young women have gone missing, most recently a young college dropout named Lolly. Five young women missing in the same area in a decade. Are they connected? Was Evan Handy innocent after all? Or was there some else there that night? Someone who is still satisfying his dark appetites?

As Christmas approaches and a blizzard bears down, Madeline and her childhood friend Badger return to a past they both hoped was dead—to find the missing Lolly and to answer questions that have haunted them both, discovering that the truth is more terrible and much closer to home than they think.

Coupling a picturesque, cozy setting with a deeply unsettling suspenseful plot, Christmas Presents is a chilling seasonal novella that can be enjoyed all year long.

My Thoughts:

Cold cases are fascinating to me in that someone can pick one up years after the case is basically over and find new evidence or another explanation for what happened in the case. When the podcaster, Harley Granger, reopens this case it sets the entire town on edge. But yes, there is more to know of this case and the twists and turns are fascinating. A great read.

Thanks to Mysterious Press through Netgalley for an advance copy. This book will be published on October 24, 2023.

Lisa Unger is one of my favorite thriller authors and her new Christmas novella is a perfect, fast paced thriller for the holidays. Actually, Christmas is only a tangential part of this book that includes an independent bookstore owner, a true crime podcaster, and an assorted cast of small town characters. The perfect gift for thriller readers, all of Lisa Unger's books are highly recommended.

Thanks to NetGalley and Mysterious Press for an advanced reader copy.