While most Christmas books I’ve read are cutesy romance books, this one took things in a different direction. While it took me a little bit to get invested, once Part 2 started, I was hooked. The premise of a depressed individual also being the least-liked in-law among relatives being the one that died made the case of his death very compelling. Did he jump or fall… or was he pushed? And if he was pushed, by whom? The three parts coming from three different points of view also lent to the storytelling. I loved that we started inside Neil’s brain, but then moved to Sacha followed by Christy. The differences in the way each narrated showed that they were all battling their own insecurities and flaws. Everyone had something to hide, and the differences in narration meant that I suspected different people of committing crimes throughout the book. While it wasn’t overly difficult to figure everything out, it was still a very enjoyable read. I was very satisfied with the way everything turned out.

A Christmas thriller that started off dramatically, and a story that is likely to make you look anew at your own family. No matter how bad things get, they’re not this bad.
We open with a couple in crisis. A husband struggling with depression and a spiralling drink problem, and a wife desperate for a baby but unable to conceive. Heading for the in-laws for Christmas it is not a happy time.
The Christmas starts badly with each of the relatives making comments. From their interactions it’s not surprising to see things escalate. Before we know it, there’s a missing person and the police involved.
Once we get the initial story underway it quickly becomes a family drama. At this point it definitely lost some of its edge, and although things rattle along at a fair pace it is a story that rather stretches credibility.
Thanks to NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read and review this before publication.

Get ready for a ride of twists and turns in this book. My first Maria Frankland and definitely not my last! Family that doesn’t get along and a murder close within….. a must read!

I think this book was good! I gave it a 3/5! I feel like the beginning was a bit slow for someone like me who loves thrillers but it wasn’t like super slow or anything. It was good! The last 30% had me on the edge of my seat and honestly I was just guessing all throughout the book and even though I had a feeling I knew what was going on it still had me super interested. Well worth the read! Thank you Netgalley and publishers for allowing me to read this one for free in exchange for a review.

This was a good holiday thriller with an ending that was shocking. Thank you for letting me read and review it!

Last Christmas is a thriller genre novel that starts with a family trying to celebrate their father's last Christmas as he is terminally ill. The cover says "An utterly compelling and page-turning physiological thriller." I definitely wouldn't classify this as a thriller. This is more a family drama story with murder involved.

Although this was a very easy holiday read, it was extremely easy to guess who did what, how it went down, etc. There wasn't much suspense and no big surprise when everything was revealed. Christy is the only likable character in the whole book.

If you're looking for a quick holiday read, this fits the bill but don't expect to be shocked at the ending.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

this was a quick one-day read for me, although it ended up being a pretty standard domestic suspense. don’t be fooled by the title, the first few chapters take place at a family christmas gathering but other than that, it really has nothing to do with the holidays - i was hoping for a good christmas thriller. ultimately it was a fine quick read but the ending left me unsatisfied and the characters were all a bit too annoying.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for my copy of this e-arc!

I really enjoyed this book and I loved how it was done in parts that showed the different POVs so you followed the one POV for a lengthy time before switching again. The different turns it took was really good and compelled me to keep reading although some of it was quite predictable it was still a good read.

The writing was easy to understand and medium paced.

A thriller mystery taking place around Christmas. The story is told through three different perspectives. Several twists that I didn't see coming. A quick read that will keep you guessing until the end. Thank you NetGalley for a copy of the book!

WOW. Really enjoyed this book - it gripped me right from the start. It’s written in 3 sections from 3 different characters’ points of view - The husband who dies, his wife and then his sister in law. It’s a domestic/psychological tension story set at Christmas about family interactions and awkward relationships that culminates in a murder.

Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This book had me hooked from the beginning. More of a domestic thriller but I enjoyed it nonetheless. I figured out the end almost halfway through but I still loved the way Maria Frankland wrapped it all up. This was a perfect Christmas book. I will definitely be looking for more from this author.

Book Review: Last Christmas: A Gripping Family Drama with Surprising Twists

⭐⭐⭐.5 Stars

In Last Christmas, Neil and his wife Sacha find themselves reluctantly spending the holidays with her family. Neil, already battling depression and alcoholism, faces additional challenges as the three days unfold in a confined space filled with lots of booze. With underlying tensions simmering among family members, this Christmas gathering might turn out to be more explosive than anyone could have anticipated.

Last Christmas was an okay read for me. While it had its fair share of twists and jaw-dropping moments, I felt it leaned more towards family drama than a typical psychological thriller. The characters were flawed and unlikable, which added depth to the story but made it difficult for me to fully connect with them. Nevertheless, the book was filled with enough surprises to keep me engaged until the end.

Last Christmas by Maria Frankland is a gripping and suspenseful story set against the backdrop of a family gathering during the holiday season. While opinions on this book may vary, it undeniably offers unexpected twists and turns that will keep you guessing. Whether you find it addictive and captivating or feel it leans more towards family drama, Last Christmas delivers on its promise of a thrilling read that will leave you wanting more.

⚠️This review was written based on personal opinions and experiences with the book. Individual preferences may vary⚠️

My first book by this author and have now added all her books to my wishlist. A chilling thriller that had me on turning page after page! Although the ending seemed a little rushed in my opinion, I thoroughly enjoyed this book as it wasn’t overly Christmassy and had all my favourite elements of a good fast paced read.

Sacha and her husband, Neil are off to visit her parent's for Christmas. Her dad is terminally ill and they want to make his last Christmas a good one. But that's not what happens at all. Neil and her family don't get along. Neil and Sacha also have some things going on in their relationship. On top of all that, he's depressed and her family doesn't help the situation at all. The time there ends up being a disaster because of everything going on. Neil ends up leaving the house and he never returns. The police find him dead and Sacha has to figure out what actually happened to him.
In the beginning of the book, we are introduced to Sacha and all her family. We hear her point of view but then halfway through the book it changes to someone else. Then the last half of her book, it changes to someone else again. This isn't done in a confusing way and I really appreciated that about the book. I was kept on my toes not knowing what happened at all. I had some thoughts while reading but they were wrong. I was surprised by the end and it left me a bit confused. But it was a good book and I'd rate it 4 out of 5 stars.

This one was really entertaining! It started off a bit rough between Sacha (wife) and Neil (husband). There was a lot of bickering and tension and I wasn’t a big fan of either character. But this book takes some crazy turns and I ended up loving it! I love that it’s set around Christmas and the timing I read this is perfect. I definitely recommend this one especially if you like thrillers and lots of drama. This book had so much drama and unlikeable characters but that’s what makes a good thriller for me. I also loved how it ended. I would recommend checking TW because there are som heavy topics. Overall, loved this one especially for this time of year!

This was my first book by this author, and i really enjoyed it.
You'll want to keep reading, especially as you get to the end, a totally engrossing read.
Solid 4 star book.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for allowing me to read this book.
Fyi, it's available on kindle unlimited for those that have that membership.

Nail-biting suspense from start to finish. I couldn't put this down, it was so thrilling and captivating. I loved the dark and chilling twists. I'll be looking for more from this author. Excellent holiday read.

If you're looking for a Christmas suspense, this is for you! I usually prefer one narrorator but the way this was done from all 3 POV's was amazing. I truly couldn't put it down and needed to know the ending! Didn't see the plot twist coming either. Loved it.

Chilling. Thrilling. Absolutely brilliant. Wonderfully dark and tense - loved this one so much. Will be reading everything by this amazing author. Please do read this one - I guarantee you'll love it.

" [...] They say when you want to know what your wife will look like in the future, to look no further than your mother-in-law. [...]"

Wow! I love Christmas psychological thrillers like this. Thank you to Maria Frankland for creating such a unique book. Her "Last Christmas" stopped my heart. What I got here was a strong and extremely dark plot, as well as interesting action with amazing twists and turns. I read the novel "Last Christmas" in one day. I was stressed when I had to take breaks. I really wanted to know what would happen next.

 The end of the book is a real Armageddon of emotions. Literally anything can happen here.

 Thanks to this book, I appreciate what I have. I would never want to be in the shoes of the characters in "Last Christmas". It has long been known that the period before Christmas is quite stressful. This holiday season, not all of us will be where we want to be. We won't necessarily be happy with the people we spend Christmas with, like Neil.

 Neil goes to his in-laws for Christmas. I don't want to be there. He doesn't like his wife's sister's husbands. In addition, he is an alcoholic, suffers from depression and feels that everyone thinks he is a failure. He and his wife Sacha are trying to have a child.

 Sacha - goes to her parents for Christmas. Her sisters and their families will also be there. This will be their last Christmas together. The girls' father is terminally ill. He only has a few months left to live. Will the family come together for Stuart? Or will it most likely come to blows?

 Christy and Adam have been married for ten years. Are they happy? They have no children.

 Rebecca and Greg - They have two daughters and another baby on the way. Will their third child have time to meet his grandfather? Rebecca was making me nervous. She's a selfish character.

 Wendy is a haven of peace. She needs to be strong for her husband Stuart.

 I wouldn't wish on anyone what this family goes through on Christmas. It will be rough, dangerous and dark. You won't know who you can trust. Their holidays will make you feel better about your families. You'll be glad you're not part of Wendy and Stuart's family.

 After Maria Frankland's book "Last Christmas", I want to read her other novels. I hope they are also dark like this one.

 I'm glad the author didn't create a candy-colored Christmas story. She showed the brutal truth about what can happen in some homes.

 Here you will find corpses, alcoholism, struggles with infertility, betrayal, hatred and much more.

 If you are looking for a great Christmas thriller, be sure to read "Last Christmas".

 In addition to the gloomy atmosphere in our heroes' house, you will also get wonderful winter views.

 Perfect story - worth reading.