NYT bestselling author and master of suspense, Lisa Unger (favorite author), returns following Secluded Cabin Sleeps Six with one of the best Christmas crime thriller novellas, CHRISTMAS PRESENTS —It has it ALL! Everything you look for in an engrossing psychological crime WHODUNIT thriller! Top Books of 2023. 5 Stars +

It checks all the boxes!
~A bookseller
~A survivor with a scarred face
~An author/true crime podcaster
~A devoted father/cop with a stroke
~A cold case
~A serial killer wearing a Santa mask
~Mysterious annual Christmas presents to the surviving victim
~Atmospheric secluded winter setting: Little Valley/The Hollows (reference -love)
~Missing Girls
~A snow blizzard
~A remote lake house
~Two friends unite from the past crime to search for the missing girls
~A Countdown to Christmas

RIVETING and unputdownable! The past and present collide as it is closer to the anniversary date of the decades-old crime for an explosive, jaw-dropping, heart-pounding conclusion.

I LOVED CHRISTMAS PRESENTS. Of course, I am a long-time Lisa Unger avid fan and have read all her books!

Madeline Martin is a survivor and now owns The Next Chapter Bookstore. She cares for her father (ex-cop), Sheriff James Martin, who was working on the case and obsessed until he had a stroke.

Madeline is scarred for life (both physically and mentally). She still wears the star across her face, left for dead by the lake, but she lived when her friend Stephanie was not so fortunate - stabbed seventeen times and two other friends still out there, missing.

Harley Granger, a novelist turned true crime podcaster, walks into her store days before Christmas and wants to revisit the events from the past.

Madeline was the sole survivor of Evan Handy, whom she thought was her boyfriend (bad, rich boy) her father warned her not to see. But she did not listen. Evan is in prison, serving a life sentence, convicted of murder, which she helped put behind bars.

Her two other friends, Ainsley and Sam Wallace (sisters), have never been found for nearly a decade, and now there is another girl recently missing, Lolly. She does not want to relive the past, but at the same time, if she can help find Lolly, she will do what she can. These girls are being drugged and taken.

Did Evan have help that night, or is someone on the outside still working with him, taking young girls and women?

In addition, Madeline receives Christmas presents (thoughtful gifts) each year since the murders, but she has not told anyone. She suspects they are from Evan.

Lolly Morris was a college student who had dropped out and was a stripper at a local club and was heading home to the Hollows for Christmas. She went to the diner with some man and has been missing since. He was nice. But he turned out to be a monster. Her parents will be worried. (both lyrical and poetic, Lolly's thoughts and dreams of her parents and Christmas).

Time is running out. Madeline and her best friend Badger (who helped save her that night), along with Harley and the cops, must work diligently before it is too late to find Lolly before he kills again and the missing girls.

Five young women are missing in the same area in a decade. Are they connected? Was Evan Handy innocent after all? Or was there someone else there that night?

Lolly is fighting for her life, held captive by a monster psychopath dressed as Santa with a mask. She must find a way to escape. (I loved the car/forest/ice scene).

As Christmas draws near amid a blizzard, Madeline and Badger find her dad's files and maps in the basement, and they have a clue. Will her dad be able to speak? The danger is closer than they may know.

What a book! Nailbiting and heart-pounding CHRISTMAS PRESENTS is action-packed, beautifully written, and will keep you on the edge of your seat from the first page to the explosive conclusion!

CHRISTMAS PRESENTS is packed with sharp characters, psychological suspense, and gasp-worthy plot twists. As always, Lisa is a pro when it comes to creepy, unsettling settings and characters, both good and evil. Superb writing and twists you do not see coming.

Claustrophobic and haunting, I enjoyed Lolly's character, tenacious, a survivor—Spine-chilling—A perfect book for Halloween or Christmas true crime fans.

After reading and loving the book, I listened to the audiobook by Jennifer Pickens, and the performance was SPELLBINDING—A fantastic and engaging listening experience for all voices!.

This is a must-read Christmas novella for Lisa Unger fans! Perfect for gift-giving and book clubs.

Thanks to Mysterious Press, Penzler Publishers, and NetGalley for an ARC and Highbridge Audio for an ALC for an honest review. I also purchased the hardcover copy for my home LU library!

UPCOMING: Put Lisa's 2024 book on your TBR list, The New Couple in 5B, Coming March 5, 2024.

Blog review posted @
JudithDCollins.com
@JudithDCollins | #JDCMustReadBooks
My Rating: 5 Stars +
Pub Date: Oct 24, 2023
Oct 2023 Must-Read Books
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Looking for the rare Christmas mystery/thriller? Lisa Unger has written a novella - Christmas Presents.

"Madeline Martin just wants to sell books and be left alone. But true crime podcaster, Harley Granger, is looking at an old case. One where Madeline was the only survivor the night her best friend was killed and two others disappeared. Evan Handy went to jail for the crimes but other girls have gone missing since. Now Granger is dredging up old memories and looking at what really happened that night."

Great performance on the audiobook by Jennifer Pickens. Several characters - male and female - but she nails all the voices. And the terror and emotion of that fateful night.

Mostly told through Madeline's POV, including the flashbacks when she is telling her story to Granger. Other times we get Granger's POV. And one from a missing girl. Unger keeps you guessing about what's happening and who the killer might be. I didn't guess. There's some creepy scenes with a Santa mask. And a wild ending.

I like this short form because the tension never lets up - there's always something happening.

Great pick for thriller fans wanting a Christmas setting.

This was a great story that flipped between present day and the past. I always enjoy a murder mystery that is partially told through podcast and has a new person trying to uncover the secrets of the past.

I listened to an advanced readers copy of the audio book of Lisa Unger's Christmas Presents thanks to NetGalley and Mysterious Press and HighBridge Audio. This is another in a true crime podcast mystery books, although the true crime podcaster plays a secondary role. The book is really a novella (the print version comes in at 226 pages, and the audiobook is under 6 hours.

The title is deceptive in that this is not a Christmas story. The story simply takes place during the week before Christmas. The story focuses on Madeline Martin, who was nearly a decade earlier, in. a crime in which her friend was murdered, and two others disappeared. Madeline is now the owner of a bookstore, and wants to put the experience behind her. The murderer, he one-time-almost boyfriend Evan Handy is arrested and convicted of the murder and serving life in prison. But a famous true-crime podcaster arrives at the bookstore, wanting to reopen the case. Not only to solve the missing girls case, but another woman who has gone missing in the present day. And this sets the stage. The story goes back and forth from the current day to her memories and experiences ten years earlier.

Some reviewers describe the book as chilling and haunting but I didn't feel that. The story was interesting, but felt rushed at the end. I don't really have a strong sense of the connection of the current case (and who was responsible) with Evan Handy (who has been in prison for a decade). And the podcaster's role sort of fades away and plays a minimal role as the story progresses. I kind of think a longer book would have enabled this interesting story to have been much stronger.

Yuletide Chills: Lisa Unger's 'Christmas Presents' Keeps the Season Merry and Mysterious!

Book Information

“Christmas Presents” by Lisa Unger is a 224-page mystery/thriller with a planned publication date of October 24, 2023. The audio version spans 5 hours and 38 minutes and is narrated by Jennifer Pickens. Thank you to RB Media for providing me with an advance reader copy of this book for review.

Summary

Madeline Martin, a successful business owner with a tragic past, encounters Harley Granger, a true crime podcaster, who reopens the haunting unsolved case involving her best friend's murder, two other disappearances, and questions surrounding the incarcerated Evan Handy. As three more women go missing, they delve into the possibility of a serial predator. Amidst a looming Christmas blizzard, Madeline and her childhood friend Badger embark on a journey to uncover the unsettling truth, discovering that the dark secrets of their past are even closer than they thought.

My Thoughts

"Christmas Presents" by Lisa Unger is a quick and entertaining read, striking the perfect balance between brevity and thoroughness, ensuring the story never drags on. The author skillfully utilizes description and setting to create an atmospheric and engaging crime narrative that keeps you hooked from the fast-paced opening. This is a perfect holiday gift to yourself – an engrossing crime story that keeps you entertained and engaged until the very end.

This haunting and gripping tale is filled with plenty of twists, turns, and red herrings, offering a well-paced plot that keeps the tension and unease steadily mounting. Told from three different perspectives and across two distinct timelines, the story benefits from this multi-dimensional approach.

Unger's characters are well-developed, even in this shorter format. We get a good understanding of the main characters and what drives their actions, shedding light on how internal scars can be just as impactful as external ones.

The narrative, which is well-told and captivating, is expertly narrated by Jennifer Pickens, who manages to give each character a unique voice and maintains the right tone and level of enthusiasm throughout. Her soothing voice brings the story to life, enhancing the overall experience.

Although I had correctly deduced the identity of the mystery antagonist around the book's midway point, this revelation didn't diminish my enjoyment or my anticipation to witness how the story would conclude.

Recommendation

"Christmas Presents" by Lisa Unger is a compelling and well-paced crime story with richly developed characters and a captivating narrative that will keep you on the edge of your seat. Its atmospheric setting and unexpected twists make it a must-read for fans of the genre, ensuring you won't be able to put it down until the very last page. Recommended.

Rating

4 Christmas Stars

Great creepy holiday thriller as wouls.be expected from the author. Like its short, compulsively plotty story. Narration was spot on.

Oh I really hope this is not indicative of any Christmas Presents I receive this. year, this was equivalent of opening a little blue box only to find nose ring from Claires inside (and you don't even have a nose piercing) instead of the Elsa Peretti Bean studs you were hoping for (HINT HINT if you want to buy me a present) I am not a huge Novella fan Nor am I a big Unger fan ( I seriously despised Last Girl Ghosted--I have nightmares that one day I will start a book and someone will have switched the jacket on the book and I have to read one sentence in that book again)--omg that was so mean.

BUT when I do read novellas they need to be dripping with action, pulls you in and packs a lot of punch. This did NONE of those things. It was the most ectruciating (no __key) 5 hours of my life. I was SO bored. The story was so flat as were the characters. I was really hoping for more, twisty turns. Or a dark Christmas mystery...again no no no. This book could have easily taken place in the middle of summer....Christmas is just used as a marketing ploy I am guessing. Unger tried to incorporate A True Crime Podcast and some red herrings, but the plot was so obvious a grandpa with cataracts could have seen it coming.

Don't waste your precious time. I am pretty sure after this Unger book the scale has oficially tipped and I have disliked more of her books than I have liked.

Thanks Netgalley for allowing me to review this book by Lisa Unger which publishes on October 24, 2023. I was not influenced or paid for my honest original opinions.

Gripping dark Christmas thriller!🎄🎅

A week before Christmas, Little Valley, New York. Madeline Martin is a survivor and owner of The Next Chapter Bookshop. She enjoys wrapping gifts and talking about books. Harley Granger, a struggling novelist/true crime podcaster visits her store and wants an inside scoop about a cold case, the murder, and missing women. A traumatic past she rather forgets.

I love this novella by Lisa Unger! It's very engaging and she expertly ties the characters and stories both the past and present. Excellent characterization and delivery. She definitely kept me guessing to the end. My experience with her works has only been short stories for Amazon Original and I truly need to seek her other titles.

Christmas Presents grabbed my interest right off the bat but was also confusing from different POVs and timelines until I figured out that these are different voices/times. I enjoyed Jennifer Pickens' narration, but it was a challenge to tell each character apart. It would've been better with multiple narrators. 4.5⭐

Thank you HighBridge Audio and Netgalley for the ALC.

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.

Unger is one of my favorite crime writers, and I thoroughly enjoyed this story of two women, one who survived her encounter with a killer when her friend did not, the other, a true crime podcaster looking for the truth about the man convicted of the crimes. Because this was a novella, the story felt a little rushed, but it was still fantastic

While I love Lisa Unger, this was not my favorite attempt from her. This short read, set during the holidays, has plenty of twists and turns, though the plot felt hard to follow (maybe because of the audio format). Still, I appreciated the opportunity to listen to this piece before it comes out.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read and review!

Lisa Unger rarely disappoints, and this book is no exception. It sets the scene for the holidays with several missing women, one person that may be wrongfully convicted, and the perpetrator in a Santa mask. My only complaint is that I wish the book was longer! I listened to the audiobook and the narrator was easy to follow and kept you engaged in the story.

If your favorite part about the holiday season is sitting down and watching Netflix or Hallmark movies about finding love in the holidays in a small town then this book is not for you. If you wish they made Halloween movies about finding love in a small town then this book is also not for you.

If you wish they would make a holiday movie about murder and abduction set in a small town where a survivor gets Christmas presents each year from an anonymous person and is sure there from her attacker and murderer of her best friend who is sitting in jail on a life sentence only to have old memories dug up when a true crime podcaster comes to town, then this book is for you.

Themes: 🔪🪦🎙️🔎🕵🏻‍♂️👣

My thoughts: 🥸😬🤔🫡🫣😀

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#christmaspresents

A decade ago Madeline Martin and her best friend were brutally attacked at a party and left for dead. Around the same time, two girls went missing. Madeline survived and now runs her own bookstore and cares for her ill father, a policeman who never gave up on finding the missing girls. When a true crime podcaster shows up to investigate the crimes, he sees a connection between those and other cases of missing women from the area. Though a man was convicted of the crimes and is in prison, is the case really fully solved? Was there an accomplice?

This was a quick, exciting read. 3.5 stars rounded up.

Thanks NetGalley and Penzler Publishers for this ARC. Release date is October 24, 2023.

This is my first book by Lisa Unger and it definitely won’t be my last! This is a short Christmas horror/thriller Novella about Madeline and the tragic crime that happened to her ten years prior. Harley is a true crime podcaster and is back in town to keep investigating the crime and the other omens that are missing.
While this book was short it still kept me interested and throughout and not to predictable.
This was a four star read for me and will be recommending it to others!

If your idea of a good Christmas book is saving a down-on-its-luck Christmas tree farm (or other small town seasonal business), with a heavy dose of conflicted romance on the side, Christmas Presents might not be the book for you, but it was definitely the Christmas novel I was looking for. There should be more Christmas thrillers with missing people, small town secrets, and unsolved murders. This is Christmas Lisa Unger style, and it's perfect.

Madeleine is the victim of a heinous attack that left one of her friends dead and two missing. Years later, she is still reliving the horror. Although her attacker is serving time in prison, women are still going missing and she is receiving anonymous gifts every Christmas.

This was a straightforward, fast-paced thriller that had little to do with Christmas. Great narration by Jennifer Pickens. I was a little thrown off at first by the dual timelines, since the different times weren’t announced at the beginning of each chapter, but I soon picked up the flow. Good suspenseful listening for those looking for a shorter book. 3.5⭐️

Thank you to NetGalley and HighBridge Audio for this complimentary ALC. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

I’ve read several Lisa Unger books and I find they are hit or miss. Some I really enjoy, others are a bit underwhelming. Unfortunately, for me, Christmas Presents fell in the latter.

I listened to the audiobook and chapters were not announced (they often are) which normally would be fine. Good, in fact. Except several different stories were going on (2 present, 1 past). So all of a sudden, the story would be about the past, or involve the other character, and it takes a few seconds because my brain is like ‘wait, that makes no sense’, and I’d then figure out which storyline it is. So I found that a bit jarring and takes you out of just listening and enjoying. Perhaps in the paper copy it would be less annoying because you would see it’s a new chapter.

I also just could not get into the story. I found some parts interesting, and I actually wanted to know more about some things (ex. her store / employees, more from the high school years). But overall I wasn’t feeling drawn to the story. There was nothing bad about the story, I just didn’t find it compelling.

One thing I appreciated was that the story was completely wrapped up and the end and everything explained!

I give this book 3 stars.

Thank you to NetGalley for providing me an audiobook copy of Christmas Presents which I have reviewed honestly and voluntarily.

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.

I enjoyed this cold case murder mystery that takes place in the days leading up to Christmas as a true crime podcaster comes to Madeline's town and forces her to relive the traumatic events of her youth that saw her best friend murdered and her barely escaping alive. Good on audio narrated by Jennifer Pickens, this was a twisty novella perfect for fans of authors like Ruth Ware or Karin Slaughter. My one complaint was that I thought the podcast format could have been better utilized in the audio. Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early audio copy in exchange for my honest review.