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Murder On The Christmas Express
Murder On The Christmas Express: All aboard for the puzzling Christmas mystery of the year | Alexandra Benedict
19 posts | 16 read | 10 to read
**COULD YOU SOLVE THE CASE? PRE-ORDER NOW FOR THE PUZZLING CHRISTMAS MYSTERY OF THE YEAR** Eighteen passengers. Seven stops. One killer. In the early hours of Christmas Eve, the sleeper train to the Highlands is derailed, along with the festive plans of its travellers. With the train stuck in snow in the middle of nowhere, a killer stalks its carriages, picking off passengers one by one. Those who sleep on the sleeper train may never wake again. Can former Met detective Roz Parker find the killer before they kill again? All aboard for . . . Murder on the Christmas Express Praise for The Christmas Murder Game: 'The perfect gift for quizzers and mystery addicts . . . A delicious locked room mystery crammed with cryptic clues, secrets in sonnets and a deadly game. But it's more than a series of puzzles, it's also an entertaining exploration of relationships and a riveting read' VAL McDERMID 'Perfectly pitched for cold nights and warm fires. A lovely Golden Age tribute' SINEAD CROWLEY 'A perfectly plotted festive mystery' SUSI HOLLIDAY 'Clever and twisty' CRIME MONTHLY 'One for book lovers that can't get enough of mystery fiction - even during Christmas' THE SUN 'Packed with riddles, anagrams and puzzles, this is an engaging murder mysterythat will grip you until the end' DAILY MIRROR 'This is the perfect Christmas book. Get it for yourself to read when the nights are cold and dark and give it as a present. To everyone!' MARTYN WAITES 'Curl up by the fire (and lock all the doors) for this Christmas cracker of a book' C.S. GREEN 'Utterly original and breathtakingly intriguing . . . A must-read this Christmas' STEPH BROADRIBB 'The perfect updating of the classic Christmas Country House mystery . . . Fabulous festive fun' DEREK FARRELL 'The perfect Christmas read . . . and puzzles galore for both readers and the players of the game' W.C. RYAN
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review
Bookzombie
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Pickpick

I loved the sleeper train setting and enjoyed this one. However, the festive cover and Christie-like title are misleading as this is not a cozy mystery. Trigger warnings for sexual and physical assault, domestic abuse, traumatic birth and possibly other things I can‘t think of right now. I saw some reviews say there are no likeable characters, but I liked Roz, our detective, and I‘m not sure who wouldn‘t like Mary and her cat.

Bookzombie I wonder if Benedict had much say in the title and cover because it seems like a lot of reviews are low because of them. 🤔 If not, her publisher didn‘t do her any favors. (edited) 3mo
LiteraryinLawrence Wow, it 100% seems like a light cozy based on the cover. Good to know! 3mo
batsy I agree, Roz and Mary (and the cat!) were good characters. 3mo
Reggie How funny when I look at the cover from a distance I would have said a can of some kind of meet, sardines maybe. But the outline is a train track. Lol 3mo
36 likes2 stack adds5 comments
blurb
Ash.on.the.line
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Holiday book, shows, movies, and a little music! I need to check off some bucket list items but I‘m moving slowly 😅 #wintergames #snowflakesquad

PuddleJumper 💙💙💙 3mo
21 likes1 comment
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twinkletoes74
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Pickpick

In the early hours of Christmas Eve , the sleeper train to the Highlands is derailed, along with the festive plans of its travellers. But that is only the beginning of their problems. The body of one of the passengers is discovered in the locked room of her cabin...

11 likes1 stack add
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batsy
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Pickpick

My 2nd book for #CloakAndDaggerChristmas borrows from Christie's famed Murder on the Orient Express, but is a darker, grittier contemporary take. I read it for the 2nd prompt ("published last year"). The reviews prepared me for a book that's less golden age-esque mystery & more of a crime read, what with toxic masculinity, abuse, & rape as central themes. At times heavy-handed, but generally well-written. I liked it, but it's not festive escapism!

Ruthiella Other reviews on Litsy have warned of the grittier aspects, so I‘ll keep that in mind. From the cover and the Christie nod, I would expect less grit. 4mo
batsy @Ruthiella Yes! I tend to gravitate toward the golden age Christmas mysteries for the fact that it's a bit of a nostalgic/romantic fantasy 😬 This one was too much of a reminder of contemporary news headlines. 4mo
74 likes3 comments
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candc320
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Mehso-so

I‘m not really sure what I expected from this story but it ended up leaving me kind of disappointed. I listened to the audiobook and found myself zoning out and coming to completely lost in the story. It felt like there were too many characters and the talk of rape and domestic violence so much was off putting. But I did finish the story so it kept me interested enough to keep going. 🌟🌟💫

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Traci1
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Pickpick

This was a pick with a big BUT. I picked this up expecting a light festive mystery with a few Christie references. While I enjoyed the setting and the mystery was pretty good, it was very dark. Themes of physical and sexual assault are prevalent. The fact that it's even Christmas seems more an afterthought than anything else. So, I liked it well enough, but it wasn't what I was hoping for.
#winterthon (7hours×10×12thons)+26+(198words×10)=2,846

Bookwormjillk ❄️💙❄️💙 4mo
TheAromaofBooks Woohoo!!! 4mo
See All 11 Comments
Andrew65 Well done 👏👏👏 Sounds quite heavy for a Christmas reference. 4mo
Ruthiella I think I would have been taken aback also. I need to be a little mentally prepared for dark stuff. 4mo
PuddleJumper I thought the same thing. Her other book is much lighter so I wasn't prepared for the darker themes 4mo
Traci1 @PuddleJumper that's funny because I was on hold for another of hers and I cancelled it because I wasn't in the mood for more darkness. Maybe I'll hop back in line. It was The Christmas Murder Game. 4mo
RaeLovesToRead There was just too much sexual assault in this for a book with Festive Anagrams. Very tonally jarring. I enjoyed Xmas Murder Game (silly, but fun), and I'll be reading the 3rd one this year... 4mo
DieAReader 🥳🥳🥳 4mo
Catsandbooks 🍭❄️❤️ 4mo
BookmarkTavern That sounds like a lot of whiplash for a Christmas story. 4mo
69 likes11 comments
blurb
Aimeesue
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Fairly gimmicky, as was her last one, with puzzles and anagrams - and Kate Bush song titles- in the text, but the audiobook‘s well done and lets you skip over that if you‘re so inclined.

40 likes1 stack add
review
PuddleJumper
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Mehso-so

I found this very meh. It was written like a cosy mystery except it included domestic violence and rape which gave it a darker edge. I don't think that was handled well at all.

This was one of my #trappedonanisland picks for December, it just came in at the library

35 likes1 stack add
review
RaeLovesToRead
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Mehso-so

The set up was good (who doesn't love a Golden Age-style murder on a train?!) but sadly there was just too much rape, domestic abuse and sexual assault for this to work as a cosy. It jarred with the light-hearted tone, cheerful banter and festive anagrams (not to mention the cover.)

I'm disappointed, because I love this sort of thing and I wanted it to work. Would happily try more from the author - I expect there is more to come!

⭐⭐⭐

julesG Not trashy-good like the first one 1y
RaeLovesToRead @julesG By 2/3 through I was thinking it might be better than the 1st one, but there were prolonged conversations about serious issues so I couldn't just sit back and enjoy the trash ☹ It takes a LOT of skill to incorporate darker content into an otherwise cheery story and this book didn't pull it off. 1y
68 likes2 comments
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KathyWheeler
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Pickpick

This had been my nighttime book, but since I only had an hour or so left, I finished it on my walk. It was okay. A little long; the murder doesn‘t happen until halfway through the book. Some characters are indistinguishable from others, so maybe so many weren‘t needed. My husband drove for the first time in over a year — after he walked a relatively long way for him. I was thrilled. #audiowalk

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azulaco
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Pickpick

Soft pick, 3 and a half stars. It‘s a locked room mystery on a train stopped in the snow. Yes, the setup is like Murder on the Orient Express, but the solution is different. I like Roz, the main character. She‘s a flawed middle-aged heroine, just like me. 😊 Trigger warning for characters‘ backstories of domestic abuse and rape, though thankfully not described at length.

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Jemgirl2014
Mehso-so

I think I was expecting a cozy and I didn‘t get that. The plot was bogged down by the dark subject matter and I‘m not talking about the actual murder. I don‘t like how one character had to suffer for the actions of another. Two things I liked: the ending when Roz finally reunites with her daughter and newborn granddaughter. Also, the audio narrator is brilliant. She makes all of the characters come alive! ⭐️⭐️⭐️

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Curvybookgirl
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Mehso-so

I was looking forward to this one but I sadly didn‘t enjoy it as much as the first of hers that I read. It‘s an easy read but just fell a bit flat for me

IuliaC Such a lovely photo! 1y
Curvybookgirl Thank you 1y
12 likes2 comments
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RaeLovesToRead
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#Two4tuesday @TheSpineView Thanks for the tag! 😊💕

1. Nope, I'm staying put. In fact, I think I shall go into hibernation and not move from this spot 😴

2. I'm expecting it to be a thoroughly grey Christmas. I vote for Winter sunshine if I get to have a say in the matter. And for my car to stop frosting up 🤣🤣

Humbug 😉🎄🎁

julesG I'd like to hibernate too. 1y
TheNeverendingTBR Your answer for number 1 is totally on point. 1y
The_Penniless_Author Christmas is the only day when sunshine is depressing. It makes me feel like I should be outside doing something and lazy for lying around in my pajamas all day. Give me iron-gray skies and some snow! 1y
See All 7 Comments
RaeLovesToRead @julesG @TheNeverendingTBR Can someone call me when it's April? Kthxbai 🤣🤣 1y
RaeLovesToRead @The_Penniless_Author You can lounge around with an Xmas piña colada 😁 1y
TheNeverendingTBR @RaeLovesToRead I'd love to hibernate until April, I really don't like Winter. 1y
TheSpineView I agree with everyone, I would love to hibernate. Best idea today!!! @TheNeverendingTBR @RaeLovesToRead @julesG 1y
37 likes7 comments
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diaryofdifference
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Pickpick

I came for the Agatha Christie inspired cozy mystery on the train, and I stayed because of how different it turned out to be. I enjoyed all the suspects and open investigation, but most of all the anagrams, Kate Bush songs hiding in plain sight, the tablet recipe and the Christmas quiz. Definitely recommend!

vivastory Looks like a blast! 1y
40 likes3 stack adds1 comment
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bookandbedandtea
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Pickpick

This kept me engaged, and I liked the Roz the MC, but it was a lot darker and more angst-ridden than I expected.

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TheEllieMo
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Pickpick

Well, this wasn‘t what I expected it to be! I went in expecting a cozy crime locked-room murder novel.
And as it involves an increasing body count on a snowbound train, the locked-room element is there, and there‘s anagrams and quiz questions, but this needs a CW for domestic violence/VAWG.

Another finish for the #WinterReadathon 25 points

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RaeLovesToRead
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#bookspinbingo @TheAromaofBooks

Here is my December bookspin list 😊

I've gone for quite a few cosier looking titles, because I need cheering up! 😕 Also incorporated my #rolldecember picks 💕

🎄🎁🎅

TheAromaofBooks Woohoo!!! 1y
45 likes1 comment
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RaeLovesToRead
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I went £4 over the budget my Mum set me, but I don't think she'll be mad when she sees what festive delights I've picked up 💃💃💃

Also pictured, sticky toffee biscoff slice 😋

I figured it was time to read something nice for a change.

LeahBergen These sound delightful! 1y
RaeLovesToRead @LeahBergen @BarbaraBB Apparently there are Xmas anagrams to be found in each chapter! 🎄🎁🎅 1y
batsy Fun books! And I need a sticky toffee biscoff slice 😍 1y
RaeLovesToRead @batsy It was so good! 😊💕 1y
71 likes2 stack adds5 comments