Welcome to Litsy!

A bit late for a Christmas read but it‘s not very seasonal. Well written quick read with interesting characters and because of that it‘s not a pan. But the solution fell flat for me. I was unconvinced and disappointed and also not at all surprised. I didn‘t spend too long on it (maybe two sittings) and it wasn‘t a slog to read. I will try more of her books as I liked her style.

A book club pick, and it was a quick and easy read. I figured out who the true villain was in chapter 6, but I still enjoyed it. A short read that I finished in one sitting. Book #116 in 2024

Am I in a funk? None of my recently read books have been hitting. This was a true so-so. I liked some parts but ultimately it was too unbelievable with a bit much going on. Bookshop owner Maddie and her bff Badger are on the case of a missing woman whose disappearance may be tied to an incident Maddie was involved in during her high school days. There‘s also a podcaster, creepy presents showing up, and Santa!?! Eek. Fine but forgettable.

This is a comparatively short read for a crime thriller at under 300 pages but it packs a punch. I was simultaneously sympathetic to Madeleine & suspicious that she might not be being completely truthful. It was fairly fast-paced due to the length but I thought that the ending was a little weak. 4🌟

Full Review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/5966872614
Read 8th-9th Dec 2024

This was creepy in parts! Definitely a change of pace from the light seasonal books I‘ve been reading lately. I actually hadn‘t read this author before and I want to read more of her work now. This one reminded me a bit of The Return of Ellie Black.

I‘ve been either in bed or on the couch sick this week.
Harpy and my sister‘s new rescues (Prue and Piper) kept me company.
I did manage to stay awake long enough to finish these two short novellas.
I liked them both but this one a bit more.

November was A LOT. I kind of lost the thread on my reading challenges, except for magazine back issues and Goodreads. I‘m two books away from the number goal I set for myself, and I conveniently have two book club selections to finish in the next two weeks (right side). I also have two more books checked out from the library (bottom) for a little lagniappe by the end of the year. #Adventathon

When a true crime podcaster comes to Little Valley, New York, to look into an unsettling cold case the week before Christmas…it‘s not exactly a cozy story! Meanwhile on my TV, football is taking place in the snow about an hour away from Little Valley. I want a cup of tea, but I‘m too lazy to get off the couch. #hyggehourreadathon

This was my first Unger book, but it won‘t be my last. I really enjoyed this! Excellent holiday thriller!

#christmasinjuly
#bookspinbingo

This novel wasn‘t what I expected! The twists had me thinking “WHAT” I didn‘t see this coming. I gave it a solid 4/5.

Finally a break for this bookseller and a chance to express thanks to my thoughtful and awesome #Litsypenpal @Beck9lol for all these festive bookish wonders plus the Steelers light up ornament AND The Nightmare Before Christmas advent calendar. I‘ve enjoyed it all month long!! You make my holidays extra special and I‘m so thankful for your bookish friendship. Happy Holidays to everyone in the #Litsy universe!! 🎄💚🎄🧑🏻‍🎄📚

This was an enjoyable suspense/thriller for the holidays. I had the killer figured out early on, but still enjoyed the ride. Also, I‘m still enjoying books that use a podcast as part of the story. 🙂

I‘m gonna try to squeeze this one in by the end of the month!

#wintergames #photochallenge #presents #candycanecrushers

Short holiday thriller, solid story.

This is an excellent holiday-themed thriller! At roughly five and a half hours of listening time, this story is packed with suspense and layers of one woman‘s life. I loved how the pieces kept falling together while leaving me with more questions and suspicions. The story is intense and frightening at times, while filled with hope, forgiveness, and love that are staples of the holiday season.

Full review at https://abookandadog.com

4⭐
This is another Christmas Mystery for those who like their Christmas reads/listens to be on the dark side. It definitely won‘t put you in the holiday spirit. It could‘ve possibly been fleshed out a little more with some added length…but overall, it's not too bad. The narration by Jennifer Pickens was okay, but additional narrators would‘ve improved the experience.

This is set in the days leading up to Christmas & tells of a 10 year old cold case which Maddie, the only survivor, is forced to relive due to a true crime novelist/ Podcaster. One of Maddie's friends was killed that night and another two disappeared without a trace. Her BF was convicted but has always maintained he had nothing to do with the girls who disappeared. Another girl had just gone missing, bringing up the concern that someone else is ⬇️

↖️ What I'm doing 🖥🤒,
what I wish I was doing 🛋📚↗️

I love a good winter thriller, and this one hit all the notes for me- and even had a bit of romance. A bookstore owner survived a brutal attack leading to her high school boyfriend in prison for murdering her best friend, but here comes the true crime podcaster/author to stir things up!
#WinterGames #GangstaWrappers @Bookwormjillk @Clwojick @StayCurious
#WGWordsearch 2890 pts

I like Unger‘s books in general. Throw in a holiday thriller that‘s also a good, quick listen and it usually hits the spot.
#BookSpinBingo #RushAThon #WinterGames #GhostsOfXmas
@TheAromaofBooks @Andrew65 @DieAReader @StayCurious @Clwojick @BookwormAHN

#CloakAndDagger #AllIWantForChristmasisYou
@Ruthiella
#RestingGrinchFace

Disappointing. Very little suspense or tension. I figured out the killer very early on.

I love Christmas mysteries. I saw this on hoopla last night and listened to it today. (It‘s only 260 pages). If you‘re looking for a good Christmas thriller this is it. It‘s really a mystery/thriller that takes place in the five days before Christmas. A tragedy from the past is stirred up when a true crime podcaster takes a look at a crime that occurred ten years ago. I loved it!!
#Christmasthriller #cloakanddaggerchristmas

A single bookstore owner. A single writer-turned-podcaster. Christmas quickly approaching. Sounds like the start of a perfect holiday rom com, right? WRONG! This particular Christmas story is full of murder! This was a quick thriller that I finished in a day. The narrator was pretty good and I thought the story did a nice job of wrapping everything up well in a short amount of time.🌟🌟🌟🌟#wintergames #SantasBookshELVES

A solid holiday thriller, which features a bookshop owner who was attacked as a teen and a true crime podcaster looking to uncover the mystery surrounding the incident. This was a nice easy read, a bit predictable but solid Christmas read. 3.5⭐️
#WinterGames
#LongDarkNightsDecemberBingo #AtoZBingo
Team #SnowAngels
@emilymdxn @kwmg40 @texreader @5feet.of.fury @sblbooks @msradiosilence @cogsofencouragement

I enjoyed this novella by Unger. While shorter than her other works, it still had the suspense and darkness I‘ve come to expect from her. There weren‘t as many twist, but there didn‘t need to be. 4 stars. 2,890 word search.
#20in4 @Andrew65
#Adventathon @BookmarkTavern
#BookSpin @TheAromaofBooks
#AtoZ @Texreader
#Candyland @Catsandbooks
#CloakandDagger #Ruthiella

This was an interesting small town mystery/thriller, with a current missing person, flashbacks to previous crimes, a true crime podcast, and an indie bookstore owner. The audiobook was well narrated and held my interest. My only quibble is the sections in podcast format don‘t translate well to audio, so this may be better in print.

“The past is alive.”
#FirstLineFridays
@ShyBookOwl

Next up!
@Julsmarshall #RestingGrinchFace

#AlltheBooksDec23 #DecTBRorHopefulRead
@TheReaderBee
@Julsmarshall

“Instead of presents this Christmas, a true crime podcaster is opening up a cold case…”