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Christmas Presents
Christmas Presents | Lisa Unger
23 posts | 26 read | 10 to read
Instead of presents this Christmas, a true crime podcaster is opening up a cold case... 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.
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OriginalCyn620
Christmas Presents | Lisa Unger
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Pickpick

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

#christmasinjuly
#bookspinbingo

TheAromaofBooks Woohoo!! 4mo
32 likes1 comment
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Yenya1954
Christmas Presents | Lisa Unger
Pickpick

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.

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Litlady
Christmas Presents | Lisa Unger
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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!! 🎄💚🎄🧑🏻‍🎄📚

Beck9lol Beautiful picture! Merry Christmas and Happy New Year, friend!!! 🎉 10mo
16 likes1 comment
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Bookzombie
Christmas Presents | Lisa Unger
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Pickpick

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. 🙂

Reggie Yes to mixed media! 10mo
39 likes1 comment
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OriginalCyn620
Christmas Presents | Lisa Unger
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I‘m gonna try to squeeze this one in by the end of the month!

#wintergames #photochallenge #presents #candycanecrushers

Catsandbooks 🙌🏼🍭❄️❤️ 10mo
30 likes1 comment
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kimmypete1
Christmas Presents | Lisa Unger
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Pickpick

Short holiday thriller, solid story.

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NatalieR
Christmas Presents | Lisa Unger
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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

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AudiobookingWithLeah
Christmas Presents | Lisa Unger
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Pickpick

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.

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bookandbedandtea
Christmas Presents | Lisa Unger
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Pickpick

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 ⬇️

bookandbedandtea ⬆️ is involved. This drew me in quickly. It's well told but a bit rushed at the end and not entirely unpredictable. 11mo
24 likes2 stack adds1 comment
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bookandbedandtea
Christmas Presents | Lisa Unger
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↖️ What I'm doing 🖥🤒,
what I wish I was doing 🛋📚↗️

TheBookgeekFrau At least the meds are festive holiday colors 😬 Feel better! 11mo
Deblovestoread Feel better!❤️‍🩹 11mo
See All 10 Comments
Pageturner1 @bookandbedandtea hope you feel better. 11mo
bookandbedandtea @TheBookgeekFrau Thanks! I wish the weekend would hurry up. 😩 11mo
bookandbedandtea @Deblovestoread Thank you! 💜 11mo
bookandbedandtea @Pageturner1 Thank you! 💜 11mo
TheBookgeekFrau @bookandbedandtea It's almost here; hang in! 11mo
kspenmoll Feel better!!! 11mo
bookandbedandtea @kspenmoll I'm getting there. Thank you! 11mo
24 likes10 comments
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MidnightBookGirl
Christmas Presents | Lisa Unger
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Pickpick

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

Bookwormjillk 💙❄️💙❄️ 11mo
bthegood 🎁☃️🥳 11mo
34 likes2 comments
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Read4life
Christmas Presents | Lisa Unger
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Pickpick

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

TheAromaofBooks Woohoo!!! 11mo
DieAReader 🥳🥳🥳 11mo
BookwormAHN Yay 🩵❄️🩵 11mo
41 likes3 comments
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AmandaBlaze
Christmas Presents | Lisa Unger
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Ruthiella Next up? 🎅🏻🔪💀🎄 11mo
AmandaBlaze @Ruthiella I think “God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen” with Slashing Through the Snow. I need to finish another book first, though. 11mo
21 likes2 comments
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Amie
Christmas Presents | Lisa Unger
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Mehso-so

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

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Bklover
Christmas Presents | Lisa Unger
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Pickpick

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

Kimzey I like Christmas mysteries too! Thanks for the recommendation. 📚 11mo
Ruthiella Sounds like a good one! 🎅🏻🔪💀🎄 11mo
73 likes2 stack adds2 comments
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candc320
Christmas Presents | Lisa Unger
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Pickpick

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

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Nessavamusic
Christmas Presents | Lisa Unger
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Pickpick

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

Emilymdxn This sounds perfect for December! ❄️❄️❄️ 11mo
34 likes1 stack add1 comment
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AmandaBlaze
Christmas Presents | Lisa Unger
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Pickpick

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

Julsmarshall Great review! 11mo
DieAReader 🥳🥳🥳 11mo
See All 6 Comments
Catsandbooks 🍭❄️❤️ 11mo
TheAromaofBooks Woohoo!! 11mo
BookmarkTavern Christmas thriller! ❄️ 11mo
31 likes1 stack add6 comments
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DGRachel
Christmas Presents | Lisa Unger
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Pickpick

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.

katiekat311 I just got this from my library today! 11mo
50 likes1 comment
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AmandaBlaze
Christmas Presents | Lisa Unger
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“The past is alive.”
#FirstLineFridays
@ShyBookOwl

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AmandaBlaze
Christmas Presents | Lisa Unger
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Julsmarshall Ooh, sounds interesting! 11mo
27 likes1 comment
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AmandaBlaze
Christmas Presents | Lisa Unger
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20 likes1 stack add
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deeannloso
Christmas Presents | Lisa Unger
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“Instead of presents this Christmas, a true crime podcaster is opening up a cold case…”

ericarobynreads Oooooooh!! 12mo
35 likes5 stack adds1 comment