As I have mentioned before, Mark Edwards was an author that I only discovered in April this year, but I have already read three books by him, and I will absolutely be reading more.
I love a Christmas book – but a Christmas crime book is even better. So, when I spotted that this was coming out, I knew I had to read it. Now, I do have to confess that I have not read the other ‘Magpie’ books, but they are definitely on the wishlist, and this did not stop me from enjoying this one.
But that age-old issue of not spoiling a thriller is with me again. I am not sure why I do this to myself; I should really have come up with a way round it by now.
A young couple move into a new house, in a rather-too-perfect housing estate. They get a rather warm welcome from the neighbours, however this welcome gradually takes a sinister turn. ‘Secret Santa’ is not the jolly old soul you would hope for…
There are just so many wonderful elements in this book that make it such a readable thriller. But something that Mark Edwards is brilliant at is creating his cast of characters. This neighbourhood was just full of characters that you can imagine finding in lots of suburban neighbourhoods.
If you want a dose of Christmas crime then this book is definitely worth picking up – just do not expect it to be cosy.