Reviews

The Christmas Jigsaw Murders by Alexandra Benedict

grrldetective's review against another edition

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challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

dawnthoma100's review

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dark funny mysterious fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? N/A
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25

This book was fantastic. Edie is an elderly woman who can be quite the character—and not in a positive manner. It is impossible not to be on her side, though,as she tries to solve the jigsaw murders and stop any more from happening. Even though the main character despises Christmas and the plot revolves around murder, I still found this book to be a compelling read since it somehow manages to have a touch of the Christmas spirit.

reads_eats_explores's review

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emotional funny lighthearted mysterious fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

Octogenarian Edie O’Sullivan may live on England’s Jurassic Coast, but it’s far from one foot in the grave she is.

Edie, our curmudgeonly crossword compiler, is sharp as a tack, though highly eccentric, with a punk past and a particular love of Vivienne Westwood. Edie will speak her mind whatever the occasion; filter what filter? Oh, and a heart of gold, but she will go to great lengths to avoid disclosing the fact! She also hates Christmas, and for good reason enough.

It’s the 19th of December when Edie finds a hand-delivered present on her doorstep. Unwrapping it, she finds a jigsaw box and, inside, six jigsaw pieces. When fitted together, the pieces show part of a crime scene – blood-spattered black and white tiles and part of an outlined body. Included in the parcel is a message: ‘Four, maybe more, people will be dead by midnight on Christmas Eve unless you can put all the pieces together and stop me.’ It’s signed, Rest In Pieces. 

Edie contacts her beloved great nephew, DI Sean Brand-O’Sullivan, but they both hold back critical information, fearing the danger involved and forever trying to protect the other.

Yet as the body count climbs, Edie knows that only she has the knowledge to put together the killer’s murderous puzzle. What is Edie keeping schtum over? 

Will the killer be found before the bells for midnight mass ring out?

I’m wanting a few more festive reads this year, and I love a good whodunit, and this suited me well. After a relatively slow start, this whodunit was great craic, with the story having plenty of twists and turns to keep me guessing - I was nowhere near suspecting the true culprit! 

This Christmas cracker is a humour strewn, delightful page turner you'll want to solve in one sitting. I’m off to look into this author's other books now. 4⭐

As always, this is an honest review. Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for an advance copy.

ruth's review against another edition

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mysterious medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.5

beverlyingle's review

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mysterious medium-paced

4.0

books_in_wales's review

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funny lighthearted mysterious medium-paced
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes

3.5

booksonthe747's review

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emotional funny lighthearted mysterious medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

suddenly_joanna's review

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emotional funny lighthearted mysterious fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25

I laughed out loud at this zippy cosy crime. The main character was equally infuriating and lovable and the rest of the cast were just as charasmatic. The actual plot was a tad convoluted in parts, but I couldn't wait to find out who dun it in time for Christmas day! 

kindle_and_crossstitch's review

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adventurous challenging dark emotional hopeful mysterious tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

gemloukay's review against another edition

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funny mysterious medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25