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A review by nglofile
The Christmas Murder Game by Alexandra Benedict
2.0
Primary draws: traditional country-house murder, (ostensibly) with added interactive puzzle-solving potential; holiday setting
Additional appeals: LGBTQ acknowledgements that aren't coded for scandal or suspicion, a rarity (though changing) in this genre
Caveats for suggestion: better fit for those seeking comfortable rhythms of isolated-group-and-mounting-deaths than for those hoping for freshness; holiday frame is incidental; in spite of genre Easter eggs, the riddles of the plot are constructed to tease characters more than as solvable brain-teasers for readers; solution to murders is fairly predictable, though many readers will forgive as long as they can enjoy the journey
Additional appeals: LGBTQ acknowledgements that aren't coded for scandal or suspicion, a rarity (though changing) in this genre
Caveats for suggestion: better fit for those seeking comfortable rhythms of isolated-group-and-mounting-deaths than for those hoping for freshness; holiday frame is incidental; in spite of genre Easter eggs, the riddles of the plot are constructed to tease characters more than as solvable brain-teasers for readers; solution to murders is fairly predictable, though many readers will forgive as long as they can enjoy the journey