Well, this is a bit different to the kind of Christmas book I usually read! A fabulous psychological thriller that’s full of murder and intrigue. The story moves along at a cracking pace and kept me turning the pages long into the night. Susi Holliday is a fantastic writer and her latest offering did not disappoint.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for giving me the opportunity to read an ARC of this book. A gripping 4 star read that I highly recommend.

I thought the idea behind this book was terrific who would have thought of an advent calendar filled with pictures of actual murders, wow.I also liked the young detective Becky and the pace of the book was good.The story was told from different points of view and that worked too.I did find as a slight criticism that it lacked a bit of tension and I'm not quite sure why this was because the story was good I did enjoy reading it .I thought it was a really original plot and it was well written and a good read.Thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for an ARC.

DC Becky Greene and DS Eddie Carmine may just be my new favourite detectives. A world away from the Banktoun trilogy, the creepy, yet surprisingly festive Deaths of December may just be Susi’s finest novel so far.

'The Photographer' uses a 35mm camera, a nod to a dying art, or a clever way of attracting Police attention?

It’s a question that must be answered when an old fashioned advent calendar (the type with pictures only - no chocolate!) is sent to the police station where Becky works. Behind each window is a gruesome crime scene.

Addressed 'to a detective who knows what to do', at first it appears to be a sick joke, someone from scenes of crime having a laugh. Because no one in their right mind would send detectives evidence of their crime scene. Would they?

Becky’s colleague DS Carmine, wonders if it could be connected to a recent as yet unsolved murder, one he’s been asked to stop working on, as one of the windows looks like a familiar scene. He wants to continue with the investigation regardless, seeking justice for the victim.

Relatively new to the team Becky is quickly partnered with Eddie after suggesting some possible avenues for consideration. Her mind is sharp, her interest piqued and enthusiasm at its highest.

Perfect characteristics for a detective to solve a crime quickly.

Unless you are looking for a serial murderer who is seemingly Mr. invisible... Leaving behind a trail of physical evidence like the photographs, but no clues about who they themselves might be.

DC Greene and DS Carmine must work quickly if they are to stop the advent killer before he strikes again. For there are empty windows on that advent calendar, and a killer who wants to fill them and get his Christmas off to a gruesome start.

I am not the biggest fan of the upcoming festive time but I am a big fan of serial killer fiction. The thing that really swung it for me reading this book is that I really loved this author's Banktoun trilogy, written under author name SJI Holliday. So much so that I put aside my scrooge tendencies and ploughed on in!
DC Becky Green receives a strange piece of correspondence which has been sent to her police station. On opening the curiously addressed envelope, she finds an advent calendar. Opening the windows, she finds that instead of the more usual treats or festive scenes, behind each window is a negative of a crime scene photograph. On closer inspection, one of them is familiar as it details a recent crime. Taking it to her boss DS Carmine, he recognises at least one other which he keeps quiet about. Who has sent it and why? More worrying though is that there are several windows with nothing behind them. With the recognised crimes still unsolved, does this mean that this has come directly from the killer and if so, why? If not then what connects them. And, more importantly, are the blanks indications of more crimes to come? Can Becky and Carmine identify the missing crime scenes and find the connections in time to both catch the killer and prevent more deaths?
What a cracking premise for a story. As things unravel, we go back in time and learn more about each of the crimes depicted in the calendar. We also hear from the initially unknown killer and become privy to their motivation. There is a side story regarding Christmas markets. Quite how and why this fits into the big picture is initially unknown so I just kept that on the back burner for a little while. It's not too long before things start to make sense though so I didn't have to hold it for too long until it all became scarily clear. It's an entertaining and well plotted story that managed to hold my attention nicely throughout, even when I thought I had it all worked out, there was still more to come to light.
Characters were good too. I really liked Becky right from the start. She is relatively new to the detective squad and still finding her feet a bit but she is dogged and determined albeit it still a little green. Carmine on the other hand is a bit of an old hand at things along with all the baggage that comes from a long and varied career as a detective and I thought the two characters complemented each other very well. Also I found it quite refreshing that neither of them fitted the stereotypes that usually crop up in this type of book.
Pacing was a little different in this book to what I am used to. I guess most of that could be attributed to the fact that the main focus of the detectives is on cold cases, committed over several years and in different jurisdictions. This meant that there was quite a bit of the early part of the book taken up with identifying all the previous crimes. Once that was done and we were really off and running then things took on a more frenetic pace. Especially as the killer appeared to be working towards their end game - not really a spoiler as it is obvious from their initial communication that they wanted things to get a wriggle on so to speak. We also found out quite early who and why, another swing away from the usual formula but it did work well with the story being told. That said, I did find that the reasons why were a bit incredible and, as such, I wasn't wholly convinced.
The ending was a little ambiguous and there were things that were left a bit up in the air. I am not sure whether this is an indication of more to come from the characters, whether in just a follow up book or if indeed this is the start of a series. Another thing that point to this being a possibility is the way that the characters have been introduced. I read a lot of series books and the character definition and development during this book did feel to me like this isn't the end of their stories. Personally I would welcome this to be the case as I have already mentioned that they make a good pairing and I would definitely be interested in hearing more from them. They have great potential and it would be a shame if this was it for them.
All in all, ignoring the lack of complete resolution at the end, this was a quite satisfying read for me. My thanks go to the Publisher and Netgalley for the chance to read this book.

Have yourself a deadly little Christmas,

Let your hearts be cut

From now on,

the deaths will come in a glut



Have yourself a deadly little Christmas,

Make the Yule-tide sway,

From now on,

your murders will be blood and spray.



Here we are as in olden days,

Happy golden days of gore.

Murdering friends who aren’t dear to us

Gather near to us once more.



Through the days

We all will be together,

If the courts allow

Hang a shining noose upon the highest bough.

And have yourself a deadly little Christmas now.

Susi Holliday’s The Deaths of December is a chilling little number just perfect for sliding into an ice cold Christmas stocking. Holliday takes some of our best known Christmas elements and sets them up as the backdrop for a series of gruesome murders.

Did you hear about the thief who stole an advent calendar? He got 12 months – they say his days are numbered. But when this particular advent calendar is delivered to the police station, no one takes any notice… until they open it to find a real life murder behind every door. Becky Greene, a new D.C. collects the CID mail on her way up to the office. A large envelope with no return address has been sent to “To a Detective who knows what to do.” Inside police find an advent calendar with a deadly purpose. Behind each door is a crime scene type photo from an unsolved murder, and there are four more doors without photos…yet.

D.C. Greene and D.S. Eddie Carmine view this as more than just an elf and safety issue. They’re going to have to spruce up if they want to catch the killer before Christmas. We hear directly from both the murderer and from Carly, a lonely and depressed figure , who sells pottery at Christmas markets.

The police procedural side focuses on Eddie and Becky as they try to work out what the killer is trying to tell them through the advent calendar.

When will this secret Santa strike again and why does Eddie Carmine have the nagging feeling that he should know what the murderer is trying to say?

In this twisty, turny, well wrapped crime novel, the tinsel is tarnishing for both Becky and Eddie as they struggle to work out the reason for these crispy crimes.

But there’s myrhh….both Eddie and Becky have interesting domestic conundrums and their partnership is a good and interesting one. It would be nice to hear more from them at other times of the year.

The Deaths of December is an engaging and interesting read with dark and bloody undertones. Just perfect for your Yuletide gore.

The Deaths Of December by Susie Holliday is the first book i have read from this author and it is a solid 4 star read.DC Becky Greene and DS Eddie Carmine are drawn into a serial killer investigation when an advent calender is delivered to the station outlining 20 years of killings.It is a well told story from the perspective of Becky,Eddie,Carly (Eddie's wife) and a photographer !! As the countdown to Christmas day gets nearer the killer is losing control and the pressure is on to find him.Although i felt the book got a little bogged down in the middle it was still an excellent read and i think the partnership between Becky and Eddie could be expanded into a great series of books.A solid 4 star book.

Thanks to Netgalley, Hodder and Stoughton and Susi Holliday for the advance copy of this book in return for my honest review.

This is the first book I’ve read by this author and on the whole I enjoyed it. I did find it ‘clunky’ in parts, but, the storyline was sufficiently different to maintain my interest and the characters were well rounded and interesting.

A festive murder mystery with a twist.

This was the first book I read from Susi Holliday but I am already looking forward to reading more of her. I love those books where the setting is almost as important as the story and the main characters. The Deaths of December is very well written, with likable and less likable characters, twists and turns and enough for the reader to stay interested, because the story get fed to us in short chapters; each chapter written from another viewpoint.
A clever plot, good characters, room for some humor and a very good surprise at the end. Very well done.
Thank you NetGalley!

A great thriller, which had me questioning everyone! Really enjoyed it and found myself reading 'just one more chapter' late into the night.

I would like to thank Mullholland Books via NetGalley for providing an e-ARC to me in exchange for an honest review.

An interesting premise, good characters and set in a wintry wonderland of December – this is a great start as I so enjoy crime fiction, a good story, good characters and snow!

Mind you don’t think this is the cosy mystery it might first seem because it isn’t. It isn’t very dark but it is a police procedural with DC Bekky Greene and DS Eddie Carmine tracking down a serial killer. Written from various viewpoints, not something I always enjoy but is quite fashionable and I didn’t seem to mind it too much, it was well done by Susi Holliday. You know ‘whodunnit’ pretty soon but it’s about whether Becky and Eddie can figure it out and find the killer – and can they do it before more are killed?

I enjoyed the inclusion of the various characters that made up the investigation team in the broader sense – crime scene, analysts and support staff. I liked the Christmas market link and Carly is a good character too, although her three children (they are older teen/young adults) seems to be all to realistic these days in that they need a good kick up the backside (sorry if that’s not very ‘PC’!) tending towards that spoiled brat type – but that’s a very minor element.

Deaths in December keeps you engaged, builds up tension towards the end and finishes with the strong possibility of a further book – which might be interesting I wouldn’t mind getting to know Becky and Eddie better, along with several others in the book.

This is a terrific read and one I would certainly be happy to get in my Christmas stocking.

Rating: 3.5/4* Recommended

It is the season for festive crime and Susi Holliday gives us a dark serial killer thriller set in London. DC Becky Greene opens an advent calender with a twist sent to the police. Behind the windows are crime scene photographs of murders including the recent killing of Linda Hollis, but go back many years. Four windows are empty suggesting the killer is letting them know more victims are planned for this Christmas. DS Eddie Carmine has nothing to go on for Linda's murder, but he has connections to other murder investigations which lead him to think that the killer has him in mind with the advent calender. He says nothing of his thoughts to his colleagues but is plagued by dark feelings and worries. The story is delivered through the various characters, including the killer, as the police go on high alert to catch the killer amidst the busy festive season.

We are given insights into The Photographer, the creator of the advent calender, the crime scene photographs are taken in the old fashioned way using 35mm file. He began killing around the festive season because his beloved sister, Chrissie, was murdered in this period and the police have never got close to arresting the perpetrator. He is desperate for the police to re-examine the case and his killing spree are part of his need to get their attention for this purpose. Carly is a market trader with low self esteem and a marriage that is not working out, the killer has her in mind as a target. We find out later this is no random selection, but that she is chosen for her connections to someone deemed important to him. In the meantime, Becky and Eddie get closer to identifying the killer as they investigate leads, but the killer has them in his sights. Will Becky and Eddie be able to nail their man and survive?

This is a great dark crime thriller with twists. It is well plotted, suspenseful and full of tension to keep the reader engaged. The characters of Eddie, a man tired of life with his difficult family dynamics, and focusing his energies on his job, and Becky, a young detective with much to learn, are a great partnership. We are given insights into their personal lives and their work as they chase down a dangerous man and come to invest in them as the author develops them as authentic people. If you are looking for festive crime, then I can recommend this as a good read. Many thanks to Hodder and Stoughton for an ARC.

The deaths of December by susi holliday.
It looks like a regular advent calendar.

Until DC Becky Greene starts opening doors...and discovers a crime scene behind almost every one.

The police hope it's a prank. Because if it isn't, a murderer has just surfaced - someone who's been killing for twenty years.

But why now? And why has he sent it to this police station?
An absolutely fantastic read. I loved becky. I had no idea who the killer was until susi revealed the killer. Highly recommended. 5*. Netgalley and hodder and stoughton.

Well, let's just say this, there ain't going to be any advent calendars adorning my house this year! What a macabre countdown to the festive period "The Deaths of December" provided when a homemade calendar lands on the desks of DC Becky Greene and DS Eddie Carmine. This isn't any ordinary calendar and there are no cute wee Christmas scenes awaiting behind the doors! Rather each door opens up to reveal a grisly crime scene, the thing is, these are not paintings, these are photographs of the real thing. Will Becky and Eddie be in time to save the last four potential victims and just who has the killer really got in their sights!

I always approach a new series by a favourite author with a sense of nervous anticipation, will it live up to my expectations, will I connect with this new cast of characters and will the narrative provide me enough of the heart-stopping moments that I look for? Well, have no fear, "The Deaths of December" certainly gave me it all in abundance! With a narrative cleverly divided up into an almost childlike "9 more sleeps" 'til Christmas countdown, the chilling scene is set immediately. This is not going to be a cosy Christmas feelgood read, that's for sure! Perfect for the crime lovers amongst us who prefer a little more grisly than cuddles and chestnuts by a log fire!

The story is told from the point of view of Becky, Eddie, Carly and The Photographer and once again Susi Holliday has created a cast of absolutely plausible characters. There is an ordinariness, a kind of "person next door" feel about them, I read them as though I knew them, I could see them all in my head which really helps me connect and engage with them all. We know from the beginning who is narrating from the killer's point of view and it was a brilliantly twisted approach to the book. I love getting to know new characters in a book and learning about them as each page turns and this book certainly gave me this experience and best of all it left me wanting more of them! (so I am hoping that Susi Holliday is currently penning another in the series!)

A twisted and deceptive plot provided me with enough clues and red herrings to keep my twisted imagination happy! The tension built as each chapter finished and by the end of the book I was wound up tighter than a corkscrew and having a few palpitations as I kept holding my breath! "The Deaths of December" is the perfect Christmas read for those amongst us who prefer our countdowns to be a little more terrifying than tinsley; those who prefer Krampus to Father Christmas! Why not pop this in your favourite crime thriller lover's stocking this year and give them the horror they crave!

Don't open the door and have yourselves a Merry Little Christmas!

Well I definitely won’t see lovingly home made advent calendars without a flash back to this story. I do wonder what inspired the idea of a murder calendar but I definitely prefer the chocolate option. There was quite a lot in this book that in my opinion is not likely to happen in real life however that doesn’t stop it from being a good read. The narrative is split into days starting from ‘nine more sleeps’ (to Christmas) so it would work perfectly reading a day at a time to fit if you can resist skipping ahead to see what happens. Certainly a welcome change from the abundant Christmas romances. Eddie and Becky were likeable enough characters and I would be happy to see their return.

I would like to thank Netgalley and Hodder & Stoughton for an advance copy of The Deaths of December, a police procedural set in Surrey.

Becky Greene is still settling in to her new job as a detective constable in CID when she opens an envelope marked "to a Detective who knows what to do". Inside it is an advent calendar with photographic negatives from crime scenes in most of the windows. After establishing that it isn't a festive joke Becky and her sergeant, Eddie Carmine, are on the hunt for a killer.

I like the premise of The Deaths of December which is unusual and thus a bit different from the norm but the execution lets it down. This is one of those novels with alternating points of view, not least the killer. Helpfully Ms Halliday titles each change with a name, except the killer who is referred to as The Photographer. I'm not a big fan of this approach as it's distracting and doesn't hold my attention. The shifting perspective makes it impossible to get fully immersed.

I also found the killer's motivation rather unbelievable. There is no doubt about it as it is stated almost from the start so there is no need to guess and in some ways it makes the investigation redundant as the reader knows already. His identity will also not come as a big surprise to seasoned crime fiction readers as it is fairly obvious from early on.

Needless to say both Becky and Eddie have troubled home lives. Much of it is unresolved by the end, paving the way for a sequel I presume. It should also be noted that there is a bit of a cliffhanger at the end of the novel, which many readers don't like, again paving the way for a sequel. Would I read it? Probably as I like Becky and Eddie who are well drawn and realistic.

The Deaths of December is a solid police procedural with engaging protagonists.