This murder mystery didn't quite hook me like others have. I started reading it in December but took a long break before finishing it in January. The story had its merits, with enough twists to keep me guessing until the end.

However, I couldn't really connect with the main character, Antonia Hawkins. She felt a bit thin-skinned and unprepared for her position. Her blurred lines between work and personal life bothered me, as she seemed to dive back into a work relationship without much thought.

Honestly, I wasn't a fan of the excessive emotional outbursts from her either. It felt a bit over the top.

Despite that, it's not a terrible book, and it did suit the holiday season with its murders adding a dash of intrigue to the festivities.

Alastair Gunn is a new author for me but "The Advent Killer" won't be the last work I read of his as I found this book quite satisfying. Please be aware that this isn't a cosy Christmas story in any way, shape or form but definitely one to curl up with on a cold winter's day.

DCI Antonia Hawkins is lead officer in her first murder case and it couldn't be a worse first case ... a serial killer is on the loose - they know when he/she is going to strike next but not who or where and there are virtually no clues left behind. Can DCI Hawkins and her team track the killer down before the next victim is brutally murdered?

Written at a good pace with interesting characters and intriguing story line, which although might not be the most complex or unpredictable, it did hold my interest to the end and I am looking forward to reading more from Mr Gunn and getting to know DCI Hawkins and her team a little more.

Thank you goes to Penguin UK - Michael Joseph via NetGalley for my copy in return for an honest and unbiased review.

Finally gotten around to reading the Advent Killer after reading the 4th book 1at
Enjoyed the storyline
Thought there was some twists, turns and red herrings in it
Will be reading more of DCI Antonia Hawkins in the future.

Thank you netgalley, Alistair Gunn and penguin UK for allowing me to review this book

I love Alastair’s work. He writes a really good thriller with well drawn plots and character. This is the second of his novels I have read and hope he writes many more

The Advent Killer by Alistair Gunn
Rating ****. 4/5
The Advent Killer is the first novel in a series featuring Antonia Hawkins, DCI of the London Met.
It was peaks and troughs reading the novel but certainly the last scenes held the attention.
Alistair Gunn gives his characters a really good solid foundation, certainly depicting the thoughts and muddled logic of the killer, quite scary. I loved the way he developed the character of Antonia Hawkins, from the frizzy hair to her interaction with a bottle of wine. Don’t envy the hangover though, wouldn’t have thought it would have affected her to that degree. Mike, now he is someone I am sure he has a hidden past...
The police politics and red herrings all made it worth reading and looking forward to starting another novel, in the series, by Alistair Gunn.
Thanks to NetGalley, Mr Gunn and the publisher for giving me a copy of the Advent Killer for an unbiased, honest review for which I have given.

I was lucky enough to receive and email inviting me to read Cold Christmas, the latest novel in the DI Antonia Hawkins series, as part of this I was also offered the chance to read The Advent Killer. Those of you that follow me will know I love my crime and in the lead up to Christmas what better book to read than one about someone who is committing murder during advent.

Antonia Hawkins is a Metropolitan Police detective who gains a promotion to Acting Detective Chief Inspector and finds herself leading her first murder investigation when a woman is found drowned in her bathtub, over the next two weeks two more bodies are discovered brutally murdered and Antonia finds herself hunting a serial killer who is terrorising London and in a desperate race against time to avoid a fourth murder.

Antonia herself is an interesting character – as an acting DCI she finds herself leading her first murder case, she finds herself having to deal with the increasing pressure of a serial killer case playing out in the media, while at the back of her mind worrying about what failing to solve the case would mean for her career. We’re also introduced to the rest of her team, from the junior officer she once gave a lecture to, to the grumpy male detective who doesn’t think a female should be leading the team and isn’t afraid to let her know what he thinks about it. At the same time Antonia is dealing with the end of her relationship, a situation complicated when a former colleague and love interest is brought back from Manchester, with the senior officers keen to have someone on board who works well with the media.

The plot caught my attention, I managed to make my way through a large section of the story during a commute to and from Glasgow for a training course for work. No spoilers here but parts of it were perhaps a little predictable, but for me it was enjoyable nonetheless – it certainly kept me flicking through the pages on my iPad.

Would I Recommend?

The beginning of a new detective series The Advent Killer definitely piqued my interest and I was straight on Overdrive looking for the follow up – My Bloody Valentine. If you like a good crime story I’d recommend giving this a go.

Okay so I quite liked this, liked the plot and characters and enjoyed the book. I did guess who did it, but that didn’t spoil it for me! The opening scenes were quite gruesome but non the less nothing awful, and it had me hooked from then on. Loved Mike and Antonia and thought they made a good team I’d defo read more from the author in the series if there were to be more books that followed.

Just ok I’m afraid but this debut attempt does hold promise so I gave it three stars. The characters could have been better developed and a few twists might have added to the drama. A good holiday read maybe but not one I can’t wait to recommend.

I really liked this book. The murders, the characters and the plot were all well written and, at the time of reading, I was really looking forward to reading the next in the series but the 2nd book didn't do it for me.

I've also gone and written these reviews out of sequence!

Will definitely read again once I have a break from killer thrillers!

Really enjoyed this book and would happily purchase more by the author. A well written and suspenseful crime thriller.

Newly made up to DI on a temporary basis, Antonia Hawkins is given a nightmare case just before Christmas when the body of a woman with horrific injuries is found. It's quickly linked to two other murders - they've all been killed at the same early hour on a Sunday. Now she's up against the clock to find the killer before the next killing can take place, seemingly battling at times against her boss who isn't her greatest fan!
I enjoyed the book and found it fast paced but unfortunately guessed who the killer was quite a while before he was identified and this, for me, spoilt it slightly. Having said that, I found it to be a good read and look forward to reading the next in the series.

I really enjoyed this seasonal read.  As you all know by now I'm a huge crime fiction fan and I'm all in favour of kick-ass female detectives taking the lead on solving the crime.  Antonia Hawkins is a complex protagonist that made an interesting, engaging character, and whilst I wasn't overwhelmed by the plot of the murders, she kept me reading.  Published in 2013, this book was followed by a Valentine's Day themed novel and I'm eager to see what happens next to Antonia and her team.

Fantastic story for a new writer. Great characters especially the female detective. Would definitely read another by this author. Can't wait for the next installment

I really enjoyed the first book in the DCI Antonia Hawkins series. DCI Hawkins is leading her first murder investigation. Her ex partner Mike arrives to join the team and you wonder if their romance will take off this time. Three weeks before Christmas and a woman drowns in her bathtub at 1am. The next week at the same time a woman is beaten to death. The following week there is another victim...the race is on to find out who is killing these women and why.. I did guess about half way through who the killer was but I loved this fast paced read which I couldn't put down.

A Promising Start for DCI Hawkins:
"The Advent Killer" was the debut thriller by Alistair Gunn in what is now a four book series featuring DCI Antonio Hawkins. This novel sees her lead her first murder investigation. I thought the book's strengths were the introduction of the characters but was a shade disappointed with the plot. The conclusion is a bit predictable and I thought unrealistic. However the novel is worth reading for the characterisation alone. And as a debut it held my interest right to the end.
I look forward to reading later novels in the series.

At the beginning of this novel the titular Advent Killer is already well on their way to serial killer status by having three murders under their belt. Met detective Antonia Hawkins is leading her first investigation and it isn't going well. All they know is the murders are happening at 1am on each Sunday before Christmas. With the added complication of unsupportive bosses, over enthused journalists and a complicated love life Antonia needs to stay focused as the clock ticks down to Sunday.....

So this has been on my 'too read' list for awhile, somehow I just didn't get round to it. So when those lovely peeps at Penguin Michael Joseph provided the latest part and this first part it gave me the encouragement to move this up the list. And I'm very glad I did. Antonia is a promising character who is engaging and intriguing in equal measure - she quite human rather than been a super hero cop. She's clever but not infallible, tough but not indestructible. My main bugbear with this was its length - it could have been shorter, and it's conclusion. Just a bit too neat. But I still liked this very much and am looking forward to my next read from Alastair Gunn.

This book started off well and ended on a high but the pages in between seemed to drag out. To be honest it was too predictable, I guessed the killer about halfway through which detracted from the suspense.
Hopefully book 2 will be more suspenseful.

Killer thriller with subtle twists that kept me guessing the identity of the psycho all the way through. Terrific read.

The first chapter has you gripped with its tougher description of the crime. It’s all downhill from there though with a boring none engaging storyline sorry.

I enjoyed this book but didn't love it. In a year where there have been some amazing, un-put down able thrillers I honestly struggled to finish this.
Antonia Hawkins, the investigating officer in the hunt for the title murderer, is quite thinly characterised and to me, is how a man would imagine a woman would behave and lacks authenticity.
The pace was slower than you would expect, quite jerky, but it is not a bad book, I would definitely read others by Alastair Gunn. This is my honest opinion and I have fortunate to be provided with this proof for honest review by Netgalley and the publishers,for which I am grateful.