This is a very imaginative retelling of a Christmas story which I enjoyed reading, The story centres on Emil who's been in trouble with the law for most of his adult life for shoplifting and stealing. He's just been arrested for the twenty third time and Foster, his probation officer, is sick and tired of him. Even more so when the judge decides to give him and chance and place him in community service instead of throwing him back in prison.

Community service turns out to be a lot less cushy than Emil was hoping. He's been placed for a year in a high security institution in the desert outside Las Vegas where people with serious mental health issues live. He's immediately befriended by two elderly sisters, Edith and Gloria, who take a shine to him. They’ve been fantasising for ages that they are two of wise men, Melchior and Caspar, and have been seeking a third. As soon as they see Emil they believe he is their long awaiting wise man, Balthazar, and that he can lead them to the infant child that they’ve read about in Mark’s gospel. Emil spends most of his first few days avoiding Edith and Georgia who are freaking him out with their bizarre ideas and conversations. They even have costumes for their intended journey as magi. Meanwhile, Emil, is finding his kinder inner self by showing some understanding and kindness to another patient in distress, although then gets back into old habits and steals an item from him.

The story is paralleling the biblical tale of the three magi following the light (star) to find baby Jesus. It was well told with a fun twist in making it a modern day story.

With thanks to NetGalley and Penguin UK Michael Joseph for a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This is a charming, heart warming story celebrating the innate goodness of people and the magic of the Christmas season. I loved it.

A brilliant festive read from a wonderful author. Keeps you interested throughout and great atmosphere. Would recommend. Thank you to Netgalley and the publishers for allowing me to review this book.

When Emil Rice was a child, his joy each Christmas was travelling with his mother across the country to his Gramma and Grampa’s house. But it was when Emil was an adult that Christmas didn’t seem so special. His return to jail seemed imminent after being caught while on parole, once again. But the judge decided to enter Emil into one of his pet projects for twelve months – he was shattered and shocked when he arrived at the mental health facility outside of Las Vegas. Surrounded by desert, the facility was wrapped up tight – how was he to escape?

It was two elderly women residents, sisters Edith and Gloria, who took a shine to Emil – and he was terrified. Edith and Gloria had a plan and that plan would now be able to come to pass with the arrival into their lives of Emil. He had no idea what they were up to – he just did his best to stay out of their way and do the work he was assigned to do. With Christmas Eve the following day, Emil was in for a shock…

Return of the Magi by P.J. Tracy is a heart-warming novella which made me smile; a feel-good story filled with humour, a little sadness and lots of festive warmth. Edith and Gloria were an absolute delight – Return of the Magi is a wonderful story from an author I’ve not read before, and who apparently normally writes crime! I’ll be looking for more! Highly recommended.

With thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for my digital ARC to read and review.

A quirky, different book to to read this Christmas. An entertaining, fun and heartwarming story with an eclectic mix of characters.

Ah I’m soooooo glad I got a copy of this book from Netgalley, this oil was an absolute delight, a sheer gem of a book and I totally loved it. It’s not my usual kind of book to be honest but boy am I glad I found it.

Emil is a total chancer a bit of a reprobate but has a good heart, he is caught stealing and the judge gives him a chance to redeem himself by working in an old folks home for the mentally challenged.

Two patient take a shine to him and this kind of freaks him out, but there’s a reason they take a shine to him and honestly it’s a fabulous reason!

The book is funny and sad, genuinely heartwarming and such a precious read.
It’s a must read for absolutely anyone in my opinion, gives you faith in the human race as well as a good laugh and a great few hours escapism!

Loved, loved, loved this book!!!

I don't usually read Christmas stories but I fancied a change from my usual thrillers and crime stories and I am so glad I did. This is a delightful story that will warm your heart and give you the good feels. My only regret is it wasn't a bit longer.
Can we have a sequel please?

A feel good, amusing and sad Christmas Story. Not usually a fan of Christmas stories as mostly a bit cheesy. This was something different. My only issue was it could have went on longer. Only 170 pages. Well worth a read.

I promised myself I wasn't going to read any Christmas books this year as I find they are all very similar but this one breaks the mold. A Christmas story about a thief ? Well that's different!
The story begins with Emil who's eight years old being driven by his mum to spend Christmas at his grandparents house. He comes across as a kind little boy so when we next hear of him years later it's such a surprise to find out that he's a repeat offender and has been in and out of prison most of his life. I'm not going to go into what the rest of the story is about as there are plenty of spoilers on Amazon without me adding to them. Especially since this is a short story.
I'll just say that I really enjoyed it and it made me laugh out loud. I liked Emil even although he was his own worst enemy. I liked the other characters in the book and their own stories of what they are doing at Christmas. I could see this as a film with Eddie Murphy playing Emil and Maggie Smith as one of the two sisters Emil meets. A book that will warm your heart and make you laugh. I would love to read more about Emil.
Out for kindle download at 99p.
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Return-Magi-heartwarming-Christmas-story-ebook/dp/B073RWQ5B7/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1511709735&sr=8-1&keywords=Return+of+the+magi
You might also like:

An interesting insight into human compassion. Thoroughly enjoyed.

This is a sweet holiday story with a good message, I am not a big fan of this type of story usually, but this one was worth reading. Thanks NetGalley and Penguin for my copy. All opinions are my own.

Thank you Netgalley and the Publisher. What a wonderful read especially for this time of year. I loved it

After just finishing P.J Tracy's Nothing stays buried I was unsure what to expect from this Christmas short story but I loved it. Emil Rice is a small time crook and con man who is facing more time in prison when he is given an alternative option - work in a secure mental institution for a year. He is soon stalked by two sisters who believe he is the 3rd king from the Christmas story - the one they have been waiting for. This is the beginning of the humorous mayhem. The characters are strong, unique and loveable so form a quirky, enjoyable festive read different to any I have read before. With its vibrant colours, festive twist and plot it is easy to imagine it being on screen to be enjoyed as part of the Christmas tradition. It is on my list to be read again next year.
Thank you NetGally and Michael Joseph for the opportunity to read an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

What a delightful story! Emil Rice was a lovely, happy little boy, but after his mother and then his grandparents died he ended up in the foster care system, which wasn't kind to him, and he becomes an unsuccessful thief. The story really begins when he comes out of prison, and is given a place in. a half-way house in Las Vegas, and a low-paid job in a MacDonalds restaurant. He visits his jaded parole officer, Henry Foster, who tells him he expects he will be back In prison before Christmas.

Emil is caught that same evening, having stolen whatever he could find in the cars in a church car-park. However, a guardian angel must have been with him, because instead of being sent back to prison he is given a live-in job at a secure mental-health facility. Twin sisters Edith and Gloria, long-term residents take an immediate shine to him. They have long held a fixation on the Magi, they have beautiful costumes for themselves as Melchior and Caspar, and when they first see Emil they decide he is Balthazar, and will take them to find the child.

Emil fights all the way, he would rather be in prison, but the old ladies get him into his Balthazar costume, and out of the institution though their escape route, and they follow the bright lights (of Vegas) across the desert, to search for the child. This story captures all the senses, it makes you laugh out loud, then almost cry at the poignancy of Emil's situation; then totally surprise you at the child sstory and how well that turns out. They even find themselves turned away from an inn, when Emil thinks the old ladies need to rest; an unsavoury place that rents rooms by the hour, but still keeping Edith and Gloria on track with their mission.

Emil is a good man, he just hasn't had any luck or help in his life, but despite his need to escape he cannot leave the ladies, he looks after them as well as he can, and the story turns his life round, you just know he will sort himself out!

A really delightful morality tale, a good read for Christmas.

As we get closer to Christmas it is nice to pick up something with a festive twist to it and you get more festive than Las Vegas in December! Emil Rice is a smooth talking chancer. He has the gift of the gab and a light touch that sees unsuspecting people being relieved of their wallets and purses. Unfortunately Emil isn’t very good at not getting caught and when he is hauled by before a judge in Clark County it looks like he’ll be going back to prison for Christmas.
Despite his twenty three prior offences the judge decides not to imprison Emil but sentences him to a years community service at a mental health facility just outside of the city. Here Emil comes into contact with a diverse range of people including two old ladies who are convinced that he is the missing part of the Three Wise Men.
It is a beautiful story and the characters that Tracy crafts are so real and lifelike that you feel like you know them all. My only complaint is that the book isn’t anywhere near long enough and I’m left wondering what happens next. A feelgood story that will fill you with cheer this festive season.
Supplied by Net Galley and Penguin in exchange for an honest review.

I love P.J.Tracy's books and although I felt the beginning was a tad slow, it picked up and I didn't want it to end. I want to know what happened to the characters. I loved the sisters.

This book was not at all what I was expecting, and I didn't actually enjoy it to begin with. I was thinking I was going to have to give up on it and try something else when suddenly it got pretty good!

As soon as we enter the mental health facility things take a turn for the weird.
And a turn for the better!
The characters were interesting and funny, with the two schizophrenic sisters being my favourites by far, with their bold, hilarious personalities and strange antics.
I loved being able to see Emil grow as learn as a person too and went from really disliking him to actually growing quite fond!

This ended up being an unexpectedly heartwarming and funny Christmas read for me. It definitely gave me the nice warm, Christmas fuzzies and had a very surprisingly lovely ending too.

Emil Rice is a habitual thief, promising, each time he is caught, that he will never steal again. When he is arrested for the twenty-third time, he is ordered to carry out community service at a secure mental health facility, where he will have to live-in for a whole year. While he is there, he is befriended by two elderly female patients who have been waiting for the arrival of Emil for a long time having convinced themselves that he is the third wise man and that he will help them to find the Christ Child.

This is not the sort of book I would usually read but, as a fan of P J Tracy’s Monkeewrench series, and as the festive season is approaching, I thought I would venture into the unknown. What I found was an easy to read, humerous, short story that restores your faith in human nature.

Despite Emil being a career criminal, it is impossible not to like him and his carefree attitude. We are aware from the start that he has not had the happiest of childhoods and so, for much of his life, has been devoid of a conventional family. In some ways, he finally finds this at the facility, even if his new family consists of two elderly women who think he is one of the Magi! Underneath all of his bravado, Emil is an extremely caring man, a trait we see in his dealing with Ralph, another of the patients, and also when he embarks on his journey to ‘the City of David’.

Edith and Gloria, the two elderly women provide a comic touch to the book and although they are clearly deluded, their resourcefulness is a lesson in not to underestimate the aged. The way they take Emil under their wing is a joy to read, even if Emil does not always share their enthusiasm!

If you are looking for a short, heartwarming read, then Return of the Magi is the book for you!

I have read P J Tracy's crime books previously and enjoyed them, so I was expecting to like this book and I wasn't disappointed. Emil Rice is a, seemingly incorrigible, petty thief. When he is arrested again (just a day after he was last released from prison) he is sentenced by the judge not to jail but to work in an institution, way out in the Nevada desert. There he meets sisters Grace and Edith, high functioning schizophrenics who think they are two of the three magi and are just awaiting the arrival of the third... This was a lovely, heartwarming story, just as the title promised. A perfect Christmas read.

This is a festive tale with a difference when petty crook Emil Rice is caught stealing and sent before a judge who sends him to do a year in a mental hospital. Instead of just doing his time he has help trying to escape in the form of two elderly sisters. I totally enjoyed this book a little quirky and festive in a modern way.