My new favourite book ever!

I think the cover of this book gave a 'cosy crime' vibe and it definitely delivered. Edie, the main character, is such a delight. Much older than many main characters, her life experience and attitude made this book so fun to read and the rest of the characters were also interesting and endearing.

I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys mysteries or crimes. My usual books can be much darker than this, so this was quite light-hearted for me! As it is themed around Christmas time, it would be a great mystery to read during the festive period that won't make you feel low.

Thank you so much to Simon & Schuster UK and NetGalley for this ARC!

I like Edie O’Sullivan. She is an absolute belter of a character and The Christmas Jigsaw Murders is a real cracker of a mystery. But as for Edie, she is one of a kind. Christmas hating (can relate to that), crossword loving, crossword setting even, and slightly cantankerous with a general dislike of people (can relate to that too), she is the unexpected hero in this game of cat and mouse. If there is one thing Edie does like it’s a puzzle, and when she is sent a partial jigsaw puzzle and a somewhat cryptic message, it’s not really much of a stretch to see why she might jump at the chance of solving the mystery. Yes, she does the right thing in contacting the police – in this case her Great Nephew – but when it looks as though she might be frozen out of the investigation, Edie takes matters into her own hands. What could possibly go wrong?

Well, quite a bit to be fair, but then this is no ordinary murder mystery and Edie is not facing any ordinary opponent. With a mind as devious as Edie’s, it really is a battle of the puzzle setters to try and prevent more murders and bring a killer to justice. Thankfully for us, in spite of many character flaws, Edie has a superb brain, capable of thinking outside of the box, although she’s also proven not to be infallible. Edie has few friends, even managing to alienate her nearest and dearest without much effort, but there was just something about her that really made me smile. Perhaps because she was a ‘doesn’t suffer fools gladly’ kind of gal, or perhaps just because no matter what she faced, she maintained her determination, I don’t know, but Alexandra Benedict has created a brilliant character I honestly wouldn’t mind hearing from again. She’s feisty, canny and entertaining, and her friendship and banter with her neighbour, Riga, made me smile, laugh even at times. The more we learn about her as the book progresses, the more I liked and understood her, but she always retained the capacity to surprise and never pulled her punches when it came to language or her ability to shock others. Loved it.

When it comes to the main investigation, well it really is classic golden age style mystery and very well executed too. The use of puzzles as clues was really clever, and allowed us to try and decipher everything alongside Edie. even meeting the victims doesn’t really help in our understanding of the case as there is no clear link between any of them. That adds to the quandary we find Edie in as she tries to unmask the killer. Some f teh chapters actually give us a third person perspective on the killers motives and actions, but the crucial reason ‘why’ is kept from us until just the right moment. The author employs plenty of misdirection to keep the killer hidden from us all until just the right moment, escalating the pace and jeopardy as we move towards the exceedingly high stakes showdown.

If you like a classic mystery, and perhaps want to engage in a little puzzle solving yourself, then this book is definitely recommended. The author has even included a few little games for you to solve as you read, although I was far too engrossed in the story first time around to think about them so I might have to go back and have another read to see what I can uncover. Although there is a slightly dark undertone to the story, and there is a constant sense that Edie is not being entirely open and honest about her connection to the killer – we know she knows why she’s been chosen – there is plenty of humour and moments of light that the author excels at and make this a real joy to read. Definitely recommended.

Thank you to NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read this book.

Edie is an elderly, eccentric lady, who starts to receive jigsaw pieces in the post, with promises of murder and destruction over the festive period. Edie loves a puzzle to sort out, and her adopted son makes a great partner to help her solve these crimes, as he’s a police officer.

This was another great Christmas read from this author. The plot was exceptionally cleverly written, and so well thought out. Edie was a great character, and I would love to see another book with her in it, because she was so much fun. There was the right amount of suspense, tension, humour, and wit to make this one of my favourite books I’ve read this year. Excellent!!

Rating: 4.5/5

This is the third Christmas mystery novel credited to Alexandra Benedict, though she has also been previously published under the moniker of A.K. Benedict. I enjoyed the previous two books, but this one is comfortably the most impressive of the three.

"The Christmas Jigsaw Murders" has things in common with its two predecessors: As with those earlier publications this one does not need to be restricted to being read at Christmas. Yes, the events take place in the days running up to Christmas, but this would make for entertaining reading at any time of year. The author also continues her trademark approach of incorporating addition challenges to the reader in addition to the usual "Whodunnit?" question. In "The Christmas Jigsaw Murders" Alexandra Benedict sets three puzzles at the start of the book. Stylistically, the influence of writers from the "golden age" is once again clearly detectable, but very much in a positive manner. So, why is this one so much better than "The Christmas Murder Game" and "Murder on the Christmas Express"? Well, please read on ...

Much as I liked the two earlier Christmas mysteries and admired the clever incorporation of the additional reader challenges, I felt that they also had an adverse effect on certain aspects of the novel. At times the storytelling could feel a little stilted and clunky as a result of the author taking pains to include the various anagrams, etc. that the puzzles required. Somehow, with this latest mystery, Alexandra Benedict has managed to incorporate the challenges into the narrative in a virtually seamless fashion. The other significant difference with this latest offering is that in addition to a clever and engaging murder mystery, the author has created a central protagonist that is wonderfully appealing.

Edie O'Sullivan is eighty years old, supremely intelligent and has a Scrooge-like attitude towards the festive season. She has a passion for puzzles of all sorts, but particularly cryptic crosswords. In fact, she has gained something of a reputation as a respected crossword compiler. Edie is a complex character and there is as much pleasure to be gleaned from seeing the various pieces of her backstory come together as there is in the unravelling of the mystery that underpins the story. She is described at one point as having been "a forty-five-year old punk, a mid-fifties raver, always an outsider". Whether by chance or by design, Alexandra Benedict has created a protagonist who could easily warrant going on to figure in a series of books. Whether that is what the author plans to do, only time will tell, but I would certainly be one of the people lining up to read more about her. That point aside, assuming that she sticks with the same timetable, I will be back this time next year for Alexandra Benedict's fourth Christmas mystery.

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for supplying an ARC in return for an honest review.

A straightforward reading book! Several twists make us select various possible outcomes. Nonetheless, the final is quite surprising. I enjoyed the reading.

I do love a mystery book set over Christmas as long as it does not go over the top and this one hit all the right spots. The authors other Christmas books have all been hits in my opinion and this one did not disappoint. The main character was so believable from the start as someone who has grown old and lonely with little trust in people but really is just waiting to shine again. The red herrings were well considered and when the reveal came i was pleasantly surprised. This is a must read over the festive season

An entertaining read which made me laugh in the right way with its array of quirky (and also some more plausible) characters and situations.. The cantankerous protagonist (80-year-old puzzle maestro Edie O’Sullivan) is an excellent creation as well as her next-door nonagenarian friend. The intricacies of her family and sentimental life (from past lovers to her gay and parent-hopeful DI nephew) make the satisfying background to a gruesome series of murders announced by puzzles sent for Edie to solve... The expected number of red herrings and the puzzle games which are to be found throughout the novel will offer extra entertainment. This is a book that has to be bought in a paper copy to really enjoy all the teasing games, I think. Ideal for the Christmas season which is both lampooned and equally loved in the novel. Alas, the conclusion to the mystery did not have in my view the finesse I was somehow expecting, but nevertheless this was a fun read which will make a good addition to the Christmas book pile.

Thanks to Netgalley & the publishers for the ARC! It's hard for me to review this novel... It has all the cozy elements that I love: an old lady solving murders, puzzles!, Christmas, and a nice British murder. However, it was all too much. The old lady solving the murder? Boring. Crabby. Painful. I didn't need all the background info on her life & her ex. That was just too much. If this was going to be a series, then sure, build us her world. But, it's not.
The puzzles? Overdone.
Christmas? Not enough. She hated Christmas. Bah, humbug.
Nice British murders? Not terrible, but totally unbelievable.

So, it's not the worst and I'd recommend it for Christmas murder aficionados, but otherwise, it's just okay.

I really enjoyed The Christmas Jigsaw Murders. I read a lot of murder mysteries and this left me guessing until the end. I enjoyed the puzzles throughout and trying to find the Dickens anagrams etc.

The characters felt very real and well rounded, which is sometimes lacking in crime books and the Christmas setting added to the character development too.

I’d recommend this book to any Agatha Christie fans looking for a tricky Christmas puzzle.

I loved the Christmas Jigsaw Murders. This is my first book by Alexandra Benedict and what a joy to be introduced to Edie.
The narrative unfolds during the festive Christmas period. Our central character is the exceptionally stylish Edie, an octogenarian who rebels against tradition at every twist, celebrated far and wide for her exceptional puzzle-solving abilities.

We start with Edie receiving a parcel containing jigsaw pieces resembling a crime scene, accompanied by a note that designates Edie as the sole individual capable of deciphering the puzzle and preventing further fatalities Unable to collaborate with her Detective Inspector nephew, Edie confronts a rising body count alone and begins to recognize that her aversion to Christmas might be a stumbling block, intensifying the pressure.

With each turn of the page comes the making for a compelling and unique tale that offers an engaging puzzle for the reader to solve.

Edie loves doing Jigsaws , Crosswords & other Puzzles, but is completely shocked when she receives some Jigsaw pieces that are supposed to help her prevent Murders taking place before Christmas .There are also lots of references to the works of Charles Dickens plus songs of Fleetwood Mac ( these the latter I had no idea about ) The story was good but did take it's time hence only giving four stars. #NetGalley, #GoodReads, #Amazon.co.uk, #FB, #Instagram, # <img src="https://www.netgalley.com/badge/8a5b541512e66ae64954bdaab137035a5b2a89d2" width="80" height="80" alt="200 Book Reviews" title="200 Book Reviews"/>, #<img src="https://www.netgalley.com/badge/ef856e6ce35e6d2d729539aa1808a5fb4326a415" width="80" height="80" alt="Reviews Published" title="Reviews Published"/>, #<img src="https://www.netgalley.com/badge/aa60c7e77cc330186f26ea1f647542df8af8326a" width="80" height="80" alt="Professional Reader" title="Professional Reader"/>.

Thank you to NetGalley and Simon and Shuster for my approval to read and review this book.

Renowned crossword setter and lover of jigsaws, Edie O'Sullivan receives a strange package on her doorstep with a note and several jigsaw pieces. This begins the plot of who, when, where, why and how they are linked to a series of incidents in Weymouth. Edie along with her Great-Nephew DI Sean Brand-O'Sullivan are great characters and I loved the chemistry between them. The characters and story are very well written as well as the locations of where the incidents occur. Sean along with a very happy to help Edie attempt to solve the riddle of the puzzle pieces before anymore people will be hurt. The timeline is told in the run up to Christmas and let me just say Edie is not a fan!! No spoilers from me as you will have to read the book for yourselves. Overall, the story with the numerous twists and turns with an ending that I never saw happening, I recommend you read the book.

Christmas isn't a wonderful time for everyone, the season of goodwill is difficult if your experiences of the holidays aren't ones you want to revisit every year. Edie O’Sullivan has more than her fair share of this type of memory and absolutely doesn't do Christmas. So cards get ripped up, decorations are never hung, and as for a tree? Nope, not happening! This year however, that's going to have to change as she's received a card with a cryptic message and some jigsaw pieces included for her to solve.

As a well-known puzzle setter, cat lover, and jigsaw aficionado there should be no one better than Edie to solve this problem. Unfortunately the card also included the promise of four murders by Christmas Eve, if she doesn’t solve everything in time. Her nephew, Sean, is a recently promoted Detective Inspector in the local police force, and so he is her first port of call. Edie however, has secrets she's kept for decades, and, undeterred by Sean's demand that she leaves well alone, Edie is determined to sort things herself, but as Christmas gets ever closer will this be the puzzle that finally breaks her?

This is Alexandra Benedict's third Christmas mystery and although I haven't read the first two I absolutely will do now! I couldn't put this down, reading long into the night to discover all that would happen. The story had so many layers to it that finding out the killer’s identity was only one of the things I needed to know. Edie and Sean were great main protagonists each with their own problems to solve and characters supporting them. Edie was, initially, a difficult person to like but by the end I could see why so many people were prepared to help her. There seems to be a different cast list for each of the author's winter tales but I would love to revisit Weymouth for a catch up with all the characters involved here.

There are two games and prize game included as well as two recipes mentioned in the story. All of which make this book even more of a gift.

I was able to read an advanced copy of this book thanks to NetGalley and the publishers, Simon and Schuster UK, but the opinions expressed are my own. I loved this, it's definitely in my top five for this year so far. Highly recommended.

Ooh, I loved this! A perfect Christmassy murder mystery filled with jigsaw puzzle pieces, crossword clues & red herrings. Edie is a marvellous character. Cantankerous, wily and very clever - sometimes too clever for her own good! I don't know how many characters I thought had done it, I was so wrong every time. No, I didn't even come close to figuring out who it was. Really superb read!

Renowned crossword setter Edie O'Sullivan receives an ominous card in the post, forewarning that there will be at least 4 murders. The killer teases her to use her exceptional skills to solve the puzzle by slowly sending pieces of a jigsaw that hide clues on who could be next.

Edie is by far the most unconventional protagonist I've come across in a book, and I love her for it. Her razor sharp wit and cutting remarks were hilarious. A person you'd want to be in your corner but would be wise not to cross. I liked the difficult dynamic she has with her adopted son/grandson Sean, who she clearly loves very much but finds it hard to open herself up more due to a lifetime of sad, heartbreaking events. I sincerely hope that the author considers making this a series, so I revisit these wonderful people again.

Overall, a puzzling, witty and addictive story with plenty of clues to keep you guessing as the body count (and tension) slowly rises.

Edie is a crossword setter and all-round clever clogs. A murder is committed near where she lives. Edie is sent a note from the murderer containing jigsaw pieces, which are clues to solving the crime. She works with her policeman nephew, Sean, to prevent another similar murder.. It is all the more poignant because it's set just before Christmas, a season of unhappy memories for Edie. There's a great twist towards the end and a cosy Christmassy conclusion.

I loved 'The Christmas Jigsaw Murders'! This thrilling novel combines the holiday season with a gripping murder mystery that keeps you on the edge of your seat. The premise of receiving jigsaw pieces that reveal a gruesome crime scene is both ingenious and spine-tingling, making it a perfect read for Halloween or any fan of chilling mysteries.

The clues sprinkled throughout the narrative are exceptionally clever, keeping readers engaged and constantly guessing. It's a book that truly makes you wonder and challenges you to piece together the puzzle alongside the characters.

The sense of unease and suspense in 'The Christmas Jigsaw Murders' is palpable, making it a gripping page-turner that you won't be able to put down. The characters, particularly Edie O'Sullivan and DI Sean Brand-O'Sullivan, are well-developed and add depth to the story as they work tirelessly to solve the mysterious puzzle and prevent more deaths.

This book is a masterful blend of suspense, mystery, and holiday elements, making it an excellent choice for those looking for a thrilling and chilling read. I wholeheartedly give it 5 stars! ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Thank you, NetGalley, for the opportunity to read and enjoy this fantastic novel!

I loved this! Huge fun all the way through. The only criticism I might make is that the ending could have done with a bit more foreshadowing: I like to say to myself, ah! it was him/her and then be proven wrong, but the murderer here was impossible to guess at. I didn't spot any clues in the chapters from the killer's pov, and elsewhere the killer was hardly mentioned at all. Did I miss the clues? Please tell me if I did! But it didn't spoil the book, I enjoyed the read very much,

Edie O'Sullivan likes a puzzle. She's a renowned setter of crosswords and major jigsaw fan. So when a parcel turns up on her doorstep just before Christmas, containing a jigsaw box and six puzzle pieces that form part of a crime scene, she can't leave it alone.

Along with great-nephew Sean (a police inspector), they set out to solve the puzzle. But events make it look as though Edie herself is in danger...

Three cheers for the return of the ingenious puzzle master that is Alexandra Benedict and her annual Christmassy, puzzle focused-murder mystery!
I'm a fan of Benedict's previous novels, The Christmas murder Game and Murder On The Christmas Express which combine a classic 'whodunnit' with enough puzzles to keep even the great Sherlock Holmes occupied.
Now, I consider there are two approaches to reading this novel:
- you can read and enjoy the novel as a murder mystery. There is a wonderful sense of the 'golden age' of mysteries in this book, filled with twists and puzzles.
- or the added entertainment from attempting to solve some of the numerous puzzles hidden within the pages of the novel from anagrams to hidden Fleetwood Mac songs and finally a puzzle that could earn a prize from the author!
Either way, you are in for a fun and suspenseful read.

The story is set over the Christmas holidays, running from December 19th straight through Christmas.
Our protagonist is the uber-cool Edie - a woman in her 80s who defies convention at every turn and is considered to be a renowned puzzle setter. Sadly, Edie is not a fan of the Christmas season and is eager for the holiday to be over, a decision that is impacting negatively on her relationship with her nephew (and surrogate son) who has always loved the season. The novel opens with Edie receiving a mysterious parcel containing jigsaw pieces of a crime scene and with a note to tell Edie that she is responsible for solving the puzzle and preventing further deaths! Edie has to work with her nephew to solve the mystery but as the body count rises and Edie discovers that she hatred of Christmas may be an impediment, the pressure is on!
With every turn of the page, memories of Agatha Christie come to mind - and cannot think of a better recommendation. This is a wonderfully original and intriguing tale with the added bonus on a 'game' for the reader to play. Also, despite the title and Christmassy setting, this book can be read at any time of the year so don't miss out.