Anna wakes up on Christmas Eve, hungover and really not looking forward to getting the house and the family sorted ready for the arrival of her in-laws. The only problem is, Santa Claus has been stabbed to death and is in her larder.

This book made me laugh so much. I could totally relate to Anna with having a million things going round in her head, not knowing which to do first and a family that thinks they get done magically.

Her, Oli and their friends then trying to solve the murder was just great. It was like Hercule Poirot meets the Chuckle Brothers. Especially with the 2 police officers who were rather use nor ornament.

If you're wanting a pick me up, then I definitely recommend this.

Ooh I regret not getting this as the audio now. I laughed out loud to this but some books are just so much better with the audio. A different Christmas read than the usuals. Enjoyed it but the 4th star really is marked down because I chose wrong!

This book had me hooked from the first few hazy, hungover sentences.

Our narrator was a delightfully messy, chaotic, anxiously relatable way and I loved and hated every complicated part of her. Mother, wife, woman, daughter-in-law, potential murderer or crime solver.

She encapsulated every little frustration women feel around the Holidays in a witty, hilarious way that made me feel both angry and SEEN.

The whole story was a ridiculous mix of holiday joy and murder mysteries taking place in the run up to Christmas Dinner-including some jarring jumps between talking about cleaning blood then sour cream Pringles and boring household admin. I’ll admit, at times it was little absurd, I definitely had a few raised eyebrows at her reasoning for trying to solve it herself but hey - it’s a story. It’s a bit silly and that’s completely fine. An absolutely bloody delightful festive read.

Jo Middleton's Happy Bloody Christmas offers a delightfully chaotic take on the classic holiday season, mixing the traditional stress of Christmas preparations with a darkly comedic murder mystery. Anna Johnson is a relatable protagonist whose hungover discovery of a dead body in her larder sends her already overwhelming Christmas Eve spiralling into madness. The book’s witty humour shines as Anna tries to juggle solving the murder, managing her dozy yet endearing husband, and preparing for her judgemental in-laws’ arrival—all while keeping her kids blissfully unaware of the grisly turn of events.

What makes this festive whodunit stand out is its seamless blend of cosy mystery elements and laugh-out-loud humour. Middleton’s writing is fast-paced, full of sharp dialogue, and peppered with relatable family dynamics. While the mystery itself isn’t overly intricate, the twists and turns are satisfying, and the slightly absurd tone makes it impossible to put down. Themes of embracing imperfection and prioritising joy add a layer of depth to the humour, making Happy Bloody Christmas both entertaining and unexpectedly heartwarming.

This book wasn't what I expected from a Christmas story but I absolutely loved it. Chaotic and fun with a bit of a mystery into the bargain. I can't wait for the next instalment.

It was a fun, lighthearted read that delivered plenty of laugh-out-loud moments. The quirky humour carried the story, but overall, it felt a bit too unrealistic and won't leave a lasting impression. I mean, I can’t even remember the murderer’s name already! 😅

If you enjoyed Dial A for Aunties, this might tick a few boxes, but it’s definitely a less-polished version of that style—fun but not quite as good. Perfect if you’re in the mood for something silly and festive! 🎄

This was so much fun to read – I adored it. A hilariously entertaining festive whodunnit, I read this in a matter of days. Get this on your festive reading pile!!

not your normal festive read haha
a fun book with laugh out load moments of british humour which was quick and easy to read

4⭐️

A laugh out loud festive whodunnit! 🎄

This was a thoroughly entertaining Christmas read, that was more moreish than Christmas sweet treats!

Anna’s Christmas Eve To Do List:
1. Wrap the kids’ presents
2. Peel the potatoes
3. Get rid of the dead body?!
Hungover and exhausted after her family’s annual party, all Anna wants for Christmas is to finish her to-do list and finally sit down with the world’s biggest glass of wine. But when she stumbles across a dead body in her larder, her plans are well and truly buggered. A mysterious death in her home really is the last thing she needs, but with her judgemental in-laws arriving in less than twenty-four hours, turning her house into a crime scene is not an option. If she’s going to save Christmas, it’s up to Anna to find out what the hell’s gone on. Oh – and figure out what to do with the body before one of the kids finds it. And you thought burning the turkey was the worst that could happen…

I haven’t read any book like this in a while and I loved it. Packed with hilariously honest truths, it was easy to inhale and was a very cosy read.

I loved Anna’s character, her quick wit, and all the constant glimpses we received into what she was thinking. She had one hell of jam packed Christmas Eve and it was so her luck. I loved how she took on the investigator hat and what she deduced with the evidence available.

I quite liked the secondary characters too and how this book shines a light on the chaos of Christmastime and pleasing all those picky guests - we all know a Pamela! I really enjoyed how family orientated this read was too with Anna’s children frequently appearing.

I had no idea how the bow would be unravelled in this cleverly wrapped Christmas mystery and I enjoyed the reveal at the end.

A huge thank you to @avonbooksuk, @jomiddletonauthor and @netgalley for this ARC of Happy Bloody Christmas which I urge everyone to check out. 😍

After all, we all deserve a laugh at Christmas! ❤️💚

⚠️ Please check out the trigger warnings! ⚠️

this book is a very different christmas story not romantic but being a detective is the case to find santa in your larder with a knife through his stomach the morning after in your house following a christmas party and a dirty great big hangover its now up to you to read and solve the case of who stabbed santa in my larder

I really enjoyed this festive murder mystery and it was a nice change from all the festive romcoms available this time of year.

I loved MC Anna and thought her comedy timing was brilliant. I belly laughed a couple of times at her antics in finding the culprit.

I think this will appeal to a multitude of readers who are looking to escape reality for a bit.

I look forward to book 2!

This was a good Christmas read, but be aware that you have to suspend your belief a bit! And also I think you’ll find this funnier if you’re 30-60 and have kids. I’m 24 and don’t have kids or a husband and the humour wasn’t really for me, I didn’t find it as funny as a lot of people in my buddy read.

Overall, this was a pretty quick read and it was christmassy and murdery! It was very chaotic and there were plenty of characters to suspect, and I did like how she found out some of the clues. I gave this 3 stars, as I enjoyed it and would recommend it to some people, but I struggled with the narrative voice.

This was such a brilliant read. I read it on Xmas eve which is when it takes place. A fast paced read which has loveable characters that are integral to how the story develops. I loved the humour and laughed out loud on more than one occasion.

I loved Happy Bloody Christmas - fast paced and very funny. The only criticism was at one point it felt that there were a lot of ‘suspects’ to remember the connection of everyone, however I got over this quickly. I guessed the ending/killer midway through, but this didn’t dampen my enjoyment of the book. Would definitely recommend to anyone who likes a festive mystery!

My thanks to Avon Books and NetGalley for a copy of “ Happy Bloody Christmas “ for an honest review.

I always save some festive books to read for the run up to Christmas , this was the final one on my list and I definitely saved the best for last !
This was a really humorous book despite the fact that “ Santa “ has been killed in Anna’s kitchen larder.
The characters were all really well written and believable , except for the strange police procedures, or lack of them This was a laugh out loud read., but as well as that there was a really suspenseful “whodunnit “ at the heart of the book
A real gem of a book , and I’ve just seen Jo Middleton is releasing a follow on book for next year so that’s on my Christmas list for 2025 !

Read and reviewed in exchange for a free copy from Netgalley. This was an entertaining, light - hearted comedy. It owned its silliness meaning the persistent need to suspend disbelief didn't matter. I enjoyed the characters and the plot, and the sneaky Thursday Murder Club reference. The story was wrapped up a bit quickly, and I'm not quite sure how Anna reached the right conclusion, but ultimately, it was a fun festive read.

My first book by this author, and I'd heard a lot of good things about this book. It's very funny and there is a lot of laughs through it which helped it earn it's 3 stars. However, I really struggled with the storyline and found it all a little bit silly (and not in a funny way!). I get it's a story and stories don't have to be realistic, but it just felt that little bit too far-fetched - are detectives going to completely miss out basic entry level investigating so they can get to their Christmas party in time and are you really going to leave a dead body in the pantry and go to Starbucks, are just a couple of examples of things that irked me! I really liked the humour but the rest of the book wasn't really for me.

I am a little bit 'bah humbug' when it somes to Christmas books as I can't be doing with all the schmaltzy, fluffy ones! But this one was right up my street!

After hosting a brilliant Christmas party, Anna was expecting a horrendous clean up the morning after, but a dead Santa in her larder is a step further than her hungover head can deal with! When the police finally show up, they seem more concerned about getting back to the station in time for their Christmas party, so Anna and her husband Oli decide to try and solve it themselves, before the imminent arrival of the in-laws!

Brilliant, dark comedy that made me laugh out loud several times. Perfect if you like your Christmas reads on the non-lovey-dovey side!

I love a good Christmas/holiday mystery. Add in a good dash of humor and it’s a recipe for success. I had a really good time with this book and found myself constantly laughing. Absolutely recommend for anyone who loves a fun mystery!

The run up to Christmas is stressful enough but when Anna wakes up on Christmas Eve after a festive party at home with friends and work colleagues the last thing she expects is to find her boss dead in her larder and he's dressed as Santa!

With the police more interested in rushing back to their own Christmas party than looking for suspects Anna decides to look for clues herself. It must have been one of their friends, but who would want to kill Colin and use one of her favourite knives (from an expensive set) to stab him as well!

As well as turning detective she also needs to find the time to clean and decorate the house for the impending arrival of the judgy inlaws, whilst shielding her 7 year old from discovering Santas demise...

A very funny book that keeps you guessing to the end! It will appeal to the stressed 40 something mum at Christmas!