Thank you to NetGalley and Michael Joseph, Penguin Random House for this ARC.

Ernest Cunningham's ex-wife is suspected of having murdered her new husband Lyle. Before she calls anyone else, she calls him for help.

This is the third book in the series about Ernest Cunningham as amateur detective. I wish I'd known that as this doesn't read well as a standalone.

Apparently, technically, this is only half a book as it's only the "holiday special". We know all this because Ernest is constantly breaking the fourth wall by talking directly to the reader as a crime author telling us all about the rules of murder mysteries and what must happen next.

And therein lies the problem for me. I simply couldn't get on with the weird "self-absorbed inner monologue of a crime writer" writing style.

The advent calendar format is quirky but the prospect of a hot Australian Christmas put me off. Altogether this didn't grab me. I'm sure he has his fans who like this because it's quirky and unusual - I simply found it irritating. Thankfully it's a very quick read.

Delicious..
The next, eagerly awaited, outing for Earnest Cunningham - the un- detective but most definite maker of mysteries. There is no rest and relaxation for Earnest this festive season - as he enters the showbiz world of magic and, it seems, murder. Can Earnest catch a master of misdirection and make it back home in relative safety, or slightly unscathed at the very least? The advent calendar clues may help, or not as the case may be, although it is Christmas after all. Another perfectly composed and wholly original spoof of the classic murder mystery, turning the genre on its head with ease and with a wonderful wit and a gloriously eccentric and eclectic cast of characters thrown in for good measure. Delicious.

The third book featuring Ernest Cunningham and his unique brand of murder investigation. This is a Christmas special and is therefore shorter than the two previous books. I really enjoyed the previous books and the chatty narrator. This book, however, is, for me, one book too many in the series. The narrator becomes irritating and the other characters lack any substance. The plot was reasonably entertaining but the book was not as well-written as the previous books. A quick read but disappointing.