We start with true crime aficionado and podcaster Harley Granger popping into a bookshop to buy a Christmas present. Although that's not the whole truth. He is actually targeting the owner, Madeline Martin, as she is connected to the crime he is currently investigating. You see, Madeline is the only surviving victim of killer Evan Handy. A rather nasty killer who was also responsible for the death of Madeline's best friend and the disappearance of two other young women. He is currently incarcerated but Granger isn't sure that the whole truth has come out.
Especially considering that, in the ten years since then, there have been other similar disappearances, and in the present, another young woman has gone missing...
Could the police have got it all wrong? Can Granger persuade Madeline to help him?
This is only a novella but I feel that it is the right length for the story being told effectively. This means that without any intrusive waffle or padding, the story gets on with itself very well indeed. Holding my attention all the way through. But... that said, I do feel that the two main characters - Madeline and Granger - have so much more to give and that this book only scratches the surface of their capability. They both have similar pasts and have been scarred emotionally in similar ways which I think helps the connection that develops between them as the book progresses.
Pacing is good and matches the narrative throughout too, ramping up as we reach the final denouement, delivering an ending that wholly satisfied ( and left me feeling a bit smug too as I did guess early!)
All in all, a good solid read that is a worth addition to an already well impressive back catalogue. My thanks go to the Publisher and Netgalley for the chance to read this book.

This was such a great thriller, I found myself hooked right away, The podcast element added more excitement for me.

Chilling And Thrilling..
A true crime podcaster with some questionable moral standards digs deep into a cold case in this dark and twisted seasonal story. An atmospheric and almost cosy backdrop is at odds with the darkest of content and the most unsettling of plots. Compelling and immersive, chilling and thrilling.

Absolutely brilliant! A gripping Christmas thriller! 5 stars from me! Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for my ARC

This was a fast read, it kept me gripped the whole way through and had some shocking twists. The ending felt a bit rushed for me and I wish it was a bit longer. But overall an enjoyable read.

Coming up for 10 years since Madeline was left for dead and her best friend killed and 2 others missing. Harvey Granger who is a true crime podcaster turns up wanting to find out more and to find out if Evan Handy really did the crimes

I love Lisa Unger - her books are incredibly unputdownable and Christmas Presents was no different. Gripping read from start to finish, highly recommend

Madeline Martin is the owner of a bookshop in Little Valley, where she has lived all of her life. Maddie is lucky to have survived an attmept on her life by her boyfriend, Evan Handy ten years ago. Evan was sent to prison for the murder of Stephanie Cramer, 17. In a bizarre coincidence, this was the same night that Ainsley and Samantha Wallace went missing and were never seen again. The story is told over dual time lines - 10 years ago and the present. Maddie meets Harley Granger, podcaster, cold case detective and true crime writer, in her shop when he comes in to ask for her to be interviewed the Evan Handy murder case. The story is well written, full of unexpected twists and turns that leads to a explosive ending. All I can say is that I never thought who the killer would be.

3.5 stars
This was such an enjoyable, quick, easy, binge able thriller!
I really enjoyed the setting and the snowy, wintery vibes added to the story.
I was invested in the story right from the start and I had a great time reading it.
I do think this would have worked well as a longer novel (this is only just over 200 pages) as I think that would have added more depth to the characters (some did seem a bit 2D to me)
Another thing I enjoyed was the parallel storylines that did blend together nearer the end.
I liked the writing style and the pacing was good.
This is my second Lisa Unger book and I have to say that this was a better experience than my last read from her.
I will definitely be on the lookout for her next book.

Christmas Presents Lisa Unger

5 stars

I love Lisa Unger's books and this one was no exception.

Madeleine Martin is the owner of a thriving bookshop in a small town. Ten years ago her boyfriend, Evan Handy had killed her best friend, Stephanie Cramer and left Madeleine for dead. Two of her other friends had disappeared and their bodies have never been discovered. He is now in jail serving life.

When Harley Granger , a true crime podcaster turns up at her shop wanting to delve into the crime that turned Madeleine's life upside down she wants nothing to do with him.

However since that time two other girls had mysteriously disappeared and when another young girl is reported missing ,reluctantly Madeleine is drawn into trying to discover the truth. It would appear that there may be another serial killer on the loose.

We learn about how Madeleine and Evan meet and how she is attracted to him, despite rumours that he had hurt another girl at his previous school. Evan is Madeleine's first real love and she cannot resist him despite the misgivings of her family and best friend Badger.

Ten years later, Madeleine is trying to rebuild her life even though every year she receives a small personal Christmas present which she suspects is being sent to her by Evan.

Slowly the real events of that time come to light and the identity of the killer is revealed. I had not guessed who this was, which, for me, is always a good thing and this book was so easy to read that I completed it in two days. The writing is very atmospheric and the characters are well-drawn, I really enjoyed this book.

Karen Deborah
Netgalley

Madeline Martin is the owner of the Next Chapter Bookstore in a small rural American Town. Her business is doing well thanks to her social media following and despite her father still recovering from a stroke she has her friends around to help with his care. At the end of a long day Madeleine realises her last customer is Harley Granger a true crime podcaster and he is using the cover of buying a book in the hope that he can speak to her. Madeline is a survivor of an attack that killed her best friend and maimed her face. The attacker was her boyfriend Evan Handy. On the same night her other two friends, sisters Sam and Ainsley Wallace disappeared never to be seen again. Harley is there at the request of Mrs Wallace to see if he can discover what happened to her daughters. Added to the mix is the recent disappearance of a local girl who was a dancer in a night club. Harley soon learns that several young women have gone missing in the intervening years and all within a radius of the town. Evan maintains his innocence in the disappearance of the sisters, and although Harley thinks there is a second person involved in the deaths, Madeline isn’t so sure.
It’s a page turning read, good characters and setting.

#ChristmasPresents. #NetGalley

This was a great thriller rather than anything about Christmas, the only relation to Christmas is that the crimes took place in the run up. This is a dark thriller. Harley Granger is a crime podcast producer, he’s back in the small town where girls were going missing. One girl got out and the perpetrator is in jail, but it’s all brought up again when the podcaster ends up in town. This book was creepy, but it is a quick read.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for a copy.

Thanks to Netgalley for this ARC. This is due to be published 10/10/2024.

I haven't read anything by Lisa Unger before so wasn't sure what to expect. I had tried to wait before reading Christmas things too as it's Halloween first! 😂🎃 However, I was curious and this has been sat on my netgalley shelf a while.

Christmas is there but if you think it's revolving around presents and killer holly then you'd be wrong 🤷🏻‍♀️ There is something symbolic about the presents but that's not the overriding focus and I guess the fact the title is a little misleading only serves to teach us the lesson that all is not what it seems!!

This suspense thriller demonstrates that you don't always really know those around you as well as you think you might. And, small towns may seem like everyone knows all your business but there's still secrets!!

Really enjoyed this. Less than 200 pages so a smaller book than a lot that I read. However,bits a big story with a load of detail so you do get sucked in with no hint of it wrapping up until the last moment.

Really enjoyable read for a lazy Sunday morning 😁

What a great Christmas read. I love a good Lisa Unget book and this was no exception. Full of twists and turns and keeps you guessing.

Thank you for the opportunity to review

This is a short entertaining festive psychological thriller from Lisa Unger, perfect for those looking for atmospheric murderous chilling reads in the run up to Christmas. It has all the ingredients you might expect as the nights get darker, such as an apparently picturesque setting with its ice and snowy blizzards, an isolated lake house, and a well known true crime podcaster who turns up. With a traumatic and haunted past, Madeleine Martin is running The Next Chapter Bookstore. She is an emotionally and physically scarred survivor left for dead a decade ago, in nightmare events where her best friend Stephanie was killed, whilst 2 other friends, Ainsley and Sam Wallace, disappeared.

Evan Handy, Madeleine's boyfriend at the time, was convicted and imprisoned for these heinous crimes, but other women have disappeared since, including Lolly, a college drop out, in the present, as the anniversary for the dark events draws closer, could Handy possibly be innocent? There are dual timelines, multiple perspectives, strange presents through the years, as Harley Granger, the podcaster is intent on investigating the cold case, raising the unwelcome prospect of Madeleing having to relive the terrors of the past. Madeleing's father, was the Sheriff obsessed with the case, but has since suffered a stroke. Will the truth finally be uncovered?

There are twist and turns galore in this most engaging of mysteries, Unger provides us with a monstrous killer in a Santa mask! With time running out, Madeleine is keen to help locate Lolly, joining with her best friend, Badger, along with Granger and law enforcement, with matters starting to conclude as the past and present finally start to connect. A great festive crime read for fans of Unger and others who enjoy the shivers of a disturbingly unsettling Christmas mystery. Many thanks to the publisher for an ARC.

Ten years ago Madeline’s best friend was murdered and Madeline was attacked and left for dead. She has tried to forget this terrifying ordeal and get on with her life. Now a podcaster Harley Granger turns up looking into this crime and starts asking questions.
A chilling tale that kept me guessing.
Thank you to NetGalley and Head of Zeus for my e-copy in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you to NetGalley and Head of Zeus -- an Aries Book for my copy of Christmas Presents by Lisa Unger
Madeline Martin is settled in her own way. She has a bookshop which she loves and a couple of friends and can almost forget being left for dead when she was a teenager. But now true crime podcaster Harley Granger has come to town and is intent on dragging it all up again.
Is Madeleine brave enough to relive that night and finally get the peace she has been looking for.
A great read with plenty of twists on the way.

Wasn’t an easy book to get into, but I became more and more intrigued as the story unfolded. A dark and twisted plot with an unexpected ending. Well worth reading.

Harley is determined to research the cold case of several girls disappearing in Madeline's town for his podcast. As Madeline is the only one who managed to escape the killer Evan, she is definitely one he wants to talk to. But Madeline doesn't want to talk. This was my first "Christmas" book of the year and it definitely wasn't the happy holiday book I thought I'd start off with. Needless to say, I enjoy twisted holiday books too and this mystery had me intrigued throughout. This was a good read that I would definitely recommend!

Seriously dark and some real heart pounding moments, I doubt I will ever see Santa in the same light again.
Some fantastic storytelling by the author, it took me straight back to my teenage days at school in atmosphere and effect. The excitement of a new kid starting at your school, the first feelings towards a boy and the elements of danger, elicit parties and having secrets. The chilling and sad parts are very well handled and expertly written, the mystery and darkness of girls going missing from your hometown and the scars left by a murder which send ripples through the decades and never quite heal for those still living who lived through them.
The darkness and evil of a character was well portrayed and I too got mixed feelings about whether to trust them or not so I gelled well with their girlfriend in this. Also despite the clues to the perpetrator I didn’t guess the ending but it knitted together beautifully with reader hindsight.
Absolutely recommend this, definitely a page turner and a snappy race to the end tale.