2.75*

Murder at the Christmas Emporium follows a myriad of characters invited to an exclusive shopping experience at the Christmas Emporium, a bespoke gift shop full of handcrafted, inexplicably perfect items.
The exclusive shoppers are delighted by the owner, Verity, and are having child-like fun in the shop. When they awaken the next day, locked in, and with a dead body, the fun quickly comes to an end.

The book isn't overly Christmassy - it's set on Christmas Eve/Day, there's shopping for gifts, ugly jumpers, and Santa's grotto but that's it. We see multiple perspectives as well as some flashbacks, and it very carefully only gives you a little information at a time. This does get frustrating, such as Fran lamenting over "what she did" for 90%, waiting for some predictable reveals or for them to just get on with it. There are only a few deaths, which are just okay but not particularly inventive or Christmassy, and it is largely attempting to solve the mystery and get out à la "and then there were none".

The characters played their parts, again with some predictability, and I didn't particularly root for anyone. They were all flawed and frankly unlikeable. I found the reveal to be lacklustre, and the whole plot was just too convenient so you have to suspend disbelief a little. The book references Willy Wonka a couple of times and clearly wants to create that magical mystery, yet for me it failed. It lacked the fantastical wonders that quickly slip into danger through greed or hubris, and frankly could've been set anywhere outside of personal significance.

Overall, it was an okay read but I would've preferred a faster pace to feel the urgency of the situation. It's an average mystery but lacks the thrill, magnetism, or wonder that it clearly aims for. Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC.

‘Murder At The Christmas Emporium’ by Andreina Cordani is an atmospheric and creepy dose of Christmas crime set in a wonderful and magical department store full of handmade toys and gifts… and danger! The main character, Merry (born on Christmas Day, of course) blags her way into a VIP late night Christmas Eve shopping experience, determined to acquire the most perfect gift imaginable for Ross, whose romantic commitment she is eager to secure. Her fellow invitees are a varied mix of TV personalities, antiques enthusiasts and influencers, each of whom have secrets to keep and stories of Christmases past to share. Soon, the bloodshed begins…

I liked the vividly described setting, which reminded me of an amped up cross between Oxford Street Selfridges and the fabulous store in the film ‘Jingle Jangle’. There were so many twisted connections and mysterious snippets across time to unravel, and a clever conclusion - great ingredients in a thriller. National TV treasure Fran in particular had a very intriguing backstory, and I was eager throughout the book to learn more.

I didn’t feel very connected to Merry and her motivations, and so her story took a while to come together for me, making the novel less addictive. However, I still finished in a couple of days as it was a fantastically quick read.

Overall, this gets 3.5 stars from me! I absolutely recommend it for festive thrills.

I received a Digital Review Copy of this book from the publisher Bonnier Books UK via NetGalley. The opinions expressed in this review are my own.

This is a fun take on a locked room mystery, Charlie & the Chocolate Factory meets And Then There Were None. Brilliant!!! This is Andreina Cordani’s second Christmas book and I can’t wait for her to bring out a third. An amazing Christmas thriller.

I enjoyed the 12 Days of Murder, so when I saw this new one by the same author I had to read it.
This was a locked room mystery but with all the participants still inside. There were lots of twists and turns (a couple I saw coming but one I definitely didn’t). I think it took a while to get going but when it did and everything fell it to place it was a great read. I will warn those who want likeable characters that you may not find any here though.

Murder at the Christmas Emporium by Andreina Cordani is a surprisingly dark mystery set in a unique, Christmas-themed gift shop hidden in one of London’s winding streets. On Christmas Eve, a group of shoppers find themselves locked inside the Emporium, only to discover that they’ve been tricked by someone who knows their deepest secrets and isn’t afraid to use them. The store’s owner, Montagu Verity, is a sinister figure with an intriguing backstory and a deep understanding of his guests. The Victoriana-infused setting fizzes with suspense and holiday spirit, albeit with a decidedly macabre twist.

This novel offers clever, Christie-esque plotting, with secrets revealed through flashbacks and tension built with each turn of the page. The story effectively contrasts the festive atmosphere inside the Emporium with the harshness of reality outside, enhancing the feeling of entrapment. Cordani excels at weaving a layered mystery that unfolds at a brisk pace, immersing readers in the sinister allure of the Emporium and the well-developed yet deeply flawed characters. Murder at the Christmas Emporium is an impressively crafted and highly enjoyable whodunit that’s perfect for fans of locked-room mysteries with a seasonal twist.

This was an amazing book, I loved everything about it, it has such a fantastic build up and a fab ending I read it till the early hours wanting to see what happened. Huge 5 stars from me 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

Compelling..
An elusive bookshop, the Emporium, hidden away in London and houses bespoke delights for just a few select individuals. This Christmas Eve, those select few will find themselves unable to leave. Not because they don’t want to…but because they’re trapped. It is to be a night to remember but, perhaps, for all the wrong reasons. Deliciously drawn festive mystery with an atmospheric backdrop, a plot littered heavily with red herrings and an abundance of well crafted characters. Compelling.

Weirdly festive locked in style mystery. Great characters with a great twist at the end . Great read. Thank you netgalley for the advance copy

I found this really gripping and interesting. I really liked the wide variety of characters and how their present and past backstories wove together. I was wondering how they would connect but they all fit in the story well. I think the writing was gripping and it kept me hooked throughout. The characters felt 3d and realistic and had the right balance of feeling like a hero and being deeply flawed. This makes me want to read more by Cordani as i really liked this read.

It is the season, so I’m trying to get into the mood with a festive murder obviously! This set me off to a great start, conjuring up images of past Christmas’s, bespoke hand made toys, that childhood joy we all had in toy stores. Of course, then it all gets a bit dark…..and murdery….why has everyone been invited? What secrets do they hold?

Enter the emporium and find out!

A great read and I did not expect that ending!!!

My thanks to Netgalley and Bonnier Books UK for the advance copy in exchange for an honest review.

Firstly thank you Netgalley for allowing me to read this arc. I really enjoyed this festive locked room style who dunnit. Set in a Toy emporium at Christmas time where a few lucky VIPs get an exclusive behind the scenes late night experience. I loved the setting of this the descriptions of the store and toys were beautiful. The characters were very well written and it was hard to know who was telling the truth. A fun festive read

My thanks to NetGalley and Bonnier Books for a copy of “ Murder At The Christmas Emporium “ for an honest review.

I was drawn to read this book by the very attractive cover and title.The beginning was great , like an adults version of Charlie and the chocolate factory , but , and I seem from other reviews to be very much in the minority here, I lost interest and found the different characters a bit confusing..I thought I hadn’t read anything by Andreina Cordani before , but when I checked my past feedback I’d read her previous book last year , and sadly hadn’t enjoyed that either . So she obviously isn’t an author I should try again , but as I said it’s obviously just me !

I have reviewed Murder at the Christmas Emporium for book recommendation and sales site LoveReading.co.uk

I have chosen the title as a LoveReading Star Book and a Liz Pick for December.

Please see the link for the full review.

Verity’s Emporium is a shop from another era hidden down an alley in central London, open only to a select few on Christmas Eve, among these are the VIP guests met with hot chocolate and greeted by Monty Verity himself, the charismatic owner of the emporium.
As the story flits between the backstories of these guests and the events of Christmas Eve we are drawn into the strange world of the Christmas Emporium.
This Christmas murder story has all the intrigue you would expect, along with hidden passages and clues scattered about to try and establish why this is happening. Well written and gripping story, not just for Christmas. I loved it.

Thank you for this advanced reader copy.

I don't know what it is about a Christmas who done it that I just love. This is another to add to my 'LOVE THIS' list - feeling all festive, even though it's only October!

This book had great twists that added to the excitement it stirred in me. It was truly a magical read that is the perfect read for me.

The writer has created a magical world here. You could compare this book to a Christie or to Willy Wonka, but this is more than a sum of its parts. The only off character note for me was at the very end, as it seems unlikely that the survivors wouldn’t have kept in touch with their injured ally to check recovery. After all they had been through to protect each other, it didn’t sit right.

Completely obsessed with this book! A huge 5 stars from me and I can’t recommend it enough! It’s magical with an edge! Huge thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for my ARC

Gripping, grungy, and yet still a little bit festive!
There's plenty of twists in the story and character reveals to keep you turning the pages til the wee small hours. The ending was spot on. Doesn't need to read during the festive season but it will add to the reading experience if you do.

Rating: 4.5/5

Having previously aimed her work at the Young Adult market, this is Andreina Cordani's second novel pitched at the more senior age bracket. Her first, "The Twelve Days of Murder" made for enjoyable reading, but lacked a certain something that prevented it from being right up there with the best in the genre. However, "Murder at the Christmas Emporium" is a far more accomplished offering that ranks amongst the best books I have read this year.

Whilst I can understand the marketing reasons for deliberately pitching this as a seasonal mystery, that narrow frame of reference does this novel something of a disservice. Yes, it is set over the Xmas period, but you don't need to restrict your reading of it to that same time of year in order to appreciate the qualities of this book.

Although it is in contemporary London, there is a frequent (deliberate) feeling of Victoriana about this story. The character of Montagu Verity, with his unique Emporium, creates an enticing backdrop. His showman's persona is reminiscent of Roald Dahl's Willy Wonka, with the same sense of being enigmatically sinister. He has a mysterious background and a specialist approach to his toy making business. He also seems to have an inexplicable knowledge of his guests and their true desires. Their very presence, by personal invitation only, echoes Wonka's Golden Tickets. In addition to these comparisons with Willy Wonka (again, very much deliberate on the part of the author) there are hints of "The Phantom of the Opera" and Dickens' "Oliver Twist, courtesy of Fagin-style thieving orphans.

Andreina Cordani creates a wonderfully atmospheric setting, but then embroiders it with a compelling murder mystery too. Gradually, via historical flashbacks from the viewpoints of the cast of characters, the clues are revealed and the truth emerges. There is claustrophobic tension, clever plotting and carefully planned, legitimate twists - there is no cheating of the audience going on here! This is a truly well-rounded murder mystery - high quality and atmospheric, penned by an author who is well on her way to being a master manipulator.

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