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.

Well, this book is just MAGICAL! I was drawn right in from the beginning with memories of christmases from childhood with the way it took me back!!! Then BOOM it hits you with the nittty gritty!!!!! I enjoyed how the scenes were set and the characters and story progressed.

I didn’t want to leave it unread every night to be fair. I found it a very different kind of Christmas/festive read which was refreshing. I love how this author writes and have thoroughly enjoyed her previous books.

You won’t be disappointed in this book!

Thank you to NetGalley, the Publisher and Andrenia for a fabulous opportunity to read this cracking book!

I was lucky enough to receive an advanced digital ready copy of this book. The book is set in an old, well known and much loved toy store. From the opening chapter I was hooked. There was something unusual in that the book is written at Christmas time and includes all of the usual Christmassy descriptions taking me right back to being a child, but this is contrasted with the whodunnit murder mystery story. I enjoyed this juxtaposition.
The characters find out they are locked in the Emporium and sinister things begin to happen. There are many multifaceted characters in the book and as the story progresses you learn a little more about their lives and how they ended up at the Emporium.
If you are looking for a Christmas read and want something different I highly recommend this book!

This has got to be the most original, fresh and exciting book I've read this year. I love the concept of setting it in a Harry Potter like alley and peopled with characters that are a cross between Dickens and Christie characters. I love the air of magic and mystecism and the slow reveal as past and present collides. I shall watch out for this author. Highly recommend

For some reason, I was expecting this book to be a something along the lines of a cozy Christmas mystery with a bit of an edge. It's not that, but it is fabulous!

The not-very-merry Merry Clarke filches an invitation from the desk of her boss, determined to attend the VIP event at the newly re-opened Verity's Emporium. This used to be a thriving business and a destination for shoppers at Christmas--indeed, the book opens with Peg visiting this magical place with her father as a child. The book quickly turns to the present day where we meet Merry and learn that the Emporium was closed due to the death of the owner and some dispute about inheritance. It's now re-opened. Merry wants to go there to get a special gift for someone. Readers are introduced to the other invitees as they tour the facility. The book moves between Christmas Eve and the past history, with each chapter focusing primarily on one of the people in the group. It's clear that something is off at this Christmas Eve event and that each attendee has secrets. Nothing is as it seems. I don't want to go into much detail because one of the joys of reading this book is having things unfold and riding along with all the twists and turns, but you can tell from the title that not everyone is going to wake up on Christmas morning.

I loved this book. I was drawn in from the start and didn't want to put it down. It read a bit like an homage to Agatha Christie in some ways. The setting was quite well drawn and added to the feelings of disconnection between the festive atmosphere, the drab 'real world' outside, and the sinister happenings inside. The characters were multi-faceted and their thinking was evolving as they had to come to grips with some of their own issues through the course of this ordeal. The pacing is good--things never slowed down or got boring.

When I rate books, it's within their genre/category--no point comparing apples and oranges. This is an excellent, thoroughly enjoyable, well-written, beautifully plotted mystery. 5 stars

Murder at the Christmas Emporium is set in the most magical sounding Christmas shop. Honestly, I wish I could visit there myself. It sounds like the ultimate Christmas dream Emporium. Well, until the bloodshed.
Our story begins some years ago, when a young girl visits the shop with her father and the shop sounds to have a rather Dickensian appearance, in the decidedly, more 20th-century London streets surrounding it. There is no doubt, from this child's description that the shop is indeed special. The story jumps forward several months in the life of this same child and her time living in a orphanage. Then we jump straight into the present day, and our story a night of murder at the Christmas.
We have:
Fran
Merry
Benjamin
Evangeline
Barbara
Dean
Josie
as the guests for the special Christmas event and each character has their own dedicated chapter, detailing events from their past.
There is a lot of follow in this storyline and it's easy to lose track. But it is absolutely worth reading and I would suggest that you grab a hot chocolate, pop on some Christmas music and settle down for a rolicking murderous Christmassy read.