Reviews tagging 'Violence'

The Christmas Murder Game by Alexandra Benedict

23 reviews

cindytheskull's review against another edition

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mysterious fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

1.5

I was given this book by my auntie, but it would have never been something I would have bought for myself.

All in all it’s a too easy and predictable read with a cast of absolutely annoying characters that keep acting like no human being would ever act in similar situations.

I finished it just to be sure my prediction, which happened by 20% completion of my reading, was actually correct.

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midmomo's review against another edition

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dark mysterious tense

2.75


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dodgethepurple's review against another edition

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medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.0


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natashaball's review against another edition

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dark mysterious medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

I had high hopes for this, but I think the storyline was a bit far-fetched , and the clues were made very specifically for Lily so tricky for the reader to work out, although fun to try! 

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salvianlehdet's review against another edition

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adventurous dark emotional mysterious tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes

3.25

Very nice, tense and interesting book! I liked the 12 days of christmas anagram game alot, it made me read some of the chapters multiple times though since I was determined to find all of them. At the end of the book the plot started to get a bit all over the place and crazy and I feel like some of the things were crammed to the end but otherwise absolutely a great read!

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scribblinginthemargins's review against another edition

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dark mysterious tense fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25


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chloe_marshall's review against another edition

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mysterious tense fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.75


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sweekune's review against another edition

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dark mysterious tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

3.5/5

Audiobook narrated by Laura Costello.

Lily Armitage returns to her childhood home, Endgame House, following the death of her aunt. To everyone else, she's there to play a game of riddles to win the rights to the house, but secretly she's also there to find out what happened to her mother.

- Originally I thought this was a cosy Christmas murder mystery, sort of a modern Agatha Christie-esque story. However, it was definitely more of a thriller. Yes it had the trappings and decoration of a lighter story but actually things ended up being pretty dark by the end.

- I liked the fun of the riddles and clues both to The Christmas Game and to the mysteries within Endgame itself. they were lyrical and fun but did always make sense. I think it would have been better to read them in the physical version as in the audiobook, you couldn't literally see the clues hidden in them.

- The setting was both festive and creepy. An old manor house with a maze, ice house and chapel really was an amazing place to weave a mystery. 

- This book was actually amazingly queer with multiple characters being queer in some way, shape or form. I also liked how this wasn't forced, it was just there and who the people were, not necessarily their entire personality. And as a bisexual, I'll always appreciate a bi main character.

Dark, eerie but festive. For those who want a Christmas read with a bit of a puzzle and a side of murder.



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atalea's review against another edition

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dark mysterious medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5


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asourceoffiction's review against another edition

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dark mysterious medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

I loved the characters, the creepy house and its rich history, and the extra puzzles dotted around the book (even though I didn't solve a single one). Liliana's Christmas game and the way it changes with her death is so clever and I was utterly intrigued how things would resolve.

I have to say the whole thing was a bit of a bloodbath. No one was safe, and while that added to the mystery and fun, it was bordering on the ridiculous. Liliana's clues were insanely complex, to the point I didn't really take them in and enjoy them. And I'm still undecided if the reveal was rushed, far-fetched, disappointing or actually quite pleasing!

It's certainly a clever, festive mystery. Not as cosy and a little more gruesome than those classics Benedict so loves, but it was a fun read for the Christmas period.

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