Reviews

A Christmas Grace by Anne Perry

mschrock8's review

3.0

Seems to me it takes a lot of digging to figure out the order of books in this series. I'll keep trying, though. This shows as #6 on some lists.

Borrowed on Hoopla through JCPL.
Listening length four hr, 25 min

jbarr5's review against another edition

5.0

g holiday read

vvijayanti's review against another edition

emotional mysterious reflective sad medium-paced

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

3.5

judyward's review against another edition

3.0

Okay, friends! What's up???? Apparently, my fingers clicked on Samatha's Surprise: An American Girl Story when I meant to review Anne Perry's A Christmas Grace. Now, I ask, do I usually spend my time reading American Girl books? Am I 12 years old? Did anyone notice and just not tell me? I am horrified. So for your punishment, you have to read my original review under the name of the book that matches it. Don't look away--read it again. Does it now make more sense? Is anyone out there reading these reviews or am I typing into a vaccum? Deep breath. Dear Reader: this is another warm, fuzzy Christmas story from Anne Perry. I've come to expect them every year. But this one takes place in a less than warm and fuzzy village in Ireland which, surpsingly enough, is harboring its share of dark secrets. Anne Perry's Christmas books are short, filled with morality and righteous indignation, and always end well. Just like the run up to the holidays. This novel can be read in a couple of hours--preferably in front of a crackling fire for atmosphere. I find Perry's emphasis on morals and proper behavior fascinating in light of her youthful encounter with the law--please Google for lurid details--you will be blown away. Happy Holidays!

jennhorejsi's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious reflective sad slow-paced

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

3.0

I had read from this series years ago and enjoyed it. I was pretty into the first 80-100 pages, when Emily goes reluctantly to a remote and wild coast of Ireland to be with her ailing. There is a gothic feeling in the air when Emily arrives in the village and realizes that the villagers are haunted by a mysterious secret. Following a stupendous shipwreck, Emily realizes that the villagers are haunted by an unsolved murder. At the point when Emily vows to solve the murder is where the narrative falls apart. Or rather slows to a crawl. At this point, almost nothing happens. Emily muses a lot about her relationship with her husband, I guess to make this a journey of her mind and soul, not just a murder mystery. But since her husband is only in the very beginning of the book, it just doesn’t matter. When the ending plods in to view, it is suddenly over, but not very recommendable!

victoria92's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious reflective sad fast-paced

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

2.0

emiged's review against another edition

3.0

Quick read, simple story. As with most Anne Perry books, I like the period detail and insight into relationships.

For more book reviews, visit my blog, Build Enough Bookshelves.

bev_reads_mysteries's review against another edition

3.0

Anne Perry has dedicated her novel, A Christmas Grace, "to all those who long for a second chance." A highly appropriate dedication for a story that centers on Emily Radley and her efforts to give a second chance to the folk who live in her Aunt's Irish town. Emily is called at Christmas time to be with her aunt who is dying. She thinks she is going to lay to rest an old family feud--a second chance for her aunt as well, but finds that Susannah Ross is looking for help with more than that.


The people in the town that Aunt Susannah has come to love have lived under a cloud of suspicion for seven years--ever since a young man was washed up on their shores during a dreadful storm. Saved from the sea only to murdered later by one of their own. While Emily settles into her aunt's home, another storm rages bringing another shipwreck victim ashore. Is history repeating itself? And can Emily help the townspeople face what happened before and avoid a similar fate for the shipwrecked man? Emily also faces personal questions of family loyalty to an aunt who left her family for love and questions about the kind of love she (Emily) shares with her husband. It will take a special kind of Christmas grace to help Emily find the answers.


This is a beautifully told Christmas mystery. Perry has a wonderful sense of place and a particularly graceful way of giving her readers that same sense. I feel as though I had actually visited this small coastal Irish village. It was very touching to read this story of Emily's final gift to the aunt she had never known. Perry carries off the story without making it too sentimental and improbable. The ending is a bit flat, but over-all a fine story for the Christmas season. It also develops some interesting threads that could be taken up in later stories about Emily and her husband, Jack. Three and a half stars.

aspygirlsmom_1995's review against another edition

lighthearted mysterious medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• 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

agrinczel's review against another edition

3.0

This was okay, but the whole story felt like a bit of a stretch