Devi Nair
I started this one a little skeptical—after all, the Goodreads chatter had some readers absolutely roasting it. But to my surprise, I found myself still turning the pages at 2 a.m., utterly hooked, hunched over the pages, half horrified and half gleeful at just how spectacularly messy this family drama gets. There’s a wicked kind of satisfaction in watching a group of people who totally deserve each other fall apart piece by piece (or in this case, body by body). The cover’s chilling rhyme “On the first day of Christmas, my in-laws gave to me, a body in the snow and a motive or three” sets the tone for a wickedly funny, murderous ride. Bache’s humor transforms 12 grim murders into something bizarrely cozy, like laughing through a horror movie. The dysfunctional extended family is a chaotic masterpiece, their venom making every demise a twisted thrill.
At the heart of the mayhem sits Olivia, Miles, Martha, and Callum—a family unit I rooted for from the very first chapter. They’re flawed, quirky, and not above eye-rolling at one another, but their devotion absolutely shines through. You’ll root for them as they navigate a holiday gone homicidally wrong. I was obsessed with guessing the killer, my theories bouncing all over the place, but I did not see that ending coming! The murderer’s reveal is a jaw-dropping masterstroke, blindsiding me in the best way.
What really makes this book sing, though, is Natasha Bache’s narrative style. She manages to take the most dysfunctional family dynamics and weave them with perfectly timed humor. Yes, the story is jet-black dark (we’re talking 12 murders!), but it somehow feels cozy because her wit drops in exactly when it’s needed. Mark October 9, 2025, for a Christmas thriller that’s equal parts hilarious and shocking—add it to your TBR!
Originally posted at viewsshewrites.wordpress.com.
I started this one a little skeptical—after all, the Goodreads chatter had some readers absolutely roasting it. But to my surprise, I found myself still turning the pages at 2 a.m., utterly hooked, hunched over the pages, half horrified and half gleeful at just how spectacularly messy this family drama gets. There’s a wicked kind of satisfaction in watching a group of people who totally deserve each other fall apart piece by piece (or in this case, body by body). The cover’s chilling rhyme “On the first day of Christmas, my in-laws gave to me, a body in the snow and a motive or three” sets the tone for a wickedly funny, murderous ride. Bache’s humor transforms 12 grim murders into something bizarrely cozy, like laughing through a horror movie. The dysfunctional extended family is a chaotic masterpiece, their venom making every demise a twisted thrill.
At the heart of the mayhem sits Olivia, Miles, Martha, and Callum—a family unit I rooted for from the very first chapter. They’re flawed, quirky, and not above eye-rolling at one another, but their devotion absolutely shines through. You’ll root for them as they navigate a holiday gone homicidally wrong. I was obsessed with guessing the killer, my theories bouncing all over the place, but I did not see that ending coming! The murderer’s reveal is a jaw-dropping masterstroke, blindsiding me in the best way.
What really makes this book sing, though, is Natasha Bache’s narrative style. She manages to take the most dysfunctional family dynamics and weave them with perfectly timed humor. Yes, the story is jet-black dark (we’re talking 12 murders!), but it somehow feels cozy because her wit drops in exactly when it’s needed. Mark October 9, 2025, for a Christmas thriller that’s equal parts hilarious and shocking—add it to your TBR!
Originally posted at viewsshewrites.wordpress.com.