Devi Nair
š±š Read on Kindle š 279 pages ā± 4 hours š·ļø Publisher: Poisoned Pen Press Genre: Thriller
This one is pure festive chaos wrapped in tinsel and tension. A perfect blend of Knives Out meets Agatha Christie's And Then There Were None, Alexandra Benedict crafts a classic closed room mystery with just enough festive sparkle to hide the bloodstains. The Endgame House setting with both goth and glittering vibes, practically hums with menace. Every riddle, every creak in the stairs pulls you deeper into the Armitage family's dysfunction. Benedict nails the claustrophobic "trapped in a manor with people who know exactly where you sleep" energy, then cranks it up to eleven with blizzards, dead phone lines, broken tree branch blocking the only way in and out of the house grounds, and a prize worth killing for.
The riddles are clever without being obnoxious. Yes, I tried to solve a few because I'm a competitive nerd. The solutions are given at the end of the book, so you can check if you got it right, too. Lily's grief over her mother threads through the chaos like frost on a windowpane, giving the book emotional weight I wasn't prepared for. The passive-aggressive toast at the start of the family dinner embodies the "family from hell" troupe. Reading this book right before your own family Christmas dinner is a perfect reminder that maybe trust issues are healthy...
Would I recommend it? If you want a Holiday Thriller that makes you grateful your own relatives only fight over the last pigs-in-blankets, then this is IT This is a wickedly sharp thriller that is spiked with murder, riddles, and a cozy but deadly mansion full of people who desperately need therapy. Add this to your December TBR, but be warned that family game nights will never feel the same again.
Who can you trust this Christmas? Would you survive a game like this? Or would your cousins out-scheme you before the first glass of mulled wine? Let's talk messy families and murderous holidays in the comments!
Originally posted at www.viewsshewrites.com.
š±š Read on Kindle š 279 pages ā± 4 hours š·ļø Publisher: Poisoned Pen Press Genre: Thriller
This one is pure festive chaos wrapped in tinsel and tension. A perfect blend of Knives Out meets Agatha Christie's And Then There Were None, Alexandra Benedict crafts a classic closed room mystery with just enough festive sparkle to hide the bloodstains. The Endgame House setting with both goth and glittering vibes, practically hums with menace. Every riddle, every creak in the stairs pulls you deeper into the Armitage family's dysfunction. Benedict nails the claustrophobic "trapped in a manor with people who know exactly where you sleep" energy, then cranks it up to eleven with blizzards, dead phone lines, broken tree branch blocking the only way in and out of the house grounds, and a prize worth killing for.
The riddles are clever without being obnoxious. Yes, I tried to solve a few because I'm a competitive nerd. The solutions are given at the end of the book, so you can check if you got it right, too. Lily's grief over her mother threads through the chaos like frost on a windowpane, giving the book emotional weight I wasn't prepared for. The passive-aggressive toast at the start of the family dinner embodies the "family from hell" troupe. Reading this book right before your own family Christmas dinner is a perfect reminder that maybe trust issues are healthy...
Would I recommend it? If you want a Holiday Thriller that makes you grateful your own relatives only fight over the last pigs-in-blankets, then this is IT This is a wickedly sharp thriller that is spiked with murder, riddles, and a cozy but deadly mansion full of people who desperately need therapy. Add this to your December TBR, but be warned that family game nights will never feel the same again.
Who can you trust this Christmas? Would you survive a game like this? Or would your cousins out-scheme you before the first glass of mulled wine? Let's talk messy families and murderous holidays in the comments!
Originally posted at www.viewsshewrites.com.