Christmas is Murder

This book was a surprisingly enjoyable read. The mystery is a locked room mystery paying clear homage to [a:Agatha Christie 123715 Agatha Christie http://photo.goodreads.com/authors/1321738793p2/123715.jpg]'s [b:And Then There Were None 16299 And Then There Were None Agatha Christie http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1316131101s/16299.jpg 3038872]. As a matter of fact, Christie's book is brought up by the characters themselves in this book as they ponder how similar their own situation is. I thought this was a clever touch. I enjoyed the snowed-in setting of the old manor the characters are stuck in, and Rex Graves is a very likable “detective” (although he's not technically a “detective”, he does lead the murder investigation). There's even a little bit of romance, thankfully not overdone. All in all, it's a great holiday mystery with a believable and surprising ending.I do have one major problem with the book, and it has plagued me since I finished it: the author gives away the premise of [a:Agatha Christie 123715 Agatha Christie http://photo.goodreads.com/authors/1321738793p2/123715.jpg]'s [b:Murder on the Orient Express 16304 Murder on the Orient Express (Hercule Poirot #10) Agatha Christie http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1309204192s/16304.jpg 2285570]. Although one can assume that most readers have read that book, I had not, and now I know the big twist. I'm reading the Hercule Poirot mysteries in publication order, and it is literally the next one on my list. I tried so hard to forget about it, but that just made it stick even more. Alas, I'm very disappointed, and I wish this author had left it out of her book. But, the 3 star rating doesn't take into account the giveaway; it's a solid 3 star book. Just be careful if you haven't read [b:Murder on the Orient Express 16304 Murder on the Orient Express (Hercule Poirot #10) Agatha Christie http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1309204192s/16304.jpg 2285570] and plan to!