Read time: 3 minutes
Murder at the Christmas Emporium by Andreina Cordani
🎧 Listened in audio
📢 Narrated by Katherine Press
⏱ Duration: 9 hours
🏷️ Publisher: Dreamscape Media
Genre: Mystery
Book Blurb:
It’s Christmas Eve at the Emporium, a hidden London gift shop, where shoppers are exploring its handcrafted delights. But when the doors suddenly lock, the festive cheer turns deadly. Each trapped visitor harbors a dark secret, and someone is determined to expose them, by any means necessary. As the night unfolds, the shoppers become pawns in a deadly game, with a gruesome “gift” waiting in Santa’s grotto. In this follow-up to The Twelve Days of Murder, secrets unravel, tension rises, and survival becomes a desperate gamble. Not everyone will make it through the night unscathed.
Let’s talk about the book:
Confession: I love a good locked-room mystery, especially one wrapped in tinsel. I wanted to like this one. The setup is pure catnip: strangers locked inside a whimsical London gift emporium, secrets spilling like overturned ornament boxes, a killer doling out deadly presents. Early chapters teased delicious dread, with quirky shoppers and creepy grotto vibes. Katherine Press’s narration is crisp and atmospheric, and she nails the escalating panic without overacting.
The story hit a slow patch around 38–40%, where the plot dragged, hopping between characters without enough context or build-up. During this middle section, it was hard to stay invested, and the suspense flattened out despite glimpses of clever twists and interesting secrets.
The last 20% of the book, however, made it worth the wait. The tension finally clicked, the stakes rose, and the resolution delivered some surprising twists that tied together many of the earlier threads. While the middle lagged, the ending had enough punch to salvage the overall experience and give that festive thriller vibe a final spark.
Would I recommend it?
If you can power through the slower middle section, the ending is satisfying enough to make the read worthwhile, especially if you love holiday mysteries.
If you liked this…
Maybe try these…
- The Twelve Days of Murder by Andreina Cordani
The prequel to Murder at the Christmas Emporium, with the same festive murder-mystery vibes. Perfect if you want the original Christmas suspense. - Hark! The Herald Angels Slay by Vicki Delany
A Christmas-themed cozy mystery with murders, quirky characters, and festive twists. - A Deadly Christmas Carol by Sharon Love Cook
Murder, humor, and holiday chaos collide in this fun, twisty cozy mystery. - The Twelve Clues of Christmas by Rhys Bowen
A classic locked-room, holiday-themed mystery with clever clues and a charming setting. - Mistletoe and Murder by Robin Stevens
A Christmas mystery where secrets and murder come wrapped together, perfect for fans of dark holiday suspense.
Holiday horror or holiday snooze?
Would you keep listening to a sluggish story hoping it redeems itself, or do you DNF without guilt once the spark’s gone? Tell me how you handle it in the comments!
Book links:
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