26 November 2024

The Night Before Christmas

 

By Alex Pine

Review

On Christmas Eve four trail hunters set off across the Cumbrian fells but fail to arrive home before nightfall. With the temperature rapidly falling, concerns for their safety are raised. A search party is scrambled and eventually locates the body of a man — brutally murdered and with a note warning that 'the real hunt has begun'. Detective Chief Inspector James Walker is tasked with finding the remaining three men and catching a killer. . . but time is running out.

The Night Before Christmas is the fourth book to feature DCI James Walker. This series has become my go-to annual festive read and I've enjoyed each one, albeit to varying degrees. I found this one to be good but not the best. The plot wasn't quite as gripping as I'd hoped for and I thought parts were somewhat repetitive. However, I love the main characters, their camaraderie and teamwork. A solid 3read.

★★★☆☆

  • Paperback: 384 pages
  • Publisher: Avon
  • Publication Year: 2023
  • Author: Alex Pine
  • Genre: Crime
Synopsis

This Christmas, the hunters become the hunted…

When four trail hunters go missing in the fells of Cumbria on Christmas Eve, the race is on to find them before nightfall – when the temperature plummets.

After hours of searching, the first body is found… Not frozen in the snow, but brutally murdered and bearing a warning: the real hunt has begun.

As a snowstorm descends, three lives hang in the balance. But can the killer be caught before the trail goes cold?

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