Happy Bloody Christmas by Jo Middleton
Published by Avon Books
Publication Date: 26th September 2024
Book Description:
Anna's Christmas Eve To Do List:
1. Wrap the kids' presents
2. Peel the potatoes
3. Get rid of the dead body?!
Hungover and exhausted after her family's annual party, all Anna Johnson wants for Christmas is to finish her to-do list and finally sit down with the world’s biggest glass of wine.
But when she stumbles across a dead body in her larder, her plans are well and truly buggered.
A mysterious death in her home really is the last thing she needs, but with her judgemental in-laws arriving in less than twenty-four hours, turning her house into a crime scene is not an option. If she’s going to save Christmas, it’s up to Anna to find out what the hell’s gone on. Oh – and figure out what to do with the body before one of the kids finds it.
My Thoughts:
Anyone who knows me knows that I'm not a huge fan of Christmas. Too much commercialism combined with not being a particularly religious person means that it doesn't have the same significance for me as it does for many - especially now that I am not responsible for creating a magical event for my children now they are adults. So, when I spotted Jo Middleton's book Happy Bloody Christmas I felt that it could be my nod to the festivities but without all the saccharine sweetness that so many festive novels contain.
Anna and her husband always host a Christmas party for their friends, and this year is no exception. Unfortunately her boss overhears her discussing it and invites himself along to join the celebrations. The last thing Anna wants is her boss cramping her style - and sadly for him it turns out to be one of the last things he does. The morning after the night before finds Anna clearing away glasses and leftover food, her mind distracted by thoughts of everything she has on her 'to do' list before the in-laws arrive expecting 5-star treatment and delivering snarky comments alongside the children's gifts. Imagine her shock then as she opens her sizeable walk-in larder, the one all her friends are envious of, to find a dead Santa sprawled among the baking supplies and breakfast cereal packets with a knife sticking out of his midriff. The story that ensues is a comedy of dubious decisions and phone calls to her best friend - because of course you'd phone her for advice before calling the police, right?
I really had high hopes for this book, but was left feeling like I needed more laugh out loud moments. Yes, there were a host of comedy moments however I found the lack of competency from the attending police personnel laughable, but not in a good way - maybe I read too many crime thriller books and my brain was expecting a certain level of procedure-following to happen. Note to Self: this book is not meant to have that level of seriousness. Picture the Keystone Cops in the 21st century, who have one eye on the time while attending a murder scene because the office Christmas party is about to start. That bit didn't work quite as well as it could have for me. I did, however, love Anna's best friend who was intent on making herself a murder board out of any available crafting materials her kids had left behind before setting off for Christmas at their dad's. She uses "the case" and a few glasses of alcohol to distract her from the loneliness of her first child-free Christmas and the reader is privy to some rather amusing phone calls between her and Anna as they try to work out Whodunit. Each of the party guests is analysed in ever-more comedic scenarios as the two friends attempt to work things out before the police. I felt sorry for Anna's husband who very much took a back seat and was just enlisted to babysit the kids and do menial tasks while she played detective. How many men would realistically take this role with the enthusiasm he did?? But there again, I suppose it is a Christmas novel so we need to suspend reality and enjoy the easy to read storyline.
Will the case be cracked and the murder solved before the turkey is carved? Will Anna's neighbour turn out to be Miss Marple herself or just the nosey busybody in charge of the Neighbourhood Watch Scheme? If you want to know who killed Santa in the larder with the carving knife and have some chuckles along the way, then Jo Middleton will certainly have you entertained. Me? I think I am destined to not really be a Christmas spirit kind of girl, no matter how much I try.
About the Author:
Jo Middleton is a writer, mum of two grown-up children and servant to three cats and a golden retriever. Jo began writing 20 years ago, and in 2009 created her award-winning blog Slummy Single Mummy. Jo published her first novel, Playgroups and Prosecco, in 2019 and has since gone on to work with her good friend Gill Sims, hosting her 2022 theatre tour and co-hosting a podcast, It's Five O'Clock Somewhere. You can follow Jo on Instagram @jomiddletonauthor.
No comments:
Post a Comment