THIS CHRISTMAS, A KILLER TAKES FAMILY GAMES TO A MURDEROUS NEW LEVEL
On 1st of December, renowned puzzle setter, loner and Christmas sceptic Edie O’Sullivan finds a hand-delivered present on her doorstep. Unwrapping it, she finds a jigsaw box and, inside, six jigsaw pieces. When fitted together, the pieces show part of a crime scene – blood-spattered black and white tiles and part of an outlined body. Included in the parcel is a message: ‘Four, maybe more, people will be dead by midnight on Christmas Eve, unless you can put all the pieces together and stop me.’ It’s signed, Rest In Pieces.
Edie contacts her nephew, DI Sean Brand-O’Sullivan, and together they work to solve the clues. But when a man is found near death with a jigsaw piece in his hand, Sean fears that Edie might be in danger and shuts her out of the investigation. As the body count rises, however, Edie knows that only she has that only she has the knowledge to put together the killer’s murderous puzzle.
Only by fitting all the pieces together will Edie be able to stop a killer – and finally lay her past to rest.
It's my pleasure to be hosting the blog tour for The Christmas Jigsaw Murders by Alexandra Benedict today. Many thanks to Simon & Schuster and Anne Cater from Random Things Tours for inviting me and for sending me a copy of the book.
With its festive red and gold colour and a plot which is packed with seasonal touches, The Christmas Jigsaw Murders is the ideal stocking filler. It's perhaps ironic then that Edie O'Sullivan's feelings about Christmas are far from merry and bright. Her waspish temperament means she isn't a naturally warm character at any point in the year but this rather misanthropic octogenarian has more than one good reason to loathe anything to do with Christmas.
Edie is a wonderful character; she doesn't suffer fools, speaks her mind and swears far more than anybody expects an 80-year-old to. However, beneath her irascibility is a woman who, despite suffering the most appalling tragedies, stepped up to become a mother to her great-nephew, Sean – now a detective inspector – and although haunted by her past, is resolute in searching for the answers to the deadly puzzle set for her. I loved that Alexandra Benedict acknowledges that age doesn't automatically convey a gentle wisdom on a person and she is allowed to be a complicated figure who continues to make mistakes and develop as the novel progresses. Her sharp, analytical mind means she is a celebrated cruciverbalist who constructs crosswords for national newspapers. She unwinds with jigsaws but the puzzle which is hand-delivered to her on the 1st December is like no challenge she has ever faced before and the stakes couldn't be higher. The puzzle pieces come together to form part of a crime scene and the message attached informs her that four or five people will be dead by midnight on Christmas Eve unless she can figure out the truth and stop the killer – who signs off as 'Rest in Pieces'.
While most of the narrative follows Edie, there are a few chapters told from the killer's perspective, which don't reveal their identity but make it clear that this is a tormented soul who takes no pleasure in murdering people. Nevertheless, they are determined to complete their macabre mission. Although The Christmas Jigsaw Murders is often a very witty read, it's not a gentle cosy crime novel and there are some dark themes examined in both the murderer and Edie's own storylines.
The relationships Edie has with others is complicated and she struggles to show her feelings to those she loves. We are gradually given brief insights into her past and it's obvious that she regrets many of the choices she made but exactly what she did and why she has been targeted by 'Rest in Pieces' isn't revealed until the body count has risen and all that she loves is threatened. The cleverly constructed plot is full of light and shade throughout and Alexandra Benedict's empathetic characterisation ensured I became invested in the lives of the characters as well as intrigued to discover the truth.
Edie might be the star of the show but the supporting cast is excellent too. I loved Sean and his husband Liam; their hopes and fears for the future help to give the novel its heart. Meanwhile, Riva, Edie's ninety-year-old neighbour and enabler lights up the pages every time she appears. Lesser characters make their presence too – a special word here for the school secretary, Mrs Challis who is fiercely unyielding until she meets the person she most admires...
The sense of place is superb too and as a Dorset resident, I enjoyed seeing Weymouth, Swanage and Poole in a crime novel. Of course, a book set during the Christmas period needs to be full of festive atmosphere and The Christmas Jigsaw Murders is redolent with all the sights, sounds and smells of the season. There are even extra treats included with three games included within the story; the first challenges readers to untangle the Charles Dickens anagrams, the second to spot the Fleetwood Mac songs and the third to rearrange the letters in the jigsaw piece pictured at the start of each chapter to make a well-known Christmas song and its singer.
It's traditional for many people to read crime fiction at Christmas and the engaging novel is a cracking choice for anybody looking for a thrilling, immersive seasonal read. Highly recommended.
The Christmas Jigsaw Murders is published by Simon & Schuster purchasing links can be found here.
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