A clever and absorbing murder mystery set over Twelve Days of Christmas with every single ingredient mixed in, from the traditional festive food to huge old Endgame House deep in the Yorkshire countryside covered in a heavy layer of Yuletide snow. The characters, the guests, are mostly naughty or nice cousins related to each other, desperate to inherit old Endgame House by winning the long-established family game which takes them through every interesting room in the old house and outside in the grounds.

The Armitage family’s customary Noël treasure hunt takes the form of Anagram clues. This time the game is different; solve the twelve clues, find the twelve keys and the actual deeds to Endgame House are yours. What a prize! Keys are hidden in the most unlikely places. Readers can give it a go but I am hopeless with anagrams so I was content to soak up the vibe. The story is full of unsettling events, twists and turns and held me intrigued until the end.  

The atmosphere kept me wondering, who stalks the Endgame halls? Naturally every guest has an opinion, attitude and past memories flecked with jealousy. Protagonist Lily Armitage is the quiet one lacking in confidence who still suffers trauma from her shocking childhood experience in the hedge Maze. She is good at the seeking game but initially has another private reason for being uncomfortable now she’s back in Endgame House.

Everyone remembers the deceased owner Mariana Armitage, Bowie music-lover and creative, who set the Anagram clues for their yearly family challenge. The same cook, Mrs Castle, still works delicious wonders in the kitchen producing meals and adjudicating the supply of clues. True to the trope, when the first party guest is murdered, suspicion begins to take hold but nobody really mourns and the game continues. The priority is to stay alive and not falter when another person is picked off by the killer and added to the ice house.

Living in Australia it is difficult to relate to freezing cold weather at this festive time of year. Nobody can leave because the snow-covered road is impassable and sabotage is suspected. Phone lines are down and their mobiles were taken from them on arrival; I can think of one or two ways to attract attention from the outside world but that would spoil the suspense. Lily is in a perpetual state of fear and determination, she really wants to find out if her mother was actually murdered all those years ago.

More keys found, more slaying and the loss of a Goodreads star (out of five) for a questionable ending as far as I’m concerned. Murder begets murder. I read the hardcover edition which contains family tree, floor plan, wordsearch and author notes. Also I liked the cover artwork and it fitted the criteria for Aussie Lovers of Crime/Mystery/Thriller/Suspense Book Club on Goodreads, a group read for the month of December 2023 which required a Christmas tree on the cover and my suggestion was chosen.🎄

Jingle bells, jolly holly and happy holidays to you!

❤ Gretchen Bernet-Ward