The Christmas Jigsaw Murders
£0.99
Price: £0.99
(as of Nov 27, 2025 02:39:22 UTC – Details)
THIS CHRISTMAS, A KILLER TAKES FAMILY GAMES TO A MURDEROUS NEW LEVEL.
On 19th 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 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.
Customers say
Customers find this book to be a fantastically gripping Christmas mystery with well-rounded characters, particularly praising Edie’s character development. The book receives positive feedback for its readability, with customers describing it as an entertaining read. The writing quality and pacing receive mixed reviews, with some customers finding it well-written while others disagree.
Jacob Collins –
A fun, entertaining read.
The Christmas Jigsaw Murders is a really fun, entertaining read by Alexandra Benedict, perfect to curl up with on a cold December night. It has a real cosy feel mixed with a golden age crime novel. If you’re a person who enjoys solving puzzles and crime fiction, then you are going to love this book. Alexandra Benedict has cleverly constructed a mystery which appears to be centred around one character, Edie O’Sullivan, who receives a chilling package on the 19th December, six days before the big day. Whoever has sent her the parcel, tells her that unless she solves the puzzle this person has sent her, four people will be dead by Christmas Eve.Edie considers herself to be an expert at puzzle solving and she is not going to let this person get the better of her. She also has a contact in the police force, her nephew, DI Sean Brand-O’Sullivan, and they make an interesting team as they attempt to solve the mystery and stop the killer. But soon, the body count begins to rise and as they edge closer and closer to Christmas Eve, tensions and emotions spiral out of control.I really liked how well rounded Edie was as a character. She really does feel like a real person, especially as Alexandra Benedict explores the relationships she has with her family and friends. I really wanted to know why this killer had specifically targeted Edie in this way. You can really see Edie’s determination to not let herself be beaten, and she feels certain she can solve the case, perhaps even beating the police at their own game.I can imagine that Alexandra Benedict had a lot of fun plotting this novel and laying all the clues in the form of the jigsaw pieces, which the killer leaves for the police to find. This was a really original and ingenious idea.We really get a sense of the journey Edie goes on throughout the course of the book and I loved how Alexandra Benedict developed her character, gradually revealing more about her. The Christmas Jigsaw Murders is a fantastic read and I really enjoyed reading it.
B. Houghton –
Kind of like 10 little indians
I got this book for 99p and what tremendous value it was. It’s the first book I’ve read right through for many months. Well written, a good plot without glaringly obvious plot devices and potholes. The main protagonist is hard to like until you find out why they are the way they are.
Ms. S –
enjoyable but somewhat too complicated
enjoyable read if a bit far fetched in terms of plot and denouement.
Jackiesreadingcorner –
Absolutely loved this
I picked this up yesterday, and finished it this morning with the final 5 chapters. Absolutely loved this hoping i am out if my reading slump now.Edie O’Sullivan shouldn’t really be likeable but i found i really liked her. She is an 80 year old lesbian, who had let her last relationship go and had never moved on with anyone else. The story is set in the few days before christmas. Edie does crosswords for the newspaper and she loves puzzles. She hates Christmas bug as you reason you learn why. She has raised Sean her nephew from a baby. He is now married to Liam and is a DI in the police.When Edie is delivered a parcel with puzzle pieces in it she is surprised. It looks like a crime scene or part of one. But on one piece she recognises the watch she had given Sean, she hides that piece. When someone turns up still alive but with a piece of the puzzle in his hand things get a little complicated. Edie is determined to try and investigate. Then more bodies turn up with bits of puzzle and Edie receives more the game is on to try and catch a killer.I thoroughly enjoyed reading this the plot flowed brilliantly and i lived Edie snd her friend Riga as well as Sean and Liam. If you are looking for a quick read with a good plot then grab this.There is also an anagram at the beginning which you are given letters from each chapter of the book you are then told to work out the christmas carol and singer. I am normally good at anagrams, but this one had us. So i challenged my son in law as he is very competitive, we were out for lunch for my daughters birthday and he solved it before our main course arrived. Can you work it out?
Susie Jane –
Enjoyable read 👍
Will definitely read more by this author. This is an enjoyable easy read, and can thoroughly recommend
dave –
Great book
Great book to read
Daisy –
😀 totally enjoyed as a rewarding read
The early chapters begin with wildly florid descriptions that are a tad irritating and distracting then settle into a beautifully descriptive narrative. Was I missing the hidden song lyrics? Tried not to be put off the story by looking for the puzzle 🧩 pieces. But an interesting spin for those who know the music 😊Anyhow… thoroughly enjoyed the book, it was akin to watching a really well made Hallmark movie where you know there will be a happy ending, with all the loose ends tied up, yet you’re kept guessing right up to the last.The characters and places are crafted in such a way that they spring off the page and are playing out in front of your eyes.Just the right balance of grizzly gore, psychological puzzling and classic characters boo…hiss Leyland and Michaels…we’ve all met them and so nicely dealt with.Live long and prosper…Sean, Liam, Edie, Riga etc xxx
S F Canfield –
Great characters
This had me puzzled all the way through so I simply had to keep reading to find out the answer. I was hoping it would be DS Michaels!!!
Chats –
Let me tell you. As someone who loves the Thursday Murder Club series, and crosswords, this book was perfect for me. I loved getting to try to solve this alongside Edie. The ending gave me WHIPLASH! Not in the way I expected, either! (Ironic, I realize!) Highly recommend. It’s cozy, it’s funny, it’s so sweet, and it will keep you on your toes. If you want to feel like you’re right there alongside your crotchety old grandma (who you secretly love to pieces) in a high stress, high stakes case, while she keeps talking about those darned puzzles she loves so much, this is the book for you. 10/10. I feel like I’ve known Edie a lifetime after reading this.
Thomas B. –
That a very good and interesting book! I enjoyed a lot reading it 🙂
ROGER ALIX-GAUDREAU –
The author does an excellent job of carrying the jigsaw theme strongly throughout the book, and it’s evident not only in the primary mystery’s execution but also throughout the way the main character thinks and speaks. As a mystery, I think it was pretty good. I haven’t read a ton of mysteries, but I was able to identify the red herrings pretty easily. The main character’s sudden change of heart is a bit like Ebeneezer Scrooge, but it *is* a Christmastime story, so that seems appropriate. Well-written overall, and a quick, enjoyable read.
Kim the Shopper –
It was a slow read for me and found it at times difficult to stay focused to continue reading.
Emersyn –
A bit disappointing, to be honest. I really enjoyed the author’s first Christmas mystery, the Christmas murder game, and was expecting a lot from this one. This however, was quite slow paced and had a lot of telling instead of showing. Also, nothing really creepy/scary happened jntil the very end. I wasn’t feeling the danger throughout the investigation. An okay holiday read but nothing memorable.