Andrew Klavan

After he confesses to murder, a sleuthing English teacher will need a Christmas miracle to prove a condemned man innocent

When Christmas Comes

Grabbed this as it was included on audible, and it seems to track with some of the other Christmasy stuff I was reading.

This is a murder mystery. Honestly, I think I was a little distracted, or maybe I listened too fast, but this one seemed to lack a lot of needed substance. The main character, Cameron Winter, is called in to help solve the murder of Sweet Haven’s librarian. There are various details about the main character that were left vague or tight lipped to the point where I thought this wasn’t the first book. It is. He has the build of a man that works out and has hands as if he does lots of push-ups on concrete (who knew that was a thing). Almost bringing to mind the kind of bare knuckle boxing look of Daredevil to mind. When asked, he just says he’s an English professor.

Then, he is brought in because sometimes “he can see outside of himself and just figure stuff out.” This almost brought to mind Will Graham from the Hannibal series, except there’s not substance behind the claim. He simply sees things differently sort of aka—there are no hints and the author makes it up?

Another jarring detail that’s there, but also somehow lacking, is that he is haunted and in therapy from a traumatic childhood. The therapy sessions happen during the story, and seem to link to why he is the why he is, but they never actually pay out to anything worthy of much. Oh, and for Cameron Winter, every woman is “young” and “beautiful” and guess what, interested in him. It read like a lack of a personality for the main, and a lack of existence for the women.

The murder, how it was solved, and the twist surrounding it, all read as awfully flat to me. Nothing, not a single line in the entire book, made me care whatsoever. Again, maybe it’s me, and maybe it’s not.

Personally 2/5*. I wish the characters were more than mobsters and smiling women enhancing the character’s looks. Narration was good though!

C. J. Daley 

Grabbed this as it was included on audible, and it seems to track with some of the other Christmasy stuff I was reading.

This is a murder mystery. Honestly, I think I was a little distracted, or maybe I listened too fast, but this one seemed to lack a lot of needed substance. The main character, Cameron Winter, is called in to help solve the murder of Sweet Haven’s librarian. There are various details about the main character that were left vague or tight lipped to the point where I thought this wasn’t the first book. It is. He has the build of a man that works out and has hands as if he does lots of push-ups on concrete (who knew that was a thing). Almost bringing to mind the kind of bare knuckle boxing look of Daredevil to mind. When asked, he just says he’s an English professor.

Then, he is brought in because sometimes “he can see outside of himself and just figure stuff out.” This almost brought to mind Will Graham from the Hannibal series, except there’s not substance behind the claim. He simply sees things differently sort of aka—there are no hints and the author makes it up?

Another jarring detail that’s there, but also somehow lacking, is that he is haunted and in therapy from a traumatic childhood. The therapy sessions happen during the story, and seem to link to why he is the why he is, but they never actually pay out to anything worthy of much. Oh, and for Cameron Winter, every woman is “young” and “beautiful” and guess what, interested in him. It read like a lack of a personality for the main, and a lack of existence for the women.

The murder, how it was solved, and the twist surrounding it, all read as awfully flat to me. Nothing, not a single line in the entire book, made me care whatsoever. Again, maybe it’s me, and maybe it’s not.

Personally 2/5*. I wish the characters were more than mobsters and smiling women enhancing the character’s looks. Narration was good though!

When Christmas Comes

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