Book a physio before you start reading – the tension in this book lodged in my shoulders…what a read!
Dying For Christmas
Tammy Cohen
Random House UK, Transworld Publishers
Black Swan
ISBN: 9781784160173
Description:
I am missing. Held captive by a blue-eyed stranger. To mark the twelve days of Christmas, he gives me a gift every day, each more horrible than the last. The twelfth day is getting closer. After that, there’ll be no more Christmas cheer for me. No mince pies, no carols. No way out …
But I have a secret. No-one has guessed it. Will you?
About The Author:
Tammy Cohen (who was previously published under her formal name Tamar Cohen) is a freelance journalist. A late starter to fiction – and to other things besides – she has now written four novels: The Mistress’s Revenge, The War of the Wives, Someone Else’s Wedding, and The Broken. Now embarking on psychological suspense, Dying for Christmas is her first Yuletide chiller to be published October 2014. She is a Writer in Residence at Kingston University and lives in North London with her partner and three (nearly) grown children, plus one very badly behaved dog. Follow her on Twitter @MsTamarCohen
My View:
Tammy (Tamar) Cohen creates an atmosphere and tension that is palpable. She foretells the potential crime in those beginning lines “Chances are, by the time you finish reading this, I’ll be dead.” And the tension just ratchets from there on. The first half of the narrative kept me reading and reading into the night. Just before midnight I went to bed only to get up a few hours later (I couldn’t sleep with this unfinished). Three in the morning I stumbled back to bed…very satisfied with this read.
The cover image belies the secrets and lies within the covers; this is not some cutesy Christmas read with all things happy and bright. In fact is it dark, it is twisted and there are so many truths later revealed as fiction that you will not believe where this leads to. Admittedly about midway I had to park my disbelief at the door, such were the number of twists and turns and misdirection’s this narrative took me on but it was worth the parking ticket. Tension, tension and tension abide in this remarkable read. Merry Christmas.
Reading, Writing and Riesling 
I’ve been hearing very interesting things about this one, Carol. It certainly sounds like one of those novels one’s not going to be neutral about, and that’s interesting.
It has a few really good twists Margot and the author is a master at creating tension.
Every review I’ve read of this has seen the book so differently. You saw it as tense, and I’ve seen other people describe it as hilarious. I come somewhere in the middle, I think…
To me was like two halves – first tense then the next the unravelling of the story (which you had to suspend your disbelief)….hilarious? I don’t see that at all.
Well, I didn’t find it hilarious either – there was some humour though. Review tomorrow, if I can find the willpower to write it tonight!
Maybe the hilarity came if not suspending your disbelief? Look forward to your review. It certainly is an interesting one.
I haven’t heard of this book but it sounds very interesting!
It is Deb..be interested to hear what you think of it.
Is it available from NetGalley?
It was, don’t know if it still is.