No need to adjust your screens. Yes, it's still October. And yes, this is a review of a Christmas book.
I know what you're thinking. They start the season earlier and earlier each year.
But in the publishing world, it's not uncommon for holiday-themed books to begin releasing right in the middle of spooky season. And so, I'm interrupting our regularly scheduled programming to bring you a review of Peter Swanson's latest, Do You See What I See? It's a yuletide locked-room murder mystery that's the perfect novella to get you into the holiday spirit. Even if that holiday spirit is invading Halloween.
"This may be a Christmas story, but it is not Charles Dickens."
Nicholas Childs isn't exactly feeling any holiday cheer. He's just been dropped by his publisher for failing to deliver his next book—not that readers were really clamoring for another release from him—and he's left wondering what comes next. When his agent calls asking to meet, Nicholas naturally assumes she's about to drop him too.
Instead, she offers him a job.
Her other client, Marco Tavares, is on the heels of a breakout bestseller and struggling to finish his follow-up. She thinks Nicholas might be the right person to help him get the novel across the finish line. Eager for a job and without any other compelling ideas, Nicholas agrees. And so, just in time for Christmas, he finds himself at Marco's Cape Cod mansion.
It turns out Marco has a house full of people joining him for the holidays, and there's enough tension between them to make even the most awkward family Christmas seem pleasant. His marriage is on shaky ground, his ex-girlfriend has shown up with her jealous husband, and various friends and family members all seem to bring some baggage of their own. Most intriguing is James Beers, a fellow writer who believes Marco stole the idea for his bestselling novel from him.
Quite the festive gathering.
And things only get merrier from there. After one booze-filled night, two of the guests are dead. Nicholas suspects there's more to their deaths than meets the eye, and with a house full of people who all seem to have something to hide, there's no shortage of suspects.
With Do You See What I See?, Peter Swanson takes his knack for page-turning whodunnits and puts it to work in a charming little holiday read. He cleverly tells the story through Nicholas, who is asked by the detectives investigating the murders to recall what happened as if he were telling one of his stories. And so, what we're actually reading is Nicholas's typed account of that fateful Christmas gathering.
Or at least, one version of it.
Over the course of the novella, Nicholas gives us three accounts of what happened that night. Each one adds details that were missing from the last, gradually revealing more of the truth until we finally understand what really happened. It's a clever format that keeps shifting our understanding of the mystery and elevates Do You See What I See? beyond your run-of-the-mill whodunnit.
Ultimately, it's a quick, compelling holiday read that delivers exactly what I wanted from it. Murder, Christmas, and a clever little mystery to tie it all together. What more could you ask for?
For more information, visit the author's website, Amazon, and Goodreads.
(2026, 80)
This sounds like such a fun murder mystery! I just added it to my list. Great review! I'm about to start reading a Christmas novella myself. :D
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