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Night Before Christmas
5.0 (1 rating)

Night Before Christmas

This Christmas, the hunters become the hunted...

When four trail hunters go missing in the fells of Cumbria on Christmas Eve, the race is on to find them before nightfall – when the temperature plummets.

After hours of searching, the first body is found... Not frozen in the snow, but brutally murdered and bearing a warning: the real hunt has begun.

As a snowstorm descends, three lives hang in the balance. But can the killer be caught before the trail goes cold?

From the master of Christmas crime comes a thriller that will chill you to the bone this Winter, perfect for fans of James Patterson, Clare Mackintosh and anyone who prefers their mince pies with a side of murder.

Readers are gripped by The Night Before Christmas:

‘This is by far the best book I've read all year. Top marks for storyline, pace and setting. Alex Pine always delivers a cracking Christmas treat. As far as I'm concerned the festive season would no longer be the same without a dose of Christmas crime in Cumbria!’ Reader Review ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

‘Such a breath of wintery fresh air to the thriller genre.’ Reader Review ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

‘This is the kind of book where you say just one more chapter, and before you know it, you have finished it.’ Reader Review ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

‘I was desperate to get into this ... I was not one bit disappointed. It was fast paced and exciting. I found it hard to put it down.’ Reader Review ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

‘I raced through it this weekend. Such a smart idea: twisty, warped, credible, brilliantly plotted and compelling. Deserves to be such a hit.’ Reader Review ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

‘Loved this festive crime thriller. Gorgeous Lake District setting but with a very dark storyline. Excellent characters and fast paced.’ Reader Review ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

‘A fast paced storyline with plenty of red herrings to keep you guessing how it will all come together.’ Reader Review ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

‘Definitely worth reading on a cold night, maybe as the snow falls outside.’ Reader Review ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Pages: 384

ISBN: 9780008621018

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Available in: Paperback

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Reader Reviews

5.0

1 rating

Rachel S.

Apr 6, 2026
Four trail hunters go missing, it is snowing and the weather is getting so bad that there is a risk to life alert. When a body is discovered, they soon realise that this isn’t a missing persons case but a murder case. It is up to James and his team to figure out who the murderer is while working in treacherous conditions.

Poor James doesn’t have much luck during Christmas time, every year something serious happens and he ends up away from family and working on a huge case.

I have enjoyed this series so much every book has been great, and I am getting to know James as a DI but also as a loving husband and father. I like that every book introduces new things into his life.

I am excited to read the next book and would recommend this series.