My enormous thanks to Laura Sherlock for sending me a surprise copy of Happy Bloody Christmas by Jo Middleton in return for an honest review. I’m delighted to share that review today.

Happy Bloody Christmas was published by Harper Collins imprint Avon on 24th October 2024 and is available for purchase through the publisher links here.

Happy Bloody Christmas

Anna’s Christmas Eve To Do List:

1. Wrap the kids’ presents​

2. Peel the potatoes ​

3. Get rid of the dead body?!

Hungover and exhausted after her family’s annual party, all Anna Johnson wants for Christmas is to finish her to-do list and finally sit down with the world’s biggest glass of wine.

But when she stumbles across a dead body in her larder, her plans are well and truly buggered.

A mysterious death in her home really is the last thing she needs, but with her judgemental in-laws arriving in less than twenty-four hours, turning her house into a crime scene is not an option. If she’s going to save Christmas, it’s up to Anna to find out what the hell’s gone on. Oh – and figure out what to do with the body before one of the kids finds it.

And you thought burning the turkey was the worst that could happen…

My Review of Happy Bloody Christmas

The night after her Christmas party, Anna has a hangover and a dead body to deal with. 

Happy Bloody Christmas is a really super read. It’s sassy, a bit sweary and stuffed with humour so that I found myself laughing aloud on several occasions. 

Despite the fact that this is a modern cosy crime narrative with the unusual premise of finding a dead Santa in the larder on Christmas Eve, it actually draws on recognisible conventions such as unity of time (Christmas Eve), place (Anna and Oli’s house) and action (solving the murder). This makes it fast paced and wonderfully satisfying to read. I raced through the story because I found it so entertaining.

The story is, frankly, quite bonkers, but that is what makes it so appealing. It’s brilliantly plotted with hints dropped throughout in a clever, diverting and enjoyable read. Of course, I worked out from the beginning that the dead Santa, Colin, was actually not dead at all but had set up the whole thing as a joke to feed his ego. Of course I was completely wrong! I think Happy Bloody Christmas would make a sensational TV programme just perfect for Christmas Eve or Boxing Day watching. 

I loved meeting Anna. At the same time as trying to solve a murder, she has the incredibly relatable problem of trying to make her home perfect for the imminent arrival of her over critical mother-in-law on Christmas Day. Her first person narration feels like she’s chatting to the reader directly, making them her friend every bit as much as Jennie is, so that we’re on her side from the very first moment. Frequently she digresses as her mind wanders to trivial things in a way all of us can recognise. This makes Anne real and human and is actually very funny. In addition, Anna’s interaction with her family is so authentic. I’d defy any parent to read Happy Bloody Christmas and not empathise with Anna’s attempts to keep Lily blissfully unaware of events, and her relationship with Oli is perfectly depicted. He frustrates her at times, is occasionally oblivious to the obvious and yet does his best to support her, making him feel authentic and real. 

Aside from the fun and humour as Anna tries to find out exactly who murdered the Santa in her larder, are some deeper themes too. Once Anna lets go of the desire to be perfect to deflect Pamela’s criticisms, she finds life easier and more pleasurable. This is an important message for anyone hosting the big family Christmas. It’s who is there that matters, not whether the best guest towels are on display or the right confectionery offered. Themes of trust and family, identity and self worth also pepper the text so that it is one of those stories that has the reader agreeing with sentiments throughout. It’s a brilliant story.

I loved Happy Bloody Christmas because it races along, is witty and light and yet has real heart. It gives the reader permission to accept less than perfection in their own lives at the same time as entertaining them fabulously. It made me laugh to the extent I found it uplifting and mood enhancing. But be warned, it might make you want to play a game of Twister – and that can lead to all kinds of complications! 

About Jo Middleton

Jo Middleton lives in Somerset with her daughter, a disobedient golden retriever and three cats, all named after fictional detectives. Jo has a passion for mysteries, loves escape rooms, and longs to capture a cave full of smugglers. She is also a blogger, author, copywriter and one half of the It’s Five O’Clock Somewhere podcast. Playgroups and Prosecco was her first novel.

For further information, follow Jo on Twitter/X @mummyblogger and Instagram.