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DI James Walker #4
The 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 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.
384 pages, Paperback
First published October 26, 2023
420 people are currently reading
2561 people want to read
About the author
Alex Pine
11 books254 followersAlex Pine was born and raised on a council estate in South London and left school at sixteen. Before long, he embarked on a career in journalism, which took him all over the world – many of the stories he covered were crime-related. Among his favourite hobbies are hiking and water-based activities, so he and his family have spent lots of holidays in the Lake District. He now lives with his wife on a marina close to the New Forest on the South Coast – providing him with the best of both worlds!
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 432 reviews
October 9, 2023
DI James Walker #4
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. As a snowstorm descends, three lives hang in the balance. But can the killer be caught before the trail goes cold?
The four men who went missing were on a hunt. DI Walker has been promoted to DCI. The Christmas season is quickly approaching, and DCI Walker has not had a crime-free Christmas since moving from London to Cumbria. When the body of one of the hunters is found, Walker and his team have a murder investigation to solve.
I was pulled into this story after reading a few pages. It's gripping, tense, and well-written. With blizzards and dead bodies, DCI Walker has his work cut out for him. There are plenty of twists and suspects to choose from. I had my suspicions, but I was wrong. This is a fantastic addition to the series. The only problem now is that we have to wait a year for the next book.
I would like to thank #NetGalley #AvonBooksUK and the author #AlexPine for my ARC of #TheNightBeforeChristmas in exchange for an honest review.
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. As a snowstorm descends, three lives hang in the balance. But can the killer be caught before the trail goes cold?
The four men who went missing were on a hunt. DI Walker has been promoted to DCI. The Christmas season is quickly approaching, and DCI Walker has not had a crime-free Christmas since moving from London to Cumbria. When the body of one of the hunters is found, Walker and his team have a murder investigation to solve.
I was pulled into this story after reading a few pages. It's gripping, tense, and well-written. With blizzards and dead bodies, DCI Walker has his work cut out for him. There are plenty of twists and suspects to choose from. I had my suspicions, but I was wrong. This is a fantastic addition to the series. The only problem now is that we have to wait a year for the next book.
I would like to thank #NetGalley #AvonBooksUK and the author #AlexPine for my ARC of #TheNightBeforeChristmas in exchange for an honest review.
September 1, 2023
The title The Night Before Christmas was enough to pull me in from the beginning. This book combines murder and Christmas, the two things I love most.
This book is the 4th in the DI James walker series. I plan on going back and reading the the first because I thoroughly enjoyed this book. I had no issues reading this, so don't let that deter you if you haven't read the prior 3.
Four hikers become stranded on Christmas Eve after the weather becomes bad. One hiker turns up dead. In the hunt to find the remaining hikers, they realize that there could be plenty of suspects because these were well known fox hunters.
Thank you to Netgalley, the publisher, and Alex pine for ARC in exchange for my honest review.
This book is the 4th in the DI James walker series. I plan on going back and reading the the first because I thoroughly enjoyed this book. I had no issues reading this, so don't let that deter you if you haven't read the prior 3.
Four hikers become stranded on Christmas Eve after the weather becomes bad. One hiker turns up dead. In the hunt to find the remaining hikers, they realize that there could be plenty of suspects because these were well known fox hunters.
Thank you to Netgalley, the publisher, and Alex pine for ARC in exchange for my honest review.
November 27, 2023
I have read all of the books in this series so far and have enjoyed them all. Apart from this one. They have all lacked depth in the characters but I thought this would eventually improve. Not so. This was a dull story based around a subject that in theory is interesting, but not here. The narrative was repetitive and over-explained. All of the characters are wooden and one-dimensional, and everyone is strangely articulate but lacking in personality, with no defining aspects of their characters. The murders featured are regularly described as shocking and tragic but they manage to be neither. Major development of the lead characters is required, and although I will probably read the next one in the hope of it being better, I genuinely found this book boring and I just wanted to finish it to get it out of the way.
February 17, 2024
3.4 stars
January 27, 2024
3.5 / 5
Honestly the reason I’ve knocked this down one star is the predictability of the plot, it didn’t have that shock factor when the twist was revealed and in fact reiterated how general the book felt. It’s ok, if not the best but it’s not the worst book I’ve read. It’s bog standard police procedural book - so if you like the UK police methods this book is the one to go for.
The book is about DI James Waller involved finding four missing trail hunters in Cumbria on Christmas Eve. One of the wives report their husband missing. After hours of searching over a stretch of 3 days the first body is found, murdered and dumped in the snow. It’s a race again time to find the missing three hunters, as James begins to make headway the killer is one step ahead.
Overall, the premise of the book is interesting and inviting but I felt the execution lacked alittle. Some parts did drag on for extended time and dips in quality. It’s an ok book, would recommend if you fancy yourself a quick read with heavy police procedure.
Honestly the reason I’ve knocked this down one star is the predictability of the plot, it didn’t have that shock factor when the twist was revealed and in fact reiterated how general the book felt. It’s ok, if not the best but it’s not the worst book I’ve read. It’s bog standard police procedural book - so if you like the UK police methods this book is the one to go for.
The book is about DI James Waller involved finding four missing trail hunters in Cumbria on Christmas Eve. One of the wives report their husband missing. After hours of searching over a stretch of 3 days the first body is found, murdered and dumped in the snow. It’s a race again time to find the missing three hunters, as James begins to make headway the killer is one step ahead.
Overall, the premise of the book is interesting and inviting but I felt the execution lacked alittle. Some parts did drag on for extended time and dips in quality. It’s an ok book, would recommend if you fancy yourself a quick read with heavy police procedure.
December 8, 2023
It is a DNF for me. 2 stars only because I read all 4 books in the series and actually enjoyed book no 1!
This book is boring and drags so much, there is literally nothing happening until you hit 50% mark. Characters are flat, dialogues ridiculous and so unnatural, especially between DCI Walker and his dull wife. I can't get through emotionless writing anymore, pompous language and use of posh synonyms to make it more eloquent... No. It's like reading badly written article. The story is repetitive, full of irrelevant information and characters.
This book is boring and drags so much, there is literally nothing happening until you hit 50% mark. Characters are flat, dialogues ridiculous and so unnatural, especially between DCI Walker and his dull wife. I can't get through emotionless writing anymore, pompous language and use of posh synonyms to make it more eloquent... No. It's like reading badly written article. The story is repetitive, full of irrelevant information and characters.
November 15, 2025
The Night Before Christmas by Alex Pine is the fourth in the DI James Walker police procedural series.
First, let me thank NetGalley, the publisher Avon Books, and the author, for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own. Sorry, I'm very late with my review.
Okay, this one was really good. Although the topic of fox hunting had me nervous that the actual killing of the animals would take center stage, it didn't. It was more about the characters on each side of the argument.
Speaking of characters, there were a lot of them! However, the author identified them quite well, so there was little confusion. I really like James and his team, who work well together. As well, Annie has really grown on me. That first book had me questioning her, but she has developed into a really good wife and mother instead of trying to do James's job. I like her!
I loved the plot, and I loved how many suspects there were. Again, I guessed the perpetrator early on, but that didn't matter. There were so many other interesting characters. Some you could easily hate, but some were just sad.
Again, there are a lot of chapters, but it seemed to be a relatively fast read.
So, it may have taken four books to get me fully on board, but here I am!
Anyway, until next time....
For a more thorough review of this book and others (including the reason I chose to read/review this book, my own synopsis of the book, and its author information), please visit my blog: http://katlovesbooksblog.wordpress.com/
August 22, 2023
For DCI Walker and his team, Christmas has come to be a much disliked time. Having solved a number of cases around this time over the past few years, they shouldn’t be surprised when yet another Christmas Eve is marred by a very odd case.
A call is received saying that four men went for a walk and haven’t returned. They can’t be contacted and it’s hours after they were expected home. The police treat this - logically - as a risk to life due to the increasingly bad weather and mountain rescue are called out to help search for the men and their dogs.
As the time passes, DCI Walker comes to realise that there is nothing ordinary about this case.
The four men who’ve gone missing were actually on a hunt. The home of one of the men is discovered vandalised and the word ‘murderers’ is found daubed on the walls. With the man’s neighbour a keen anti-hunt saboteur, this quickly becomes a more dangerous situation.
It was hard not to feel frustrated by the pace at which things happened here. This is not a criticism. We follow each moment of the case and see in detail just how difficult the job can be. The dedication the police show to their cause shines through from start to finish, and the pressure they are under by the increasingly social-media focused world it’s hard.
The topic was darker than previous books in the series.
When a picture of a body is sent to news outlets with the phrase ‘let the hunt begin’ we know there’s more to this story. It’s not long before the police recognise they’re no longer looking for survivors, but their hunt for the murderer/s is not an easy one.
Once again, Pine manages to create a scenario that draws us in. The beautiful backdrop of the series is used to great effect to emphasise the danger that is also present. A topic that generates much debate is at the heart of the story, and the thorny issue of who was behind it was a puzzle that I could not wait for them to solve.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for giving me the opportunity to read and review this prior to publication.
A call is received saying that four men went for a walk and haven’t returned. They can’t be contacted and it’s hours after they were expected home. The police treat this - logically - as a risk to life due to the increasingly bad weather and mountain rescue are called out to help search for the men and their dogs.
As the time passes, DCI Walker comes to realise that there is nothing ordinary about this case.
The four men who’ve gone missing were actually on a hunt. The home of one of the men is discovered vandalised and the word ‘murderers’ is found daubed on the walls. With the man’s neighbour a keen anti-hunt saboteur, this quickly becomes a more dangerous situation.
It was hard not to feel frustrated by the pace at which things happened here. This is not a criticism. We follow each moment of the case and see in detail just how difficult the job can be. The dedication the police show to their cause shines through from start to finish, and the pressure they are under by the increasingly social-media focused world it’s hard.
The topic was darker than previous books in the series.
When a picture of a body is sent to news outlets with the phrase ‘let the hunt begin’ we know there’s more to this story. It’s not long before the police recognise they’re no longer looking for survivors, but their hunt for the murderer/s is not an easy one.
Once again, Pine manages to create a scenario that draws us in. The beautiful backdrop of the series is used to great effect to emphasise the danger that is also present. A topic that generates much debate is at the heart of the story, and the thorny issue of who was behind it was a puzzle that I could not wait for them to solve.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for giving me the opportunity to read and review this prior to publication.
December 17, 2023
I really enjoyed The Christmas Killer and was slightly surprised that there's already four books in the series, though the helpful character introduction is much appreciated. More series should have this!
I love the fact that this series acknowledges that the biggest crimes that main character DI James Walker has to tack always happens at Christmas, hence his secret dread for the festive season.
I also liked how the narrative initially seems like a missing person's case as four trail hunters have gone missing on Christmas Eve, as Walker and the team increase their search a much more sinister twist as to the men's fates could be soon arises.
The author wonderfully describes the chilling Cumbria location. The fact that the four were fox hunting also adds an interesting dynamic to the search, with many calls on social media against helping in the search for the men.
This was another fast-paced read, I definitely need to add the two that I've yet to read on my own list!
I love the fact that this series acknowledges that the biggest crimes that main character DI James Walker has to tack always happens at Christmas, hence his secret dread for the festive season.
I also liked how the narrative initially seems like a missing person's case as four trail hunters have gone missing on Christmas Eve, as Walker and the team increase their search a much more sinister twist as to the men's fates could be soon arises.
The author wonderfully describes the chilling Cumbria location. The fact that the four were fox hunting also adds an interesting dynamic to the search, with many calls on social media against helping in the search for the men.
This was another fast-paced read, I definitely need to add the two that I've yet to read on my own list!
February 6, 2025
If you love murder and Christmas then DI James Walker books are definitely for you.
The Night Before Christmas is a fourth outing for detective Walker and his team and it doesn't disappoint. Well paced, interesting plot with the chilly wintry feel it's a solid police procedural that's well worth a read.
The Night Before Christmas is a fourth outing for detective Walker and his team and it doesn't disappoint. Well paced, interesting plot with the chilly wintry feel it's a solid police procedural that's well worth a read.
December 19, 2023
5 Stars. Probably Pine’s best Christmas mystery yet. It’s a fantastic series to read before the Holiday and this fourth one is now part of the tradition for me.
The mysteries and characters are really, really good. This one was tight right until the end. I figured it out , but I figured it out at the right time to make it enjoyable. Give this series a try. You’ll thank me later.
The mysteries and characters are really, really good. This one was tight right until the end. I figured it out , but I figured it out at the right time to make it enjoyable. Give this series a try. You’ll thank me later.
January 8, 2024
Book four in the series and I think this is the one I’ve liked the least. The writing is quite basic and there wasn’t really any depth to any of the characters. It was slow to build with most of the action taking place in the last quarter.
December 14, 2024
'"There'll be plenty of opportunities down the line to take your own life if you still want to."'
October 28, 2023
“The Night Before Christmas" by Alex Pine is a gripping holiday thriller that had me on the edge of my seat. DCI James Walker finds himself in the midst of another Christmas murder mystery, and the tension builds right from the start. Four missing hunters, a trashed meeting place, and a chilling warning set the stage for a race against time, especially with a snowstorm descending. What struck me the most about this book was its pacing. The author masterfully kept the suspense alive, making it nearly impossible to put the book down.
While I did figure out the culprit before the investigators in the story, it didn't take away from my enjoyment of the story. The character development and the atmospheric setting in the Lake District added depth to the narrative.
Addictive read for fans of the genre.
Very grateful to the publisher for my review copy through NetGalley, opinions are my own.
While I did figure out the culprit before the investigators in the story, it didn't take away from my enjoyment of the story. The character development and the atmospheric setting in the Lake District added depth to the narrative.
Addictive read for fans of the genre.
Very grateful to the publisher for my review copy through NetGalley, opinions are my own.
December 4, 2023
This is the fourth book in the James Walker series, and another enjoyable read. Like the previous three, this is a slow burn filled with enough twists to keep you guessing until the very end.
I can't wait to see what comes next.
I can't wait to see what comes next.
December 25, 2025
was actually more than pleasantly surprised with this one and will probably get more in this series for the next festive season.
December 11, 2025
Well written and a real thriller.
October 17, 2023
What a fantastic book this was to read. I've never read any of the other books in the series so this can definitely be read as a standalone. Great chatacters you got into and a storyline that really gripped you from the off and so much so you didn't want to put the book down - my sign of a great book! Highly recommended!!!
January 2, 2024
This is the 4th book in this series. While it's one of my favourite series, this one wasn't as exciting as the previous ones.
I guessed the perpetrator right at the start and also I felt the plot was dragged out a big and there weren't many surprises.
I guessed the perpetrator right at the start and also I felt the plot was dragged out a big and there weren't many surprises.
May 15, 2024
Must stop here and not read further books from this author. The detective is such a wet lettuce as is his wife. The characters were all so one dimensional and dull. There is so much pointless filler like ‘I had a sausage roll for lunch and the other detective had a pasty’. Not to mention how boring the book is! I’m done.
August 27, 2023
This is book #4 in the DI James Walker series. Whilst it is part of a series, it can easily be read as a standalone book. DI Walker is now DCI Walker, and the Christmas season is once again approaching. Walker hasn't had a crime free Christmas since he moved from London to Cumbria, so why would this year be any different! With a worsening storm on the horizon, Walker and his team are investigating the disappearance of 4 friends who have gone out for a Christmas Eve hike. Mountain rescue are called out but when one of the men's bodies is found, it's not as clear cut an investigation as it would seem as it appears he has been brutally murdered.
I've read all the books of this series and have enjoyed them all. DCI Walker is a great character, being level headed and calm in a crisis. You do have to wonder if he ever regretted the move from the Metropolitan Police to sleepy Cumbria when every Christmas he's caught up in a seasonal murder! The storyline was gripping and captured my attention right from the beginning following the investigation into the missing men. It quickly becomes apparent that they are all fox hunters, and this adds an extra twist in the investigation as to whether they were targeted. Of course, the storyline is set over the Christmas period, but it is anything other than festive with blizzards, storms and dead bodies.
The storyline flowed along well with plenty of twists, turns and suspects to choose from. The gloomy backdrop of the Lake District added an eerie atmosphere and we are kept wondering who was involved. As with the other books of the series, I enjoyed this and look forward to catching up with DCI Walker again...you never know he may get a Christmas off next year! Would recommend!
I've read all the books of this series and have enjoyed them all. DCI Walker is a great character, being level headed and calm in a crisis. You do have to wonder if he ever regretted the move from the Metropolitan Police to sleepy Cumbria when every Christmas he's caught up in a seasonal murder! The storyline was gripping and captured my attention right from the beginning following the investigation into the missing men. It quickly becomes apparent that they are all fox hunters, and this adds an extra twist in the investigation as to whether they were targeted. Of course, the storyline is set over the Christmas period, but it is anything other than festive with blizzards, storms and dead bodies.
The storyline flowed along well with plenty of twists, turns and suspects to choose from. The gloomy backdrop of the Lake District added an eerie atmosphere and we are kept wondering who was involved. As with the other books of the series, I enjoyed this and look forward to catching up with DCI Walker again...you never know he may get a Christmas off next year! Would recommend!
October 20, 2023
would like to thank netgalley and the publisher for letting me read this gritty novel christmas eve and and most people are home waiting to start their celebrations but for 4 men life will never be the same again when the first call comes in about someones husband not coming home its feels like just a general search but as soon as the police get to the home of one of the 4 men it becomes obvious that something nasty has occurred.. DI james walker calls in reinforcements to find the men and with the weather turning against them they dont have long to find them a gritty no nonsense storyline with trending storylines of fox huntings and the battle between the people for it and against it.. as more violent outburst start occuring james only hope is to find the men as quickly as he can though being hampered by the weather isnt helping
January 16, 2024
I enjoyed this one but I didn’t find it as gripping as the others in this series. It’s become a bit of a Christmas tradition reading Pine’s Christmas books, so I was really looking forward to it. I’m not an advocate of fox hunting, it’s not something you hear much of these days (not on my radar anyway), so it was an interesting topic to choose. I do like DI James Walker, and I’ll look forward to hopefully book 5!
January 3, 2025
I've read the bad reviews of this book, and tbf, they're not wrong! Hahahaha! Yes, the dialogue is stilted and there's random unimportant details (sausage roll for lunch anyone?) But it's a police crime thriller. I read it like a police report. Formal, big words, matter-of-fact. And I liked it. Easy read, kept me guessing, I enjoyed it.
This is no.4 and I read it first so can't comment as to how it compares to the others.
This is no.4 and I read it first so can't comment as to how it compares to the others.
December 10, 2023
DCI Walker and his team return for another crime solving expedition at Christmas. This time they're trying to find four missing hunters who may have been subjected to something nasty. Love this series; every year I look forward to a new Pine novel to read over the festive period.
January 7, 2025
This book took me a good few days to finish because I really wasn't feeling it. Maybe I just didn't care that 4 fox hunters were murdered.
December 22, 2025
Incredibly clunky writing. DNF at 40%
December 8, 2025
This was fine - maybe being from a semi rural community where issues like pro/ anti hunting are within my realm of knowledge made it more interesting . loved the backdrop of the lake district during winter , and I actually didn't guess the twist in it's entirety ! (slight hunch though).
I did find the characters and writing a bit too lacking though. I could complain about cliffhanger chapters but they do their job - I was quite happy putting this down because it almost told you exactly what was coming next. where's the crime suspense ??At least a little more about them as people would make it a more interesting and engaging story aside from the content of the investigation , but as a run of the mill crime procedural , it did it's job .
if I happened upon the others in the series in a shop I'd maybe go back for another round , but I'm not sprinting to do that
I did find the characters and writing a bit too lacking though. I could complain about cliffhanger chapters but they do their job - I was quite happy putting this down because it almost told you exactly what was coming next. where's the crime suspense ??At least a little more about them as people would make it a more interesting and engaging story aside from the content of the investigation , but as a run of the mill crime procedural , it did it's job .
if I happened upon the others in the series in a shop I'd maybe go back for another round , but I'm not sprinting to do that
Displaying 1 - 30 of 432 reviews