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Twice on Christmas
After choir practisc for midnight mass, college sophomore Rose Grandon takes a short-cut through Harbor Park. Grabbed from behind, she is violently assaulted, beaten and left for dead.
The last thing she hears is a tenor voice singing Silent Night.
Several hours later, the police find Rose lying in a ditch. Badly beaten — but alive.
As she recovers in hospital, Rose is told she’s pregnant. She has a terrible choice to make. She decides to keep the baby.
Nine months later, she gives birth to a beautiful baby girl. She names her Mary.
Rose lives quietly in her small Connecticut hometown raising her daughter — the one good thing to come out of her horrible ordeal. She begins to get her old self back.
But her evil attacker has never been caught. He strikes twice a year. Once on Christmas Eve, once on Christmas Day.
And until he’s behind bars, Rose and her baby can never be safe.
But now he’s found out he has a daughter. And that changes everything . . .
The last thing she hears is a tenor voice singing Silent Night.
Several hours later, the police find Rose lying in a ditch. Badly beaten — but alive.
As she recovers in hospital, Rose is told she’s pregnant. She has a terrible choice to make. She decides to keep the baby.
Nine months later, she gives birth to a beautiful baby girl. She names her Mary.
Rose lives quietly in her small Connecticut hometown raising her daughter — the one good thing to come out of her horrible ordeal. She begins to get her old self back.
But her evil attacker has never been caught. He strikes twice a year. Once on Christmas Eve, once on Christmas Day.
And until he’s behind bars, Rose and her baby can never be safe.
But now he’s found out he has a daughter. And that changes everything . . .
334 pages, Kindle Edition
First published October 12, 2023
1093 people are currently reading
1946 people want to read
About the author
McGarvey Black
15 books328 followersSuspense/Thrillers
THE SECOND HONEYMOON - August 2025
He's planned the perfect cruise - and the perfect murder. His new girlfriend (my replacement) is waiting in the wings.
Our luxury cruise ship departs from Florida. Its destination - paradise. A surprise gift from Andre. Our first proper vacation in five years. A second honeymoon.
He's bought me the perfect outfit. The champagne is flowing. Everything's going to plan. Andre's plan.
He thinks he'll get away with it. But he doesn't know what I'm capable of. Not yet.
Also,
—THE BABY I STOLE
—MY SISTER'S KILLER
—THE FIRST HUSBAND
—WITHOUT HER CONSENT
—THE WOMAN UPSTAIRS
—TRUST ONLY ME
—TWICE ON CHRISTMAS
—THE GIRL WHO KILLED HER MOM
Romantic Comedy;
— LOVE ON THE LINE (original title— THE FUSSY VIRGIN).
Morality Tale
—A FAMILIAR STRANGER "It's a Wonderful Life" meets "Wall Street". This novel is a parable of our times.
All my stories are character driven. I try to throw in lots of twists and turns to keep the reader interested and guessing. Most of my writing is inspired by real people or events that trigger my imagination.
I am married with two children and currently live in Connecticut where many of my stories take place. I'm happy to FaceTime or Zoom into your book club if our schedules permit. Reach out and I'll do my best to make it happen.
——McGarvey
You can find me on Facebook or Twitter, too. Thanks for reading my books and if you like them, please leave a review, it helps so much.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 380 reviews
February 8, 2024
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ -NetGalley ARC
Description:
After choir practice for midnight mass, college sophomore Rose Grandon takes a short-cut through Harbor Park. Grabbed from behind, she is violently assaulted, beaten and left for dead. The last thing she hears is a tenor voice singing Silent Night.
Several hours later, the police find Rose lying in a ditch. Badly beaten, but alive. As she recovers in the hospital, Rose is told she’s pregnant. She has a terrible choice to make. Nine months later, she gives birth to a beautiful baby girl and decides to keep her. She names her Mary. Rose lives quietly in her small Connecticut hometown raising her daughter; the one good thing to come out of her horrible ordeal. She begins to get her old self back, but her evil attacker has never been caught. He strikes twice a year. Once on Christmas Eve, once on Christmas Day and until he’s behind bars, Rose and her baby can never be safe. But now he’s found out he has a daughter. And that changes everything . . .
Review:
I struggled with what to rate this. At one point I was going to give it 3 stars and at another point 5 stars. I decided to split the difference and give it four stars.
Why I thought it was worthy of 5 stars:
This story takes place over the course of 12 years. December 24, 2008 - December 24, 2020. Each year, except for three, the serial killer strikes on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day making Rose relive her traumatic experience. Throughout the story different male characters are introduced, making you wonder if they are the killer inserting themselves into Roses life because of her decision to keep her daughter. The story keeps you on the edge of your seat, especially when Mary starts showing signs of psycho tendencies and acting on her urges.
Why I thought it was worthy of 3 stars: There were a few things that weren’t well researched. *The chapter on the birth and adoption process through Catholic Charities was WAY off of what actually really happens and the name of the river mentioned in Albany was wrong.
*I ended up not taking these into consideration because unless you know these things, they’re not going to affect your reading of the book. With that said…I highly recommend this book, especially if you like serial killer thrillers.
Thank you to NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book for an honest review.
Description:
After choir practice for midnight mass, college sophomore Rose Grandon takes a short-cut through Harbor Park. Grabbed from behind, she is violently assaulted, beaten and left for dead. The last thing she hears is a tenor voice singing Silent Night.
Several hours later, the police find Rose lying in a ditch. Badly beaten, but alive. As she recovers in the hospital, Rose is told she’s pregnant. She has a terrible choice to make. Nine months later, she gives birth to a beautiful baby girl and decides to keep her. She names her Mary. Rose lives quietly in her small Connecticut hometown raising her daughter; the one good thing to come out of her horrible ordeal. She begins to get her old self back, but her evil attacker has never been caught. He strikes twice a year. Once on Christmas Eve, once on Christmas Day and until he’s behind bars, Rose and her baby can never be safe. But now he’s found out he has a daughter. And that changes everything . . .
Review:
I struggled with what to rate this. At one point I was going to give it 3 stars and at another point 5 stars. I decided to split the difference and give it four stars.
Why I thought it was worthy of 5 stars:
This story takes place over the course of 12 years. December 24, 2008 - December 24, 2020. Each year, except for three, the serial killer strikes on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day making Rose relive her traumatic experience. Throughout the story different male characters are introduced, making you wonder if they are the killer inserting themselves into Roses life because of her decision to keep her daughter. The story keeps you on the edge of your seat, especially when Mary starts showing signs of psycho tendencies and acting on her urges.
Why I thought it was worthy of 3 stars: There were a few things that weren’t well researched. *The chapter on the birth and adoption process through Catholic Charities was WAY off of what actually really happens and the name of the river mentioned in Albany was wrong.
*I ended up not taking these into consideration because unless you know these things, they’re not going to affect your reading of the book. With that said…I highly recommend this book, especially if you like serial killer thrillers.
Thank you to NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book for an honest review.
August 31, 2024
Not to sound like a Grinch......
but "Twice on Christmas" will not be on this year's Christmas list.
The book had a strong start but quickly faltered.
The book's plotline was lame.
Twists were contrived.
Repetitious text was plentiful.
I listened to the 9-hour audiobook that easily could have been 6 hours.
Narrator Emily Sutton-Smith did a superb job with the narration.
I am a McGarvey Black fan but this ChristMISS book was a MISS.
January 27, 2024
Rose Grandon excitedly looks forward to her choir solo in the midnight mass on Christmas eve. As she walks home from the final practice to get ready for the event she is savagely attacked and left for dead. Rose suffered many broken bones as well as having PTSD from her attack and then finds out she is pregnant from this horrid monster. In the end Rose keeps her beautiful baby but not without many problems along the way.
Year after year the local detectives along with the FBI check in with Rose to see if she remembers anything new at all because every Christmas more women have been brutally assaulted or murdered and the authorities have never come up with any potential suspects so Rose has to relive her horror from that night, always living in fear that her attacker will come back for her again.
Maybe Rose is right to be fearful because when she finally lets down her guard, her life again and her child's will never be the same.
Merry Christmas 🎄Rose!!🌹
This was a very entertaining holiday mystery/thriller that I'm so glad to have read. Initially, I thought this was going to be a cozy mystery but to my delight it was definitely not warm and cozy but dark and twisted! I loved some of the red herrings and twists which some readers found predictable but I was kept guessing since there would be a few different suspects to pick from and I loved the twists with her daughter unsure how things would turn out in the first end. Sometimes the story moved somewhat slowly but with the terrific writing by "McGarvey Black" it made the characters have more realism which kept me invested in all the details. The last twenty-five percent of the book was very exciting and thrilling and was definitely worth the wait!
I recommend this book to anyone who wants to read a really good dark Christmas thriller or just a great mystery for any time of year. I will definitely look forward to reading more books from this talented author!
I want to thank the publisher "Joffe Books" and Netgalley for the opportunity to read this digital copy and any thoughts or opinions expressed are unbiased and mine alone!
I have given a rating of 4 DISTURBING HOLIDAY 🌟🌟🌟🌟 STARS!!
Year after year the local detectives along with the FBI check in with Rose to see if she remembers anything new at all because every Christmas more women have been brutally assaulted or murdered and the authorities have never come up with any potential suspects so Rose has to relive her horror from that night, always living in fear that her attacker will come back for her again.
Maybe Rose is right to be fearful because when she finally lets down her guard, her life again and her child's will never be the same.
Merry Christmas 🎄Rose!!🌹
This was a very entertaining holiday mystery/thriller that I'm so glad to have read. Initially, I thought this was going to be a cozy mystery but to my delight it was definitely not warm and cozy but dark and twisted! I loved some of the red herrings and twists which some readers found predictable but I was kept guessing since there would be a few different suspects to pick from and I loved the twists with her daughter unsure how things would turn out in the first end. Sometimes the story moved somewhat slowly but with the terrific writing by "McGarvey Black" it made the characters have more realism which kept me invested in all the details. The last twenty-five percent of the book was very exciting and thrilling and was definitely worth the wait!
I recommend this book to anyone who wants to read a really good dark Christmas thriller or just a great mystery for any time of year. I will definitely look forward to reading more books from this talented author!
I want to thank the publisher "Joffe Books" and Netgalley for the opportunity to read this digital copy and any thoughts or opinions expressed are unbiased and mine alone!
I have given a rating of 4 DISTURBING HOLIDAY 🌟🌟🌟🌟 STARS!!
October 16, 2023
Check out all my reviews at: https://www.avonnalovesgenres.com
3.5 out of 5 Stars (Rounded Up)
TWICE ON CHRISTMAS by McGarvey Black is a serial killer crime thriller/domestic suspense that features a young woman who survives a horrific attack on Christmas Eve and must deal with the trauma and ramifications every year following for over a decade. This is a standalone suspense/thriller by an author who is new to me.
Rose Grandon is a college sophomore at UConn and home for Christmas break. After choir practice for midnight mass, Rose wants to get home quicker by cutting through Harbor Park and is attacked from behind. Assaulted and left for dead, the last thing she hears is a beautiful tenor voice singing “Silent Night” as she loses consciousness by a creek in a ravine.
Her attacker is never found as she deals with several months of rehab and a pregnancy from her attack. Rose works hard to get her life back and make a home for baby, Mary, but every year her attacker remains on the loose and brutally attacking one woman every Christmas Eve and killing on every Christmas Day.
What Rose does not realize is that her attacker discovers he has a daughter, and that changes all his plans.
This is a thriller that immediately grabs you with a terrible crime and then follows the protagonist, Rose, through the next years of her life and everything she must deal with. As the reader follows Rose’s life, there are several male characters introduced into her life that could be the serial killer. I felt it was evident very early even with all the misdirection. Rose also is dealing with her daughter’s behavioral issues which highlighted how much parents do not want to acknowledge about their own children. As in any domestic suspense there are times you want to yell at the main character for not realizing some key bit of inconsistency and this story had many. The law enforcement officers, both local and federal, are not very efficient either. No background checks?
Overall, I feel this is an average suspense/thriller that is entertaining, but with a few too many holes in the plot and a protagonist that does not question things she should.
3.5 out of 5 Stars (Rounded Up)
TWICE ON CHRISTMAS by McGarvey Black is a serial killer crime thriller/domestic suspense that features a young woman who survives a horrific attack on Christmas Eve and must deal with the trauma and ramifications every year following for over a decade. This is a standalone suspense/thriller by an author who is new to me.
Rose Grandon is a college sophomore at UConn and home for Christmas break. After choir practice for midnight mass, Rose wants to get home quicker by cutting through Harbor Park and is attacked from behind. Assaulted and left for dead, the last thing she hears is a beautiful tenor voice singing “Silent Night” as she loses consciousness by a creek in a ravine.
Her attacker is never found as she deals with several months of rehab and a pregnancy from her attack. Rose works hard to get her life back and make a home for baby, Mary, but every year her attacker remains on the loose and brutally attacking one woman every Christmas Eve and killing on every Christmas Day.
What Rose does not realize is that her attacker discovers he has a daughter, and that changes all his plans.
This is a thriller that immediately grabs you with a terrible crime and then follows the protagonist, Rose, through the next years of her life and everything she must deal with. As the reader follows Rose’s life, there are several male characters introduced into her life that could be the serial killer. I felt it was evident very early even with all the misdirection. Rose also is dealing with her daughter’s behavioral issues which highlighted how much parents do not want to acknowledge about their own children. As in any domestic suspense there are times you want to yell at the main character for not realizing some key bit of inconsistency and this story had many. The law enforcement officers, both local and federal, are not very efficient either. No background checks?
Overall, I feel this is an average suspense/thriller that is entertaining, but with a few too many holes in the plot and a protagonist that does not question things she should.
September 26, 2023
After their practice for midnight mass, college sophomore Rose Grandon takes a shortcut through Harbour Park. Grabbed from behind, she is violently assaulted, beaten and left for dead. The last thing she hears is a tenor voice singing Silent Night. Several hours later, the police find Rose lying in a ditch. Badly beaten - but alive. As she recovers in hospital, Rose is told she's pregnant. She has a terrible choice to make. She decides to keep the baby. But her evil attacker has never been caught. He strikes twice a year. Once on Christmas Eve, once on Christmas day. And until he's behind bars, Rose and her baby can never be safe. But now he's found out he has a daughter. And that changes everything.
A serial killer/rapist who only attacks women on Christmas Eve and Christmas day. But he made a mistake with rose, she was still alive when he left her.
The characters are a well-developed mixed bunch of likeable and creepy. This is one twisted, suspense filled, and thrilling mystery that has been descriptively written. This is a gripping story about a brutal crime, and it shows the effects this crime can leave with the victim. It's not a book for the faint-hearted, as there are some gruesome scenes. My first read by the author, but it won't be my last.
I would like to thank #NetGalley #JoffeBooks and the author #McGarveyBlack for my ARC of #TwiceOnChristmas in exchange for an honest review.
A serial killer/rapist who only attacks women on Christmas Eve and Christmas day. But he made a mistake with rose, she was still alive when he left her.
The characters are a well-developed mixed bunch of likeable and creepy. This is one twisted, suspense filled, and thrilling mystery that has been descriptively written. This is a gripping story about a brutal crime, and it shows the effects this crime can leave with the victim. It's not a book for the faint-hearted, as there are some gruesome scenes. My first read by the author, but it won't be my last.
I would like to thank #NetGalley #JoffeBooks and the author #McGarveyBlack for my ARC of #TwiceOnChristmas in exchange for an honest review.
December 27, 2023
So this author has other books out? Just where have I been!
This was so very good! In my opinion. I read this within two days even though I stayed up to early hours to finish it!
The Christmas serial killer. Not just any old serial killer! Not your typical one either or a “police catch me quick” killer. This had me on my toes especially reading it on New years Eve and Christmas Day, it could have been me! Bit eerie in the dark reading this but worth the chills.
I’ve got to test another of his books out, Cus this was good.
This was so very good! In my opinion. I read this within two days even though I stayed up to early hours to finish it!
The Christmas serial killer. Not just any old serial killer! Not your typical one either or a “police catch me quick” killer. This had me on my toes especially reading it on New years Eve and Christmas Day, it could have been me! Bit eerie in the dark reading this but worth the chills.
I’ve got to test another of his books out, Cus this was good.
December 9, 2023
Lots of unanswered questions left in this book. Very predictable. Random characters thrown in for no reason. The story line jumped randomly by months with a hurry up and wait feeling. I was pulled in and read the book very fast hoping I would get answers
November 23, 2023
I was looking for a Christmas mystery and, boy, did I get one. It’s a well written story with a strong storyline. It’s a real mystery involving a serial killer and one woman’s tale of survival. There was a disturbing aspect that I could well have done without, but the author made it a predominant part of the theme. Still, I was reading constantly, anxious to find out what was going to happen. The only reason I docked a star was because i hated the last chapter. I don’t understand why authors do that!
January 22, 2024
*** TRIGGER WARNINGS***
RAPE , VIOLENCE TOWARDS WOMEN
AND STALKING.
Rose is a college sophomore with her whole life ahead of her. She decides to take a shortcut on her way home from choir practice through a dark park on Christmas Eve. She is approached from behind, bag put over her head, severely beaten, raped and left for dead.
She’s found hours later clinging to life.
While recovering in the hospital she speaks with police and informs them that the last thing she heard before going black was a man’s beautiful tennor voice singing ,Silent night. She learns there was another attack on Christmas Day.
She is also told she is pregnant. She decides to keep the baby and nine months later gives birth to a beautiful baby girl she names Mary. The only good thing to come out of her awful ordeal.
Her attacker was never caught and Rose lives in fear as these attacks continue to happen over the years. One on Christmas Eve and one on Christmas Day. So, “Twice on Christmas.”
The attacker himself, while watching the news has just learned he has a daughter. Rose and Mary may never be safe.
Id like to extend my gratitude to NetGalley , Joffee books and McGarvey Black for my free copy of this awesome story. I was sucked right in from the first page and was engaged the whole read. Easy 4.5 out of 5. I highly recommend this book.
This is my honest and unbiased review.
***GO GET YOURSELF A COPY.**
You won’t be sorry. Great story.
RAPE , VIOLENCE TOWARDS WOMEN
AND STALKING.
Rose is a college sophomore with her whole life ahead of her. She decides to take a shortcut on her way home from choir practice through a dark park on Christmas Eve. She is approached from behind, bag put over her head, severely beaten, raped and left for dead.
She’s found hours later clinging to life.
While recovering in the hospital she speaks with police and informs them that the last thing she heard before going black was a man’s beautiful tennor voice singing ,Silent night. She learns there was another attack on Christmas Day.
She is also told she is pregnant. She decides to keep the baby and nine months later gives birth to a beautiful baby girl she names Mary. The only good thing to come out of her awful ordeal.
Her attacker was never caught and Rose lives in fear as these attacks continue to happen over the years. One on Christmas Eve and one on Christmas Day. So, “Twice on Christmas.”
The attacker himself, while watching the news has just learned he has a daughter. Rose and Mary may never be safe.
Id like to extend my gratitude to NetGalley , Joffee books and McGarvey Black for my free copy of this awesome story. I was sucked right in from the first page and was engaged the whole read. Easy 4.5 out of 5. I highly recommend this book.
This is my honest and unbiased review.
***GO GET YOURSELF A COPY.**
You won’t be sorry. Great story.
December 11, 2023
I don't read psychological thrillers all that often, some can be really hokey and not much of a plot. Not so with this one, it took my breath away.
A young boy, innocent, still barely holding onto his belief in Santa, is hoping Santa will bring him a few gifts this year because he knows his mother won't. There's never a tree or any trimmings to make the holidays special. Neglected and unwanted, he knows his mother would rather be sleeping off her drunken fits than even putting food on the table. He is filled with rage and knows what he must do, and he will when he gets older.
Rose is a shy, church going girl, excelling at school, she doesn't have many friends. A Christmas eve service has her excited to be with a few friends from church as the youth groups plans that evening's events. Living close to church she slips out early to wrap a few presents and plans it as she walks home in the dark that evening. Her route takes her past a dark and deserted park. Frantic, her parents call the police when she is hours late getting home. An evening search finds her badly beaten and sexually assaulted; the hospital staff not sure if she'll survive. After months of physical therapy, she's physically able to recover in body but she will never be the same. Finding herself pregnant from the attack she decides at the last minute to keep the baby and lives with her parents who give their full support to her choices and help with her child. Deciding to move to her own place when her child is a school age, she enrolls her child in a local school and meets the new teacher, her child's new teacher a male. Her daughter and this teacher form a special bond, she is a challenging student but likes her teacher and they just click. When the teacher needs to talk to Rose about her daughter Mary's behavior, he also makes an impression on the mother. This is the start of a special friendship that turns into a romance between Rose and David, the teacher. He was the nicest man, always so understanding of Mary, the daughter and they both fell for his charm and kindness. After the wedding they settle into his house. Rose is kept updated on the Christmas Eve killer every year by the police. He only strikes on Christmas and twice on Christmas Eve. Very few of his victims survive as he strikes along the East Coast of the United States. Rose doesn't feel safe because whoever did this to her is still out there. Tucked away in her house with her daughter and new husband she feels as safe as she can possible be with the decorations up and the spirit of Christmas, she should have no worries, right?
A shocking, twist of a story that lulls you into feeling safe and then strikes when you least expect it. Excellent!
Pub Date 12 Oct 2023
I was given a complimentary copy of this book.
All opinions expressed are my own.
A young boy, innocent, still barely holding onto his belief in Santa, is hoping Santa will bring him a few gifts this year because he knows his mother won't. There's never a tree or any trimmings to make the holidays special. Neglected and unwanted, he knows his mother would rather be sleeping off her drunken fits than even putting food on the table. He is filled with rage and knows what he must do, and he will when he gets older.
Rose is a shy, church going girl, excelling at school, she doesn't have many friends. A Christmas eve service has her excited to be with a few friends from church as the youth groups plans that evening's events. Living close to church she slips out early to wrap a few presents and plans it as she walks home in the dark that evening. Her route takes her past a dark and deserted park. Frantic, her parents call the police when she is hours late getting home. An evening search finds her badly beaten and sexually assaulted; the hospital staff not sure if she'll survive. After months of physical therapy, she's physically able to recover in body but she will never be the same. Finding herself pregnant from the attack she decides at the last minute to keep the baby and lives with her parents who give their full support to her choices and help with her child. Deciding to move to her own place when her child is a school age, she enrolls her child in a local school and meets the new teacher, her child's new teacher a male. Her daughter and this teacher form a special bond, she is a challenging student but likes her teacher and they just click. When the teacher needs to talk to Rose about her daughter Mary's behavior, he also makes an impression on the mother. This is the start of a special friendship that turns into a romance between Rose and David, the teacher. He was the nicest man, always so understanding of Mary, the daughter and they both fell for his charm and kindness. After the wedding they settle into his house. Rose is kept updated on the Christmas Eve killer every year by the police. He only strikes on Christmas and twice on Christmas Eve. Very few of his victims survive as he strikes along the East Coast of the United States. Rose doesn't feel safe because whoever did this to her is still out there. Tucked away in her house with her daughter and new husband she feels as safe as she can possible be with the decorations up and the spirit of Christmas, she should have no worries, right?
A shocking, twist of a story that lulls you into feeling safe and then strikes when you least expect it. Excellent!
Pub Date 12 Oct 2023
I was given a complimentary copy of this book.
All opinions expressed are my own.
December 17, 2023
predictable.
this started off so freaking strong, the first half of the book was honestly really good i couldn’t put it down and found myself just wanting to know what happens. about half way through i really started to get bored, nothing was happening and it was like reading about someone’s day to day life. it was so repetitive, the same lines repeated over and over again. the same thing happened year after year. ugh the cops were so incompetent.
i also really didn’t like that even at 10-11 years old, they treated Mary like a 5-6 year old. her dialogue was very childish and the overall way they treated her was childish and the way they dealt with her incidents was kind of angering to be honest. her whole character was angering.
without spoiling, when getting closer to the end and things were happening i knew right away who it was and quite honestly it wasn’t that big of a twist in the end. i definitely think the author thought it would be more of a shock but it wasn’t in my opinion. this fell so flat for me and i can honestly say i didn’t like it.
i h had really hoped the ending would redeem this read for me but it simply didn’t.
this started off so freaking strong, the first half of the book was honestly really good i couldn’t put it down and found myself just wanting to know what happens. about half way through i really started to get bored, nothing was happening and it was like reading about someone’s day to day life. it was so repetitive, the same lines repeated over and over again. the same thing happened year after year. ugh the cops were so incompetent.
i also really didn’t like that even at 10-11 years old, they treated Mary like a 5-6 year old. her dialogue was very childish and the overall way they treated her was childish and the way they dealt with her incidents was kind of angering to be honest. her whole character was angering.
without spoiling, when getting closer to the end and things were happening i knew right away who it was and quite honestly it wasn’t that big of a twist in the end. i definitely think the author thought it would be more of a shock but it wasn’t in my opinion. this fell so flat for me and i can honestly say i didn’t like it.
i h had really hoped the ending would redeem this read for me but it simply didn’t.
December 14, 2023
Dull, predictable, repetitive.
Characters were all very flat, dialogue was like something AI generated, not how people naturally speak, despite a couple of very half hearted attempts to throw in other potential suspects (for the reader, not for any of the pointless law enforcement officers) it's blatantly obvious who the culprit is from very early on. It's repetitive, boring, doesn't flow, when they got to the year 2020 we sailed happily through the year with no mention of covid at all! In fact, I had no choice but to conclude that the author has very little grasp of how time works (or, for that matter, people, conversations, police investigations...). I don't know why there seems to be a trend these days of "this happened, then he did this, and told so and so that, then they all did something else". Um, are you not capable of using narrative? All these 5 star reviews are baffling, it's like nobody has read a decent book anymore, so literally everything they read is "oh em gee the best book everrrrr".
Characters were all very flat, dialogue was like something AI generated, not how people naturally speak, despite a couple of very half hearted attempts to throw in other potential suspects (for the reader, not for any of the pointless law enforcement officers) it's blatantly obvious who the culprit is from very early on. It's repetitive, boring, doesn't flow, when they got to the year 2020 we sailed happily through the year with no mention of covid at all! In fact, I had no choice but to conclude that the author has very little grasp of how time works (or, for that matter, people, conversations, police investigations...). I don't know why there seems to be a trend these days of "this happened, then he did this, and told so and so that, then they all did something else". Um, are you not capable of using narrative? All these 5 star reviews are baffling, it's like nobody has read a decent book anymore, so literally everything they read is "oh em gee the best book everrrrr".
December 11, 2023
A quick read . It was a decent mystery with a few suspects to choose from. I felt the writing was too simplistic although the characters were fleshed out well.
October 1, 2023
My first book by McGarvey Black - and it did not disappoint. I adore Christmas books (normally of the romance kind!) so this was a thriller right up my alley.
So many good bits to list off - the Christmas theme, the tension of the killer only striking once a year, the journey through the years (I really liked that the crime wasn't done, dusted and solved in a couple of weeks), the small twists, the perspective of the victim rather than the people solving the crime, and the character development as Rose moved through her life. I enjoyed the ending, and felt everything was well wrapped up (although I did have some questions around how the killer managed to get to other cities and back so quickly?!).
A solid 5 stars from me and I will be returning for more McGarvey Black, thank you NetGalley and Joffe Books for the introduction.
So many good bits to list off - the Christmas theme, the tension of the killer only striking once a year, the journey through the years (I really liked that the crime wasn't done, dusted and solved in a couple of weeks), the small twists, the perspective of the victim rather than the people solving the crime, and the character development as Rose moved through her life. I enjoyed the ending, and felt everything was well wrapped up (although I did have some questions around how the killer managed to get to other cities and back so quickly?!).
A solid 5 stars from me and I will be returning for more McGarvey Black, thank you NetGalley and Joffe Books for the introduction.
November 15, 2025
this story was highly predictable and got a bit boring in the middle. BUT the camp level 👌👌
October 9, 2023
I received a free copy of, Twice on Christmas, by McGarvey Black, from the publisher and Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. On a cold winter night Rose was brutally attacked and left for dead, but she survived, and kept her baby girl Mary. Rose grows up and meets David, and they fall in love. wow what a story, the twists and turns kept me engaged throughout the story.
October 12, 2023
A thrilling, chilling read!
Rose Grandson is in the church choir; leaving the final practice before Christmas mass and thinking of all the things she has to do, she takes a short cut home - after all, she lives in a very safe town. However, she is attacked and left for dead but remembers her attacker singing Silent Night before she blacked out. When she discovers that the attacker left her pregnant, Rose decides to have the baby and continues to leave in the same town - albeit as a shadow of her former self. Her attacker continues to attack - and sometimes kill - women, twice a year; once on Christmas Eve and once on Christmas Day but when he discovers he has a child, it all changes . . .
This isn't my first read of McGarvey Black's novels and she never fails to bamboozle me. There is such a lot packed into this one, and it kept me gripped from start to finish. There an underlying creepiness which made the hairs on the back of my neck stand up as I was reading. I didn't work it out the ending before I got there and it really gave me the shivers! The author held me in the palm of her hand all the way through and I read long into the night because I just HAD to get to the end before I could get some sleep. Definitely a pulse pounder and one I have to give a full house of stars and my recommendation.
Rose Grandson is in the church choir; leaving the final practice before Christmas mass and thinking of all the things she has to do, she takes a short cut home - after all, she lives in a very safe town. However, she is attacked and left for dead but remembers her attacker singing Silent Night before she blacked out. When she discovers that the attacker left her pregnant, Rose decides to have the baby and continues to leave in the same town - albeit as a shadow of her former self. Her attacker continues to attack - and sometimes kill - women, twice a year; once on Christmas Eve and once on Christmas Day but when he discovers he has a child, it all changes . . .
This isn't my first read of McGarvey Black's novels and she never fails to bamboozle me. There is such a lot packed into this one, and it kept me gripped from start to finish. There an underlying creepiness which made the hairs on the back of my neck stand up as I was reading. I didn't work it out the ending before I got there and it really gave me the shivers! The author held me in the palm of her hand all the way through and I read long into the night because I just HAD to get to the end before I could get some sleep. Definitely a pulse pounder and one I have to give a full house of stars and my recommendation.
September 22, 2023
I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. Thank you, NetGalley for this ARC.
Wow….just Wow. This was a couple of hours read and made me skip breakfast, lunch and dinner…I had to finish the book. As a fanatic murder mystery reader, I figured out who the killer was pretty fast, but had my doubts at moments, so needed to know for sure. This is a book that when you finish it…you close the book and have to sit for an hour just to think about it. This was a truly gripping story about Rose whose life changed forever after making a decision that will hunt her forever. Now, this book isn't for the faint-hearted as were some disturbing and gruesome parts in this story. The horrors of the serial killings combined with the trauma of the surviving victim (Rose) and the aftermath were so well written, that it doesn't let you go. You are dragged into the story immediately. I loved the character-building, the writer did an excellent job making you love Rose and develop a deep hate for a disturbing mind. Another brilliant psychological thriller and definitely one you want to read!!
Wow….just Wow. This was a couple of hours read and made me skip breakfast, lunch and dinner…I had to finish the book. As a fanatic murder mystery reader, I figured out who the killer was pretty fast, but had my doubts at moments, so needed to know for sure. This is a book that when you finish it…you close the book and have to sit for an hour just to think about it. This was a truly gripping story about Rose whose life changed forever after making a decision that will hunt her forever. Now, this book isn't for the faint-hearted as were some disturbing and gruesome parts in this story. The horrors of the serial killings combined with the trauma of the surviving victim (Rose) and the aftermath were so well written, that it doesn't let you go. You are dragged into the story immediately. I loved the character-building, the writer did an excellent job making you love Rose and develop a deep hate for a disturbing mind. Another brilliant psychological thriller and definitely one you want to read!!
September 23, 2023
What a cool Christmas thriller! This is my first round with this author and I’ll definitely be looking for more. It dives right into the action and I really enjoyed how the years stretched out with no resolution for so long. Every time a new character was introduced I was convinced IT’S HIM😆
I hated the way it turned out for poor Rose, but such is life in the thriller genre. Maybe she’ll get lucky and her kid won’t turn out to be a bad seed.
Thanks so much to McGarvey Black, Joffe Books and NetGalley for the advance copy!
I hated the way it turned out for poor Rose, but such is life in the thriller genre. Maybe she’ll get lucky and her kid won’t turn out to be a bad seed.
Thanks so much to McGarvey Black, Joffe Books and NetGalley for the advance copy!
November 28, 2023
So I felt this book started off strong. Towards the middle it just fell flat. A lot of unnecessary information. The ending just kind of came out of nowhere. I felt the book had a lot of potential but overall was just meh. Loved the concept. Loved the short chapters but just not for me. Thanks, Netgalley for the advanced copy!
December 4, 2025
From the very first 10% of this story, I was glued to this audiobook. The intensity hit fast, setting the tone for a gripping, emotionally layered thriller. Rose’s story absolutely broke my heart, and watching the aftermath of her trauma ripple through the years further added to the intensity.
The story follows Rose, a young woman whose life is awfully changed after a brutal attack. Years later, new clues surface, forcing her and those around her to confront buried truths, hidden motives, and the lingering shadows of that fateful Christmas. As the story unfolds across a span of decades, long held secrets begin to unravel, and nothing and no one are quite what they seem.
I really enjoyed following the timelines and the clear markers of years. It made the unraveling of events easy to follow while steadily building suspense. And truly, everybody felt like a suspect at some point, which kept me guessing and second guessing until the end. The audiobook’s narration was strong as well, capturing both the emotional and tense of the plot.
Overall, this one delivered a haunting, twist filled listen with a memorable storyline and a it kept me fully engaged.
The story follows Rose, a young woman whose life is awfully changed after a brutal attack. Years later, new clues surface, forcing her and those around her to confront buried truths, hidden motives, and the lingering shadows of that fateful Christmas. As the story unfolds across a span of decades, long held secrets begin to unravel, and nothing and no one are quite what they seem.
I really enjoyed following the timelines and the clear markers of years. It made the unraveling of events easy to follow while steadily building suspense. And truly, everybody felt like a suspect at some point, which kept me guessing and second guessing until the end. The audiobook’s narration was strong as well, capturing both the emotional and tense of the plot.
Overall, this one delivered a haunting, twist filled listen with a memorable storyline and a it kept me fully engaged.
December 17, 2025
AUDREY'S ONE-SENTENCE BOOK REVIEWS
three hundred pages of townies reiterating the details of the Kringle Killer case to each other until someone slips up and starts singing along to the radio
three hundred pages of townies reiterating the details of the Kringle Killer case to each other until someone slips up and starts singing along to the radio
December 25, 2023
MANY SPOILERS HERE!!!
I really debated how many stars to give this book…the more I thought about it, the more I thought of things I didn’t like about the book, but I am settling on 3 stars. I like thrillers a lot, but this one was darker than a lot of the ones I usually read.
I particularly didn’t care for how it was implied that Mary was showing signs of being a sociopathic person by genetics. I don’t think that it is really true that serial killing tendencies are hereditary. There are an awful lot of kids of serial killers that turn out just fine, and if they have problems, it is usually because of their upbringing not their DNA. And it didn’t seem like at the end of the book Mary looked to have any hope of getting better. All the implications that she was killing animals and drawing disturbing artwork were unnecessary if the author wasn’t trying to tell the reader that. She seemed to be made out to be the Devil’s Spawn—having killed her own father, still calling him Daddy, not apparently affected by having committed murder, and then insisting they live in his remote cabin.
And how realistic was it that Rose, who had a hard time getting over her initial attack seemed to be pretty much fine after finding out she’d married her attacker, and almost got killed a second time by him, witnessed and covered up her daughter murderering her own father, and deciding to keep his house? Oh, yeah, and she’s pregnant again? I almost forgot about that… Is the author implying that she’s going to give birth to another serial killer?
I think the whole last chapter or two really ruined the book. I think maybe the author could have done a better job tying loose ends and maybe instilling a little hope for their futures. At least put mother and child in therapy!
Also, I have to mention the young priest —there were a lot of hints that he spent a lot of time alone with children in his office, including Mary. That was never explained. Nowadays, with all the scandals involving priests, no priest who is innocent is going to risk being caught alone with a child. There were hints that the Church was covering for his sins by moving him around, the detectives questioned him about it, but as far as I could tell, they never investigated him any further. That was just weird. We never get a reasonable explanation for his actions.
So, although this was a book that kept me reading, I was disappointed by it too. Not sure if I will read more by this author. Maybe, maybe not. There are so many good authors of thrillers out there, that I probably can give it a hard pass.
I really debated how many stars to give this book…the more I thought about it, the more I thought of things I didn’t like about the book, but I am settling on 3 stars. I like thrillers a lot, but this one was darker than a lot of the ones I usually read.
I particularly didn’t care for how it was implied that Mary was showing signs of being a sociopathic person by genetics. I don’t think that it is really true that serial killing tendencies are hereditary. There are an awful lot of kids of serial killers that turn out just fine, and if they have problems, it is usually because of their upbringing not their DNA. And it didn’t seem like at the end of the book Mary looked to have any hope of getting better. All the implications that she was killing animals and drawing disturbing artwork were unnecessary if the author wasn’t trying to tell the reader that. She seemed to be made out to be the Devil’s Spawn—having killed her own father, still calling him Daddy, not apparently affected by having committed murder, and then insisting they live in his remote cabin.
And how realistic was it that Rose, who had a hard time getting over her initial attack seemed to be pretty much fine after finding out she’d married her attacker, and almost got killed a second time by him, witnessed and covered up her daughter murderering her own father, and deciding to keep his house? Oh, yeah, and she’s pregnant again? I almost forgot about that… Is the author implying that she’s going to give birth to another serial killer?
I think the whole last chapter or two really ruined the book. I think maybe the author could have done a better job tying loose ends and maybe instilling a little hope for their futures. At least put mother and child in therapy!
Also, I have to mention the young priest —there were a lot of hints that he spent a lot of time alone with children in his office, including Mary. That was never explained. Nowadays, with all the scandals involving priests, no priest who is innocent is going to risk being caught alone with a child. There were hints that the Church was covering for his sins by moving him around, the detectives questioned him about it, but as far as I could tell, they never investigated him any further. That was just weird. We never get a reasonable explanation for his actions.
So, although this was a book that kept me reading, I was disappointed by it too. Not sure if I will read more by this author. Maybe, maybe not. There are so many good authors of thrillers out there, that I probably can give it a hard pass.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 12, 2023
Happy Pub Day McGarvey Black!
If you can combine my two favorite things, Christmas and thrillers, you will steal my little heart. I just knew I was going to love this book before even beginning.
And I was right...
I absolutely loved it!!
Talk about twisted! McGarvey Black knows what she is doing!!! I chewed my fingers straight down to the skin, my heart was in my throat the entire time and on occasion I might have tinkled myself a bit (sorry!!! TMI!!)
This book is straight up creepy and will have you crying for your mama in the middle of the night.
Don't say I didn't warn you...
Check out this teaser :
After choir practice for midnight mass, college sophomore Rose Grandon takes a short-cut through Harbor Park. Grabbed from behind, she is violently assaulted, beaten and left for dead.
The last thing she hears is someone singing Silent Night.
Several hours later, the police find Rose lying in a ditch. Badly beaten — but alive.
As she recovers in hospital, Rose is told she’s pregnant. She has a terrible choice to make. She decides to keep the baby.
Nine months later, she gives birth to a beautiful baby girl. She names her Mary.
Rose lives quietly in her small Connecticut hometown raising her daughter — the one good thing to come out of her horrible ordeal. She begins to get her old self back.
But her evil attacker has never been caught. He strikes twice a year. Once on Christmas Eve, once on Christmas Day.
And until he’s behind bars, Rose and her baby can never be safe.
But now he’s found out he has a daughter. And that changes everything . . .
If you can combine my two favorite things, Christmas and thrillers, you will steal my little heart. I just knew I was going to love this book before even beginning.
And I was right...
I absolutely loved it!!
Talk about twisted! McGarvey Black knows what she is doing!!! I chewed my fingers straight down to the skin, my heart was in my throat the entire time and on occasion I might have tinkled myself a bit (sorry!!! TMI!!)
This book is straight up creepy and will have you crying for your mama in the middle of the night.
Don't say I didn't warn you...
Check out this teaser :
After choir practice for midnight mass, college sophomore Rose Grandon takes a short-cut through Harbor Park. Grabbed from behind, she is violently assaulted, beaten and left for dead.
The last thing she hears is someone singing Silent Night.
Several hours later, the police find Rose lying in a ditch. Badly beaten — but alive.
As she recovers in hospital, Rose is told she’s pregnant. She has a terrible choice to make. She decides to keep the baby.
Nine months later, she gives birth to a beautiful baby girl. She names her Mary.
Rose lives quietly in her small Connecticut hometown raising her daughter — the one good thing to come out of her horrible ordeal. She begins to get her old self back.
But her evil attacker has never been caught. He strikes twice a year. Once on Christmas Eve, once on Christmas Day.
And until he’s behind bars, Rose and her baby can never be safe.
But now he’s found out he has a daughter. And that changes everything . . .
October 17, 2023
This is the first book I've read by this author. I received a copy from Joffe books via Netgalley. It came out on the 12th of October.
Two attacks each Christmas, one in Christmas Eve and one on Christmas morning. One victim lives, but one victim dies. It also happened to Rose who was attacked on Christmas evening and she came out pregnant from that attack. She decided to keep the baby and raise it on her own. But will she be able to forget the past or at least to live with the past so she can raise a daughter and continue with her life?
I have chosen this book because of the cover and the description. However, after the prologue I just couldn't get into it. The characters were a bit flat, the jumps in time were extreme and it all sounded like a constant repetition. The ending was also rather predictable even though there were some twists. Somehow the last few chapters were written differently from the rest and those chapters I really liked. But unfortunately, that was only at the end. This was a miss for me.
2/5 ⭐
Two attacks each Christmas, one in Christmas Eve and one on Christmas morning. One victim lives, but one victim dies. It also happened to Rose who was attacked on Christmas evening and she came out pregnant from that attack. She decided to keep the baby and raise it on her own. But will she be able to forget the past or at least to live with the past so she can raise a daughter and continue with her life?
I have chosen this book because of the cover and the description. However, after the prologue I just couldn't get into it. The characters were a bit flat, the jumps in time were extreme and it all sounded like a constant repetition. The ending was also rather predictable even though there were some twists. Somehow the last few chapters were written differently from the rest and those chapters I really liked. But unfortunately, that was only at the end. This was a miss for me.
2/5 ⭐
December 6, 2025
Looking for some holiday reading that packs a punch, I turned to this novel by McGarvey Black. It may not be a lighthearted Christmas story, but it sure kept me flipping pages well into the night. One night after choir practice, Rose Grandon is trying to get home to her family. She takes a path through the local park, where she is violently attacked and sexually assaulted. Her bloody body is left for dead and all she can remember is that her attacker sang Silent Night in the most beautiful voice. Hours later, Rose is found by the police, clinging to life. While she recovers, Rose is faced with a massive decision. The attack led to her becoming pregnant and now it is time to decide whether to keep the baby. Choosing to continue with the pregnancy, Rose eventually gives birth to Mary and they settle in a small Connecticut town, hoping to put that violent Christmas event in the rearview mirror. As the years progress, Rose's attacker appears to keep up his assaults, one on Christmas Eve and one on Christmas Day. The singing is something the authorities keep to themselves, but each victim says that song resonates in their brain. While Rose wants nothing to do with the memories, both the authorities cannot help but drudge it up each year. Vowing that she will keep praying that her attacker is found and jailed, Rose moves on with Mary. One night, news that he has a daughter reaches the source and this changes everything. McGarvey Black writes a stellar thriller that had me hooked until the final page..
Christmas is the ideal reading time, no matter what genre interests you, of which I will surely be adding McGarvey Black to my list. Not only does she pen the perfect dark thriller, but she is able to keep the tensions high throughout. The narrative builds from the opening pages, taking things into the intensely graphic from the outset, then settling them down. Black's storytelling is key to the success of this piece and things keep gaining the needed momentum to create the ideal thriller. With a number of great storylines and a stunning advancement of the underlying attacks, the reader is thrust into the middle of the action before they, too, can solve the crime at hand. What a wonderful ending that had me gasp aloud!!
Characters are present and evolve throughout the piece. Rose plays a key role in the piece and makes her peace with all that has happened to her. Mary also plays an essential role in the story, offering her development as she grows older and more mature. Secondary characters complement these two perfectly and the reader cannot help but want to attach themselves to whatever is going on and who might want to flavour the story. I quite enjoyed how Black wove many of the characters and storylines together, hinting at something without bluntly saying it.
Surprises emerge from the outset, creating the perfect thriller. McGarvey Black knows how to write and keeps the twists going from the start, leaving the reader to wonder. As events progress and time seems to heal all wounds, there is an underlying awkwardness that Black exacerbates well, keeping the hunt for an attacker/killer at the forefront. I could not have asked for something better and will surely be finding more by McGarvey Black soon, as she is one author who has control of crime thrillers. If many of her other books pack as much tension, I think I may have a new list of novels to add to my collection in 2026!
Kudos, Madam Black, for a great thriller that had all the needed elements!
Love/hate the review? An ever-growing collection of others appears at:
http://pecheyponderings.wordpress.com/
Christmas is the ideal reading time, no matter what genre interests you, of which I will surely be adding McGarvey Black to my list. Not only does she pen the perfect dark thriller, but she is able to keep the tensions high throughout. The narrative builds from the opening pages, taking things into the intensely graphic from the outset, then settling them down. Black's storytelling is key to the success of this piece and things keep gaining the needed momentum to create the ideal thriller. With a number of great storylines and a stunning advancement of the underlying attacks, the reader is thrust into the middle of the action before they, too, can solve the crime at hand. What a wonderful ending that had me gasp aloud!!
Characters are present and evolve throughout the piece. Rose plays a key role in the piece and makes her peace with all that has happened to her. Mary also plays an essential role in the story, offering her development as she grows older and more mature. Secondary characters complement these two perfectly and the reader cannot help but want to attach themselves to whatever is going on and who might want to flavour the story. I quite enjoyed how Black wove many of the characters and storylines together, hinting at something without bluntly saying it.
Surprises emerge from the outset, creating the perfect thriller. McGarvey Black knows how to write and keeps the twists going from the start, leaving the reader to wonder. As events progress and time seems to heal all wounds, there is an underlying awkwardness that Black exacerbates well, keeping the hunt for an attacker/killer at the forefront. I could not have asked for something better and will surely be finding more by McGarvey Black soon, as she is one author who has control of crime thrillers. If many of her other books pack as much tension, I think I may have a new list of novels to add to my collection in 2026!
Kudos, Madam Black, for a great thriller that had all the needed elements!
Love/hate the review? An ever-growing collection of others appears at:
http://pecheyponderings.wordpress.com/
December 18, 2025
I have to be honest, I’m SHOCKED to see that the average rating on this book is four stars. I personally felt like nothing happened the entire book. They tried way too hard to frame the priest and it was so obviously not him because of how hard that narrative was pushed. I knew it was Dave as soon as he said that Mary shouldn’t be in therapy. I was just waiting for something to happen. The Feliz Navidad thing was so so so stupid. That part made my eyes roll so hard because she just so happened to figure that out the same night Dave attacked Rose? That was just one of the reasons I hated that, there are too many more to list. Also, the fact that both characters, adults, in the year 2020 said “YOLO” to one another made me physically cringe. I’m disappointed because this book could’ve gone in so many different directions but it went in the most boring direction. I thought maybe we’d see more on Mary and her struggles with potentially being a psychopath herself but we didn’t. Bits and pieces were thrown in there. Also, I’m sorry but the writing just wasn’t good. I’m being really harsh here and I feel horrible but I just did not enjoy this book. I’m so happy that other people did though and I look forward to reading all the positive reviews to see what other people thought.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 11, 2023
3.25🌟s.
This book had me hooked from the start, a page turner that had me guessing & trusting no one. I loved reading on Mary’s complicated character & seeing Rose progress into adulthood. The reading experience was very enjoyable, however I didn’t like the ending. Not only did it feel rushed, but the “twist” was not twisting, it was obvious very early on for me & parts of the ending didn’t feel realistic at all.
I feel the perpetrator would’ve been caught much sooner which would’ve avoided a lot (if the detectives did their job🤣).
I would read more from this author as I enjoyed the writing & the reading experience, just maybe go into it not expecting anything ground breaking & I think you could really enjoy it.
This book had me hooked from the start, a page turner that had me guessing & trusting no one. I loved reading on Mary’s complicated character & seeing Rose progress into adulthood. The reading experience was very enjoyable, however I didn’t like the ending. Not only did it feel rushed, but the “twist” was not twisting, it was obvious very early on for me & parts of the ending didn’t feel realistic at all.
I feel the perpetrator would’ve been caught much sooner which would’ve avoided a lot (if the detectives did their job🤣).
I would read more from this author as I enjoyed the writing & the reading experience, just maybe go into it not expecting anything ground breaking & I think you could really enjoy it.
December 12, 2024
This book was gooooooood! I felt like I knew who it was but I was never 100% sure. I definitely recommend - it's a wild ride!
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