Secret Santa

by Zach Ryan

The Vaudevillian Boss

The British Butler

The Southern Gentleman

His Southern Belle

The Ex-Con

The Sweet Old Lady

The Uninvited Guest

The Victim.

In this satirical, spoofy homage to Clue and anything by Agatha Christie, A diverse cast of quirky, outrageous characters (stereotypical of classic murder mysteries) come together in a secluded house to celebrate their company's Christmas party with a game of Secret Santa. The party seems to be going off without a hitch until one person's gift ends up being the last gift they'll ever receive. In an attempt to not reveal their Secret Santa - and ruin the integrity of the game - the members of the party must work together to find the killer amongst them.

Genres: Christmas

300 pages, Kindle Edition

Published November 4, 2024

Reviews

[Meghann_84 · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fun book to read, thought I figured out who it was towards the middle of the book, I second guessed myself but ended up being right lol 🫣😬 I did not like the ending! Like wait, what?! That's it?! 🤦🏼‍♀️🤷🏼‍♀️
~ E 📖

[Val Hernandez · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received this book as an ARC but all thoughts and opinions are my own.

WOAH! Murder mystery… comedy.. plot twists .. here for it!
Multiple POV. You have your typical who dunnit list of characters.
The “Boss” in this story is so eccentric and full of theatrics I could not help but think of Martin Short in the show “only murders in the building”
The “Southern Belle” had me imaging Catherine O’Hara.
The “Intern” as Teen (Agatha All Along)
…
Get past the intro characters & their insane ness & you start wanting to guess who it the murderer is!
It’s a funny and light read that drags you in for that answer in the finale! It’s like reading the script to The Scary Movie franchise. A parody!

[K · Rating 4 out of 5]

This witty work of satire follows a unique cast of characters who come together to celebrate the holidays with a traditional ‘Secret Santa’ exchange. When one of our unlucky characters unexpectedly receives a gift that leads to their untimely demise, the rest of our ragtag group must use their self-proclaimed sleuthing skills to identify the killer before they strike again.

I am an absolute sucker for anything that makes me laugh, and this was no exception. I found this book to be hilariously written and ended up laughing throughout the entirety of this read. Satire isn’t a genre that I have explored much, but after reading this one and enjoying it as much as I did, I feel I need to invest more time in reading the genre.

This book did an amazing job at poking fun of the stereotypical aspects of the ‘whodunit’ mystery genre while also keeping the reader interested in the actual mystery. All the characters have such unique personalities that you just love to hate, and having multiple POV accounts gives this book a well-rounded look into the full chaos of the situation. I also loved how this book felt like a screenplay in its own way, and I would for sure pay money to see this performed live.

Overall - I really enjoyed this book and believe this to be the perfect sarcastic Christmas mystery to binge by the fire on a December night. If you are a fan of Clue or Agatha Christie, I feel you would appreciate this one to its fullest. Also - it’s on Kindle Unlimited which is always a bonus!

[Cassi · Rating 5 out of 5]

In this delightful, fast-paced read, the office Christmas party turns into an unexpected murder mystery, a comedy of errors, and laugh-out-loud antics as the employees under Miles Keeler find themselves tangled in a web of secrets and misunderstandings. The story blends the classic mystery intrigue of Clue with the sharp twists of an Agatha Christie novel, all while embracing the slapstick humor of the Three Stooges.
For anyone looking for a holiday read that's both humorous and intelligently written, I would highly recommend this book. It's perfect for those who want a good laugh but also appreciate quality storytelling that makes the experience feel immersive and enjoyable.

[Tiffany Case · Rating 5 out of 5]

Imagine Michael Scott from The Office hosts a Holiday get-together at his mansion... But he hates his butler and employees.

I was laughing out loud throughout the entirety of this murder mystery. Zach Ryan has become an instant favorite. His humor and array of unique and hysterical characters (Jeeves and Miles were my favorites - their banter is outstanding) make for such a binge worthy read.

[Shelby Barnes]

** will add my star rating after more time to process!**

Miles is thrilled to host his secret Santa gift exchange for his colleagues. As the boss, and not a great one at that, his colleagues don’t particularly care for him. Many of the coworkers don’t get along, and are just hoping to get through the night. One gift, a lovely treat, turns out to be poisoned, and the group must come together to determine who the killer is.

I had the pleasure of reading Zach’s first book, so I was really excited to read this one! I went in blind, as usual, and will say that it was not completely what I expected! But not in a bad way. Like his first book, this book also had a Clue-esque vibe, which is always fun. The characters in this novel were very extra and silly, giving this mystery a nice comedic twist. The book is multiple POV and the twist is not one I saw coming! If you’re looking for a fun, light mystery with lots of humor, this is it!

[Melissa (honeybee.reads) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Secret Santa is a fun and addictive murder mystery that truly kept me hooked from beginning to end. The story was so much fun to follow, all the different POV’s made for an engaging read. I binged this book in one sitting, once you start you can't stop especially with its perfect pace.

The characters are a true highlight for me. They were all so different, funny, quirky I loved getting to know each of them through their POV. They just all blended and meshed together to make for an explosive cast. Ryan's writing style is so vivid that it felt like a movie was playing in my head. All the bookish references were also an added bonus that I really loved.

There are a few twists and turns, they might have not shocked me per se, but it just worked for this novel. I was still compelled to continue and needed to race to the ending to confirm my suspicions. Super fun bingeable one sitting murder/mystery that definitely deserves a shot!

✨️Thank you to @zachryanauthor for my gifted copy in exchange for an honest review.

[Carol · Rating 5 out of 5]

SECRET SANTA By Zach Ryan is a fun murder mystery whodunnit you can read in an afternoon. Miles has invited his seven employees to his house for their annual Christmas party and Secret Santa exchange. When one employee dies after eating his Secret Santa exchange brownies, the surviving guests become suspects. Can Miles find the murderer before anyone else dies?

The story is told in multiple POV and it was fun getting to know all these quirky characters. Some you will love to hate and I had my ideas of who was the murderer. The character I liked the best was Miles' butler Jeeves. I just laughed at his snide remarks.

If you are looking for a murder mystery with Agatha Christie vibes, then I highly recommend SECRET SANTA.

[Casey · Rating 2 out of 5]

Holiday read for when you are sick of the romances. This book was a quirky tale on a murder mystery. It takes place all in one night and reads almost like a play (which I learned was how it originated).
You have to read this book without taking the characters seriously and know it is meant to be a satire. I admit, it was difficult for me to do this. I was only fully able to embrace the characters ‘ flaws and the mockery of it all in the last 40 pages. The novel reminds me of the movie clue I would recommend this for anyone who likes a satirical murder mystery.
This book wasn’t one of my personal favorites due to the fact that it all took place in one night and it was very dialogue heavy.

[Andrew Colvin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Secret Santa is a hilarious take on the murder mystery genre. The author’s ability to create a setting that is familiar but filled with crazy characters, wild plot twists, in a cloud of chaos. Miles was a great character and reminded me of a mash-up of several famous characters from this genre. Through it all, there is a fascinating mystery that is being solved, albeit in a unique and hoot-worthy style. I thoroughly enjoyed this fast and fun story. Bravo!
I rated a 5/5 for the sheer fun and novelty of the story.

[Kristi · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a fun read! The characters were over the top and enjoyable, and the ending was somewhat expected but completely unexpected. The very last scene was a pretty brilliant ending, I loved it and it made me chuckle because it was so fitting for the whole story.

[Chelsea Lukawy · Rating 4 out of 5]

🎅🏻

Secret Santa by Zach Ryan is a satirical, laugh-out-loud tribute to classic murder mysteries like Clue and Agatha Christie's novels—only with a modern, delightfully absurd twist. Set at a secluded mansion during an annual company Christmas party, eight outrageous characters are thrown into chaos when one unlucky guest's Secret Santa gift becomes their last. Includes: sleuthing, finger-pointing, and over-the-top shenanigans as the surviving partygoers work to unmask the killer without compromising the integrity of their beloved Secret Santa tradition.

Told through multiple POVs, the book introduces a cast as eccentric as they come. Their interactions are packed with with sharp banter, misunderstandings, and a whole lot of comedy. Think of this as The Office cast having a Christmas party, and Miles is Michael Scott.

Zach Ryan wrote the perfect balance of mystery and humor, making Secret Santa an addictive page-turner that I finished in one sitting. The characters steal the show, each more outrageous than the last, with Jeeves the butler and his love-hate dynamic with Miles being my favourtie. The humor ranges from clever wordplay to outright absurdity, creating a cozy yet hilariously chaotic holiday read.

Thank you for creating this gem Zach!

[Enya Maher · Rating 3 out of 5]

It’s like the office if Toby died and the rest of the characters had to figure it out