The Christmas Clue

by Nicola Upson, Keith Wickham (Narrator)

Listening Length 3 hours and 19 minutes

Christmas Eve, 1943. Anthony and Elva Pratt arrive in a snowy English village to run a murder mystery game - and instead discover a real murder.

The Pratts had planned for festive cheer, despite the wartime shortages: with Elva's map of the hotel and Anthony's prop weapons to use as clues, the guests in their parlour game would move through the rooms to figure out whodunnit.

But when Anthony discovers the cook's sister Miss Silver beaten to death, they instead find themselves investigating a shockingly real crime. The hotel manager Mr Browning is trying to keep the peace but the guests are agitated, Colonel Colman is about to take over the hotel for the war effort - and the mysterious Mrs Threadgold hasn't been seen at all.

In games, there's only one victim - but this is real life. Can the Pratts puzzle out this Christmas mystery before it's too late?

Genres: Christmas, Mystery, Crime, Holiday, Historical Fiction, Fiction, Audiobook

4 pages, Audible Audio

First published September 9, 2025

About the author

Nicola Upson was born in Bury St. Edmunds, Suffolk, and read English at Downing College, Cambridge. She has worked in theatre and as a freelance journalist, and is the author of two non-fiction works, and the recipient of an Escalator Award from Arts Council England. She lives with her partner and splits her time between Cambridge and Cornwall.

Nicola is currently writing the sixth book in the 'Josephine Tey' series, and a standalone novel set in the 1920s.

Series:
* Josephine Tey

Reviews

[Phrynne · Rating 5 out of 5]

It is Christmas 1943 and Anthony and Elva Pratt are tryin to get up some Christmas spirit despite the war time shortages. Visiting a hotel where they used to stay before the war they discover a real life murder and end up inventing a murder mystery game.

This is a fictional story about factual figures who did indeed invent the famous boardgame called Cluedo. I found the whole thing to be great fun. The frequent references to the characters in the game were delightful as was the relationship between the two main characters. I always enjoy the way this author writes and having read the whole of her Josephine Tey series I was very keen to read this new project.

Loved the whole book and look forward to anything else Ms Upson writes! Five stars

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read and review this book.

[Rae · Rating 2 out of 5]

As someone who has a pet hate for real persons being appropriated as fictional characters, this started out sweetly enough. It's a Christmas murder mystery novella starring the couple who invented Cluedo.

I'd just finished reading a very good festive thriller, and this one was a lot less pacy. Because I was less invested, the plot twists probably surprised me more than they should! Which was nice.

But I have one big problem with this book, and that is the highly distressing content toward the end. Check content warnings, for sure.

This is not the first "cosy" Christmas crime novel I have read that contains ill-advised triggering material that subverts the entire tone. If the subjects are glossed over, sometimes a story can get away with it, but I finished The Christmas Clue just feeling intensely sad.

And for a book that contains so many corny references to Cluedo (Colonel Colman? Reverend Teal??!!!), this sabotages all prior efforts to be cosy.

I don't mind mysteries with more sinister content. And if a novel is proficient enough, it might even be able to weather a tonal shift. Sadly, it doesn't work for The Christmas Clue, and it didn't work for Murder on the Christmas Express.

[Kate O'Shea · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Christmas Clue takes us back to 1943 and to Tudor Close Hotel in Rottingdean where Anthony and Elva Pratt are booked to be the entertainment for Christmas during the war.

Unfortunately their first stop, to pick up some cigars from Mrs Silver's sweet shop, finds the couple confronted by the shocking scene of Miss Silver's body. The pair have to break the news to the shocked staff of the hotel, after which they need to pull themselves together to provide the entertainment. However, more mysteries begin to come thick and fast and Anthony and Elva have to work hard to stop any further tragedies occur whilst trying to unravel the mystery surrounding two of the guests.

What a delight this book was. Based on the true story of Anthony and Elva Pratt who created Cluedo. This book imagines what events inspired the iconic board game.

I would warn you that, despite the generally cosy feel to the book, there are some quite disturbing revelations at the end which involves child abuse.

In all I really enjoyed this short novel. It was well written and I found it difficult to put down. Nicola Upson was not known to me before but I will definitely read more of her books, which include the Josephine Tey series.

Highly recommended. It would make a great, short holiday read.

Thankyou to Netgalley and Faber & Faber for the advance review copy.

[Jeanne Adamek · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 stars

[Evelyn Evertsen-Romp · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was great and, despite all the murders, very Christmassy. While reading this story, you really feel as if you are in the hotel, admiring the snow and walking through that lovely old estate.
The characters are great, and I had no trouble believing that this was exactly how Cluedo has been created. I also enjoyed the genuine love between our main characters.
The plot was great, I didn't see any of the twists coming and I was hooked from the very first page.
I hope this finds a wide audience, and a lot of creative booksellers, because this is an interesting and commercial title.

[The Honest Book Reviewer · Rating 2 out of 5]

A slight book, more novella than novel, with prose that flows easily but leaves little impression. The historical setting feels underused, and even the protagonists, the real-life Cluedo creators, come across flat. The plot resolves too smoothly, without the earned payoffs that make even a cosy mystery satisfying.

The author touches on a serious theme, but the handling is light and doesn’t deepen the story. The result is a quick read, competently written but easily forgotten.

Thanks to Netgalley for providing a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

[Aoife Cassidy McM · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Christmas Clue is an atmospheric festive novella inspired by the game Cluedo and its inventors, Anthony and Elva Pratt.

It’s Christmas 1943 and the Pratts are planning an escape to Tudor Close, a period manor in the English countryside.

Anthony is a pianist but is working in a munitions factory in Birmingham, and he and his wife are anxious to far get for Christmas and spend it as they used to before the war, ensconced in a luxury hotel providing entertainment to the hotel guests in the form of a murder mystery game.

Things go awry, however, when the couple encounter a real life murder on their way to Tudor Close and they’re determined to get to the bottom of it.

This is a nicely written, clever little story with a loving nod to the timeless board game Cluedo, which we are huge fans of in our house. At just over 100 pages, it’s a perfect fireside read for the festive season (though be warned - there is a disturbing element to the storyline). 3.5-4/5 ⭐️

*Many thanks to Faber Books for the advance copy via @Netgalley. The Christmas Clue is out now.

[Libby Chapman · Rating 4 out of 5]

Barring the actual crime and the reasons behind it, this book was a little delight.

[Jennifer · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really loved the premise of this book which puts the real life creators of the board game Cluedo (Clue here in the States) and surmises the circumstances surrounding how they came up with the idea for the game.

The first two thirds of the book were delightfully cozy but I will give a warning that there is a main plot point involving child abuse which really bothered me. I wish the author had chosen some other crime to focus that aspect of the story on.

This would have been near to five stars for me if that plotline had been omitted.

[Nasia · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ποτέ μέχρι τώρα δεν είχα αναρωτηρθεί πώς προέκυψε ως παιχνίδι το cluedo αλλά κοίτα που είμαι εδώ και μόλις διάβασα (άκουσα) μια αρκετά πρωτότυπη ιστορία που διαδραματίζεται μεν τα Χριστούγεννα αλλά θα μπορούσε να λαμβάνει χώρα οποιαδήποτε στιγμή τον χειμώνα.
Προκείται για ένα fiction βιβλίο που όμως αφορά πραγματικά πρόσωπα και συγκεκριμένα το ζευγάρι που πρωτοσκέφτηκε ως concept το cluedo. Είναι ένας παλιάς κοπής murder mystery που ξεκινάει από κάτι πολύ "αθώο" αλλά καταλήγει σε κανονικό φόνο και σε παίρνει μαζί του καθώς ξετυλίγεται η ιστορία του κάθε ήρωά μας.
Το βρήκα wholesome, ο,τι πρέπει για ένα γρήγορο ανάγνωσμα, επουδενί όχι τόσο περίπλοκο όσο τα έργα της θείας Άγκαθας, χωρίς αυτό να είναι απαραίτητα κακό, αλλά σίγουρα δεν πήρα καθόλου χριστουγεννιάτικο πνεύμα, οπότε δεν θα το χαρακτήριζα christmas story. Απλά έτυχε να λαμβάνει χώρα τότε, δεν παίζει κατά τα άλλα σχεδόν κανένα ρόλο στην αφήγηση.
Ήταν πολύ γρήγορο σε ρυθμούς, χωρίς όμως να σε κάνει να χάνεσαι, πράγμα που εκτιμώ σε audiobooks. Συνολικά, ενδιαφέρον ανάγνωσμα για να περάσει η ώρα, ειδικά για άτομα που εκτιμούν πολύ τα murder mysteries/ whodunnit stories.

[4cats · Rating 5 out of 5]

A festive murder mystery which features the inventors of Cluedo Anthony and Elva Pratt. The Pratts have a Christmas engagement during the war in Rottingdean at the Tudor Close Hotel. However instead of entertaining the guests with a murder mystery game they find themselves involved in the real thing.

This is a great read for Christmas and marries fact and fiction beautifully. A nostalgic and throughly entertaining read.

[Matilda Herd · Rating 4 out of 5]

A Christmas cozy crime novel which I bought for my mother-in-law and sneakily read in a day before I wrapped it. [She’ll never know.] The central characters are Anthony and Elva Pratt, the couple who invented the boardgame Cluedo. Colourful surnames abound and this is a sympathetic tribute to the game which has entertained so many people over the decades and is still one of my favourites. An easy enjoyable read.

[Laura Garcia Moreno · Rating 1 out of 5]

So surprised of the good reviews as it’s one of the worst books I’ve read this year. It’s got massive distressing trigger warnings (child abuse) and on top of that the mystery is a bit meh and the execution of it not even fully satisfying as it attempts a classic style that fails to deliver properly. Waste of my time.

[Sarah · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Christmas Clue is an historical Christmas novella, featuring Anthony and Elva Pratt, the real life couple who created the board game Cluedo after the Second World War.

[Marlon · Rating 3 out of 5]

Pretty fun, but definitely too short to care about any of the characters imo

[Bella Higgins · Rating 5 out of 5]

Finished the book in 1.5hrs, was truly gripping and an easy read. Was very cosy for a murder mystery and I loved that the creators of Cluedo were inspiration for it. You definitely felt like you were in the actual game.

[Maria✨ · Rating 2 out of 5]

I expected a Cluedo based book, but I did not expect THE Cluedo creators to be involved in this! I thought it was an interesting idea to make a sort of fake documentary, but in a fun cozy mystery.

Only... this seems like it was 1/3 of what the story should have been like. Very fast making the characters super unrealistic. Starting even from the beginning with having an actual war but focusing on murder mysteries and entertainment is just a little bit on the nose. The main duo (the creators!) have a very nice chemistry, but since the book is so focused on this murder mystery... their only personality is mainly their murder mystery games and it's all so rushed! The rest of the cast eventually reads as a caricature with some very extreme traits.

The mystery and cast are actually interesting, if not a tad far-fetched. I do not think this was a real story and I sure hope not, because that was some cray cray stuff there. But to reiterate... it was rushed! Enjoyable to an extent, but reads like a short draft.

[one.too.many.books · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Christmas Clue is an enjoyable novel starring the married couple Anthony and Elva Pratt who invented the board game Cluedo. This story is imagining how they might have come to think up the game and what events (murders) might have led to it.

It’s a short book, under 200 pages and very easy reading with a festive feel. I quite enjoyed this and despite being short and sweet had some serious themes as well as a good twist or two!

If you’re looking for a present or a read to devour in a day then this is definitely one to pick up!

[Tim Gale · Rating 4 out of 5]

I quite enjoyed this book, but found that it didn't make me quite as Christmassy as I'd hoped due to the nature of one of the reveals. an interesting book but not light-hearted enough to make me feel christmassy

[Laura Bazalgette Freeman · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is ok. I like the concept of the book but it doesn’t quite work. You only need about 2 brain cells to enjoy this one. It seems like a “cosy” mystery but be warned, it has some heavy subject matter towards the end.

[Leanne · Rating 3 out of 5]

a festive and fun to read kind of reading experience

3.5 stars

[GailW · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this! What the book blurbs don't tell you is that the book itself was written as an homage to the real couple who developed the game Clue (Cluedo) and is based on some real events. It's charming, well written (as always), and simply heart warming (even with the murders).

[Megan Studdert-kennedy · Rating 4 out of 5]

The perfect read to begin the Christmas hols. It’s not about to win any prizes for literature but this hit the festive murder mystery spot bang on. Why is it murder mystery is comforting???

[Naomi · Rating 3 out of 5]

Short, cosy murder mystery with a fun link to Cluedo. It was nothing groundbreaking and the twist was v predictable, but I still think it’d be a nice Christmas Eve read 😊

[Alysha · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love love loved this book from start to finish!

[Sharni · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’ve never thought to wonder about the origins of Cluedo - and was delighted to find the answers in this book (or more specifically, in the authors note at the end)

This is a classic English murder mystery when on snowy Christmas Eve, in 1943, married couple Anthony and Elva Pratt find themselves investigating a real murder instead of running the murder mystery night that they were hired for by the hotel.

I’m very partial to anything with Agatha Christie vibes and every year I look for a Christmas whodunnit- with varying levels of success. This one ticked all my boxes - very enjoyable, especially as the direction it took - surprised me.

[The Cookster · Rating 3 out of 5]

Rating: 3.4/5

Nicola Upson is probably best known for her Josephine Tey series of "Golden Age" style mysteries. "The Christmas Clue" shares its period setting and that same "Golden Age" format, but it is a standalone novella inspired by the creators of the "Cluedo" board game, Anthony and Elva Pratt. As she does in her Josephine Tey series, Nicola Upson takes these real life characters and puts them in a fictional mystery scenario - though also built around certain real life events.

The novella is engagingly written and should take no more than about two and a half hours to read from start to finish. For the most part it leans towards the cosy end of the genre, although there is one aspect of the plot that could be potentially triggering and would be enough to prevent this being truly classed as a cosy mystery.

[Georgina Reads_Eats_Explores · Rating 4 out of 5]

Snow outside, mischief inside, that’s exactly the energy this little festive mystery brings, and it whisked me away faster than you can say “pass the Quality Street”. Christmas murders are a peculiar delight: all that twinkly charm wrapped around something decidedly sinister, and The Christmas Clue leans into that contrast with style.

Set on Christmas Eve, 1943, The Christmas Clue follows real-life couple Anthony and Elva Pratt, yes, the minds behind Cluedo, as they travel to Tudor Close to run one of their signature parlour-game murder mysteries. Wartime rationing might be biting, but the Pratts are determined to conjure a little old-world sparkle for the hotel guests. Until, naturally, a very real body appears before they even arrive.

What unfolds is a compact, clever country-house mystery that feels both charmingly traditional and surprisingly sharp. I was sold within the first chapter. Nicola Upson’s prose moves with a pianist’s touch, light, quick, a little playful, and perfectly judged. Even in such a short novel, the characters land with real texture, the atmosphere is thick enough to slice, and the central crime is wonderfully twisty.

There are cosy elements, snow, secrets, parlour games, but Upson offers a darker riff beneath the tinsel. It has shades of Agatha Christie in its closed-circle precision, with a touch of John Banville’s elegance and atmospheric darkness just enough to keep the sweetness from tipping into saccharine, all anchored by the delightful idea of the Cluedo creators solving a murder themselves.

A festive stocking-filler of a read, ideal for crime fans and lovers of classic mysteries. Imagine the crackle of the fire, a plate of mince pies on standby, and the faint sense that everyone in the room knows more than they’re letting on. Very, very satisfying.

Many thanks to the publisher for the opportunity to read via NetGalley, as always, all opinions are my own. The Christmas Clue is available now.

[Jade Mariah · Rating 3 out of 5]

My first Christmas read of December and it was a really quick/easy to read book!

I really love the fact that the book is diving into the real creators of the game Cluedo I thought this was so interesting! I think this personal touch makes this book really stand out to other thrillers I’ve read.

I loved the setting of the hotel and how mysterious everything was, whilst also keeping those old vintage, winter vibes in there.

I really liked our characters too. I thought they were a lovely couple but also had the serious side to them when it came to solving the murder.

My favourite thing about this book is that there really were no obvious pointers as to who the perpetrator was. I say obviously lightly as people pick up on things different, but in the past I’ve read a lot of murder mysteries where there’s a direct piece of dialogue that makes really points the finger at the real perpetrator and when it turns out to be said person I find it really disappointing - this book does not do that at all. Every character is just as suspicious, there’s always dots to connect for different reasons, and the pacing was so good it doesn’t leave you endless amounts of times to try and figure things out and I think it worked so well.

I did feel though that the second half of the book got a bit darker and therefore it made it lose that cosy feel to it, but it’s hard to explain without spoilers.

Overall an easy read and is one of the better Christmas murder mystery books I’ve read!

[Helen · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’m sure most of us are familiar with the board game Cluedo (or Clue, if you’re in America), but do you know who invented it? I didn’t, but thanks to Nicola Upson’s new novel, The Christmas Clue, I now know that it was invented in the 1940s by Anthony and Elva Pratt, a married couple from Birmingham. Upson tells the story of the game’s creation while also imagining a fictional murder mystery for the couple to solve.

It’s Christmas 1943 and Anthony and Elva are on their way to the Tudor Close Hotel in Rottingdean on the south coast of England. Although he’s currently working in a weapons factory, Anthony is a pianist and before the war he and Elva regularly provided entertainment for hotels, both of the musical sort and also hosting murder mystery events. They’ve been invited to host one of these at the Tudor Close over the Christmas weekend but, on arriving at the hotel, they quickly discover that the war has made things more challenging than usual – there are no actors available to play the various roles in the game and interact with the guests, so the Pratts are going to have to come up with a new format.

Before the game even begins, however, the couple find themselves with a real mystery to investigate. Stopping at their old friend Miss Silver’s shop in the town to collect a box of cigars for Anthony’s Christmas present, they discover Miss Silver’s body in the storeroom apparently beaten to death. The dead woman’s sister works at the Tudor Close and as Anthony and Elva look for more connections, they start to suspect that the killer could be one of the guests staying at the hotel.

The Christmas Clue is a very short book (novella length at 140 pages), but despite its shortness, Upson manages to create a satisfying murder mystery – I found some of the developments a bit far-fetched, but it was fun to read overall, despite taking a darker turn towards the end. I liked the hotel setting, although Elva and Anthony find it very different from their memories of visiting before the war: shortages of staff, no money for decent Christmas decorations, and a group of Canadian soldiers billeted nearby.

I’ve learned some interesting little facts about the game of Cluedo, both from the book itself and from feeling inspired to look things up while reading. For example, the name Cluedo is a pun on Ludo, another popular board game – which is less well known in America (though Parcheesi is similar) and that’s why the name was simplified to Clue. If Elva and Anthony had their way, it would have been called Murder at Tudor Close and was originally supposed to include additional rooms, weapons and characters. Elva was a talented artist and designed the artwork for the board.

This is the first book I’ve read by Nicola Upson, mainly because most of her other novels are mysteries where the sleuth is the real life author Josephine Tey. I’ve never felt entirely comfortable with the recent trend for using real people as detectives – and of course, Upson is doing the same in this book with Anthony and Elva Pratt. I wondered how the Pratts’ family might feel about it, so I was pleased to read Upson’s acknowledgments at the end where she says she has been in contact with Anthony and Elva’s daughter, Marcia Lewis, who gave her best wishes to the project. I think she can certainly be happy with the way her parents are portrayed in this book – they seem like a really lovely couple!