Killer Christmas

DI Geraldine Steel #10.5

by Leigh Russell

It's Christmas Eve but not all is merry and bright for Detective Geraldine Steel. With her family abroad and her friends booked up, she finds herself alone in York for the holidays. But when a man collapses at the local fair, it's clear that this isn't a case of winter flu. There's a killer in the crowds. Can Geraldine find the culprit before another life is taken?

Genres: Christmas, Crime, Short Stories, Fiction

20 pages, Kindle Edition

Published December 18, 2017

About the author

Leigh Russell has sold over a million books in her Geraldine Steel series of crime novels. Published in English and in translation throughout Europe and in China, the Geraldine Steel titles have appeared on many bestseller lists, including #1 on kindle. Leigh's work has been nominated for several major awards, including the CWA New Blood Dagger and CWA Dagger in the Library.
Leigh has also written a trilogy featuring Lucy Hall, set in the Seychelles, Paris and Rome, and two standalone psychological thrillers.
Leigh serves on the board of the Crime Writers Association and chairs the judges for the prestigious CWA Debut Dagger Award.
She is represented by Bill Goodall.

Reviews

[Gary · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a short story from the DI Geraldine Steel series by author Leigh Russell.
This book was a free book from Amazon and I thought it was an ideal opportunity to try not only a new crime series but also a new author to me. I am not a huge fan of the short story but this was a chance to get to know the main characters and a feel for the authors writing.
This is not a bad book at all, although reading a Christmas story halfway through the year seemed a little odd all the same. This proved a good insight and I will look to read more from both this series and author.

[Cheryl (Super Slump) · Rating 3 out of 5]

Over far too quickly to get a grip on the characters. Not really for readers looking for a taste of a new author, more so for stalwarts of the series.

[Sarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

I haven't actually read any of the full length books in the series yet so thought this short story was the ideal way to introduce myself to a new character.

It is a short story which took me no time at all to read. Even though set at Christmas time, this can easily be read at anytime of the year.

Killer Christmas, even though short, has made enough of an impression on me to give the series a go of which i look forward to getting to know Geraldine better.

[Carol Peace · Rating 5 out of 5]

Geraldine Steel and Ian Patterson together solving a crime, what more could anyone want. A fabulous short story set at Christmas.
Leigh Russell does it again.

[Sharon · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to Netgalley, the author and the Publisher, No Exit Press for this review copy, given in exchange for an honest review.

My first Leigh Russell book, and all I can say is where have I been to have missed this series!! This book may only be a short story at 28 pages, but it was enough of a taster to make me realise that I am obviously missing out on a great series of books.

In this Christmas taster, I met DI Geraldine Steel. I was already feeling sorry for her as her sister, who she usually spends Christmas with, has decided to splash out on a holiday in the Caribbean for her and her family and leave poor old Geraldine on her own. Feeling sorry for herself, Geraldine ends up at a Christmas market where she gets thrown right into the middle of a murder investigation with her colleague and friend, DI Ian Peterson.

What a fantastic little taster!! I will definitely be reading more of this series!!

[David Highton · Rating 2 out of 5]

A very short story, featuring a murder in a crowded bar

[Livia Sbarbaro · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Steely eyed detective...on the lookout for a killer

Geraldine Steel a detective is on her Christmas break.Looking forward to spending time with her sister.But when her sister calls to say she is off to St.Lucia Geraldine has to hide her disappointment.She decides to go for a drink in a tent in the town..After polishing off her second drink, a piercing scream fills the air..Geraldine springs into action..The tent is packed to the gills though...When one of her colleagues arrives they know they must pacify those inside the tent..there is a killer on the loose..but with the alcohol flowing and the place filled to the max..how can they hope to catch a killer?..This short story is an introduction to a new author for me....I have already downloaded the next installment for DI Geraldine Steel...A fast paced whodunnit... ..and a Cracking DI..

[Lillian Cummings · Rating 3 out of 5]

All she wanted was a nice Christmas. But killers don't take holidays. Just a simple stop at the park ends in a murder but who killed him? Is the killer still around or have they slipped away around. DI Steel just can't believe her luck she just wanted a nice drink and to watch everyone around her. So when she lands up with a dead body she has to jump into action. Can she find the killer and keep others safe? A good quick read.

[Ria · Rating 5 out of 5]

A quick, festive tale of murder for the season.
When Geraldine Steel is let down by her sister over the Christmas period she tries to make her own fun wandering around town and ending up at an open air fair but murder abounds when one of the crowd is murdered in plain sight but with a huge crowd who is the killer...?
A five minute read for Christmas for those in the mood for a grisly and bloody escapade.

[Patricia Burton · Rating 5 out of 5]

Short but enjoyable read!

Murder in a tent, full of people celebrating the start of the Christmas holidays. Geraldine spending the holidays alone, wandering around the Christmas market in York, stops for a warm drink in the drinks tent to ward off the freezing temperature. A man is murdered, and no one sees a thing!

[Sandra Norris · Rating 2 out of 5]

Totally disappointed.

I had only just started the story and it was finished. There was so much that could have been added. Totally disappointed. I was hoping Ian and Geraldine could have had a cosy Christmas together. If I’d known it was only a few pages I wouldn’t have bothered reading it.

[Dave · Rating 2 out of 5]

Far too short, I finished the story before I finished my coffee.
From this it would be very hard to assess whether you wanted to read more books in the series.
Thank goodness it was free because I would have been cheated if I had paid for this.

[Janet Crabbe · Rating 4 out of 5]

Short story is an understatement

Think this is more of an appetite wetter than anything else, I'm disappointed that it was so short but hey DI steel seems like she is worth a bigger read so I guess it worked.

[Staceywh_17 · Rating 2 out of 5]

Pathetically short, who can decide they want to read a series of books from this? How can you decide what the books heroine is about from this? Not even worth being classed as a free book (does a few pages count as a book??)

[Frida Mitchell · Rating 1 out of 5]

I was not all that familiar with Leigh Russell’s previous work, but seeing as she’s a bestselling author I was expecting more. I found the plot weak and predictable, her literary style flat and juvenile.

[helen biggs · Rating 3 out of 5]

Nice Xmas story

My first read of this author but has prompted me to read more. Nice light read with good description and character

[Su Biela · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh what a disappointment

It just wasn't long enough. Geraldine, as usual, got the killer but did she get her man? Come on Leigh! Stop teasing us!

[Jacqui Morrison · Rating 3 out of 5]

Cute short story. I think this author, but there needed to be more characterisation.

[Angharad]

Short and sweet

[Bec · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very short story, but quick and too the point, was good for a quick read before bed.

[Tony · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is a very slight story. It’s almost not even a short story. I thought it would have at least some meaning to it but it’s really just a vignette.

[Lorrie · Rating 2 out of 5]

A very short story set at Christmas. No mystery whatsoever; the detective skills used in solving the crime are, ‘oh look, there’s the killer!’

[Mark · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good story

I really liked this story it moved along at a pace that I like thinking about more from this author

[Dominique · Rating 3 out of 5]

Enjoyed this short story

[Pam · Rating 5 out of 5]

This story may be short but it has all the brilliance of a book by Leigh Russell, I love the character's of DI Geraldine Steel and DI Ian Peterson, having already read a few other books by Leigh Russell, I know just how brilliant they are.