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One Christmas Night
Nine lives. One street. And a secret behind every door.
Christmas is ruined on Newbury Street, Norwich.
Presents have been going missing from resident's homes. There are rumours going around that it's one of their own who's been stealing from the neighbours. Festive spirit is being replaced with suspicion and the inhabitants of Newbury Street don't know who to trust. The police presence isn't helping matters, especially when they all have something to hide.
But Christmas is a time for miracles... and if they open themselves up to hope and look out for each other, they might discover the biggest miracle of all.
An uplifting novel about love, friendship, connection and community.
304 pages, Paperback
Published November 14, 2019
36 people are currently reading
187 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 60 reviews
November 29, 2019
5☆ A Cosy Christmas Mystery, A Must Read!
A Cosy Christmas Mystery, I couldn't put down.
It started off with a theft.... did I have my suspicions.... I sure did... but as the plot thickens so did my doubts.
A Fantastic cosy mystery with plenty of characters, with hidden agendas, all set in a town where everyone knows everyone and they spread love, joy and kindness throughout, and with a reward for answers.... maybe the truth will emerge.
The Characters are an electric bunch, with plenty of Drama and secrets to hide it's only a matter of time before they slip out.
They are very well written and I really enjoyed learning about their stories, particularly Joanie who had a heart of gold and seemed to always be in the thick of everything but always there to help.
I simply loved the writing style for this book.
Every chapter leads to a new character, a new piece of the puzzle, a new story. Yes there are lots of characters but not once did I feel confused or lost, because it connected and flowed and along seamlessly.
Oh and I just have to mention how much I Adore the Cover.
So if you love a good cosy mystery, That's full of Festive charm and goodwill, drama, secrets and a fantastic mix of characters, then One Christmas Night is definitely the book for you!
Thank you to Tracy at Compulsive Readers Tours and Orion books for this copy which I reviewed honestly and voluntarily.
My Review is also on my Blog Website :-
https://dashfan81.blogspot.com/2019/1...
A Cosy Christmas Mystery, I couldn't put down.
It started off with a theft.... did I have my suspicions.... I sure did... but as the plot thickens so did my doubts.
A Fantastic cosy mystery with plenty of characters, with hidden agendas, all set in a town where everyone knows everyone and they spread love, joy and kindness throughout, and with a reward for answers.... maybe the truth will emerge.
The Characters are an electric bunch, with plenty of Drama and secrets to hide it's only a matter of time before they slip out.
They are very well written and I really enjoyed learning about their stories, particularly Joanie who had a heart of gold and seemed to always be in the thick of everything but always there to help.
I simply loved the writing style for this book.
Every chapter leads to a new character, a new piece of the puzzle, a new story. Yes there are lots of characters but not once did I feel confused or lost, because it connected and flowed and along seamlessly.
Oh and I just have to mention how much I Adore the Cover.
So if you love a good cosy mystery, That's full of Festive charm and goodwill, drama, secrets and a fantastic mix of characters, then One Christmas Night is definitely the book for you!
Thank you to Tracy at Compulsive Readers Tours and Orion books for this copy which I reviewed honestly and voluntarily.
My Review is also on my Blog Website :-
https://dashfan81.blogspot.com/2019/1...
November 14, 2019
A sweet book which had me smiling at the idea of Christmas presents being stolen from the homes in Newbury.
A story which was told from the POV of nine people, I got the perspective of what went on in their homes. Secrets were revealed and lies were laid bare and a few disappointments and sadness soon gave way to happiness and hope. Just what a Christmas book needed.
My first book by author Hayley Webster, I was pleasantly surprised by how soon I got embroiled into the lives of these people. Each of them felt real. The author had etched characters with genuine emotions and caring, and that made it easy to read.
I liked that it wasn't a typical Christmas book as there was a mystery about who stole the presents. The cops and residents got investigating. That added to the suspense along with humor. The descriptions of people and the locales had me imagining some of them as I read along.
The book was exactly like a Christmas gift, the outer cover was beautiful and the inner pages filled with the reality of honest emotions, some good, some bad but all of them leading to the Christmas cheer. A beautiful read filled with warmth.
A story which was told from the POV of nine people, I got the perspective of what went on in their homes. Secrets were revealed and lies were laid bare and a few disappointments and sadness soon gave way to happiness and hope. Just what a Christmas book needed.
My first book by author Hayley Webster, I was pleasantly surprised by how soon I got embroiled into the lives of these people. Each of them felt real. The author had etched characters with genuine emotions and caring, and that made it easy to read.
I liked that it wasn't a typical Christmas book as there was a mystery about who stole the presents. The cops and residents got investigating. That added to the suspense along with humor. The descriptions of people and the locales had me imagining some of them as I read along.
The book was exactly like a Christmas gift, the outer cover was beautiful and the inner pages filled with the reality of honest emotions, some good, some bad but all of them leading to the Christmas cheer. A beautiful read filled with warmth.
November 12, 2019
Firstly, I must say……Oh what a lovely book….
There is a thief roaming Newbury Street, burgling a different home every few days just before Christmas. What a heartless thing to do.
Each of these homes have secrets, there are money troubles, potential affairs, domestic violence and fraud. Like they say you never know what goes on behind closed doors.
But, when times are hard the community rally together. Looking out for each other and really brings the spirit of Christmas alive.
Yes, there are a few dark moments but this is really about love, friendship and community in an absolutely lovely, magical and heartwarming tale…..it makes me want to put up Christmas lights and get the mulled wine on…. I loved every minute.
Thank you to Tracy and Compulsive Readers for the opportunity to participate in this blog tour, for the promotional materials and a free copy of the ebook. This is my honest, unbiased review.
There is a thief roaming Newbury Street, burgling a different home every few days just before Christmas. What a heartless thing to do.
Each of these homes have secrets, there are money troubles, potential affairs, domestic violence and fraud. Like they say you never know what goes on behind closed doors.
But, when times are hard the community rally together. Looking out for each other and really brings the spirit of Christmas alive.
Yes, there are a few dark moments but this is really about love, friendship and community in an absolutely lovely, magical and heartwarming tale…..it makes me want to put up Christmas lights and get the mulled wine on…. I loved every minute.
Thank you to Tracy and Compulsive Readers for the opportunity to participate in this blog tour, for the promotional materials and a free copy of the ebook. This is my honest, unbiased review.
October 14, 2019
This was a great Christmas book because it was so different to anything else out there. When the Christmas presents go missing from a little village and the police presence is just making everything worse it is up to the residents of the village to group together in order to save Christmas. For me this was the perfect Christmas read. It really is the meaning of Christmas in a book. It is about friendship, love, community spirit, and bringing everyone together at this festive tome of you year.
January 2, 2022
I had wanted to read this one for a while as it is set locally, so when Gemma suggested buddy reading this was my first recommendation.
I’m not entirely sure what I was expecting but it wasn’t this. It was a much more serious read than the cover suggests and if I’m honest, quite depressing for a book set at Christmas.
On a positive note the characters were wonderfully written. Being given almost pantomime qualities, where you want to boo and hiss whenever the baddies appear and root for the good ones to save the day.
It covers some serious topics such as adultery, babies taken from young unmarried mothers, some quite traumatic deaths and defrauding of the vulnerable and elderly. You are drawn into the lives of everyone who lives on the street and you come to care about what happens to them.
I liked how the chapters were times of the day on the run up to Christmas Day itself and the whole book is set over one day. Narrated by various residents you will learn all their stories, hear tales of tragedy, hard times and heartbreak as well as ones of love and resilience. A whole gamut of human emotion is expressed.
So while this might not be a light and happy festive read it is one that draws on the simplest thing of connection and reaching out. Of being there for your neighbours and how a community can pull together through the darkest of times.
I’m not entirely sure what I was expecting but it wasn’t this. It was a much more serious read than the cover suggests and if I’m honest, quite depressing for a book set at Christmas.
On a positive note the characters were wonderfully written. Being given almost pantomime qualities, where you want to boo and hiss whenever the baddies appear and root for the good ones to save the day.
It covers some serious topics such as adultery, babies taken from young unmarried mothers, some quite traumatic deaths and defrauding of the vulnerable and elderly. You are drawn into the lives of everyone who lives on the street and you come to care about what happens to them.
I liked how the chapters were times of the day on the run up to Christmas Day itself and the whole book is set over one day. Narrated by various residents you will learn all their stories, hear tales of tragedy, hard times and heartbreak as well as ones of love and resilience. A whole gamut of human emotion is expressed.
So while this might not be a light and happy festive read it is one that draws on the simplest thing of connection and reaching out. Of being there for your neighbours and how a community can pull together through the darkest of times.
December 29, 2019
An uplifting story of a community connection at Christmas that isn’t naff or twee!
Never mind Christmas, if you are after a novel that will make you feel glad to be alive, it is this one! However, One Christmas Night happens to be centred around the festive occasion but really it is just a fabulous story of friendship, love and community spirit that doesn’t sugar-coat it’s characters or gloss over the bad events.
Newbury Street, Norwich, home to Victorian terraces, converted flats and Victory House, a mostly council-owned block of flats is one very modern neighbourhood with a diverse bunch of characters living alongside each other. With The Mariner pub and The Stop Shop convenience store the local community are all familiar with each other, some more intimately than others. But this year has got a very different feel to it as since the start of November a thief has been robbing one property a week and the word on the street is that it has to be one of their own. Down to earth coppers DC Lucy Crane and DC Michael Ado are determined to nail them but everywhere they look people seem to be behaving shiftily. As the morning of Christmas Eve kicks of with a theft and the build up to the big day in the life of the Newbury Street residents unfolds we get to see each of them battling with their own problems and concerns.
From marital splits to burgeoning romance, disappointments, deaths and regrets, blended families and putting the past to bed, One Christmas Night is story about no longer seeing differences as a reason to be divided, but a call to look outside of ourselves, offer a helping hand and ultimately come together and catch a thief!
Played to perfection the early chapters are full of suggestive intrigue, intimation and cleverly nuanced innuendo, hinting at the secrets, hang-ups and fears of each character before peeling back the layers to reveal what’s concerning them. As a reader who normally gravitates to crime fiction what the book lacked in edge of the seat suspense it more than made up for with some fascinating human interest stories!
Hayley Webster’s characters are shown warts and all, a fact which makes them both hugely credible and their interaction within the community so involving. The point of view shifts between each chapter through one of nine characters, each a part of a family living on the street. The attention to detail of the characterisation is impressive and hence I had no problem at all keeping track of the distinctive points of views and how each individual slotted into the wider Newbury Street community.
One Christmas Night steers clear of being preachy with enough realism to keep even a cynic on board!
Never mind Christmas, if you are after a novel that will make you feel glad to be alive, it is this one! However, One Christmas Night happens to be centred around the festive occasion but really it is just a fabulous story of friendship, love and community spirit that doesn’t sugar-coat it’s characters or gloss over the bad events.
Newbury Street, Norwich, home to Victorian terraces, converted flats and Victory House, a mostly council-owned block of flats is one very modern neighbourhood with a diverse bunch of characters living alongside each other. With The Mariner pub and The Stop Shop convenience store the local community are all familiar with each other, some more intimately than others. But this year has got a very different feel to it as since the start of November a thief has been robbing one property a week and the word on the street is that it has to be one of their own. Down to earth coppers DC Lucy Crane and DC Michael Ado are determined to nail them but everywhere they look people seem to be behaving shiftily. As the morning of Christmas Eve kicks of with a theft and the build up to the big day in the life of the Newbury Street residents unfolds we get to see each of them battling with their own problems and concerns.
From marital splits to burgeoning romance, disappointments, deaths and regrets, blended families and putting the past to bed, One Christmas Night is story about no longer seeing differences as a reason to be divided, but a call to look outside of ourselves, offer a helping hand and ultimately come together and catch a thief!
Played to perfection the early chapters are full of suggestive intrigue, intimation and cleverly nuanced innuendo, hinting at the secrets, hang-ups and fears of each character before peeling back the layers to reveal what’s concerning them. As a reader who normally gravitates to crime fiction what the book lacked in edge of the seat suspense it more than made up for with some fascinating human interest stories!
Hayley Webster’s characters are shown warts and all, a fact which makes them both hugely credible and their interaction within the community so involving. The point of view shifts between each chapter through one of nine characters, each a part of a family living on the street. The attention to detail of the characterisation is impressive and hence I had no problem at all keeping track of the distinctive points of views and how each individual slotted into the wider Newbury Street community.
One Christmas Night steers clear of being preachy with enough realism to keep even a cynic on board!
December 15, 2019
This book is an absolute delight and I'm glad it was the book I was reading during a depressing General Election result. It reminded me that as long as there are good people there's hope, and lifted my spirits during a dark night.
I like the format, alternating POV chapters from various people who live or work on the street, and the story wasn't the usual formulaic Christmas rom-com. There was crime, family drama, love, loss and grief. A perfect read for this time of year!
I like the format, alternating POV chapters from various people who live or work on the street, and the story wasn't the usual formulaic Christmas rom-com. There was crime, family drama, love, loss and grief. A perfect read for this time of year!
December 19, 2020
For a book dubbed 'the feel good Christmas book of the year' it was actually quite depressing until the last 40 pages, and then all the 'feel good' was rushed.
December 12, 2020
I've no idea what the hell I just read. Seriously bored, out of my mind!!! I just gave it an extra star for the christmas spirit of the season, but this is a terribly boring book with absolutely no reason for existing! And yet again (!!!) the reviews on here tricked me. I think I won't be reading any reviews on Goodreads ever again before picking a book, this has happened too many times to count now! So disappointed of the community!
December 28, 2023
Great book, a well written story of petty crime, friendship, family and a community coming together when the chips are down.
December 16, 2025
It’s the season
December 2, 2021
Easy Christmas read. Quick and simple.
December 24, 2020
I wanted to start a new tradition of reading a Christmas themed book each December. This was my first Christmas read and I really enjoyed it. It was easy to read and turned in to quite the page turner as we went deeper into exploring all the characters' complexities. It read a little bit like a tv soap, with the comings and goings of the different characters all living on the same street, and a big climax at the local pub. It was a bit frustrating at times, but I think this was because I became invested in the characters and hated to see them mistreated. Was satisfied by the end and would recommend giving this a read.
November 14, 2019
All reviews can be found on my blog at https://thewritinggarnet.wordpress.com
WHERE DOES ONE BEGIN TO WRITE ONES REVIEW FOR THIS!!!!!! HELP!
I have literally not long finished reading this book so I am still in a ‘One Christmas Night’ bubble of excitement. I mean, WOWZA!
Don’t be fooled by the rocks that I got, I’m still, I’m still Jenny from the block…..
Well, evidently I’m NOT, but what I’m trying to say is that you shouldn’t be fooled by the cover of this book. I’m not saying it isn’t pretty, because it is! There is just truck loads more to the storyline than the cover lets on.
Firstly, there is a strong mysterious, crime element to the book as a thief is on the loose and they’re making the most of the fact that people have been Christmas shopping for their pilfering.
Secondly, the storyline is set during the most festive time of the year, so all of the characters are getting into the Christmas spirit with their families. That said, I think that that one was evident due to the title!
Thirdly, the author has lightly touched on topics such as grief, coercive control, emotional abuse, blended families – just to name a few.
So, you see, there is so much for readers to discover under the cover, and I still cannot quite believe just how much the author has spoiled us with all of this content! If I could liken ‘One Christmas Night’ to something, I would say that Hayley Webster’s book is like a pick’n’mix; a story that jam packed with treats of all different sizes, with something for everyone in the never-ending paper bag of joy. I absolutely ADORED ‘One Christmas Night’! I loved the mixture of topics and the way that the author created many colourful characters that seemed to blend together like a rainbow. I thought the opening to the story was such a brilliant hook! I was so eager to turn the pages and find out more, yet there was also a part of me that didn’t want to turn them as I didn’t want the book to end, or the bubble to pop.
My heart went out to Irma, Mrs Finch, and Joanie mainly, however I also had a soft spot for Rocky. He struck me as such an understated character who would have appreciated being noticed for who he was, rather than being noticed for everything he wasn’t, just like his brother. I did wonder whether Rocky felt a bit stuck in the background due to being a ‘nice guy’, or whether he just blended in because he couldn’t deal with the firework type confrontation.
As I have said multiple times, there is so much in this book to sink your teeth into and, whilst I would usually find a book like this to be a bit overcrowded and overwhelming, I thought it worked BLOODY well. Not only that, the humour in the story was laugh out loud brilliant, and definitely an antidote for all of the other heartbreaking elements of the book. If you’re after a book that leaves you in a bubble of hope, power, and festive fun, I couldn’t recommend this one more if I tried!
Can I just say that Hayley Webster has written one of my all-time favourite books with ‘One Christmas Night’. This read was everything I could have wished for, and more. I am honestly in awe of the authors incredible talent to combine such diverse topics in a storyline that has literally rocked my world! This is One Christmas Night that I won’t be forgetting in a hurry.
Absolutely flipping brilliant! If I could rate this as high as all the stars in the sky I would, without a doubt!!!!
WHERE DOES ONE BEGIN TO WRITE ONES REVIEW FOR THIS!!!!!! HELP!
I have literally not long finished reading this book so I am still in a ‘One Christmas Night’ bubble of excitement. I mean, WOWZA!
Don’t be fooled by the rocks that I got, I’m still, I’m still Jenny from the block…..
Well, evidently I’m NOT, but what I’m trying to say is that you shouldn’t be fooled by the cover of this book. I’m not saying it isn’t pretty, because it is! There is just truck loads more to the storyline than the cover lets on.
Firstly, there is a strong mysterious, crime element to the book as a thief is on the loose and they’re making the most of the fact that people have been Christmas shopping for their pilfering.
Secondly, the storyline is set during the most festive time of the year, so all of the characters are getting into the Christmas spirit with their families. That said, I think that that one was evident due to the title!
Thirdly, the author has lightly touched on topics such as grief, coercive control, emotional abuse, blended families – just to name a few.
So, you see, there is so much for readers to discover under the cover, and I still cannot quite believe just how much the author has spoiled us with all of this content! If I could liken ‘One Christmas Night’ to something, I would say that Hayley Webster’s book is like a pick’n’mix; a story that jam packed with treats of all different sizes, with something for everyone in the never-ending paper bag of joy. I absolutely ADORED ‘One Christmas Night’! I loved the mixture of topics and the way that the author created many colourful characters that seemed to blend together like a rainbow. I thought the opening to the story was such a brilliant hook! I was so eager to turn the pages and find out more, yet there was also a part of me that didn’t want to turn them as I didn’t want the book to end, or the bubble to pop.
My heart went out to Irma, Mrs Finch, and Joanie mainly, however I also had a soft spot for Rocky. He struck me as such an understated character who would have appreciated being noticed for who he was, rather than being noticed for everything he wasn’t, just like his brother. I did wonder whether Rocky felt a bit stuck in the background due to being a ‘nice guy’, or whether he just blended in because he couldn’t deal with the firework type confrontation.
As I have said multiple times, there is so much in this book to sink your teeth into and, whilst I would usually find a book like this to be a bit overcrowded and overwhelming, I thought it worked BLOODY well. Not only that, the humour in the story was laugh out loud brilliant, and definitely an antidote for all of the other heartbreaking elements of the book. If you’re after a book that leaves you in a bubble of hope, power, and festive fun, I couldn’t recommend this one more if I tried!
Can I just say that Hayley Webster has written one of my all-time favourite books with ‘One Christmas Night’. This read was everything I could have wished for, and more. I am honestly in awe of the authors incredible talent to combine such diverse topics in a storyline that has literally rocked my world! This is One Christmas Night that I won’t be forgetting in a hurry.
Absolutely flipping brilliant! If I could rate this as high as all the stars in the sky I would, without a doubt!!!!
November 21, 2019
If there's one thing that I like to do it's discovering new authors. Hayley Webster is definitely a new author for me but judging by how much I enjoyed reading 'One Christmas Night', I will definitely be keeping an eye out for her work in the future. I thoroughly enjoyed reading 'One Christmas Night' but more about that in a bit.
I loved the cast of characters in this book. It really offers a snapshot of any street in the country. Each are living their own lives behind closed doors. Not many people can name their neighbours let along tell you anything about them. In this book the neighbours start off viewing each other with suspicion when Christmas presents start going walkies from the different houses. As the synopsis suggests, a Christmas miracle could be about to happen. What is that miracle? What does happen? Well for the answers to those questions and so much more you are just going to have to read the book for yourselves to find out as I am not going to tell you.
It took me next to no time to get into this delightful book. In fact by the time I got to the end of the first chapter or so, I knew that I wasn't going to be able to put the book down very easily. I must be psychic because that was exactly what happened. I became so absorbed by the story that I managed to shut out all other distractions so that my sole focus was on the book and on the book itself. I had to keep reading to see how the story panned out and how the story concluded. I had my own suspicions as to what was going to happen but I couldn't have been more wrong. My addiction to this book meant that I soon got through the book, which I had mixed feelings about. I was enjoying the book so much that I just didn't want it to end.
'One Christmas Night' is well written. Hayley certainly knows how to grab your attention and draw you into the story. Through Hayley's very vivid and realistic descriptions, I really did feel as though I was a silent and invisible bystander to events on Newbury Street. Hayley has written a book which interlinks all of the stories of the different residents and shows that you really don't know what is going on behind closed doors. Hayley's book has impressed on me that I should take time to get to know my neighbours, that I should take time to listen to them and offer to help where I can.
In short, I thoroughly enjoyed reading 'One Christmas Night' and I would definitely recommend it to other readers but especially to those people, who enjoy something a bit different. By that I mean 'One Christmas Night' is part mystery, part festive and part popular fiction. I will definitely be reading more from Hayley Webster in the future. The score on the Ginger Book Geek board is a very well deserved 5* out of 5*.
I loved the cast of characters in this book. It really offers a snapshot of any street in the country. Each are living their own lives behind closed doors. Not many people can name their neighbours let along tell you anything about them. In this book the neighbours start off viewing each other with suspicion when Christmas presents start going walkies from the different houses. As the synopsis suggests, a Christmas miracle could be about to happen. What is that miracle? What does happen? Well for the answers to those questions and so much more you are just going to have to read the book for yourselves to find out as I am not going to tell you.
It took me next to no time to get into this delightful book. In fact by the time I got to the end of the first chapter or so, I knew that I wasn't going to be able to put the book down very easily. I must be psychic because that was exactly what happened. I became so absorbed by the story that I managed to shut out all other distractions so that my sole focus was on the book and on the book itself. I had to keep reading to see how the story panned out and how the story concluded. I had my own suspicions as to what was going to happen but I couldn't have been more wrong. My addiction to this book meant that I soon got through the book, which I had mixed feelings about. I was enjoying the book so much that I just didn't want it to end.
'One Christmas Night' is well written. Hayley certainly knows how to grab your attention and draw you into the story. Through Hayley's very vivid and realistic descriptions, I really did feel as though I was a silent and invisible bystander to events on Newbury Street. Hayley has written a book which interlinks all of the stories of the different residents and shows that you really don't know what is going on behind closed doors. Hayley's book has impressed on me that I should take time to get to know my neighbours, that I should take time to listen to them and offer to help where I can.
In short, I thoroughly enjoyed reading 'One Christmas Night' and I would definitely recommend it to other readers but especially to those people, who enjoy something a bit different. By that I mean 'One Christmas Night' is part mystery, part festive and part popular fiction. I will definitely be reading more from Hayley Webster in the future. The score on the Ginger Book Geek board is a very well deserved 5* out of 5*.
January 15, 2020
This is a really sweet book with a lovely host of characters. I really enjoyed it; although I do wish I'd managed to finish it over Christmas as it would have been very atmospheric.
December 18, 2020
Cheesy Christmassy goodness!
November 16, 2019
I'm grateful to the publisher for a free advance e-copy of One Christmas Night via NetGalley to consider for review. (I should admit, before I start, that while I don't know Hayley Webster, I do follow her on Twitter where she is unfailing interesting. If you don't follow her, you should.)
In One Christmas Night, we visit Newbury Street, shortly before the Great Day itself. With some prescience, Webster points to 'a Vote Green diamond sticker in the front window from the last election' - so we're bang up to date in 2019!
The residents are preparing, whether in the private houses, the subdivided flats, or the social accommodation of Victory House. Christmas may be an occasion for spending and cosnpicouous consumption, but it is a great leveller, rich and poor alike sharing in the nostalgia, the sentiment, the customs. Christmas Eve sees the annual Festive Feel Good at the Mariner pub hosted as ever by Sue and Larry. Fridges are full of turkey, trimmings and veg, and the presents are ready, mostly hidden in the cupboard under the stairs. At the Stop Shop, softened Easy Peelers are being sorted from the stock and last minute gifts bought.
Everything is nearly ready.
But of course (because otherwise there wouldn't be a story) not everyone is happy, not all is well.
A thief is at large, preying on all those tempting presents (and even on the food). We meet this person in the first pages, hiding in the shadows and avoiding the CCTV, and we see the grief they cause, the sense of violation of both homes and the season. Who would do a thing like that? It could be anyone, and it seems likely to be a local, someone well known to all the victims. Even though it's Christmas, Detective Constables Crane and Ado are on the job and on the lookout for the perpetrator.
Elsewhere, Frank mourns his wife. It has been a tumultuous year: he lost his Allie - and then fell for Jen, married to his best friend Craig. There are kids too, and it's all a mess.
Craig has his own secrets as well. And there's an elderly couple, Len and Wendy Finch, who are living on the edge of destitution - before things take a turn for the (even) worse.
A young woman mourns her lost daughter and takes out a record of Turandot which she plays every year, only on this day, remembering.
A husband browbeats and belittles his wife.
Two brothers are at odds with each other.
Joanie Blake misses her mum ('How can her mum just be gone...?') It will be the first Christmas without her, and everything must be done right.
Webster skilfully weaves together all these stories, and more, punctuating her tale with Lucy Crane's investigation and multiple appearances by a cat who, after the best tradition of cats, shows up at every house in the street. I was impressed by the depth and personality Webster gives her characters - whether or not they take centre stage, these feel like real people you might bump into in the shop or the pub. Above all, perhaps, this applies to Joanie and her girlfriend Irma, who are at the centre of things, Joanie is one of those people who - despite her own troubles - seems to hold up the entire community. She invites the lost, the lonely, to her Christmas table. She challenges a racist scallywag's in the shop ('How dare this angry man, in his Budweiser T-shirt, leather jacket and Timberland boots call out a stranger in this way. How dare everyone stay silent while he does it?'). She is there when she is needed. And Irma, a stalwart behind the bar at the Mariner, whose anxious, haunted past is gradually revealed through the course of the story.
Not everyone is goodhearted, of course. Webster's less pleasant characters are just as well depicted, whether that racist, Euan, the ubiquitous thief (apart from their anonymous appearance at the beginning of the book, we know they're stalking through the pages somewhere, we just don't know we are seeing them. And the trail of loss they leave behind, which almost everyone is having to deal with, is almost a personality in itself with a cumulative effect that's most chilling.
There are others - the nasty young man who whispers tales to the police, causing no end of trouble for... someone. Or that controlling husband (I won't say who it is, you need to let the picture build up). And there are some other dark themes here. A girl who was in care and whose foster mum failed at just the moment she needed a little love. Exploitation, racism and greed.
No, it's not all soft focus and angel choirs (in fact there are no angel chords). But Hayley Webster's empathy and understanding of character, and her writing are simply brilliant ('The sun was a stamp of approval, low, gold with rewards', 'Wendy sees the grin on the girl's face... The start of love when the flame's first lit'). There's a temptation to call a book like this "feel good", like the Mariner's festive event, and there's nothing wrong with that, but I think One Christmas Night does something more.
At the darkest time of year, you can't shut out that dark. You can't ignore it. You can't karaoke it away (even by '...singing "Santa Baby" in the most unsexy voice that's ever been used for any song since there were songs'). You can't eat it away, present it away or tinsel it away. You have to face it, invite it in. But once invited in, offered warmth, food and a place at the table, it might become less terrible.
That's what One Christmas Night does - it acknowledges the darkness (and such darkness) but shows that it does not, in the end, have the last word. There is courage here, generosity of spirit, solidarity. And that, to me, is the most Christmassy message of all.
I'd strongly recommend this book - and I'm grateful to the publisher for a free advance e-copy of One Christmas Night via NetGalley to consider for review. (I should admit, before I start, that while I don't know Hayley Webster, I do follow her on Twitter where she is unfailing interesting. If you don't follow her, you should.)
In One Christmas Night, we visit Newbury Street, shortly before the Great Day itself. With some prescience, Webster points to 'a Vote Green diamond sticker in the front window from the last election' - so we're bang up to date in 2019!
The residents are preparing, whether in the private houses, the subdivided flats, or the social accommodation of Victory House. Christmas may be an occasion for spending and cosnpicouous consumption, but it is a great leveller, rich and poor alike sharing in the nostalgia, the sentiment, the customs. Christmas Eve sees the annual Festive Feel Good at the Mariner pub hosted as ever by Sue and Larry. Fridges are full of turkey, trimmings and veg, and the presents are ready, mostly hidden in the cupboard under the stairs. At the Stop Shop, softened Easy Peelers are being sorted from the stock and last minute gifts bought.
Everything is nearly ready.
But of course (because otherwise there wouldn't be a story) not everyone is happy, not all is well.
A thief is at large, preying on all those tempting presents (and even on the food). We meet this person in the first pages, hiding in the shadows and avoiding the CCTV, and we see the grief they cause, the sense of violation of both homes and the season. Who would do a thing like that? It could be anyone, and it seems likely to be a local, someone well known to all the victims. Even though it's Christmas, Detective Constables Crane and Ado are on the job and on the lookout for the perpetrator.
Elsewhere, Frank mourns his wife. It has been a tumultuous year: he lost his Allie - and then fell for Jen, married to his best friend Craig. There are kids too, and it's all a mess.
Craig has his own secrets as well. And there's an elderly couple, Len and Wendy Finch, who are living on the edge of destitution - before things take a turn for the (even) worse.
A young woman mourns her lost daughter and takes out a record of Turandot which she plays every year, only on this day, remembering.
A husband browbeats and belittles his wife.
Two brothers are at odds with each other.
Joanie Blake misses her mum ('How can her mum just be gone...?') It will be the first Christmas without her, and everything must be done right.
Webster skilfully weaves together all these stories, and more, punctuating her tale with Lucy Crane's investigation and multiple appearances by a cat who, after the best tradition of cats, shows up at every house in the street. I was impressed by the depth and personality Webster gives her characters - whether or not they take centre stage, these feel like real people you might bump into in the shop or the pub. Above all, perhaps, this applies to Joanie and her girlfriend Irma, who are at the centre of things, Joanie is one of those people who - despite her own troubles - seems to hold up the entire community. She invites the lost, the lonely, to her Christmas table. She challenges a racist scallywag's in the shop ('How dare this angry man, in his Budweiser T-shirt, leather jacket and Timberland boots call out a stranger in this way. How dare everyone stay silent while he does it?'). She is there when she is needed. And Irma, a stalwart behind the bar at the Mariner, whose anxious, haunted past is gradually revealed through the course of the story.
Not everyone is goodhearted, of course. Webster's less pleasant characters are just as well depicted, whether that racist, Euan, the ubiquitous thief (apart from their anonymous appearance at the beginning of the book, we know they're stalking through the pages somewhere, we just don't know we are seeing them. And the trail of loss they leave behind, which almost everyone is having to deal with, is almost a personality in itself with a cumulative effect that's most chilling.
There are others - the nasty young man who whispers tales to the police, causing no end of trouble for... someone. Or that controlling husband (I won't say who it is, you need to let the picture build up). And there are some other dark themes here. A girl who was in care and whose foster mum failed at just the moment she needed a little love. Exploitation, racism and greed.
No, it's not all soft focus and angel choirs (in fact there are no angel chords). But Hayley Webster's empathy and understanding of character, and her writing are simply brilliant ('The sun was a stamp of approval, low, gold with rewards', 'Wendy sees the grin on the girl's face... The start of love when the flame's first lit'). There's a temptation to call a book like this "feel good", like the Mariner's festive event, and there's nothing wrong with that, but I think One Christmas Night does something more.
At the darkest time of year, you can't shut out that dark. You can't ignore it. You can't karaoke it away (even by '...singing "Santa Baby" in the most unsexy voice that's ever been used for any song since there were songs'). You can't eat it away, present it away or tinsel it away. You have to face it, invite it in. But once invited in, offered warmth, food and a place at the table, it might become less terrible.
That's what One Christmas Night does - it acknowledges the darkness (and such darkness) but shows that it does not, in the end, have the last word. There is courage here, generosity of spirit, solidarity. And that, to me, is the most Christmassy message of all.
I'd strongly recommend this book - and not just for Christmas.
In One Christmas Night, we visit Newbury Street, shortly before the Great Day itself. With some prescience, Webster points to 'a Vote Green diamond sticker in the front window from the last election' - so we're bang up to date in 2019!
The residents are preparing, whether in the private houses, the subdivided flats, or the social accommodation of Victory House. Christmas may be an occasion for spending and cosnpicouous consumption, but it is a great leveller, rich and poor alike sharing in the nostalgia, the sentiment, the customs. Christmas Eve sees the annual Festive Feel Good at the Mariner pub hosted as ever by Sue and Larry. Fridges are full of turkey, trimmings and veg, and the presents are ready, mostly hidden in the cupboard under the stairs. At the Stop Shop, softened Easy Peelers are being sorted from the stock and last minute gifts bought.
Everything is nearly ready.
But of course (because otherwise there wouldn't be a story) not everyone is happy, not all is well.
A thief is at large, preying on all those tempting presents (and even on the food). We meet this person in the first pages, hiding in the shadows and avoiding the CCTV, and we see the grief they cause, the sense of violation of both homes and the season. Who would do a thing like that? It could be anyone, and it seems likely to be a local, someone well known to all the victims. Even though it's Christmas, Detective Constables Crane and Ado are on the job and on the lookout for the perpetrator.
Elsewhere, Frank mourns his wife. It has been a tumultuous year: he lost his Allie - and then fell for Jen, married to his best friend Craig. There are kids too, and it's all a mess.
Craig has his own secrets as well. And there's an elderly couple, Len and Wendy Finch, who are living on the edge of destitution - before things take a turn for the (even) worse.
A young woman mourns her lost daughter and takes out a record of Turandot which she plays every year, only on this day, remembering.
A husband browbeats and belittles his wife.
Two brothers are at odds with each other.
Joanie Blake misses her mum ('How can her mum just be gone...?') It will be the first Christmas without her, and everything must be done right.
Webster skilfully weaves together all these stories, and more, punctuating her tale with Lucy Crane's investigation and multiple appearances by a cat who, after the best tradition of cats, shows up at every house in the street. I was impressed by the depth and personality Webster gives her characters - whether or not they take centre stage, these feel like real people you might bump into in the shop or the pub. Above all, perhaps, this applies to Joanie and her girlfriend Irma, who are at the centre of things, Joanie is one of those people who - despite her own troubles - seems to hold up the entire community. She invites the lost, the lonely, to her Christmas table. She challenges a racist scallywag's in the shop ('How dare this angry man, in his Budweiser T-shirt, leather jacket and Timberland boots call out a stranger in this way. How dare everyone stay silent while he does it?'). She is there when she is needed. And Irma, a stalwart behind the bar at the Mariner, whose anxious, haunted past is gradually revealed through the course of the story.
Not everyone is goodhearted, of course. Webster's less pleasant characters are just as well depicted, whether that racist, Euan, the ubiquitous thief (apart from their anonymous appearance at the beginning of the book, we know they're stalking through the pages somewhere, we just don't know we are seeing them. And the trail of loss they leave behind, which almost everyone is having to deal with, is almost a personality in itself with a cumulative effect that's most chilling.
There are others - the nasty young man who whispers tales to the police, causing no end of trouble for... someone. Or that controlling husband (I won't say who it is, you need to let the picture build up). And there are some other dark themes here. A girl who was in care and whose foster mum failed at just the moment she needed a little love. Exploitation, racism and greed.
No, it's not all soft focus and angel choirs (in fact there are no angel chords). But Hayley Webster's empathy and understanding of character, and her writing are simply brilliant ('The sun was a stamp of approval, low, gold with rewards', 'Wendy sees the grin on the girl's face... The start of love when the flame's first lit'). There's a temptation to call a book like this "feel good", like the Mariner's festive event, and there's nothing wrong with that, but I think One Christmas Night does something more.
At the darkest time of year, you can't shut out that dark. You can't ignore it. You can't karaoke it away (even by '...singing "Santa Baby" in the most unsexy voice that's ever been used for any song since there were songs'). You can't eat it away, present it away or tinsel it away. You have to face it, invite it in. But once invited in, offered warmth, food and a place at the table, it might become less terrible.
That's what One Christmas Night does - it acknowledges the darkness (and such darkness) but shows that it does not, in the end, have the last word. There is courage here, generosity of spirit, solidarity. And that, to me, is the most Christmassy message of all.
I'd strongly recommend this book - and I'm grateful to the publisher for a free advance e-copy of One Christmas Night via NetGalley to consider for review. (I should admit, before I start, that while I don't know Hayley Webster, I do follow her on Twitter where she is unfailing interesting. If you don't follow her, you should.)
In One Christmas Night, we visit Newbury Street, shortly before the Great Day itself. With some prescience, Webster points to 'a Vote Green diamond sticker in the front window from the last election' - so we're bang up to date in 2019!
The residents are preparing, whether in the private houses, the subdivided flats, or the social accommodation of Victory House. Christmas may be an occasion for spending and cosnpicouous consumption, but it is a great leveller, rich and poor alike sharing in the nostalgia, the sentiment, the customs. Christmas Eve sees the annual Festive Feel Good at the Mariner pub hosted as ever by Sue and Larry. Fridges are full of turkey, trimmings and veg, and the presents are ready, mostly hidden in the cupboard under the stairs. At the Stop Shop, softened Easy Peelers are being sorted from the stock and last minute gifts bought.
Everything is nearly ready.
But of course (because otherwise there wouldn't be a story) not everyone is happy, not all is well.
A thief is at large, preying on all those tempting presents (and even on the food). We meet this person in the first pages, hiding in the shadows and avoiding the CCTV, and we see the grief they cause, the sense of violation of both homes and the season. Who would do a thing like that? It could be anyone, and it seems likely to be a local, someone well known to all the victims. Even though it's Christmas, Detective Constables Crane and Ado are on the job and on the lookout for the perpetrator.
Elsewhere, Frank mourns his wife. It has been a tumultuous year: he lost his Allie - and then fell for Jen, married to his best friend Craig. There are kids too, and it's all a mess.
Craig has his own secrets as well. And there's an elderly couple, Len and Wendy Finch, who are living on the edge of destitution - before things take a turn for the (even) worse.
A young woman mourns her lost daughter and takes out a record of Turandot which she plays every year, only on this day, remembering.
A husband browbeats and belittles his wife.
Two brothers are at odds with each other.
Joanie Blake misses her mum ('How can her mum just be gone...?') It will be the first Christmas without her, and everything must be done right.
Webster skilfully weaves together all these stories, and more, punctuating her tale with Lucy Crane's investigation and multiple appearances by a cat who, after the best tradition of cats, shows up at every house in the street. I was impressed by the depth and personality Webster gives her characters - whether or not they take centre stage, these feel like real people you might bump into in the shop or the pub. Above all, perhaps, this applies to Joanie and her girlfriend Irma, who are at the centre of things, Joanie is one of those people who - despite her own troubles - seems to hold up the entire community. She invites the lost, the lonely, to her Christmas table. She challenges a racist scallywag's in the shop ('How dare this angry man, in his Budweiser T-shirt, leather jacket and Timberland boots call out a stranger in this way. How dare everyone stay silent while he does it?'). She is there when she is needed. And Irma, a stalwart behind the bar at the Mariner, whose anxious, haunted past is gradually revealed through the course of the story.
Not everyone is goodhearted, of course. Webster's less pleasant characters are just as well depicted, whether that racist, Euan, the ubiquitous thief (apart from their anonymous appearance at the beginning of the book, we know they're stalking through the pages somewhere, we just don't know we are seeing them. And the trail of loss they leave behind, which almost everyone is having to deal with, is almost a personality in itself with a cumulative effect that's most chilling.
There are others - the nasty young man who whispers tales to the police, causing no end of trouble for... someone. Or that controlling husband (I won't say who it is, you need to let the picture build up). And there are some other dark themes here. A girl who was in care and whose foster mum failed at just the moment she needed a little love. Exploitation, racism and greed.
No, it's not all soft focus and angel choirs (in fact there are no angel chords). But Hayley Webster's empathy and understanding of character, and her writing are simply brilliant ('The sun was a stamp of approval, low, gold with rewards', 'Wendy sees the grin on the girl's face... The start of love when the flame's first lit'). There's a temptation to call a book like this "feel good", like the Mariner's festive event, and there's nothing wrong with that, but I think One Christmas Night does something more.
At the darkest time of year, you can't shut out that dark. You can't ignore it. You can't karaoke it away (even by '...singing "Santa Baby" in the most unsexy voice that's ever been used for any song since there were songs'). You can't eat it away, present it away or tinsel it away. You have to face it, invite it in. But once invited in, offered warmth, food and a place at the table, it might become less terrible.
That's what One Christmas Night does - it acknowledges the darkness (and such darkness) but shows that it does not, in the end, have the last word. There is courage here, generosity of spirit, solidarity. And that, to me, is the most Christmassy message of all.
I'd strongly recommend this book - and not just for Christmas.
December 19, 2020
From The Reading Hobbit
Presents have been going missing on Newbury Street, Norwich. Presents carefully wrapped for Christmas morning have been stolen from cupboards, by a thief who leaves no traces of themselves. There are rumors going around that it’s one of their own. Festive spirit is replaced by suspicion as nobody knows who to trust, and all have something to hide themselves.
I really enjoyed this book. It’s a delightful combination of a crime mystery, Christmas romance and a general contemporary novel. It touches upon so many topics, from love beginning and ending, people taking advantage of the innocent, death of a loved one, even domestic abuse. It’s a pretty heavy book at times, but Webster still manages to end it with a good feeling.
This story follows nine different characters, all with their own secrets or plans. I thought it might get confusing with so many POV’s but it never did, because all of the characters are so amazingly unique. They all have their own characteristics, their own way of speaking. And their own struggled and stories, that all manage to come together in interesting ways.
It really makes the story, that you get to see it from all these different angles, that you get to know so many layers of all these mysteries. It’s so cool to see how all these people’s lives are intertwined like this. It’s also such an exciting plot, secrets are revealed and dangerous things happen. But in the end, wrongs are righted in a very, very satisfying way.
The story makes it just different enough from most Christmas novels to be an interesting read that can be read at any time of the year, but it’s still a wonderful holiday themed feel-good with a lot of emotional depth. Definitely one of my new favorite Christmas books.
Trigger warnings (contains spoilers):
Presents have been going missing on Newbury Street, Norwich. Presents carefully wrapped for Christmas morning have been stolen from cupboards, by a thief who leaves no traces of themselves. There are rumors going around that it’s one of their own. Festive spirit is replaced by suspicion as nobody knows who to trust, and all have something to hide themselves.
I really enjoyed this book. It’s a delightful combination of a crime mystery, Christmas romance and a general contemporary novel. It touches upon so many topics, from love beginning and ending, people taking advantage of the innocent, death of a loved one, even domestic abuse. It’s a pretty heavy book at times, but Webster still manages to end it with a good feeling.
This story follows nine different characters, all with their own secrets or plans. I thought it might get confusing with so many POV’s but it never did, because all of the characters are so amazingly unique. They all have their own characteristics, their own way of speaking. And their own struggled and stories, that all manage to come together in interesting ways.
It really makes the story, that you get to see it from all these different angles, that you get to know so many layers of all these mysteries. It’s so cool to see how all these people’s lives are intertwined like this. It’s also such an exciting plot, secrets are revealed and dangerous things happen. But in the end, wrongs are righted in a very, very satisfying way.
The story makes it just different enough from most Christmas novels to be an interesting read that can be read at any time of the year, but it’s still a wonderful holiday themed feel-good with a lot of emotional depth. Definitely one of my new favorite Christmas books.
Trigger warnings (contains spoilers):
December 18, 2022
4.25 rating.
I enjoyed that even though the main story line of this story was finding out who the thief was, through all the different perspectives we got many side stories and they all were wrapped up by the end as well as not losing the main point of the story.
There are just 2 reasons why I haven’t rated it five stars and they are that it was a story written in the 3rd person, which is fine but I prefer if the chapters are going to be in all different perspectives I’d prefer for them to be in 1st person. I could also spot a few editing errors which would take me out of the story slightly.
If you’re wanting a Christmas read which is slightly different to all the rest out there, I would highly recommend this!
I enjoyed that even though the main story line of this story was finding out who the thief was, through all the different perspectives we got many side stories and they all were wrapped up by the end as well as not losing the main point of the story.
There are just 2 reasons why I haven’t rated it five stars and they are that it was a story written in the 3rd person, which is fine but I prefer if the chapters are going to be in all different perspectives I’d prefer for them to be in 1st person. I could also spot a few editing errors which would take me out of the story slightly.
If you’re wanting a Christmas read which is slightly different to all the rest out there, I would highly recommend this!
December 29, 2022
Not really sure how I feel about this one. It was an impulse buy in a charity shop. Wasn't taken in by the cover but I am a sucker for a book set at Christmas. Took me a while to get into it as there were so many characters to keep track of and each chapter is from a different characters perspective. The idea was there but not sure if it really worked for me. There wasn't really anyone I particularly cared about or connected with, kept me reading till the end though so that's something but then the ending was also a little flat. Think I'll try it again next Christmas now I'm familiar with the characters and revisit this review then.
October 11, 2021
Starts off with a street plagued by a burglar who breaks in and steals the Christmas presents that have been bought to celebrate Christmas. There is a timeline through the book and you join several people and families as they negotiate their way through the festive season and feel their pain etc. I realised towards the end of the book that I had forgotten all about the burglaries as I was so involved in the lives of the characters .
Really enjoyed the book.
Really enjoyed the book.
December 6, 2021
I was seeking a Christmas story with a difference and this was definitely it. Although there was such a central theme of family, love, loss and trust it was thread so carefully through the story. With the focus on a series of burglaries in the street and flitting from one characters viewpoint to another it got me intrigued and kept me interested throughout. I think I suspected about 8 different characters! This was a quick read which I would happily recommend.
January 25, 2022
This was a good book, but I did get a bit confused when I picked it up and put it down again, due to how many characters were in it. I often had to think who was who, if I hadn't read it for a few days. This was the first adult Christmas book that I had read and as Norwich is familiar to me, it made it a bit more real. It was OK and the mystery of the burgleries was solved in the end, but not the best book that I've read lately.
October 19, 2020
Charming and thoughtful tale of love and grief
It's the first Christmas without Allie and lots of the inhabitants of Newbury Street are finding that tough. Add family tension, unspoken feelings, and the burglar who's stealing people's presents and there's a lot of tension as well as excitement.
It's the first Christmas without Allie and lots of the inhabitants of Newbury Street are finding that tough. Add family tension, unspoken feelings, and the burglar who's stealing people's presents and there's a lot of tension as well as excitement.
December 23, 2020
When I first started reading this book I thought it rather glum and down, every character had something wrong in their lives and it seemed everything that could go wrong for people was happening to the residents in one street! The three stars are for the ending - which was actually heartwarming and lovely, so from that point of view it was a feel good festive read!
December 8, 2021
A Christmas mystery involving the residents of a usually sleepy street. Christmas gifts, food and money all going missing and one amongst them is responsible. Lots of households all shielding secrets. The joy of Christmas sneaks through the unwinding stories and some difficult issues are related in a sensitive manner. An enjoyable read. One meandering cat is very spoiled by one and all!
December 4, 2020
Loved this story. It is not your usual Christmas story, it is filled with mystery and Intrigue!! The characters are fantastic, plotlines delectable and leaves you guessing to the end about who the culprit is.
My full review is posted on my blog. Link in my bio.
My full review is posted on my blog. Link in my bio.
December 21, 2020
This book is exactly the medicine and pick me up I needed today after the change of plans etc Atherton weekend. Love, family and mysteries to solve wrapped up in a festive story that will both touch your heart & make you smile.
December 2, 2022
I was surprised at how much I enjoyed this! A Christmas mystery, great character development and multiple view points. I steamed through it and didn't want to put it down. Some really lyrical writing too and a really cosy feel to it.
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