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Beldon Magma Mysteries #4
The Christmas Card Murders
A generation ago a young woman was knocked off her bicycle in the snow and left to die alone.
Decades later, the murders start. The first victim is a semi-disabled couple who are brutally ambushed and killed in their home. Others follow, each killing more horrendous than the last…
And in all the attacks, a calling card is left, a final indignity that suggests that revenge and retribution are at the heart of the brutal murders.
With The Christmas Card Murders, newly promoted Detective Inspector Bulmer and Chief Inspector Robert Calderwood and their friends, and sometimes colleagues, Desmond Blaine-Appleby and Gwilym Owen, have a particularly chilling mystery on their hands, and it is up to them to find out the link between the deaths and to stop the killer once and for all – before yet more blood is spilt.
Praise for Anthony Litton
‘A gripping thriller’ – Thomas Waugh
'A gripping page-turner.' - Robert Foster, best-selling author of The Lunar Code
Anthony Litton lives and writes in Suffolk. As well as writing novels he writes and direct plays, predominantly in the murder mystery or comedy genres. He is the author of Swords of Arabia: Warlord and Swords of Arabia: Betrayal. He is also the author of the Beldon Magna mysteries: Hung out to Die, The Nursery Rhyme Murders and Death of a Dancer. The Christmas Card Murders is the fourth in the series.
Decades later, the murders start. The first victim is a semi-disabled couple who are brutally ambushed and killed in their home. Others follow, each killing more horrendous than the last…
And in all the attacks, a calling card is left, a final indignity that suggests that revenge and retribution are at the heart of the brutal murders.
With The Christmas Card Murders, newly promoted Detective Inspector Bulmer and Chief Inspector Robert Calderwood and their friends, and sometimes colleagues, Desmond Blaine-Appleby and Gwilym Owen, have a particularly chilling mystery on their hands, and it is up to them to find out the link between the deaths and to stop the killer once and for all – before yet more blood is spilt.
Praise for Anthony Litton
‘A gripping thriller’ – Thomas Waugh
'A gripping page-turner.' - Robert Foster, best-selling author of The Lunar Code
Anthony Litton lives and writes in Suffolk. As well as writing novels he writes and direct plays, predominantly in the murder mystery or comedy genres. He is the author of Swords of Arabia: Warlord and Swords of Arabia: Betrayal. He is also the author of the Beldon Magna mysteries: Hung out to Die, The Nursery Rhyme Murders and Death of a Dancer. The Christmas Card Murders is the fourth in the series.
181 pages, Kindle Edition
First published December 25, 2017
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 33 reviews
December 28, 2017
I was in the mood for a darker themed book still involving Christmas that I could finish before the big day, and this one fit the bill perfectly. Fairly short, crisp, and intriguing. I wasn't aware that I was jumping into a series before I started. The characters were hard to keep track of, as there are many. I had to look back quite a bit. I think this one would be best enjoyed read following the three others before it. Because I was a little lost on the characters and their history, I found myself paying more attention to the case. It's a doozy! Bleak and intricate but easy to follow, dark enough to make me stop and think. My detective skills failed me with this one, and the ending left me surprised.
Recently promoted DI Bulmer and CI Calderwood have a brutal new case on their hands: an older partially disabled couple are found killed in their own home. They're found with Christmas cards... nailed to their heads.
After discovering that these aren't the first murders featuring this macabre calling card, they become convinced that they won't be the last, either. Solving this case will involve lots of digging into the past, but most don't want to talk.
While I wished for a clearer background on the characters, the strange case and crazy ending made this book for me. 3.5 rounded up to a 4 here.
I received a copy of this book from Net Galley and Endeavour Press, thank you! My review is honest and unbiased.
Recently promoted DI Bulmer and CI Calderwood have a brutal new case on their hands: an older partially disabled couple are found killed in their own home. They're found with Christmas cards... nailed to their heads.
After discovering that these aren't the first murders featuring this macabre calling card, they become convinced that they won't be the last, either. Solving this case will involve lots of digging into the past, but most don't want to talk.
While I wished for a clearer background on the characters, the strange case and crazy ending made this book for me. 3.5 rounded up to a 4 here.
I received a copy of this book from Net Galley and Endeavour Press, thank you! My review is honest and unbiased.
February 28, 2019
*https://theburgeoningbookshelf.blogsp...
The Christmas card Murders certainly wasn’t my usual Christmas type of read. This gruesome murder, mystery takes place in the lead up to Christmas.
DI Robert Calderwood, on his recent promotion to Chief Inspector, is asked to investigate a recent double murder and on doing some checks finds a similar murder in London. There is an unmistakable connection between the two and he thinks they may be connected to a local fatal hit and run 40 years earlier. Calderwood’s team immediately gets on the case but he feels it will be beneficial to bring local resident Gwilyn Owen to ask questions as he grew up with the victim families.
The character development is good but way too many characters are brought into the story and each one has back-story explained which seemed irrelevant.
The plot was well developed but it was quite obvious we were to feel no sympathy for the victims as they were all slovenly and distasteful people.
The astute reader may pick up on the cleverly dispersed hints throughout the story but I was clueless and certainly didn’t guess the murderer.
The story reads as a stand-alone but I would recommend reading the series from the start to get a solid understanding of the main characters.
*I received my copy from the publisher via Netgalley
The Christmas card Murders certainly wasn’t my usual Christmas type of read. This gruesome murder, mystery takes place in the lead up to Christmas.
DI Robert Calderwood, on his recent promotion to Chief Inspector, is asked to investigate a recent double murder and on doing some checks finds a similar murder in London. There is an unmistakable connection between the two and he thinks they may be connected to a local fatal hit and run 40 years earlier. Calderwood’s team immediately gets on the case but he feels it will be beneficial to bring local resident Gwilyn Owen to ask questions as he grew up with the victim families.
The character development is good but way too many characters are brought into the story and each one has back-story explained which seemed irrelevant.
The plot was well developed but it was quite obvious we were to feel no sympathy for the victims as they were all slovenly and distasteful people.
The astute reader may pick up on the cleverly dispersed hints throughout the story but I was clueless and certainly didn’t guess the murderer.
The story reads as a stand-alone but I would recommend reading the series from the start to get a solid understanding of the main characters.
*I received my copy from the publisher via Netgalley
December 17, 2017
The return of DI Bulmer and CI Robert Calderwood are showcased in this British police procedural. They are newly promoted along with their team members to an organization that will handle the most complex of murders.
Their first case is quite unique. Even being the Christmas season doesn't stop people from doing the most vile things. The fist victims (that they know of) are a partially disabled older couple who are viciously stabbed to death in their own home. The crowning glory (for the killer) is leaving a Christmas card for each victim ... nailed to their heads.
And these are not the last to be killed in this way.
The team works furiously to connect the victims in some way .... without any clues or apparent motives.
This was an engaging story. Although 4th in a series, this made a fine stand alone, although I would recommend starting at the very beginning. It's well-written with solid characters. The small twists and turns lead to an unexpected, surprising ending with only a very small cliff hanger.
Many thanks to the author / Endeavor Press / Netgalley for the advanced digital copy. Opinions expressed here are unbiased and entirely my own.
April 28, 2020
Well, this book was quite uneven. There were too many characters (and most of them were unnecessary) and their presentation slowed down the story a lot.
It didn't get interesting until the first third of the book was gone, but then it gets more entertaining. There are hints through the story that will help you to discover who the killer is, and I love when that happens, whether I got the right answer or not :P
I'll probably read the first book in this series before I decided if I'll keep reading it.
It didn't get interesting until the first third of the book was gone, but then it gets more entertaining. There are hints through the story that will help you to discover who the killer is, and I love when that happens, whether I got the right answer or not :P
I'll probably read the first book in this series before I decided if I'll keep reading it.
December 17, 2022
I recommend reading the earlier books in the series before this one as you are sort of in the dark about all the reoccurring characters. Also, a lot of time is spent on planning and recruiting a new detective squad that is relevant to the series but irrelevant to the plot of the murder mystery. People are being murdered and the killer is leaving a calling card or shorts by nailing Christmas cards to their foreheads. It turns out that they all knew each other as teenagers in a small village where they took a horse truck for a joyride and killed a wife and mother, Becky, who was delivering her Christmas cards. So it is obvious that one of her children are behind the murders but the big twist was that her son transitioned to a woman and was the one doing the killings. Not the best book if you aren’t into the series.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 15, 2017
Review: THE CHRISTMAS CARD MURDER by Anthony Litton
An engrossing British police procedural wrapped in a quaint village-cosy mystery! Utilizing a scary series of killings which may or may not link to an unsolved fatal accident three decades past, the author also manages contemporary social commentary. I found this mystery a quite intriguing page-turner, with a nearly unstoppable killer, gory murders, and that perfect English village background, with family heritage dating back to pre-Norman conquest, the communities, tiny as they are, a microcosm of human joys and failings.
An engrossing British police procedural wrapped in a quaint village-cosy mystery! Utilizing a scary series of killings which may or may not link to an unsolved fatal accident three decades past, the author also manages contemporary social commentary. I found this mystery a quite intriguing page-turner, with a nearly unstoppable killer, gory murders, and that perfect English village background, with family heritage dating back to pre-Norman conquest, the communities, tiny as they are, a microcosm of human joys and failings.
December 28, 2017
4 stars
DI Robert Calderwood’s promotion has been moved forward. He is now a DCI, but his move to London has been cancelled. He will now be based in Estwich. Likewise, DS Bulmer has been promoted to DI. They, along with their other team members, will head up a new squad that will deal with the most serious of crimes.
The first case they are assigned is one of the brutal killings that are taking place. The victims are nailed through the forehead with a Christmas card attached. With little to go on, and no viable leads, Calderwood and Bulmer are in a quandary.
This is an exciting, but somewhat cozy read. It is a true police procedural in which the reader gets to see the investigative process at work. It is both well written and plotted. I’ve read some of Anthony Litton before, but this is my first Calderwood and Bulmer novel. I do believe I will be looking into more of them.
I want to thank NetGalley and Endeavour Press for forwarding to me a copy of this enjoyable book to read.
DI Robert Calderwood’s promotion has been moved forward. He is now a DCI, but his move to London has been cancelled. He will now be based in Estwich. Likewise, DS Bulmer has been promoted to DI. They, along with their other team members, will head up a new squad that will deal with the most serious of crimes.
The first case they are assigned is one of the brutal killings that are taking place. The victims are nailed through the forehead with a Christmas card attached. With little to go on, and no viable leads, Calderwood and Bulmer are in a quandary.
This is an exciting, but somewhat cozy read. It is a true police procedural in which the reader gets to see the investigative process at work. It is both well written and plotted. I’ve read some of Anthony Litton before, but this is my first Calderwood and Bulmer novel. I do believe I will be looking into more of them.
I want to thank NetGalley and Endeavour Press for forwarding to me a copy of this enjoyable book to read.
February 21, 2025
The story line in this was OK, but overall I felt disappointed with the book. There's a bit of heavy emphasis on fair treatment for homosexual and transgender people - OK in its place, but in a police detective procedural book?
Perhaps the earlier books in this series would have explained why the police become secondary characters to "the partners". Not at all believable.
The copy I bought was published by Lume Books who apparently haven't invested in much editing. Major issues for me were the opening - introducing heaps of characters in one blitz, most of whom seem to be brilliant, outstanding or similar but then turn out to be less than significant in the story. The characters could have been introduced later on enabling the reader to more easily place them in the narrative. The basic writing skills are poor - too many "it's" for "its", apostrophes for plurals, exclamation marks ending plain, descriptive sentences, and so many wrong words such as peddle for pedal, complement for compliment, lead for led, and more. These and the frequent use of double words such as 'had had' eventually made me decide I won't want to read any more by this author.
Perhaps the earlier books in this series would have explained why the police become secondary characters to "the partners". Not at all believable.
The copy I bought was published by Lume Books who apparently haven't invested in much editing. Major issues for me were the opening - introducing heaps of characters in one blitz, most of whom seem to be brilliant, outstanding or similar but then turn out to be less than significant in the story. The characters could have been introduced later on enabling the reader to more easily place them in the narrative. The basic writing skills are poor - too many "it's" for "its", apostrophes for plurals, exclamation marks ending plain, descriptive sentences, and so many wrong words such as peddle for pedal, complement for compliment, lead for led, and more. These and the frequent use of double words such as 'had had' eventually made me decide I won't want to read any more by this author.
January 18, 2018
Egads, Christmas time is supposed to be one of wonder, joy, and excitement, not in this story that finds us on the trail of a deranged murderer. Could the death of a young woman who was brutally left on the side of the road to die while out delivering her late Christmas Cards in the rural countryside of Beldon Magma be the reason for all the present day deaths? With a cast of a production company gathering for the holidays, the British police have quite a few suspects to research. Author Anthony Little's book is the first one that I have read by him, but it won't be my last. I felt the story was both well structured, with engrossing characters and some quite gruesome methods of murder made this a win-win in my book.
December 24, 2022
At the heart of the story is a sad tale. A lady delivering Christmas cards by bicycle is run down and left to die from the bitter elements. The hit and run left a husband and two boys grieving. Fast forward thirty years and now the people who were in the truck that ran the lady over are dying in a gruesome fashion. The police are flumoxed. The clues come piling in and at the end the sharp eyes of one person picks the final clue out of a photograph.
January 27, 2023
Interesting
Overall, the plot held my attention. Linking to death of a hit and run to a series of current murders was an effective plot twist. However, the number of characters working for Maximian was some difficult to follow. Perhaps my confusion was a result of not reading books in the previous series. It was hard to associate the employees with their counterparts in two offices. No spoilers, just confusion.
Overall, the plot held my attention. Linking to death of a hit and run to a series of current murders was an effective plot twist. However, the number of characters working for Maximian was some difficult to follow. Perhaps my confusion was a result of not reading books in the previous series. It was hard to associate the employees with their counterparts in two offices. No spoilers, just confusion.
December 27, 2024
A Real Page Turner
Despite not having read the first three books in this series it didn't hold me back. A young woman is killed by a car that did not stop and nobody was ever held to account. Years later the people suspected of being involved are being murdered one by one. It is up to DI Bulmer and Chief Inspector Calderwood to find out the truth and prevent any more deaths. This book was a real page turner for me and I thoroughly enjoyed it.
Despite not having read the first three books in this series it didn't hold me back. A young woman is killed by a car that did not stop and nobody was ever held to account. Years later the people suspected of being involved are being murdered one by one. It is up to DI Bulmer and Chief Inspector Calderwood to find out the truth and prevent any more deaths. This book was a real page turner for me and I thoroughly enjoyed it.
December 9, 2025
Someone is murdering people and leaving a calling card---specifically, the killer is nailing a Christmas card in each victim's forehead. Police soon learn that the victims have something in common: all are from the village of Beldon Magna, and all were teenagers there 40 years before when a local woman was killed in a hit-and-run incident. With the help of contacts in Beldon Magna, the police gather information until the killer's identity is revealed.
November 24, 2024
When you read a crime thriller and the killer says “That was the Cosmos paying back a debt.” to explain a convenient encounter that started the whole thing, you know the writing is lazy and bad.
Add on top of that many (many) unnecessary details that offer nothing to the main plot and you get yourself a less than mediocre book.
At least it was short!
Add on top of that many (many) unnecessary details that offer nothing to the main plot and you get yourself a less than mediocre book.
At least it was short!
December 9, 2024
oh dear!
Full disclosure- this is the first book of this series I have read (or in this case, attempted to read).
Offered as a freebie, I really should have known better.
Too many inconsequential characters, too much talk, not enough action.
Perhaps if I had read the previous three books in the series, the multitude of characters may have made sense.
Sadly not one for me.
Full disclosure- this is the first book of this series I have read (or in this case, attempted to read).
Offered as a freebie, I really should have known better.
Too many inconsequential characters, too much talk, not enough action.
Perhaps if I had read the previous three books in the series, the multitude of characters may have made sense.
Sadly not one for me.
March 27, 2021
Unfortunately too many characters from Maximian Productions were introduced at once, making for a boring start.
People are getting murdered, with a Christmas card left on their bodies. But why and by whom. D.I. Calderwood investigates but it's Gwilym Owen and Desmond Blaine-Appleby who discover the main clue.
Once I got over the beginning it was an entertaining cozy mystery
People are getting murdered, with a Christmas card left on their bodies. But why and by whom. D.I. Calderwood investigates but it's Gwilym Owen and Desmond Blaine-Appleby who discover the main clue.
Once I got over the beginning it was an entertaining cozy mystery
December 27, 2022
A Good read
I liked the way that the twists left me guessing about what was going to happen next. I liked the characters who were skilfully constructed and believable. The plot was intriguing, and yet, had the suspense ramped up as the story unfolded.
I liked the way that the twists left me guessing about what was going to happen next. I liked the characters who were skilfully constructed and believable. The plot was intriguing, and yet, had the suspense ramped up as the story unfolded.
December 11, 2024
Excellent
This book had me immersed from the first page. It has taken me two days to finish as I didn't want to rush through it. The ending was a complete surprise although I can see a few clues in hindsight. Enjoy your reading of a fine mystery
This book had me immersed from the first page. It has taken me two days to finish as I didn't want to rush through it. The ending was a complete surprise although I can see a few clues in hindsight. Enjoy your reading of a fine mystery
December 20, 2024
Amazing!
Anthony Litton had me completely captured by his brilliantly crafted tale of revenge. He kept me guessing right up to the final pages where all was expertly revealed. Looking forward to reading the next one. Thank you Anthony!
Anthony Litton had me completely captured by his brilliantly crafted tale of revenge. He kept me guessing right up to the final pages where all was expertly revealed. Looking forward to reading the next one. Thank you Anthony!
December 28, 2024
This made no sense to me for quite a while. So many characters and some seemingly irrelevant for quite a while. Randomly we are introduced to some AmDram society that seems to have nothing to do with the plot at all.
February 16, 2021
Nice light read
December 17, 2022
Sick of books using transgendered people as a plot twist completely unnecessary
January 12, 2023
I thought this would be good over Christmas. It was too tied to the series. And parts were written a little confusingly for me.
December 14, 2024
a very gripping book
Once you start this book it is very difficult to put down and it kept me guessing right up to almost the end. Will certainly read more of this series.
Once you start this book it is very difficult to put down and it kept me guessing right up to almost the end. Will certainly read more of this series.
December 16, 2024
Not a jolly Chrustmas but damn good thriller
Super thriller, keeps you guessing to the end. Very easy to read and follow. I thoroughly enjoyed it, nice unexpected ending
Super thriller, keeps you guessing to the end. Very easy to read and follow. I thoroughly enjoyed it, nice unexpected ending
December 29, 2024
Good but found it hard going at times so persisted. Could become good series but needs bit better editing to make easier to read.
January 16, 2018
Thankfully, not a gruesome read. The way that Becky died was sad indeed and it is sadder even that things happen like this in real life. I did not like issues of sexuality coming up due to the fact that it was largely NOT brought up until integral to the plot. I also feel a bit that introducing readers to every staff member, and to a lesser extent villager's, backstory could have been done in some less tedious way. I would love to see what the author does if the story is ever reworked a bit...keep the telling of what happened to Becky at the beginning and how beloved she was...intro character backgrounds in a smoother manner...have very subtle hints to the conclusion. I will be looking forward to seeing how this author's storytelling grows in the future (I have a feeling that will be most delightful).
July 20, 2025
I confess I gave up on this one at 13%, at which point there had been an historical murder, a current day murder of an unnamed man, the introduction of members of a new police task force that’s all hush hush and necessitated a baffling number of promotions, and introductions to a cast of thousands at Maximian, a theatre production company, each new character being accompanied by a long para of backstory, which is what finally did for me. It may be that all these characters are well known to readers of the previous books, but I found the story was dragging too much at this point.
April 12, 2025
Another good outing with Desmond and Gwilym again helping DI Calderwood and DS Bulmer in a case that's really far from local in one way, yet very much centred on Beldon Magna. But I do think that this takes vengeance to extremes. However, it did make for a good story. More of these please Mr Litton.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 33 reviews