The Secret Santa By Trish Harnetiaux
Paperback published by Arrow 31st October 2019
ISBN 9781787465046
A Lavish party.
An isolated mansion.
Two hosts who will do anything to keep their secrets.
When husband and wife Claudine and Henry organise their firm’s Christmas party in a remote mansion, they expect the night to be unforgettable.
But the festive mood quickly turns sour when a sinister gift is unwrapped in the Secret Santa game.
As heavy snow traps the guests inside the mountainside lodge, it quickly becomes clear that one of the party is out for revenge.
It’s no longer making sure you get out alive.
When an international pop star rolls into town looking to buy the most expensive house on the market, struggling real estate agents and husband and wife duo Claudine and Henry think their terrible luck has finally turned.
The mysterious mansion has hidden secrets, and Claudine and Henry’s survival depends on no one finding out the truth about what really happened there. In a desperate move to secure the sale, Claudine decides to bury house’s dark past and show it at its best by inviting the singer to a lavish holiday party hosted inside the majestic mountainside mansion.
But when a murder weapon turns up as part of the party’s game of Secret Santa, Claudine’s carefully curated lie and the lives of all the party goers is threatened as they race to find the killer before they can strike again.
How far will Claudine go to protect her secrets? Is she prepared to kill to make a killing, or will she fall prey herself?
MY REVIEW
I enjoyed reading every word, every sentence , every page, and every chapter so much so that I didn’t want The Secret Santa, to end.
The Secret Santa is Trish Harnetiaux debut novel, I’m pleased to say Trish Harnetiaux has now become one of my favourite authors and I will now be on the careful watch eye for more thrillers by her.
The setting of this story is rather like playing clue do at Christmas. My favourite characters were Claudine Calhoun and her husband Henry.
My first impression I had of Claudine is rather a Mrs bossy boots. And as for architect Henry he just seemed to bow at his wife and did everything his wife said.
When Claudine came up with the idea that Henry would design houses and Claudine would sell them , they were in business as Calhoun + Calhoun.
Claudine wanted to sell the mansion Montague House the first mansion Henry had designed. The bright idea Claudine had was to host a holiday party at the mansion with Secret Santa, where every guest will bring a wrapped gift, with one special guest who is invited, is a pop star who is interested in buying the mansion Montague House.
Will the pop star buy the mansion? And will the secret Santa gift that Claudine receives reveal something that she has been hiding. Now is the time where Claudine and Henry have close secrets, that brings them closer together. Yes they needed each other, but why?
A lavish locked-room mystery with a seasonal edge, THE SECRET SANTA is packed with twists that will keep you guessing until the final page.
I very strongly recommend reading The Secret Santa by Trish Harnetiaux, because there’s something with in this story, This year you’ll get what you deserve.
ABOUT TRISH HARNETIAUX
The Secret Santa is Trish Harnetiaux debut novel . She is a Brooklyn-based playwright whose published works include Tin Cat Shoes, How To Get Into Buildings, and If You Can Get To Buffalo.
https://www.instagram.com/trishharnetiaux
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