The author gave me a copy in exchange for an honest review.

This was rich, in the way so many Christmas dishes are rich and heavy and delicious. This was a long read, full of cultural references to books and art and gardening that gave me little zings of recognition. I could definitely see a major Agatha Christie influence, structurally and stylistically. Yet, the author's voice is her own. This is definitely something I could see being adapted into a UK miniseries for the holidays.

I grew up in Wisconsin, and the author references midwestern America often. One of her characters is American, and I did have a moment of "oh no, is that how we sound to Europeans?" Eek!

The reason this isn't five stars for me, is it just is too long. This is miniseries material, where every scene is written in detail, every action described. For me, a great deal could have been excised for greater clarity and a quickened pace. It is, however, perfect reading for doling out over a week or two.