December is the worst time of year, but as a postman, Nick is forced to endure a mind-numbing amount of joy and festivities year in and year out. He sulks around, drinks too much, shouts at anyone who wishes him a ‘Merry Christmas!’ and don’t you dare offer him a mince pie or expect him to wear a Christmas jumper …
John, his best friend of twenty-odd years, has had enough. He’s a trained therapist, but Nick has refused his help every single year. But not this year. This year is going to be different.
John creates a 25 day advent countdown for Nick; a list of Christmas events, traditions and activities for him to complete to help him come to terms with his childhood trauma and finally enjoy the Christmas season. Maybe he’ll even find love and be happy for once …
I’ve read several of Jessica Huntley’s thrillers and enjoyed them all, but this book stands out because it’s a little different from what she’s known for. It’s a holiday novella written in an advent calendar-style format, with 25 chapters and an epilogue, giving you a chapter for each day in December leading up to Christmas. I loved the format, and it makes it such a fun holiday read! You can binge-read it in one sitting or enjoy one chapter over the month of December, like an advent calendar. Jessica’s known for her suspense, and this has a compelling mystery, but it’s much more a feel-good holiday story about a grumpy Grinch getting a second chance at Christmas. The protagonist, Nick Winter, starts off despising everything about Christmas because of childhood trauma. Add in a charming English town, colorful characters, fun banter, and pretty much every holiday activity you can imagine, and this book is so much fun!
The story follows 38-year-old Nick, who has nightmares every December related to his mother murdering his father, dressed as Santa, on Christmas Eve when he was eight years old. He still lives in his childhood home where everything happened and now works as a postman in the small town where everyone knows him as a Christmas-hating Grinch. The story opens with a flashback to Christmas Eve, when eight-year-old Nick sneaks downstairs, hoping to catch a glimpse of Santa, only to see his mother standing over his father with a knife. That same traumatic memory is revisited at different points in the story, with more details coming to light until we finally get the full explanation of what really happened. The majority of the book takes place in the present, beginning on December 1st. His best friend John, who’s a trained therapist, calls Nick into his office and has come up with a 25-day Christmas advent activity calendar as a form of exposure therapy, hoping for his best friend to finally confront his childhood trauma.
As you might expect from a Grinch-type story, Nick’s character development is pronounced by the end, and there are feel-good moments along the way. There are funny conversations, text messages, and phone calls whenever Nick has no idea how to complete an activity or is completely baffled that John would suggest doing something so ridiculous! Nick’s forced to visit places he’d normally never go, interact with local residents, and wear funny Christmas attire. I was rooting for Nick every step of the way and empathizing with everything he was processing, despite his bad attitude and negativity, especially in the first half.
The chapters are short, ranging from five to 20 minutes on the audiobook, and each chapter title corresponds to the Christmas advent activity Nick is expected to complete that day. Even though this is a short read, I felt like I’d gone through the month of December with Nick and experienced all the ups and downs with him.
There are some clever character connections, along with the mysterious dining room in Nick’s house, which has been locked away for decades, that hold clues to the mystery. There’s also a romantic subplot for holiday rom-com lovers, which is sprinkled throughout the story before becoming more prominent towards the end. The final chapter and follow-up epilogue have some emotional reveals and are both bittersweet and heartwarming and left me a bit teary-eyed. 😭
This is a great story to enjoy in any format, but the audiobook is a real treat! Curtis Michael Holland does a fantastic job bringing Nick to life, giving him an authentic English accent and the perfect grumpy, Grinch-sounding voice that suits his personality so well. He also does a wonderful job bringing the charming cast of small-town English characters to life and makes the banter between Nick and his friends so entertaining. At just under five hours and giving all the feels, it’s the ultimate Christmas short read for your holiday TBR!
Narrator Performance
I Saw Mummy Killing Santa Claus is narrated by award-winning narrator Curtis Michael Holland.
Holland immediately draws you into the story with the opening flashback of eight-year-old Nick waking up to the sound of jingling bells on Christmas Eve. You can hear the excitement and childhood wonder in his voice as he sneaks downstairs, hoping to catch a glimpse of Santa coming down the chimney. Holland quickly shifts Nick’s excitement to confusion and fear when he sees a figure standing over Santa Claus with a knife. When the story jumps forward 30 years, his portrayal of adult Nick is entirely different. You can hear his grumpiness and disdain for Christmas, perfectly capturing his Grinch-like personality. When Nick visits his best friend John, who’s also his therapist, you can hear how different the two friends are. Holland portrays John with a warm, patient-sounding voice, while Nick sounds hesitant, sarcastic, and unconvinced that anything John has planned will make any difference. Holland also really conveys John’s determination to help his friend heal through the exposure-therapy challenge, and it made me like him right away.
The narration of the exchanges between Nick and his other childhood friend, Bill, is a highlight. He portrays Bill as an entertaining, sarcastic, and engaging character, and the banter between the two friends is hilarious and captures how well they know each other. Another highlight of Holland’s performance is the range of authentic-sounding English accents and distinct voices he provides for the colorful cast of characters. From Nick’s friends, Bill and John, to his potential love interest Kim, his boss Rex, and all the people he encounters through the advent calendar activities, everyone sounds unique and convincing—and it gives the audiobook a multicast production feel. I was immersed in the small-town English setting, and as Nick made his way through all the different Christmas activities, I felt like I was right there alongside him.
One of my favorite scenes in the audiobook is when Nick goes ice skating at a local rink. The narration during this entire chapter is hilarious, especially when Nick spots Kim skating with another man and starts panicking about what to do. You can hear his anxiety, embarrassment, and frantic attempt to avoid being noticed. Holland’s comedic timing here is spot-on, particularly when Nick falls on the ice and discovers that the man with Kim is someone he knows! I laughed out loud several times because the delivery makes the situation feel like something you’d watch in a sitcom! 😂
I also enjoyed how Holland gradually changes his portrayal of Nick throughout the 25 days of the advent calendar. You can hear subtle differences in his tone as Nick starts opening himself up to Christmas and becoming more receptive to the activities, and there are a few activities where you hear his attitude change dramatically. A standout is in the carolling chapter, when Nick unexpectedly gets caught up in singing and the excitement of the crowd. You can hear his happiness take over, and it almost sounds like listening to a completely different character (temporarily).
Holland’s performance during Nick and Kim’s interactions is also memorable. You can hear Nick’s conflicting emotions in his inner monologues, along with the underlying chemistry between them. The scenes where Nick opens up and tells Kim the truth about his childhood capture Nick’s honesty and vulnerability, and her reactions sounded believable. As their relationship develops, especially during the work Christmas party and their outing to the Christmas lights show, you can hear the growing warmth and trust in their exchanges—and I was rooting for their romance!
The final chapter before the epilogue has some emotional reveals and captivating dialogue, and Holland narrates these scenes beautifully. Nick’s reactions to finally learning the truth about his mother and what really happened 30 years ago convey his shock, confusion, and emotion convincingly. Holland also conveys John’s support really well in these scenes, and when John gives his own unexpected confession, I found myself getting teary-eyed. The epilogue is well done, narrated with festive cheer, bittersweet emotion, and hopeful vibes of new beginnings. I finished the audiobook fully entertained and emotionally stirred.
Overall, this is a book I absolutely recommend experiencing on audiobook because of Curtis Michael Holland’s fantastic performance. His authentic-sounding English accents, distinct character voices, and comedic timing make this an entertaining and immersive listening experience. If you’re looking for a Christmas audiobook that’s heartfelt and funny, with a bit of suspense, and meaningful themes about friendship and healing, be sure to add this to your holiday listening list!
Narrator Performance
I Saw Mummy Killing Santa Claus is narrated by award-winning narrator Curtis Michael Holland.
Holland immediately draws you into the story with the opening flashback of eight-year-old Nick waking up to the sound of jingling bells on Christmas Eve. You can hear the excitement and childhood wonder in his voice as he sneaks downstairs, hoping to catch a glimpse of Santa coming down the chimney. Holland quickly shifts Nick’s excitement to confusion and fear when he sees a figure standing over Santa Claus with a knife. When the story jumps forward 30 years, his portrayal of adult Nick is entirely different. You can hear his grumpiness and disdain for Christmas, perfectly capturing his Grinch-like personality. When Nick visits his best friend John, who’s also his therapist, you can hear how different the two friends are. Holland portrays John with a warm, patient-sounding voice, while Nick sounds hesitant, sarcastic, and unconvinced that anything John has planned will make any difference. Holland also really conveys John’s determination to help his friend heal through the exposure-therapy challenge, and it made me like him right away.
The narration of the exchanges between Nick and his other childhood friend, Bill, is a highlight. He portrays Bill as an entertaining, sarcastic, and engaging character, and the banter between the two friends is hilarious and captures how well they know each other. Another highlight of Holland’s performance is the range of authentic-sounding English accents and distinct voices he provides for the colorful cast of characters. From Nick’s friends, Bill and John, to his potential love interest Kim, his boss Rex, and all the people he encounters through the advent calendar activities, everyone sounds unique and convincing—and it gives the audiobook a multicast production feel. I was immersed in the small-town English setting, and as Nick made his way through all the different Christmas activities, I felt like I was right there alongside him.
One of my favorite scenes in the audiobook is when Nick goes ice skating at a local rink. The narration during this entire chapter is hilarious, especially when Nick spots Kim skating with another man and starts panicking about what to do. You can hear his anxiety, embarrassment, and frantic attempt to avoid being noticed. Holland’s comedic timing here is spot-on, particularly when Nick falls on the ice and discovers that the man with Kim is someone he knows! I laughed out loud several times because the delivery makes the situation feel like something you’d watch in a sitcom! 😂
I also enjoyed how Holland gradually changes his portrayal of Nick throughout the 25 days of the advent calendar. You can hear subtle differences in his tone as Nick starts opening himself up to Christmas and becoming more receptive to the activities, and there are a few activities where you hear his attitude change dramatically. A standout is in the carolling chapter, when Nick unexpectedly gets caught up in singing and the excitement of the crowd. You can hear his happiness take over, and it almost sounds like listening to a completely different character (temporarily).
Holland’s performance during Nick and Kim’s interactions is also memorable. You can hear Nick’s conflicting emotions in his inner monologues, along with the underlying chemistry between them. The scenes where Nick opens up and tells Kim the truth about his childhood capture Nick’s honesty and vulnerability, and her reactions sounded believable. As their relationship develops, especially during the work Christmas party and their outing to the Christmas lights show, you can hear the growing warmth and trust in their exchanges—and I was rooting for their romance!
The final chapter before the epilogue has some emotional reveals and captivating dialogue, and Holland narrates these scenes beautifully. Nick’s reactions to finally learning the truth about his mother and what really happened 30 years ago convey his shock, confusion, and emotion convincingly. Holland also conveys John’s support really well in these scenes, and when John gives his own unexpected confession, I found myself getting teary-eyed. The epilogue is well done, narrated with festive cheer, bittersweet emotion, and hopeful vibes of new beginnings. I finished the audiobook fully entertained and emotionally stirred.
Overall, this is a book I absolutely recommend experiencing on audiobook because of Curtis Michael Holland’s fantastic performance. His authentic-sounding English accents, distinct character voices, and comedic timing make this an entertaining and immersive listening experience. If you’re looking for a Christmas audiobook that’s heartfelt and funny, with a bit of suspense, and meaningful themes about friendship and healing, be sure to add this to your holiday listening list!
I Saw Mummy Killing Santa Claus is narrated by award-winning narrator Curtis Michael Holland.
Holland immediately draws you into the story with the opening flashback of eight-year-old Nick waking up to the sound of jingling bells on Christmas Eve. You can hear the excitement and childhood wonder in his voice as he sneaks downstairs, hoping to catch a glimpse of Santa coming down the chimney. Holland quickly shifts Nick’s excitement to confusion and fear when he sees a figure standing over Santa Claus with a knife. When the story jumps forward 30 years, his portrayal of adult Nick is entirely different. You can hear his grumpiness and disdain for Christmas, perfectly capturing his Grinch-like personality. When Nick visits his best friend John, who’s also his therapist, you can hear how different the two friends are. Holland portrays John with a warm, patient-sounding voice, while Nick sounds hesitant, sarcastic, and unconvinced that anything John has planned will make any difference. Holland also really conveys John’s determination to help his friend heal through the exposure-therapy challenge, and it made me like him right away.
The narration of the exchanges between Nick and his other childhood friend, Bill, is a highlight. He portrays Bill as an entertaining, sarcastic, and engaging character, and the banter between the two friends is hilarious and captures how well they know each other. Another highlight of Holland’s performance is the range of authentic-sounding English accents and distinct voices he provides for the colorful cast of characters. From Nick’s friends, Bill and John, to his potential love interest Kim, his boss Rex, and all the people he encounters through the advent calendar activities, everyone sounds unique and convincing—and it gives the audiobook a multicast production feel. I was immersed in the small-town English setting, and as Nick made his way through all the different Christmas activities, I felt like I was right there alongside him.
One of my favorite scenes in the audiobook is when Nick goes ice skating at a local rink. The narration during this entire chapter is hilarious, especially when Nick spots Kim skating with another man and starts panicking about what to do. You can hear his anxiety, embarrassment, and frantic attempt to avoid being noticed. Holland’s comedic timing here is spot-on, particularly when Nick falls on the ice and discovers that the man with Kim is someone he knows! I laughed out loud several times because the delivery makes the situation feel like something you’d watch in a sitcom! 😂
I also enjoyed how Holland gradually changes his portrayal of Nick throughout the 25 days of the advent calendar. You can hear subtle differences in his tone as Nick starts opening himself up to Christmas and becoming more receptive to the activities, and there are a few activities where you hear his attitude change dramatically. A standout is in the carolling chapter, when Nick unexpectedly gets caught up in singing and the excitement of the crowd. You can hear his happiness take over, and it almost sounds like listening to a completely different character (temporarily).
Holland’s performance during Nick and Kim’s interactions is also memorable. You can hear Nick’s conflicting emotions in his inner monologues, along with the underlying chemistry between them. The scenes where Nick opens up and tells Kim the truth about his childhood capture Nick’s honesty and vulnerability, and her reactions sounded believable. As their relationship develops, especially during the work Christmas party and their outing to the Christmas lights show, you can hear the growing warmth and trust in their exchanges—and I was rooting for their romance!
The final chapter before the epilogue has some emotional reveals and captivating dialogue, and Holland narrates these scenes beautifully. Nick’s reactions to finally learning the truth about his mother and what really happened 30 years ago convey his shock, confusion, and emotion convincingly. Holland also conveys John’s support really well in these scenes, and when John gives his own unexpected confession, I found myself getting teary-eyed. The epilogue is well done, narrated with festive cheer, bittersweet emotion, and hopeful vibes of new beginnings. I finished the audiobook fully entertained and emotionally stirred.
Overall, this is a book I absolutely recommend experiencing on audiobook because of Curtis Michael Holland’s fantastic performance. His authentic-sounding English accents, distinct character voices, and comedic timing make this an entertaining and immersive listening experience. If you’re looking for a Christmas audiobook that’s heartfelt and funny, with a bit of suspense, and meaningful themes about friendship and healing, be sure to add this to your holiday listening list!
