I didn’t like the first chapter and the use of third person and way thief was refered to and then the stuff about the dead mother was more than I could deal with.

I very much enjoyed this book. It has a good story and excellent main characters. I would definately recommend this book.

This book was ok, the plot was done really quite well and it was a typical cosy Christmas style book. Not my usual read so it did make a nice change to read something totally different.
I would recommend this book very much so and it’s definitely something I would read at that time of year

Really enjoyable read. Good characters and a Good story. Well worth a read. Think others will. Enjoy

Please see my review here, posted before Christmas:
One Christmas Night opens at 3.08 a.m., Christmas Eve in Newbury Street, Norwich with a thief about to break into one of the houses:

The thief has always loved the thick silence that comes at this very specific time in the early hours, when nearly everybody’s asleep and everything looks like a child’s drawing of night-time.

The thief pinches everything, presents, the Christmas food in the fridge and even the gingerbread made by the children. At a time when most people are filled with the joy of sharing and giving, the street turns in on itself with everyone suspecting each other even close loved ones.



The story is told from the point of view of nine characters in the present over Christmas Eve and leading up to midday Christmas Day: Sisters Joanie and Tash Blake, recently bereaved Wendy Finch, pub landlady Sue Winters, well-off Cynthia Ellis, pub employee Irma Wozniak, divorced Craig Mullany and Frank Blake who took up with Craig’s ex wife Jen. The investigating officer is DC Lucy Crane.

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.

9.13 a.m. Christmas Eve, Kind-hearted Joanie Blake finds Mr Finch, an old man who has collapsed and is dying on the street in the cold and the rain. Joanie cannot help but think of her mother, Allie who has recently died from cancer.

9.40am. When Tash Blake, who works in the local Stop Shop, hears the sirens, she runs from the shop thinking something has happened to her sister, Joanie. The two sisters decide to invite Mr Finch’s wife, Wendy over for Christmas so she won’t be on her own. Inside the flat Joanie witnesses the old couple’s struggle with poverty. Wendy is not quite ‘malnourished’ but she will fit a size eight pyjama.

10.14am. DC Crane, and her sidekick DC Ado, interview the victims, Jen and Frank who were burgled. They discover that Jen used to be married to Craig and he has just moved into a new house a few doors up. They wonder if being that close to his ex means he stalking his ex-wife. And he is not the only potential stalker.

Somehow it’s turned into something she never meant it to be. She knows it must stop. How would Joanie feel if she knew? Five times is still five times too many. People deserve their privacy, and their safety and to not be watched when they don’t know they’re being watched.

Hour after hour, this Christmas story unravels itself. Crime, passion and through each chapter the festive spirit: booze, food, rituals and fun. There are stories within stories and as the book moves forward we get to understand the motivation behind the characters’ actions. Christmas can be one of the most emotive times of the year. Families are supposed to come together, swop presents, be happy, eat and then get on with their lives. But in Newbury Street, people are emotionally stuck in the lead up to Christmas Day. A pair of potential lovers can’t seem to get past first gear, new lovers are wracked with guilt from previous relationships, children are mourning, there are abusive relationships and an expert portrayal of gaslighting. There are many types of relationships in the story, friendship, genuine love, long-term partnerships, parental and romantic love. The sadness and joy that Christmas can bring is represented well and as the pages turn, confessions and discoveries lead the characters lives towards the joy and beauty of love, acceptance, hope, friendships, and eventually a very merry Christmas.

One Christmas Night has everything I enjoy, mystery, love, complicated relationships and an interesting and clever narrative layout. There was an added bonus as two of the characters are care experienced, one of whom is a main character. The representation is well thought out and believable with a familiar backstory. The attention to minute details is exquisite and beautifully written. This is definitely one of those books to curl up with this Christmas on the settee with blanket, chocolate and hot toddy or hot water bottle.



Hayley Webster is a writer and teacher who grew up in Newbury, Berkshire. Her first novel, Jar Baby, was published by Dexter Haven in 2012 and, as Hayley Scott, three books in her Teacup House series for emerging readers were published by Usborne in 2018. She has written for Grazia, The Observer Magazine, and did a sold-out event at Edinburgh festival in 2018. She’s a mentor on the 2019 National Writers Centre Escalator scheme and she lives in Norfolk with her daughter.



Published by Trapeze

Follow Hayley on Twitter: @HayleyThough
https://careleaversinfiction.wordpress.com/2019/12/16/one-christmas-night-by-hayley-webster/

One Christmas Night is not your typical Christmas read, it follows the residents of Newbury Street as they prepare for the big day but there is a thief on the loose.

What a delight! I loved this book, I didn’t want it to end. It’s such a well crafted story, full of great characters! I can’t wait to read more from this author! I would definitely recommend and not just as a Christmas read.

This book is set on Newbury Street. It follows the lives of some of the residents. There are numerous back stories but the main story is that there have been a series of burglaries on the street and the police are trying to discover who the culprit is.
There was a good range of characters in this book. However the storyline was a bit weak in places. The beginning of the book was slow but the pace did increase in the second half of the book.

Enjoyable read different from the usual Christmas fare. Did find it a bit confusing as to who was who at times but the stories were all riveting none the less.

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.

Oh my goodness, I’ve just found my new favourite Christmas book in One Christmas Night! The novel follows nine people who all live in the same street, and each of them have their secrets! It’s almost Christmas and someone has been stealing presents and food from the residents’ homes and rumours abound that it’s someone who lives in their street.

There is a lot of suspicion and sadness in this book but the overwhelming takeaway from it is the sense of community and kindness that comes from darkness.

The novel opens on Christmas Eve with an unidentified person breaking into a home and gleefully stealing their gifts and food. It was horrible to think of someone doing this, especially at Christmas. We then get to meet the inhabitants of Newbury Street.

Poor Joanie has a dreadful shock early in the book and she was already feeling down. I really connected with her. She is struggling as it’s ten months since her beloved mum died, her dad is already in a new relationship and Joannie just wants to make Christmas how her mum made it. She’s frazzled and grieving. I remember my last Christmas with my mum when she was so ill, and the first one after she died. It’s never the same when you’ve lost someone important. I love how Joannie loves Christmas so much that she’s determined to keep going however hard it is. Hayley Webster captures life in such a beautiful way and her writing moved me to tears more than once as I read this book.

All the residents of Newbury Street know of each other but it’s a typical street in that some neighbours are friends, some know each other to say hello to and others are suspicious of each other. I loved how the owners of the local pub try to bring everyone together on Christmas Eve with a fundraiser.

The way the kinder residents of this street pull together and support each other made my heart sing. I turned the final page of this book and just felt such peace. This book has sadness and difficult times but it’s still the most gorgeous and festive novel. It’s full of forgiveness and finding solace, it’s about making new memories and finding ways to move on while still remembering what came before. It really does capture the spirit of Christmas and it really is the most beautiful book! I’ll definitely be re-reading it over Christmases to come! I can’t recommend it highly enough!

This is a Christmas story with a difference told from several points of view.
Someone is stealing Christmas presents but who and why is a mystery. Why would someone begrudge others happiness? Many of the residents have secrets, can all be settled by Christmas day?
Well written and a must for Christmas fans

There were so many great and detailed characters with amazing backstories in this book. It took me a while to get into because there could’ve been more physical descriptions for characters to help me decipher them a bit more and get a better picture of them as I was getting to know them, but after a while they were all distinct enough to understand as individuals. I’ve been reading a lot of ‘romcom’ Christmas books recently and I adore them, but this was a really refreshing change. More of a It’s A Wonderful Life type story than a Christmas Inheritance kind of story, and so was incredibly heartwarming in different ways.
I’m a sucker for a ‘make a family out of misfits’ situation, and this was tripled by the fact that it was on Christmas and because of the characters involved. Wendy Finch is my new hero.
If you’re looking for a Christmas novel with a lot of different elements, and something a bit more rounded than a simple romance, it’s definitely worth picking this one up!

Well! Wrap me up in Christmas paper, put a HUGE bow on and cover me in glitter for I have just read the perfect festive book! One Christmas Night by Hayley Webster has already been heralded as the feel good Christmas book of 2019 and I am 100% behind that statement. Full of nostalgia, love, friendship, community spirit and a little sprinkling of crime – you couldn’t ask for anything more.

Christmas has been ruined for those that live on Newbury Street, Norwich. Presents have been going missing from resident’s homes and 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 people of Newbury Street don’t know who to trust even within their own families. The police presence isn’t helping matters, especially when they all have something to hide. But we all know Christmas is traditionally a time for miracles and with just a little hope and help from each other they might just find a solution.

I really loved One Christmas Night and it’s actually one of those rare books that I would read again and again, even with its elements of sadness and suspicion it feels like a warm blanket of festive comfort and a reminder of what is actually important at that time of year. The writing is exquisite and I was transported into the homes of the families on Newbury Street. I definitely recognised some of the family dynamics and drama!

So grab yourself a mug of hot chocolate with lashings of marshmallows, tuck that cosy blanket around your shoulders and get reading, I can guarantee (that like The Grinch) your heart will grow three sizes that day.

An unusual Christmas story heartwarming and entertaining.
The well crafted plot feature more themes than the usual festive romcom: there's the path to overcome grief and there's a mystery.
It's a coral novel and I loved the well thought and realistic cast of characters.
A good read, highly recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine.

Focussing in on Newbury Street in the run up to Christmas, you get to meet nine of the inhabitants and to find out what hopes, dreams, fears and secrets are lurking behind the closed doors. Although it is set near Christmas, it does not feel overly sparkly and glitzy. There are some sad and dark moments and a lot of humdrum, everyday living to see as well. However, the spirit of community and family shines through and you can see not just what divides people but also what they have in common.

As you get to meet each subsequent neighbour, you start to unravel the mystery of who is stealing the Christmas presents from the houses. It is a mixture of domestic crime mystery with a touch of romance which makes it stand out a little from many of the current Christmas books. It is a touching and reflective story with some down to earth characters and bucketsful of warmth and hope.

In short: 9 lives intertwine. Thanks to the author for a copy of the book.

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 it's not just for Christmas!

This is such a great read, don’t judge this book by its cover, there is so much more going on here than it’s image would have you believe. It got mystery, deals with serious issues and handles them so sensitively too. Yes it’s Christmassy and full of family and drama too, but what a read and ride. Thoroughly recommended book, a blinder !

Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for a free copy for an honest opinion

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.

I always enjoyed following this author on Twitter and was looking forward to reading this novel. - and I certainly wasn't disappointed. It has all the ingredients of a classic Christmas novel and much more besides, great characters, intense drama, real depth. I look forward to see what she does next!

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!!!!