Sarah Bonner never misses - I'm blessed to have received this as an ARC but any books by this author are an immediate pick up for me! Funny, seasonal, but still keeping the relevant themes of violence against women meaningful.

A serial killer Mrs Claus. I think it's absolutely genius. In this hilarious thriller that is not like any other book. I have certainly not read many comedy thrillers but after reading this I would really love there to be more written. It's a festive rollicking good time and also a serial killer with unbelievable twists especially towards the end. I would recommend this for thriller lovers that want something a bit lighter and different.

Thank you NetGalley! Another great addition the Sarah Bonner’s How to Slay books. I’m so thank muck ti be able to read them all. I loved that this one contained more character viewpoints and the “villian” showing a human side

My rating: 4⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Christmas Murder and Candy Cane Twists, what’s not to like!!

Jessica Williams loves the food, the drinks, the fairy lights and most of all taking out the trash of Christmas … that is murdering all the people on her naughty list before her stint as the new Mrs Claus is up and she has to move towns again.

The bodies start to pile up, as murder and mayhem have a Christmassy twist!!

I have read all three of these How to Slay books by Sarah Bonner, and I think this was actually my favourite. I really liked the first one How to Slay at Work, the second was only meh How to Slay on Holidays, but this one had a bit of everything.

There was Christmas (love it),there was Murder (check), there was new friendships (unexpected), there were puppies (awww) and there was a little bit of romance (oooh). Like how can you not love that!! Also wrapped up in all of that you know how the murderer is and why, but you don't know all the other little bits that come your way.. also it has dark humour… sign me up immediately!!

These books (except the second one) do everything they are supposed to entertain and be a bit silly. I really liked it.

Sarah Bonner tells a decent story with weirdly unlikeable characters that you actually like and Jessica was probably my favourite murderess of the lot. She is literally Mrs Claus (perfect cover) and she genuinely loves Christmas. She is not faking it so she can stab a few baddies, she literally loves everything Christmas which was part of the charm for me.

I don’t think this is particularly a masterpiece but it was a fun, entertaining read that I would highly recommend to anyone who wants a funny, thriller set at Christmas time. Its not overly violent (there is violence of course) and the romance is not steamy at all… its very vanilla and I liked that…

I really enjoyed the friendships that Jessica made with the ladies and the runaway. Even after a while Fern’s husband who was on the top of my naughty list kind of grew on me… did he survive… well you will have to wait to find out.

Overall, I think this one is a good bit of fun and I do recommend to anyone who is thinking about reading it. Its not very long and its quite entertaining. I will keep reading books from this author cause she is more hit than miss for me.

Thank you to NetGalley, Boldwood Books and Sarah Bonner for my Advanced Copy in exchange for an honest review.

Christmas village, being Mrs Claus. Taking revenge on those who deserve it. This time with a twist , talking in a teenager who was homeless and projecting her new friend.
Finally finding a place where it might be forever. As enjoyable as the previous books.

you have to be so clever to write books like this. to get that balance right is a skill. its a genre spin that can get exciting when you get authors doing it well. and this book does it really well. i shouldn't be smiling but i am and there lies the skill when you can make these books dark and twisty but also have you grinning with its wit.
this book brings us Jessica who loves Christmas. so much so that you'll find her in a Mrs Claus outfit at the markets. but id be careful if you find yourself on her naughty list because, well...she is going to kill you.
we also have a brilliant gaggle of other characters in this book. they all are woven seamlessly into Jessica's story, some a bit more than others.
in particular one such character is Fearne who cant stand Christmas. fake, yuk.she the market managers wife and suddenly finds herself in the middle of these murders!
what happens now? what do we even want to happen now? well join in, forget your morals and just enjoy this book like it deserves to be.

I’ve really been in my British mystery/thriller era lately, and How to Slay at Christmas definitely fits the bill—though it leans more witty than chilling.

Jessica Williams, a poker-playing serial killer who moonlights as Mrs. Claus, is delightfully unhinged in her quest to fix Christmas by permanently removing those who ruin the holiday spirit. Fearne—trapped in a joyless marriage—is the foil who ends up tangled in her own twisted drama. Meanwhile, Lena, a seventeen year old recently homeless teen is taken in by Jessica and soon thereafter a witness to one of her murders. Then enter mysterious animal rescue boyfriend-not-boyfriend-turned-lover, Alvi. But, also, there's Hanna and Sebastian and Immy and Bella Donna and Erin and and and....it's A LOT.

While the vibes were there and I had fun...if I’m honest, the plot was a bit too all over the place. Tonally, it couldn’t decide between campy satire and cozy crime, and it felt like it was trying to juggle too much: serial murder, found family, animal rescue, and… werewolf erotica? It seemed as if the ending of the book was one twist after another, but without resolution or at least without the buildup or prelude. I could be overthinking it. After all it was a cute, chaotic holiday thrill.

Thank you NetGalley and Boldwood Books for the eARC!

How to Slay at Christmas by Sarah Bonner is a hilarious thriller. I've not read the other "How To Slay" books, but I believe this is a complete standalone book. However, this book made me go look for the other books. A serial killer Mrs Claus? Quite intriguing from the beginning. I loved the twists, especially at the end. Great read.
I got the ARC from Boldwood Books via Netgalley. This is my honest review

Another hilarious read by Sarah Bonner. Jessica Williams just loves everything about Christmas, well apart from the people who want to ruin it and her job is to take them out. And what better way to do is but as Mrs Clause at the local Christmas market.
Total rating 3.5 stars

"May all your Christmases be red... blood red."

Nothing gets you into the spirit of Christmas more than Mrs. Claus on a vigilante killing spree!
Jessica makes the perfect Mrs. Claus every year at Christmas; she's charming, she's a lover of all things Christmas, you won't anyone with more Christmas spirit, and she knows exactly how to handle those on Santa's naughty list.

I loved that though the books are complete standalones, the author sprinkled a couple of small easter eggs from How to Slay at Work and How to Slay on Holiday!

OOH I loved it. Did not want to put it down. I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Reindeer Games
Jessica loves Christmas. She makes her living during the year playing poker tournaments, but around late October she travels the country looking for a job as Mrs Claus at Christmas markets. It’s her favourite thing in the world; making children happy and thusly making their parents happy. The lights, the glitter, the sparkle. And after work, she kills people who deserve it.

This isn’t my usual fare, but I decided to give it a go because it’s freaking hot outside and I was in the mood for something light-hearted that gives off a chilly vibe that I could do with. And I really did enjoy it for the most part. It is, however, important to overlook a bunch of inconsistencies when reading this book, but then again, one does not pick up a novel titled How to Slay at Christmas if one is looking for realism. An in-depth novel about the intricacies of family slash small town life around the holidays this ain’t, but then again, one could tell as much by looking at the cover.

It does manage to be generally festive; the Christmas market sounds delightful, though these things, in my experience, are generally a letdown. There’s also Jessica’s love interest, a man who has devoted his life to rescuing animals and is therefore always accompanied by a slew of dogs and the occasional pony or alpaca; her whiney, self-involved boss and his wife Fearne, who quietly makes her money writing werewolf erotica and who becomes Jessica’s new BFF. There’s a teenage runaway, and your typical influencer-obsessed teenager with a heart of gold. There is a lot going on, really. The ending of the story is downright unhinged, but in a good way.

Not all of it makes sense, even within the confines of what is already a pretty insane story. One character’s response to finding out his loved ones plan to have him murdered is “I’m sorry, I’ll do better.” And he does, so good for him, but DUDE THEY WERE PLANNING TO HAVE YOU KILLED. There are also odd misphrasings (“this cafe does a cracking prosecco”) and incongruous tonal mixing (Brits go to uni, not to college). People frequently behave in odd ways that feel shoehorned in to fit the plot. Jessica, who supposedly can’t afford even the tiniest of apartments, spends an inordinate amount of money on luxury goods; I don’t mean in an skip-the-avocado-toast-so-you-can-buy-a-house, but hundreds of pounds worth of gifts and outfits, dinners, drinks and lunches on a daily basis. One of the antagonists is a sort of Dolores Umbridge type of person, and though we all love hating Dolores Umbridge this is written in a very clunky way. It’s effective, but also a missed opportunity, even in a book where the characters are pretty one dimensional.

Is this a good book? Not as defined by any literary standards. It needs a little finetuning in places. It is, however, a lot of fun. It kept me engaged and the plot has a few twists that I genuinely didn’t see coming, perhaps because the book is all over the place; nevertheless, it was enjoyable. You could do worse for December reads.

Such a great Christmas beach read! Jessica is a professional Mrs Claus and seasonal vigilante. Fearne is the wife of the Ellsbury Christmas market manager a secret erotica novelist. The two cross paths during the Christmas market and become friends.

This book is a lot of fun. I loved the brilliant cast of women characters. Once I got into it I couldn't put it down. This was my first book by Sarah Bonner and I will definitely check out the other books in this series.

Jessica Williams adores everything about the holiday season, the mulled wine, the twinkling lights, the sugar-dusted nostalgia. But most of all, she loves the perfect excuse Christmas gives her to deal with those who make the season miserable for everyone else. What better disguise for a vigilante with a screwdriver than the jolly, motherly figure of Mrs Claus at the Ellsbury Christmas Market grotto? After all, who would suspect sweet Mrs Claus of cold-blooded murder?
Fearne Dixon can’t stand Christmas, not the carols, not the fake snow, and definitely not the endless tinsel her husband insists on draping across their lives. As the market manager’s increasingly bitter wife, she’s barely holding it together when a string of gruesome deaths starts rocking the market. And just as Fearne’s nerves begin to fray, an old enemy turns up, stirring memories she’d rather leave buried under the snow.

Christmas came early this year when I was lucky enough to receive a pre-approved copy of Sarah Bonner’s brilliantly twisted new crime thriller, How to Slay at Christmas. This festive installment continues the darkly comic brilliance of her previous books, How to Slay on Holiday and How to Slay at Work. Bonner once again delivers a razor-sharp tale of female serial killers with a mission, to rid the world of the worst people. It’s packed with festive mayhem, wicked humour, and morally grey women you can’t help but root for, even as they cross every line. Think holiday cheer but with a body count. If you're a fan of pitch-black comedy, fierce female leads, and crime with a deadly twist, How to Slay at Christmas deserves a spot on your TBR pile.

Thanks NetGalley and Boldwood Books for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review. I’ve really enjoyed Sarah Bonner’s funny suspense novels. They remind me of the Finlay Donovan series. At times, the action seemed to be happening a little too fast for me in this one. That said, I was not expecting that ending. I love how Bonner could work in a twist. This is definitely a book worth checking out when released in August.

I really really really loved this !!
So wish I read it at Christmas time it was such a fun
Christmas book with a little murder definitely my favourite kind of books
I loved Jessica she full of banter think she’s one of my all time favourite characters!
I loved the others too even Sebastian at the end.
The ending i actually didn’t see coming completely took me by surprise! Was the Perfect Christmas read!

What an entertaining Christmas read! Jessica loves Christmas and was born to play Mrs Claus. She also happens to have a secret talent for taking out the bad guys. Fearne is stuck in a thankless marriage and finds more than she bargained for with the drama surrounding this year's Christmas market. Particularly when bodies start showing up around town.

A fun read that will definitely get you in the holiday spirit! The characters are particularly well written and I found myself wanting to be friends with them all. Filled with humour and the joy of Christmas, this book is the perfect holiday read.

The perfect holiday read!
Jessica Williams loves the Christmas holiday season. She is Mrs. Claus at a Christmas market grotto and uses it as a time to write her own naughty list and eliminate people. This season the bodies start to pile up quickly. It gives a whole new meaning to being on the naughty list.

Fearne Dixon hates the holiday season and everything about it. She is married to the manager of the Christmas market. She becomes fast friends with Jessica. Fearne makes a mistake and Jessica is there to help her through.

This book is hilarious and fast paced adventure. It has found family, fierce friendship and romance rolled into one great read.

𝐇𝐞 𝐥𝐚𝐮𝐠𝐡𝐬. 𝐀𝐬 𝐢𝐟 𝐈'𝐦 𝐩𝐨𝐰𝐞𝐫𝐥𝐞𝐬𝐬. 𝐀𝐬 𝐢𝐟 𝐈 𝐜𝐨𝐮𝐥𝐝𝐧'𝐭 𝐡𝐮𝐫𝐭 𝐡𝐢𝐦. 𝐀𝐬 𝐢𝐟 𝐈 𝐜𝐨𝐮𝐥𝐝𝐧'𝐭 𝐬𝐥𝐢𝐭 𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐫𝐨𝐚𝐭 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐤𝐧𝐢𝐟𝐞 𝐢𝐧 𝐦𝐲 𝐩𝐨𝐜𝐤𝐞𝐭 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐯𝐞 𝐡𝐢𝐦 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞 𝐭𝐨 𝐛𝐥𝐞𝐞𝐝 𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐞𝐞𝐭.

I'm in my Female Rage era, and I've never been happier. The third book in the "How to Slay" standalone series is set during what should be the most festive time of the year. However, the holidays can be stressful, and they certainly are for Fearne Dixon. Fearne's husband runs Ellsbury Christmas Market, and each year is a delicate balancing act with the vendors, booth placement, and a host of other headaches. When an old enemy returns to Fearne's life and targets the livelihood of the market, she reaches her breaking point.

Meanwhile, Jessica Williams loves everything about the holiday season--the sights, the sounds, the food, and the opportunity to wrap festive twinkle lights around the throat of a miserable person who dares try to ruin this magical time for others. The best part is, no one would ever suspect Jessica, who takes the job of Mrs. Claus at the market that Fearne's husband manages.

When the paths of these two woman converge, it's a darkly comedic good time that will have you rubbing your hands together with glee. Because sometimes someone just deserves that place on the naughty list. Many thanks to NetGalley and Boldwood Books for this fun early copy. Look for this one August 7, 2025.

While this is part of a series, this can be read as a complete standalone. The dark humor had me cackling as it was right up my alley! There was so much festive chaos that I could not put this book down. Definitely add this to your holiday TBR!