The Christmas Mystery

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The basic idea of this book is a great idea and the 24 chapter, advent calendar style is great. However far too many unanswered question for me that would confuse and concern a child.

Why would an angel abandon a 20th century girl in the year 0 in a different continent? Why does a children's book include modern day references to child abduction and the poor mother who spend 50 years wondering what became of her daughter? What exactly was Elisabet's role in the birth of Jesus? Why was Elisabet's The basic idea of this book is a great idea and the 24 chapter, advent calendar style is great.

Why was Elisabet's disappeared linked to political motives which are frankly unbelievable to an adult and would be incomprehensible to a child? I was desperately hoping that it would all be explained at the end but is simply wasn't.

The Christmas Mystery

Not sure who it was aimed at and who would enjoy it to be honest. This book was published not too long after the Norwegian author's better known novel, Sophie's World , made a big international splash. Probably way too many copies of The Christmas Mystery were printed, and I seem to remember it being remaindered almost right away. Certainly, I bought it as a remainder, and it sat unread on my shelves for about 15 years. Early this past December, I pulled it out thinking of creating some badly needed shelf space.

I read the first chapter finally and was hooked This book was published not too long after the Norwegian author's better known novel, Sophie's World , made a big international splash. I read the first chapter finally and was hooked by the premise: Joachim, a boy in a small town in Norway finds a mysterious hand-made Advent calendar in a used bookshop; each day when he opens a door a folded slip of paper with writing falls out, each day's installment telling the story of a girl named Elisabet who makes a strange, mystical journey to Bethlehem, running from the town in Norway across Europe and back in time, in a growing company of sheep, angels, shepherds, wise men and others who play bit parts in the nativity story.

There's a chapter for each door that Joachim opens, making the book itself something of an Advent calendar. I immediately thought to spend December reading it aloud to my eight-year-old boy at bedtime. Now that we're finished, I don't regret it, but there were times during the reading when I wasn't sure if we were going to have the stamina to stick with it. After a very strong opening my son, too, was immediately hooked by the premise, and taken with the idea of reading each chapter on its corresponding date the story became a little sluggish and repetitive.

The first two angels who join Elisabet on her journey have strong personalities, but the ones that follow each day another character joins the holy procession are just names, which is also the case with the shepherds.

The wise men make long tedious philosophical speeches which six-year-old Elisabet is always "hiding in her heart. A shepherd often interrupts whatever informational or philosophical conversation is taking place by banging his crook and shouting "To Bethlehem, to Bethlehem! The framing story of Joachim and his attempt to learn about the maker of the Advent calendar a flower-seller from the market named John , and its connection with a real-life Elisabet who disappeared from their town in the s, is also a little repetitive.

I guess there are only so many ways to describe a boy waking up all agog to open a door in his Advent calendar. The ending, and the explanation of the real-life Elisabet's story was both long-winded and incoherent. All this being said, I can't deny that I got some pleasure out of making an Advent ritual of this book, and it certainly kept us focused on the religious aspects of Christmas non-Christians might prefer to give this one a miss. The particular edition we read, a handsome, almost picture-book sized hard-cover, with appealing illustrations by Rosemary Wells is lovely as a physical object.

I've moved it to my son's shelf now -- who knows if he'll ever reread it I'm fairly sure I won't , but maybe seeing it there will bring back some good Christmas memories for him in the years to come. View all 4 comments. Dec 01, Hilary added it Shelves: We were so excited about reading this book. The idea of a magic advent calendar and a part of the story to read each day was really appealing to us but despite having greatly enjoyed Sophie's World by the same author we struggled to enjoy this one.

Will perhaps try again another year. View all 3 comments. Dec 03, Ruth rated it it was ok Shelves: On 1st December, a young boy named Joachim is given an unusual advent calendar, and behind each door contains a chapter of a story. As the story unfolds, Joachim and his parents learn about a young girl named Elisabet who disappeared from Norway years earlier, and a pilgrimage of angels, shepherds and wise men who travel across land and time, to be present when Jesus was born.

Unfortunately, I did not particularly enjoy this book.

Although I am not religious, I can enjoy reading books about rel On 1st December, a young boy named Joachim is given an unusual advent calendar, and behind each door contains a chapter of a story. Although I am not religious, I can enjoy reading books about religion, but I felt that this particular story was preachy and sanctimonious.

Also, while it might be considered a magical tale of a pilgrimage, it could equally be seen as the story of a young girl who was tempted away from her mother by a cute animal, and led away with an angel who promised to look after her, but instead took her away from her home, and left her mother wondering for years about what had happened to her daughter. Which to me anyway, sounds a bit sinister.

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The writing just seemed too simplistic, and the story was also somewhat repetitive, and the ending was — possibly deliberately — a bit unclear. Ganz nett, aber werde ich sicher nicht nochmals lesen. Jan 25, Melinda rated it it was ok Shelves: This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. I would have rated this book with 5 stars until I got to the last 4 or 5 pages. I felt like Ralphie in the movie "A Christmas Story", that it was "a crummy commercial". This book is beautifully written, beautifully illustrated the one I got was illustrated by Rosemary Wells whom I have loved for years , and beautifully set up.

It is an advent book, with each day of the advent calendar following a double story. The story of Joachim who is given a Magical Advent Calendar and opens it each day and I would have rated this book with 5 stars until I got to the last 4 or 5 pages. The story of Joachim who is given a Magical Advent Calendar and opens it each day and reads the message inside each door, and then the story of Elisabet the young Norwegian girl who in is whisked away by angels to take a trip thru time to the birth of Jesus in Bethlehem.

Both stories are lovely, and the addition of sheep, kings of the east, and emperors along Elisabet's trip makes the Christmas story come alive in a lovely way. The ending is very poor. It seems there are two possible solutions to the mystery of "what happened to Elisabet? Elisabet is a real girl who was kidnapped and taken to Bethlehem to be raised in in the war-torn area that was Palestine as the new nation of Israel was being formed.

She has been missing for 45 years, and her mother still grieves the loss of her daughter. Whether Elisabet was kidnapped by an angel, which is what the Magic Advent calendar supposes, she was taken away from her family It seems she works on behalf of refugee families in Palestine? I read this story not knowing that the author was against the formation of the nation of Israel, nor that he was in support of Palestine. Somehow along the way I didn't think that should have mattered.

But the author makes his political "commercial" the ending of the story, and for me it ruins it completely. All I could think of at the end was "her poor mother Child kidnapping, what a horrible ending to the advent story! These thoughts overshadowed the rest of the story, which is that Elisabet was present when Baby Jesus was born. You don't even know what happened once Elisabet got to the manger in Bethlehem.

It was almost as though the ending of the story was hijacked by the political commercial. And I for one am sadly disappointed. If it was the angels, couldn't the angels have brought her back in time and return her to her family? Was she kidnapped by a Palestinian family? If so, doesn't that say something unflattering about their purposes in kidnapping a child? And why didn't they try to return her to her home? What purpose really is the fact that she lived all this time as a Palestinian refugee have to do with her being at the birth of Christ?

Any one want to join me and write a different ending for the book?

The Christmas Mystery by James Patterson

Nov 18, Jade Heslin rated it did not like it. The Christmas Mystery by Jostein Gaarder. In fact, when it was announced at book club I was a little bit enamoured with the fact that we would be reading a book for kids. So much so that I actually went out and bought the pretty picture-book version with all the little angels and Baby-Jesuses in the margins. What a bloody waste of money that was! The story is about a magic advent calendar and it starts off really well A little boy whose name escapes me as he was just so dull procures this calendar from a strange old man.

When he opens the first window, a little bit of paper falls out with the introduction to a story on it. Events continue this very same way through every date in December, with little whatshisface getting up at the crack of dawn to eagerly drink in some more of this tale. A widowed mom gets a summer internship at a tech company and draws the attention of two very different executives while learning about about accounting, app designs and finding love.

A travel writer takes a Christmas vacation, but finds herself double-booked with a widower, his mother, and his daughter at the holiday site. Each year Sarah builds her "Snow Beau" snowman with her best friend Nick. After another breakup, she begins to wonder if she'll ever find true love of her own. A little Christmas magic brings her Snow Beau to life. Hardworking and optimistic television producer, Kelly Ali Liebert , doesn't have time for love.

Molly and Jared have sworn off partaking in holiday activities, but find themselves at a Christmas themed ranch with no flights available to leave. Eventually, they find romance, and the spirit of Christmas revived in them again. When a reporter discovers that her late mother had been receiving Christmas cards from a secret admirer, she decides to track him down.

In the process, she'll discover a family secret more dangerous than she could have ever imagined. I am most of the time able to find some positive things to say about a film but regarding this "mystery" the only thing i can think of, and then i were forced to think both hard and long, were and is the great Christmas decorations in houses, shops, boats and on people the great knitted Christmas sweaters The story is blend, colorless and flat.

When it comes to the acting it is totally one dimensional, absolutely zero depth in the characters. And that actually makes me sad when the actors personality actually shines thru so much and the seem like very nice people, so i can imagine the set must have been just a delight and a wonderful time for all. To bad that the director did not have the skill to use that dynamic.

It was like looking at the nicest of people, trying the best they possibly could with a script made for a middle school nativity play and directions given a prison chain gang. Start your free trial. Find showtimes, watch trailers, browse photos, track your Watchlist and rate your favorite movies and TV shows on your phone or tablet! Keep track of everything you watch; tell your friends. Full Cast and Crew. Open Preview See a Problem? Thanks for telling us about the problem.

The Christmas Mystery: A Detective Luc Moncrief Story

Return to Book Page. Short, fast-paced, high-impact entertainment. Two stolen paintings disappear from a Park Avenue murder scene — French detective Luc Moncrief is in for a merry Christmas. Paperback , UK , pages. Detective Luc Moncrief 2. To see what your friends thought of this book, please sign up. To ask other readers questions about The Christmas Mystery , please sign up. Will having read this book before the rest of the series spoil anything for me?

See 1 question about The Christmas Mystery…. Lists with This Book. Dec 18, Matt rated it liked it Shelves: While their assignments vary, from undercover shoppers in Bloomingdale's to stakeouts waiting for the next "chalk drop" in the dingy streets of the city, Moncrief and Burke are always ready for a new adventure.

News comes down the line that there is an art gallery that has been stiffing its patrons, selling them knock-offs at prices for which the In this follow-up BookShot, Patterson and DiLallo bring Detective Luc Moncrief back to work alongside Katherine "K. News comes down the line that there is an art gallery that has been stiffing its patrons, selling them knock-offs at prices for which the original masterpieces might sell.

Moncrief uses his connections in the art world to peer deeper into this, with Burke happy to play along, doing so more effectively than anyone might imagine. When one of New York's finest, Ramona Driver Dunlop Baby D to her fans , is murdered, Moncrief and Burke begin investigating, soon learning that she, too, has been a victim of forgers. While the case plays out, Moncrief receives a call from Paris with some sad news.

In an attempt to support him, and on the insistence that they both take some time off after the murder investigation, Burke accompanies Moncrief to Paris. There, much is made of the news and Moncrief tries to unwrap the mystery of his feelings for K. Burke in the City of Love. Could Burke and Moncrief have Christmas chemistry? A BookShot that rebounds, at least partially, from the previous let-down in the series. This is a quick read and should keep any reader occupied long enough to digest such a large and festive meal before breaking out the sweets.

As with any BookShot, there is a gamble and a balance in trying to make it all work. Patterson and DiLallo offer up a decent story, though it is a little light on the mystery and drama, while plunging a little deeper into the personal sentiments of Detective Luc Moncrief. I found the crime-based portion of the story to be somewhat predictable and less than captivating, though perhaps this was a cover the authors had for eating up page counts before delving into the Paris angle and final BookShot in the series.

I am curious to see how things will resolve themselves, on both sides of the Pond, and to see if this mini-series can end with a bang rather than a dreary collection of angst-filled sentiments by Moncrief towards Burke. Perhaps I am too used to the quick pace of a Patterson mystery, but this set of characters seems locked into something bridled, even in their banter with one another. There are moments of excitement, for sure, but it is as if Patterson and DiLallo are holding back, from what I have seen in each of them previously.

One can hope that the pep is back, for this team has churned out some successful stories before. Patterson and DiLallo for soldiering on, though I can only hope you have something riveting to complete the BookShot trilogy. Moncrief has potential and seems to have some NYPD tendencies. Show them off or ship him back! An ever-growing collection of others appears at: Burke and Detective Luc Moncrief were in New York and on the trail of murder, missing paintings and mystery. After the death of a high society woman in highly suspicious circumstances, K.

Burke noticed the paintings that had been on the wall had gone. As the investigation took them to Paris, the intrigue deepened… but what would they find as the city of love prepared for Christmas? Insipid and with very little mystery, it also seemed like the author was trying to show Detective Luc Moncrief in the same light as Hercule Poirot. A weak imitation in my opinion. View all 4 comments. Feb 02, Denise rated it did not like it Shelves: What did I just read? There was a series of conflicts that all seemed to get resolved about 3 pages later Should I have spoiler tagged that?

Jun 07, Chanel Lindsay rated it it was ok. Unfortunately I didn't enjoy this one as much as previous bookshots. This one is the second 'Detective Luc Moncrief' read and I'm hoping the third is better.

Now, French detective Luc Moncrief must become a quick study in the art of the steal - before a cold blooded killer paints the town red" This one had the potential to be have a storyline but in my opinion, failed. Although I like the main Unfortunately I didn't enjoy this one as much as previous bookshots. Although I like the main character, I felt the storyline was rushed and this let it down for me.

I don't normally have high expectations for short stories, but previous bookshots from James Patterson prove that he can write them well so was disappointed by this one.

Worth a read just for the main characters storyline. This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. Burke, the plot was disjointed. There was a murder and art forgery ring. The case was solved although not in as satisfactory manner as the first book in this series. He expects there was something wrong with this death.

The friendship and partnership of Luc and K Burke continue to grow. I think Patterson tried to do too much in such a short book. I'm hoping the next installment is better! View all 3 comments. Feb 03, Amber Garabrandt rated it liked it. Still reeling after the death of his lover, Luc is determined to loose himself in his detective work- his way. Whether it's nabbing punk shoplifters, finding the missing art from a high profile murder scene, or even discovering if it's real art of a fake, he's down for all of it and dragging his by-the-book partner along for the ride.

As things die down on the case front, his family calls him home. He and K go to France to lay his father to rest. While they did not have a great relationship, it was the right thing to do. Once there, Moncrief realizes that there is far more to his father's death than he thought- one more mystery to solve.

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I will admit, I am still on the fence here about our French detective and his gut instincts.

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