Hunter’s Christmas and Other Stories by Val Penny
DI Hunter Wilson is looking forward to spending a holiday in India with his girlfriend Dr Meera Sharma, away from the cold, wet winter of Edinburgh. He looks to share his happiness with others when he is attacked by Santa Claus, he says.
His team swing into action to catch his attackers but then receive information about an elf found dead in a car park and a car stolen by Mrs Claus.
Are the crimes by these Christmas characters connected?
Can Hunter’s team restore peace and good will to Christmas?
Hunter’s Christmas and Other Stories includes tales about DI Hunter Wilson and DS Jane Renwick along with those about new and different characters in this gripping collection of short stories especially for crime fiction readers.
About the author
Val Penny has an Llb degree from the University of Edinburgh and her MSc from Napier University. She has had many jobs including hairdresser, waitress, banker, azalea farmer and lecturer but has not yet achieved either of her childhood dreams of being a ballerina or owning a candy store.
Until those dreams come true, she has turned her hand to writing poetry, short stories,nonfiction books, and novels. Her novels are published by SpellBound Books Ltd.
Val is an American author living in SW Scotland. She has two adult daughters of whom she is justly proud and lives with her husband and their cat.
Review
This was a delightful teasing titbit of Hunter and the team for those who are longing for the next book! I am a big fan of the series and couldn’t wait to get into these short stories. I don't read copious amounts of short stories as I prefer a longer plotline but I was pleasantly surprised to how much I enjoyed them. Don't worry if you haven't read the series it is very easy to pick this book up as a newbie to DI Hunter as it doesn't give away any spoilers to the main series really.
I picked these up to read just after Christmas and it was refreshing to read a story where all the characters of yuletime were the baddies! DI Hunter is about to go on holiday to India with his girlfriend Meera when he is attacked in Edinburgh City Centre by three Santas! Then an elf is killed and Mrs Claws is seen driving the get away car! The perfect antidote to the twee of Christmas! Side note I now want a story where Hunter and Meera go to India and have to solve a crime there.
Most of the stories feature the regular characters, they may feature heavily but in others a fleeting glance of them appear. I liked that to be honest as it keep me wanting to read more. I did like the book club story - that could definitely have been a whole book though. There is a lot of black humour in these stories and I was gripped! I read the whole book in one sitting and was bereft when I realised that there was no more.
Let me know if you pick this one up!
