Christmas Revenge
- Judith D Collins
- Nov 6
- 7 min read
Updated: Nov 6
'Tis the season... to get even.
By: AJ Campbell
Narrator:
ASIN: B0FR3KNWRS
Publisher: Code Grey Publishing
Publication Date: 11/03/2025
Format: e-book
My Rating: 5 Stars (ARC)
BLOG TOUR STOP NOV 7th
COVER REVEAL
All she wants for Christmas is… payback.
After their mother is left with life-changing injuries from being attacked in their home, sisters Violet and Rose react very differently. Rose grows up seemingly well-balanced, while Violet —who witnessed the Christmas Eve assault—can think of nothing but vengeance.
When a freak accident brings Violet face-to-face with the intruder, fifteen years of torture culminate in the opportunity for cold, hard revenge. But while Violet worms her way into the attacker’s life, Rose discovers their father is not the man they thought they knew.
As Rose scrambles to uncover the secrets and lies at the heart of their family, not all the pieces of the puzzle fit—and she soon realises that the reason for their mother’s fate may be closer to home…
...too close.
This Christmas, truth is the most dangerous gift of all.
Amazon USA top 40 bestselling author AJ Campbell delivers a twisty holiday psychological thriller packed with heart-racing twists that is perfect for fans of Freida McFadden, Jeneva Rose, Shari Lapena, Lisa Jewell, Claire Douglas, and Daniel Hurst.
About the Author
AJ Campbell is an Amazon USA top 40 bestselling author, who loves throwing characters into unbelievable situations and figuring it out from there. The result is psychological suspense novels full of twists, turns, and torment, with gasp-worthy endings.
An avid hiker, AJ lives in the UK on the Essex / Hertfordshire border with her husband, sons, and cocker spaniel, Max. She is a Netflix junkie, a theatre tragic, and a wine and Asian food enthusiast. WEBSITE
My Review
A.J. Campbell makes a triumphant return with her twelfth novel, CHRISTMAS REVENGE —a gripping masterpiece that stands as her finest work to date! This tantalizing holiday thriller entwines psychological suspense with a chilling tale of retribution.
Set against the backdrop of a festive season turned sinister, the story begins with a shocking home invasion on Christmas Eve that drastically alters the life of a devoted mother, leaving her with profound injuries. This traumatic event ignites a fire within one of her daughters, propelling her on a relentless 15-year journey for vengeance.
Campbell crafts the narrative through two parallel storylines, intricately weaving together moments of tension and revelation. As the suspense escalates, readers are drawn deeper into a labyrinth of shocking family secrets, unexpected betrayals, and countless twists that will keep them on the edge of their seats.
Buckle up for an exhilarating sleigh ride through treachery and deceit, as this holiday season proves that more than one individual is poised to land on Santa's infamous naughty list.
About...
On Christmas Eve, a nine-year-old girl named Violet witnesses a burglar attacking her pregnant mother. She had awakened to go to the bathroom and heard the noise unfolding downstairs. Shot and left with life-changing injuries, while the unborn sister, whom they call "Bean," is lost. The perpetrator was never caught or brought to justice.
This traumatic event shatters the familial bonds, fracturing the relationship between Violet and her sister, Rose. While Violet grapples with the haunting images of that night, becoming fixated on vengeance, Rose, who was sheltered from the horrors of the attack, seeks to find acceptance in their shattered reality.
Fifteen years have passed, yet Violet's heart remains a smoldering furnace of revenge. A fateful car accident leads her to confront the man she believes was the intruder who shattered her life and family. The dad is distant and travels for work, and she cares for her mother and her disabilities. Consumed by her thirst for vengeance, she devises a meticulous plan to weave herself into the fabric of his existence, determined to dismantle him piece by piece, all while unearthing the sinister family secrets that lie buried beneath the surface.
As Violet plunges deeper into her elaborate scheme, her sister Rose finds herself caught in a web of doubt, unraveling the threads of their father’s seemingly perfect story. With her instincts piqued, Rose embarks on a relentless quest for the truth, peeling back layers of deception that shroud their family’s past. Her investigation reveals a chilling tapestry of secrets—each thread suggesting that the brutal attack on their mother was far from a random act of violence and that the true peril may lurk closer to home than they ever imagined.
As the sisters navigate a labyrinth of hidden truths and tangled histories, they soon realize that nothing in their lives is as it appears. This knockout thriller twists and turns, leaving readers breathless with anticipation, leading to a jaw-dropping conclusion that will leave you questioning everything you thought you knew.
My thoughts ...
Razor-sharp and artfully crafted, AJ Campbell has truly elevated her craft in this riveting psychological thriller, which crescendos into a whirlwind of twists and an astonishing climax where the sisters’ intertwined quests for justice collide breathtakingly.
The starkly different psychological responses of the two sisters —Violet's fiery, almost obsessive thirst for revenge and Rose's quieter, more analytical quest for truth—are masterfully juxtaposed throughout the novel, painting a vivid picture of their internal struggles.
What makes this thriller particularly compelling is its focus not on frenetic physical action, but rather on the nuanced, complex mental states and internal struggles of the characters that fuel tension and suspense.
Campbell skillfully delves into the psyche of her characters, particularly illuminating Violet's long-standing trauma and her fixation on vengeance, while portraying Rose's gradual descent into suspicion and doubt regarding her family’s hidden history.
The narrative is steeped in an atmosphere thick with mystery, foreboding, and an ever-present sense of unease. Violet, a loose cannon with an unpredictable nature, shares a chilling relationship with her mother, particularly apparent in her crime scene room, steeped in secrets.
Multi-layered and intricate, the tension builds slowly yet relentlessly over time, eschewing rapid-fire action for a prolonged psychological suspense that keeps readers perched at the edge of their seats.
The sense of paranoia permeates both the characters and the reader alike. Rose grapples with the unsettling question of how well she truly knows her father, which leads her down a path of self-doubt and uncertainty about the very reality of her existence. The novel is rife with jaw-dropping twists that force the reader to continually reassess who the true antagonist may be, revealing intricate layers and unanticipated shocks.
The dual narratives cleverly illustrate how the same traumatic event has profoundly shaped the two sisters' destinies in contradictory ways—Violet, driven by her need for retaliation, while Rose diligently works to uncover the deeper truths. Their contrasting viewpoints reveal their divergent internal battles and often conflicting interpretations of the same harrowing events.
Campbell employs a striking juxtaposition to emphasize the psychological burdens borne by the characters, creating a stark contrast between the holiday cheer expected during Christmas and the dread of trauma invading this supposedly joyful time.
The Christmas season is not merely a backdrop; it is ingeniously laden with symbolism and irony throughout the novel. What should be a season of warmth and familial love instead becomes a haunting reminder of trauma, dark family secrets, and the chilling reality of betrayal, intensifying both the psychological tension and the thematic depth of the narrative while amplifying the sense of menace that hangs heavy in the air.
The intricate dynamics of family relationships and the holiday setting drive the emotional and psychological stakes higher, exposing the lies and deceit that lie at the very core of this fractured family unit.
The author’s masterful use of unreliable narrators stems from trauma-impaired memory, willful self-deception, and characters who actively conceal the truth from themselves and others, adding a complex layer of intrigue.
The literal collision of cars serves as a potent metaphor for past traumas suddenly crashing into the present, acting as the catalyst that propels Violet’s long-buried memories and her desires for vengeance into the forefront of her life.
Violet’s prolonged obsession with revenge not only makes her an unreliable narrator but also clouds her judgment—so consumed by her single-minded pursuit of justice that she neglects to consider alternative perspectives or the inconsistencies woven throughout her own narrative.
Conversely, Rose embodies a quest for truth, challenging the family history that Violet has accepted as gospel. Her discoveries peel back layers of deception, revealing that the "truth" they grew up believing was nothing more than a carefully curated illusion.
With an ending that is as electrifying as it is revealing, the story is packed with "mind-blowing" twists that shatter the foundations of the established narrative, forcing the reader to confront uncomfortable realities of what they believed to be true. The author artfully builds a tense psychological atmosphere, focusing intently on the characters’ spiraling emotions and simmering internal conflicts rather than relying on external action.
The sisters represent two cautionary tales of trauma: one showing how grief can destroy a person, and the other showing how confronting the truth, no matter how painful, can be a path to genuine healing.
In summary, this is an absolute must-read and would be perfect for the screen! One of my favorite holiday thrillers, it whispers chilling secrets while gradually uncovering the dark pasts and tensions that ensnare the family, captivating readers and holding them hostage until the last page is turned. I loved every moment of it! And just look at this bold, striking cover!
Recommendations...
CHRISTMAS REVENGE is perfectly suited for fans of AJ Campbell and those who revel in psychologically rich, atmospheric thrillers suffused with themes of revenge and obsession, dual timelines, and dark family secrets, reminiscent of the works by Alice Feeney, Ruth Ware, Lisa Jewell, and Freida McFadden.
Stay tuned for my Blog Tour Stop on November 7!
A heartfelt thank you to the author and publisher for graciously sharing an advanced reading copy in exchange for my honest reflections. I eagerly anticipate diving into the audiobook, narrated by the outstanding Déirdra Whelan.
@JudithDColins | #JDCMustReadBooks
My Rating: 5 Stars
Pub Date: Nov 3, 2025
If you enjoyed, also explore these psychological thrillers that include shocking family secrets, long-held grudges, unreliable narrators, themes of memory, dual narratives, holiday settings, home invasions, revenge, obsession, or a surprising twist ending.
The Silent Patient by Alex Michaelides
The Family Upstairs by Lisa Jewell
Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn
Unraveling Oliver by Liz Nugent
The Hunting Party by Lucy Foley
Daisy Darker by Alice Feeney
His & Hers by Alice Feeney
Best Served Cold by Hilly Barmby
Not a Happy Family by Shari Lapena
The Secret Keeper by Kate Morton
Before I Go to Sleep by S.J. Watson
In a Dark, Dark Wood by Ruth Ware
My Darling Husband by Kimberly Belle
Somebody's Home by Kaira Rouda
