The Twelve Saints of Christmas

Heathcliff Lennox, Book 12

By: Karen Baugh MENUHIN

Narrated by: Nicholas Boulton

Murder, mystery and a dog of distinction. Heathcliff Lennox investigates.

Twelve Saints, who are not true saints at all. They are the great and the good, although none are entirely great, nor good—indeed one is a murderer.

Temple House near Bath is built upon an old Roman Temple, the house bequeathed many centuries before to a secret order of old aristocracy. The 'Saints' are not true saints, they are remnants; the last of their line, they have wealth, but no heirs.

The Order may invite any such relict to join them. They will come to live in Temple House, they will become a revered and venerable Saint, and when they die all their wealth must go into the saints coffers.

Each Christmas these coffers are opened and the Saints—after much debate and contemplation—will donate a proportion of their wealth to a good and deserving cause.

This fine philanthropic task has followed the same line for hundreds of years—until now. It is Christmas 1923 and a Saint is found dead, murdered, and the killer is from within Temple House itself. The Order of the Saints is shrouded in secrecy and this dreadful deed cannot be allowed to expose them. And so their keeper of the books—the Dead Reckoner—suggests they call in Major Heathcliff Lennox and ex-Inspector Jonathan Swift to uncover the killer.

Major Heathcliff Lennox—ex WW1 war pilot, six feet, three inch, tousled dark blond hair, age around 30–named after the hero of Wuthering Heights by his romantically minded mother–much to his great annoyance.

©2024 Karen Baugh Menuhin (P)2025 Karen Baugh Menuhin

Somewhat disappointed

The story was fine. The narrator was fine but his voice sounded too old for Lennox. I did not like the portrayal of the gay characters and there was more than one comment included that I found to be homophobic.

It’s a pity that Sam Dewhurst Phillips is no longer narrating the Lennox books. He was the main reason that I bought them.

another brilliant Heathcliff success, even with the loss of an amazing narrator

I was somewhat devastated when I realized that there has been a change in narrator as Sam D Phillips has been exceptional and part of bringing Heathcliff humor and depth BUT our new narrator did a great job overall and our repeat character is shined with another very intriguing plot mix with a tinge of history

A very interesting look into UK life

Money, old homes with secret passages , poison and a look at life in England in the early 20 th century. What's not to enjoy

convoluted tale not necessarily more interesting though

the change in narrator has made my image of the characters a little blurry...it will take a while for me to 'see' this new Griegs...Lennox is becoming more n more arrogant to my mind...I preferred the Lennox of earlier books...

OK story but couldn't get used to a new narrator

The story was OK, but it didn't hold my interest as much as past stories. I think the real issue is the switch in narrators after 11 books. The new guy was fine, and if the series had started with him, then I might have felt differently. But to switch this far along almost felt like we were getting new characters. Lennox comes across differently - a decade older, and Greggs seems more sniveling as opposed to a little cheeky/snarky before. I always pictured him more like Spratt from Downton Abbey. Swift felt a bit flatter too. Just a bit disappointing overall.