Very quick read that keeps you engrossed and moving. I didn't care for the parts where he was telling the spies version of the story of Mary and Joseph - too predictably smaltzy. The chase suspense was good and I liked the flashbacks to explain the character. Fun, easy read, but not the best suspense thriller and the Christmas part is not important or well done. ( )

This short book is probably better characterized as a novella than a novel. The entire story takes place over a few brief hours on Christmas Eve (plus some flashbacks). While the book is not Morrell at his best, he does manage to inject into the story some of the suspense and tension that he is known for. For me, the problem with The Spy Who Came For Christmas were the flashbacks into the protagonist's past. While they were necessary to flesh out his character, they forced the reader to take a step away from the building suspense thereby lessening the tension of the progression of the story. So while, I enjoyed the story, I can't place it among my favorite Morrell works. That said, it was a pleasant treat to see Morrell return to the world of espionage where his stories have exelled in the past. ( )

Not a typical holiday story but still has a touching message and an interesting take on the nativity story. ( )