This was a fun new cozy mystery and I hope there will be more in the series.

What I loved best about this cozy mystery was the lack of food! So many series seem to revolve around food, which is fine, but I always end up so hungry while reading the book. This series revolved around books, and I am all in for books! I would love to be friends with the Christie sisters and their cat Agatha. Living above a bookstore, with a cat, in the beautiful state of Colorado would be a dream come true.

No one can escape due to a rock slide, so everyone in town is under suspicion. Ellie and Meg take us step by step through their investigation and I must admit to being surprised at the reveal. But, that is why I love these mysteries so much.

Thank you to PRHAudio for my complimentary audiobook, i enjoyed pairing the audio with the book, the narrator did a wonderful job with all the voices.
Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group/Ballantine for my eArc. All thoughts are my own.

Thank you Netgalley for the opportunity to read this book and leave my honest review. Quite enjoyed the sleuthing Christie family and this fun, cozy mystery. Was surprised by who the actual killer was !!

This was an ok cozy mystery. I really liked the remote ski town setting and the main character, Ellie. The writing was a touch choppy and I found myself bored with the story a lot. There was quite a bit of repetition and scenes that dragged. If you are a huge cozy mystery fan who loves Agatha Christie references, this might be a great fit for you.

Thank you to NetGalley and Ballantine for access to this arc.

Thanks Netgalley for allowing me to read this book. Ellie is excited to work at her families book store after being gone for awhile. When a body is found, Ellie tries to do some detective work on her own. I liked the many characters in this book.

Thanks to Random House and NetGalley for a digital advance reader copy. All comments and opinions are my own.

Every so often I can’t resist a cozy mystery with an eye-rolling title, and was thankful this novel featured an intelligent main character and an intriguing mystery. Of course another plus was the fact that it takes place in a bookstore owned by a family who adore the queen of mystery, Agatha Christie.

The Book Chalet, a highly regarded, family-owned bookstore in (fictional) Last Word, Colorado, is primarily where the story takes place. During a snowy winter season, this charming small town uses a gondola, a type of aerial lift with cables, to transport people up and down the mountain from the main retail area to the residential neighborhoods.

With several red herrings and suspicious characters, I wasn’t able to guess the murderer. And what about the mysterious stranger? Or the missing book store manager who up until she disappeared has been the height of dependability? So many people could be guilty and seemed to have motives to kill.

I especially liked that while this is the first in the series, main character and devoted bibliophile Ellie Christie refers to her past employment experiences in a way that promises future books could feature flashbacks to some of those situations.

In summary, this was a comfortable, cozy mystery, with a warm family vibe. Ellie runs the book store accompanied by her big sister Meg, with Gram and teenage niece Rosie also lending a hand in both the store and the mystery-solving. If you’re looking for a murder mystery with a family where everyone gets along, bakes delicious sounding desserts, and loves books, this is the one for you.

I've been craving another cozy mystery series for ages (I'm going to blame Tita Rosie's Kitchen Mystery series for getting me back in the cozy mystery mood). So when I saw Dead and Gondola, I knew I had to try it. This is the first novel in the Christie Bookshop series, written by Ann Claire. Brownie points for the punny title, naturally.

Ellie Christie has finally made her way back home only to find that things are not as calm and quiet as she had remembered. Or perhaps that's the recent murder making everything feel much more chaotic.

Ellie and her family run a sweet little bookshop named the Book Chalet. It even has a bookstore cat named Agatha. But when a customer is suddenly murdered, it will take Ellie, her sisters, and Agatha combined to solve the case.

“An active imagination was an occupational hazard of a life with books.”

You can't promise me a cozy mystery involving a crime-solving cat and not expect me to dive in with everything I have! But seriously, I've been looking forward to finding a new series such as this, so I was excited to give Dead and Gondola a try.

There is so much charm in this book that it may sometimes feel a bit stifling. Likewise, there are many delightful cozy mystery tropes, from the family that loves murder mysteries to the bookshop cat. It's all quite idyllic if you're willing to overlook the body.

I'll confess that the humor (okay, and the cat) enchanted me here. It was so refreshing to sit down and laugh while reading. Clearly, I've been reading too many dark books lately (is there such a thing?).

Let us not forget all of the Agatha Christie references – in case the description alone didn't make that obvious! You'll find plenty of little references, hat tips, and easter eggs here, so if that is your jam, you're in luck!

Admittedly, the pacing for Dead and Gondola wasn't perfect. Some scenes could have been cut out, making the novel shorter and with a more rapid pace. But all things said and done, it was still a fun mystery to read.

Thanks to Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine, I was provided an ARC of Dead and Gondola by Ann Claire via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

****Publishing November 1, 2022****

Who doesn’t love a good mystery that involves a cat named Agatha, a murder mystery, a burglary, an Ouija board, and a bookstore?

After many interesting international jobs including being a tour guide for Agatha Christie‘s hometown, Ellie returns to her hometown, Last Word, Colorado, to manage and run the family historic bookshop with her sister Meg. A mysterious man visits the bookstore while the book club is reenacting a death scene from one of Agatha Christie’s books. He comes back and he leaves a bag at the store after a second visit. The sisters track him down on the gondola, but the only problem is that he is dead. Of course they let their imagination run wild and wonder on how he died, was he poisoned? As the story unfolds Meg and Ellie are questioned and released, Ms. Ridge, a book store assistant, goes missing, and a killer is on the loose. Can the sisters channel their inner Miss Marple to solve the mysteries?

A fun and entertaining read with likable characters and a adventurous story line. I loved all the references to Agatha Christie and Miss Marple.

If you love a good mystery and are fans of Miss Marple and Agatha Christie, then this book is for you!

4.5 stars

This was such a fun, cozy mystery that's perfect for chilly days under a blanket with a cup of hot chocolate.

Ellie Christie runs her family’s historic bookshop with her elder sister, Meg, and their friendly bookshop cat, Agatha. When a mysterious stranger, who had earlier visited their shop, is found dead in a gondola and their long-time employee disappears, the Christie sisters must summon their inner Miss Marples and trek through a blizzard of clues before the killer turns the page to their final chapter.

I really liked the sisters - although I wish we would have gotten to know Meg a little more - I thought Ellie was a great amatuer sleuth and I loved following her as she deduced and collected all of the clues. Agatha was iconic and integral to solving the case if I do say so myself. I was also a fan of all the Agatha Christie references. As a huge fan of her work its always a pleasant surprise to find the main characters thinking exactly like you. The mystery itself was twisty and some parts were shocking - which I got a kick out of. I didn't guess who the killer is but I can't wait to try again as this series continues!

I requested this book because I thought it sounded similar to the Finlay Donovan novels. And it was similar. A cute and quirky mystery. Sometimes I thought the main character was a little annoying, but I know not all characters are likable LOL

"In this series debut, a mysterious bookshop visitor dies under murderous circumstances, compelling the Christie sisters and their cat, Agatha, to call on all they've learned about solving mysteries from their favorite novelist.

Ellie Christie is thrilled to begin a new chapter. She's recently returned to her tiny Colorado hometown to run her family's historic bookshop with her elder sister, Meg, and their beloved cat, Agatha. Perched in a Swiss-style hamlet accessible by ski gondola and a twisty mountain road, the Book Chalet is a famed bibliophile destination known for its maze of shelves and relaxing reading lounge. At least, until trouble blows in with a wintry whiteout. A man is found dead on the gondola, and a rockslide throws the town into lockdown - no one in, no one out.

The victim was a mysterious stranger who'd visited the bookshop. At the time, his only blunders had been disrupting a book club and leaving behind a first-edition Agatha Christie novel, written under a pseudonym. However, once revealed, the man's identity shocks the town. Motives and secrets swirl like the snow, but when the police narrow in on the sisters' close friends, the Christies have to act.

Although the only Agatha in their family tree is their cat, Ellie and Meg know a lot about mysteries and realize they must summon their inner Miss Marple to trek through a blizzard of clues before the killer turns the page to their final chapter."

Come on, a bookshop and a crime solving cat!?! Even if that cat does nothing the cat is there and I am sold.

3.5 stars, rounded up

Ellie has returned to her hometown to help her sister, Meg, run the family bookshop in an area only accessible by ski gondola or a twisty mountain road. When a man is found dead in one of the gondolas, the sisters decide to figure out who he is – and who killed him.

This is the first book in a new series by a new-to-me author, and I wasn’t sure what to expect. I like the setting in the mountains of Colorado, but I don’t think I’d like to live in a place that’s only accessible by ski gondola for so much of the year. The mountains would be gorgeous, no matter the season, but I would feel trapped without an easier way out. The residents of the area would have to rely on each other for nearly everything they need, something else that would bother me.

Once the victim’s identity was determined, there were quite a few suspects for the sisters to consider in their “Marpleing” – conducting an investigation a la Miss Marple. I wish they had been quicker to share the information they learned with the police, but this is a cozy mystery after all. I was surprised at who the killer turned out to be, and by the motive.

I will watch for the next book in this series to learn what happens next.

“Dead and Gondola” (Christie Bookshop Mystery#1) by Ann Claire ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️Genre: Cozy Bookish Mystery. Location: Last Word, Colorado, USA. Time: Present.

THE SERIES FOCUSES ON:
A high altitude world of fairly obsessed booklovers. The Christie sisters (Ellie-33 and Meg-38) own a bookstore. They love Agatha Christie mysteries, and their cat Agatha C. Christie. Their bookstore is a Swiss-style building accessible only by ski gondola or twisty mountain road. It’s known for its views, maze of shelves, and cozy reading nooks.

THIS BOOK:
A bookstore visitor leaves behind a 1st-edition Agatha Christie novel, and is then found dead on the gondola. Their loyal assistant, Ms. Ridge, disappears, the weather turns into a whiteout, and a rockslide closes the road so no one can get in or out. When local police suspect the sisters’ close friends, the Christies channel their inner Miss Marple to find the real killer.

The book is a bit of an homage to Agatha Christie’s famous sleuths. The author adds the requisite Miss Marple/Hercule Poirot-type characters (sweet grandma who knits, dramatic retired actress, laconic poet, gossip columnist, ski rescue team member, reclusive single woman, swindler recently released from prison, unlikable snob, new police chief.) Yes, there are a lot of characters to follow.

There’s a murder, a burglary, an attempted murder, lies, and little incongruities. Author Ann Claire reminds us it’s a bookish mystery with references to Ellie’s overwhelming love of books on almost every page. I wish Ellie quoted more books, and talked less about how she loved to read. The action moves between Last Word’s upper hamlet (where the bookshop is located) to its base village (where Ellie’s relatives live). It’s sometimes hard to keep track of where they are-a map would be very helpful.

Overall, it’s a cute cozy. I’m a total book nerd, and yet (for me) it focused a bit too much on Ellie’s love of reading. Still, there are red herrings galore, suspense that builds as the book moves along, and a surprise ending, so it’s 4 stars from me. 🌵📚💁🏼‍♀️ Thank you to NetGalley and author Ann Claire for this e-copy. Publishes 10/31/2022.

Dead and Gondola introduces us to sisters Meg and Ellie Christie, owners of a bookshop in a ski resort town in Colorado, along with Agatha C (for cat) Christie.

Ellie has just moved back to town is struggling to reconnect with her former classmates. A winter storm traps everyone in town, including a murderer. The Christie's jump on the case.

Filled with memorable characters, Dead and Gondola shares the warmth of a small town with the frustrations of having new residents buying up everything in sight.

Can't wait to read the next one! 3.8/5

An easy read that kept me engaged with thoughtful characters and storyline - I’ll keep an eye for this author, no doubt!
Thanks Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC opportunity!

Welcome to a atsmpheric fun cozy set on a remote mountain in Colorado in a beautiful old bookstore. I loved this debut cozy and the authors outstanding setting for the bookshop . Thank you to the publisher and to Net Galley for the opportunity. My review opinion is my own,

We are introducted to our protagnist Ellie Christie who has returned to her hometown in Colorado in the remote mountains to help her elderly sister run their families historic bookshop. with the last name of their favorite author of course their cat is named Agatha. They carry all things mystery. This is a most unique bookshop in that it is only accessible by gondola. Right away the reader is drawn into the description of the beautiful bookstore known for being eclectic. When a murder occurs Ellie and her sister are drawn into the investigation and soon are finding clues abound and more then one suspect emerges. The only clue left by the victim is a first edition Christie.

I loved the charcters, the bookshop and the sleuth. I look forward to the next in series.

This was a fun cozy mystery. It’s filled with a great cast of characters and set not only in a cute small mountain town but also predominately in a bookstore.

I loved following among with the investigation - watching Ellie and Meg and everyone else try to piece together clues.

I definitely did not see the ending coming. I was very engaged with the story and definitely would recommend for anyone who wants a cozy mystery.

This was such a fun book. I thought the character development was very well done and I even laughed a few times. I loved the cover as well.

4.5 stars / This review will be posted on goodreads.com today.


The Book Chalet in Last Word, Colorado, has been in El’s family for years. As far as she knows, it has always been in the family, and the family has always been in Last Word. Except for El. She’s traveled all over the world being a paid bookworm. Now that her parents have left the book nest, El has come home to Last Word to run the bookstore with her sister Meg.

Katherine Ridge has been part of the Book Chalet family for almost as long as El can remember. Ms. Ridge is responsible for so many of the things that make the Book Chalet special, such as Saturday morning book club. The book club is a mismatched array of book lovers - Morgan the former film and tv star, Emmet the cowboy poet, Piper the local gossip.

When a man crashes the book club and refuses to leave, all involved are concerned. Especially when he approaches a customer and calls her Cece. He also leaves behind a satchel with some interesting things inside. Later that day, El & Meg are about to ride the gondola home when they see the man. They chase him onto the gondola, expecting to catch up to him at the bottom. But at the bottom, the gondola leaves them swinging in the air while the gondolier calls the police. Apparently the man is dead.

While ‘cozy’ mysteries are not always my thing, I really enjoyed this one. The finger gets pointed at just about everyone in Last Word, including Meg & El. But it’s a fun story with a few surprises along the way. I’m hoping this is just the first of the Christie mysteries. I would love to read some more.

The new Christie Bookshop Mystery series is a light-hearted homage to venerated mystery writer Agatha Christie. Book #1 introduces the Christie sisters, owners of a cozy, small town bookshop that somehow becomes ground zero for a local murder investigation. The sisters become amateur detectives sleuthing their way through the case while they search for a missing person, and contend with a meddling gossip reporter, the town’s new police chief and her star-struck deputy. And then there’s Agatha, their pampered, diva feline. Clues emerge gradually as the sisters ferret out the truth among the perfectly lovely locals, all of whom are far too nice to be murderers. And yet... Fans of Agatha Christie’s Miss Marple will definitely get a kick out of this one.

This is a cozy mystery with homage to Agatha Christie. I loved the setting, a Colorado ski town. That was my favorite part of the book. The large cast of characters and the resulting conversations detracted from the mystery of who killed the mysterious man in the bookshop. This book did not hold my interest. Maybe I need to try it again on a snowy day.

Thank you, Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine, Bantam and Net Galley for an ARC of this book.