The first cozy in a new series, set in the beautiful mountains of Colorado as two sisters and their amazing cat, Agatha, solve multiple mysteries. Interesting protagonists and setting. There are lots of characters included so there’s much to keep track of, as the sisters solve both a murder in their bookshop and the disappearance of their long-time employee. Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for this advanced reader copy.

This was an overall good cozy mystery. The characters are fun and have a lot of personality. The plot was good, lots of guessing. The only thing I didn't love was at times it seemed to drag on a bit. I found there to be a lot of unnecessary dialogue, that seemed to slow the flow of the story down.
Definitely worth reading though. Especially if you are an Agatha Christie fan!
I received an advance copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

Interesting, quirky characters. But the narrative drags on and on in many places. Seems like an attempt to mimic the late Mary Darwin. Just not quite there yet.
I received an ARC from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

A pair of sisters find their tiny ski town inundated with murder and gossip after a mysterious visitor comes to their bookstore. As the sisters try to play amateur sleuths, they learn solving mysteries is a lot harder than just following the methods of Hercule Poirot and Miss Marple. Debut author Ann Claire kicks off her Christie Bookshop cozy mystery series with a lighthearted novel that drags in parts in her book Dead and Gondola.

After traveling the world and working in a variety of bookish places, Ellie Christie is happy to come home to Last Word, Colorado, to help run her family’s bookstore, the Book Chalet. Her parents have decided to put Ellie and her big sister, Meg, in charge; they’re ready for retirement, leaving the Book Chalet in their daughters’ capable hands. Providing support are Meg and Ellie’s grandmother and Meg’s daughter, Rosie.

Ellie can’t believe her luck; not only does she get to spend more time with her wonderful cat, Agatha, but she also gets to live in a loft above the bookstore. True, she doesn’t have everything a traditional apartment would—like, say, a door that she can close on her space—but her deep love for the store and her family more than make up for little inconveniences. Gram, Meg, and Rosie all live together just a gondola ride away, giving Ellie the independence she wants with the family love she’s missed while living abroad.

Right off the bat, Ellie has plenty to keep her busy. Retired actress-turned-celebrity book influencer Morgan Marin now calls Last Word home, and she’s agreed to come to a book club meeting led by Book Chalet loyal employee Ms. Ridge. While everyone who shows up for book club is definitely starstruck by Morgan, Ms. Ridge does her best to keep things moving along until a mystery visitor shows up and interrupts the meeting.

As new store owner, Ellie does her best to deal with the unexpected guest and make sure he leaves. When she gets back to the club, though, she sees Morgan leading. Ms. Ridge is nowhere to be found. Then word comes that the mystery man has died—murdered, no less—and Ellie and Meg find themselves at the heart of a real-life murder mystery.

Even though the family has no traceable connection to the famous author, they’ve always relished the books she and others write in the genre. It’s differently living in the middle of a murder investigation, however, especially when the rumor mill is churning out all sorts of ideas about who the mystery man was and how the Christie sisters might be connected to him. As they deflect the gossip and try to help the authorities, they also worry about Ms. Ridge and can’t help but wonder if the murder and her disappearance are connected.
Author Ann Claire pays respectable homage to the books of Agatha Christie while creating her own. Meg and Ellie are incredibly likeable characters, and their bond as sisters will warm hearts. Meg’s daughter, Rosie, supports her aunt and mother and falls right into the family tradition of being involved with the bookstore while also balancing that with life as a teen in current times.

The book, however, drags in parts, and for a while it seems like the narrative is trying to force the murder and Ms. Ridge’s disappearance into the same space. Because this is the first in a series, Ann Claire takes her time in establishing the main characters’ relationships as well as supporting characters in town. Her personal knowledge of the Colorado landscape makes those portions shine, but the plot struggles to move at a more mystery-level pace.

Given the introduction of so many supporting characters, readers might find it a little hard to remember who is who as Ellie and Meg interact with their “suspects” and do their own detective work. The good intentions of both the characters and the story come through loud and clear; the execution leaves something to be desired.

Readers who like a cozy mystery set in slightly remote places might enjoy this one and want to curl up with it this fall and winter.

Thank you for the advanced reader copy Netgalley & Bantam Books. I liked the idea of a cozy mystery set in a snowy Colorado city.

Likes:
Despite not being a cat person, I really loved the bookstore cat Agatha. I also love anything having to do with bookstores & bookish people.

Not so much:
I found the first 30% really confusing to follow, there were a lot of characters and a lot of set up and so it took me longer to get into the story. The story didn't flow as quickly as I would have liked and I found myself bored at points.

I think fans of Agatha Christie and those looking for a cozy mystery may enjoy it. If you are looking for something more fast paced, I would skip.

This is a nice little cozy mystery. It takes place in a bookshop so that makes this the perfect read. It’s full of some surprises along the way too. I did think it rambled at times.
Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for the early copy

Much thanks, as always to NetGalley and Random House for the advance read on this one.
I don't know how any cozy aficionado could resist all the elements in play here.
First off, an absolute to-die-for bookstore situated on a ski resort nestled on a Colorado mountaintop......and thrillingly accessed by gondolas. The bookstore itself? Literally a chalet stocked with floor to ceiling bookshelves. It's run by sisters Ellie and Meg Christie, mystery lovers but with no relation we know of to you-know who. But there is in fact a famous, beloved Agatha at the store - the sisters' Siamese cat and a full time social media celebrity sensation.
Naturally you'll find 'The Book Chalet' in a scenic little town populated with with quirky residents, some ornery, some funny, some adorable, some a mixture of all those qualities at once. And yes, maybe more than a few of them possess motives for murdering that mysterious guy found dead on a gondola......right after he visited the bookstore.. What more could you want if you're looking to cozy up with a cozy on a chilly, crisp night?
As Ellie and Meg launch their inevitable amateur investigation, clues, suspects and twists abound, along with that essential necessity we crave in a such a book, fresh baked desserts. All the cozy components appear, which author Ann Claire handles with just the right amounts of mystery and wit. (One of the things I most appreciated here - the book not going overboard with any labored, strained attempts at comedy.)
A town full of book lovers, a richly stocked bookstore to feed their needs, and a murder and disappearance to fuel their suspicions and sleuthings....what a perfect recipe.. . I wanted to throw on my heaviest winter jacket fly out there and see if the Christies needed any more help at the store. So I guess that's what you'd call a 4 star cozy.. Most definitely looking forward to future installments.

Biggest peeve is the plants mentioned are incorrect in growing locations and times, but that's just me being a plant lady.

The Christie Sisters, fifth generation caretakers of the Book Chalet in Last Word, Colorado, with a cat named Agatha (of course!) star in the first book of the new Christie Bookshop series. with book clubs that are more like performance art (not just themed foods from the story, but dress up assignments) and true “book club commitment” means snowshoeing to the meeting. Of course we have quirky characters and then enters a quirkier strange Book Chalet visitor who mysteriously leaves behind a “Mary Westmacott” (an esoteric Agatha Christie book written under a nom de plume ) and ends up dead after the gondola ride down. Since the suspicious, mystery obsessed sisters, Ellie and Meg, were following the victim in the next bubble car, they become involved as witnesses — and they have a lot of theories as they get further involved. Ellie, the protagonist, wonders about poisonous tree frogs (none that she knows about in the Rocky Mountains) and stealthy acrobatic assassins scooting along cables to break into the victim’s gondola.

Ellie Christie has return to her Colorado home to help run the family bookstore with her sister. The bookstore host a book club that is so important even a snow storm doesn’t stop its members from coming and like all good murder mysteries a stranger appears at the bookstore, leaves behind a package and then is murdered. The Christie sisters with input from the book club start to examine clues to find out who the stranger is, who is responsible and what happened to their bookstore employee.
Dead and Gondola by Ann Claire is the perfect curl up by fireplace with a hot chocolate during a snowstorm read. Claire is so amazing at setting the scene and providing vivid details that you can almost smell the old books in the store and feel the cold from the snow. Thank you, NetGalley, Random House and Ann Claire for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

This is a cute cozy mystery set in a small town in Colorado. We follow Ellie who has just moved home to help her sister run her family bookstore.

This is more of a slower-moving story, there isn't any tension or suspenseful moments that had me desperate to get to the end. But it was still very enjoyable. I loved the characters, and Agatha the cat was super adorable, and a great investigator.
This is kind of a two-parter mystery, we have the murder of the mystery man, but also one of Ellie and Meg's employees goes missing during their book club. While these two things are connected we don't find out exactly how until further into the story. There is a part that I figured out fairly early on, but the meat of the mystery (who was behind the murder) kept me guessing. There were plenty of twists and turns, and false paper trails, and when the killer was revealed it was a complete surprise.

I will be continuing on in this series, I can't wait to come back to the Book Chalet and see what mystery they will be solving next!

4 Christie stars

I couldn’t resist the premise of this one – a bookstore setting, a small Colorado ski town, lots of Agatha Christie connections, and at least one murder!

The Christie sisters – Ellie and Meg – have taken over the bookstore from their parents in Last Word. There are book clubs, a pet bookstore cat named Agatha, and mysteries not only in the books but with the residents of the town.

With the bookstore at the top of the mountain, reachable by a gondola – this is the perfect setting for a murder. There’s a mysterious séance one night at the bookstore and a stranger visits the store. He’s soon found dead and the search for clues begins.

Ellie and Meg have a sharp grandmother who knows everyone in town. She tries to help the Christie sisters with the case. There’s a break-in at the bookstore and that rattles Ellie a bit as she lives in a loft at the store. Could the murder have anything to do with the disappearance of their employee Ms. Ridge? There’s a clever police chief in town and she’s still waiting to see a moose.

This was a fun read and even a potential romance thrown in with an old high school friend of Ellie’s who has turned up. I really enjoyed this departure from darker grisly reads and I’m anxious for the next one in the series. Filled with quirky characters, this was an enjoyable story.

Two sisters run a bookshop and try their luck at sleuthing after a man is found dead in a nearby gondola. Too many suspects and too much rambling.

Dead and Gondola by Ann Claire is the first in the Christie Bookshop series. And it is adorable. It’s a cute, warm, cozy read that is perfect for an autumn or winter day, curled up in a blanket, with a cup of steamy coffee or tea. It’s a quick read and oh so charming. Ellie Christie has returned to her Colorado mountain hometown to help run the family bookstore (dream job, right?) and is thrilled to be living above the shop, working amongst books, and reuniting with her sister, niece, and gram. True to their namesake, Agatha Christie, the Christie’s love a good murder mystery, until one shows up at their own doorstep! Who is the stranger who wound up dead on the gondola to town? Why would someone murder anyone in their quaint and quiet ski town? And what does it all have to do with the Christie’s and their books? Claire writes with humor and clarity, creating nice twists and turns that leaves you guessing until the end. Really. It’s not a big AHA OMG moment, but it is surprising. And the way we get to the end reveal is funny and sweet. The relationships between the Christie women ring true and invite the reader into the family as well. This isn’t a dark psychological thriller, it’s a fun mystery in the line of the great Agatha Christie herself. Hercules Poirot would be pleased with the reveal situation. Heartedly recommend this inviting read, and I’m looking forward to more in the series. Thanks to @NetGalley and @RandomHouse for the eARC. #TeachersWhoRead #BooksOf2022 #CozyMystery #TeachAbroad #InternationalTeacher #TeachersOfIG #TeachersOfInsta #TeachersOfInstagram

3.5 stars

Debut cozy set in a Colorado mountain town and featuring the Christie sisters (no actual relation to Agatha) who run a bookstore. Ellie has recently returned to town and she and sister Meg are helping watch over their grandma and take care of the business.

A stranger wanders in to the shop, leaves a mysterious satchel and then is found dead later that day. The ensemble of characters features some locals and fellow business owners, a famous actress/book recommender and her assistant, the bookshop employees and the Christie family.

Ellie would just as soon read as socialize but she's trying to fit in. She and Meg are the ones to discover the body and they need to decide who the victim is, why he was in their shop, and why his appearance caused their store manager to vanish.

Thanks to the publisher and to Net Galley for providing me with an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

A wonderful cozy mystery to read on a winter's day/evening. Ellie and Meg Christie, no relation to Agatha Christie, are now running their family bookstore in a small Colorado ski town. A strange man arrives at the bookstore during a book club meeting looking for someone named Cece. Before he connects with Cece he turns up dead on the gondola ride that takes people up and down the mountain. The Christie sisters and their friends become suspects.

This is a wonderful story with many twists and turns. You will enjoy the Christie sisters and their bookshop. This is the kind of independent bookstore that readers everywhere enjoy. On a cold snowy day this would make the perfect read. I thoroughly enjoyed this book.

Thank you to #netgalley, @AnnClarie and #Bantam for a copy of this enjoyable book.

Dead and Gondola by Ann Claire
(A Christie Bookshop Mystery #1)

The Christie Bookshop is a special place. It has a grumpy cat named Agatha, it's at the end of a gondola ride, it has great book discussions, and it's a hub of gossip for it's little town.

Ellie Christie is just back in town to help run the bookshop with her older sister. During a book club meeting a mysterious man hangs around in the store and being more than a little nosy, Ellie and her sister are fascinated by the elusive man as they follow his gondola car down the mountain in a car right behind him. When they see him fall down, dead as dead can be, do they assume he might have had a heart attack or some other natural cause of death? NO! OF COURSE NOT! They assume he was murdered, what very devoted Agatha Christie fan would assume otherwise? They are right, of course. After all, this is a cozy mystery and there is now a murder to solve.

The story is charming, with likable characters. The wintery town has a lot of interesting folks and tasty foods are available, at home or at the shops and eateries. Ellie's family is adorable, with her teen niece and grandmother as sharp as tacks. And, what's this? A popular hunk from back in Ellie's high school days is showing interest in Ellie. Oh, and bookshop employee, Ms. Ridge, went missing at the same time that mysterious, now murdered man was in the store. This is a very pleasant story and I look forward to seeing what mysteries can be dug up to solve in the next book.

Thank you to Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine, Bantam and NetGalley for this ARC.

This is an excellent first book in what I hope will be a great new cozy mystery series. The Christie sisters, Ellie and Meg, own a bookstore in a fictional town in Colorado. Their favorite genre is mysteries, especially those by Agatha Christie. The bookstore has a resident cat named Agatha of course! The town has a cast of characters that I hope will have recurring roles in future books. The mystery was a murder with quite a few possible suspects. I did have a feeling who it was about two thirds of the way through the book, but still thoroughly enjoyed the ride to get to the denouement at the end of the book.

This is a cozy mystery that pays homage to Agatha Christie by setting the story in a (such amazing sounding - I want to go to there!) mountainside chalet bookstore run by a family with the last name of Christie who loves their random connection to the famous author in this way, because they love her work. And then it turns out that when a stranger comes to their tiny Colorado mountain town and winds up dead in the gondola that takes visitors back down the mountain to the main part of town, after he had burst in to their store's Agatha Christie bookclub. At first they might be suspects, but then of course they find themselves as sleuths... Cozy mysteries are not really my thing - part of the hallmark of them is that they are investigated by amateur sleuths, and I really prefer a detective procedural that has a bit more of a broody protagonist - but if they are your thing, I would definitely recommend this one. The setting added a double meaning to the "cozy" because the bookstore just sounded so delightful, and because there's a snowstorm going on in part of the story, so reading it when you're all cozied up inside in the winter would just feel lovely. I liked the three generations of women in the story and the small-town feel. Also of course for fans of Agatha Christie who like to nerd out on talking about her work.

Ellie Christie has just moved back home to Colorado to help run the family bookstore with her sister. The Christie family loves mystery books especially ones by another certain Christie (no relation) with a cat even named Agatha. The small town is soon shocked by a murder and a disappearance all in the same day with the Christie sisters being sort of witnesses. With the help of my other side characters and family they begin to search for the killer. This was my first cozy mystery book and I did enjoy the story even with having a hunch who the killer was pretty early on. I think was a really good start to a series and would read the next book to come out. My only complaint was there were a lot of characters thrown out at once and was a little confusing early on keeping them straight. This was a solid 3 star book for me and I look forward to other books by the author. I want to thank NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine for a digital arc of this book in exchange for an honest review. Dead and Gondola publishes on Nov. 1, 2022.

Following a bad breakup, Ellie Christie has returned to her hometown nestled in the Colorado mountains and helping with her family's mystery book shop. With the surname Christie the focus is on the grand dame although the only Agatha is the book shop cat. When a book club meeting is interrupted by a mysterious stranger who is later found murdered the sisters put their literary learned sleuthing skills to work.. I am not usually a cozy reader but am a sucker for a book store setting.Ellie and her supporting characters were likeable and realistic with some sporting distinctive personalities. The setting was well developed and easily envisioned from the prose. There were literary references scattered throughout the story that added to my enjoyment. . The plot twist of a ski hamlet cut off by a storm and the gathering of suspects in a designated location all paid loving homage to the Golden Age mystery with a fresh modern parallel. This is the first of a planned series and I would revisit this quant small town and its quirky residents. A quick, light read.that would appeal beyond the regular cozy reader.