The Christie sisters, Meg and Ellie, are coerced, cajoled, and heavily persuaded by their cousin, Lorna, to sign up for Lorna’s newest business venture – Bibliophiles Find Love matchmaking service. Both sisters dread a blind date but it’s for family. Ellie’s mystery date turns out to be mind-numbing bore while Meg is swept off her feet by charming, handsome, and successful entrepreneur/philanthropist, Joe Darcy . It all seems too good to be true and it is. The next day, when Joe doesn’t appear for a second date, the sisters find him dead at the house he is renting. Since Meg was the last one to see him alive (except for the murderer of course), she becomes the prime suspect.

Last Word to the Wise is a charming cozy that has a variety of characters, an almost magical setting, and a good mystery as well. But, I found the references to Agatha Christie a bit tiring, the behavior and personality of cousin Lorna (and a few others) irritating, and the entire premise a little over the top. But, it’s a cozy mystery and, in general, this type of book has characters and plots that aren’t always very realistic or even understandable. So, as long as the reader realizes that this book is a little unbelievable, then it will be an enjoyable read. NetGalley provided an advance copy.

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine, Bantam for the ARC!

“The Christie sisters and their bookshop cat, Agatha, flirt with coldhearted crime when bookish matchmaking turns into a date with death.”

Such a fun, cozy mystery. Love the nods to the great Agatha Christie!

When sisters Ellie and Meg Christie agree to be guinea pigs for their cousin Lorna’s new matchmaking service for bibliophiles, they had no idea what they were getting themselves into. Ellie’s date was a long-winded professor who spoke almost entirely of Samuel Beckett and dismissed Agatha Christie, Ellie’s favorite author. But Meg, matched with Joe Darcy, had a magical evening. Their dinner in the library was a night to remember, and after they had strolled off together, they made plans for brunch the next day. Meg was smitten.

But the next day when the time of the date arrived but Mr. Darcy hadn’t, Meg angrily swore off her quick attachment. Lorna was surprised that he hadn’t shown up and went to his house to find out why. Once there, she noticed things out of place and called Ellie to join her. Ellie agreed that the spilled wine from tipped glasses was unusual, and the fireplace tools scattered on the floor was troubling. But it wasn’t until Ellie looked over the back balcony that she saw the man’s body down toward the canyon that she got worried.

Ellie went down into the canyon to try to find out if the man was still alive, slipping a little on the way. Thankfully it didn’t take too long before detective Sam Ibarra showed up to help her back up to the house, confirming that the man was dead. As the police investigation heats up, Meg looks more and more guilty. After their dinner, Meg had gone with Joe back to his house. They’d built a fire and had wine, talking for a while longer before Meg headed home. At one point, she had broken a glass and he’d cut himself on the glass cleaning it up. That got his blood on her sweater. He had even shown her the view from his back balcony, so her fingerprints were out there as well.

Ellie knows that her sister would never have hurt this man, but who would have? He had seemed like the perfect man, a financier with a non-profit that encouraged kids to read. But was that really who he was? Or were there secrets in his past that could have caused someone to want him dead? Ellie knows that she has to look into the murder, but she won’t be able to put all the pieces together alone. It will take the help of her grandmother, the town gossip, a florist, a realtor, Ellie’s cat Agatha C. Christie, and the beloved books of Ms. Christie herself to figure out who the murderer is. But will she be able to let Sam know who the killer is before they come after her?

Last Word to the Wise is the second book in the Christie Bookshop mystery series, and I think this series is utterly charming in every way. The setting is fun, a fifth-generation family bookshop in a small Colorado mountain town. The characters are familiar but fresh, with family ties that make you wish for an invitation to Gram’s for dinner. And the mysteries have hints of Agatha Christie but offer lots of suspects and red herrings to keep you guessing until the end.

As soon as I saw that author Ann Claire had written another mystery set at the Christie sisters’ bookshop, I knew I wanted to read it. I loved the first book and wanted to spend more time in Last Word with these characters. This mystery threw me, thinking I knew who the murderer was until nearly the end, and I was wrong. It was a lovely surprise, although the clues were there for me to see had I been paying better attention. I am loving this series, and I hope Agatha Christie brings me more mysteries to read (that’s Agatha, the cat, obviously).

Egalleys for Last Word to the Wise were provided by Bantam through NetGalley, with many thanks.

I am obsesed with cozy mystery books and this series is no different. I love the setting being in a small town, bookish place with quirky townies.

We follow the Christine's as they find themselves in the middle of another murder mystery. I enjoyed the development of the romance with Sam.

Overall super enjoyable read to just relax and unwind at the end of a busy day.

A wonderful second installment in this cozy mystery series! Ellie and Meg feel obligated to try their cousin’s new venture in literary matchmaking. But when Meg’s date ends up dead the morning after her date she is immediately under suspicion. Ellie is determined to clear her sister’s name and solve the case. With more dates to get through and the arrival of Meg’s ex in town things get chaotic. All Ellie can do is stand by her sister’s side and find the murderer.

With the cozy small town setting, a loving and supportive family and a little romance this is the perfect cozy mystery you’ve been looking for!

A delightful return to Last Word, Colorado and the Christie Book Chalet. This one has the Christie sisters' cousin trying her hand at a bookish matchmaking service. Sounds charming, what could go wrong? Well, everything! Meg Christie's date winds up dead and she is a prime suspect, not to mention he had quite the shady background.

This book was better than the first in my opinion. I loved the pompous English professor with the weird adoration for Samuel Beckett. I have met several of these in my time as an English major, though none so fond of the odd playwright. The worse he was, the more I chuckled.

Books about books and bookshops are some of my very favorites and I hope to experience more times in Last Word soon.

My thanks to Bantam books and Netgalley for this ARC

Sisters, blind double dates, murder, and red herrings! This book had everything I could want. I really liked getting to spend more time with Ellie and Meg in this one. I thought for sure I knew who the murder was a couple times, but I was wrong every time. Ellie has found herself in an odd love triangle and I can't wait to see what happens next with that one.
Great setting, good mystery, and good romance. Everything that a cozy should be.

A cute and mysterious cozy mystery!

I loved seeing Ellie, Meg, and of course Agatha back in action in a case that hit a little bit closer to home. With us getting barely any backstory into Meg in the first book, I was so happy that we got more insight into her past in this book.

I enjoyed seeing some of the characters of the town pop up in this book, (Honestly seeing characters from previous books in current reads is my happy place) and we got introduced to a couple of new ones! Some I liked more than others....you know exactly who I'm talking about.

The mystery itself was low stakes and I enjoyed Ellie using her Agatha Christie deductions to figure out who the culprit was. And of course I loved all of the Agatha Christie references sprinkled throughout the book.

This is book 2 of the series but you don't necessarily need to read book 1 to enjoy this one! Although I highly recommend it!

What I love about the series: small resort town, bookshop setting, cat sidekick, the Christie sisters

What I love about the book: book lovers dating service, cute detective love interest, intriguing mystery that went in a different direction than I was expecting

Read if: you are an Agatha Christie fan (lots of references especially in this one), love cozy mysteries, snowy settings and strong female family relationships

3.7 Stars
One Liner: Fun and entertaining (needs some serious fine-tuning)

Meg and Ellie Christie are sisters running their family bookshop, Book Chalet, in the Last Word town. Apart from the love for books and mysteries, the sisters also have a bad dating history as a common factor. However, they end up agreeing to be test dummies for a double blind date set up as a part of her latest entrepreneurial venture by Cousin Lorna.
Ellie’s date ends up as boring as she expected it. Meg, however, has a good time and makes plans to meet her date the next day. Of course, they soon find out that the man has been murdered. Meg is the prime suspect, and the sisters have no choice but to become active investigators. It doesn’t help that Meg’s scumbag ex is back in town, acting too sweet and trying to manipulate their fourteen-year-old daughter Rosie. The sisters need to sort out the issues before they can breathe easy!
The story comes in the first-person POV of Ellie Christie.

My Thoughts:
I enjoyed the first book and was excited to read this one. Luckily, I could get the ARC (geographical restrictions can be annoying at times) and enjoy it before the release.
The beginning is slow, like the previous one, but picks up pace after 30%. Though the book should work as a standalone, it might be better to read the first as well. Last Word has some eccentric and loud characters that may seem overwhelming without a proper introduction.
This one combines mystery and subplot (the sisters’ lives) quite well. There’s a potential love track for Ellie and the police officer. Though cliché, it might work for the duo. Let’s see where it goes.
Agatha C (cat) Christie, the Siamese cat, makes her presence felt just by being who she is. After all, Agatha is a celebrity with more followers than the bookshop. And as expected, the book has plenty of references to Christie’s mysteries.
Gram and Rosie also have some space, though I wish they were around for more. Rosie’s vulnerability comes out well, though I wish Ellie would have helped the girl understand a few things. The issue with Meg’s ex (Rosie’s dad) could have been better handled. Just one dialogue from Ellie (‘respect your mom’s right to decide who she wants in her life’) would have done the job and showed that she is a capable aunt (loving isn’t enough; she ought to guide her niece too).
Lorna contributed to the comic factor initially but soon became infuriating. I hope the sisters can stop being emotionally manipulated and set healthy boundaries.
The mystery is decent, with enough suspects, red herrings, and clues. However, I am disappointed by the reveal. The killer was a surprise, but made me curious to see how and why (it’s not often that I get this wrong). That said, the motive is weak and doesn’t feel logical. It can still make sense if a few more details are added to iron out the wrinkles. (This is an uncorrected proof, so maybe they’ll do the needful).
The setting is beautiful. It’s wintertime, with snow, cold, and frost. The gondola is mentioned a few times but is not a part of the story (like in the first one). We also meet a couple of mules (again). I love how the cover incorporates the various elements from the setting and the plot.

To summarize, Last Word to the Wise is an entertainer with good doses of banter, gossip, drama, and sleuthing. The cozy bookshop is a definite bonus.
Thank you, Ms. Diaz, from Random House Publishing Group – Bantam and NetGalley, for the eARC on my request. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book.

Last Word to the Wise is book 2 in the Christie Bookshop series by Ann Clair.
Dead and Gondola was a fun read so I was super excited for the chance to read the second title in this series.
Clair has written another fun and entertaining story.
The atmosphere and setting of this cozy mystery was fantastic. It has lively characters and a wonderfully addictive plot.
Any fan of cozy mysteries will devour this book.

I would like to thank NetGalley and Random House, Ballantine & Bantam for the opportunity to read this ahead of its publication date in return for my honest review.

This book is the follow up to the fantastic debut in this series, Dead and Gondola which I loved! The setting is charming and I love the close relationship between Ellie Christie and her sister Meg, niece Rosie, and grandmother. The book also works well as a standalone, but I'm glad I read the first one to get even more of a sense of the closeness between Ellen, Meg, Rosie, and Gram.
Ellie and Meg run a bookstore and are huge fans of Agatha Christie, even though they aren't related to the Queen of Crime, and there are fun references to the life and works of Dame Agatha.

In this book, Ellie and Meg reluctantly agree to be set up on a double-blind date through their cousin's matchmaking service for booklovers. Meg thinks she may have found a love match, but when her date is murdered later that night, it seems Mr. Joe Darcy may have been keeping secrets. Ellie is on the case to find the killer and make sure her sister isn't blamed for the crime. It's clear a killer is on the loose and the Christie sisters keep getting involved.

I enjoyed the role Detective Sam Ibarra played in the book, especially when he and Ellie compared notes on the case, but I have to admit a couple of the side characters that were prominent in the book (Lorna, Waldon, and Cameron) were hard to take. I still enjoyed the book overall and think it's another fun book in this series. I'm looking forward to the next one!

I received an advance copy of this ebook from NetGalley and Random House Publishing/Ballantine at no cost. My review is voluntary and unbiased.

~ARC review - Last Word to the Wise ~

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

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Ever since Ann Claire’s cozy mystery series popped up on my Goodreads I’ve been wanting to read it and when I was honored with the ARC of Last Word to the Wise it gave me every excuse to dig in.

If you are looking for a snowy and sweet mystery to curl up under a blanket with this weekend look no further! The series is set in a snowy hamlet in the mountains and centers around Ellie Christie and her sister Meg as they run their bookstore and find themselves wrapped up in mysteries just like those written by their favorite author Agatha Christie (no relation).

This sequel picks up a few months after the first and the sisters have been dragged into their cousin’s bookish matchmaking service. When Meg’s date ends up dead in his home, Ellie is drawn back into the world of amateur sleuthing to prove her sister’s innocence. Add in Meg’s ex-fiancé, her cousin’s endless pestering and a cute and flirty new detective and her world is turned upside down.

I devoured this book, the only reason I didn’t finish it in one sitting is because 3am hit and I had to be up at 8:30am. I adored it. Ellie is very relatable and I had a lot of fun watching or rather reading her reluctantly navigate the dating world while trying to find time to actually get some downtime to read. The mystery really drew me in and I love how it unfolded.

I am definitely invested in the series and can’t wait for more, especially to see if Chief Sunnie ever sees a moose!

Thank you NetGalley and Randomhouse for this ARC!

This is quickly becoming one of my go to cozy time, lay down with a book on a cold night with my cat and a mug of hot chocolate book series and I like to think that my favorite quirky done right main character, Ellie Christie would approve. This freezing small town has a warm place in my heart and I need this series to never end. I can't wait to collect them all and display them next to my Agatha Christie collection to reread whenever I need the perfect cozy night every winter or an escape from the dreadful heat of summer.

Agatha, the bookshop cat, is back! She has brought along with her the Christie sisters, Ellie, and Meg. Ellie and Meg are the co-caretakers of a historic bookshop called the Book Chalet. They excel at books but not romance so much. When their cousin has a new venture, pairing people up based on their bookish tastes. Meg has a successful date but is stood up on her second date. He had better have a good reason! Sadly, he does as he is dead. Meg becomes a suspect and like the first book, the sisters do their best to get to the bottom of things.

This is a cozy mystery that contains a few twists and turns. There is nothing earth shattering here. This book doesn't take much thought. It’s the kind of book you grab a cozy chair to curl up in to read for a couple of hours.

The small-town setting is a nice location for this murder mystery. The focus on family is positive and heartwarming. The bookstore sounds cozy and inviting. This was well written and enjoyable. The author's love of Agatha Christie shines through.


3.5 stars

I'm always amazed when bookstores in fictional small towns not only survive, but thrive, even when they're in tourist attractions/resort towns like the Christies' bookstore is. I'm glad they're doing well, though, because that gives us another chance to solve a mystery with them.

The Christies allow themselves to be forced into yet another of their cousin Lorna's business schemes, and go on blind dates. When one of the men turns up dead, the sisters band together to solve the crime and clear their names.

Why you should read it: Agatha the bookstore cat and some of the regular secondary characters are a lot of fun. There are plenty of clues and false clues, and you're given enough information to solve the crime before Ellie does.

Why you might not want to read it: The sisters allow themselves to get pulled into things they don't want to do because of family ties. As business owners, you'd think they'd have a bit more assertiveness, and they sometimes act a bit helpless. This was also an irritation in the side plot with Meg's ex showing up, and her and Ellie allowing him and Meg's daughter to manipulate them. These ladies need to learn to set some boundaries. If you like strong amateur sleuths, this might not be your cup of tea.

I received an advance copy from Bantam, via NetGalley, in exchange for my honest review.

3.75 out of 5 stars.

This is the second book in the series, and I truly enjoyed it. The sisters find themselves doing some sleuthing when they discover a body. Lots of great characters, fun plot and enjoyable dialogue. Recommend for cozy mystery lovers.
I received an advance copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

The second Christie bookshop cozy mystery finds Ellie and her sister Meg reluctantly going on blind dates as part of their cousin’s bookish matchmaking adventure. When Meg’s match is murdered, she ends up a suspect. Ellie must investigate to clear her sister’s name.

I liked this one a lot more than the debut! I thought the debut had promise but didn’t quite live up to it. I saw good character development here plus we are finally getting a good love interest for Ellie! Can’t wait for the next!

I received my copy from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Such a fun little quirky mystery book! The perfect fall/winter read for cold nights in. Reminds me of Nancy drew books and the vibe that those give off.

You can tell that after weeks of reading spy stories and fantasies, I’m in the mood for something cozy. So I’m delighted that the Christie sisters returned for some more bookshop-based sleuthing in Last Word to the Wise. Like any good cozy + Agatha fan, I had a great time with Dead and Gondola, the first book in the series… which makes me especially excited for this sneak peek. (Thanks to NetGalley and Bantam for the gift copy!)

In Last Word to the Wise, Ellie and Meg have settled into life running the Book Chalet. Their entrepreneurial cousin decides to guinea-pig her new matchmaking service on them, and they gamely go for a blind double date. But when Meg’s date turns up dead, Ellie and Meg quickly pivot from dating to detection. Mix that with returning characters and some new ones and you’ve got the recipe for a great cozy follow-up…

Community matters

I’m increasingly coming to the opinion that you can boil every great cozy mystery down to two components: the community and the actual mystery / puzzle / adventure. So let’s look at Last Word to the Wise from these two angles, starting with the community.

The Christie Bookshop series centers on three communities, nested together: the Christie family, the Book Chalet, and the broader town of Last Word. As the circles get wider, they tend to get more - challenging. But there’s also a sense of familiarity within each, which Claire orchestrates by making sure enough characters return across all three circles.

At its heart, Last Word to the Wise is a family story, and we spend an appropriately large amount of time with Ellie, Meg, Meg’s daughter Rosie, and their Gram. These interactions are almost always sweet and supportive - if there’s tension, it’s because someone cares too much to listen. The Christies, in other words, are the close-knit family that you wish you had. But because “happy families are all alike”, we need some tension, brought here in the form of a go-getting cousin, Lorna. Between the disastrous dates and the ensuing death, it’s clear that Lorna takes work to love. Yet the Christies work to include and support her, even when she proposes patently disastrous or invasive ideas. It’s a great way to add tension and conflict without actually disturbing the core family dynamic.

While the Book Chalet makes its appearances as a setting, its customer largely take a back seat in this entry. And the same is true for Last Word, outside its police force - there’s a cute cop newly in the mix here. Ultimately, a large part of your enjoyment of this cozy community will depend on how the Christies strike you - whether that’s escapist family fantasy (me) or a little sweet for your tastes.

A solvable puzzle

What, then, of the mystery? Last Word to the Wise offers an actually solvable puzzle, with minimal action shenanigans. Claire actually drops real hints and clues to the solution well in advance; they’re just buried in what feels like social fluff. In a way, it’s quite similar to At Bertram’s Hotel, with the personal getting entangled in the puzzling - and creating quite a few red herrings along the way. It’s all in there, if you can spot it.

This feels like a revelation, like what cozy mysteries can be when written as actual puzzles. After reading so many stories where the solution felt like an afterthought - just pick the least logical person and have them trap the protagonist and burn down the building - it’s great to see a puzzle built in to the story. What’s old is new again!

As for the solution itself - no spoilers, but I do wish the motivation were a tad stronger. It’s the funniest kind of mystery to evaluate - technically clued up, but pragmatically a little tricky to justify. Given how far most cozy mysteries deviate from the actual form of a mystery, I’m inclined to give it a pass - it’s similar to other cozies, but at least includes actual clues. Might it have been better if the Christies seemed to pick up on them? Perhaps, but at least you get a reasonably interesting mystery that can actually be solved.

Reader's notes & rating (⭐⭐⭐✨)

This is a delightful little cozy mystery, clearly written by someone who loves her mysteries and particularly her Christie. A great read for any cozy Christie addict, especially if you’re excited about an actually solvable mystery. And a perfect one for a chilly evening, curled up with a mug of cocoa. Three and a half stars.

Read this if...

You love both cozy mysteries and Agatha Christie

You enjoy the cozy warmth of a truly close-knit fictional family

You’re excited about a cozy mystery that can actually be solved!

Skip this if...

Social mysteries bore you

You’re more excited by the broader Last Word community than the Christie family

You hate any ounce of dating or romance in a mystery novel

Last Word to the Wise will be published on October 3, 2023.