This was such a fast read for me. The short chapters kept the story moving at such a fast clip, which is terrific for a whodunnit! I don’t read a lot of mystery, but I really enjoyed this one. I love that it was a holiday romance, but had so many other elements to it as well.

Totally recommend it!

🎄 The Most Wonderful Crime of the Year 🎄

“There’s no way, no universe, no reality in which you aren’t the brightest star in the whole damn sky”

Oh my heart, THIS BOOK! I laughed, I sleuthed, I swooned. Ally Carter absolutely knocked this murder mystery adventure of a romcom out of the park.

Set at Christmas time in England, Maggie is meeting her biggest author crush, Eleanor Ashley. The only thing ruining the moment is the presence of her annoyingly charming and good looking author nemesis, Ethan. With a hodgepodge of characters present for Christmas at Eleanor’s remote mansion, Maggie sets out to solve the mystery of an 81 year old author going missing from a locked room while almost getting killed at every turn. Thankfully, Ethan is always there to make sure she is not actually killed and adds heat to the snowed in quest, if you know what I mean 😏

I highly recommend this quick, Christmas-y read!

Give it a read for:
🎄 Rivals to lovers
🎄 Murder mystery
🎄 “Who did this to you?”
🎄 “It was always you.”
🎄 Only one bed
🎄 A hilarious cast of characters and endless witty commentary

Thank you to Avon for this ARC! The Most Wonderful Crime of the Year is on shelves September 24, 2024! My opinions are my own.

This was such a fun Christmas cozy mystery! This is a perfect read for a gloomy or snowy day while wrapped in a fluffy blanket.

It’s light-hearted which is refreshing with all of the mysteries and thrillers I read. Sometimes it’s just what I need! I enjoyed the mystery, it felt like Clue or an Agatha Christie novel with all the characters being stuck in the mansion. The romance was fun, there’s some humor and the mystery kept me guessing! I absolutely recommend it to anyone looking for a cozy read or a light mystery during the holiday season.

I took one star off because her self-doubts started to feel repetitive and because his nickname for her is ‘sweetheart’, I think I made a face every time I read it. It just didn’t fit or feel cute to me.

I was a huge fan of the Gallagher Girls series when I was younger and I’ve been so happy to see Ally Carter has started to write adult fiction as well.

Thank you to NetGalley, Avon and Harper Voyager for an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

This book was one part romance, two parts mystery, and I loved every single piece of it! It reads like a game of Clue, and was such a fun experience!

When you're introduced to the heroine you see an author that has been doing well professionally, but not so much in her personal life. She's freshly divorced, and is just trying to do what she can to get along. Out of nowhere she is invited to attend a Christmas event in the home of a famous author of mystery books, who happens to be her favorite author ever! You're also introduced to the hero of the book as he is an enemy of the heroine. You don't quite know why, but the heroine just can't stand to be in the same room as him. Slowly as you learn more about how their professional lives and personal lives have mixed over the years, you get a better picture.

The last person she wants to be stuck with on a holiday is this man, but he's invited to the same event she is. They bicker back and forth, and he seems to love teasing her without mercy. As they meet this famous author, and her surrounding family and friends, they learned that her life isn't as perfect as they would assume. The next thing you know, the hero and heroine are left trying to figure out one of the greatest mysteries: where has this famous author disappeared to, with so many guests in her house?

I absolutely love how this author commingled both sides of this book. I read primarily romance books, and I'm always happy when the genres mix like this. While this book is heavy on the mystery at first, once the romantic elements start to mix in, I loved it even more! It gives just enough insight into their growing relationship to have me rooting for these two fated characters. The hero slowly shows his protective side of the heroine, and all his brave, protective tendencies, left me eager for more. He just couldn't help himself around her, and eventually gave in to what his heart was feeling. Likewise, their forced proximity helps ease the way for her mind to get out of the way and eat her heart take over.

I highly recommend this one to any mystery and romance lover.

If you are going to read one new Christmas-themed book this year, I suggest it be this one. While there is a nice romance element to it, the bookish and mystery part of the story is central and I thought it was charming, engaging, and just a lot of fun to read. While it is set at Christmas, and there are references to Christmases in the past, it is not heavily "holiday" themed, and it didn't feel horribly weird to be reading it in September.

I’ve been an Ally Carter fan for about 15 years now, and I don’t think that’ll change at all, ever in my life. I will read each book by midnight on the day it releases and immediately buy the signed copy. So when I say this, I knew I’d love The Most Wonderful Crime of the Year before I even started it, I knew I’d love the characters, the plot, and everything once the blurb was revealed.

Ally Carter does romantic suspense so well, she has the ability to leave you dying to finish the book from the moment you pick it up. This book was no different, the similarity to Knives Out, and how much I loved Chris Evans in that sweater, made this book an instant hit. But what really sealed the deal, was the attention to detail in the mystery plot, it was the perfection in the characters and how every one of them have a reason to kill Eleanor. I was guessing the whole time, and loved when the who did it plot came out!

Finally, the romance of this book was *chef’s kiss*. I loved Ethan and Maggie, the depth of their lore, how Maggie hated him, but Ethan has always had feelings. The crumbs of Ethan’s past and his POV made it so special. I utterly loved them together and I loved seeing their relationship go from rivals to lovers all while solving a mystery! I can’t wait to see what comes next from Ally Carter!

Who doesn't love a great locked door (house) mystery on the cusp of Christmas, especially at a stranger's house with their weird family?

I first read Ally Carter's Blonde Identity and fell in love with her writing style and her humor. Though this is not an accidental spy novel, this is more of an accidental mystery solving adventure and I am here for it.

Imagine you were invited to the house of Agatha Christie for Christmas. Well Maggie has just received a mysterious invitation to her "biggest fan's" for the holidays and even though her author rival, Ethan Wyatt, is also invited, her jaw drops when she realizes it's HER favorite author, Eleanor Ashley. However, Eleanor vanishes in a locked door situation and Maggie feels it is a "test" to see who may be able to take up the mantle of Eleanor Ashley if she retires from the writing world.

This book is so fun and there are so many quirky characters. I am not sure I am completely sold on the rivals to lovers trope because it is really over done (for my personal taste) but, it's pretty cute since Ethan seems kind of smitten and Maggie is hell bent for a good portion of the book on holding her grudge.

Ally Carter has given us the perfect locked room mystery inside a rom-com. You are going to love this one! Highly recommended for all readers. #TheMostWinderfulCriimeOfTheYear #NetGalley #SaltMarshAuthorSeries

What a fun read!! I loved the blend of cozy mystery, whodunnit, rivals to lovers.

While I liked The Most Wonderful Crime of the Year overall, I had a hard time connecting to Maggie or Ethan. Neither of them were honest with the other or themselves, and it was just hard to like either one.

I think I would’ve liked this better as an audiobook!

What can I say? I honestly found this absolutely delightful- a mix of many different elements I love and all that I loved about Ally Carter’s YA books but for adults 😊🩵

The book is at once a holiday read and a cozy, who dun-nit mystery and an enemies to lovers romance.

Two rival-ish American mystery authors are extended a mysterious invitation for the holidays, that turns out to be a stay at an old English mansion- home to one of the most well known mystery writers in the business, Eleanor Ashley. It appears they’ve been invited to ring in the holidays with Ms Ashley and a odd group of her family, friends, and acquaintances - until Eleanor disappears from a locked room and murderous intent seems to be around each corner…

This was such a fun story, I loved the dual pov and short chapters. It made the pacing of the story feel quick and kept me flipping the pages eager to unravel the mystery and the who’s right along with our mains. I enjoyed both mains and the nice pacing of the story. I adore a cozy mystery and add in a good romance and I was just so happy. I don’t want give anything away but I was personally quite pleased with the solve and the ending.

This is my kind of holiday romance read and I only wish there were more like it. I honestly can’t wait to see what Ms Carter writes next and can only hope we get another of this type from her in the near future. 😊

For fans of Ally Carter (obviously), Knives Out and The Inheritance Games type watches / reads.

Thank you to NetGalley and Avon Harper Voyager for the opportunity to read an early copy! All thoughts and opinions are my own and freely offered.

The Most Wonderful Crime of the Year was a delightful blend of romance and mystery that actually did kind of give Knives Out vibes as advertised. At least in terms of an eclectic mix of characters. I read the first quarter of this book in one go and was absolutely obsessed with it and in the end, I did still really enjoy it! Let me tell you a bit more about it.

Maggie is recently (a year) divorced and her ex-husband left her for her (ex) best friend. Absolutely wretched. Anyway, she is persuaded to go on this trip to England at the behest of her "biggest fan" (Maggie is a mystery author) and who should also be invited along? Her arch-nemesis, Ethan. The dynamic between the two of them is utterly delightful and I enjoyed the book so very much. Ultimately, for me, the hijinks in the book both worked well for me and at the same time, took me out of the story a bit. I think this is a book to reread when I can devour it again in one sitting.

That said, Ally Carter's writing and plotting is pretty much always a win for me so it was nice to return to her style of writing and engage with it. I look forward to more from Carter in the future!

Thank you to HarperCollins Publishers for the ARC. I kept this one on the shelf for a while because the cover put me off. Boy was I wrong. Once I started, I couldn't put it down.

Maggie and nemesis Ethan are both invited to a secret Christmas getaway that happens to be at her favorite authors home, Mistletoe Mansion. When they arrive at the home, there's a handful of other guests (and 4 children) all with motive to want the famous author, Eleanor Ashley, dead.

Maggie and Ethan team up to find who is trying to murder Eleanor and fall in love along the way.

Definitely grab this one as soon as you can. It was amazing.

#TheMostWonderfulCrimeoftheYear #NetGalley

This book was a total blast. I love a rival to lovers story and this one really hit. Maggie and Ethan had sizzling chemistry out of the gate with excellent banter. I loved getting flashes back to previous interactions that they had leading up to their current relationship. The dual POV was handled really well. I enjoyed that we did not start getting Ethan's pot until the middle of the book. I loved the snowy English countryside setting. The mystery was top notch. There are ample suspects and an interesting house with hidden passages. The story was fast paced and kept me on the edge of my seat. I have already preordered the audiobook because I am so excited to do a reread. I have hopes that this might be a series because I would love to get more of these two solving mysteries together. I have never been let down by an Ally Carter book and can't wait to see what she comes out with next.

Thank you to Avon and Harper Voyager for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I had the pleasure of reading The Most Wonderful Crime of the Year. If you’re into murder mysteries with a holiday twist, you’ll enjoy this book. It gives off the vibes of Knives Out, Murder Mystery on Netflix, and the popular board game Clue. This was my first holiday mystery read and I could not put it down! Every plot twist had me running to the next chapter. Maggie and Ethan are rival authors who are stuck solving a mystery together during Christmas. They had such great chemistry and confidence in each other. Maggie is a strong woman who realized her past doesn’t define who she is. Ethan is the epitome of a green flag, always caring and protecting Maggie. Each character was well written, I enjoyed diving into the pasts of Maggie and Ethan. It allowed us as the readers to recognize what they went through and who they are in the present day. This book includes enemies to lovers, dual POV, crime/mystery, banter/flirting.

Honestly this is probably the most fun I have had while reading a book in a long time. We're introduced to our rival mystery writers, Maggie Chase, known for her cozy mysteries and recent divorce, where her entitled husband left her for her best friend, and Ethan Wyatt, a handsome and popular thriller writer. The two have a history together, with Ethan consistently calling her Marcie and Maggie consistently hating Ethan. But now they've been mysteriously invited to the English home of Eleanor Ashley, the most popular crime writer ever, and Maggie's writing idol.

But before you know it: Eleanor's disappeared from a locked room, someone's been poisoned, gunshots have been fired, and what looked like an amazing opportunity to meet Eleanor has turned into a desperate attempt to just stay alive. Or, is it a test concocted by crafty Eleanor herself? Carter gives us a wickedly fun locked room mystery with a twist: it's being solved by rival mystery writers who just might be going from rivals to lovers.

I loved how the romance bloomed between Ethan and Maggie. They are afraid of coming clean about their feelings, hiding behind harsh banter (from Maggie’s side) and flirty teasing (from Ethan’s coping mechanism). I loved how they teamed up to solve the mystery of the missing author and the perpetrator who threatens Maggie's life. The banter between Ethan and Maggie is absolutely hilarious. I caught myself numerous times giggling out loud over the conversations they would have.

I highly recommend if you want a holiday read that feels like you are reading a game of Clue. I gave this book 4.5 stars.

Work-place rivals, Maggie and Ethan, are invited to celebrate Christmas with another famous author who just happens to go missing. The pair team up to solve the locked room mystery and get closer to each other in the meantime. This book was such a delight! It was a fast read that kept me guessing.

Maggie Chase has had a rough year following her husband cheating on her with her best friend. When her publisher gives her an anonymous invite to a holiday get-away, she decides to go. Unfortunately, she doesn't realize her arch nemesis Ethan Wyatt, another writer at her publishing house, was also invited. To Maggie's surprise, the invite is to her favorite author, Eleanor Ashley's mansion in England. However, after their first night there, Eleanor disappears from her locked writing room. Maggie at first thinks it is some kind of competition, but also wonders if Eleanor is in danger due to recent events at her estate. Maggie knows she must follow the clues left behind to figure out what has been going on at the mansion, Ethan tagging along the whole time. As they get close to the final answer, the heat between Ethan and Maggie starts to increase, and not due to the animosity between them.

I really enjoyed this book - the fact that it has a mystery to solve and is also goofy and comedic at the same time. I was a little curious about the Christmas theme, but there was the perfect amount to not put it over the top. I'm so used to reading thrillers, I forgot how enjoyable the who-done-it/Agatha Christie type stories can be to read. This story had me thinking one second and then laughing out loud the next. The characters were likeable and well written. I am so glad that I saw people positively reviewing this on Bookstagram and that I was approve to review! I would rate this 4.5 stars!

Thank you to Avon and NetGalley for the eARC in exchange for my honest review!

Once again, I am here to report that Ally Carter does not miss. And that's with an emphatic period at the end. First off, allow me to explain my history in making that statement: I first started reading her preteen "Gallagher Girls" series in elementary school. Devoured those books, then I moved onto "Heist Society" and "Not If I'd Save You First," right, so very familiar with her YA catalog. Then she made her adult debut with "The Blonde Identity" and it was a complete 5-star read. Hundred percent. So, now I'm pleased to say that "The Most Wonderful Crime of the Year" is another 5-star favorite. For sure. Will be re-reading and purchasing a hardback copy in the near future, certainly,

By the dedication alone, I felt seen and I was intrigued. Then, I started reading. There was banter-after-banter between the two rivals to lovers, compelling language (naturally, I wouldn't expect any less) and I was just HOOKED and completely desperate to keep reading. It reads super quickly, and yet, I didn't want it to end. I was truly loving every single page and even annotating my favorite lines (a rarity for me). There was just twists and turns that I didn't see coming. It was more than just a romance (mostly closed-door, for awareness, but didn't feel too too wholesome if that makes sense -- this is a book for the plot girlies like me) but also an intriguing and indulging mystery. I was loving and devouring every page, just enthralled to learn what TF happened. Then, in addition to the MCs, there is a quirky cast of characters in this London-set, holiday novel. And making love interest Ethan Wyatt one of those secret piners despite a broody exterior, oh boy, it's my favorite archetype. And I love this little golden retriever, cinnamon roll for our girl Maggie Chase. And, oh boy, that was a DAMN FINE declaration of love. Oooo love it! And the epilogue? I was gagged and screaming at the tattoo, reveal and everything. Like, OBSESSED. (So, basically, Ethan is like a besotted golden retriever disguised as a black cat, which means he wins all the best book boyfriend awards, trust.)

I was, literally, laughing out loud in parts, squealing in others and clutching the pearls at certain times. I couldn't put "The Most Wonderful Crime of the Year" down. So, yeah, "The Most Wonderful Crime of the Year" can cure the most reading slump of a reading slump. I am proof of that. Like, I don't want this book to end, yet I needed to solve the mystery, you know? A need! All in all, "The Most Wonderful Crime of the Year" is one of the rare, elusive great ones -- and Ally Carter's books have always been that. Trust me, I realized that at age 12.

This novel was fun and funny. Carter is a master wordsmith, and she really pulls readers into stories quickly and keeps them there. While this was a Christmas book, it did not bash me over the head with it, which I appreciated. If anything I wish the side characters were more rounded out, but honestly, the book was great as it was.

Everybody else loved this one, but it was a bit of a bumpy ride for me. It took awhile before the romance grew on me, just because it was a little confusing – there were layers, secrets, miscommunication, and multiple timelines to keep track of. I did really like the “he falls first” vibes and the way the hero won me over, so the second half felt a lot stronger than the first. I never did muster up much enthusiasm for the mystery element, which is a substantial part of the story, but it certainly did make for a fast-paced, entertaining read. I’m a fan of Knives Out, and this definitely pulls some elements from that. The banter and playfulness was a lot of fun, and it’s got a fresh, unique vibe. Personally, the story sits somewhere between three and fours stars for me, but there’s an audience that’s going to eat it up.

The story follows Maggie, a romance writer who recently got divorced. She’s just starting to realize how much her ex-husband gaslit and belittled her, so she’s feeling pretty raw around Christmastime. So when her favorite author, an 81-year-old legend, invites Maggie to her home, it’s a dream come true. Unfortunately, she also invited Ethan, a man who has been the bane of Maggie’s existence for the last five years. His books have skyrocketed in popularity since he entered the scene, and the two have been hating each other ever since. So when Maggie’s favorite author disappears and she sees a side of Ethan that she never knew existed, it’s a shock to the system. The constantly carefree and charming man is showing a serious, competent side that makes Maggie feel safe in a chaotic situation – drawer her closer in ways she didn’t expect.

This has gotten such rave reviews that I was excited to dive in, but I’ll be honest and say that the first 30% or so did not win me over at all. Third person POV is tougher for me to get into, and with the uncertainty surrounding Ethan and Maggie’s relationship and all the suspense, I simply wasn’t feeling connected to the story at all. Maggie truly believes that Ethan hates her, and we’re not given his side of the story until later on. I do often enjoy puzzling out a hero’s feelings, but there was just so much other stuff going on. I didn’t particularly like either character for a while. Once they start connecting and that takes precedence over the mystery, I started to like the story a lot more. We’re with these characters as they figure things out and navigate their messy feelings, which means their relationship goes through a lot of changes in a short period of time. I appreciated that we did get Ethan’s POV at some point, though I definitely wouldn’t have minded a few more details about his side of things. It’s really not that kind of story though – this is meant to be fun, suspenseful and a little flirty; a true romance/mystery combo. I’m rounding up my rating because the second half was stronger, and I liked some of the pieces very much.