This was such a unique and fun mystery/romance, and I didn’t want to put it down!

Maggie Chase is invited to an English manor for the Christmas holidays by a surprise host, who ends up being Eleanor Ashley, her favorite author of all time. She is shocked to find fellow author Ethan Wyatt invited along as well, but the two quickly pair up once their hostess goes missing under suspicious circumstances. Also at the manor are a hodge podge of guests ranging from Eleanor’s lawyer and doctor to another mystery author and several family members. When someone shoots at Maggie, it becomes obvious that someone here is hiding a dangerous secret.

Carter’s prior book was compelling and full of hilarious antics that added levity to the story, and this one is definitely written in a similar vein. As Maggie and Ethan explore the giant manor home, we also explore their relationship over the past several years and whether they can trust each other today. It was highly entertaining, and I loved how lighthearted and full of banter the romantic portion of it was. The side characters are a ridiculous over the top bunch that were fun to read about, and I did not manage to solve the mystery myself.

Thank you to Avon for the ARC; all opinions are my own,

4.25/5

I really enjoyed this one! The lovers-to-enemies tension between the FMC and MMC was delicious. This is the perfect holiday-themed romance meets crime novel. Ally Carter has such a great way of writing characters and bringing them to life. I love her new direction of writing adult novels. Highly recommend!

Thank you NetGalley and Avon for an ARC. This is my unbiased and honest opinion.

Maggie has been through some trying times and it has left her alone, with no one but her favorite author, Elenor Ashley. When Maggie is coaxed to come to a Christmas party thrown by her publisher, she finds out her biggest fan has invited her to spend Christmas with them in England. She’s skeptical about going because she hasn’t left her house much recently. But when she overhears the golden boy, Ethan Wyatt, make a comment about her recent divorce, the hatred in her fuels her to agree to invitation. The only problem is, when she shows up on the plane, Ethan is there and going with her because he was invited too. Will their hatred turn into something deeper when their faced with a mystery to solve?

I received an advance copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. I know I’m a little late in getting around to reading this but I really enjoyed this book! It was such a fun story with a fascinating plot. I enjoyed reading the development of the main characters and how Ethan was everything Maggie needed at this time in her life. He was so supportive and believed in her. Their relationship was so sweet and heartwarming amidst the mystery driving the plot. I couldn’t help myself from turning page after page trying to solve the mystery myself! If you’re a fan of mysteries, Agatha Christie, and ‘Knives Out’ then you’ll love the book!

3.5 stars

Very solid Christmas book. I was so excited when I read the synopsis because it’s everything I love and I liked most of it. I thought the mystery was good and well constructed all the way until the end. And I thought the romance was super sweet. I also thought the humor and banter were so well done. All in all, this book deserves a much better cover.

I generally didn’t love this book. I’m not a DNF person so I stuck through it.
The mystery of it all wasn’t intriguing and I wanted more from the couple.

If you love a cozy murder mystery, The Most Wonderful Crime of the Year is for you! Ally Carter is such a compelling writer, this book is filled with humor and romance and it was fast-paced. Loved reading it right before the holidays.

If you loved The Blonde Identity this is right up your alley (no pun intended). There's plenty of twist and turns and cheesiness for a fun read.

This was such a fun, cozy, and murderous read! It had the classic humour and wit of Ally Carter, with a cozy mystery twist. I loved the main characters and how we learned their backstories. The only thing I didn't like was the resolution of the mystery - it felt overcomplicated and confusing.

However, I would buy this for my shelves!

Ally Carter strikes again with another captivating suspense romance. A longtime fan of her Gallagher Girls series, I’m thrilled to see her transition to adult fiction. Her description of this book as “Knives Out with kissing” had me hooked from the start.

When a renowned mystery author vanishes from his British manor during Christmas, Maggie Chase and her “rival” Ethan Wyatt must unravel the truth while dodging danger. This fast-paced, suspenseful read is a perfect way to kick off the holiday season. Carter’s writing continues to impress, and I appreciate the clean romance.

Note: I received a copy of this book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review

I down-loaded this one quite a bit after pub date, based on all the great reviews that I was seeing & I am so glad I did - I LOVED IT! It's a holiday set rom-com/mystery mash-up with both "locked room" and "enemies to lovers" tropes. Ethan and Maggie gave me all the feels & I do agree this one also has a very definite "Knives's Out" vibe as well!! WELL DONE! My thanks to Net Galley & the publisher for my advanced reader's copy widget - very, very sincere pleasure to read & review it!

Synopsis: The bridge is out. The phones are down. And the most famous mystery writer in the world just disappeared out of a locked room three days before Christmas.

Meet Maggie Chase and Ethan Wyatt:

She’s the new Queen of the Cozy Mystery.

He’s Mr. Big-time Thriller Guy.

She hates his guts.

He thinks her name is Marcie (no matter how many times she’s told him otherwise.)

But when they both accept a cryptic invitation to attend a Christmas house party at the English estate of a reclusive fan, neither is expecting their host to be the most powerful author in the world: Eleanor Ashley, the Duchess of Death herself.

That night, the weather turns, and the next morning Eleanor is gone.

She vanished from a locked room, and Maggie has to wonder: Is Eleanor in danger? Or is it all some kind of test? Is Ethan the competition? Or is he the only person in that snowbound mansion she can trust?

As the snow gets deeper and the stakes get higher, every clue will bring Maggie and Ethan closer to the truth—and each other. Because, this Christmas, these two rivals are going to have to become allies (and maybe more) if they have any hope of saving Eleanor.

Assuming they don’t kill each other first.

Review: I did very much enjoy this book as a lighthearted transition read from fall to winter, however, I did find the overall plot of the book to have been done many times before. The first 1/3 of the book had me hooked. I was interested in learning more about the characters and their backstories but once we hit the 2/3 mark I found it hard to want to pick up. I felt the ending to be predictable and it wasn't much different than other books claiming ode to 'Knives Out' by Agatha Christie. The characters were cute and the spicy scenes were middle of the road.

Rating: 3/5

Thank you to Netgalley and Avon for providing me with a copy of this story to review. Publication date was September 24, 2024.

The Most Wonderful Crime of the Year by Ally Carter is a warm, witty rom-com interwoven with a delicious “locked room” whodunit!
Two successful mystery writers, Maggie and Ethan, square off at a remote English estate, at the invitation of Eleanor Ashley, the acknowledged queen of modern crime novels. Maggie and Ethan verbally spar, but it is obvious there is a spark of attraction between them just waiting to fully ignite!
Their characters drive this story—Maggie is self-protective and sweetly cynical about her life’s highs and lows. Ethan is charming, disarming, handsome, and “hot!” Their witty repartee is engaging and fun to read, as is the breezy, sassy prose throughout.
As in most locked room mysteries, there is a colorful supporting cast of broadly drawn characters gathering for Christmas at the manor, all with questionable personal motives regarding their relationships with wealthy aunt/cousin/friend Eleanor.
There is plenty of action and atmosphere—a terrible snowstorm, impassable roads, and poisonous plants in the old greenhouse. The twists are somewhat predictable but still satisfying to figure out.
I recommend this novel to readers who enjoy a cozy, humorous suspense story, mixed with delightful whimsy and romance!

Thank you to Avon Books and NetGalley for the DRC. This is my honest review.

An enemies-to-lovers rom-com perfect for anyone looking to get into the holiday spirit! This book far surpassed my expectations — it’s well written, has some great laugh-out-loud banter and good chemistry, all set against a snowy English estate.

While the mystery storyline got a bit lost at times, I still found it engaging and it kept me entertained. I would definitely recommend this to fans of holiday romance and/or cozy mysteries.

Thank you to NetGalley and Avon and Harper Voyager for the ARC in exchange for my honest review!

After reading and loving Ally Carter's THE BLONDE IDENTITY, I was really looking forward to THE MOST WONDERFUL CRIME OF THE YEAR. This book had explosive chemistry, an exciting mystery plot, and a dash of Christmas vibes. For fans of Knives Out, you should definitely pick up this book!

4.5/5 stars

3.75 Stars


This was a super cute cozy mystery with a side plot of romance! I loved both of our main characters and enjoyed watching them solve the mystery together. I thought this book was face paced and it kept me intrigued almost the entire time. This is a super cute holiday read and I really enjoyed it!

first of all, thank you to the publishers and netgalley for the arc in exchange for an honest review! after reading the blonde identity a few months ago, i was excited to get started on this one once november hit.

this was so fun - i finished it in just one afternoon! just like with the blonde identity, the characters were lovable and the banter charming. holiday books are tough because they only work well for a few months of the year, but i enjoyed this one immensely. the book i read right before this slogged on and i ended up skimming by the end, so it was refreshing to have something i flew right through. a great little romance/mystery for anyone who doesn't need steamy scenes and likes some twists/action in the mix.

Okay this was so fun!!!! Holiday Rom com, enemies to lovers, he falls first, AND a cozy mystery that’s knives out coded?! Say less! I really enjoyed this fun story - don’t even care that there were too many characters that I got confused for each other, the main characters were all I needed to keep me hooked and squealing. No spice but that’s just fine. Highly recommend (and even though it’s a holiday themed book, it’s very lightly holiday, so this is good to read year round no problem!)

Thank you NetGalley and Avon and Harper Voyager for this ARC!

This was a fun "christmas" rom-com/mystery read!

This is a perfect start to get into the Christmas spirit.

Maggie and Ethan are rival writers, one writes cozy mysteries and the other writes more suspenseful thrillers. They both are invited to the famous Eleanor Ashley's house for Christmas. Think of Eleanor Ashley as Agatha Christie, but alive and well at 81 years old. Eleanor has written 99 mystery novels, outselling the Bible.

During Maggie and Ethan's trip to the Estate, Eleanor vanishes. Maggie is determined to find out what happened to her favorite author. Is she playing a game? Did something serious happen? Is her family involved? In this house, with no access to leave, can they solve the mystery of the queen of mystery herself? How will Ethan and Maggie work together?

This was a lighthearted mystery with all the rom-com vibes. Knives out meets a Christmas love story.

Read this if you like:
-enemies to lovers
-meet cutes (even though they may not realize it)
-one bed
-trapped in one house with strangers
-cozy mysteries
-low-level spice

Thanks to the publisher for the copy!

✨BOOK REVIEW✨
The Most Wonderful Crime of the Year
By: Ally Carter
4.5⭐️/5

🖇️ Forced Proximity
🏆 Rivals-to-Lovers
🌶️ Mild spice, closed door
🔐 Locked room mystery

I was so excited to be approved for this ARC! Thanks Avon and Harper Voyager & NetGalley!

Mix together Only Murders in the Building and Knives Out with a healthy dose of Hallmark Christmas movie, sprinkle with some Agatha Christie, and out pops The Most Wonderful Crime of the Year! Mystery Writers Maggie and Ethan have been rivals for years. And until they both are invited to (surprise!) legendary writer Eleanor Ashley’s estate for Christmas, Maggie thought it would always be that way. But when Eleanor vanishes from a locked room just before Christmas, they find themselves trapped in a castle of suspects. Together, they have to save Eleanor, figure out whodunnit, and maybe, just maybe, work out their differences before it's too late.

I loved every minute of reading this story, just like I've loved all Ally Carter’s stories! It delivered on everything I wanted from it and then some. Watching Ethan and Maggie work through past trauma together while also watching them be brilliant at solving mysteries is wonderful and emotional in the best ways. She took all the fun mystery tropes and turned the notch up by about 25% on each of them. Just ridiculous enough to make it a little funny but also not over-the-top, just the perfect amount of ridiculousness.

Verdict: Have recommended it to just about everyone who wants a good Christmas read. It's not a Roman Empire book for me, and I don't necessarily think everyone should read it, but it's the best at what it set out to do.

Ally Carter does it again with another FUN and intriguing suspense romance. I’ve been a huge fan of hers ever since Gallagher Girls came out and I’m loving the pivot to fiction for adults. When she described this book as “Knives Out with kissing” over and over, I knew I had to read it. When Maggie Chase’s favorite mystery author disappears from her British country manor at Christmas, it is up to Maggie and her “rival” Ethan Wyatt to discover the truth-all while evading death themselves. I really enjoyed this book and couldn’t put it down; Ally Carter gets better and better with every book. (I also appreciate that her books thus far are closed door.) Truly I could not think of a better way to start off Christmas book season!