Thank you Avon and NetGalley, for an ARC in exchange for an honest review. Absolutely loved this book and devoured it within a few days! This book is a rivals to lovers, rom-com, and knives-out mystery all in one and I couldn't have asked for anything better!
While I loved the mystery component of this book I ADORED the romance element. You know the phrase "to love someone is to know them," well that my friends is a perfect description of Ethan Wyatt and his love for Maggie. Ethan is now officially one of my new favorite book boyfriends! He's an absolute walking green flag.
Here are just a few things I love about him: he reads romance books, he's protective and thoughtful, can read Maggie very well, and is so comforting. Also, the banter between Maggie and Ethan was so fun and had me blushing and cracking up.
I also enjoyed the pace of the story and how seamlessly the characters' backstories were incorporated throughout the chapters. Oh! and I need to mention that I loved how the book had short chapters!
Overall, this was such a fun read! Tloved it so much that the moment I finished this book I bought a ticket to see Ally Carter in LA in October! If this book sounds like something you might be interested in please give it a try!

As a long time fan of Ally Carter (she got me into reading when I was 14) I screamed when I got approved for this ARC (Thank for NetGalley and the publishers!!! Very much appreciated!!!) And then I screamed again when I started reading it because it was That Good.
This book was literally the most fun I’ve had reading all year. And definitely my fav Ally Carter release of the last 6 years (how long I’ve been reading her). The setting was so very atmospheric, it doesn’t matter that I read this in August with my AC broken, you can’t tell me there wasn’t a foot of snow outside my window and I wasn’t in the English countryside. The writing was packed with Carter’s signature humor, the dialogue especially had me laughing out loud at multiple points. If nothing else, you should read this book simply because it’s genuinely funny. I loved the characters so very much as well. Maggie and Ethan were phenomenal, and their character development stood out to me immensely. Carter did a great job having their individual growth not be hindered by their budding romance as well. I always value themes in books, and I loved the ones presented here— this is at its core a story of overcoming doubt when you’ve been made by everyone around you to feel less than or crazy, and finding yourself. And of course, the mystery was fantastic. I’ve never been one for cozy mysteries, but this has me reconsidering that. It was so much fun, and the twists were incredible. The reveal scene at the end was one of my absolute favorites. Plus, it’s not an Ally Carer book without secret passages. I just had so much fun reading this book, it's easily one of my favorite books I've read this year. It's books like these that remind me why I'm so thankful for stories and blessed to be able to read them.
Once again, thank you NetGalley and Avon and Harper Voyager for the ARC!

Ally Carter and I go way back. I was a Gallagher Girl who was lucky enough to read the series as they hit the shelves. So when The Blonde Identity came out last year, I knew it would be a hit. And of course, I loved it. I thought that Ally Carter had hit her peak. Nope. She just keeps getting better and better because The Most Wonderful Crime of the Year is somehow better than the already amazing books she has written.

The banter in this one is top-tier. The twists and turns kept me second-guessing. AND no one can write as sweet of a romance as the one Ethan and his Margaret Catherine-Louise-Grace-Eugenia-Amelia-*Elizabeth* Chase.

Thank you so so so much NetGalley and Avon for an ARC of The Worst Crime of the Year! This one will probably be my favorite read of the year. Pub Date: September 24, 2024

This book had me at the dedication. I love Ally Carter's writing and normally finish a book in one or two sittings. This one I had to take breaks with because the way that it deals with recovering from gaslighting was really hitting and helping me personally. It gave me a getaway of my own to really think through my own things as the main character is sorting through some of her own memories. The story is about a recently divorced writer being invited to a Christmas party at her biggest fan's mansion, along with other mystery writers. The fan goes missing in a locked-door mystery and so our heroine has to team up with her megastar rival to solve the mystery. I love stories that revolve around writing and traditional publishing. There's just something about the fantasy of an author's life in a wacky situation that gets me excited to read. This, along with The Blonde Identity, is a great take on a locked door mystery. I love that Ally is writing for an adult audience now. I don't care for cursing, and this one has a bit, but not like The Blonde Identity. There are some spicy moments, which I prefer closed door/sweet clean romances, but this skirts the line of what I would have to skip over or skip entirely. It was a great three day read for me, and helped me through some lingering self-doubts I had from my own gaslit life. If the dedication speaks to you too, keep reading! You're not crazy, this is a book for you.

Such a fun locked room murder mystery! It's a very cozy read, perfect for around Christmas time as it takes place (mostly) from the 23rd-25th of December. The perfect amount of romance and mystery and enough twists and turns to keep you guessing. I'd definitely recommend this book! Thank you to Avon and Harper Voyager and Netgalley for the early copy!

Ally Carter I was not familiar with your game; I will for sure be checking out her previous work and any future works because this was so delightful. A cozy mystery and setting is so atmospheric — steeped in suspense and romance (the perfect combination). Full of banter between the main characters and a surprisingly intimate and emotional love story woven between the locked door mystery. I just want to quote the entire book, but sadly I'm not allowed. However, there's a “who did this to you moment“ that had me squealing and I know will have you down bad too. There are short chapters to keep your attention and makes you want to get to the end of the book faster to figure out the mystery. This book really did play out like a movie, especially the scene where Maggie and Ethan reveal everything to the guests, à la Clue (1985).

Thank you so much to Netgalley and Avon and Harper Voyager for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!

Maggie, a newly divorced cosy mystery novelist, is sent by her publisher the home of her “biggest fan” in the English countryside. She is thrilled to find that the fan is her Eleanor Ashley, her elderly mystery novelist idol, but less than trilled to find she is joined by Ethan Wyatt, a thriller writer whom she cannot stand. Maggie and Ethan find themselves at what they believe is a Christmas party of Eleanor’s friends and family until Eleanor disappears and people keep trying to kill the pair as they try to solve Eleanor’s disappearance. While spending time together Maggie and Ethan work out their contentious past and fall for each other.

I am not a mystery person and tend to get really annoyed when they take over my romance novels. I had zero issues with this book and I will read any genre or romance sub-genre Ally Carter chooses to write. I devoured this book in one sitting and found it to be a delight and a half. The writing was funny and deeply romantic (seriously Ethan may be one of the best male leads I’ve read in a long time). I’m a sucker for he-falls-first romances and so the romance in this one really worked for me. I loved both Maggie and Ethan and want a whole series of the two of them solving mysteries in different locations. Yes this book takes place over the Christmas holidays but it can be read any time of the year (I enjoyed the book on August 31).

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

So this is a fun one, truly! I'm not always a Christmas book fan, but when it's a holiday romantic comedy combined with a locked room mystery (and written by Ally Carter)... THE MOST WONDERFUL CRIME OF THE YEAR does an amazing job of just running with the cheesy over-the-top romance and mystery tropes, acknowledging them straight out (there's only one bed!) and laughing along with them.

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.

Because it seems like Ethan's been crushing on Maggie for a while. (We had to wait a while to figure out why he loved her from first sight. His obsession seems a little over the top for a bit.) Maggie, meanwhile, is reeling from her divorce and has little reason to believe in Ethan, or anything, especially herself. But she knows Eleanor Ashley. She grew up on her books. As Maggie grows in confidence, the two run through a series of wild and outlandish scenarios (gunshots! fires! secret chambers!) while exchanging quips, witty banter, and smoldering glances.

At times, it felt like my rhythm with CRIME was a little off. I wanted it to move a bit faster than it did. Ethan and Maggie's memories of their various earlier meetings provided justification for their characters' current actions, but as those trickled in slowly, sometimes the two seemed a bit frustrating. But, overall, this was really a fun read, leaning into both the romance and mystery angles, working the English manor in a snowstorm atmosphere, and giving us an enjoyable read while still highlighting the importance of believing in women--and yourself.

The Most Wonderful Crime of the Year was exactly as described in the title - wonderful! Writer Maggie Chase receives a mysterious invitation to attend a Christmas party from a fan and decides to be brave and accept. Little does she know that fellow author and nemesis Ethan Wyatt receives the same invite and before she can change her mind they’re on a private plane being whisked away to a large and remote estate.

I had SO MUCH fun reading this! The story was fast paced and engaging, I definitely enjoyed the ride. I’m giving it five stars not because it was perfect but because I was entertained throughout and was left smiling at the end. Not only was the mystery fun but the budding romance was so sweet. I could see my own insecurities mirrored in Maggie and when she starts gaining confidence you can’t help but cheer her on. I hope this book is a hit - it’s a perfect holiday read.

Thank you to NetGalley and Avon for the chance to read an early copy.

Maggie Chase is a cozy mystery writer who is going through a divorce. She gets an invitation to an English mansion for Christmas. Little does she know that the invitation comes from her favorite writer Eleanor Ashley and that her least favorite writer Ethan Wyatt would also be attending. After arriving, Eleanor vanishes and someone tries to kill Maggie. Maggie and Ethan team up to solve the mystery.
The Most Wonderful Crime of the Year by Ally Carter is a fabulous cozy locked room mystery. It is reminiscent of Agatha Christie and Dorothy Sayers. It is quirky, funny, and slightly romantic. It would make a perfect Christmas mystery movie.
Thanks to NetGalley, Avon and Harper Voyager for the advanced copy of the book. The opinions are my own.

I received a free copy of, The Most Wonderful Crime of the Year, by Ally Carter, from the publisher and Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. Maggie Chase is an author of mysteries, Ethan writes scary thrillers, sometimes opposites attract and sometimes they repel. They have a mystery to solve, but can they. This was a satisfying read.

Have you ever cried simply because a book was over? You reach the end of the book and you’re not ready to leave that little world quite yet?

This book was beyond charming, cozy-mystery-meets-romance perfection. I have suffered through SO many terrible christmas books this year - all well worth it to find a gem like this.

I’m a big fan of “enemies” to lovers when the MMC is actually completely smitten with the FMC. Especially when they have fantastic chemistry and banter. The knowing teasing, the clear pining. Ugh! So good!

The mystery elements are also fantastic - well paced with twists and turns that keep it interesting but never veer into anxiety inducing territory.

This was my first Ally Carter book, and I can’t wait to read more.

Thanks so much to NetGalley and Avon/Harper Voyager for the advanced reader copy of this book, provided in exchange for my unbiased opinion.

The Most Wonderful Crime of the Year was a great holiday mystery/romance read. This was such an entertaining book!

Ally Carter you’ve absolutely smashed it with this one. A British countryside setting? Check.
A mysterious old author? Check.
A striking MMC who fell first? Check.

The most fun and fabulous Christmas book for those of you already craving a cozy mystery romcom !

Thank you to NetGalley and Ally’s team for the ARC!

A wonderful mystery/romance that's the perfect cozy winter read!
This is probably my favorite Ally Carter book since the Heist Society and Gallagher Girls series (and I've read them all). This was a charming book full of atmosphere, set in the English countryside. I think the mystery was interesting and engaging, Eleanor very clearly being based on Agatha Christie, which I loved. It had a classic mystery feel. Maggie and Ethan were at first a little frustrating, but I grew to like them together more as the book went on. Ethan was my favorite character, and I liked his balance of seriousness and humor. I think this is a vast improvement from her previous romance book. Their banter was actually witty, and their chemistry was good. I am an absolute sucker for a plot where the characters have to work together to solve a mystery. I found that there were enough interesting developments that progressed the mystery forward nicely.
This was marketed as being very Knives Out-esque, which is one of my favorite movies. I definitely see the comparisons, mainly in the setting and characters. I would definitely recommend this to mystery or romance fans. I honestly think this could be great as a series or I would like to see her continue to write more books that combine the mystery/romance genres. The final culprit was easy to guess, but the fun of this book was more in the chase, not in the final reveal. I did appreciate the Agatha Christie-style grand reveal in the library at the end. I think that this book took some very popular mystery and romance tropes, but made them work together nicely in a way that feels familiar and comforting. The actual romance scenes are also much better than in her last book, so even though it is again a clean romance, it did not feel cringy or out of place.
My one critique would probably be in the marketing of this book. Had this not been written by Ally Carter, who I've read every book from since I was 12, I would have probably missed this one. I think that the cover does not match the actual plot or genre of the book. Yes, it's set during Christmas, but the holidays are really just a background setting, not the plot of this book. Now, maybe I'm mistaken as to the popularity of Christmas books, but I feel like it should have been marketed more based on the mystery aspect, not the Christmas aspect. By focusing so much on the holiday setting you could be alienating people who don't like Christmas romances or who don't celebrate Christmas, thus leading to them missing out on a real gem.
Overall, tons of fun, read it in one sitting, looking forward to more like this!!

Thank you to NetGalley and HarperCollins for providing me with an eARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

The Most Wonderful Crime of the Year by Ally Carter is a delightful blend of cozy mystery and holiday romance. Maggie Chase, a cozy mystery writer, is over the moon when she gets an invite to spend Christmas at her idol’s mansion. But her excitement quickly turns to suspense when the renowned author, Eleanor Ashley, goes missing from a locked room. Now Maggie, along with her rival Ethan Wyatt, must navigate both the snowy English estate and their own prickly relationship to uncover the truth.

The chemistry between Maggie and Ethan is the heart of this story, filled with sharp wit and playful banter. Their evolving relationship is a joy to read, and the snowbound setting adds a perfect touch of holiday magic. While the mystery itself isn’t overly complex, the journey is engaging and full of festive charm.

In short, this book is a warm, entertaining escape, ideal for fans of holiday reads and romantic mysteries. Carter’s writing shines through, making The Most Wonderful Crime of the Year a charming way to embrace the holiday season.

Mystery holiday romance? sign me up!!! Maggie hates Christmas, she’s a writer whose dream is to meet Eleanor Ashley, her favorite author. Her wish comes true when she’s invited to her mansion. Everything is great until Eleanor goes missing.
I loved the short chapters and the characters were fun. This one really reminded my of the game of clue! It was cute but didn’t love it!

This was such an enjoyable read. It was Christmas meets Knives Out meets Romance.

Maggie gets a mysterious invitation to go to England for the holiday. Maggie has had a bad history with horrible events happening around Christmas time but she decides to go, only to find out her arch nemesis has also been invited. Ethan Wyatt (man of my dreams lol) loves to tease Maggie and has no idea how or why she could hate him. They both find themselves at Maggie’s favorite author’s mansion, Eleanor Ashley. Suddenly, Eleanor disappears and there’s something strange happening. Maggie and Ethan have to work together to find what happened to Eleanor while also trying to stay alive from someone attempting to kill them.

I had so much fun reading this. Maggie is so precious and I love her character development and healing as she learns to trust herself and move forward from her traumas. Ethan is the hottie who adores Maggie and only wants her safe and to know how incredible she is. He shows her that he has faith in who she is as a writer, a woman, and a sleuth. Their banter was so entertaining and I swooned multiple times for Ethan Wyatt. “Who did this to you” I about died! I love them together.

The mystery was fun. I haven’t read a book like this before and had only seen movies like it so it was fun to experience it as a novel. I love Ally Carter from her YA series, the Gallagher Girls. This is my first fiction novel I’ve read from her and I’m in love. Her characters were hilarious, maddening, and nuanced. I would def recommend for a cozy read anytime of the year but particularly the holidays.

4.5 stars

The Most Wonderful Crime of the Year by Ally Carter was such a pleasant surprise! I hadn’t read anything by this author before, but I’m always up for a good holiday-themed book and I'm glad I gave this one a try. I’m thrilled I got an ARC so I can start raving about it early!

Going in, I wasn’t sure what to expect, and honestly, that feeling stuck with me throughout - but in a good way. The author unraveled the mystery in a really satisfying way that kept me totally engaged from start to finish. While the plot wasn’t super complex and the twists weren’t jaw-dropping, it was more about the journey for me—watching the characters grow is what made this book special.

Maggie was an interesting character to follow. I found her struggles with confidence and self-belief really relatable, and I loved how Ethan encouraged her to trust herself and realize her own strengths. Ethan was such a fun character! His quirkiness made him stand out, but I also appreciated seeing his deeper side come out as Maggie got to know him better. They were adorable together and so easy to root for.

The atmosphere was fantastic, the writing was wonderful, and the characters were intriguing. Overall, it was a great experience, and I’d easily recommend it to anyone!

Thank you, NetGalley, for an ARC of this book. All opinions are my own.

Thank you to NetGalley and HarperCollins for the Advance Reader's e-proof in exchange for my honest review.

The Most Wonderful Crime of the Year is a Christmas rom-com/mystery about a famous author who goes missing from her locked office without a trace. Ethan and Maggie, two longtime fans and fellow authors whose been invited to Eleanor's manor for Christmas, takes it upon themselves to solve the mystery of her disappearance. Facing an eclectic cast of characters and an unknown danger lurking at their steps, Ethan and Maggie will need to learn to trust each other if they want to get out of England alive. Will these amateur sleuths cooperate long enough to solve this mystery? Find Eleanor by Christmas? And finally let sparks ignite between them?! It's a chaotic Christmas all around!

This was such an adorable and cozy read! I laughed. I cried. I squealed and giggled. This holiday rom-com/mystery had both heart and humor, and just gave me all the best feels I could ask for. The romance in this was just so sweet and cute. I don't recall the last time an author had me going from hating an MMC to absolutely falling head over heels for him! Ethan's adoration and protectiveness for Maggie had me blushing and smiling like a teenager! I just couldn't get enough of it! This book was for sure a cozy Rudolph sweater for my little soul :) It left me feeling both warm and fuzzy.