“The Most Wonderful Crime of the Year” is a locked-room mystery about an eighty-one-year-old crime queen’s mysterious disappearance in the middle of a blizzard from her own study without leaving a trace, pointing to some perpetrator who has been threatening her life for a long time, meets an enemies-to-lovers and rival authors' mystery. I absolutely and completely adored this! This was “Knives Out” with romance and I was here for it! The cover draws you in and the book itself does not disappoint! It had wit, but also feels; it had romance, but also thrills; it had chills, but also tenderness. It was just a perfectly blended novel. The character development is so good, and I loved how Maggie and Ethan’s relationship was built and how it evolved. I loved how they teamed up to solve the mystery of the missing author and the perpetrator who threatens Maggie's life, leading to a satisfying resolution. The supporting cast of characters amplifies the suspense in a wonderful way! I loved the recurring themes in the book. Especially when I found out the reason why Ethan keeps calling Maggie by the wrong name. I also adored the Tucson chapter, it made me tear up. The only thing I didn’t like, were the repetitive lines like Maggie telling everyone she and Ethan hate each other and Ethan repeatedly saying he has to protect her as if he’s a superhero and she can’t take of herself. This book blends thriller and romance in a smart style that guarantees so much fun! I hope that we get Maggie and Ethan back to crack another mystery! I think this book is going to be a big hit! Many thanks to Ally Carter, NetGalley and Avon and Harper Voyager for sharing this highly enjoyable Christmas romance mystery’s e-arc in exchange for my honest thoughts.

When Margaret Chase, cozy mystery writer, receives an invitation to spend Christmas in England with her favorite mystery writer Eleanor Ashley, she is thrilled, but onboard the private jet, there is another, Ethan Wyatt, thriller writer and her nemesis. On arrival they find that they weren't the only ones there. Eleanor's nephews, nieces, a lawyer, an inspector friend and another writer had been invited. They had arrived just before a massive snow storm hit and then the power. went out. The next morning their hostess is missing but Maggie seemed to be the only one that was concerned. She also found that there had been attempts on Eleanor's life. So, with the help of Ethan, she begins to investigate the disappearance of Eleanor..
A delightful, fast paced, cozy mystery with a rural setting, stranded suspects, secrets passages and snappy dialogue between our two sleuthing writers.
Thank you NetGalley, Avon, Harper Collins for the opportunity to read this e-galley of "The Most Wonderful Crime of the Year".

3.75 🌟

Such a different holiday book that's not just another hallmark love story.

Okay, the mystery in this book sucked.me.in. Also, I loved the batter between Maggie and Ethan and just their relationship in general (no silly cheesiness). I do wish I got more insight into what Maggie was thinking as she solved the mystery but overall this was such a fun Christmas book!

Thanks, Netgalley for the ARC of this book!

***TRIGGER WARNING: Death of parents***
4.5

 The Most Wonderful Crime of the Year follows Maggie and Ethan who are both writers. They both accept a cryptic invitation to attend a Christmas house party at the English estate of a fan. Neither of them were excepting it to be the most powerful author in the world Eleanor Ashley. During the night the weather gets bad and the next morning Eleanor is missing. Maggie is left to wonder is Eleanor in danger or is this some kind of test? At this house, their are a bunch of people who Maggie and Ethan do not know leaving them to only trust each other. There is just one problem the two can't stand each other. But as Maggie and Ethan get closer to the truth they also get closer to each other. Will they be able to become more than friends and find out what happened to Eleanor before it is too late?

I read "The Blonde Identity" by this author and I thought it was just okay and that was the first book I had read by her. So I was a bit nervous going into this book. I am happy because I thought this was so much better than her other book. This book reminded me a lot of the movie Knives Out  (which is such a great movie if you have not seen it I highly suggest). Also what I liked this that this book did not make Christmas the main part of the book. It was set during Christmas and did mention things about it but the main focus was on trying to figure out what happened to Eleanor. I liked how this book also had a small romance aspect. I will say that this book jumped from the past to the present and I think the parts in the past weren't really needed. I didn't think they added much to the overall plot. But this was a really good book and a different take on the holiday book. I would highly suggest this one. 

Thank you so much Ally Carter, Avon books, and Netgalley for the ARC of this book.

DNF at 12% unfortunately. I was really excited for this book and was completely drawn in by the title. However, I found the relationship between the two main characters to be unrealistic/cheesy and the "enemies" aspect seemed over-dramatized. While deciding whether or not to DNF, I saw a post from a trusted fellow bookstagrammer who said she was disappointed by this book and wished she'd DNFed it rather than finish it, so that was the nail in the coffin for me. I just had no interest in continuing to read and knew I would be forcing myself to keep going. Thanks anyway for the ARC.

This book is silly, mysterious, fun, sexy, and flirty!!! The banter between Ethan and Maggie was top tier, the plot was tiwsty and full of surprises, and it was the perfect enemies (kinda) to lovers story. Ally Carter absolutely knocked it out of the park with this one.

Thank you so much to NetGalley + Avon and Harper Voyager for this arc!!!

4.5 stars!
Maggie is the queen of cozy mysteries. Ian writes the hottest new thrillers. Maggie hates his guts, but Ian doesn’t even know her name. They’re both at a mysterious Christmas celebration, and then things get hairy. Will Maggie and Ian be able to resist murdering each other while they team up to solve the case?
This book is absolutely hilarious! Maggie’s dry snark is top notch and the meta-ness of mystery authors trying to solve a mystery in the mystery novel you’re reading offers up just as much delight as I’d hoped. This book is a really fun way to ease into the holiday spirit!

This was somehow the best romance, best holiday book, and best mystery I’ve read in a long time! The characters had depth but still sweetness and that special rom-com magic, and the plot left me guessing til the end (without giving me nightmares). 5 stars, I’m now a huge Ally Carter fan!

This was a VERY delightful mystery/crime/light romance novel and I ate. it. up. I read this in one day, that is how much I loved it and the chokehold it had on me! It was SO good. I absolutely loved the writing style, the short chapters (huge win for me), and hilarious banter between the main characters Maggie and Ethan. I will always be a fan of cozy mystery novels featuring writers, libraries, and massive mansions in the English countryside. Not to mention this book is Christmas centered, so I knew it was going to be good! I love a book with twists and turns - one that keeps you guessing and that is exactly what this book did. A selfish part of me would LOVE for this to have a second follow up book. Thank you so much to Ally Carter, NetGalley, Avon, and Harper Voyager for an early copy. Can’t wait for a physical copy on release because I love this cover! 5 star read!

If I could give this book more stars, I absolutely would. Maggie and Ethan had me kicking my feet up and cheering for them every step of the way.

Maggie and Ethan are both writers who have been invited to Eleanor Ashley's (Maggie's idol) UK mansion for Christmas. Joining a fellow writer, Eleanor's family, and a detective, the group not only has to worry about finding Eleanor, who's gone missing but also figure out which person in the group is involved in her disappearance.

I DEVOURED this book, it has mystery, murder (possibly), Christmas, and books within a book! Ally's writing style was lighthearted mixed with comedy which was easy to read and enjoy.

This book is so much fun. I adore the idea of a romance mystery or a mystery romance with locked room and missing person tropes alongside enemies to lovers and only one bed tropes. Add in Ally Carter’s witty banter and knack for making everything connect in clever ways, and this book brings a fresh take to the classic romance and mystery genres.

In addition, this book utilizes character backstory really well, giving Maggie and Ethan a history that makes the short timeframe of the story work for their romance. I love the use of flashbacks and even the jumps into the “aftermath” interrogation scenes to help frame what happened. All of it was super cute.

My only hang up is that it felt a bit repetitive in some places and it seems a little bit over-the-top cheesy. But I had way too much fun to care if it was unrealistic or if Ethan’s initial personality was a little too much. I also don’t know if I could have figured out who was trying to kill Eleanor Ashley since everybody trapped in the mansion had good motives, but I enjoyed following Maggie and Ethan on their adventure around the mansion and the grounds as they tried to figure out what was really going on. The short chapters make it so easy to just keep reading.

Overall, this book is a fun, holiday-themed story wrapped up with a little bit of romance and a little bit of mystery. If you like Ally Carter or stories with all of the tropes, this one's for you.

4 ⭐️

Thank you NetGalley and HarperCollins for my ARC

This is an incredibly fun Christmas mystery. It’s a romance mixed with Knives Out, set in an old British manor. The main couple (they hate each other, we love it!) are both authors and invited on a mysterious trip. Turns out their host is the most prolific mystery author of their generation, and the other guests are a smattering of relatives and acquaintances— and then their hostess disappears.

I don’t feel like this necessarily had to be a Christmas book but it was a fun setting. The mystery was a bit complex at times with a lot of components and players, but I certainly didn’t guess the ending (and honestly, not sure anyone could).

Definitely an enjoyable, cozy mystery!

Thanks Netgalley for allowing me to read this book. Maggie is not a fan of Christmas. Her marriage hs ended and she is at a crossroads in her life. She goes to England, and learns that the owner has gone missing. This book kept me guessing.

This endearing locked room murder mystery, set in a UK house during the Christmas season, is a delight to read and solve. I have to admit that this is one of the best mysteries I've read in a very long time. It was a fascinating story that felt very Agatha Christie but in the modern settings!

Though lighthearted and entertaining, this novel will make you feel things. The writing was well-done, and the atmosphere was slightly eerie. Both mystery and romance fans will find everything they're looking for in this book.

The romantic touch here is the chef's kiss! In the process of unraveling this mystery, rivals Maggie and Ethan turn into unusual allies and develop a relationship that is so well developed that it seems so natural. I cherished their back-and-forth banter and I really enjoyed reading about their feelings for one another.

And Ally Carter writes fictitious men in a way that makes you want to fall in love with them. Ethan is such a fantastic guy! I admired how he could assist Maggie in discovering her true self.

It was the perfect holiday mystery, and I could not get enough of it! Though it was my first book by Carter, it won't be my last.

I was honored to be selected as an e-ARC reader for The Most Wonderful Crime of the Year. I am a sucker for a holiday rom-com, so the minute I read the description and read it was about rivals locked in a mystery, I knew I had to read it. Ally Carter does NOT disappoint. I read this book in one day (only stopping when I had to since I am on vacation). The writing and banter was smart, the flashbacks gave us perfect backstories where needed, the police interviews mixed throughout brought humor to the story, and the dual POV was done right - we only started getting the male POV at Chapter 35 at a pivotal scene from the past. The mystery was twisty and turny and kept me on the edge of my seat and seeing it through the eyes of a mystery writer added to the intrigue. The romance was behind closed doors, but the burn was still there. I think this will be on the favorite holidays books for 2024 and cannot wait to re-read it and make my friends experience it!

A fun little fever dream.

Maggie and her writing nemesis, Ethan, are both asked to spend the holidays at a secret location by an anonymous person. They’re both mystery/thriller writers for the same publisher. All they know is their biggest fan has asked them to spend the holidays at a mansion.

It’s third person, predominantly single POV, with then/now timelines and a few chapters in his perspective. Short chapters, and quick writing.

The pair have to navigate this chaotic house. They’re snowed in, there’s a missing person and attacks on the writers. It’s a whodunnit that kept me guessing.

Thank you to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for my advanced digital copy!

This was an adorably fun cozy mystery. I'm a sucker for a book involving authors and this one takes you on a journey.

Thank you to NetGalley, the Publishers, and Ally Carter for an ARC of The Most Wonderful Crime of the Year. I am obsessed with this book! It was the perfect mystery, rom-com, holiday book that needs to touch all mystery lovers eyes this season. I loved the Knives Out aspect and the enemies to lovers. I felt the “wanna make out” was a little overdone, but otherwise I loved the enemies to lovers aspect and the journey that Marcie/Maggie and Ethan went on (and also would love to see this turned into a movie to see who would play Ethan). I loved how Maggie grew in her character and Ethan’s many new expressions lol! It was definitely the most wonderful crime of the year.

Maggie and Ethan are on a plane to England for Christmas and their host, Eleanor Ashley, at her exclusive twenty thousand acre English estate. But wait - Maggie and Ethan hate each other. Maggie is a cozy mystery writer and Ethan is a big shot thriller writer. Ethan can’t get her name right and Maggie doesn’t leave her house much, especially for cryptic invitations but she made an exception this time. Once they arrive and meet their host, the weather takes a quick turn - the bridge goes out and they lost cell reception. Oh and also, Eleanor Ashley is also missing. She’s completely vanished from a locked room. Maggie wonders if this is a test or if Eleanor is actually in danger. Maggie doesn’t know who she can trust especially in this situation. Odd stuff starts going on and Maggie and Ethan start finding clues and they must work together to solve what happened to Eleanor Ashley without killing each other first.

So stinking cute!! I absolutely adore this book! Such a cute cozy romcom/ mystery. I fell in love with Maggie when she mentioned her purse book and napkin cheese! Ethan was also prefect easygoing golden retriever MMC, but with layers. I throughly enjoyed all the characters throughout this story. The plot was nice and engaging and not too obvious of a crime that you solve it right off the bat.

Thank you to Netgally for providing this ARC.

I received an ARC and flew through this book once I started it. It was so fun and such an easy read.
I loved the mystery aspect and that the main characters both were writers in the mystery/thriller genre. The romance was cute and added to the fun of the story. Overall just a great read. Definitely add this one to your want to read shelf if you haven’t already!