I’m really sad this is over. It was so good that I had a book hangover for a long time and now I am finally writing my review. “The Most Wonderful Crime of the Year” by Ally Carter stars Maggie Chase, a cozy mystery writer, and Ethan Wyatt, a thriller author (mortal enemies 😉) who reluctantly team up to solve the disappearance of renowned thriller author and Maggie’s idol, Eleanor Ashley on her sprawling English estate. Amidst the twists and turns, sparks fly between Maggie and Ethan 🥰. Did I mention, it’s Christmas during all of this?? This could not have been a more perfect book for me. 5000/5 ⭐️. Thank you Netgalley, Ally Carter, Avon and Harper Voyager, and Avon for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Unputdownable! I know I have absolutely adored a book when I can’t stop reading it but am desolate when it comes to an end.

Why was this novel so enjoyable? First, we love our heroine, Maggie Chase from the beginning. Although she is a bestselling author, she is broken after being betrayed by her husband and best friend, Her backstory is that she was orphaned at 18 but pulled herself up from poverty by hard work and her quick intelligence. This may sound weighty, but the third person narration voice is filled with humor. Also, from the onset we see the enemies to lovers trope featuring a sexy and extremely likeable “black leather jacket” thriller writer.

Secondly, there is the captivating who done it of the world’s best-selling mystery author who disappears from a locked room. With more than just a nod to Agatha Christie, the stock characters of a classic British mystery are all hilariously present.

So, witty banter, ,delicious romance, self-discovery, and an engaging and intricate mystery, along with a clever twist on a Christmas theme combine together to provide the reader with a most fabulous read.

Overall I really enjoyed reading this, since I apparently now love Christmas romcoms and don't know who I am anymore!

Loved the classic locked-room setup! Two rival mystery writers (Maggie and Ethan) are invited to a Christmas house party at the country estate of the world's most famous mystery author, Eleanor Ashley. Eleanor disappears from her office as a blizzard hits and everyone is stranded at the house. Everyone is a suspect, and Maggie and Ethan have to figure out what happened to Eleanor and avoid being the next victim(s).

This was cute and had some good banter and sweet moments, but the "big man save woman with no self confidence" business drove me a little nuts after a while. And it was fully closed door other than some kiss-based swooning! Nooooooo!!!!! The mystery bit was fun if overly convoluted, and I loved that Carter was inspired by Agatha Christie's missing days!

Was this my favorite romcom ever? No... BUT...
Did I laugh out loud several times and maybe stay up too late reading it because I was so into it I needed to know how it ended...? YES!

This was my first book by Carter, and definitely will not be my last -- I've had her middle grade book The Winterborne Home for Vengeance and Valor on my "read this for work" list for far too long and am very interested in The Blonde Identity and the Embassy Row series - I love finding a new-to-me author with a huge backlist!

(3.5 rounded up)

Thank you to Avon and Netgalley for the opportunity to read this book early in exchange for an honest review.

The Most Wonderful Crime Of The Year follows Maggie, a recently divorced writer who is invited to spend Christmas at the home of a fan, who is coincidentally her favorite mystery writer, along with a fellow writer who she definitely hates.

I've been a HUGE Ally Carter fan since 2010 and this did not disappoint at all. I was completely hooked from the first page and it just got better from there. I really loved the dual point of view as well as the insights into what happened in each of the main characters' pasts that made them the way they were.

This book was also incredibly witty and the mystery was fun to solve along with the main characters. I wished it would never end!

My favorite Ally book has always been Don't Judge A Girl By Her Cover, which has an incredible twist, but The Most Incredible Crime Of The Year has now surpassed because of how absolutely enjoyable it was to read and how much I liked the main characters.

Overall, I absolutely loved this book and am counting down the days until it releases.

This was my first book by Ally Carter but after this one, I am definitely going to have to read more! I read this book in one day and could totally have read it in one sitting if I was given the chance. The chapters are short and the book was fun and easy to read. This was a perfect cozy mystery with an enemies/rivals to lovers romance. It wasn't overly Christmas themed, which worked for me reading it in June, but it was set leading up to Christmas and had some sprinkles throughout. It was very Agatha Christie-esque but if Agatha Christie invited guest to her mansion for Christmas, then went missing. I love mystery and romance books so combining the two worked perfectly for me. The romance was low on the spicy and didn't overpower the story or the mystery at play. I really enjoyed this fast paced, holiday locked room mystery with a touch of romance, I think it was such a cute and entertaining book!

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

I loved this book - HIGHLY RECOMMEND! It was a BLAST to read! Thank you NETGALLEY for this ARC!
For fans of romance and mystery, plus cute couples - this book has everything! The tension and chemistry between Maggie and Ethan is unlike any other I've read Maggie's best efforts. The supporting cast/ characters just makes it even more wonderful!

Reading this festive book during a massive heatwave was such a treat! I love a murder mystery and the nods to the Clue-style locked room genre were the perfect touch. Can't wait to read the rest of Ally Carter's backlist!

Thank you to the publisher and to NetGalley for the ARC!

I will always, ALWAYS be down for a whodunnit, Agatha Christie style mystery - of course with a touch of romance. I was so so excited just by the premise of this book because it was teed up so perfect and nice. And in the execution, this book met all my expectations and then exceeded some. It is written so well, with the different time periods, perspectives, and styles all adding up to the perfectly structured mystery, and it also has such a great character cast that make the perfect suspects. Maggie and Ethan, foes who become unlikely allies in the quest to solve this mystery, grow a connection that is so cleverly built up and grown it feels seamless. They are characters you can't help but fall in love with while simultaneously being in a state of such suspense as the plot unfolds. It's a real mystery to to experience, alongside everything else going on.
It's so full and so fun to read, like a modern day Christie novel meets a romcom. I love the homage to her and her image. For someone whose favorite genre is basically thriller/mystery x romance, this book met a really high standard of success for me. It did everything it had to and more, making me so interested as to explore Carter's other books. It's the most wonderful crime (novel) of the year!

Carter’s second foray into the world of adult romance, The Most Wonderful Crime of the Year, is a murder-mystery set in Mistletoe Manor (yes, that’s what it’s called, and yes, that should give you a clue about what kind of book this is) where guests have been invited by celebrated mystery author Eleanor Ashley, and include our MCs, Maggie and Ethan.

(Take a shot every time a character says Eleanor Ashley and you’ll be drunk in a couple of hours.)

As the mystery unravels, we are treated to a dual POV from Maggie, our protagonist (duh), and her love interest, Ethan Wyatt, secret service guy-turned-best-selling author. Ethan’s POV comes later in the book, which does, in my opinion, do a disservice to the story as a whole; I would have preferred if both POVs were included from the get-go. Given that the two characters are meant to be “enemies” (they’re not), the romance would have felt more well-rounded had both POVs been given the same attention.

As with her previous work, Carter’s premise and characters shine when readers go into the experience with adjusted expectations: this is a fun, fast read that you curl up with on a sleepy winter’s day, hot cocoa by your side. You’ll enjoy it the same way you enjoy Netflix’s Christmas movies. In other words, suspension of disbelief (and sometimes critical thinking) is required. Anyone comparing this book to Knives Out needs to stop it. Stop it right now.

(A note: Like in most of the Netflix Christmas movies I’ve seen, the sex is implied—so yes, this is a closed-door romance and if you’re looking for smut…go elsewhere.)

Netflix-vibes acknowledged, it must be noted that the protagonist’s internal conflict revolves around abuse—that is, she was in an abusive relationship prior to the book’s start point, and has struggles because of the gaslighting she endured. If we’re being honest, I worried the first time the book threw the word gaslighting at me as the term is grossly misused on social media these days. However, the subject does come up and is “dealt with” as the novel progresses, and there are specific examples of said gaslighting on the page. Speaking as a life-long Carter reader, I was surprised this aspect was included and addressed to this extent. I can’t decide if it feels out of place for this kind of story, or if it was just fine. Readers, you’ll have to make up your own mind.

Overall, the book feels like an improvement on Carter’s first adult romance, The Blonde Identity (TBI), even if they have wildly different premises and feel. Though Maggie is supposed to be ~quirky and zany~, she doesn’t come across as YA as Zoe. I think plenty of readers will dislike her, nevertheless. Ethan was a likable love interest (even though Carter’s cringe use of pet names—insert lady/good girl war flashbacks from TBI here—makes a return), if a bit immature. On the plus side, the characters have history, so it feels less insta-love than TBI.

And although I found the revelation at the end disappointing (which, yes, is a big deal for a mystery, but maybe less so for a romance-mystery…?), I enjoyed the “journey to the answer” enough to not mind so much.


I received an ARC in exchange for a fair review.

Mystery involving authors who write mysteries. Low spice romance. (Kind of) one bed and forced proximity tropes. Rivals to lovers.

Ok fine, I loved it. Branched out a bit from my normal romcom, and really started to question myself when the book had flashbacks (not usually a fan) and a cheating ex-husband (never a fan). But dang it… I ended up loving it!!! Great storyline and loved the main characters together.

Thanks to NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for my honest review. Watch for The Most Wonderful Crime of the Year to come out September 24, 2024.

This is how you do a Christmas romance! If you are expecting spicy Hallmark that is not what this book is. While this book is closed door which is not my preferred for romance, there is so much else going on that it is not missed. The Christmas aspect has enough going on that you know what time of year it is but not so much that it feels cheesy. The love story is so lovely and very well done! Our FMC Maggie has been through so much and the MMC would die for her. Even though it the book is set over only a couple of days they have known each other for five years so there is a lot of history. My favorite part of this book is the mystery which has an Agatha Christie feel with lots of twists and turns throughout. Highly recommend!

I am obsessed with Ally Carter and everything she writes so I couldn't wait to start reading this book even if it meant reading a Christmas-centered story in June. It was everything I love in an Ally Carter book and more! The characters were compelling and loveable, the romance was tension-filled, the mystery was extremely tension-filled, the prose was comedy gold, and the setting was perfection! The whole story was so fun and yet still kept the stakes of a murder mystery! It was the perfect holiday mystery and I couldn't get enough of it! I am obsessed with this book and hope Ally Carter writes more murder mysteries!

Thank you to Netgalley and Avon for this ARC in exchange for my honest review!

Maggie and Ethan are rival authors who are come together for a huge author's Christmas party, which turns into a mystery when that author suddenly disappears. Maggie and Ethan are forced to team up to solve the whodunnit and along the way, explore their own feelings/relationship with each other.

Tropes:
Rivals to lovers
Reverse grumpy/sunshine
yearning/angst!!

Maggie and Ethan had a lot of depth to their characters. Especially with Ethan, I really liked getting to know what was underneath all his charm and sunny disposition, and I found myself liking his character more as I learned more about him. Maggie is also dealing with the effects of her past relationship. It was interesting to get Ethan's POV especially in the flashbacks where we see Maggie and her ex-husband's interactions - it really provided more context to Maggie's character. I love a good romance mystery and this was a perfect combination of both. Maggie and Ethan had good chemistry and there was a lot of yearning (I live for this!). Yes, he calls her Marcie, but once you find out why, it's cute.

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

Twas the night before Christmas and all through the house not a creature was stirring, except this reader giggling over Ethan & Maggie’s adorable banter in this “Knives Out gets a holiday rom-com twist, rivals-to-lovers romance-mystery”

If you like:
Christmas
Rick O’Connell & Evelyn Carnahan’s banter from The Mummy
Romantic Comedies
Knives Out
Agatha Christie
Rivals to lovers
Closed door romance
Fast paced books
Solving mysteries

You’ll love:
The Most Wonderful Crime of the Year by Ally Carter

Maggie Chase likes Christmas about as much as Scrooge, but when her publisher all but forces her to accept a mysterious invitation to spend Christmas in England (all expenses paid) she thinks maybe this won’t be such a bad Christmas after all. Until she sees who her traveling companion is...Ethan freaking Wyatt. They are rival authors, and Maggie can’t believe she is going to be stuck on this vacation with him of all people.

When they arrive in England the pair discover they will be staying at the home of a prolific writer, Eleanor Ashley the Duchess of Death. Maggie is fangirling hard over Eleanor, she is her favorite author! When their host goes missing 2 days before Christmas and other dangerous events occur, the rivals must trust each other and discover the truth before they are the next victims.

During their investigation they realize that they might not actually hate each other as much as they thought. Which is scarier, big feelings or a murderer? Probably the big feelings.

This book was so much fun to read, the banter between Ethan and Maggie honestly had me giggling throughout. This was a fast paced mystery and full of twists. It was such a thrill to be kept guessing who was the real culprit?

The romance was a closed door romance, which I thought was a nice touch to this story. Stolen kisses, sweet sentiments, and professions of love was the cherry on top of this mystery romance.

I highly recommend this, especially if you are in a book slump. These characters will pull you right out of it!

Thank you NetGalley, Avon, and Harper Voyager Publishers for the advanced Digital Copy. Thank you as well to Ally Carter for writing such a fun mystery. I truly enjoyed it. Publication date: 09/23/2024.

This book had a quick pace that made it easy to read and fun enough. There were some twists and turns throughout the story that kept my interest but overall the book wasn’t anything too special. I found it hard to connect with the characters but they were entertaining all the same. This is one of those books I would recommend as a vacation read as it doesn’t require too much focus but keeps your interest through the end.

Maggie Chase and Ethan Wyatt, two mystery writers who couldn't be more different. Despite their rivalry and constant bickering, they find themselves drawn into a dangerous game when the world-famous mystery writer Eleanor Ashley disappears on Christmas Eve. The story takes place at a secluded manor in the English countryside, where Eleanor has invited a group of mystery writers for a holiday party. Maggie and Ethan are among the guests, along with a cast of quirky and suspicious characters. As the weather takes a turn and the snow begins to fall, the group becomes isolated, and the tension mounts. When Eleanor vanishes from her locked room, Maggie and Ethan find themselves thrust into a real-life mystery. They must put aside their differences and work together to uncover the truth behind Eleanor's disappearance. Along the way, they encounter a series of clues and red herrings, each one leading them closer to the truth—and closer to each other. One of the highlights of the novel is the dynamic between Maggie and Ethan.
Maggie is the practical and intuitive cozy mystery writer, while Ethan is the action-packed thriller guy. Their contrasting styles and personalities create a lot of sparks and humorous moments. Despite their initial animosity, they gradually develop a grudging respect for each other and find themselves reluctantly drawn together. The isolated setting and the locked-room mystery create a claustrophobic atmosphere that adds to the tension. Carter does a great job of balancing the mystery with the romance, keeping readers on the edge of their seats while also providing plenty of heartwarming moments. Overall, this is a delightful holiday mystery with a touch of romance. It's a perfect read for fans of cozy mysteries, and crime thrillers. With its charming characters, engaging plot, and festive setting, this book is sure to put you in the holiday spirit. I highly recommend!

This book was adorable I love a good enemies to lovers with a side of locked door mystery. Also im obsessed with christmas so theres that. This cover was also really cute. I wish there were more christmas mystery books like this and I know I will be re-reading this around the holidays to get in the spirit.

Ally Carter delivers again! A cryptic invitation from your biggest fan, to spend Christmas in England, is to tempting to pass up for mystery authors. Maggie Chase and Ethan Wyatt are not expecting to meet one of the most popular and prolific authors of their lifetime, Eleanor Ashley, in this Christmas Locked Room mystery.
The snow keeps falling, creating the perfect setting for these mystery writers to figure out what happened to Eleanor and why they were invited to spend Christmas with strangers.
This rom-com is filled with snark and sarcasm and I loved every minute of it.

My favorite holiday book I’ve read. Ally Carter rom-com meets cozy mystery. I LOVED the characters in this. There were so many times I laughed out loud, but I also loved their growth throughout the book. You got great depth mixed in with some CLUE vibes that always kept you guessing. Definitely add this to your Christmas TBR. Thank you so much to NetGalley & the publishers for this ARC. I can’t wait to read it again.

I read this in two days. The only reason it wasn't one is because I started late and I read until I couldn't see anymore. I couldn't put it down. It's fabulous. It's fun. It's thrilling. It's funny. It's romantic. It's everything. Ally Carter has a way of writing fictional men that makes you fall in love with them and she has the audacity to write "Ethan Wyatt was...real. Imagine that." When, really, all we can do is imagine. Because he's not real. Maybe I should wait to write this review when it's not 2am...but I just finished and if I don't write it now I'll forget to write it. I know I'm at least a little biased, because Ally Carter is my favorite author, but there's a reason for that. And clearly she knocks it out of the park with every book I read. This book has everything you could want in a mystery, and everything you could want in a rom-com. I will also say I had my suspects picked, and in true who-done-it fashion I was both wrong, and correct, but oh so pleased. This book hits all the marks. I love it. 5 stars. I'm so grateful for NetGalley and arcs and Ally Carters.