Book Review: The Most Wonderful Crime of the Year

If you’re looking for a cozy mystery wrapped in holiday cheer, The Most Wonderful Crime of the Year is the perfect blend of festive charm and crime-solving intrigue. With a title as enticing as the premise, this novel delivers a delightful seasonal whodunit that keeps readers turning the pages late into the winter night.

The story centers on a protagonist who stumbles upon a holiday season far more sinister than joyful—complete with secrets, suspects, and a crime that unravels layer by layer. The author skillfully blends suspense with a touch of humor, crafting an atmospheric setting that feels as comforting as a mug of cocoa yet laced with tension that keeps readers guessing. The cast of quirky, well-drawn characters adds personality and intrigue, making every interaction feel essential to the unraveling mystery.

What shines brightest is the way the book captures the holiday spirit while never losing its edge. The juxtaposition of sparkling Christmas lights and dark secrets creates a captivating contrast, and the pacing ensures there’s never a dull moment. It’s a fun and satisfying read for those who love clever twists without venturing too far into gritty or graphic territory.

The Most Wonderful Crime of the Year is a festive mystery you won’t want to miss—perfect for curling up under a blanket with a warm drink in hand. It’s a sleigh ride of surprises, sprinkled with wit and charm, and sure to be a hit for fans of cozy mysteries with a holiday twist.

Rating: 4/5
Perfect for fans of: Agatha Christie, Richard Osman, and holiday-themed mysteries.

This book was so much fun and so perfect for the season! I loved the balance of romance and mystery, and the idea of a mystery author who left a trail of clues for fellow mystery writers was a blast. I've already recommended this in my newsletter and will be recommending in my socials. Thank you so much for the opportunity to read it!

Thank you to NetGalley for a copy of this book. This was the first holiday mystery book I’ve read. I thought it was interesting because it felt like I was playing clue with trying to figure out who did it. With the added romance towards the end i think helped make the book. Overall it was a good holiday romance.

The Most Wonderful Crime of the Year follows two competing mystery authors, Maggie and Ethan, who are forced together when they are both invited to the home of Eleanor Ashley, the queen of the mystery novel, for Christmas. Despite the fact that Maggie hates Christmas, she is thrilled to meet her hero, and becomes even more excited when Eleanor Ashley disappears and Maggie realizes that Eleanor left clues for them to find. Maggie believes Eleanor is choosing a successor, and she is determined to be the one to win. But soon, real mysteries emerge and the whole house is in danger. Now, Maggie and Ethan have to team up, because they are the only ones they can trust are not a murderer.

I love how much this book blends mystery, romance, and Christmas. The chemistry between Maggie and Ethan is palpable, and I adored their banter. I also liked that the backstory to their relationship unfolded over the course of the book, as we got little flashbacks to former interactions sprinkled throughout. As a slow burn lover, I appreciated how much tension and flirting their was between these two.

Then, there is the fact that the atmosphere is exactly what you would want from a Christmas mystery. They are snowed in in an elaborate English mansion. There are doctors, dukes, and a butler. There is a hedge maze, secret passages, and a library that you will be as envious of as Maggie is. It is trope-y in just the right way, filled with hallmarks of the mystery genre paying homage to its predecessors, while adding its own modern twists.

If I have one complaint, it is the balance of the POVs in the book. The novel is written in third person singular, mostly from the perspective of Maggie, however, there are also chapters which are from Ethan's perspective. I really liked the opportunity to get into his head and view things from his perspective, but the narration was probably 80% Maggie and 20% Ethan, which is just awkwardly unbalanced. I would either not want Ethan's POV at all, or I would want more of it so it feels more even.

However, that is truly being nit-picky; I loved this book. I flew through it all in a day, and I had so much fun reading it. It is exactly the kind of book I can recommend curling up with in front of the fire with a cup of hot cocoa. It is a perfectly fun read all on it's own, but it is also a fresh and fun addition to the canon of Christmas romances.

The Most Wonderful Crime of the Year by Ally Carter is such an original and fun tale set during the holidays. It combines the best aspects of a locked-room mystery, with the delightful charm of a romance.

The Most Wonderful Crime of the Year by Ally Carter is one I anticipated for months. I was so intrigued with the idea of a locked-room mystery with a holiday romance.

And it all worked together so well. It was quite an inventive approach and I can’t imagine it was easy to blend all those genres together. But Ally Carter did a fantastic job. I loved the mystery components as it was intriguing and I truly was wondering what would happen next. It reminded me a bit of the movie Clue in all the best ways possible.

The romance between the two writers was very well done and I was certainly rooting for them. And while not an overly Christmasy-themed book, it does take place during Christmas, and I enjoyed some holiday mentions as well.

Highly recommend!

This was amazing! I really liked the mixture of Chirstmas, romance and a mystery. Really made me think of Agatha Christie while I read this. Did a very good job bringing everything together and made it a wonderful time.

If you like cozy mysteries, you will probably love this one. Not my usual genre, but since it's Christmas-y I thought I'd give it a try. It was entertaining and cute. But I did not like how many times Ethan called Maggie "sweetheart" and especially when he told her she was a "good girl." Gag...

I adored The Blonde Identity, so I went into this book with high expectations. I kept putting it off because I knew I was going to enjoy it and I really wanted to read it around the holiday season. This book was so utterly enjoyable. I loved the strong mystery element and the romance that was a big part of the plot, but not overwhelming in the story. The twists and turns were so fun to uncover and it was an enjoyable ride from the very beginning.

The MMC in this one was a great book boyfriend in many ways - the way that you could tell he's cared for the FMC for a long time, while she was thinking they were enemies, built the emotion and the connection - I was definitely rooting for him to get the girl! The pacing of this book was excellent - it moved quickly, with really short chapters that made it almost bingeable - I didn't want to put it down once I got going.

It had all the elements of a classic mystery plot - while being funny and engaging. I loved the dynamic of the various mystery writers converging on the manor house while trying to solve the mystery that they didn't know they were there to solve. The growth of the FMC into her own person was lovely to watch - I really felt for her and it was highly evident that she needed to build her confidence in herself.

Overall, a great book! Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for the eARC - of course I also have a copy on my shelf!

I was just excited to give this a try, but was a bit nervous that it would be too romance forward. I didn’t need to worry, this was an absolute blast. The romance was there in a way that will definitely appeal to romance readers, but it was also a fantastic thriller/mystery. I flew through this book and could not put it down.

This was such a fun read! I loved the balance of mystery and romance. Perfect read for the holidays!

Ever since I read her Embassy Row and Heist Society I've read everything Ally Carter has written and I'm always on the lookout for anything new. I don't always love to read Holiday themed romances but I will read a Holiday themed mystery any chance I can. This one was one of the best Christmas books I've read in recent years. With Carter's signature wit and character development this one will definitely be a re-read for me.

Ok, so The Most Wonderful Crime of the Year by @theallycarter was an absolute delight.

It has Christmas. It has romance. It has frenemy mystery authors solving a real life mystery. It’s a funny, poignant Agatha Christie-style whodunnit with just the perfect amount of spice! Kinda like if Knives Out was a romance.

No notes. 10/10. It was pure fun, from start to finish.

I absolutely loved this book the whole way through! I loved that we got a mystery along with a romance and both were major plot points not overshadowed by the other! I always love a rivals to lovers and forced proximity romance so getting both of those tropes was amazing! Also loved the fact that he fell first so long ago, and has been waiting for her for years. The romance between the two main characters was amazing and they had such an amazing connection. The mystery aspect kept me on the edge of my seat the whole time and I didn’t see the end coming at all!

I LOVED THIS BOOK!!!! It was the perfect enemies to lovers with a dash of mystery! Very well written and detailed it had me captivated I finished it in a day

I love Ally since her first book, she’s a local Florida author so I may be biased but her books always really do it for me. But if you love mysteries and a cute, cozy Christmas read, this is the book for you.

“You know, if mankind has one universal superpower, it’s gaslighting women into thinking they’re the problem.”

The Most Wonderful Crime of the Year is a fun Christmas mystery rom-com that is perfect for cozy winter nights with a blanket and a mug of hot chocolate.

When cozy mystery writer Maggie Chase accepts an invitation to spend Christmas at the English estate of a mysterious fan, she didn’t know the days to follow would involve her favorite mystery writer disappearing from a locked room, multiple murder attempts, and time spent with Ethan Freaking Wyatt.

This book reminds me of the Hallmark movies I watch with my family every holiday season and a little bit of Knives Out (a favorite of mine!). Although the development of the romance felt a bit rushed to me, I still enjoyed seeing Maggie and Ethan’s relationship change as they race to follow the clues. From the very beginning, we are already introduced to their one-sided rivals-to-lovers dynamic, and Maggie’s internal commentary on Ethan is so funny. But, before that, what stood out to me was the book’s dedication: “If anyone has ever tried to gaslight you into thinking you’re the problem, congratulations! This book is for you.” This really proved to be true, and I liked how Maggie slowly grew into her confidence. (I’m also absolutely ready to hunt down Maggie’s ex.)

Idk why it took me 10 years to read this it was cute and a fun holiday read. Should be on KU, missing out by not

4⭐️ huge shoutout to Netgalley and Harper Collins for an arc of this book. I really enjoyed this book! I thought it was cute, engaging, structured very well, and incredibly entertaining. I really fell in love with the characters and was rooting for them the whole time. I also love the whole mystery element and the clue finding, thought it was so fun. The only reason why this book wasn’t a 5 star read for me is just because there were a good amount of characters and I would get a bit confused on who’s who. Also, some of the clues went completely over my head so I feel like that part wasn’t super fun for me simply because I wish I would’ve understood how we got there. But overall, highly enjoyed and would definitely read more from this author.

This is an absolute stunner of a holiday book! It’s got all sorts of genres inside it, but Carter manages to keep everything together and intelligible. That’s no mean feat. I had an absolute blast while reading, trying to solve the mystery and watching sparks fly between the main characters.

Not usually a romance fan, but this was a very fun Romantic Cozy Mystery! I really enjoyed "The Most Wonderful Crime of the Year" and it being the holiday season, it was a perfect quick read. Thank you to NetGalley and Avon publishers for the ARC.