I’m a white, millennial, female so of course I’m subscribed to no less than 5 true crime podcasts, love the game AND the movie Clue, and watched Only Murders in the Building on Hulu. Two chapters in to this and I was hooked and laughing. Brought me back to when my mom and I went to the UK for a Harry Potter-themed vacation that included a stay in the Scottish Highlands. This was my first Alexis Hall novel and it certainly won't be the last.

(Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an eARC in exchange for an honest review.)

I just adored this book, Murder Most Actual. Great storyline and well-crafted characters made this a pleasant read and one that kept me entertained until the very end.

When true crime Podcaster, Liz, and her banker wife, Hanna, set out to spend the weekend at a Scottish inn in a last-ditch attempt to save their crumbling marriage, the two don't except to get snowed in or for, you know, a murder to occur. Struggling to balance professional curiosity with her wife's concern for her safety, Liz begins investigating. But there's no end to the snow--or murders--in sight.

Only Murders in the Building meets Knives Out meets Clue (the movie, darlings) meets And Then There Were None--with a dash of Poirot. This mystery from Alexis Hall manages to combine old staples into something unprecedentedly fresh and unpredictable. I'm not quite sure I'd call it a parody, but there's also no other word for it, with its clear nods to our beloved board game/movie (there's a colonel in yellow, a reverend in green, and a professor in plum...) and the famous detective with an unplaceable accent who sometimes speaks in the third-person (no mention of little gray cells, though). But it's also just excellent, which is hard to say about most parodies.

I could easily, EASILY see this as a movie--I mean, with its comparison to Clue and Knives Out, how could I not? But I hope this one becomes a reality. We need more comedy-mystery movies with gif-able one-liners, and I think this one could do the job. Fingers crossed we see it happen!

Thanks to Kobo and Alexis Hall for my eARC! All thoughts and opinions are my own.

5 stars - 10/10

Calling all fans of Clue . . .

If there is one game or movie I can't turn down whenever mentioned, it is Clue. So, to have a story be loosely based on that board game, was a major plus.

What does it have in common with the popular game?
The Westmacott Hotel where the story takes place and isolated due to a massive snowstorm, has some familiar rooms:
The conservatory.
The billiard room.
Etc.

The cast of characters includes people like:
Ruby (Miss Scarlet)
Professor Worth (Professor Plum)
Colonel Coleman (Colonel Mustard)
Emmeline White (Miss White)

And of course, there are the deaths that begin to pile up, with everyone being a suspect.

At the center of it all are a married couple, Liza and Hanna Blaine, who are at the pose hotel in a last-ditch effort to save their marriage. At the beginning, I didn't think this couple had much of a chance. They are both insufferable. Every comment between them was overanalyzed and therefore poorly handled. Oddly enough, with each death, they grew closer and more respectful of one another. Who knew!

As a murder mystery blogger, Liza was in her element in this seemingly unsafe situation. She had no fear it seemed. Hanna was the more reasonable one at times, doing her best to protect them both. And together, they work together to not only stay alive, but help solve the mystery. While Liza didn't have everything put together before the authorities could arrive, she did a good job of putting most of the story together, something I wasn't able to do.

Overall, this was a pleasurable read, keeping me engaged throughout as I was eager for answers. An unexpected twist to a romantic suspense story.

Dropped everything to read this and it didn't disappoint!

Murder in a hotel in the Scottish highlands, marriage in trouble, quirky cast of characters, 2021 self and social awareness but fun! This cozy mystery has it all.

I appreciated Hall's nods to cozy mysteries and Agatha Christie while delving into the ethics of true crime obsession today, particularly true crime podcasts. But they do it in a light, laugh-at-your-self and not preachy way. All the characters had distinctive voices, one line told you a lot about each one, and you can feel the progression of Liza and Hannah's mending relationship.

Thank you to Kobo Original and NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review!

First off, when I saw the description comparing this book to Clue meets Only Murders in the Building, I knew that I had to add it to my TBR list right away! One of my favorite new shows is Only Murders in the Building, which I am a bit over halfway through right now, and I couldn't wait to read a book written in a similar vein. Thank you again to the publisher for this opportunity!

Murder Most Actual by Alexis Hall is a fun cozy mystery starring LGBT and PoC characters. The story revolves Liza and Hanna, married lovebirds who have gotten a bit sick of each other. They travel to a Scottish hotel for a weekened getaway. Unfortunately, when they get there, a blizzard snows them in with a cast of eccentric characters. When the bodies start piling up, it's up to Liza and Hanna to look for clues and solve the case. Will true-crime podcaster Liza be able to solve this "real life" case? And will their marriage survive?

Here is a funny excerpt from Chapter 1, which is titled "Hannah, in the Car, with the Map":

"Liza had already opened the car door and stepped out into the night.
“Where are you going?” Hanna called after her.
“Getting some fresh air.”
“On a mountain in the Scottish Highlands after dark? Do you have a literal death wish?”
There were probably safer ways to take a breather. But Liza had always been the kind of girl who ran with scissors. “It’s a road, Hanna. A quite well-maintained road that cars can get along just fine. I’m not going to fall off a cliff and die if I walk ten paces.”"

Overall, Murder Most Actual is a fun romp that will appeal to murder mystery lovers everywhere. One highlight of this book is how deftly it weaves humorous moments with suspense. Although this book is described as a cozy mystery, I actually think it fits into the new genre of comedy-mystery. Fans of Siri, Who am I? and Finlay Donovan will eat this up. I enjoyed reading this book so much. If I had to complain about one thing, I would say that the mystery itself got very convoluted as the plot went on. That's not the book's fault though. I always have a problem with books with large casts, which many readers luckily don't have a problem with. If you're intrigued by the excerpt above, or if you're a fan of mysteries, I highly recommend checking out this book when it comes out in November!

In MURDER MOST ACTUAL by Alexis Hall, a married couple, Liza and Hanna, travels from London to an old hotel in Scotland to rekindle their romance but stumble upon a crew of eccentric guests, one of whom is soon found murdered. And naturally, a heavy snowfall isolates them all from the outside world for several days. The situation proves only to accentuate the wives' differences. While Hanna would rather hole up in safety until it's all over, Liza, a successful true crime podcaster, can't help but investigate. As tensions heighten between Liza and Hanna, their situation becomes more perilous, and they'll need to rebuild their trust in order to make it out alive.

This book is pure delight. Hall brings the cozy mystery firmly into the twenty-first century with fun characters, strong relationships, a social conscience, and a solid dose of self-aware humor. This is my third Alexis Hall book, and one aspect he nails every time is relationships, especially of the romantic kind. He captures the miscommunications and misinterpretations that create tension between romantic partners so perfectly.

On top of that, we have a fun set-up in an old hotel that has all the trappings of a Golden Age cozy mystery but with the social conscience of the modern day. Within the story, Hall includes interesting debate about the ethics of true crime, class inequality, gun violence, and gender roles without getting too heavy-handed. Plus, a reader won't have to be too astute to find fun nods to Clue (or Cluedo), Agatha Christie, and Sherlock Holmes.

It's great fun and a breezy read. I only knocked off a star because some of the clues felt a tad obvious. MURDER MOST ACTUAL is a Kobo original. Kobo is my e-reader of choice due to the opportunity to support independent bookstores through the Kobo store and simply for being an alternative to Bezo's e-reader. Pre-order it for its November 9th release!

I have only read romances by Alexis Hall, but I loved this cute, cozy mystery ala Clue. I admit I a lover of Clue, especially the clue movie. Making this into a book, with queer characters, perfection! This isn't necessarily a murder mystery (though there is both murder and mystery), it is more of a playful whodunnit.

Alexis Hall does a great job in creating an isolated atmosphere in this story. I knew exactly what this spooky hotel in a castle looked like, and find myself searching for one to visit in Scotland when I get a chance!

I also really loved the main characters Hanna and Liza. Hanna booked this weekend in an attempt to save her marriage with Liza. Throughout this book, with all the murder and mayham, you can see that Hanna and Liza really, truly love each other. They are working hard to save their marriage, all while attempting to avoid getting murder and figuring out who the culprit is. I fund myself wishing for more of a deep dive into their relationship, only because I know and love how Alexis Hall writes relationships.

I will not forget to mention the cast of characters who are in this story, also inspired by Clue. Whether it is Ruby, all dressed in red, or the Colonel, dressed in all yellow, there were Clue tie ins all around. I especially love the titles of each chapter being named [person] in the [location] with the [weapon or idea], each chapter title made me laugh.

I really liked how this book was written and how things ended up. I liked how Hanna and Liza actually took time to talk, even during a murder mystery and I loved just how cozy this book was. I hope Alexis Hall writes more cozy mysteries like this in the future!

If cozy mysteries are your thing, pick this up immediately! Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an advance copy of this book in exchange for an open and honest review. All opinions are 100% mine.

This book is a lot of fun. It has all of the depth and humor and cleverness you’d expect from an Alexis Hall novel. But it’s a mystery! And it’s a love story! And an homage to classic mysteries! All at the same time!

I’ve never read a “cozy mystery” before. I haven’t read many mysteries, cozy or otherwise, to be honest. It’s not a genre I’m terribly familiar with but - and forgive the cliché - I would read a book full of IKEA furniture instructions if they were written by Alexis Hall. So this was a no-brainer choice for me. But now I wish I had more knowledge of mysteries because with my minuscule pop culture knowledge I was able to pick up on the not-so-subtle nods to all six of the original Clue characters and Hercule Poirot with the premise of And Then There Were None. I just wonder what other genre references I’m missing.

And the cozy mystery might be a new genre for Hall but this book has several of his hallmarks (“Hall”marks? Get it?): socially conscious characters and discussions about class, race and sexuality; smart, insightful humor; a penchant for playing with language; a whole lot of Britishness; and a smooth, easy-to-read writing style that keeps everything moving.

Elements I enjoyed:

1. The setting is fabulous: a beautiful old castle-turned-hotel tucked away in the snowy Scottish Highlands. The descriptions really bring the castle to life. It’s the perfect locale for a murder mystery if there ever was one.

2. The chapter titles were all plays on Clue guesses (“[person] in the [location] with the [item]”). They had me cracking up.

3. His exploration of a married couple who loves one another but has stopped liking one another was really lovely and moving. It felt so accurate in the ways Liza & Hanna would inadvertently hurt one another, or take offense over perceived slights, or bring up baggage from the past. The scenes with Hanna & Liza talking about non-murder bidness things were my favorites.

I think this will really please fans of the cozy mystery genre. Overall I felt it was a little tedious at times but still made me smile and was well written.

3.5 stars out of 5

This was a really good murder mystery romance. I thought that Liza and Hanna were really great and the perfect couple to have around when there were things happening at the hotel and no one else seemed to have an answer for what was going on, Hanna is a stockbroker, while Liza is a podcaster for a crime show called Murder Most Actual. I felt that even though they were having problems in their relationship you could still feel how much they loved each other. I thought the murder mystery was really well done and the characters at the hotel were very diverse and interesting. I really liked Hanna, she seemed more mature and down to earth, were as Liza took a little more getting used to, but by the middle of the story I came to like her very much. Overall this was a very enjoyable read, and I would definitely recommend this book and author to all my friends and family.

Murder Most Actual is a cozy mystery by Alexis Hall. It starts with Liza and Hannah going on a holiday to Scotland. They are having some marriage troubles and time away sounds like a good idea to work out some of their issues.

It all sounds great until someone is murdered and everyone gets snowed in at the hotel. From there we follow Liza, who is also a true crime podcaster, and Hannah as they piece together the clues and work on their marriage.

I also enjoyed the inspiration taken from Clue: the fun chapter titles and cast of characters, and watching Liza and Hannah work through their issues while working together.

I recommend for readers that enjoy:
😱 cozy mysteries
😱 amateur detectives
😱 over the top cast of characters

Murder Most Actual is available on Kobo starting today! Thank you to NetGalley, Valentine PR, Kobo and Alexis Hall for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Murder Most Actual by Alexis Hall was a wonderful mystery! Set in a snowed in manor style hotel in Scotland this one harkens back to the golden age of mysteries, but with a fun modern true crime twist!

Hanna plans a surprise romantic vacation to connect with her wife Liza. Unfortunately this vacation turns into a nightmare when a hotel guest is murdered. Liza is one half a true crime podcast and jumps into the case while Hanna wishes they were anywhere else. I loved solving this one with them and how Hall alternated between the two main characters.

I am skeptical of the True Crime craze. I don't like murder (hot take) and I tend to think these conversations lack compassion, humanity, and nuance while uplifting the supremacy of the harmful structures of the police state and the prison industrial complex. However, all of that aside, this book was really fun.

Alexis Hall's writing is so crisp and sparkling and so very delightfully British. There are some wonderfully clear references to Clue - both the blockbuster board game and the cinematic masterpiece - and the whole world of the book is vibrant. This is definitely a cozy mystery - literally snowed in at an inn with a series of murders - with a side helping of romance, I wouldn't suggest going in expecting a romance-driven story, but the marriage in trouble and the subsequent mending of that marriage through the solving of the murders is satisfying if ancillary. I found the resolution a bit convoluted, but overall I found it to be an entertaining read.

This book is like if Agatha Christie were queer and campy and didn't take herself seriously, and also didn't make it impossible for me to sleep at night.

Thanks to Netgalley and Kobo Originals for the ARC.

CW: murder

This book! It has been a long time since I've read a murder mystery, but this book reminded me of how much I like the enigma of the puzzles set by classic murder mysteries, such as those by Agatha Christie.

This was a loving and humorous homage to those classics, as well as to Cluedo and the works of P.G. Wodehouse. Engaging, witty, thoughtful, tongue in cheek, tropey, and oh so enjoyable. It was a treat to find the references to Cluedo in the character descriptions and in the language used to frame the characters themselves.

Murder Most Actual begins with Liza, a true crime podcaster, and her wife Hanna heading to a remote hotel in Scotland to have some serious conversations in an attempt to sort through some issues they are having in their marriage. The tension between them is palpable and so realistic of a couple years into a serious relationship that find themselves drifting and clashing in ways they never expected.

They also do not expect the scenic hotel Hanna has chosen for their vacation to be a hotbed of murder mayhem. Liza's knowledge of true crime serves her well as she tries to piece together the identity of the mystery murderer and keep herself, Hanna, and their relationship alive.

We meet a cast of characters both diverting and fondly familiar to readers who enjoy murder mysteries or the game Cluedo. The chapters titles follow the Cluedo theme as well, There are so many humorous asides and one liners.

The mystery itself kept confounding me. I'd think I had it worked out only to find I was completely wrong in the next chapter. It kept my interest and had me guessing until the very end.

Overall a very entertaining and witty book, written deftly and skillfully by Alexis Hall. It had everything: relationships, mystery, humor, and excellent writing.

Highly recommended. Four and a half stars.

With a quirky cast of characters, and Alexis' signature humor and charm, this is one book you'll be sure to fall for, most actually!

As someone who grew up reading any Agatha Christie book I could get my hands on, the idea of an Alexis Hall country house mystery was intriguing. Murder Most Actual was amazing, and it exceeded all of my expectations.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Hanna and Liza have been married for 10 years, but lately they’ve struggled with their relationship. Liza’s career as a true crime podcaster has taken off, and financier Hanna doesn’t know what to do about it. Hanna’s solution is to book then for a long weekend at a remote luxury hotel in the Scottish Highlands, with no cell service or access to the outside world. A true romantic getaway! But, once the snow storms starts and the murders begin, the weekend takes on a sinister tone.

If you are like me and have watched the movie Clue over and over again, and have read most of the country house mysteries in existence, this book is filled with delightful nods and Easter eggs. It begins with the cast of characters, including Mr. Ackroyd, a vicar, a Colonel, a Professor, Ms. White, and femme fatale Ruby. There is also a self important private detective with a French accent who speaks about himself in the third person. To offer more details would be to give away some of the delightful elements of surprise.

As main characters, Liza and Hanna are real and engaging. Liza is truly torn between using her true crime research skills vs feeling that she’s simply a amateur podcaster. Hall’s trademark wit and banter appear throughout the story, and there are treats on every page.

This book inadvertently hits on every one of my eclectic interests, from locked room mysteries to romance, LGBTQ+ characters, titled gentry, and Clue references, which are along side dry observations. I loved every minute of it. Murder Most Actual is one of my favorite books of the year.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advance copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Did I read this on halloween? Yes , absolutely.

I didn't know I needed sapphic Christmas mystery until it was handed to me on a platter and I am so glad. Alexis Hall creates this incredible festive, haunting and beautiful world. I can completely imagine every scenario and the relationship portrayed was so heartfelt and warm even while they learn how to reconnect and communicate with each other.

A perfect seasonal read!

This was such a fast-paced and thrilling murder mystery. I loved following Liza and Hanna and thought they were a layered and interesting couple to follow. I liked how the story progressed and how all the murders were presented. The writing was done really well and i enjoyed it so much, i would love another book in this series.

Thanks Kobo and Netgalley for the ARC! This was a fun read. I enjoyed the premise of a true crime podcaster solving a Golden Age-style mystery (also loved all the callbacks to Golden Age mysteries, especially bc the ITV Poirot series has been my husband and I's comfort watch during the pandemic—very clever and darkly humorous). The snowed-in hotel setting felt both cozy and menacing at the same time (in a good/atmospheric way), and the subplot of Liza and Hanna working through their marriage issues was done well.

Parody Of Epic Proportions…
Liza, true crime podcaster, and wife Hanna, city financier, head off to the Scottish Highlands for a luxury break in a remote hotel. The aim? Rekindling their ailing marriage. By the time they arrive at the hotel a snowstorm is in full force. Finding themselves snowed in at the luxury retreat is no joke when things turn murderous in a Golden Age parody of epic proportions. With likeable protagonists and a cast of gloriously colourful and utterly bonkers characters this was an unexpected and joyously funny read and an entertaining pastiche of Golden Age crime. Pure escapism.