🏔 Murder Mystery
🏔 Small Ski Town
🏔 Agatha Christie inspired
🏔 Centered around a bookshop
🏔 Social Media Sensation kitty- "Agatha"

This story takes place in Last Word, Colorado, a small ski town known for its slopes and Agatha, the social media sensation kitty. Agatha's owner, Ellie Christie, now runs her family's town bookshop. One morning, the shop's book club decides to hold a séance in the store - just like in one of Agatha Christie's novels. During the séance, a visitor comes in the store looking for someone and leaves just as unexpectedly as he arrives. Not too long after, he is found dead in one of the town's gondolas.

I thought this book was good and has some twists and turns, some I expected and others not as much. I really enjoyed the Agatha Christie aspect of the novel and how the the author incorporated her and her works throughout it. I wanted to connect with Ellie since I'm also an introverted booklover but there was just "something" missing from her character. I would've liked to know more of her backstory as to why she went away and is now back in her hometown. Overall, this was a cute murder mystery and give it 3.25 ⭐

This cozy mystery has the very specific theme of bookish amateur detectives/bookstore owners and Claire happily runs with it.
The Christie sisters are happily running their family's bookstore in scenic Last Word, Colorado when a man who had just visited their shop and left behind a first edition Agatha Christie book gets murdered seemingly right before their eyes. Their little town is not used to murder but it definitely loves to gossip, and many of the Christie's friends get caught up in the gossip and speculation. Long-held secrets get exposed and everything Ellie and Meg discover leads them to more questions than answers.
The plot has solid pacing that sets up the big reveals and events perfectly among the quieter character moments. I really enjoyed how Claire takes the time to set up and introduce every single character so that you never really know who is hiding something. The big reveal was also very unexpected while still making excellent sense, not an easy feat.
Overall, it's the quintessential small-town cozy mystery wrapped up in lots of gloriously bookish talk and quirky relationships. Totally worth the read.
Happy thanks to NetGalley and Bantam for the exciting read!

Seriously good! This book was a fantastic romantic comedy. The characters were lovable, and I was so sad when it ended. I loved it!

I’m torn. I started this book really liking it and finished it with some disappointments. I loved the setting, a Colorado ski town and most of the quirky characters. The thing that bugged me the most was the main character were more Nancy Drew then Agatha Christie. It felt a little juvenile.

The writing was good and I think with time it will get better. I’ll definitely read the next book in the series and see if some of the bugs are worked out.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an advanced readers copy in exchange for an honest opinion. 3⭐️

I was definitely intrigued when I saw the title and that it takes place in a bookstore. It's definitely a cozy read. I do think the writing style is more juvenile and leans more towards YA. It didn't keep me glued to the page. It did seem very chaotic in the beginning and with trying to remember who all the characters were and how they were related. Unfortunately, this book was not for me.

**Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for sending me this for my honest review.

I've really gotten into cozy mysteries! The only problem with them is that sometimes they seem all a bit the same, usually with similar characters and hobbies and even mysteries! However I am happy to report that the first in this series by Ann Claire combines the classic with the new, along with a beautiful location and even a grumpy but loveable bookshop cat, Agatha C. (for cat) Christie!

Ellie Christie has finally returned home to her tiny town of Last Word, Colorado, ready to take the helm of her family bookstore situated within a beautiful chalet. Helping her is her older sister, Meg, Meg's daughter, Rosie, and their wise and baking crazy Gram. But when the bookstore opens its doors to actress Morgan Marin and her book club, things get a bit...deadly. Morgan has the customers, including several longstanding and beloved citizens of Last Word, perform a séance. The Ouija board spells out two words: "dead man". And who would guess that only a little while later a returned ne'er-do-well by the name of Prescott St. James would be found dead on the gondola, with Meg and Ellie witnessing the whole thing!

The setting is one of the things that makes this book so enjoyable! As someone from the perpetually hot state of Texas, it was wonderful to hear of a place full of glittering snow, fondue cafes, chocolate shops, a fancy inn complete with natural hot springs, and all the skiing and hiking they get up to! It sounded like the perfect place to visit, and maybe even the perfect place to plan a murder. I also enjoyed the aspect of the sisters' relationship, which was kind and supportive and, speaking as an older sister myself, a true representation of sisterly camaraderie. And of course, who doesn't love to hear about the beautiful long-haired Siamese queen of the bookshop, Agatha!

A perfect read for the upcoming winter months. Complete it with cocoa and your favorite furry friend and you're in for a real treat!

I chose this mostly for the title and I'm so glad I did. If you're in the mood for a cute and warm mystery and need a break from dark suspense books, this would be a great choice.

Dead and Gondola has every element to make this mystery so much fun. Sister relationship, bookstore setting, cozy views. Sometimes it’s really refreshing to read a cozy mystery after all the hard hitting psychological thrillers. This had a great flow and characters that made you want to read more.

A Cozy Bookshop Mystery

Ellie Christie is back in her hometown of Last Word, Colorado. She’s excited to restart her life particularly since she’s running her family bookstore,, the Book Chalet, with her sister Meg and their adorable cat, Agatha. Things seem to be going perfectly until a strange man enters the book shop. He’s obviously looking for someone.

He returns that night when the sisters and Gran are holding a séance. He leaves mysteriously and forgets his briefcase which contains an Agatha Christie novel written under the pseudonum, Mary Westmarcott. When the sisters see the man later, they follow him down the mountain in the gondola behind his hoping to see what he’s doing. They never get the chance. Before their gondola lands, a woman tries to enter the gondola the man rode in, but finds him dead. This catapults the sisters into the role of witnesses and sleuths in the best Agatha Christie tradition.

This cozy mystery has all the features to make it a fun read. The scene set in a small town in the mountains reached by gondola is a good background. What makes it even better is that Christmas is coming. The characters are quirky. The sisters are resourceful, and Agatha steals everyone’s heart.

I enjoyed the book. It’s a quick, relaxing read. At times I was annoyed with Ellie. She seemed to be missing clues right under her nose, but it was part of her character. If you love cozy mysteries, this is a good one.

I received this book from Penguin Random House for this review.

When I read the blurb for Dead and Gondola I couldn't wait to put in a request for an ARC. Soon after I downloaded it I discovered that the author also wrote two series I enjoyed very much - as Nora Page she wrote the Bookmobile three book series and as Ann Myers she wrote the Santa Fe Cafe three book series. I was not disappointed and enjoyed it from start to finish. As they say, it checked all of the boxes. The setting is a quaint small town called Last Word, CO and the bookstore sounds so good I'd almost be a daily visitor - for books and local gossip and friendship. Add a grumpy Siamese cat named Agatha and I was a happy reader.
Opening with an event in the Book Chalet and a seance and leading to the murder in a very clever "locked room" - the gondola ahead of the one Ellie and her sister Meg are in - the Christie sisters (they haven't found a family connection to dame Agatha but that's neither here nor there) set out to catch the killer. When their trusty employee, Ms. Ridge, goes missing the night of the event it's even more pressing to solve the mystery. Aided by their grandmother and their teenaged niece, this team of amateur sleuths are sure to make Dame Agatha proud. I'm looking forward to their next case.
My thanks to the publisher Bantam and to NetGalley for giving me an advance copy in exchange for my honest review.

I was definitely intrigued when I saw the title and then that it takes place in a bookstore. I loved the association to Agatha Christie. I found the mystery to be ok. It wasn’t a mystery that kept me glued to the book, but one I had to push myself to not get distracted from. I didn’t think the big reveals were particularly surprising, but I did like that there were some layers of mysteries. Not just a murder but a missing person and figuring out how all the people connected. My favorite character, by far, is Agatha the grumpy looking bookstore cat. The sleuthing sisters fell a little flat for me and I hope that if this series continues they get a little more filled out as characters. Overall I gave this one 3.5 stars rounded down since I was hoping to love it more.

Great setting, an interesting cast of characters, and of course a murder. Everything you need for a fun cozy mystery. Taking place in Last Word, a picturesque small town in the mountains of Colorado, the Christie sisters run a business that’s been in their family for generations: a bookshop named the Book Chalet. The sisters are fans of mysteries, especially those by Agatha Christie (no relation, though they have a cat named Agatha, lol) so when they come across the dead body of a mysterious stranger, naturally they can’t resist attempting their hands at amateur sleuthing. Clearly author Ann Claire is also a big fan of Agatha Christie as she has included many of the hallmarks of Agatha’s work, including one of my favorites: the gathering of the suspects for the big reveal. I’d say the Christie Bookshop series is off to an excellent start and look forward revisiting the Book Chalet and Last Word, Co. again in the future. I’d like to thank Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review an eARC of Dead and Gondola.

https://www.amazon.com/review/R2NPFGPAB3V68S/ref=pe_1098610_137716200_cm_rv_eml_rv0_rv

I throughly enjoyed this novel. In fact, it’s one of the few lately that has held my attention throughout the entire story. While I could see a few things coming, I never felt like rushing though it. I would definitely recommend it to friends.

Returning home to Colorado to help her sister, Meg run their family’s historic bookshop, Ellie Christie is happy to begin again! The book chalet is the perfect place for book lovers. It's cozy, warm, and accessible only by ski gondola and a twisty mountain road. One night a man enters the bookstore during a séance ends up dead in a gondola. The Christie sisters just happened to be in the gondola behind his and decide to put their "detective" skills to work. Fans of mysteries, these women and their trusty cat, Agatha, hope to solve the case of the man's murder. The sleuthing sisters’ step on a few law enforcement toes but they will not be deterred. I enjoyed doing my own super sleuthing while reading this book. I also loved Agatha the cat!

This cozy mystery showcases the author's love of Agatha Christie's novels. This was a delightful and fun cozy mystery which does not disappoint. The characters are fun, quirky, and engaging. This was an entertaining book with a well thought out plot. It is also the first book in the Christie Bookshop series. I look forward to reading more books in this series in the future.

A stranger walks into a bookstore. Not just any bookstore, though. It’s the famed Book Chalet in the ski-town of Last Word, Colorado, a resort town that draws the rich and famous. The man came in during a local book club meeting where they were re-enacting a séance from an Agatha Christie novel. Naturally, the planchette spelled out D-E-A-D-M-A-N.

He dies, of course.

And Ellie Christie and her sister Meg are witnesses of a sort. Of course, with the last name Christie and owning a mystery bookstore, not to mention being at the scene of the crime, there’s an expectation throughout the town that they will try to solve the murder. However, more pressing for them , their employee Ms. Ridge has disappeared. Given her scrupulous attention to detail and her responsibilities, they won’t accept that she just left.

They suspect and soon discover that Ms. Ridge’s disappearance and the murder are connected. Ellie and Meg are assisted by their grandmother and Meg’s daughter Rosie. Ellie also gets some help from a new romantic interest, an old high school acquaintance who is an enthusiastic skier and snowboarder.

Dead and Gondola is the first in what I hope will be a long series of cozy mysteries featuring the Christie Bookstore. It’s a completely fair mystery. We know what Ellie knows. There are enough red herrings for a buffet and the secondary characters are charming, nuanced, and going to be so much fun to meet again and again. Best of all, I did not solve the mystery half-way through and wonder what what was taking Ellie so long. I was surprised by the resolution and this confirmed for me that this series is going to excel. It turns our expectations on their head and that made me so happy.

It is also just what I needed right now. With so much that is grim in the world, it was a delight to read a book with kind people.

I received an e-galley of Dead and Gondola from the publisher through NetGalley.

Dead and Gondola at Penguin Random House
Ann Claire author site

Such a fun, cozy mystery! Ellie has returned home to help her sister run the family bookstore. But at a book club meeting, a mysterious man appears. Days later, he's dead, and there is no shortage of suspects! And after an innocent man confesses, it's up to Ellie to unmask the real murderer.

Dead and Gondola is delightful read filled

Ellie Christie has returned to her home town of Last Word, Colorado to help run her family's bookshop, the Book Chalet, with her sister Meg, her niece Rosie and her lovable Gram. It is really much more than a bookshop, though, to the hamlet of Last word it is a social hub. Book clubs, cozy reading spaces coffee, muffin donuts - what is not to love? There is even a cat name Agatha C. Christie, of course, who may curl up with you as you read, but most likely will choose not to.. The town has gondola that locals use much like a subway system in other cities. The quickest way to travel is not the steep windy road up and down the mountain, but leisurely and with the glorious view. You may even spot a moose, but not if you are the new sheriff, Chief Sunnie ;)
Although the Christie's are of no known relation to the great writer of the same name, they are devoted to her works and love a good mystery. It was during recreation of a séance from one of Agatha Christie's novels that a mysterious man appeared, made a comment about meeting someone named Cece and then left the Book Chalet. Seeing that he left behind a briefcase, the Ellie and Meg follow him but cannot catch him before he boards a gondola down the mountain, They take the one behind him, determined to catch him on the bottom of the mountain. They won't be able to return his things, however, because he does not disembark, but instead is found murdered in the gondola.
How is someone murdered on a moving gondola high above the mountain with no one else in his car? Where did Ms. Ridge, their dedicated employee disappear to? The girls live up to their Christie name and are determined to solve the mystery.
Ann Claire writes a delightful cozy mystery with characters that I cannot wait to get to know better in future books in the series.. I find the gondola murder a creative twist on a locked room mystery.. How I would love to sift through the shelves of the Book Chalet myself with their Italian hot chocolate and the people of Last Word.

My thanks to NetGalley for the ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.

What a fun, cozy read to get you in the mood for winter as the colder temperatures come in...

Dead and Gondola is set in a small, isolated mountain town where an unexpected visitor's passing sparks suspicion and intrigue, and a local bookshop with mystery book lovers put their sleuthing skills to practice. My only reality based question was when they actually worked! :)

Thank you to Random House, Ballantine, Bantam, and Netgalley for the ARC.

I couldn’t get through this one. The writing did not grip me, and certain phrasing was clunky enough to pull me out of the story entirely.

This book wasn't for me. As someone with a love of skiing, mountains, Colorado, and cozy thrillers, I thought I would enjoy it. But I struggled to get through it. I felt that it dragged on too long. Though the twist in the end was somewhat unexpected, overall I just lost interest in who the murderer was. I found it repetitive and just not written in a way that drew me in.