Thank you to NetGalley and Ally Carter for an advanced copy of this novel!

The Most Wonderful Crime of the Year follows rival authors Maggie and Ethan as they are invited on a mysterious trip to a UK mansion for Christmas. Upon arrival, they discover that the mansion belongs to iconic mystery writer, Eleanor Ashley. At the manor, they're introduced to an enigmatic ensemble cast including a Duke and Duchess, a Lawyer, a Doctor, and various other genre staples. That night, Eleanor disappears, leaving Maggie and Ethan to solve the mystery of her disappearance, while surrounded by potential murderers. Together they bicker, follow clues, and begin to fall for each other in the midst of uncertain danger.

This novel was a fun, clever read that has a very classic mystery-novel feel to it. The setting was described thoroughly, ensuring the reader felt as though they were in the mansion, climbing through the secret passages alongside Maggie and Ethan. The ensemble cast was great. Each character was distinct, amusing, and had clear reasons for being there, successfully disguising all motives. Maggie's traits as a mystery writer and as Eleanor's biggest fan was crucial to solving the plot, and her backstory also led to a compelling and sympathetic read. The mystery filled the majority of the story, but we still had full backstories for each character, leading to a fleshed out plot

The only place where this book did fall a bit flat was the romance. At the start, Maggie hates Ethan emphatically. However, she starts to be interested in him before they've had almost any time to bond or flush out these previous issues. I do love where the book ends up with the two of them (no spoilers!), but the pacing did not quite feel aligned with their overall narratives and backstories.

In all, this book is a great mystery, and my favorite recent novel by Ally Carter. I would love to see if she has anything else upcoming in the mystery genre. This book fit perfectly in the genre, keeping the reader on their toes alongside the characters. 4/5.

The Most Wonderful Crime of the Year is a book I NEED to reread to figure out clues I was missing my first read through!

Maggie and Ethan are two authors working for the same publishing company. Both receive and accept an invitation to their "biggest fan's home" for the holiday season. Landing overseas, they quickly discover they are spending time at Maggie's favorite author, Eleanor's, home with Eleanor's assorted family and townspeople. Fast forward to the next morning when Eleanor is missing and snow has kept everyone locked indoors. This may be just what the author ordered inviting both writers to her home- solving the mystery of where she disappeared...or who killed her.

I ADORED this book and found that there were times when I just could not put it down because I needed to know the next clue that either Maggie or Ethan would discover. The quirky cast of characters had me second guessing myself during the book, with myself ultimately not guessing the different plot twists. The Most Wonderful Crime is the perfect binge read book as you settle yourself down for a day of reading nearby the fireplace or outside in a tropical location.

Ally Carter's adult books seem to follow a trend of having women who hate their male love interests and male love interests who are unbelievably obsessed with the female protagonist for reasons that completely confound me. This does irk me a little bit, but the mystery element always makes up for what I find to be a slightly awkward relationship dynamic. I loved how meta of a take this book is on the mystery genre, and I had a really fun time following along as Maggie and Ethan tried to figure out what happened to Eleanor Ashley and what all of her guests were hiding.

4.25 stars

I had so much fun reading this book!! It truly just brought me so much joy. I loved how complex Maggie was. I think the author did such a great job showing how deep gaslighting can affect someone even years after the relationship ends. Colin or Emily if I ever meet you on the streets, I'm throwing hands :) AND ETHAN!!! My mans!!! He was HOT, funny, thoughtful, protective, witty, and down so bad for Maggie. I loved how they had met, and he fell right away but she didn't remember. And he spent alllll those years loving her from far away. I didn't even mind the slight miscommunication they had. The actual murder mystery plot and disappearance part of the story was actually so good! I really couldn't figure out who had done it. There were so many pieces that needing to be put together and when they did at the end it was a chef's kiss moment! I would have liked to know more about Ethan and Maggie as authors, I think that would have added a lot to their story for me. I loved small connection that they both had with Eleanor Ashley books. The whole book was truly giving Knives Out vibes but better.

This is perfect for people who love romance, murder mystery, Clue, who did this?, rival authors, "Lets be in love together"!!!!!

Thank you NetGalley for the arc! All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Thank you to netgalley for the ARC.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ / 5
0 / 🌶

✨ He falls first
✨ Pining MMC
✨ "Rivals" to lovers
✨ Locked room mystery

This was a truly entertaining read! Delightfully witty, The Most Wonderful Crime of the Year made me laugh out loud throughout and has some of the best banter I've read.

Christmas vibes galore, locked whodunit mystery, and a pining MMC? Yes, please.

Between the mystery and the romance, I was hooked. I read this one until I fell asleep and then as soon as I woke up I dove back in.

There were only a few things about this one that I wasn't a huge fan of:
🔍 This is a closed door romance
🔍 The MMC's ideas of "filthy" things he'd like to do to the FMC is like what an extremely sheltered 12 year old boy might think is filthy???
🔍 No closure on the situation with the ex-husband and ex-BFF
🔍 No closure on being picked for the book club or what her life with Ethan looks like?? I needed a better epilogue, honestly
🔍 Who is Do Not Resuscitate?!?!? (This one is driving me nuts, truly)

This was such a joy to read! In terms of cozy mysteries, this is perfectly cheesy while also having an intriguing mystery. I loved the banter, the plot, the entire premise - everything seemed to be exceptionally well thought out Perhaps there was too much repetition at points, but really I just enjoyed reading this start to finish which makes it great. The setting was well done, and the Christmas aspect was fun and holiday-filled without being too over the top to read at other times of the year. Highly recommended for a happy, fun type of murder mystery. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to provide my honest review.

I absolutely love cozy, comedic mysteries, so reading one about my favorite holiday felt like a no-brainer!

‘The Most Wonderful Crime of the Year’ is a hilarious locked door mystery following Maggie and Ethan, two famous mystery writers who have been invited to spend the holiday abroad. They are shocked when they end up at the mansion of a legendary mystery writer, set to spend Christmas with her and her family. However, when this 81-year-old woman disappears without a trace one night, Maggie and Ethan believe there’s a murderer in her family — and if there’s a perfect person to solve ‘the most wonderful crime of the year,’ then it’s these two mystery writers who are stuck spending the holiday with this successful woman’s next of kin.

For a while, I had trouble understanding why everyone was so nonchalant about there potentially being an unidentified murderer walking around the mansion; they were all enjoying lunches together and hanging out in the library. With that being said, you do have to suspend your belief in reality a bit to truly enjoy this one, including the whirlwind enemies-to-lovers romance that takes place over a matter of days.

Once I did let the cozy mystery carry me away, I enjoyed reading about comical, stereotypical characters that you would see in a Clue-like setting: the arrogant playboy, an introvert, a cop, a lawyer, a long-lost niece, duke and duchess, a nanny, a prolific writer, a butler, and a doctor.

The one-liners coming from everyone were absolutely hilarious! I laughed out loud so many times. This book truly read like a movie to me, and I can easily envision all of the characters playing well on screen.

While this is a feel good rom-com, there are also some fun nods to classic mysteries — and I did not anticipate that big twist at the end…

CONTENT WARNING: The main character discusses losing both of her parents as part of her backstory.

A perfect cozy, seasonal, mystery with a romance subplot. A classic clue style whodunnit with plenty of twists, turns, and mistletoe kisses.

When famed mystery author Eleanor Ashley disappears out of a locked room in her own home, can fellow mystery author, and long time admirer, Maggie follow the clues to solve the case with the aide of her irritatingly charismatic coworker? Or will they get lost in the labyrinth of clues left behind?

Coming off of a relatively fresh, devastating divorce writer Maggie is in a tough spot emotionally, so when she is invited by her anonymous biggest fan to a Christmas gathering in England Maggie takes the opportunity for what it is. A chance to do something just for herself and rediscover who she is and who she wants to be. When her coworker, and her personal enemy, Ethan also happens to be invited to the same event they inevitably are thrust together in close quarters. Especially, when Eleanor goes missing and they realize the only people they can truly trust is each other. Using their skills as writers, and Maggie’s deep love of Eleanor’s books, they work together to solve the greatest mystery of their lives: what happened to Eleanor Ashley?

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

Ally Carter knows how to write a FUN BOOK!! From my teenage obsession with the Gallagher Girls to last year's Blonde Identity and now to The Most Wonderful Crime of the Year, she is full of HITS!!

As described, this book is very Knives Out/Willy Wonka coded- a classic locked door mystery. You've got all the characters you could need: a missing celebrated author a la an Agatha Christie, three nieces/nephews clearly looking for the money they think they deserve, three unconnected mystery writers with a keen eye for clues, a no-nonsense butler, a local inept inspector, and 99 books full of clues and mysteries that may or may not lead to finding the missing author, Eleanor.

Without getting into any specifics to ruin the mystery of it all, our story hinges on mystery writer and Eleanor's number one fan, Maggie, and her ability to figure it all out in time. Luckily, she's helped out by nemesis author and ultimate cool guy Ethan, who happens to be really good at protecting Maggie (maybe due to a past career? who's to say?). The dynamic and the banter between these two is absolutely delightful and there were so many times I wanted to shake Maggie and tell her "girl you plan and write and solve mysteries for a living, figure out what's right in front of you!!!!" These two have had tough lives, and weirdly this is not either of their worst Christmases, which is saying something for two people constantly fighting for their lives!!

I absolutely was so delighted to read this and hope Ally keeps cranking out her adult mystery, romantic suspense books because I am having so so much fun with them!!! Thank you so much to Ally Carter and NetGalley for a chance to read this in exchange for an honest review!

The Most Wonderful Crime of The Year starts us off with Maggie Chase, a mystery author who is sent on a Christmas “work trip” or so she thinks with none other than her work nemesis Ethan Wyatt. She’s surprised to find out that behind this mystery trip is her favorite mystery author of all time, Eleanor Ashley whom she abruptly disappears at the beginning of their stay in her manor in the UK. She soon finds out it’s all in Eleanor Ashley fashion and that nothing is just because…because there’s always a motive behind everything.

Maggie has to learn to work alongside Ethan while uncovering clues that will lead them to Eleanors whereabouts. On top of working on finding clues they are also caught in the middle of the family drama that’s happening right before their eyes. They both have to learn to put their differences aside in order to solve this great mystery while also having to watch their back from whoever is out there or..inside the same house?

From the very beginning we get a glimpse into Maggie’s life and what’s she’s been through as she’s navigating what this trip will mean to her already crumbling apart life. Christmases have never been good in Maggie’s life because something bad always happens so will this one be any different or will this be the beginning of something new?

The Most Wonderful Crime Of The Year by Ally Carter is a cozy mystery with a sprinkle of romance that will keep you in your toes second guessing yourself till the very end. Whodunnit all around and I absolutely adored the banter between Maggie and Ethan! Thank you to HarperCollins Publishers and NetGalley for the e-book and the opportunity!

THE MOST WONDERFUL CRIME OF THE YEAR by Ally Carter is a Christmas book, sure, but what it really is is a pitch perfect tribute to the queen of mystery, Agatha Christie.

I am a huge, huge Agatha Christie fan. As a kid I read stacks of her books from the library every summer. I firmly believe that she did not have a mental breakdown when she disappeared after finding out her husband was cheating on her, but that, she was just nope-ing out of the narrative. And so I loved this book, which is an absolute delight.

Ethan and Maggie are two successful (and nemesis) mystery authors, invited on a mysterious trio to England over Christmas. Only to find themselves as the mansion estate of Eleanor Ashley herself. The writers have to team up to solve the mystery of her disappearance, and figure out who is trying to harm them as they go.

I correctly guessed the culprit, knowing the red herring and misdirects of the genre as I do, but it was still a delight to get to the big reveal, find out what clues I hadn't connected.

THE MOST WONDERFUL CRIME OF THE YEAR comes out September 24th (next week!) and I know it is too early and still far too warm to be talking about Christmassy books, but if you like mysteries, Agatha Christie, and/or hilarious banter, you should definitely add this one to your list.

Maggie Chase, a successful cozy mystery writer, has had some rough times around the Christmas season. She endured the loss of both her parents and her husband leaving her for her best friend. As Christmas approached, her publisher advised that her presence was required at a party in England, hosted by a fan. When she arrived, she discovered that the host was none other than Eleanor Ashley, the renowned mystery author, and her idol. The guest list included rival writer Ethan Wyatt, another author, and some relatives gathered for the holidays at Eleanor's grand mansion. Stranded by a snowstorm, eight-one-year-old Eleanor mysteriously disappears. Maggie assumes this is all a clever game. But when a guest is poisoned, things get serious. Together with Ethan, whom she detests but needs to trust, Maggie tries to figure out what happened to Eleanor. And could Ethan's charms also be softening Maggie's heart? 

The Most Wonderful Crime of the Year is not your typical locked-room mystery. Author Ally Carter has added a nice blend of romance into the mix creating a highly enjoyable blend of genres. The who-done-it was well crafted, complemented by the enemies-to-lovers dynamic. This book is a delightful and fast-paced read that will get you in the holiday spirit. 

4.5 stars.

If you love the movie Knives Out or enjoy any kind of murder mystery game like Clue, then this book is for you!!

Ally Carters writing is very quick paced and the next minute you realize you’re already halfway through the book and can’t put it down. Our main characters, Maggie and Ethan, are invited to a Christmas party over seas in London and turns out it’s hosted by Maggie’s all time favorite murder mystery author, Eleanor Ashley (I would simply perish). But there’s weird tension amongst the other family members also attending and then one night Eleanor goes missing.

There’s angry pointed fingers, handful of clues, secret passage ways, multiple attempts of murder and romance on the side, who wouldn’t love that? The tension and banter between Maggie and Ethan had me giggling and blushing so much and yelling “just kiss already!!” at my kindle.

There’s a lot of details and backstory between both main characters, but I wish we had a bit more time to read and understand their past. Some parts felt like it was casually tossed in for plot and not fully flushed out. But besides that, I absolutely enjoyed this one!! This could easily be a book read during Halloween and Christmas!

Thank you Avon and NetGalley for an arc in exchange for my honest review!

I had the best time reading this book! It was such a fun, festive, and fast paced mystery! I loved the characters and how real they felt! And I loved following clues to make my own guesses!

I enjoyed reading this one, Ally is also a new to me author. Now I usually am a full spice girly but occasionally I read books where romance is the subplot. This would be one of those times.

Plot: We have the FMC Maggie and the MMC Ethan, they are rivals in the book industry. They both receive a mysterious letter and are offered tickets to England. They don't know though that they will both be in attendance. During a party at the mansion the host goes missing and Maggie and Ethan are forced to work together to solve the mystery.

Thoughts: This genre isn't something I seek out often, like I said previously I like romance to be the main plot point lol but this was still a very great read! It moved along at a quick pace and was easy to follow. I also loved how witty it was. If you like a book with mystery, banter and romance as a sub plot this is for you!

Posted to Goodreads: Maggie Chase is having a hard year but it’s starting to turn around. Maggie has been invited to spend Christmas at her biggest fan’s house. Maggie is whisked off to a proper English estate where she is thrown together with her archenemy, Ethan Wyatt. Maggie and Ethan are being recruited for a project with Eleanor Ashley, mystery writer legend and Maggie’s hero. Eleanor mysteriously disappears and Maggie is determined to find her, even if that means teaming up with Ethan and the new feelings that are starting to develop between them.

This book was just fun. The mystery was fast-paced with just the right amount of twists and turns. Maggie was a great main character, and her back story made her feel very real. Maggie and Ethan were perfectly flirty and their chemistry helped drive the story. The book was a great read and I can’t wait for Carter’s next book.

I absolutely loved *The Most Wonderful Crime of the Year*! It hit the perfect balance between mystery and romance, keeping me hooked from start to finish. The chemistry between Ethan and Maggie was undeniable—honestly, they were just so cute together. I loved watching their relationship grow and seeing how much they truly cared about each other amidst all the twists and turns of the plot. The suspense and the sweet moments were perfectly paced, making it hard to put the book down. I’m already thinking about rereading it! If you enjoy a good mystery with a dash of romance, this one's definitely worth picking up.

Loved this cozy mystery. I love Ally Carter books and I had a great time with this one
Can't wait for more by her
4 Stars

The holidays were never easy for Maggie, as the worst things seem to befall her during this season. When she receives an anonymous invitation to a fan's home for the holidays, she accepts only to find her arch nemesis, Ethan, also on the guest list. When the fan, renown mystery author Eleanor Ashley, goes missing, Ethan and Maggie must join forces to solve the mystery of the missing author.

This book was so much fun! Seriously! I had the best time watching this mystery unravel along side Ethan and Maggie, and I simply adored everything about this book.

Maggie and Ethan were fantastic! I felt very sympathetic towards Maggie and wanted to protect her given all that she had suffered. Losing her loved ones and then betrayed by the two people she held dear had to have been horrible. It's no wonder she was leery of Ethan. As her professional nemesis, Ethan was a popular and well-loved author who was stiff competition for Maggie. Their paths have crossed over the years, and it was thrill to read about those meetings via flashbacks. These episodes really helped me understand their dynamic and gave me so much hope for their budding romance.

I want everyone to pay special attention to Ethan because he was something special. He came off as a bit full of himself, but that swagger was hiding the "real" things about him. As the story wore on, more and more was revealed about Ethan. The man had layers, and he really won my heart via all those small, sweet things he said or did. Loved him!

I am not a huge mystery reader, but I had a great time watching this one unfold. He had twists and turns, and lots of action which kept the story building with the right kind of intensity. A locked-room, a storm, no road out - so many great mystery tropes were employed to make this a good one.

Overall, this was a delightful locked-room mystery that was filled with witty banter, a wonderful romance, and a great reveal. Since this is a holiday book, I will consider that epilogue to be my gift because it was the icing on the cake for me. Miles of smiles.The holidays were never easy for Maggie, as only bad things seem to befall her during this season. When she receives an anonymous invitation to a fan's home for the holidays, she accepts only to find her arch nemesis, Ethan, is also on the guest list. When the fan, renown mystery author Eleanor Ashley, goes missing, Ethan and Maggie must join forces to solve the mystery of the missing author.

This book was so much fun! Seriously! I had the best time watching this mystery unravel along side Ethan and Maggie, and I simply adored everything about this tale.

Maggie and Ethan were fantastic! I felt very sympathetic towards Maggie and wanted to protect her given all that she had suffered. Losing her loved ones and then betrayed by the two people she held dear had to have been horrible. It was no wonder she was leery of Ethan. As her professional nemesis, Ethan was a popular and well-loved author who was stiff competition for Maggie. Their paths had crossed over the years, and it was thrill to read about those meetings via flashbacks. These episodes really helped me understand their dynamic and gave me so much hope for their budding romance.

I want everyone to pay special attention to Ethan because he was something special. He came off a bit full of himself, but that swagger was hiding the "real" things about him. As the story wore on, more and more was revealed about Ethan. The man had layers, and he really won my heart via all those small, sweet things he said or did. Loved him!

I am not a huge mystery reader, but I had a great time watching this one unfold. The story had twists and turns, and lots of action which kept the it building with the right kind of intensity. A locked-room, a storm, no road out - so many great mystery tropes were employed to make this a good one.

Overall, The Most Wonderful Crime of the Year was a delightful mystery that was filled with witty banter, a wonderful romance, and a great reveal. Since this was a holiday book, I will consider that epilogue to be my gift because it was the icing on the cake for me. All I can say is I was left with miles of smiles.

“Well of course I have his blood on my hands. ”
Here are reasons to read the Holiday Mystery book:

2 Mystery Writers - Maggie and Ethan are 2 mystery writers
Anonymous Invitation - who get an invitation from an anonymous source
Christmas Manor - to spend Christmas in a beautiful country manor
Missing Host - But the next morning, they find their host missing and need to solve the mystery

I went into this book thinking it would be a cheesy festive mystery. But I have to say, I was presently surprised by how much I enjoyed this book! Not only was the mystery so much fun to solve, but the backstory of these 2 authors and how they related to each other was very satisfying. If you are looking for a mystery to read in December by the holiday tree, this is a perfect one to add.