Ally Carter is a top tier author and this marvel of a book proves it - the tension, the banter, the mystery all 10/10.
This book is if Knives Out was a 90s rom-com with enemies to lovers. Ethan Wyatt is a walking green flag, swoon worthy hero.
Utterly obsessed. I was laughing and swooning the whole way through. Definitely a top read of the year.

Such a fun, clever mystery rom-com! I'm an absolute sucker for author main characters, and the disappearance of Agatha Christie has always intrigued me - so I was always going to grab this book as soon as I read the summary. But it absolutely lived up to my hopes, all the way to the epilogue. Delightful!

SO GOOD! The banter between the main characters was top notch! The more you learn about Ethan, the more you want Maggie to end up with him! I was *almost* more invested in their budding relationship than in solving the mystery!! Loaded with fun dialogue, twists and turns, and a happy ending—it would be a crime to leave this book unread!

The Most Wonderful Crime Of The Year by @theallycarter

I enjoyed the HELL out of this book friends! It was incredibly fun, super romantic, and full of mystery. Also, gotta love the Christmas vibes! Trust me, you’ll want to read this one for a spin on a Christmas romance this holiday season! I really could not figure out the ending! 🎄🗡️🔎🕵️‍♀️

Thank you to @netgalley and @avonbooks for the arc!
Pub date: 9/24/24

4.5 stars!

Wow! A bit ridiculous, a whole lotta fun, and a little bit swoony! I adored this book. The mystery aspect itself was fun and a bit predictable, but everything else that tied into it, made it such an enjoyable read. I loved Maggie and Ethan and their backstories, and how they tied back Eleanor and the whole reason they were there to begin with. Adding all those extra aspects, like a rom-com aspect, really helped to take the sort of predictable mystery to the next level.

I don't read a lot of mysteries, so that may have helped with my overall enjoyment of this novel, but I really, really, really, enjoyed it!
Thank you Avon/Harper Voyager and NetGalley, for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I cannot believe this was written by the same author of The Blonde Identity (which I LOVED).

From start to finish, this was just… bad. I didn’t like any of the characters, the dialogue had me constantly cringing, I’m still confused about the mystery resolution, and more than anything, this felt like it was just trying too hard.

I truly can’t believe I was able to finish this. The only reason I did was because I got the ARC but, even then, it took a lot of pushing myself to get through.

2 stars.


Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with the ARC :)

Awesome!! I loved it!!! It was hallmark movie meets sarcastic older sister, I loved it!! Such a unique twist on a rom com and cozie mystery. The characters were relateable, it stayed (mostly) clean and kept me captivated and in suspense throughout. I really enjoyed the ride!!!

I LOVED this book. I don't know if I can even put into words how much I loved it. The story was entertaining, the mystery kept me on my toes, the banter made me laugh, and the romance made me swoon. It is the perfect combination of romcom and mystery set in an English mansion. I read the whole thing in almost one sitting. I lost sleep because I couldn't stop reading it. You need this book.


Tropes and things
*Rom Com
*Locked room mystery
*He falls first
*Holiday-Christmas vibes
*Rivals to lovers
*Forced Proximity

Review posted on Barnes and Noble and Goodreads.

I read this in one sitting. The mystery, romance, all of it was simply perfect! I’m excited to read more from this author!

Truly knocked it out of the park oh my gosh, this is amazing! It’s the perfect mystery but also the perfect romcom?? Definitely will be adding this author to my list of auto buys based off this book. I wish there was a little more spice however that doesn’t ruin a book for me!

This was so much fun!! I would highly recommend to anyone. I really enjoyed reading it and didn’t want to put it down. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read this ARC!

Ally Carter's latest book is a gem.

It's only my second of hers to read (The Blonde Identity was my first), and I think I loved this one more.

"The Most Wonderful Crime of the Year" is a cozy mystery, rom com and locked room mystery all wrapped into a holiday bow.

Two rival mystery authors end up at the home of a legendary mystery author for the holiday and then she disappears. The game is afoot and the reader is along for the ride.

The thing about Carter's books are the characters she creates and the emotional arcs we see with them. The book isn't a cut and dry genre. We go on a journey with the main character, Maggie.

We solve crimes and learn more about her and ourselves along the way. Highly recommend.

3/3.25 ⭐️

this was a fun time - a “murder” mystery surrounding a mystery writer. I felt it was pretty predictable and due to that it lacked luster for me because there wasn’t anything else. I personally didn’t really find the characters likable. It felt like a damsel in distress, boy come save me repetition a bit too much for me. The characters didn’t really go through any growth and then the big ending wasn’t surprising to me.

Was it a fun time? a life size clue game? yes.
I don’t think it was memorable in a sense though, i will most likely forget it by next week.

I loved this book and I don't normally enjoy whodunits, but this book was fabulous. Short chapters for the win. Point of View and timeline shifts are done really well too. This book was totally engaging, loved the two main characters. Smart, savvy, super fun. FYI - Closed-door romance if that's your thing and not gory. Love this cover! I don't think it needs to be Christmas time to enjoy this book. Big thanks to NetGalley for an early copy.

The Most Wonderful Crime of the Year features two competing authors solving the locked door disappearance of a prolific crime writer on the verge of retirement from her family estate during a Christmas gathering that she had invited them to. It reads a lot like a movie, which did throw the pacing off I felt since it seemed to jump from one scene to the next. It will be especially fun for fans of Agatha Christie or Knives Out looking for a holiday read.

Thanks to Avon and Netgalley for my copy to review.

I thoroughly enjoyed this mystery. The characters are well developed and the setting is perfect! In typical Ally Carter style, humor is woven into the story with perfect timing. The mystery keeps readers guessing and the budding romance serves make readers feel invested in the characters. This book is one I truly did not want to put down.. I will recommend this book to many mystery readers and will impatiently look forward to the author's next book.

I love everything Ally Carter has written and this was no exception.
How can you go wrong with 2 competitive mystery writers, one who writes thrillers, one who writes cozy mysteries?
An Agatha Christie type famous mystery writer?
A English manor?
And a locked room mystery?
A great book for any time of the year!

I received this ARC via NetGalley.

I LOVED THIS BOOK! And it needed to be said in all caps, I love this book. A rom-com mystery. Doesn’t get any better ! The tile is clever, the characters intricate, vulnerable and appealing, the plot and its execution done to perfection, the house setting, an old house with secret passage ways perfect. It all works beautifully, but the repartee between Ethan and Maggie elevates it to yet another level. Sassy and clever, and the author really allows us to see the characters emotion and backstory bringing a history to the pages that is essential to the plot. I love the scene when Maggie and Ethan first meet in an elevator which sets the stage for their relationship.
Best selling author Maggie is invited to England for Christmas at the home of her idol, mystery writer Eleanor Ashley. Finally she will get to meet her favorite author, and the fact her nemesis Ethan is coming doesn’t dampen her excitement too much. But once there as they meet the rest of the family, Eleanor disappears from a locked room and someone is trying to kill her and Maggie.
This is one of those books I will reread for the dialogue alone. There’s a hint at the end that we may not have seen the last of Maggie and Ethan and I’m hoping this is indeed the case.

🎄🎁📕 BOOK REVIEW 📕🎁🎄

📚 The Most Wonderful Crime of the Year by @theallycarter

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Thoughts: If you enjoy both romance and a good mystery, this book is for you! Maggie and Ethan are competing mystery writers who end up in the same isolated mansion for Christmas. Throw in some (attempted) murder, a locked room disappearance, and a host of quirky characters and you have one delightful holiday read!

While reading this, I felt like the book was so nostalgic and then did a bit of research to figure out why. Turns out, the Ally Carter who wrote this book also is the author of the YA Gallagher Girls series that got me into reading as a young girl. Turns out, I love her books just as much as an adult!

Ally writes such realistic characters in her works and Maggie and Ethan definitely hit that mark. They’re both flawed and are working through their own traumas but so easy to root for. Once they realize they’re the only people they can trust, these two mystery writers end up spending all of their time together. With that time comes not only respect but also love, which we all know I am all about!

If you want a cozy feeling, locked room mystery, story that features realistic characters and irking through their own difficulties while solving crimes and finding love, I’d absolutely recommend this book.

Starting on September 24th, this charming holiday mystery romance will be available! I’d highly recommend adding it to your TBR today 🎄

I love a locked room mystery and even more I love a throwback author! The Gallagher series was everything to me growing up and I’m glad this author is growing her books up with her audience.