The Most Wonderful Crime of the Year

A Novel

By: Ally Carter

Narrated by: Saskia Maarleveld, Zachary Webber

USA Today Bestseller! "Full of tongue-in-cheek humor, excellent dialogue, and fantastic characters, this expertly crafted story from Carter (The Blonde Identity) is a heart-melting rivals-to-lovers romance combined with a delightful locked-room mystery." — Library Journal (starred review)

Knives Out gets a holiday rom-com twist in this rivals-to-lovers romance-mystery from New York Times bestselling author Ally Carter.

The bridge is out. The phones are down. And the most famous mystery writer in the world just disappeared out of a locked room two days before Christmas.

Meet Maggie Chase and Ethan Wyatt:

She’s the new Queen of the Cozy Mystery.

He’s Mr. Big-time Thriller Guy.

She hates his guts.

He thinks her name is Marcie (no matter how many times she’s told him otherwise.)

But when they both accept a cryptic invitation to attend a Christmas house party at the English estate of a reclusive fan, neither is expecting their host to be the most powerful author in the world: Eleanor Ashley, the Duchess of Death herself.

That night, the weather turns, and the next morning Eleanor is gone.

She vanished from a locked room, and Maggie has to wonder: Is Eleanor in danger? Or is it all some kind of test? Is Ethan the competition? Or is he the only person in that snowbound mansion she can trust?

As the snow gets deeper and the stakes get higher, every clue will bring Maggie and Ethan closer to the truth—and each other. Because, this Christmas, these two rivals are going to have to become allies (and maybe more) if they have any hope of saving Eleanor.

Assuming they don’t kill each other first.

The laugh out loud holiday "romystery" that you've been waiting for!

• A touching holiday read
• Perfect for fans of uplifting winter romances
• A delightful Christmas gift

🎄“𝗞𝗻𝗶𝘃𝗲𝘀 𝗢𝘂𝘁” 𝗵𝗼𝗹𝗶𝗱𝗮𝘆 𝗿𝗼𝗺-𝗰𝗼𝗺🎅🏼

Yes, please to holiday books! 🙌🏻 Ally Carter delivers a “Knives Out” holiday rom-com mashup in 𝙏𝙝𝙚 𝙈𝙤𝙨𝙩 𝙒𝙤𝙣𝙙𝙚𝙧𝙛𝙪𝙡 𝘾𝙧𝙞𝙢𝙚 𝙤𝙛 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙔𝙚𝙖𝙧, where murder meets mistletoe, & rivals become reluctant allies (and maybe more!).

📖 This book is an absolute blast! Picture this: Maggie, Queen of Cozy Mysteries, & Ethan, Mr. Big-shot Thriller, are trapped in a snowbound English manor days before Christmas. Their idol, legendary mystery writer Eleanor Ashley, has vanished from a locked room. Is she in danger, or just testing her guests? Maggie & Ethan have to solve the mystery, survive each other’s company, & maybe find a spark along the way.

📖 This book is packed with clever clues, steamy tension, & laugh-out-loud moments. You’ll be rooting for Maggie & Ethan to crack the case (and finally realize how much they don’t hate each other).

💕 𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝘁𝗼 𝗟𝗼𝘃𝗲:
• 🎄 Festive Mystery: Cozy holiday vibes with a side of “Who did it?”
• 🔐 Locked-Room Puzzle: Classic mystery fans, you’re in for a treat!
• 💥 Rivals-to-Lovers Tension: Maggie & Ethan’s chemistry is electric, funny, & oh-so-satisfying.
• 🌨️ Snowbound Drama: Nothing says forced proximity like a snowstorm, right?
• 🕵️‍♂️ Smart Twists: Plot twists keep you guessing (and grinning) till the last page.

💭 If you’re looking for a holiday read that offers more than just romance & fluff, this is the one. With a clever plot, engaging characters, & just the right amount of holiday charm, it’s sure to be a hit with mystery & rom-com lovers alike.

⭐️ Story 4.5/5 stars. A little more background on the characters would’ve clinched a 5-star rating.

🎧 𝗣𝗲𝗿𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗺𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲: 5/5 stars. Saskia Maarleveld & Zachary Webber’s dual narration enhances the rivals-to-lovers tension & the cozy, mysterious atmosphere of the story.

⚠️ 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗻𝘁/𝗧𝗿𝗶𝗴𝗴𝗲𝗿 𝗪𝗮𝗿𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴𝘀: Mild/moderate language scattered throughout, one mild crude reference, fade-to-black romance, reference to divorce & gaslighting, & reference to poisoning.

Super cute, and exciting.

Knives out meets hallmark Christmas movie. Just what the Doctor ordered! High volume of very short chapters, so it was easy to catch a bit here and there.

Fun book for Christmas

This is a very easy read/listen. Definitely feels like a knives out murder mystery with some romance. My only dislike was the male narrator, his voice was rather whinny and not my favorite to listen to, but overall I really did enjoy this story.

Perfect mix!

This book was the perfect mix of romance, humor, and intrigue! It had me gripped to the story and I was itching to find out what happened next!

Entertaining, had a clue-like feel

I liked the premise, the setting, the read-aloud performance and the cliffhangers at the end of the chapters. However, I felt that character development of the other ancillary/potential killers was lacking. I wasn’t shocked or surprised by the killer because I didn’t have enough background on the motive to really have a strong suspect. A couple little things: I didn’t get a good feeling, other than the book deal and her own insecurities, for why she kept telling Ethan that they are enemies and they don’t like each other. Also, I wasn’t shocked annoyed about how he suddenly was calling her “sweetheart” and was overly physically affectionate given the fact they were just getting to know each other and the backdrop of serious safety concerns. Overall, an entertaining read. I wasn’t shocked annoyed able to set aside my annoyances to still enjoy the book.