The Most Wonderful Crime of the Year by Ally Carter leaves mixed feelings.

Not because the book isn’t well written or lacks literary value. Quite the opposite — the novel brings to life every possible cliché of the genre, but this time they are wrapped around a plot driven by crime elements and gaslighting.

At the center are Maggie Chase and Ethan Wyatt — two writers who, at first glance, seem like sworn enemies. This dynamic strongly echoes Book Lovers by Emily Henry, but only on the surface.

The first hundred pages are largely dedicated to building Ethan’s character — a textbook cliché of the irresistibly attractive male lead: mysterious, arrogant, intelligent, adored by many, and suddenly a bestselling thriller author.

Maggie, on the other hand, is his complete opposite. She is insecure, withdrawn, and lonely, going through a painful divorce after discovering her husband’s affair with her best friend. While Ethan is the life of every party… Maggie often fades into the background.

Just before Christmas, the two receive a mysterious invitation to spend the holidays at an English manor. Their host turns out to be none other than Eleanor Ashley — a legendary crime writer known as the Duchess of Death.

At that point, a familiar bell rings — the resemblance to Agatha Christie is more than obvious.

And then comes the twist.

Eleanor disappears without a trace.

Maggie and Ethan seem to be the only ones genuinely concerned about her fate.

Fans of Christie might immediately think of her real-life disappearance at Pera Palace Hotel while writing Murder on the Orient Express. And they wouldn’t be wrong — but in Carter’s version, the plot unfolds in a more modern, layered way.

Maggie soon becomes the target of a mysterious killer. Surrounded by power outages, lack of signal, and growing danger, she must figure out who she can trust.

Booklovers Rating: 3.5/5

The dynamic between Maggie and Ethan, the atmosphere, and Ally Carter’s engaging writing style make The Most Wonderful Crime of the Year a solid choice for cold evenings.

And in this case — the clichés are not only expected, but completely forgivable.