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Book club questions for The Most Wonderful Crime of the Year by Ally Carter takes a closer look at this dynamic mystery/romance set during the holiday season. There will be spoilers so for more context about the book, check out my spoiler-free review first.
I so enjoyed this novel! The blend of genres, plus the added bonus of holiday-themed content, was so fun and a nice read overall. There is quite a bit of depth too, and I enjoyed the romance between the two leads.
Excited to read more work by Ally Carter!
The Synopsis
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.
Book Club Questions for The Most Wonderful Crime of the Year
- When we first meet Maggie, we know she considers Ethan her nemesis. Why did she hate him so much for so long?
- What were your initial thoughts about Ethan? Did that change as the story went on?
- Why did Maggie accept this cryptic invitation to attend Christmas at a stranger’s house in England? What would you have done if you were Maggie?
- We learn the mystery host is the world famous author, Eleanor Ashley. Why was Eleanor’s work so important to Maggie?
- We learn about Maggie’s painful past, including losing her parents her first year of college, and also her husband left Maggie for her best friend. Let’s discuss Maggie’s past and how that impacted her present. How did this experience searching for Eleanor and developing feelings for Ethan help her move forward?
- What did you think first happened to Eleanor when she went missing? Who did you suspect was behind her disappearance?
- This story combines two genres: a locked-room mystery and a romance. What are your thoughts on blending genres? Do you prefer one genre over the other?
- When did Maggie start to truly develop feelings for Ethan? Why was it important for us to know about Ethan’s past?
- Did you enjoy their various adventures when searching for Eleanor?
- Let’s talk about all the big reveals, including Dobson’s attempt to kill Eleanor and Maggie. And Eleanor faked her own death and disappeared. What were your thoughts about all of these reveals?
- Did you like the ending and epilogue, including when Maggie and Ethan find Eleanor alive and living in Greece?
- We never find out how Eleanor escaped. How do you think she got away?
Additional Recommendations
Hope you enjoyed book club questions for The Most Wonderful Crime of the Year! Here are some more recommendations along with links to book club questions.
The Maid by Nita Prose
For another engaging mystery, check out The Maid by Nita Prose. Click here for my book club questions.
Molly Gray is not like everyone else. She struggles with social skills and misreads the intentions of others. Her gran used to interpret the world for her, codifying it into simple rules that Molly could live by.
Since Gran died a few months ago, twenty-five-year-old Molly has been navigating life’s complexities all by herself. No matter—she throws herself with gusto into her work as a hotel maid. Her unique character, along with her obsessive love of cleaning and proper etiquette, make her an ideal fit for the job. She delights in donning her crisp uniform each morning, stocking her cart with miniature soaps and bottles, and returning guest rooms at the Regency Grand Hotel to a state of perfection.
But Molly’s orderly life is upended the day she enters the suite of the infamous and wealthy Charles Black, only to find it in a state of disarray and Mr. Black himself dead in his bed. Before she knows what’s happening, Molly’s unusual demeanor has the police targeting her as their lead suspect. She quickly finds herself caught in a web of deception, one she has no idea how to untangle. Fortunately for Molly, friends she never knew she had unite with her in a search for clues to what really happened to Mr. Black—but will they be able to find the real killer before it’s too late?
A Clue-like, locked-room mystery and a heartwarming journey of the spirit, The Maid explores what it means to be the same as everyone else and yet entirely different—and reveals that all mysteries can be solved through connection to the human heart.
All I Want is You by Falon Ballard
If you want to read another novel about two writers falling in love during Christmas, All I Want is You is a great pick. Click here for my book club questions.
All Jessica has ever wanted is her own happily ever after. But until that happens, she spends her days as a small-time romance writer, penning satisfying Happily Ever Afters to soothe the heartache left by her ex-boyfriend Nick—also a romance writer and now her biggest rival—who has found success writing love stories without happy endings. It’s what he’s good at, after all . . .
So when their professional obligations bring them to a remote inn a few days before Christmas, they’re a little more than peeved, especially when they get trapped sharing a room in a snowstorm. But what’s more fitting for two romantic writers in a slump? Realizing the friction between them might be the only cure for their writer’s block, they decide to turn their frustration into fiction . . . and the pages start flying. But will Jess’s heart soar, too? Nick is the last guy on earth she should love . . . but what if he is really all she wants for Christmas?
Happy reading!
