by Ann Claire
Overall: Calling all cozy mystery lovers! This delightful book is a love letter to the genre. Ellie Christie (sadly, no relation to the famous author) has recently returned to the charming hamlet of Last Word, Colorado, to help her sister Meg take over the family bookstore, the Book Chalet. Ellie’s in love with the written word and ready to settle down after far-flung adventures, and she’s also looking forward to spending time with her Gram and her young teen niece Rosie. But when a mysterious visitor to the bookstore is found dead on the town gondola, and the bookstore’s most loyal employee, Ms. Ridge, goes missing, Ellie and Meg find themselves drawn into a real-life whodunit. And did I mention there’s a cat named Agatha C. Christie?
Likes: The whole book is charming: tone, writing style, characters, setting, and all. Last Word’s cozy Victorians, friendly (if somewhat nosy) neighbors, ample skiing, and enormous (!) bookstore make it sound idyllic. The bookstore especially appealed to me, with its Reading Lounge, hot drinks bar, vast selection, and charming ambiance. And with a bookstore at the center of the story, there’s lots of fun mystery author name-dropping. Ellie’s voice as the narrator is funny, wry, and self-deprecating without being maudlin. The eccentric suspects include a movie star turned internet book influencer, a cowboy poet and his cantankerous pony, and a nasty out-of-towner. The family has a wonderful, supportive relationship; I would love to share a meal of fabulous roast chicken or homemade macaroni and cheese while “Marpling” with the sisters, their grandmother, and Rose. And Agatha the cat steals every scene she’s in! This is a fast-paced read that would be the perfect book to take on a winter vacation or pull out when you’re craving a cup of cocoa by the fire.
Dislikes: really nothing. I did see a few of the twists coming, but that didn’t diminish my enjoyment of this book.
FYI: murder, injury, financial crimes.
Thank you to Penguin Random House for sending me an arc of this book to review via Netgalley. All opinions are my own.
Liz Helfrich 