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amberinpieces's review against another edition
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.5
Content Warnings
Moderate: Gun violence, Blood, Injury/Injury detail, and Murder
Minor: Suicide
whatcassiedid's review
dark
emotional
funny
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
I thoroughly enjoyed this! I usually have trouble with thrillers and murder mysteries because they lean too hard into the gore and upsetting parts, but this felt more in the vein of Agatha Christie. Liza and Hanna were sweet lil babies and I had a great time!
Content Warnings
Moderate: Gore, Murder, and Gun violence
racheloddment's review
adventurous
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Murder and Gun violence
Minor: Vomit
taratearex's review
funny
lighthearted
mysterious
relaxing
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
This was a cute and fun murder mystery. It takes place in a snowed in hotel where the characters are all stuck and I read it in February in the winter when I feel like there's nothing to do and nowhere to go, so it was an extra cozy read. I liked the play on the Clue murder mystery with over the top characters and farfetched events- yes you'll have to suspend your disbelief a bit, but I don't know how you couldn't given it's a play on the "people are stuck in a house and suddenly start getting murdered". I liked that the lead characters were a lesbian couple and it was cute that the main sleuth is a murder mystery podcaster. Having the main characters be a younger lesbian couple and most of the other characters old "fuddy-duddies" made for some fun banter and nice jabs and sides about politics. I got a bit lost in the tangled web of the mystery, but I just went with it and I like the turn it took, going for a bit of an over the top plot that is grounded in reality somehow worked. Once I got towards the last dozen chapters I really didn't want to put it down. If you like murder mysteries with some comedy, especially if you liked Clue the movie, I would definitely pick this up.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me the e-book in exchange for an honest review.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me the e-book in exchange for an honest review.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death, Murder, and Body horror
off2explore's review
adventurous
funny
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
Content Warnings
Moderate: Murder
aromarrie's review
funny
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
4.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Blood and Murder
booksgamesvinyl's review
adventurous
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
2.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Murder
allisonwonderlandreads's review
lighthearted
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Alexis Hall came for capitalism in the very first chapter, so this cozy mystery was magnificent from the start. As if we would expect anything less. Our intrepid investigators are a married couple desperately in need of therapy: true crime podcaster Liza and finance fancy human Hanna. It meets the cozy definition with ease, holing up in a castle hotel on a stormy weekend with quite a cast of characters on hand.
The story positively thrives on the comical exactitude of squeezing a lady in a peacock shawl, a professor in plum, a vicar in green, a colonel in a mustard tie, and our investigators around one dinner table with a chef by the name of White in the kitchen. The Clue-esque delights continue with a seductress in a scarlet 1940s-style dress who goes by "Ruby" and knows secrets pertaining to the murder. There's also a private detective with delusions of Poirot who is guilty of referring to himself in the third person and throwing around unnecessary French phrases, so consider me DEAD on arrival. The characters take themselves quite seriously and some of their antics made me laugh so hard, I genuinely snorted and/or cried. There are also some fun layout Easter eggs, so expect to find the billiard room adjacent to the library and a certain secret passage off the conservatory.
This was a wacky, fun mystery with a litany of great one-liners (all diligently highlighted by yours truly) and a pleasant degree of self-awareness. Between Liza's itch of curiosity to solve the murder(s) and Hanna's insistence on not being too gruesomely disrespectful or enthusiastically reckless, the two make a great team. It's one of the best cozies I've had the pleasure of reading, and I highly recommend it. My thanks to Kobo and Valentine PR for my copy to read and review.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Blood, Murder, and Violence
Minor: Colonisation, Gun violence, Injury/Injury detail, Lesbophobia, Racism, Sexism, Sexual harassment, Suicide, and War
soobooksalot's review
challenging
funny
lighthearted
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
A cozy mystery in the tradition of Clue, you say?
Well, Clue happens to be my favourite board game AND favourite movie. So when Kobo releases it's exclusive Murder Most Actual with comparisons to my faves, I'm in. Also I do happen to enjoy author Alexis Hall and my Kobo. So it's a win-win-win.
Hanna and Liza have been together 10 years and their marriage has lost it's spark, it's magic. Perhaps a long weekend away at a grand, snowy, castle-esque hotel - lacking many murders - should help?
So things don't turn out as hoped on the murder element.
Though it doesn't hurt that Liza is a well-known crime podcaster, and would rather everybody stop insulting her career, thanks!
This is a nicely turned-out mystery, featuring nods to the aforementioned Clue as well as some Agatha Christie. It's a fun, witty read with many turns I didn't expect. Recommended!
Well, Clue happens to be my favourite board game AND favourite movie. So when Kobo releases it's exclusive Murder Most Actual with comparisons to my faves, I'm in. Also I do happen to enjoy author Alexis Hall and my Kobo. So it's a win-win-win.
Hanna and Liza have been together 10 years and their marriage has lost it's spark, it's magic. Perhaps a long weekend away at a grand, snowy, castle-esque hotel - lacking many murders - should help?
So things don't turn out as hoped on the murder element.
Though it doesn't hurt that Liza is a well-known crime podcaster, and would rather everybody stop insulting her career, thanks!
This is a nicely turned-out mystery, featuring nods to the aforementioned Clue as well as some Agatha Christie. It's a fun, witty read with many turns I didn't expect. Recommended!
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death and Murder
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