It’s Beginning to Look a Lot Like Murder

Kiss, Merry, Kill #2

by Ally Carter

A billionaire’s grandson and the housekeeper’s daughter square off in this cat-and-mouse holiday romance-mystery from the New York Times bestselling author of The Most Wonderful Crime of the Year.

Ella Chambers didn’t kill Liam Montgomery.

If she had, she certainly wouldn’t have done it outside his family’s mansion during the Christmas party of the year. She definitely wouldn’t have loaded his body into the trunk of her car. And she absolutely would not have announced to the town that the boy who ruined her life ten years ago was “so dead to her.”

But now Liam is missing—nothing but a bloody spot on the drive and a host of unanswered questions—and Ella is the only person who knows he’s still alive.

So it’s up to her to prove it.

Liam Montgomery didn’t want to die.

But, it turns out, when you’re the sole heir to a billionaire, someone might want you dead. Luckily for Liam, being dead works for him.

Now he’s on the hunt for a killer. Unfortunately, Ella is on the hunt for him.

She’ll have to prove he’s still alive to clear her name, but that’s easier said than done in a quaint mountain town where everyone knows your story but no one knows the truth. Can the billionaire’s grandson and the housekeeper’s daughter join forces to catch a killer? Or is their past too steeped in secrets and lies?

As the storm of the century blows in, every step will bring these two childhood rivals closer to a killer—and each other.

Because, this Christmas, only one thing is it’s beginning to look a lot like murder.



• Holiday Romance
• Childhood Enemies-to-Lovers
• Cat and Mouse
• Slow Burn
• Forced Proximity

Genres: Christmas, Romance, Mystery, Holiday, Mystery Thriller, Contemporary, Adult

544 pages, Paperback

Expected publication October 13, 2026

About the author

Ally Carter writes books about sneaky people and movies about Christmas. She is the New York Times Best-selling author of the Gallagher Girls, Heist Society, and Embassy Row series for teens as well as WINTERBORNE HOME FOR VENGEANCE AND VALOR for younger readers. Her books have been published all over the world, in over twenty languages.

She encourages you to visit her online at allycarter.com and embassyrowbooks.com.

Reviews

[Jane ☾]

omgosh ANOTHER WINTER MYSTERY ROMANCE???? I just finished The Most Wonderful Crime of the Year, and finding out our queen is writing yet another one is truly a blessing ♥

According to Barnes and Noble, this is the official description:
"A billionaire’s grandson and the housekeeper’s daughter square off in this cat-and-mouse holiday romance-mystery"

[Hannah · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 Stars.

❄️ The vibes:
- He’s a rich boy
- The housekeeper’s daughter
- Slow burn
- Mystery
- Family secrets
- Wintry Christmas time setting
- Closed door (kisses only)

❄️ My thoughts:
I went into this expecting a possibly funny, murder mystery romance, but this was much heavier in the themes than I expected. 😭. There’s a poor girl who has had all the hard knocks and a rich boy who has everything he’s ever dreams of. She hates him. She thinks he hates her. Spoiler. He doesn’t.

❄️ I really liked this book a lot. It was definitely wintry not so much Christmasy, but there were a few Christmas sprinkles here and there which I liked. This is ultimately a really good murder mystery type of book with a lot of emotional depth. There are definitely some sad undertones throughout the book, but the romance was so sweet that it made it all worth it in the end. And dare I say this felt Draco Malfoy and Hermione coded- which I LOVED.

Note / spice content: closed door (kisses only); light language (a*; bi*).

Release date: October 13, 2026.

Thank you so much to Ally Carter, Avon and Harper Voyager , and NetGalley for the gifted copy. I received this eARC from the author/publisher, but this honest review is voluntary.

[maddie's reading · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to Avon and NetGalley for the arc!

Rtc

[Ashley · Rating 4 out of 5]

While technically part of a series, it can absolutely be read as a standalone. Though I do recommend The Most Wonderful Crime of the Year because it's a delightful little locked door mystery and romance.

Let me rip off the band-aid and start with what didn't work for me - only because there wasn't much.

The dialogue was a little stiff and awkward at times. Honestly, a bit of the writing felt very first draft, but as it's an arc I can look past because who knows what might change by the time it's officially published and out. There were also far too many characters for me to keep track of. Maybe some dumb choices by the characters, but for the most part it fits with the tone of the story so it was easy to swallow.

Besides that, this was just as charming and fun as I expected it to be (maybe a little silly at times). Ally Carter always crafts such a fun and delightful story that feels almost like a warm hug, despite the murder and mayhem. From over the top characters to swoon worthy romance, it's the perfect read when you want something light that still has a lot of heart and fast paced.

If Ally Carter wants to drop about ten of these then I'll be here to eat them up.

Thank you Avon and Harper & netgalley for the e-arc!

[Karianne · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thanks to Avon and Harper Voyager and NetGalley for the ARC. While I did not intend to read this book so far away from Christmas, it could not be helped as Ally Carter crafts this book so well that I was drawn in from the literal first page. I love the time jumps and the interview interstitials. I love the dual POV and flashbacks. This book is utter perfection. The only thing that could have added to this book would be to read it in a cabin in a snowy mountain while curled up with a blanket in front of a fireplace. At no point did I know where this is going. Here’s hoping for many more of these holiday hijinx books.

[Nicole Austin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you NetGalley and Avon for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!

“It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like Murder” by Ally Carter was exactly the kind of book I wanted it to be: a cozy Christmas mystery packed with wealthy suspects, family drama, slow-burn romance, and just enough danger to keep the pages flying by. Think Hallmark Christmas movie meets classic whodunit, with a healthy dose of rivals-to-lovers tension thrown in for good measure.

The story follows Ella, the daughter of a housekeeper who grew up alongside the wealthy founding families of her small town. While the rich families have spent years looking down on her despite knowing her practically her whole life, Ella has always been focused on one thing: survival. Between losing her father, caring for her mother during her battle with cancer, and drowning in medical debt, she's worked herself to exhaustion just trying to stay afloat. When wealthy heir Liam unexpectedly disappears after surviving a shooting, suspicion quickly falls on Ella, making an already difficult life even harder. To clear her name and figure out who is trying to kill Liam, the two are forced to work together and unravel a mystery that seems to involve nearly every rich and entitled person in town.

One of the strongest parts of the book is definitely the setting and atmosphere. The story takes place during the week leading up to Christmas, and the snowy small-town backdrop gives everything that cozy holiday feel even while people are getting shot, disappearing, and accusing each other of murder. The countdown to Christmas adds a fun sense of urgency, and I loved the mix of holiday charm and mystery.

Ella was easy to root for. She carries so much emotional baggage throughout the story, and honestly, there were multiple times I just wanted to give her a hug. She has spent years being treated unfairly by people with far more power and money than she has, yet she never loses her determination. Her dry humor and resilience made her a compelling protagonist, even when her insecurities and trauma occasionally caused her to repeat the same worries. Given everything she's been through, it felt understandable.

Liam took a little longer to win me over. Early on, I found him frustrating because so many of the problems could have been solved if he had simply communicated with Ella. His decision to keep secrets and disappear while Ella suffered the consequences made me want to shake him a few times. However, once the two finally start working together, the story really hits its stride. Their banter is fantastic, the chemistry feels natural, and watching them slowly work through years of misunderstandings was incredibly satisfying. The childhood friends-to-rivals-to-lovers dynamic adds so much history and emotional weight to every interaction.

The mystery itself was a lot of fun. There are plenty of suspects, plenty of secrets, and enough twists to keep you guessing. Once the story traps all the potential suspects together and the investigation really ramps up, it starts to feel like a classic locked-room-style mystery. I loved trying to piece together the clues alongside Ella. The reveal felt surprising but fair, and all the pieces came together in a way that made sense once everything was explained.

That said, the book isn't perfect. Some may struggle with the amount of miscommunication between Ella and Liam (like I did), especially because so much of their conflict could have been avoided with a few honest conversations. There were also a few moments where information seemed to be withheld from the reader for the sake of creating a later reveal. Those things didn't ruin the experience for me, but they did occasionally pull me out of the story.

Overall, though, I had a blast with this one. It's funny, fast-paced, romantic, and full of twists without ever losing its cozy charm. The combination of holiday atmosphere, wealthy family scandals, murder mystery, and slow-burn romance worked incredibly well for me. By the time the final reveal arrived and all the loose ends were wrapped up, I was completely satisfied. If you're looking for a fun Christmas mystery with sharp banter, lovable characters, and plenty of secrets hiding beneath the snow-covered surface, “It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like Murder” is a perfect holiday read.

[Just Blue Through Books · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley and to Avon and Harper Voyager for the ARC of It's Beginning to Look a Lot like Murder by Ally Carter. I really enjoyed the first book in this series (both can be read as standalones) and had a lot of fun reading this one as well.

Carter excels at action-filled, fast-paced plots. She does that again here, while adding in an array of 9 potentially murderous, but definitely of questionable character, rich townsfolk and the yearning for a romantic relationship that never was. The book does feature some flashback chapters as well as some police interview interludes, and the plot takes place in the week before Christmas, with countdowns throughout the days to mark time.

The book is definitely entertaining and fun - I read it in an afternoon and I did like it a lot - Carter is endlessly entertaining. The mystery takes a lot of twists and turns, the romantic elements are light and gently ramp up throughout the story, and at the end of the book I was surprised by the outcome and the many routes it took to get there.

That being said, I kept having to pause on aspects of the story that maybe could be assisted by editing - there seemed to be plot holes/continuity errors that a reader cannot fill in the gaps for, they just have to suspend their disbelief for. On top of that, a lot of the plot points and ah-has happened because of scenes the characters are having that the readers can't see, so while it feels like we're in the head of one character, they're not actually recounting everything they've done and then that is used as a "gotcha" moment that feels like it cheapens the story.

I also struggled to truly like Ella or Liam or be able to make sense of their relationship timeline. I don't want to spoil any aspects of the story, but I can say more about Ella and Liam's characters -- Ella is definitely traumatized by her own life - the death of her father at age 6, desperately trying to meet her mother's expectations while growing up poor, caring for her mother at the end of her battle with cancer, working herself to the bone to pay off medical bills. She lets people treat her like a doormat but then we also learn how smart she is and driven etc. To me it never really made sense why she stayed in town when she could have hitched a ride with the townspeople who adore her over the pass and worked somewhere where she could have an actual career and away from all the ghosts and mistreatment this place holds for her -- Liam thinks the same so I don't think I'm out of bounds here. And Liam, we see him in flashbacks see how Elle is struggling 5-10 years back, and I do not understand 1) Why he kept leaving her 2) How he didn't realize the extent of her financial issues 3) How he never contacted her in the inbetween times. It seemed like, for someone who thinks this is the love of his life, he doesn't really pay attention to her or care about her until he has to return for Trip's will reading and even then he wants to start out by being mean to her and pushing her buttons even though his actions have just caused her serious financial harm.

I think I just feel conflicted because I really liked reading the book and the overall story, I just kept getting hung up on the timeline and the massive communication issues and the behind-the-scenes-scenes. I would definitely still recommend the book and read more in the series, I just wish aspects of this one had been cleaner.

[Nilufer Ozmekik · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ally Carter has officially convinced me that Christmas and murder are a surprisingly perfect combination. Forget sugar cookies and mistletoe—give me a snow-covered mansion, a missing billionaire heir, decades of family secrets, suspicious relatives, and two people who insist they can't stand each other while obviously proving otherwise. That's my kind of holiday celebration.

From the opening chapters, this book has that irresistible "just one more chapter" energy. Every time I thought I had the mystery figured out, another secret surfaced or another suspect climbed to the top of my list. The investigation moves at a brisk pace, but the story never forgets to let the characters breathe, making the emotional moments land just as well as the twists.

Ella was easily my favorite part of the novel. She has spent her entire life working twice as hard just to be seen as half as worthy, and that quiet determination made her incredibly easy to root for. She's funny, capable, and carries years of hurt without losing her compassion. Liam, meanwhile, took a little longer to win me over, but once his perspective became clearer, I completely understood why Ella had such complicated feelings toward him. Their relationship is built on years of misunderstandings, longing, rivalry, and unspoken affection, which made every piece of their slow-burn romance feel earned rather than rushed. Their banter was sharp, playful, and often made me smile.

The mystery itself was equally entertaining. Wealthy families always seem to collect secrets like Christmas ornaments, and the Montgomery family certainly doesn't disappoint. Everyone has something to hide, which made guessing the culprit half the fun. I also loved how the holiday atmosphere never disappeared. The festive backdrop somehow made the danger feel even more entertaining, creating a cozy mystery vibe while still delivering genuine suspense.

My only reason for stopping short of five stars is that there are a lot of characters and family relationships introduced early on, so I occasionally had to pause and remind myself who belonged to whom. I also wished a couple of conflicts relied a little less on miscommunication, as a few honest conversations could have saved everyone a great deal of trouble. Neither issue, however, kept me from thoroughly enjoying the ride.

Overall, this was a wonderfully fun mix of romance, mystery, humor, and holiday charm. It delivered exactly what I wanted: lovable characters, clever twists, heartfelt moments, and enough festive murder to make Christmas considerably more exciting than my own family gatherings. If Ally Carter keeps writing holiday mysteries like this, I'll happily make them part of my annual Christmas reading tradition.

Special thanks to NetGalley and Avon and Harper Voyager | Avon for sharing this murder mystery romance's digital review copy with me in exchange for my honest thoughts.

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[CA · Rating 5 out of 5]

“It’s Beginning to Look a Lot Like Murder” is the second book in Ally Carter’s, “Kiss, Merry, Kill” series of seasonal murder mysteries. I had fun reading the previous book, “The Most Wonderful Crime of the Year” and found this book to be just as charming, fun, and fast-paced. Following the death of his grandfather, Trip, Liam returns to the family manor for the reading of the will naming him heir to the family fortune. Someone does not take this news well, leading to Liam’s “murder” – a murder that Ella is accused of.

The chemistry between Eleanor (Ella) and Liam felt natural – their arguments and quieter conversations felt like those between two individuals with a deep and complicated backstory. Throughout the story, they the two work together to solve Liam’s “murder” and learn who might be responsible for Trip’s death as well. As the two work together, more about their complicated history is revealed. Ella’s negative feelings towards Liam and his family run deep. Ella’s mother worked for many years as Trip’s housekeeper. Because of this Ella spent her early years at the manor and Trip’s family and friends see Ella as the help and treat her as such. Additionally, the town has adopted some of this same attitude, causing Ella to feel beaten down without a way forward out of the town. As the story progresses, Ella starts to see more possibilities for herself. All of this takes place as a snowstorm approaches the mountain town and includes the murder suspects trapped under one roof as they wait out the storm.

The flashback chapters that helped to establish the relationship between Liam and Ella. It is from these flashbacks that we can see that beneath the animosity that Liam and Ella seem to have for each other in the present day, there is more to their relationship and story. Despite the differences they share in terms of wealth, family status, and respect of the town they are more alike than they seem on the surface.

The Interstitial showing transcripts of Ella’s interrogation did a great job highlighting Ella’s personality in greater detail. She seemed lighter and her perseverance and hidden spunk came through on these pages. After seeing her disparaged and made to feel like lesser in other parts of the book, these provided another side to her.

This book is a great read for the holidays with a mix of murder, crime solving, and romance.

Thank you NetGalley and Avon for this eARC for review consideration. All opinions are my own.

[inmyreadingera321 · Rating 4 out of 5]

ALLY. CARTER!!! I love when we get new Ally books because I know she'll always write a great romance with a great PLOT. I love when romances are just romances, but I also love when we get a nice plotty romance, with a mystery or suspense element, and Ally NEVER fails when it comes to mystery/suspense.

After reading her YA books growing up, adoring The Blonde Identity books, and having SO much fun with The Most Wonderful Crime of the Year, I just knew that It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like Murder would check all the boxes for me. I don't even celebrate Christmas, but trust me when I say I had so much fun reading this book!

The setting -- a mansion at Christmastime. I mean, that's straight out of the oldest locked room mysteries and best Hallmark movies. Very Knives Out coded, especially with Trip as the family patriarch who died. Quintessential cozy mystery fodder.

The plot -- faked deaths and tangled truths? Whodunnit and why? Sign. Me. Up.

The romance -- the rich grandson and the daughter of the housekeeper, who basically grew up together but hated each other, but they were also there for each other at some of their lowest childhood moments. A connection like that doesn't just disappear, even with years passed and more hurts brought to light. Enemies to lovers, childhood rivals, it's always been you (I just didn't want to admit it), I'll protect you with my life... Ella and Liam had me HOOKED.

This was such a good cozy read -- I wish we had gotten a little more angst with regard to Ella dealing with some of the truths that were revealed, and I would have loved an epilogue-y chapter like The Most Wonderful Crime of the Year's tattoo chapter (my FAV!!), but no matter what, this was just a GOOD TIME of a read. So Ally-coded, so wintry, so cozy, and so, so good.

---------------

Thank you to Netgalley and Avon for the ARC!

[Kat · Rating 4 out of 5]

𝚃𝚑𝚎 𝚛𝚞𝚗𝚍𝚘𝚠𝚗:
Ella grew up working for the founding families of the town. When Liam, the wealthy heir she grew up hating, mysteriously disappears, Ella has to clear her name while also trying to find Liam - & keep him from being killed.

𝙼𝚢 𝚝𝚊𝚔𝚎:
Listen, I’m going to eat up the “she hates him & she thinks he hates her (but he totally doesn’t)“ trope every.single.time, but then you go & have Ally Carter write it?! It’s always going to be an automatic winner for me!

𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗜 𝗹𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗱:

❤️The setting - a small town run by billionaire founding families with secrets at Christmastime. Yes, please!

❤️The plot - such a fun whodunnit with just the right amount of high stakes & little twist at the end! There’s secrets & lies & enough family drama to make me feel better about my own messed up family.

❤️The interrogation transcripts - this is such a fun add. It was one of my fav parts of Most Wonderful Crime so I loved to see it in this one too!

❤️The romance - she sort of hates him. He yearns for her. It’s slow & sweet & swoony & everything I want from childhood enemies to lovers.

𝙵𝚊𝚟𝚘𝚛𝚒𝚝𝚎 𝚀𝚞𝚘𝚝𝚎𝚜:

“𝙄 𝙘𝙖𝙢𝙚 𝙝𝙤𝙢𝙚 𝙛𝙤𝙧 𝙮𝙤𝙪, 𝙀𝙡𝙡𝙖. 𝙄 𝙘𝙖𝙢𝙚 𝙝𝙤𝙢𝙚 𝙗𝙚𝙘𝙖𝙪𝙨𝙚 𝙝𝙤𝙢𝙚 𝙝𝙖𝙨 𝙖𝙡𝙬𝙖𝙮𝙨 𝙗𝙚𝙚𝙣 𝙮𝙤𝙪.”

While I didn’t love this one as much as Most Wonderful Crime (I’ve reread that one 5x, I’m obsessed with it), this was still a super fun whodunnit. There’s lots of suspects, plenty of banter & just enough high stakes to keep the plot fun & fast-paced!

But also, the yearning. Good lordddddd.

𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗴𝗲𝘁:
✨Murder mystery
✨Rich boy x housekeeper’s daughter
✨Childhood enemies to lovers
✨Slow burn
✨Flashbacks
✨Yearning x1000
✨Family secrets
✨Closed door

Thank you to Avon for the ARC in exchange for my honest review!

[SJ · Rating 5 out of 5]

Set in the small fictional mountain town of Hidden Springs, Colorado, housekeeper's daughter Ella Chambers didn't kill billionaire's grandson Liam Montgomery. But she was the last to see him alive after his grandfather's will was read, and she was scene dragging a large object into her car. Doesn't matter that it was a nutcracker Trip Montgomery had given to her as a child. The whole town thinks she did it. But she knows the four prominent families who were also at the will reading should be the suspects. And when she finds Liam alive but in hiding, she is pulled into the mystery to solve who tried to kill Liam. As the days approach Christmas and a snow storm is set to hit, Ella and Liam find themselves confronting family and friends along with their complicated history.

I'm so happy to read another book set in the Eleanor Ashley world! This had a similar structure to the first: police interviews mixed in between chapters, a countdown to Christmas, and two people who maybe don't actually hate each other trying to solve the case.

This romance mystery features:
🎄 forced proximity
🎄 complicated families
🎄 what happened ten years ago?
🎄 class differences
🎄 definition of home
🎄 childhood frenemies to lovers

Closed door / fade to black

4.5 / 5 stars

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Thank you to the author, the publisher, and NetGalley for this eARC!

[Nathalie · Rating 4 out of 5]

There’s nothing like a life or death situation to force a people pleaser to put themselves first. Ally Carter has done it again: mixing holiday romcom with murder mystery, and creating something truly wonderful. As an eldest daughter who tries to predict everyone’s needs and constantly has to be “productive”, I empathized so much with Ella. Not only did she grow up helping her mom keep house for a rich family, she also works a million jobs and side hustles to make ends barely meet. Liam is the son of that rich family, and she practically grew up with him (rivals to the core). But when the family patriarch dies, and the will is read, someone tries to kill Liam- leaving Ella as the prime suspect. The inclusion of the investigation interview between chapters is one of my favorite things that Ally Carter does in these books!

While there is plenty of humor and banter, Ally Carter also incorporates so many difficult emotions and tender topics. I really appreciate the care she took in including them, while still allowing for Ella to find support in an unlikely partner. I loved the progression of Liam and Ella’s tenuous relationship, especially seeing it from their different POVs.

Highly recommend picking this up, for the holiday season. It’s Beginning to Look a Lot Like Murder releases on October 13, 2026.

Thank you Avon for gifting me with an eARC (via Netgalley), all thoughts expressed are my own.

[Katie Lavoie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely delightful! The perfect romcom mystery - think Tom & Jerry meets hallmark Christmas movie.

As usual, I love Ally Carter’s writing style - the humor, the descriptions that bring both whimsy and vivid imagery, the social commentary, and the little details (e.g., ties to Eleanor Ashley, the police interviews).

The cat-and-mouse chase turn murder mystery was beautifully interwoven with the romance. I love that it’s full of twists and turns that are surprising while still being logical. And that all the little details are well plotted so that the final ‘bad guy’ reveal brings everything together.

But what really made this one a 5star read for me was the depth of backstory and emotions Ella had. Ally is good at writing over achievers who struggle with self doubt but she really dialed it up here. Any given page I could be found laughing at Ella’s dry humor, wanting to hug Ella in comfort (or a slice of pizza), or wanting to punch everyone who broke her heart ovwr the years.

Thank you to Ally Carter, Avon, and NetGalley for providing me with an advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review.

[Peggy Jaeger · Rating 5 out of 5]

Who doesn’t love a Christmas romance? And when that Christmas romance comes with a murder? Even better.
But…is it murder?
That’s the question Ella Chambers has to ask because her childhood crush/rival/bestfriend/enemy apparently has been murdered after learning he is the sole heir to a billion-dollar business, and Ella is the main suspect.
Why? She was the last person to see him and they’d been arguing.
But Ella knows she didn’t kill Liam Montgomery, the bane of her existence, so she has to prove it. How to, is the hard part because she is so intricately woven into the man’s horrible family that no one believes she didn’t do it.
But Ella knows something they all don’t…and I hate spoilers, so that’s all I’ll say about that!
Ally Carter is one of my auto-buy authors for a reason and everything about this book proves why. A great plot ( with a lot of surprises!) Christmas-themed, characters I can root for and get behind, a FMC with guts and brains ( love that!) and an ending that leaves me wanting more
5 stars for another winner by Ms Carter!

[Samantha · Rating 4 out of 5]

I LOVED this book. Maybe it says something about me that I should examine but I cried for Ella multiple times. What an unfair and terrible situation for her to be in. I loved how all the pieces came together. I wanted her to win! I wanted her to have everything she wouldn’t let herself even dream about.

The romance itself isn’t a big selling point and felt underdeveloped. I read a lot of romance so maybe I just wanted more throughout rather than a small dose. Not quite a slow build, their relationship and history was peppered throughout in a way that the audience could clearly see these two were special to each other but not overt or constant on the page like a typical romance. I enjoyed the mystery more than the romance but it was nice seasoning and maybe the ending wouldn’t have made a lot of sense if they ended up just as friends. I’d give it 4.5 stars if I could.

Thank you to Avon and Netgalley for the free review copy in exchange for an honest review.

[Martina · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley and Avon for the gifted ARC!

This was such a fun holiday read. It’s got that mix of romance and mystery that keeps things moving, plus all the Christmas chaos layered in that makes it feel really cozy even when people are literally missing. I also liked that it has a loose connection to The Most Wonderful Crime of the Year, even though this one still works completely fine as its own story.

I really liked Ella as a main character. She’s smart, capable, and has clearly spent most of her life just trying to keep her head above water and take care of everyone else first. I felt for her a lot here, especially with how quickly she gets thrown into being the main suspect when she absolutely did not sign up for that. Liam took me a minute to figure out, but that actually worked in the book’s favor and made their history and tension feel more interesting as everything unfolded.

Their dynamic worked really well for me. The childhood rivals setup mixed with all the history and secrets gave everything a nice tension without it feeling overdone. The banter worked, but it still felt grounded in everything they had been through.

The mystery kept me guessing the whole time. I thought I had it a couple of times and then something would shift and I was second guessing everything again, which is always my favorite kind of mess in a book like this.

I had a great time with this one. It’s festive, twisty, and just a really easy one to get pulled into.

[Alex · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley and Avon for letting me have an advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review!!

First, let’s start with the dedication. “For anyone who was ever a “pleasure to have in class”. You can stop trying so hard. The only person you have to please is yourself”.
I’m already sold on the book based on that. And the book was something this recovering people pleaser could relate to all too well.

The housekeepers daughter and the millionaires grandson. She is always anticipating everyone needs, trying to stay hidden but is always there. He is a spoiled rich kid who couldn’t care less about her. Right?

I absolutely loved getting to read this book! Learning bits and pieces about Eleanor and Liam’s history growing up together, as they try and overcome that history and solve the mystery of who is trying to kill Liam in a manor with too many motives and everyone is a suspect.

[Alyssa · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank you Avon, Harper Collins, and Ally Carter for the ARC on Netgalley.

I found myself looking forward to reading this just by the premise and then once I started, it was hard to put down. I really enjoyed the concept and the Nancy Drew at Christmas vibes. Ella was likable, though she did get a bit redundant towards the end with leaning into the poor girl mentality. However, I do think that while it was a bit redundant, that's all she ever knew--and she was dealing with a lot of childhood trauma. Liam was funny and downright ridiculous sometimes. I hate that he left her when they were younger and I can't find myself understanding why. They could have been together a lot earlier had it not been for a touch of miscommunication.

The pacing was good and the writing style only a bit over-explanatory.

Overall, this was a good, light read in between high-fantasy and dark romance.

[BHK · Rating 5 out of 5]

I had so much fun reading this book! From the very first chapter, I was hooked by the mix of holiday atmosphere, mystery, and the tension between Ella and Liam. The snowy small town setting gave the whole book such a cozy feel. I especially enjoyed the childhood rivals to lovers dynamic because it added so much history to every interaction. The banter was sharp, the chemistry felt natural, and I liked watching the characters slowly peel back years of misunderstandings. I also liked that the mystery had enough twists to keep me invested and I felt completely satisfied with both the romance and the suspense by the end. If you enjoy cozy holiday reads with a little danger and slow burn romance, this is a great one to pick up!

[Tiffany (areyoutellingstories) · Rating 4 out of 5]

I absolutely adored The Most Wonderful Crime of the Year, and it was where I knew I needed more Ally Carter in my life! After that, I read The Blonde Identity and was hooked for life! This one did take a bit longer for me to get into though. I wasn't sure Liam really deserved Ella, which is a favor in his point that he admits this. By the end, I was cheering them on and daring anyone to get in their way!

[Kelsey · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely loved this book. Ella and Liam make a great team and I loved how we were able to get snippets from Ella's interrogation with the sheriffs office. Ella 100% got what she deserved in the end and I loved that for her. I also enjoyed how we were able to get dual POVs and dual timelines as both provided more context about how Ella and Liam grew up and what they were thinking throughout the story. The twists in this book definitely added intrigue to the overall story. All character arcs were tied up well in the end.

Highly recommend to readers who enjoy murder mysteries with slow burn romance. I will definitely be reading the first book in the Kiss Merry Kill series.

Thank you Avon and Harper Voyager for the review copy. All opinions are my own.

[Kelsey Fredericks · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like Murder is about Liam, a millionaire's grandson and Ella, the millionaire's maid's daughter. Liam has gone missing after the reading of his grandfather's will and Ella has also just told the entire town that he is "dead to her". Ella works to try to find Liam and clear her name. This book is wild and I loved the conflict resolution. The way Ally plots and keeps the story going is top notch as always.

I highly recommend this book, especially if you love a book where you can't bear to stop reading so you can get more info on the mystery! This is definitely going to be best enjoyed by a fireplace and a Mountain View if possible.

Thank you Avon/Harper Voyager and NetGalley for the ARC!
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

[Jessica Welsch · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is perfection. Absolute and total perfection. Ella is lonely living with massive debt from the cancer that took her mother five years ago. Ella’s mother cleaned the house of Trip Montgomery for decades. Ella and Trip’s grandson Liam have been … enemies … friends … complicated … since they were six. Liam comes home about a month after Trip passes for the reading of his will and Christmas. When Liam is named basically sole beneficiary, someone makes it very clear they want Liam dead and Ella is the only person Liam can trust. The twists, the characters, the emotions, everything about this book is perfect. Read this immediately.

[Karyn Silverman]

Fun! Not as funny as the first (not connected?) in the holiday-mystery-rom com series this seems to be, but over the top and silly and also a little serious and touching. I gulped it down and will doubtless forget all the details in 10 minutes, but it tasted great while I was consuming it.

(Wait, I figured out the connection, it’s Eleanor Ashley! Main character is named after and a big fan of the author who played a more prominent role in the other volume, which is a fun and meaningless point of connection. These are 100% stand alone, and I had forgotten all about EA being the author from the first one and it mattered not at all.)

[Lemonworld]

Can't wait for another Christmassy murder mystery, because nothing says "season of joy" like a body in the trunk and a decade-old grudge thawing faster than the snow.

Billionaire's grandson vs. housekeeper's daughter, a class-divide setup so classic it's basically load-bearing. Given Carter's track record with twisty plots and characters who earn their complexity through action: cautiously optimistic that "Ella proves Liam is alive" will actually involve Ella doing detective work, not just stumbling into evidence by accident.

[Chelsea · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a cute, fun read!

It's a little more chaotic than her last Christmas book hahaha. It's like if Knives Out and Clue had a Christmas baby haha, but I totally enjoyed it!

I really loved the cast of characters and I was hooked to find out what would happen next!

If you want a funny, holiday murder mystery, with a childhood rivals-to-more romance between a lonely billionaire and the housemaid's daughter, check this one out!

[Ali · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not just a boatload of fun but also a touching story. Ella is the housekeepers daughter who is buried under a mountain of debt trying to make her way in the mountain town where she grew up. Liam comes back to town when his grandfather dies and he inherits everything only to have someone try to kill him. Antics ensue, repeatedly throwing Liam and Ella together. They work together to figure out who is trying to kill Liam and their feelings emerge.

[Tam📖 · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley and William Morrow for the ARC!

I absolutely loved the first book in this series so when I saw this one on NetGalley I was crossing my fingers AND toes to get the ARC! And it was such a fun read! It was quick and quirky mystery and Liam and Ella were a fun couple to hang with us on a mansion on top of a mountain prone to avalanches!!! Definitely will be rereading during the holiday season to get my spirits bright!

[Jenah Riggs · Rating 5 out of 5]

Christmas setting, murder mystery, and two people who fall in love?? Ally Carter delivered everything I could have hoped for in this book! It was fast paced yet also felt like a slow build. The tension and mystery is so well done. I loved the now and then timeline which I would say I’m typically kind of picky about, but it was perfectly executed here. Honestly no notes! I had a blast with Ella and Liam and had zero clue how it would end until it was happening lol