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Christie Bookshop #1
Dead and Gondola
"In this series debut, a mysterious bookshop visitor dies under murderous circumstances, compelling the Christie sisters and their cat, Agatha, to call on all they've learned about solving mysteries from their favorite novelist. Ellie Christie is thrilled to begin a new chapter. She's recently returned to her tiny Colorado hometown to run her family's historic bookshop with her elder sister, Meg, and their beloved cat, Agatha. Perched in a Swiss-style hamlet accessible by ski gondola and a twisty mountain road, the Book Chalet is a famed bibliophile destination known for its maze of shelves and relaxing reading lounge. At least, until trouble blows in with a wintry whiteout. A man is found dead on the gondola and a rockslide throws the town into lockdown-no one in, no one out. The victim was a mysterious stranger who visited the bookshop. At the time, his only blunders were disrupting a book club and leaving behind a first-edition Agatha Christie novel, written under a pseudonym. However, once revealed, the man's identity shocks the town. Motives and secrets swirl like the snow, but when the police narrow in on the sisters' close friends, the Christies have to act. Although the only Agatha in their family tree is their cat, Ellie and Meg know a lot about mysteries and realize they must summon their inner Miss Marple to trek through a blizzard of clues before the killer turns the page to their final chapter"--
323 pages, Kindle Edition
First published November 1, 2022
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December 25, 2022
Dead and Gondola by Ann Claire
(A Christie Bookshop Mystery #1)
The Christie Bookshop is a special place. It has a grumpy cat named Agatha, it's at the end of a gondola ride, it has great book discussions, and it's a hub of gossip for it's little town.
Ellie Christie is just back in town to help run the bookshop with her older sister. During a book club meeting a mysterious man hangs around in the store and being more than a little nosy, Ellie and her sister are fascinated by the elusive man as they follow his gondola car down the mountain in a car right behind him. When they see him fall down, dead as dead can be, do they assume he might have had a heart attack or some other natural cause of death? NO! OF COURSE NOT! They assume he was murdered, what very devoted Agatha Christie fan would assume otherwise? They are right, of course. After all, this is a cozy mystery and there is now a murder to solve.
The story is charming, with likable characters. The wintery town has a lot of interesting folks and tasty foods are available, at home or at the shops and eateries. Ellie's family is adorable, with her teen niece and grandmother as sharp as tacks. And, what's this? A popular hunk from back in Ellie's high school days is showing interest in Ellie. Oh, and bookshop employee, Ms. Ridge, went missing at the same time that mysterious, now murdered man was in the store. This is a very pleasant story and I look forward to seeing what mysteries can be dug up to solve in the next book.
Pub Nov 1, 2022
Thank you to Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine, Bantam and NetGalley for this ARC.
(A Christie Bookshop Mystery #1)
The Christie Bookshop is a special place. It has a grumpy cat named Agatha, it's at the end of a gondola ride, it has great book discussions, and it's a hub of gossip for it's little town.
Ellie Christie is just back in town to help run the bookshop with her older sister. During a book club meeting a mysterious man hangs around in the store and being more than a little nosy, Ellie and her sister are fascinated by the elusive man as they follow his gondola car down the mountain in a car right behind him. When they see him fall down, dead as dead can be, do they assume he might have had a heart attack or some other natural cause of death? NO! OF COURSE NOT! They assume he was murdered, what very devoted Agatha Christie fan would assume otherwise? They are right, of course. After all, this is a cozy mystery and there is now a murder to solve.
The story is charming, with likable characters. The wintery town has a lot of interesting folks and tasty foods are available, at home or at the shops and eateries. Ellie's family is adorable, with her teen niece and grandmother as sharp as tacks. And, what's this? A popular hunk from back in Ellie's high school days is showing interest in Ellie. Oh, and bookshop employee, Ms. Ridge, went missing at the same time that mysterious, now murdered man was in the store. This is a very pleasant story and I look forward to seeing what mysteries can be dug up to solve in the next book.
Pub Nov 1, 2022
Thank you to Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine, Bantam and NetGalley for this ARC.
November 11, 2022
Meet the Christies: Ellie and older sister Meg, who’ve recently taken over operating the Book Chalet mountain bookstore in idyllic Last Word, Colorado. Though they wish they were related to their beloved Agatha - they aren’t, but like her, they do love a good mystery! They’d prefer to be reading them, of course, but when a peculiar gentleman interrupts their book club’s re-enacted fictional séance looking for “Cece” and later winds up dead one gondola over from them, what started as the stuff of fiction becomes a real-life murder mystery for them to solve!
With the loving support of their beloved Gram and Rosie, Meg’s wise-for-her-age 14-year-old, Ellie and Meg will consider the guilt or innocence of a host of Last Word’s bookstore patrons, friends and town visitors. Ellie’s adorably grumpy Siamese cat, Agatha C. Christie, might even deign to offer a couple clues with the right amount of fishy treats and cuddles!
Along the way we meet Morgan Marin, retired famous actress and her aloof assistant, Renée-Claude, professional gossip, Piper Tuttle, cowboy poet, Emmet Jackson, dependable shop assistant and bastion of knowledge, Ms. Ridge, her nosy neighbor, Glynis Goodman, gondola operator and mystery buff, Rusty Zeller and his outdoor adventure loving son, Syd, and Morgan’s half brother, Simon Trent. They all add a lot of personality to the goings-on!
Who did it and why? I recommend you try this charming debut, the first in a new mystery series, Christie Bookshop, to find out! It’s definitely a cozy, so no thrills or chills here, but you will find a very likeable pair of MC’s and an entertaining and eclectic supporting cast to enjoy. You’ll also find one of the most enticingly described bookstores EVER. Seriously, I want to go there! Grab your cup of hot cocoa, cuddle your cat or dog if you have one, and lose yourself for a few hours in snowy, beautiful Last Word!
★★★★
Thanks to Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine, Bantam, NetGalley and author Ann Claire for the opportunity to honestly review this ARC. It’s now available.
With the loving support of their beloved Gram and Rosie, Meg’s wise-for-her-age 14-year-old, Ellie and Meg will consider the guilt or innocence of a host of Last Word’s bookstore patrons, friends and town visitors. Ellie’s adorably grumpy Siamese cat, Agatha C. Christie, might even deign to offer a couple clues with the right amount of fishy treats and cuddles!
Along the way we meet Morgan Marin, retired famous actress and her aloof assistant, Renée-Claude, professional gossip, Piper Tuttle, cowboy poet, Emmet Jackson, dependable shop assistant and bastion of knowledge, Ms. Ridge, her nosy neighbor, Glynis Goodman, gondola operator and mystery buff, Rusty Zeller and his outdoor adventure loving son, Syd, and Morgan’s half brother, Simon Trent. They all add a lot of personality to the goings-on!
Who did it and why? I recommend you try this charming debut, the first in a new mystery series, Christie Bookshop, to find out! It’s definitely a cozy, so no thrills or chills here, but you will find a very likeable pair of MC’s and an entertaining and eclectic supporting cast to enjoy. You’ll also find one of the most enticingly described bookstores EVER. Seriously, I want to go there! Grab your cup of hot cocoa, cuddle your cat or dog if you have one, and lose yourself for a few hours in snowy, beautiful Last Word!
★★★★
Thanks to Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine, Bantam, NetGalley and author Ann Claire for the opportunity to honestly review this ARC. It’s now available.
November 2, 2022
Happy Publication Day! (November 1, 2022)
3.5⭐
Set in the (fictional) ski town of Last Word, Colorado, the story revolves around Ellie Christie, who along with her sister Meg owns and operates the only book shop in the town, Book Chalet, which has been in the family for five generations. The bookshop is a destination of choice for local bibliophiles with its cozy reading nooks, shelves full of books, and, of course, the queen of the shop, Agatha C. Christie, the territorial Siamese who is quite popular in social media circles.
“An active imagination was an occupational hazard of a life with books.”
The Christie Sisters(any direct ancestral link to the famous author is yet to be discovered) are fans of murder mysteries. So when a mysterious man, who visited their bookshop in the middle of a celebrity influencer's book club meeting when a séance was being conducted (as a reenactment of a scene from the Agatha Christie mystery being discussed in the group), ends up murdered in a gondola with the Christie sisters right behind him in the next gondola, they decide to do some sleuthing on their own. The murder is followed by a burglary in their store wherein a book the gentleman had left behind is taken. Added to this is the sudden disappearance of their trusted employee Ms. Ridge who was last seen the night of the book club meeting. The Christie sisters with their feline sleuth Agatha C., their resourceful grandmother who exchanges homemade baked goodies for insider news and Rosie, Meg’s daughter embark on some “Marpling” with local law enforcement not too far behind.
“Murder might be easy, but deciphering mysteries sure wasn’t.”
Who was this mystery man and why was he in the bookshop? Why did he leave his satchel and the valuable signed Mary Westmacott (pseudonym of Dame Agatha Christie) novel behind? Is Ms. Ridge’s disappearance linked to this man?
With a cast of quirky characters (human and feline), a good dose of humor, an interesting mystery, and a cozy bookshop setting, Dead and Gondola by Ann Claire, the first in the Christie Bookshop Series is an entertaining cozy mystery. I enjoyed the tidbits from Agatha Christie’s life shared throughout the narrative and loved how her books and characters are alluded to throughout the story. However, the book should have been shorter in length. The pace did drag in places but after the 60% mark moved swiftly towards the end, the climax reminiscent of some of our favorite scenes from Agatha Christie novels. Fans of the Queen of Mystery would enjoy this one. I look forward to reading future books in this series.
Many thanks to author Ann Claire, Corina Diez at Random House and NetGalley for the digital review copy of this novel. All opinions expressed in this review are my own. This book is due to be released on November 1, 2022.
November 4, 2022
Returning home to Colorado to help her sister, Meg run their family’s historic bookshop, Ellie Christie is happy to begin again! The book chalet is the perfect place for book lovers. It's cozy, warm, and accessible only by ski gondola and a twisty mountain road. One night a man enters the bookstore during a séance ends up dead in a gondola. The Christie sisters just happened to be in the gondola behind his and decide to put their "detective" skills to work. Fans of mysteries, these women and their trusty cat, Agatha, hope to solve the case of the man's murder. The sleuthing sisters’ step on a few law enforcement toes but they will not be deterred. I enjoyed doing my own super sleuthing while reading this book. I also loved Agatha the cat!
This cozy mystery showcases the author's love of Agatha Christie's novels. This was a delightful and fun cozy mystery which does not disappoint. The characters are fun, quirky, and engaging. This was an entertaining book with a well thought out plot. It is also the first book in the Christie Bookshop series. I look forward to reading more books in this series in the future.
**Anne Claire or Annie as I know her also writes as Ann Myers.
Thank you to Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine, Bantam and NetGalley who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All the thoughts and opinions are my own.
Read more of my reviews at www.openbookposts.com
This cozy mystery showcases the author's love of Agatha Christie's novels. This was a delightful and fun cozy mystery which does not disappoint. The characters are fun, quirky, and engaging. This was an entertaining book with a well thought out plot. It is also the first book in the Christie Bookshop series. I look forward to reading more books in this series in the future.
**Anne Claire or Annie as I know her also writes as Ann Myers.
Thank you to Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine, Bantam and NetGalley who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All the thoughts and opinions are my own.
Read more of my reviews at www.openbookposts.com
October 30, 2022
The title of this book caught my attention and I was pleased to see that it was the first book in a new cozy series. Ellie and Meg have a family bookshop, the Book Chalet, in a Colorado mountain town called Last Word, Colorado. Besides the title, I loved their resident cat: Agatha "C"(for Cat) Christie and the three generations of Christie women working together in the shop and to solve the mystery. The people who live in Last Word can take a Gondola to go from home down the mountain to the village and back again. There is also a feisty pony called Calamity Janet -- the "assistant" to the resident cowboy poet. Give the town of Last Word a murder to solve and the personalities really come out of the woodwork. Lots of great red herrings, books, and a surprising ending make this a fun new series to watch.
Thank you to Bantam and Edelweiss+ for a DRC in exchange for an honest review.
Thank you to Bantam and Edelweiss+ for a DRC in exchange for an honest review.
January 6, 2024
This book is a cute and warm diversion from dark suspense thrillers. I looked up cozy mysteries in Wikipedia and this seems to fit the bill – and not just because the plot takes place in a small socially intimate community and all the characters involve themselves in amateur sleuthing, but also because everything about this book is cozy – from the bookstore where a crime takes place to a gondola where a different crime takes place. Okay, I thought gondolas were uniquely Venetian, but now that I’ve read this book, and having popped over to Wiki, I now know that it is also a little transport bubble lift traveling up and down a slope on a cable. (I so absolutely contribute generously every year whenever that huge message comes on the wiki screen!)
It's like 100 degrees outside, so, I read this book about a crime committed in the little snowed-in Colorado resort town, Last Word, while curled up under my duvet with the air-conditioning blasting.
Ellie Christie has just come back to her hometown to manage the family bookstore, The Book Chalet, together with her sister, Meg. They are aided by her Gram (over there snoozing in the corner) and the faithful Mrs. Ridge, Meg’s daughter, Rosie, when she’s not at school or baking chocolate chip muffins with Gram, and their cat, Agatha. The Christie seniors have retired and gone off to travel the world, leaving their two daughters in charge of the Book Chalet. The Book Chalet boasts cozy nooks tucked in between twisty aisles of bookshelves stacked up the ceiling and overstuffed chairs to sink into and read. There is a glassed-in porch overlooking the snowy landscape and a snack bar of sorts. Once a week Book Chalet hosts a Book Club meeting, comprised of quirky Last Word locals including the town gossip columnist, a poet cowboy, and Morgan Maren, an insatiable reader who also happens to be a retired, bigger than life, stage and film star.
The mystery begins when Morgan breezes into the weekly book club meeting, bearing a Ouija board and announcing that the week’s meeting will include a séance, much to the consternation of Mrs. Ridge. This spontaneous disruption of Mrs. Ridge’s organized plans has her clearly flustered. During the séance, Mrs. Ridge goes off to the kitchenette to make coffee. When the bell above the shop door tinkles. Ellie goes to see who is joining, but the intruder eludes her, slipping into the maze of shelves, then disappearing. Mrs. Ridge, too, has vanished!
The next day the intruder returns and this time is not only visible but has questions. He leaves his satchel behind where he was sitting and the girls, who have no idea how to find him, end up rifling through his bag. Although they discover no ID they do find a lot of scribbled post-it notes AND a first edition of an Agatha Christie novel written under a pseudonym – very valuable. The sleuthing begins, but before the investigation gets off the ground, they do - climbing up the side of the mountain slope in a gondola bubble (no raspberries, please) in a chase after their mystery man who they have spied climbing one of the gondola bubbles ahead of them. Ellie and Meg race to catch the gondola behind him, hoping to catch him at the top of the slope. As they near the landing dock at the top of the hill the bubble suddenly stops and they are left to swing mid-air (you’ll never get me into one of those things) for ? – a very long time. When the gondola finally continues up toward the landing dock our amateur sleuths disembark their bubble to find a commotion waiting for them. It turns out that when their mystery man’s bubble docked, he was found murdered (stabbed in the back). But how, you might ask? No one was in the bubble with him. And, where is Mrs. Ridge?
So as not to give too much away, I’ll just say that there is a lot of baking and snooping and a little star-crossed romance. Our amateur sleuths are constantly stepping on the toes of the new chief of police (of course). Our famous actress has an annoying gold-digging brother. The dead guy turns out to be someone that could have many enemies in the town (what a surprise), there are a lot of suspects, another attempted murder, and even more shenanigans, before winding up with (what other than) another Ouija Board séance.
So much cute. So much fun. Thank you NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine, Bantam for an ARC of and many thanks to Corina Diez for inviting me to read and sending me the link.
It's like 100 degrees outside, so, I read this book about a crime committed in the little snowed-in Colorado resort town, Last Word, while curled up under my duvet with the air-conditioning blasting.
Ellie Christie has just come back to her hometown to manage the family bookstore, The Book Chalet, together with her sister, Meg. They are aided by her Gram (over there snoozing in the corner) and the faithful Mrs. Ridge, Meg’s daughter, Rosie, when she’s not at school or baking chocolate chip muffins with Gram, and their cat, Agatha. The Christie seniors have retired and gone off to travel the world, leaving their two daughters in charge of the Book Chalet. The Book Chalet boasts cozy nooks tucked in between twisty aisles of bookshelves stacked up the ceiling and overstuffed chairs to sink into and read. There is a glassed-in porch overlooking the snowy landscape and a snack bar of sorts. Once a week Book Chalet hosts a Book Club meeting, comprised of quirky Last Word locals including the town gossip columnist, a poet cowboy, and Morgan Maren, an insatiable reader who also happens to be a retired, bigger than life, stage and film star.
The mystery begins when Morgan breezes into the weekly book club meeting, bearing a Ouija board and announcing that the week’s meeting will include a séance, much to the consternation of Mrs. Ridge. This spontaneous disruption of Mrs. Ridge’s organized plans has her clearly flustered. During the séance, Mrs. Ridge goes off to the kitchenette to make coffee. When the bell above the shop door tinkles. Ellie goes to see who is joining, but the intruder eludes her, slipping into the maze of shelves, then disappearing. Mrs. Ridge, too, has vanished!
The next day the intruder returns and this time is not only visible but has questions. He leaves his satchel behind where he was sitting and the girls, who have no idea how to find him, end up rifling through his bag. Although they discover no ID they do find a lot of scribbled post-it notes AND a first edition of an Agatha Christie novel written under a pseudonym – very valuable. The sleuthing begins, but before the investigation gets off the ground, they do - climbing up the side of the mountain slope in a gondola bubble (no raspberries, please) in a chase after their mystery man who they have spied climbing one of the gondola bubbles ahead of them. Ellie and Meg race to catch the gondola behind him, hoping to catch him at the top of the slope. As they near the landing dock at the top of the hill the bubble suddenly stops and they are left to swing mid-air (you’ll never get me into one of those things) for ? – a very long time. When the gondola finally continues up toward the landing dock our amateur sleuths disembark their bubble to find a commotion waiting for them. It turns out that when their mystery man’s bubble docked, he was found murdered (stabbed in the back). But how, you might ask? No one was in the bubble with him. And, where is Mrs. Ridge?
So as not to give too much away, I’ll just say that there is a lot of baking and snooping and a little star-crossed romance. Our amateur sleuths are constantly stepping on the toes of the new chief of police (of course). Our famous actress has an annoying gold-digging brother. The dead guy turns out to be someone that could have many enemies in the town (what a surprise), there are a lot of suspects, another attempted murder, and even more shenanigans, before winding up with (what other than) another Ouija Board séance.
So much cute. So much fun. Thank you NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine, Bantam for an ARC of and many thanks to Corina Diez for inviting me to read and sending me the link.
November 5, 2022
I was definitely intrigued when I saw the title and then that it takes place in a bookstore. I loved the association to Agatha Christie. I found the mystery to be ok. It wasn’t a mystery that kept me glued to the book, but one I had to push myself to not get distracted from. I didn’t think the big reveals were particularly surprising, but I did like that there were some layers of mysteries. Not just a murder but a missing person and figuring out how all the people connected. My favorite character, by far, is Agatha the grumpy looking bookstore cat. The sleuthing sisters fell a little flat for me and I hope that if this series continues they get a little more filled out as characters. Overall I gave this one 3.5 stars rounded down since I was hoping to love it more.
January 11, 2023
3.5 stars - I loved the setting and really quirky characters (main & secondary) - the perpetrator was, however, incredibly obvious, but the store kitty just really stole the show. The mountain bookshop & village were so adorable!
November 1, 2022
*Happy Publication Day*
3.7 Stars
One Liner: Uneven pacing and a bit silly but entertaining
Ellie Christie is back home in her tiny Colorado town to run the family bookshop with her older sister, Meg. Her sister’s teen Rosie and their fun-loving Gram help them in the business. The bookshop cat, Agatha C. Christie, does her bit to spread her hair around the books and bring more customers with her haughty frown.
The bookshop, Book Chalet, is a favorite destination for booklovers in the town. However, the appearance of a mysterious stranger disrupts their book club meeting. When the man later ends up dead and has a history related to the town, the list of suspects starts to grow.
The Christie family goes on an unsubtle amateur sleuthing as the snow piles high around the town. When a close family friend ends up as the prime suspect, Ellie and Meg have to sharpen their Marpling skills and find the killer. Can they do it in time and prevent more disasters in their cozy little town?
The story comes in the first-person POV by Ellie Christie.
Trying to include a picture from the promotions kit. Who can resist choco chip muffins?
My Thoughts:
The book is set in a snowy fictional town in Colorado. The small-town setting is spot on, with an array of characters and even a celebrity thrown into the mix.
As the characters’ names suggest, there’s a lot of Christie in the book. As a fan, I did enjoy it, especially the regal cat.
The story is quite lighthearted and humorous. If you want something silly and goofy with murder, this is your pick. There's a quirky pony too!
The family dynamics are sweet, like really sweet. The teen is well-behaved and has enough skills to survive just about anywhere. Gram is tech-savvy enough to send voice messages (so what if the message ends up different from what she intended?).
My major grouse is with the pacing. It starts well, dips, slows, picks up a little, dips again, and ends with a moderate pace. Tighter editing would have solved the issue. I wouldn’t mind editing the repeated references to reading, either. I already know that they are bibliophiles. No point in reminding me multiple times throughout the book.
Absent in the Spring by Christie (written as Mary Westmacott) has a key role in the story. I like how it’s incorporated into the plot.
The murder and a few reveals were easy to guess (something I don’t mind in cozies). As the first book in the series, this one sets a decent base for the upcoming murders… books. I’d like more details about the main characters’ lives and a little less about how much they love to read.
To summarize, Dead and Gondola is an entertaining read but a slightly bumpy ride. That said, I’m looking forward to the next in the series.
Thank you, NetGalley, Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine, and Bantam, for the eARC. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book.
#NetGalley #DeadandGondola
3.7 Stars
One Liner: Uneven pacing and a bit silly but entertaining
Ellie Christie is back home in her tiny Colorado town to run the family bookshop with her older sister, Meg. Her sister’s teen Rosie and their fun-loving Gram help them in the business. The bookshop cat, Agatha C. Christie, does her bit to spread her hair around the books and bring more customers with her haughty frown.
The bookshop, Book Chalet, is a favorite destination for booklovers in the town. However, the appearance of a mysterious stranger disrupts their book club meeting. When the man later ends up dead and has a history related to the town, the list of suspects starts to grow.
The Christie family goes on an unsubtle amateur sleuthing as the snow piles high around the town. When a close family friend ends up as the prime suspect, Ellie and Meg have to sharpen their Marpling skills and find the killer. Can they do it in time and prevent more disasters in their cozy little town?
The story comes in the first-person POV by Ellie Christie.
Trying to include a picture from the promotions kit. Who can resist choco chip muffins?
My Thoughts:
The book is set in a snowy fictional town in Colorado. The small-town setting is spot on, with an array of characters and even a celebrity thrown into the mix.
As the characters’ names suggest, there’s a lot of Christie in the book. As a fan, I did enjoy it, especially the regal cat.
The story is quite lighthearted and humorous. If you want something silly and goofy with murder, this is your pick. There's a quirky pony too!
The family dynamics are sweet, like really sweet. The teen is well-behaved and has enough skills to survive just about anywhere. Gram is tech-savvy enough to send voice messages (so what if the message ends up different from what she intended?).
My major grouse is with the pacing. It starts well, dips, slows, picks up a little, dips again, and ends with a moderate pace. Tighter editing would have solved the issue. I wouldn’t mind editing the repeated references to reading, either. I already know that they are bibliophiles. No point in reminding me multiple times throughout the book.
Absent in the Spring by Christie (written as Mary Westmacott) has a key role in the story. I like how it’s incorporated into the plot.
The murder and a few reveals were easy to guess (something I don’t mind in cozies). As the first book in the series, this one sets a decent base for the upcoming murders… books. I’d like more details about the main characters’ lives and a little less about how much they love to read.
To summarize, Dead and Gondola is an entertaining read but a slightly bumpy ride. That said, I’m looking forward to the next in the series.
Thank you, NetGalley, Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine, and Bantam, for the eARC. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book.
#NetGalley #DeadandGondola
August 10, 2022
This was a neat mystery. I loved the setting. In the dead of a July heatwave, I was offered a nice snowy mystery and I couldn't pass that up.
The Christie sisters (no relation that they've detected to Dame A) are owners of a chalet bookshop in Last Word, Colorado. All the cuteness evoked on the cover is inside. A mountain town, cute shops, a boutique hotel and a murdered guy on the funicular (for those The Labours of Hercules vibes. A storm cuts off the mountain town and so that whole sequestered group including the killer was just my kind of story to read.
For the most part, the mystery was well done of who killed the mysterious and pretty rude man on the gondola. The mystery of his identity and who and how he was connected to the people of the town was well done. Still, this did feel a bit overlong and sometimes overwrought. As cozies go, this one is a long one and honestly, there's no discernable reason except that descriptions tend to go on more than they need to. This could likely be edited down a good fifty pages and still give a good read. There are many twists and I enjoyed the characters in the town for the most part (except for Meg, she needs more patina as a character, she was a bit blank in comparison to others). I had a couple of annoyances with regard to the sisters as business owners when it was such a chore to find out the full name and date of birth of their employee who goes missing. Seriously how were they doing payroll without her legal name and date of birth? I know these little business foibles plague cozies but they drive me right up the wall and kill a bit of sleuth credibility for me. Anyway, I'm chalking this up to first book quirks and hope they're smoothed out for subsequent books. I liked all the puns and Christie book references but I have to admit it was slathered on thick. YMMV.
I'd read another in this series. Recommended,
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for the Advance Reader Copy.
The Christie sisters (no relation that they've detected to Dame A) are owners of a chalet bookshop in Last Word, Colorado. All the cuteness evoked on the cover is inside. A mountain town, cute shops, a boutique hotel and a murdered guy on the funicular (for those The Labours of Hercules vibes. A storm cuts off the mountain town and so that whole sequestered group including the killer was just my kind of story to read.
For the most part, the mystery was well done of who killed the mysterious and pretty rude man on the gondola. The mystery of his identity and who and how he was connected to the people of the town was well done. Still, this did feel a bit overlong and sometimes overwrought. As cozies go, this one is a long one and honestly, there's no discernable reason except that descriptions tend to go on more than they need to. This could likely be edited down a good fifty pages and still give a good read. There are many twists and I enjoyed the characters in the town for the most part (except for Meg, she needs more patina as a character, she was a bit blank in comparison to others). I had a couple of annoyances with regard to the sisters as business owners when it was such a chore to find out the full name and date of birth of their employee who goes missing. Seriously how were they doing payroll without her legal name and date of birth? I know these little business foibles plague cozies but they drive me right up the wall and kill a bit of sleuth credibility for me. Anyway, I'm chalking this up to first book quirks and hope they're smoothed out for subsequent books. I liked all the puns and Christie book references but I have to admit it was slathered on thick. YMMV.
I'd read another in this series. Recommended,
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for the Advance Reader Copy.
November 26, 2022
The Publisher Says: When a mysterious bookshop visitor dies under murderous circumstances, the Christie sisters and their cat Agatha call on all they’ve learned about solving mysteries from their favorite novelist in this new series debut.
Ellie Christie is thrilled to begin a new chapter. She’s recently returned to her tiny Colorado hometown to run her family’s historic bookshop with her elder sister, Meg, and their friendly bookshop cat, Agatha. Perched in a Swiss-style hamlet accessible by ski gondola and a twisty mountain road, the Book Chalet is a famed bibliophile destination known for its maze of shelves and relaxing reading lounge with cozy fireside seats and panoramic views. At least, until trouble blows in with a wintery whiteout. A man is found dead on the gondola, and a rockslide throws the town into lockdown—no one in, no one out.
He was a mysterious stranger who visited the bookshop. At the time, his only blunders were disrupting a book club and leaving behind a first-edition Agatha Christie novel, written under a pseudonym. However, once revealed, the man’s identity shocks the town. Many residents knew of him. Quite a few had reason to want him dead. Others hide secrets. The police gather suspects, but when they narrow in on the sisters’ close friends, the Christies have to act.
Although the only Agatha in their family tree is their cat, Ellie and Meg know a lot about mysteries, and they’re not about to let the situation snowball out of control. The Christie sisters must summon their inner Miss Marples and trek through a blizzard of clues before the killer turns the page to their final chapter.
I RECEIVED A DRC FROM THE PUBLISHER VIA NETGALLEY. THANK YOU.
My Review: Meg and Ellie Christie, bookshop owners of Last Word, Colorado's, The Book Chalet, mystery solvers when a man who bumbles into their shop's séance turns up dead one gondola over from theirs on the funicular, and charming women trying to bring their worlds into agreement.
Meg, single mother of fourteen-year old Rosie, and her younger, newly unmoored sister Ellie, are invited by their retiring parents to come home and run the family's bookstore in their ski-resort hometown with her. It's a set-up that's an evergreen for a reason...it plays on the familiarity of a native place while still allowing the returned native a chance to "catch up on" the time they've been away. It also establishes the family's relations to each other, in that one would get a whole different idea of Meg had she seemed grudging or reluctant to accept younger, single Ellie to join the business. I think one is immersed in the sense of a happy family from the second their Gram comes onto the pages, knowing she has been their rock throughout life. That, too, sets a facet of the family's character as a system in addition to demonstrating the cozy-series bona fides Ann Claire is seeking to establish.
I'm a sucker for bookstores in fiction going back to the first mystery series set in one that I fell in love with: Claire Molloy's Book Depot in the Farberville, Arkansas, set humorous cozies by the late, lamented Joan Hess. This debut is joining a long and belovèd lineage. I am delighted to report that this is a happy meeting of fantasy (bookstores require *huge* amounts of labor and run on the slimmest of margins) and storytelling. The ski resort setting is nice, in that I'd always rather read about cold, snowy places than hot ones, but not outstandingly detailed. I suppose this is all a matter of what one wishes to have in a series-starting story...the sense of possibility is there in this story so there's plenty of room for additions and expansions.
Rosie annoyed me. She's fourteen, of course she was going to, but really this is a trope I can do without, the adolescent eyeroller. Anyway. At least she wasn't a bookstore cat, those horrible, misery-making creatures...like Agatha C. (for "cat" ickshudder) Christie. I mean, *obligatory warning of sexist stereotyping to come* I know I'm not a woman so I don't really get the appeal of cats *end sexist stereotyping*, but can there be a bookstore without a cat in mysteryworld now? Please?
What's right about the read far outweighs my grumbles about details. None of them ruined my reading experience. I am sure Author Ann Claire (also known as Ann Myers and/or Nora Page) knows her craft from practicing it for quite some time across several series. I expect a high level of polish from such an author and was not let down in this read. Recommending a book such as this is always touchy...what causes a series to soar is so often alchemical symmetry between author and reader...but consider this: I read this entire book that features a cat as a character...my most deeply beloathèd animals!...and am here writing a positive review.
This is an author with chops. Trust her, follow her through this story, and I predict a lot of y'all will have a new series to enjoy.
Ellie Christie is thrilled to begin a new chapter. She’s recently returned to her tiny Colorado hometown to run her family’s historic bookshop with her elder sister, Meg, and their friendly bookshop cat, Agatha. Perched in a Swiss-style hamlet accessible by ski gondola and a twisty mountain road, the Book Chalet is a famed bibliophile destination known for its maze of shelves and relaxing reading lounge with cozy fireside seats and panoramic views. At least, until trouble blows in with a wintery whiteout. A man is found dead on the gondola, and a rockslide throws the town into lockdown—no one in, no one out.
He was a mysterious stranger who visited the bookshop. At the time, his only blunders were disrupting a book club and leaving behind a first-edition Agatha Christie novel, written under a pseudonym. However, once revealed, the man’s identity shocks the town. Many residents knew of him. Quite a few had reason to want him dead. Others hide secrets. The police gather suspects, but when they narrow in on the sisters’ close friends, the Christies have to act.
Although the only Agatha in their family tree is their cat, Ellie and Meg know a lot about mysteries, and they’re not about to let the situation snowball out of control. The Christie sisters must summon their inner Miss Marples and trek through a blizzard of clues before the killer turns the page to their final chapter.
I RECEIVED A DRC FROM THE PUBLISHER VIA NETGALLEY. THANK YOU.
My Review: Meg and Ellie Christie, bookshop owners of Last Word, Colorado's, The Book Chalet, mystery solvers when a man who bumbles into their shop's séance turns up dead one gondola over from theirs on the funicular, and charming women trying to bring their worlds into agreement.
Meg, single mother of fourteen-year old Rosie, and her younger, newly unmoored sister Ellie, are invited by their retiring parents to come home and run the family's bookstore in their ski-resort hometown with her. It's a set-up that's an evergreen for a reason...it plays on the familiarity of a native place while still allowing the returned native a chance to "catch up on" the time they've been away. It also establishes the family's relations to each other, in that one would get a whole different idea of Meg had she seemed grudging or reluctant to accept younger, single Ellie to join the business. I think one is immersed in the sense of a happy family from the second their Gram comes onto the pages, knowing she has been their rock throughout life. That, too, sets a facet of the family's character as a system in addition to demonstrating the cozy-series bona fides Ann Claire is seeking to establish.
I'm a sucker for bookstores in fiction going back to the first mystery series set in one that I fell in love with: Claire Molloy's Book Depot in the Farberville, Arkansas, set humorous cozies by the late, lamented Joan Hess. This debut is joining a long and belovèd lineage. I am delighted to report that this is a happy meeting of fantasy (bookstores require *huge* amounts of labor and run on the slimmest of margins) and storytelling. The ski resort setting is nice, in that I'd always rather read about cold, snowy places than hot ones, but not outstandingly detailed. I suppose this is all a matter of what one wishes to have in a series-starting story...the sense of possibility is there in this story so there's plenty of room for additions and expansions.
Rosie annoyed me. She's fourteen, of course she was going to, but really this is a trope I can do without, the adolescent eyeroller. Anyway. At least she wasn't a bookstore cat, those horrible, misery-making creatures...like Agatha C. (for "cat" ickshudder) Christie. I mean, *obligatory warning of sexist stereotyping to come* I know I'm not a woman so I don't really get the appeal of cats *end sexist stereotyping*, but can there be a bookstore without a cat in mysteryworld now? Please?
What's right about the read far outweighs my grumbles about details. None of them ruined my reading experience. I am sure Author Ann Claire (also known as Ann Myers and/or Nora Page) knows her craft from practicing it for quite some time across several series. I expect a high level of polish from such an author and was not let down in this read. Recommending a book such as this is always touchy...what causes a series to soar is so often alchemical symmetry between author and reader...but consider this: I read this entire book that features a cat as a character...my most deeply beloathèd animals!...and am here writing a positive review.
This is an author with chops. Trust her, follow her through this story, and I predict a lot of y'all will have a new series to enjoy.
August 23, 2022
Ellie and her sister Meg are the latest managers of their family-owned bookstore. When an employee disappears and a mysterious visitor ends up dead in a gondola, the Christies find themselves entangled in the mystery.
My losing streak had apparently ended, because I adored this book! It had all the best traits of a cozy mystery – quirky characters, a small town feel, adorable animals – without going overboard, which is a real hazard in this genre.
The Christies are a fun, close-knit family, bookstore owners and voracious readers, and they have a long history with the town of Last Word. I really enjoyed getting a peek into their lives. The mystery was also a twisty one – I called some of the plot twists, while others I never anticipated. I also liked that the police force was sensible, and that Ellie didn’t engage in that standby of the cozy mystery genre – a romance with a police officer.
I also loved all the literary references. With bookstore owners called Christie (no relation proven), you cannot escape the Queen of Crime, from the cat Agatha to the many parallels and quotes from the books. It was especially fun for me that Absent in the Spring was such a plot point, as it’s one of my favorite of her books.
In short, I would love to revisit the town of Last Word, and I cannot wait for the next in the series!
Disclaimer: I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley. This is my honest and voluntary review.
My losing streak had apparently ended, because I adored this book! It had all the best traits of a cozy mystery – quirky characters, a small town feel, adorable animals – without going overboard, which is a real hazard in this genre.
The Christies are a fun, close-knit family, bookstore owners and voracious readers, and they have a long history with the town of Last Word. I really enjoyed getting a peek into their lives. The mystery was also a twisty one – I called some of the plot twists, while others I never anticipated. I also liked that the police force was sensible, and that Ellie didn’t engage in that standby of the cozy mystery genre – a romance with a police officer.
I also loved all the literary references. With bookstore owners called Christie (no relation proven), you cannot escape the Queen of Crime, from the cat Agatha to the many parallels and quotes from the books. It was especially fun for me that Absent in the Spring was such a plot point, as it’s one of my favorite of her books.
In short, I would love to revisit the town of Last Word, and I cannot wait for the next in the series!
Disclaimer: I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley. This is my honest and voluntary review.
August 6, 2022
Dead and Gondola is the first book in this series. I really enjoyed it. The story takes place in a town called Last Word Colorado. Ellie Christie is the main character along with her sister, Meg. They are the co-owners of their family book store called The Book Chalet. It is famed bibliophile destination because of their shelves of books and relaxation reading. The town has only one road into the village and a gondola that takes the people up and down the mountain to their homes.. Ellie is back home three weeks after her book travels. She lives in the loft above the store with the store cat. Agatha. Ms. Ridge is the shop assistant who runs the program Mountains of Mystery for their book club. They are going to discuss the book The Sittaford Mystery formally called The Murder at Hazlmon.
Morgan Marin is a retired Hollywood legend who has bought a house in Last Word. She has an on-line book club called Shelf Indulgence. The other book club members are Piper Tuttle who works for the Last Word Weekly. Emmet Jackson a ;poet and Morgan's assistant, Renee-Claude. Instead of discussing the book Morgan suggests that they do a séance to re-create the scenes of the book. They can all inhabit the characters to examine their fears and their motivations. The rest of the clubbers think it would be fun. Morgan takes out the Ouija board. They start when Ellie thinks she has heard someone come into the store and looks for the stranger. While looking Morgan starts spelling the word on the board D.E.A.D., When she gets back to the clubbers she see a man standing by the windows. No one is saying a word. He told them he was looking. Lost something important. He leaves saying he will be back. The clubbers continue their game spelling the word M.A.N.
The board spells the word D.E.A.D. M.A.N.. Ellie realizes that Ms. Ridge is not there and looks for her.
The next day Meg and Ellie are worried as Ms. Strange did not come to work. The man returns and sits in the lounge saying he was waiting for someone special, Her name is CeCe. When Ellie looked for the man he was gone. They notice where he was sitting he had left his satchel. They check it and find a large book but can't find any identification. The book is written by Mary Westmacott also known as Agatha Christie.
Meg and Ellie decide that they will go and check Ms. Ridge's house to make sure she is alright. They. see the stranger getting into a gondola car. They get into the next car hoping they can catch up with the man to let him know about his satchel and book. When they get to he bottom station they notice that the man did not get out of the car. The base-station gondolier finds him dead and calls the police. Sunnie Sundstram the new police chief and her deputy Garza arrive and tells everyone that the car is now a crime scene. She asks Meg and Ellie to wait ass they are witnesses.. While waiting they run into Sydney Zeller (Syd) son of Rusty Zeller is a freelance photographer who went to school with Ellie. He hopes to start a business called Heli-skiing - a helicopter service for skiers He has run into Piper who tells him that it was murder and something about love and a séance at the book club predicting his murder. He was killed with a knife. To the town's surprise the man is Prescott St. James who has just gotten out of prison. He had embezzled money from many of the townspeople. He also once owned the house Morgan is living in. Meg and Ellie tell the chief about the book and satchel. The chief says she will get it the next day.
The next day they still have not heard from Ms. Ridge so they go to her house on the way back to their store. She is not there. They met her neighbor Glynis a well known as part of a search and rescue service. When they get back to their store they find the back door window broken and the cat missing. The key is gone from the door. Ellie finds Agatha but the book and satchel are missing. The chief and the deputy arrive.to pick up the Westmacott book and satchel and are told that they are missing. Only things taken. They also tell the chief about their missing employee Ms. Ridge.
A man comes into the store and asks about the stranger. His name is Simon Trent. He is the half brother of Morgan Marin and knew the man. He is staying at the L' Auberge Inn across the street. Morgan and Trent are estranged. This is where the story takes on the mystery of why was Prescott back in town, where is Ms. Ridge. who is CeCe and why is Trent really in town and who is doing things to disrupt the investigation. Meg, Ellie, Gram, Rosie (Meg's daughter) decide to do their own investigations. The ending is a surprise with another séance that brings everything to an exciting climax.
I am looking forward to reading the next book in this series, I loved all the characters that make up the town and what will happen next.
Thank you NetGalley and Bantam Books for this ARC..
Morgan Marin is a retired Hollywood legend who has bought a house in Last Word. She has an on-line book club called Shelf Indulgence. The other book club members are Piper Tuttle who works for the Last Word Weekly. Emmet Jackson a ;poet and Morgan's assistant, Renee-Claude. Instead of discussing the book Morgan suggests that they do a séance to re-create the scenes of the book. They can all inhabit the characters to examine their fears and their motivations. The rest of the clubbers think it would be fun. Morgan takes out the Ouija board. They start when Ellie thinks she has heard someone come into the store and looks for the stranger. While looking Morgan starts spelling the word on the board D.E.A.D., When she gets back to the clubbers she see a man standing by the windows. No one is saying a word. He told them he was looking. Lost something important. He leaves saying he will be back. The clubbers continue their game spelling the word M.A.N.
The board spells the word D.E.A.D. M.A.N.. Ellie realizes that Ms. Ridge is not there and looks for her.
The next day Meg and Ellie are worried as Ms. Strange did not come to work. The man returns and sits in the lounge saying he was waiting for someone special, Her name is CeCe. When Ellie looked for the man he was gone. They notice where he was sitting he had left his satchel. They check it and find a large book but can't find any identification. The book is written by Mary Westmacott also known as Agatha Christie.
Meg and Ellie decide that they will go and check Ms. Ridge's house to make sure she is alright. They. see the stranger getting into a gondola car. They get into the next car hoping they can catch up with the man to let him know about his satchel and book. When they get to he bottom station they notice that the man did not get out of the car. The base-station gondolier finds him dead and calls the police. Sunnie Sundstram the new police chief and her deputy Garza arrive and tells everyone that the car is now a crime scene. She asks Meg and Ellie to wait ass they are witnesses.. While waiting they run into Sydney Zeller (Syd) son of Rusty Zeller is a freelance photographer who went to school with Ellie. He hopes to start a business called Heli-skiing - a helicopter service for skiers He has run into Piper who tells him that it was murder and something about love and a séance at the book club predicting his murder. He was killed with a knife. To the town's surprise the man is Prescott St. James who has just gotten out of prison. He had embezzled money from many of the townspeople. He also once owned the house Morgan is living in. Meg and Ellie tell the chief about the book and satchel. The chief says she will get it the next day.
The next day they still have not heard from Ms. Ridge so they go to her house on the way back to their store. She is not there. They met her neighbor Glynis a well known as part of a search and rescue service. When they get back to their store they find the back door window broken and the cat missing. The key is gone from the door. Ellie finds Agatha but the book and satchel are missing. The chief and the deputy arrive.to pick up the Westmacott book and satchel and are told that they are missing. Only things taken. They also tell the chief about their missing employee Ms. Ridge.
A man comes into the store and asks about the stranger. His name is Simon Trent. He is the half brother of Morgan Marin and knew the man. He is staying at the L' Auberge Inn across the street. Morgan and Trent are estranged. This is where the story takes on the mystery of why was Prescott back in town, where is Ms. Ridge. who is CeCe and why is Trent really in town and who is doing things to disrupt the investigation. Meg, Ellie, Gram, Rosie (Meg's daughter) decide to do their own investigations. The ending is a surprise with another séance that brings everything to an exciting climax.
I am looking forward to reading the next book in this series, I loved all the characters that make up the town and what will happen next.
Thank you NetGalley and Bantam Books for this ARC..
August 24, 2022
Thanks to Random House/Balantine for this advanced reader copy I have now completed reading. I was attracted to the description of a reading club and bookshop in the mountains devoted to Agatha Christie fans. This book delivers as promised with some devoted Christie fans who gather regularly to not only discuss Christie books but also indulge in seance-ouija board experiences.
Of course there will be a murder to solve and weather and region also conspire for additional challenges as some of the brave members attempt to help the new police chief solve the murder of a mystery man who had just appeared in the bookshop and was killed soon after.
This book will be available in November 2022.
Of course there will be a murder to solve and weather and region also conspire for additional challenges as some of the brave members attempt to help the new police chief solve the murder of a mystery man who had just appeared in the bookshop and was killed soon after.
This book will be available in November 2022.
Read
November 22, 2022Dnf 52% too bored
November 1, 2022
Happy Release Day!
Thanks to Netgalley and Random House's Ballantine & Bantam books for this ARC to review.
This was...fine!
In recent years, I've found it difficult to consume a lot of cozy mysteries, as most often seem to sacrifice a good mystery or likeable characters for silliness and overdone attempts at humor. I was first drawn to Dead and Gondola becauses of the nice, wintry setting - a ski chalet turned bookstore in a small mountain town in Colorado, home to resident cat Agatha and the two Christie sisters who run it? Sign me up.
The setting was both unique and familiar, as anyone who's read Carolyn Hart's popular Death on Demand series will recognize some parallels in the setting, if not geography. There are lots of references to Agatha Christie throughout, in addition to the character homages.
This book sets up a series well, and that's great because otherwise the dump of characters might have been overwhelming! The writing is good, the protagonist never too silly or stupid; at one point she uses the verb "Marpling" and I had to chuckle. Her millennial struggles and sardonic humor are entertaining, as are the colorful regulars who frequent the shop, and of course the doted-upon cat Agatha.
I did find myself dragging my feet through the book. I think like many cozies, it was lacking anything to hook me besides a nice winter ambience and the usual cozy vibes; the mystery was not difficult to solve, and that often puts me off too. Three stars.
Thanks to Netgalley and Random House's Ballantine & Bantam books for this ARC to review.
This was...fine!
In recent years, I've found it difficult to consume a lot of cozy mysteries, as most often seem to sacrifice a good mystery or likeable characters for silliness and overdone attempts at humor. I was first drawn to Dead and Gondola becauses of the nice, wintry setting - a ski chalet turned bookstore in a small mountain town in Colorado, home to resident cat Agatha and the two Christie sisters who run it? Sign me up.
The setting was both unique and familiar, as anyone who's read Carolyn Hart's popular Death on Demand series will recognize some parallels in the setting, if not geography. There are lots of references to Agatha Christie throughout, in addition to the character homages.
This book sets up a series well, and that's great because otherwise the dump of characters might have been overwhelming! The writing is good, the protagonist never too silly or stupid; at one point she uses the verb "Marpling" and I had to chuckle. Her millennial struggles and sardonic humor are entertaining, as are the colorful regulars who frequent the shop, and of course the doted-upon cat Agatha.
I did find myself dragging my feet through the book. I think like many cozies, it was lacking anything to hook me besides a nice winter ambience and the usual cozy vibes; the mystery was not difficult to solve, and that often puts me off too. Three stars.
Read
February 21, 2025DNF'd when characters started to use an ouija board; that's a huge no for me.
September 3, 2022
I have received this ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Dead and Gondola is the first book within the Christie Bookshop series. At first, things felt a bit chaotic because we were getting to know everyone. I felt like the introductions were being a bit rushed because I had to reread the first couple of chapters a couple of times. Sure, I still got confused with who was who from time to time but they were still entertaining.
The town itself seemed cozy and filled with nice people. That is until we have a mystery to solve. Along the way, we get thrown some nice twists that I totally didn't see coming. Then when the big reveals came towards the end, well, my brain felt like it was melting. Of course, that's when all the clues clicked into place, and I understood everything.
In the end, the mystery was fun throughout. I can totally see myself jumping into the sequel.
Dead and Gondola is the first book within the Christie Bookshop series. At first, things felt a bit chaotic because we were getting to know everyone. I felt like the introductions were being a bit rushed because I had to reread the first couple of chapters a couple of times. Sure, I still got confused with who was who from time to time but they were still entertaining.
The town itself seemed cozy and filled with nice people. That is until we have a mystery to solve. Along the way, we get thrown some nice twists that I totally didn't see coming. Then when the big reveals came towards the end, well, my brain felt like it was melting. Of course, that's when all the clues clicked into place, and I understood everything.
In the end, the mystery was fun throughout. I can totally see myself jumping into the sequel.
November 28, 2022
This had all the right boxes checked to make a perfect cozy mystery - beautiful setting, interesting characters, a bookshop, murder in unsuspected location - but it was way too long and threw too many characters at you for it to be successful. In a nutshell, what started out well dragged on too long and ended up making me lose interest; it was a chore to finish it. The author did a great job sticking to the theme of a bookstore but then beat you over the head with everyone's love of reading. There was so much promise but it didn't quite deliver. I might read the next in the series but not upon release.
I received a copy from #NetGalley for an honest review.
I received a copy from #NetGalley for an honest review.
Read
November 1, 2022Ann Claire puts together all the right elements--a pair of sisters who own a bookshop together, a charming small town (in this case, in Colorado, already a bonus), a resident cat named Agatha (who has more online followers than the shop), a grandma who brightens every page she appears on, a quirky bunch of locals, (especially the police chief, who I LOVED), and a victim who nobody liked, thus there's no depression over his being mysteriously bumped off.
Throw them together with seances, brisk pacing, lots of book talk (did I mention the sisters' last name is Christie?), and a perp you want to see get caught, and you get a delightful afternoon's read. What a fun book kicking off a new series! Will we learn more about the town? Is there romance in the future for the sisters, along with more mysteries?
All I can say is, I look forward to finding out!
Throw them together with seances, brisk pacing, lots of book talk (did I mention the sisters' last name is Christie?), and a perp you want to see get caught, and you get a delightful afternoon's read. What a fun book kicking off a new series! Will we learn more about the town? Is there romance in the future for the sisters, along with more mysteries?
All I can say is, I look forward to finding out!
January 12, 2023
The title and cover art had my attention right away. Especially the cat, hehe! Who doesn't love a cat that lives in a bookshop? Plus, her name is Agatha. Fitting right?
Dead and Gondola is the first book in the brand new Christie Bookshop series. This was such an entertaining story and fun mystery to solve! I really enjoyed the characters and the gorgeous setting. A Swiss-style hamlet with a historic bookshop, I mean, come on!! Perfection!
Gram had me craving ALL the comfort food and baked goods! I could go for some gooey mac & cheese right about now.
I look forward to reading Last Word to the Wise. Interested to see what shenanigans these characters get up to next! :)
My thanks to Random House Group for this gifted copy!
Dead and Gondola is the first book in the brand new Christie Bookshop series. This was such an entertaining story and fun mystery to solve! I really enjoyed the characters and the gorgeous setting. A Swiss-style hamlet with a historic bookshop, I mean, come on!! Perfection!
Gram had me craving ALL the comfort food and baked goods! I could go for some gooey mac & cheese right about now.
I look forward to reading Last Word to the Wise. Interested to see what shenanigans these characters get up to next! :)
My thanks to Random House Group for this gifted copy!
September 25, 2022
3.5 Stars.
A sweet, cozy mystery. I enjoyed the references to Agatha Christie; I enjoyed the bookstore setting; loved the cat, Agatha. A quick, easy read that was perfect for my plane journey home.
Thanks to Netgalley, the publisher and the author, Ann Claire for providing me an e copy in exchange for an honest review.
A sweet, cozy mystery. I enjoyed the references to Agatha Christie; I enjoyed the bookstore setting; loved the cat, Agatha. A quick, easy read that was perfect for my plane journey home.
Thanks to Netgalley, the publisher and the author, Ann Claire for providing me an e copy in exchange for an honest review.
September 8, 2022
Dead & Gondola
⭐️⭐️⭐️.5
Genre: Cozy Mystery
Format: Kindle eBook
Date Published: 11/1/22
Author: Ann Claire
Publisher: Bantam
Pages: 336
GR: 3.82
I requested a digital advanced readers copy from NetGalley and Bantam and providing my opinion voluntarily and unbiased.
Synopsis: Ellie Christie recently returned to her tiny Colorado hometown to run her family’s historic bookshop with her elder sister, Meg, and their friendly bookshop cat, Agatha. A man is found dead on the gondola, and a rockslide throws the town into lockdown—no one in, no one out. He was a mysterious stranger who visited the bookshop. However, once revealed, the man’s identity shocks the town. Many residents knew of him. Quite a few had reason to want him dead. Others hide secrets. The police gather suspects, but when they narrow in on the sisters’ close friends, the Christies have to act.
My Thoughts: This is the first book in a cozy mystery series, Christie Bookshop. The Christie sisters love to solve murder mysteries and this one is right up their alley for amateur sleuthing. Amateur sleuths + murder + cat + bookshop = a fabulous cozy mystery. This has an Agatha Christie flair and it was awesome. The story starts at a slower pace but does pick up about halfway through. I do love a good mystery set in a wintery town, especially when I live in Florida and right now it is 110 daily. The characters were flushed out pretty good, especially for an opening series book, well developed, have depth, are mysterious, and creatively written. The author’s writing style was complex, suspenseful, twisty, and kept me engaged. If you love any Agatha Christie book, especially the Maple series, you will love this book. It releases in November, perfect timing for the winter holiday! Preorder today!!
⭐️⭐️⭐️.5
Genre: Cozy Mystery
Format: Kindle eBook
Date Published: 11/1/22
Author: Ann Claire
Publisher: Bantam
Pages: 336
GR: 3.82
I requested a digital advanced readers copy from NetGalley and Bantam and providing my opinion voluntarily and unbiased.
Synopsis: Ellie Christie recently returned to her tiny Colorado hometown to run her family’s historic bookshop with her elder sister, Meg, and their friendly bookshop cat, Agatha. A man is found dead on the gondola, and a rockslide throws the town into lockdown—no one in, no one out. He was a mysterious stranger who visited the bookshop. However, once revealed, the man’s identity shocks the town. Many residents knew of him. Quite a few had reason to want him dead. Others hide secrets. The police gather suspects, but when they narrow in on the sisters’ close friends, the Christies have to act.
My Thoughts: This is the first book in a cozy mystery series, Christie Bookshop. The Christie sisters love to solve murder mysteries and this one is right up their alley for amateur sleuthing. Amateur sleuths + murder + cat + bookshop = a fabulous cozy mystery. This has an Agatha Christie flair and it was awesome. The story starts at a slower pace but does pick up about halfway through. I do love a good mystery set in a wintery town, especially when I live in Florida and right now it is 110 daily. The characters were flushed out pretty good, especially for an opening series book, well developed, have depth, are mysterious, and creatively written. The author’s writing style was complex, suspenseful, twisty, and kept me engaged. If you love any Agatha Christie book, especially the Maple series, you will love this book. It releases in November, perfect timing for the winter holiday! Preorder today!!
August 25, 2022
A cute and unique cozy mystery. Two sisters, with the last name Christie, own a book store in a very small tourist town that attracts snow enthusists. They love their regulars, their book club and their silly cat named Agatha. The town is almost overwhelming at first. There are so many people introduced in a short span in the beginning that I struggled to remember anything about anyone. But slowly you get to know the town and the regulars and you start to remembre them.
I loved the added seance in the beginning to really start the story going, the influencer flair and the addition of the wise grandma. And if my last name was Christie, I would definitely do some geneology and see if I was related to Ms. Agatha Christie as well! Loved the little quirks that made this one funny. And the mystery was good. I never guessed the twists and just enjoyed the story.
A huge thank you to the author and publisher for providing an e-ARC via Netgalley. This does not affect my opinion regarding the book.
I loved the added seance in the beginning to really start the story going, the influencer flair and the addition of the wise grandma. And if my last name was Christie, I would definitely do some geneology and see if I was related to Ms. Agatha Christie as well! Loved the little quirks that made this one funny. And the mystery was good. I never guessed the twists and just enjoyed the story.
A huge thank you to the author and publisher for providing an e-ARC via Netgalley. This does not affect my opinion regarding the book.
August 24, 2022
Thanks to Netgalley for an ARC.
Whew, this book was not for me. I love a mystery, and Agatha Christie is one of my favorites, but this book was truly not written for a Christie fan. It was slow, unnecessarily wordy, and tried way too hard to be cutesy. Honestly, by the end I didn't even care whodunit. I just wanted this book to be over. Apparently this looks like a the first of a series featuring these sleuth-bumbling sisters. I will not be reading any more.
Whew, this book was not for me. I love a mystery, and Agatha Christie is one of my favorites, but this book was truly not written for a Christie fan. It was slow, unnecessarily wordy, and tried way too hard to be cutesy. Honestly, by the end I didn't even care whodunit. I just wanted this book to be over. Apparently this looks like a the first of a series featuring these sleuth-bumbling sisters. I will not be reading any more.
February 19, 2023
QOTD: Where is your favorite bookshop? Are you a member of a local book club?
Dead and Gondola
A Christie Bookshop Mystery
by Ann Claire
Pub Date: 01 Nov 2022
Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine, Bantam
Mystery & Thrillers
The Colorado mountains provide the background for the cozy mystery Dead and Gondola. Meg and Ellie run The Book Chalet, a quiet retreat for book lovers.
As the plot thickens, a mysterious figure appears in the bookshop. His identity sends a buzz through the small community. The sisters are shaken by the disappearance of their most faithful worker, followed by a murder. Could this be a coincidence or something more sinister?
Dead and Gondola is the first book in the Christie Bookshop series. Two sisters, a humorous grandmother and a grumpy cat named Agatha make this bookshop mystery a delightful read. It will be interesting to see what the sisters do in the next book in the series.
I would like to thank @Random House #Partners, and #StoriesandSuspects A Bantam Mystery Box, for giving me this intriguing book. I appreciate your kindness.
#DeadAndGondola #AnnClaire #AChristieBookshopMystery #bookmail #bookishcommunity #bookstagramcommunity #blogtour #readingcommunity #Books #bookfriends #booksbooksbooks #booksta #bookstagram #newtobookstagram #bookreview #bookreviews #instabookstagram #bookish #bookishielife #Audible #newtobookstagram #newtoinsta #newtoinstagra #Bookishcom #trending #bestsellingbooks #b
Dead and Gondola
A Christie Bookshop Mystery
by Ann Claire
Pub Date: 01 Nov 2022
Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine, Bantam
Mystery & Thrillers
The Colorado mountains provide the background for the cozy mystery Dead and Gondola. Meg and Ellie run The Book Chalet, a quiet retreat for book lovers.
As the plot thickens, a mysterious figure appears in the bookshop. His identity sends a buzz through the small community. The sisters are shaken by the disappearance of their most faithful worker, followed by a murder. Could this be a coincidence or something more sinister?
Dead and Gondola is the first book in the Christie Bookshop series. Two sisters, a humorous grandmother and a grumpy cat named Agatha make this bookshop mystery a delightful read. It will be interesting to see what the sisters do in the next book in the series.
I would like to thank @Random House #Partners, and #StoriesandSuspects A Bantam Mystery Box, for giving me this intriguing book. I appreciate your kindness.
#DeadAndGondola #AnnClaire #AChristieBookshopMystery #bookmail #bookishcommunity #bookstagramcommunity #blogtour #readingcommunity #Books #bookfriends #booksbooksbooks #booksta #bookstagram #newtobookstagram #bookreview #bookreviews #instabookstagram #bookish #bookishielife #Audible #newtobookstagram #newtoinsta #newtoinstagra #Bookishcom #trending #bestsellingbooks #b
August 4, 2022
Meg and Ellie Christie run their family's bookstore in a small hamlet in Colorado. They have a steady stream of local customers and tourists, and they're happy with what they do. While having a book club discussion one morning, a man wanders in and looks around, insisting that he's there to meet someone named "Cece". After they finally get him to leave, they don't expect to see the man later on, entering a gondola. Since he left something at the bookstore, they want to return it to him. But when they get to the bottom, it's discovered he has been murdered, and now they wonder who he is -- there was no identification on him at all.
They also can't locate one of their employees, Ms. Ridge. Worried about her, they discover no one saw her use the gondola down to town, and they hope she's alright. But after several days, they file a missing persons report, and with the help of a local reporter named Piper, they get the word out. Ellie knows something just doesn't feel right, with the death and Ms. Ridge's disappearance, but she can't really put her finger on it. Then a friend she knew from school, Syd Zeller, asks for her help when the police suspect his father of the murder. Now Ellie's up to her ears in mysteries, and not the kind in books...
This is the first book in a new series, and I must say that I enjoyed it immensely. Ms. Claire has a way with words, and her descriptions of the area surrounding the bookstore is real enough that I could picture it in my mind easily. The mountains, the snow, the cold; all is visible in her words.
She writes a good mystery with a good plot, and the characters are real enough, but hopefully will be fleshed out more in the next book. The only character I didn't care for was Piper -- she was a little too pushy and abrasive; I would have liked her more if she had backed off somewhat. But perhaps in the next book she'll relax a little.
The mystery was done so well that I had not even suspected the murderer; and that is rare for me. The ending was indeed fun and ingenious; and I hope this talented author brings us another book to delve into quickly. Highly recommended.
I received an advance copy from the publisher and NetGalley but this in no way influenced my review.
They also can't locate one of their employees, Ms. Ridge. Worried about her, they discover no one saw her use the gondola down to town, and they hope she's alright. But after several days, they file a missing persons report, and with the help of a local reporter named Piper, they get the word out. Ellie knows something just doesn't feel right, with the death and Ms. Ridge's disappearance, but she can't really put her finger on it. Then a friend she knew from school, Syd Zeller, asks for her help when the police suspect his father of the murder. Now Ellie's up to her ears in mysteries, and not the kind in books...
This is the first book in a new series, and I must say that I enjoyed it immensely. Ms. Claire has a way with words, and her descriptions of the area surrounding the bookstore is real enough that I could picture it in my mind easily. The mountains, the snow, the cold; all is visible in her words.
She writes a good mystery with a good plot, and the characters are real enough, but hopefully will be fleshed out more in the next book. The only character I didn't care for was Piper -- she was a little too pushy and abrasive; I would have liked her more if she had backed off somewhat. But perhaps in the next book she'll relax a little.
The mystery was done so well that I had not even suspected the murderer; and that is rare for me. The ending was indeed fun and ingenious; and I hope this talented author brings us another book to delve into quickly. Highly recommended.
I received an advance copy from the publisher and NetGalley but this in no way influenced my review.
February 22, 2024
Apparently, I am on another one of my cozy mystery kicks and I somehow managed to find another debut at that! Dead and Gondola by Ann Claire was a light breezy read that held my attention the entire time and made me laugh almost constantly. I was a big fan of all of the various quirky characters, and of course, how would the bookstore cat Agatha not be my favorite of all? I was also really excited that this is set in my current home state of Colorado, and Claire definitely had the mountain village vibe down pat. It was a fun addition to have 2 sisters doing the sleuthing and I loved the family aspect of the story as well.
I also found the audiobook to be very enjoyable and was very satisfied with the narrator. Morgan Dalla Betta seemed like the perfect fit for the voice of Ellie, and I would absolutely be pleased if she continued as the narrator for the entire series. I can't say that I was super shocked by anything that happened, but it also wasn't completely unsurprising either. I enjoyed the balance between humor and mystery, and I don't think this was a bad debut by any means! I can't wait to see where the other books in this series go and how Claire develops these characters.
I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
I also found the audiobook to be very enjoyable and was very satisfied with the narrator. Morgan Dalla Betta seemed like the perfect fit for the voice of Ellie, and I would absolutely be pleased if she continued as the narrator for the entire series. I can't say that I was super shocked by anything that happened, but it also wasn't completely unsurprising either. I enjoyed the balance between humor and mystery, and I don't think this was a bad debut by any means! I can't wait to see where the other books in this series go and how Claire develops these characters.
I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
March 9, 2023
I had a lot of fun reading this one. It reads like a cozy mystery with a more modern feel. The culprit was pretty predictable, but the red herrings were still good. I look forward to seeing more of this charming town, bookstore, and sisters.
July 21, 2022
Dead and Gondola by Ann Claire is a great cozy mystery that is the first, in what I expect will be, an exciting new series: A Christie Bookshop Mystery.
I really enjoyed this first installment. I like Ellie and Meg Christie, the Colorado location, the historical bookshop theme, and the adorable feline, Agatha.
The murder/mystery was creative, kept my interest, and balances nicely with the introduction of the characters, town, and setting up the overall theme and feel of the series. There seems to be plenty of material to be able to be used for future installments. I also like the cute interwoven theme of the quintessential mystery and the talented author Agatha Christie. A nice and playful inclusion.
I most certainly will continue reading this series and recommend it to others that enjoy cozy mysteries.
5/5 stars
Thank you NG and Bantam/ Ballantine Books for this wonderful arc and in return I am submitting my unbiased and voluntary review and opinion.
I am posting this review to my GR and Bookbub accounts immediately and will post it to my Amazon, Instagram, and B&N accounts upon publication on 11/1/22.
I really enjoyed this first installment. I like Ellie and Meg Christie, the Colorado location, the historical bookshop theme, and the adorable feline, Agatha.
The murder/mystery was creative, kept my interest, and balances nicely with the introduction of the characters, town, and setting up the overall theme and feel of the series. There seems to be plenty of material to be able to be used for future installments. I also like the cute interwoven theme of the quintessential mystery and the talented author Agatha Christie. A nice and playful inclusion.
I most certainly will continue reading this series and recommend it to others that enjoy cozy mysteries.
5/5 stars
Thank you NG and Bantam/ Ballantine Books for this wonderful arc and in return I am submitting my unbiased and voluntary review and opinion.
I am posting this review to my GR and Bookbub accounts immediately and will post it to my Amazon, Instagram, and B&N accounts upon publication on 11/1/22.
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