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. ( )

“Eleanor ‘Ellie’ Christie returns to her hometown to run the family bookshop with older sister Meg in the absence of their parents. The Book Chalet sits atop the small mountain town of Last Word, Colorado, which is only accessible by ski gondola or one single road full of treacherous twists and turns. The shop’s endless bookshelves and mountain views are famous but play second fiddle to Agatha, resident cat and mascot. Up and down the mountain, all is wintery and quiet . . . until a stranger dies inside a ski gondola! The only two witnesses are Ellie and Meg who were trying to return a first-edition Agatha Christie novel he left at Book Chalet when he disrupted a book club meeting. When the police identify the victim, Last Word residents are shocked to discover the victim isn’t a stranger, and the list of potential suspects skyrockets. A rockslide prevents anyone from leaving town, but no one is talking. As resident booksellers familiar with the townfolk, the Christie sisters go to work, channeling their namesake and her beloved character Miss Marple. Their detective skills are quickly put to the test when the police take a closer look at some of their closest friends. Will the evidence condemn the wrong person, or is the murderer closer to home than first suspected?”

*Disclaimer: I received a free copy of this book from Bantam, an imprint of Ballantine & Random House, through NetGalley in exchange for a review. All opinions are my own.

If you struggle with winter blues, might I suggest this cozy mystery and a piping hot mug of cocoa? I guarantee you’ll like cold temperatures and snow a little bit more by the final page . . . minus the murder of course! Last Word, Colorado, is a winter wonderland, and the Book Chalet is a reader’s paradise, owned by the Christie family and currently run by sisters Ellie and Meg under the watchful eyes of their cat Agatha. They didn’t choose the detective life, but it definitely found them. Some of the neighbors have affectionately dubbed their efforts as “Marpling,” for obvious reasons.

Their partners in crime-solving are their beloved grandmother and Meg’s daughter Rosie. Rosie is a teenager keeping the adults on their toes with her wit and tech knowledge. Gram is doing her very best to keep up with the times, though she often runs into the formidable foe we all know as “spellcheck.” She has texted “Huzzah is hot in loving” instead of “Lasagna is hot in oven” and “Deep veiled trombones” instead of “Deep vein thrombosis.” Don’t even lie, that gave you a good chuckle! Additionally, there are a number of colorful characters from the town, every single one of them possessing a clear cut personality and unique backstory. Everyone played their part well, and no one stood out for the wrong reasons . . . well, maybe the murderer, but you know what I mean.

It took me a few months to finish “Dead and Gondola”, but the blame falls entirely on my reading slump. In spite of all the false starts and long breaks, I thoroughly enjoyed my time with Ann Claire’s first cozy mystery, which is a funny joke if you know she’s written others under different pseudonyms. There’s room for improvement in the sequel so I’m settling on a rating of four stars. However, don’t be surprised if I reread this in the future and bump that number up. I can’t wait for more of the Christie family and the Book Chalet and whatever else Last Word, Colorado, wants to throw at me!

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Content Breakdown: Alcohol, Attempted Murder & Murder, Blood, a Car Accident, a Concussion & Resulting Amnesia, Divorce (brief mention), Drugs & Drugging, Drunk Driving (brief mention), Exotic Dancers (brief mention), a Nightmare (brief mention & description), a Ouija Board, Poison & Poisoning (brief mention), Prison & Parole, Robbery, a Séance, & Suicide (brief mention)

Two briefly sensual moments: A romance book cover is described as a bare-chested duke & lusty duchess. When Meg & Syd hear mysterious moans & she wants to investigate, he suggests it might be a couple who wants to be alone. ( )

Wow, a great plot twist! I'm looking forward to the next book in this series. ( )

If ever a mystery deserves the description of Cozy - this is it. Set in a small town in Colorado, this story is inhabited by sister protagonists bearing the Christie moniker. With the last name of Christie and a cat named Agatha it is a foregone conclusion that there is going to be sleuthing in their bookstore. They are even referred to as the “Christie’s going Marpling.” Too cosy for words. “Visions of a dreamy evening… a bubbly soak in a magnificent clawfoot. Flannel PJs” and the constant reminders of Agatha the cat and her fishy favorite treats and dinner. The mystery with its convoluted here and there, now and then was fairly obvious. While it was just a little too cozy to be taken seriously it was a pleasant read.

Thank you Bantam Books and NetGalley for a copy. ( )

Sisters Meg and Ellie Christie are co-owners of The Book Chalet in tiny Last Word, Colorado. When a man accidentally disrupts a book club meeting and leaves a book behind, the sisters don’t think too much about it - that is, until he is found dead a few hours later in a ski gondola, the one right in front of the one the sisters are in. With the aid of the book club members, family and Agatha, the bookstore cat, the sisters use their detecting skills learned from years of reading mysteries to uncover the murderer.

Okay, this all sounds a tad, well, more than a tad, hard to swallow but that’s the thing about cozies isn’t it? Their purpose is to offer the reader a puzzle while entertaining them and Dead and Gondola by Ann Claire does this very well. The sisters are very likeable and there are suspects galore to keep you guessing throughout, If you enjoy cozies set in book stores with quirky characters, an interesting puzzle, and likeable and smart female protagonists, this may be just what you’re looking for.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review ( )