bateleanor's review
adventurous
emotional
funny
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Alexis Hall tackles Clue! Who was the murderer: the colonel, the vicar, the old English gentleman, the gentleman's aunt, the professor, the detective, the mysterious lady in red, or the quarreling husband and wife? Could it be one of the hotel staff we've been ignoring? We're pretty sure it's not the true crime podcaster or her stock broker wife, but beyond that all bets are off! This is a hilarious murder mystery that sits on the fence between realistic and pure comedy, with an author-typical cast of hilarious side characters and interesting main characters. Just when the plot feels like it's getting too absurd or cliche, Hall grounds it back into reality. I had a fantastic time reading this book.
liralen's review
4.0
I didn't know I needed a queer mashup of Clue and And Then There Were None, but I did in fact very badly need it in my life.
Lady Tabitha took a sip of coffee then eyed Liza over the rim of her spectacles. "And what do you intend to do with the killer, once you've caught him?
"Or her," Hanna added.
"Or, as you say, her. I suppose it is the twenty-first century, and if a girl wants to creep around hotels offing people, we should encourage her. But that aside, what do you actually intend to do?" (162)Very entertaining read while one kills time waiting for [b:Paris Daillencourt Is About to Crumble|60375966|Paris Daillencourt Is About to Crumble (Winner Bakes All, #2)|Alexis Hall|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1652973787l/60375966._SY75_.jpg|91133345] to come out.
jenaneter's review
5.0
Murder Most Actual is a delightful romp, filled to bursting with Easter eggs for mystery fans. It takes a rather serious look at the focal relationship, while saving a heavy dose of whimsy and charm for the brutal murders. Alexis Hall has absolutely knocked it out of the park.
Thank you to NetGalley and Rakuten Kobo for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review!
Thank you to NetGalley and Rakuten Kobo for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review!
annarella's review
4.0
3,5* rounded to 4
First thing first: this is a weird cozy mystery as one of the pillar of the genre is "no strong language" and there's a lot of strong language (I don't care but I know that the aficionado of the genre do)
That said I had fun and think that the author could start a series as it was quite entertaining and the mystery was solid.
It's slow burning and the first part it's a long introduction to the MCs, their wedding issues, and the other characters. The second part is fast paced and I thoroughly enjoyed it.
That said I found the wedding issues part a bit boring even if I appreciated the humour and the banters.
Not the best book by this author but there's a lot of potential.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine
First thing first: this is a weird cozy mystery as one of the pillar of the genre is "no strong language" and there's a lot of strong language (I don't care but I know that the aficionado of the genre do)
That said I had fun and think that the author could start a series as it was quite entertaining and the mystery was solid.
It's slow burning and the first part it's a long introduction to the MCs, their wedding issues, and the other characters. The second part is fast paced and I thoroughly enjoyed it.
That said I found the wedding issues part a bit boring even if I appreciated the humour and the banters.
Not the best book by this author but there's a lot of potential.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine
jessmsamuels's review
3.0
Oh, how I love Alexis Hall. I am continually impressed with the versatility of this author, writing in so many different genres and completely conforming to that style. I liked the set up - a long married queer couple needing a get away to re-ignite their love. I liked the diversity of the characters in the story and the slowly unfolding stories that connected them. Of course, as always, I loved Alexis Hall's humor peppered throughout.
However, overall I found myself a little distracted and not all that excited to find out who was going to die next. I am going to chalk this one up to me not being super into the classic mystery style (unless there is a romance involved) and say if you like classic mysteries you will probably like this one too.
However, overall I found myself a little distracted and not all that excited to find out who was going to die next. I am going to chalk this one up to me not being super into the classic mystery style (unless there is a romance involved) and say if you like classic mysteries you will probably like this one too.
bookandsnake's review
lighthearted
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
Content Warnings
Minor: Gun violence, Classism, and Murder
robin_reads's review
adventurous
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
This was cute. It felt like a cozy mystery and that’s a first for me.
I liked a d disliked the slightly struggling marriage a bit. It did add to the story and gave the characters depth and a developed character but at the same time it felt a bit out of place.
All I. All an easy but slow read with a lot of familiar tropes.
I liked a d disliked the slightly struggling marriage a bit. It did add to the story and gave the characters depth and a developed character but at the same time it felt a bit out of place.
All I. All an easy but slow read with a lot of familiar tropes.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Murder, Death, and Blood
Minor: Vomit
sopdetly's review
Nothing about the book in particular, I was just not reading very well at the time, and I'm not ready to start over yet. Hoping to be back for this in the future!