Murder Most Actual

I enjoyed this book and it was definitely different from anything I've read before. I mostly agree with KJ Charles's review (here), except I'm not sure if I agree that the combination worked. The mystery plot is openly silly, and the humor did work for me because it's very absurd. But I also didn't care about any of the characters except for Liza and Hanna. This is an interesting contrast to [b:The Affair of the Mysterious Letter 41998209 The Affair of the Mysterious Letter Alexis Hall https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1538509765l/41998209.SY75.jpg 60960806], which is also pretty absurd; I cared about the bizarre characters in many of the adventures, because they felt real to me. The characters in this book, though, seem like cartoons. So that aspect of the book is extremely lightweight, but the humor is exactly what I like.A “marriage in trouble” plot isn't my usual taste as a reader, but whenever it was going to places I was uncomfortable with, the mystery picked back up. There's also a third thread to this story, of Liza gaining self-confidence in her career. I really liked the drawing-room wrap-up scene, because of the description of Liza's emotions at that moment. It was the emotional climax of the book for me and it worked very well. Overall this book felt kind of experimental, but it was a fun read. I laughed out loud so many times. I appreciate that Alexis Hall continues writing different kinds of books and bringing us so much entertaining genre fiction with queer characters.

i actually liked this book a lot!! i love stories that are unique spins on classic murder mystery settings. i was also pleasantly surprised by that ending!! the characters were all interesting (except for hanna, she def lacked ~depth~). the romance on the other hand was...just alright??? honestly, it felt a little cookie-cutter and bland but whatever. i loved how this was almost a parody of the exact kind of story it was trying to be. the writing as usual was great, as is expected from alexis hall. 
Overall = i really enjoyed this ,,,

i actually liked this book a lot!! i love stories that are unique spins on classic murder mystery settings. i was also pleasantly surprised by that ending!! the characters were all interesting (except for hanna, she def lacked ~depth~). the romance on the other hand was...just alright??? honestly, it felt a little cookie-cutter and bland but whatever. i loved how this was almost a parody of the exact kind of story it was trying to be. the writing as usual was great, as is expected from alexis hall.??
Overall = i really enjoyed this ,,,

This book does exactly what it set out to do and well. Its a locked room mystery that pays homage to Agatha Christie and Sherlock Holmes meets Cluedo meets the representation that is missing from the aforementioned. Unfortunately for me, I wasn't blown away. It was enjoyable, easy to get through but not particularly shocking or memorable. I am very interested in reading more from Alexis Hall in the future though....

p.s. i wonder if this is a retelling of Rodger Ackroyd or just an homage

In Murder Most Actual Liza and Hanna get snowed in at their hotel/castle in the Scottish Highlands. And soon guests start getting killed off one by one. Solving the mystery falls on none other than Liza, a true crime podcaster.

A very enjoyable read that'll give you a few laughs, a few head scratchers and a couple to root for. It weaves together humor, suspense and relationship drama for a solid read for mystery lovers. It feels like both a parody of and a love letter to classic mysteries. So if you're a fan of Agatha Christie, Clue, or any mystery that ends in a grand reveal, hop on!

I loved all the references to classic mysteries. From the Poirot like character, to people being killed off one by one, a la And Then There Were None, and the Clue like chapter headings... It was clear the book was written by a lover of mysteries. On the other hand, this was also written with a critical eye of the classic mystery genre. This makes it feel fresh, since the book doesn't just take the tropes but looks more closely and subverts them. At the same time, this does feel less satisfying at times, when the criticism of the genre gets in the way of actual murder solving itself.

Aside from the mystery, this is also a story of a strained relationship. Liza and Hana's bickering, arguments, slow growth and eventually healing, was probably my favorite part of the book. How they used the crazy situation they were in, to communicate more and understand each other more was done very well. Their relationship feels real and faceted

As I mentioned, at times, the book doesn't feel as satisfying as other cozy mystery books. For example, the grand reveal here, does not compare to the others in the genre. Even the revealer herself goes on for paragraphs about how she's not qualified to do this grand reveal. And as the reader I agree, partly because she was following a completely different track up until the reveal. And especially because the one connection she fails to make is probably one of the most obvious ones.

Overall, I think that this a book that fans of the genre will enjoy, as long as you're not expecting another neatly tied cozy mystery. And not only will you get to read a head scratcher of a mystery, but you'll also get to read about a relationship heal and grow.