Tuesday, 9 November 2021

πŸ’œ MURDER MOST ACTUAL 🏳️‍🌈 Alexis Hall πŸ’œ

 ©  Bianca ✰ Janeane 

    


• 9 November 2021
• Cozy F/F Mystery Romance
★★
4.25 Stars


From the author of Boyfriend Material and Rosaline Palmer Takes the Cake comes a cozy mystery that revisits the Golden Age of detective fiction, starring a heroine who’s more podcaster than private eye and topped with a lethal dose of parody -- perfect for fans of Clue, Knives Out, and Only Murders in the Building!

When up-and-coming true crime podcaster Liza and her corporate financier wife Hanna head to a luxurious hotel in the Scottish Highlands, they're hoping for a chance to rekindle their marriage - not to find themselves trapped in the middle of an Agatha Christie-esque murder mystery with no way home. But who better to take on the case than someone whose entire profession relies on an obsession with all things mysterious and macabre? Though some of her fellow guests may consider her an interfering new media hack, Liza knows a thing or two about crime and
despite Hannas preference for waiting out the chaos behind a locked door might be the only one capable of discovering the killer. As the bodies rack up and the stakes rise, can they save their marriage -- and their lives?



Liza and Hanna.
They've been together for ten years now and things are not good in their marriage. That's why Hanna booked them into a castle hotel in Scotland for a romantic weekend getaway - without asking Liza - which is kinda part of their problems.
And instead of working on their relationship they land in the middle of a crazy murder mystery with all kinds of interesting hotel guests aka suspects.

  Let the fun times begin ...




Well, that was interesting. And funny and crazy and a bit heartbreaking with their crumbling marriage.
It was like reading or watching one of those old murder mystery movie thingies where we're in some old library trying to guess who did it. You know? The Professor, the rich heir, the private investigator, the beautiful mysterious lady et cetera. 🀣
All those hotel guests locked in that hotel due to the snow storm and one dead guy (for starters) ... lots of suspects and mysteries and questions. Perfect for our crime-pod-caster Liza. But horrible for finance-numbers girl Hanna. She wanted to get away from their work to heal their marriage!

I think I don't really have to say much more - the beginning of the blurb already explains the book perfectly:

... a cozy mystery that revisits the Golden Age of detective fiction, starring a heroine who’s more podcaster than private eye and topped with a lethal dose of parody -- perfect for fans of Clue, Knives Out, and Only Murders in the Building!

I really liked detectiving with Liza and Hanna in this beautiful but slightly creepy setting! I so wouldn't mind seeing this as a movie!

I didn't love the extreme British-ness of the book. It needs to be British to be amazing - to be what it needs to be, but it was a little bit too much for me. There were soo many expressions and words and names thrown in that a non-English person just doesn't know what to do with.
Also, the beginning of sentences were often weird. When someone talked, they kind of stuttered. "I... uh...it's...I...uhm." I know what it's supposed to achieve - and it would make sense if this were a movie, but in a book it just stops my reading flow. 😏

But still - I loved reading it. It wasn't edge-of-your-seat thrillerish, but it was cute and cozy and snowy and mysterious and dangerous ... just a cozy fun couch read!

MURDER MOST ACTUAL was a fun, cozy, snowy, british murder mystery!! Run to your nearest bookstore to find out who the bad guy(s)/girl(s) is/are - and to see if Liza and Hanna will survive their romantic weekend! ☺




ARC received for an honest review
 
You know how in the past I have said that I would never, ever visit Midsomer, as the chances of ending up a murder victim were high?
 
Well, not as high as they are if you visit this Scottish hotel - you really would be lucky to get out alive!
 
It really like sleuthing with Liza, and feeling for Hanna as their marriage seemed to be crumbling before their eyes. I liked the way they both adapted to what was happening, and adapted their relationship to the here and now.
 
Now, there was so many twists and turns, you never knew who was going to turn up dead next.  And I didn't have a clue whodunnit really - and I usually have an inkling.
 
Murder Most Actual was a cute and cozy mystery that will leave you guessing. 
 
 



   LiNKS TO THE BOOK & AUTHOR 

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Must-Read by Alexis:


Boyfriend Material #2
Husband Material - 2 Aug. 2022:





Stalking Alexis ...




Genrequeer writer of kissing books.
Talks less. Smiles more. He/him.


Alexis Hall is an English author of urban fantasy, science fiction, and m/m romance. His novels include Murder Most Actual, Boyfriend Material, Rosaline Palmer Takes the Cake, For Real, Glitterland, Iron & Velvet, Looking for Group, and Pansies.


His work has been nominated for to the 26th Lambda Literary Awards, 28th Lambda Literary Awards, and 29th Lambda Literary Awards in the category of Gay Romance.


Some Upcoming titles:

- Something Fabulous
- Husband Material
- Viola & Gracewood
- Winner Bakes All Series Book #2