The bridge is shut.
The phones are down.
And the most famous mystery writer in the world just disappeared out of a locked room three days before Christmas . . .

Meet Maggie Chase and Ethan Wyatt: Shes the new Queen of the Cosy Mystery. Hes Mr. Big-time Thriller Guy. She hates his guts.

He thinks her name is Marcie (no matter how many times shes told him otherwise). But when they both accept a cryptic invitation to attend a Christmas house party at the English estate of a reclusive fan, neither is expecting their host to be the most powerful author in the world: Eleanor Ashley, the Duchess of Death herself. That night, the weather turns, and the next morning Eleanor is gone. She vanished from a locked room, and Maggie has to wonder: Is Eleanor in danger? Or is it all some kind of test? Is Ethan the competition? Or is he the only person in that snowbound mansion she can trust?

As the snow gets deeper and the stakes get higher, every clue will bring Maggie and Ethan closer to the truthand each other. Because, this Christmas, rivals will have to become allies (and maybe more) if they have any hope of saving Eleanor. Assuming they dont kill each other first . . .

Knives Out gets a rom-com twist in The Most Wonderful Crime of the Year a rivals-to-lovers Christmas mystery-romance from New York Times bestselling author Ally Carter.