🎧 Listened in audio | 📢 Narrated by Brittany Pressley and Will Damron
⏱ Duration: 10 hours | Pub Date: Oct 13, 2026 | ARC by NetGalley
Genre: Christmas Romance Mystery
🏷️ Publisher name: HarperAudio Adult | Avon
Book Blurb:
Ella Chambers is the housekeeper’s daughter, and the whole town heard her say Liam Montgomery was “so dead to her.” Then Liam, sole heir to his billionaire grandfather, vanishes from the family’s Christmas party, leaving only a bloody spot on the drive. Ella is the one person who knows he’s alive, and she has to prove it to clear her name. Liam, meanwhile, is hunting the person who wants him dead. As the storm of the century closes in on their mountain town, two childhood rivals edge closer to a killer, and to each other.
Let’s talk … murder!!!
I went into this one a little hesitant, since I expected it to be romance heavy. It wasn’t entirely, and I was pleasantly surprised. The mystery is the real engine here, and it kept me hooked. Ella Chambers, the housekeeper’s daughter, is the only person who knows Liam Montgomery, the billionaire’s grandson and sole heir, is still alive after he vanishes from his family’s Christmas party, leaving behind nothing but a bloody spot on the drive. The secrets come out slowly, one at a time, and the ending genuinely surprised me.
My one real frustration is a familiar one in romantic mysteries: the leads keep secrets from each other for no good reason. Most of the trouble could have been avoided if either of them had simply said what was bothering them at the start. Several scenes turn into a painful game of extracting information, and it felt unnecessary. The plot already had plenty of tension (a missing heir, a would-be killer, a storm closing in), so the forced secrecy wasn’t needed to keep things gripping.
The dual narration, on the other hand, worked wonderfully. Brittany Pressley (Ella) and Will Damron (Liam) both did a great job bringing their characters to life, and the format suits the story’s alternating perspectives and police-interview snippets. My only small complaint is that Liam’s swagger felt overdone and wasn’t necessary to the character.
Overall, I’m glad I gave this one a chance. The mystery and that ending did the heavy lifting for me, and the narration made it an easy listen. I just wish Ella and Liam had talked to each other sooner. If you enjoy cat-and-mouse mysteries, childhood-rivals-to-lovers, small-town secrets, and a snowy holiday backdrop, this is a fun listen for the season, especially if you want more mystery than romance.
Would I recommend it?
If you want a snowy holiday listen with more mystery than romance, this one is worth a spot on your list. The missing heir, the storm and the slow reveal of secrets kept me hooked, and the dual narration is a real highlight. The leads hiding things from each other for no good reason did test my patience, but the ending made up for it. Add It’s Beginning to Look a Lot Like Murder to your TBR before it releases on October 13, 2026. (ARC by NetGalley)
⭐⭐⭐⭐
More Holiday Mysteries to Keep You Up This Christmas:
- The Most Wonderful Crime of the Year by Ally Carter
If you want more of this author’s mix of holiday and murder, start with the book the blurb calls her previous one.
Indiebookstores.ca | Bookshop.org | Goodreads | StoryGraph | Pagebound | Fable | Hardcover | Booktrovert | OpenLibrary | Litsy - The Christmas Murder Game by Alexandra Benedict
A snowy house, a family with secrets and a deadly game, for when you want your holiday mystery with a puzzle in it.
Indiebookstores.ca | Bookshop.org | Goodreads | StoryGraph | Pagebound | Fable | Hardcover | Booktrovert | OpenLibrary | Litsy - Rest Ye Murdered Gentlemen by Vicki Delany
A Christmas cozy set in a small town where it’s holiday season all year round, for when the small-town secrets were your favorite part.
Indiebookstores.ca | Bookshop.org | Goodreads | StoryGraph | Pagebound | Fable | Hardcover | Booktrovert | OpenLibrary | Litsy - The Christmas Appeal by Janice Hallett
Small-town secrets told through messages and documents, which pairs nicely with the police-interview snippets here.
Indiebookstores.ca | Bookshop.org | Goodreads | StoryGraph | Pagebound | Fable | Hardcover | Booktrovert | OpenLibrary | Litsy - The Twelve Clues of Christmas by Rhys Bowen
A Royal Spyness mystery with a snowy country house at Christmas and a murder to solve, if you want your holiday whodunit on the lighter, cozier side.
Indiebookstores.ca | Bookshop.org | Goodreads | StoryGraph | Pagebound | Fable | Hardcover | Booktrovert | OpenLibrary | Litsy
Who Would You Trust With Your Secrets This Christmas?
If your childhood rival was the only person who knew you were still alive, would you trust them to keep it quiet? Or would you hide everything and hope for the best? Tell me in the comments, and drop your favorite snowy holiday mystery while you’re there.
Book Links:
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Indiebookstores.ca | Bookshop.org | Goodreads | StoryGraph | Pagebound | Fable | Hardcover | Booktrovert | Litsy
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