Devi Nair
š§ Listened in audio š¢ Narrated by Carlotta Brentan ā± Duration: 9 hours š·ļø Publisher: Simon & Schuster Audio | Gallery / Scout Press š Published: June 10, 2025 š Genre: Contemporary Fiction
Technically, itās tagged as a cozy mystery, but letās be honest. Thereās no actual body here, just a delightfully convincing fake one. Thatās why I shelve this under Contemporary Fiction with mystery elements. Welcome to the Murder Week isnāt about solving a murder. Itās about solving a life. This is contemporary fiction wrapped in a clever mystery-shaped bow, and once I let it be that, the book completely had my heart. What Karen Dukess pulls off, though, is the spirit of a cozy without the corpse: a story about belonging, grief, and human connection wrapped in the charm of a pretend whodunit.
Karen Dukess balances warmth and ache beautifully. Cathās grief isnāt loud or dramatic. Itās quiet, unresolved, and shaped by a lifetime of emotional abandonment. The story isnāt just about losing her mother, but about losing the possibility of ever truly being chosen by her. Carlotta Brentanās narration brings warmth and gentle humor to Cathās journey, perfect for a book that moves between heartbreak and hilarity.
The fake murder week becomes the perfect backdrop: absurd, charming, and gently chaotic. The ācorpseā offering sales advice mid-death was delightful, and the villagers fumbling through clue-giving like kids in a school play was genuinely adorable. Itās cozy-adjacent comfort without ever pretending the emotions are small.
And then there are the relationships. Wyatt Green and Amity Clark were an unexpected gift. Their protectiveness, both emotional and physical, felt instinctive and pure, especially given how newly formed their bond was. The romance with Dev Sharma adds another layer, not just of attraction, but of possibility. With Dev, Cath isnāt just flirting, sheās confronting whether she deserves to stay, to belong, to choose something instead of running from it. Finding her motherās origins wasnāt just closure, it was permission. Permission to want more.
What really got me was the emotional undercurrent. Cathās need to understand her mother, to finally feel rooted somewhere. Her relationship with Dev felt genuine, the kind of romance that steadies rather than distracts. And the friendship between Cath, Wyatt, and Amity? Absolute gold. Protective, messy, real, and lasting even in the epilogue of the book. Itās that found-family tenderness that lingers long after the fake murder is solved.
Would I recommend it? Absolutely. This book may not have a real corpse, but itās full of life, heart, humor, and healing. Itās about chosen family, the wounds parents leave behind, and the quiet bravery it takes to let yourself be loved.
Originally posted at www.goodreads.com.
š§ Listened in audio š¢ Narrated by Carlotta Brentan ā± Duration: 9 hours š·ļø Publisher: Simon & Schuster Audio | Gallery / Scout Press š Published: June 10, 2025 š Genre: Contemporary Fiction
Technically, itās tagged as a cozy mystery, but letās be honest. Thereās no actual body here, just a delightfully convincing fake one. Thatās why I shelve this under Contemporary Fiction with mystery elements. Welcome to the Murder Week isnāt about solving a murder. Itās about solving a life. This is contemporary fiction wrapped in a clever mystery-shaped bow, and once I let it be that, the book completely had my heart. What Karen Dukess pulls off, though, is the spirit of a cozy without the corpse: a story about belonging, grief, and human connection wrapped in the charm of a pretend whodunit.
Karen Dukess balances warmth and ache beautifully. Cathās grief isnāt loud or dramatic. Itās quiet, unresolved, and shaped by a lifetime of emotional abandonment. The story isnāt just about losing her mother, but about losing the possibility of ever truly being chosen by her. Carlotta Brentanās narration brings warmth and gentle humor to Cathās journey, perfect for a book that moves between heartbreak and hilarity.
The fake murder week becomes the perfect backdrop: absurd, charming, and gently chaotic. The ācorpseā offering sales advice mid-death was delightful, and the villagers fumbling through clue-giving like kids in a school play was genuinely adorable. Itās cozy-adjacent comfort without ever pretending the emotions are small.
And then there are the relationships. Wyatt Green and Amity Clark were an unexpected gift. Their protectiveness, both emotional and physical, felt instinctive and pure, especially given how newly formed their bond was. The romance with Dev Sharma adds another layer, not just of attraction, but of possibility. With Dev, Cath isnāt just flirting, sheās confronting whether she deserves to stay, to belong, to choose something instead of running from it. Finding her motherās origins wasnāt just closure, it was permission. Permission to want more.
What really got me was the emotional undercurrent. Cathās need to understand her mother, to finally feel rooted somewhere. Her relationship with Dev felt genuine, the kind of romance that steadies rather than distracts. And the friendship between Cath, Wyatt, and Amity? Absolute gold. Protective, messy, real, and lasting even in the epilogue of the book. Itās that found-family tenderness that lingers long after the fake murder is solved.
Would I recommend it? Absolutely. This book may not have a real corpse, but itās full of life, heart, humor, and healing. Itās about chosen family, the wounds parents leave behind, and the quiet bravery it takes to let yourself be loved.
Originally posted at www.goodreads.com.