Devi Nair
🎧 Listened in audio 📢 Narrated by Soneela Nankani ⏱ Duration: 8 hours 🏷️ Publisher name: Simon & Schuster
I really wanted to vibe with this one, especially since it started with such a promising hook, but my interest took a sharp nosedive around the 20% mark. There’s a constant cycle of cheating and being cheated on that makes the "found family" aspect feel more like a den of thieves I’d rather not visit. But somewhere between the constant scheming and the emotional heaviness, my interest just… slipped away.
The endless cycle of deception, the constant “everyone betrays everyone” energy, and that lingering sadness that never quite transformed into something deeper. I can handle flawed characters (I love flawed characters) but I need something to hold onto. Here, I could sympathize with Lucky’s situation, but I couldn’t fully step into her shoes. The choices she kept making, even when handed a literal golden ticket out, just didn’t sit right with me.
I can sympathize with a hard life, but when the scams are constant and the growth feels stalled by page 100, I have to tap out. I ended up DNFing this because, frankly, life is too short to spend it with people who refuse to catch a break even when it's handed to them.
Would I recommend it? Honestly? It’s a pass for me. The lack of connection to Lucky’s journey made this a struggle I wasn't willing to finish.
🎧 Listened in audio 📢 Narrated by Soneela Nankani ⏱ Duration: 8 hours 🏷️ Publisher name: Simon & Schuster
I really wanted to vibe with this one, especially since it started with such a promising hook, but my interest took a sharp nosedive around the 20% mark. There’s a constant cycle of cheating and being cheated on that makes the "found family" aspect feel more like a den of thieves I’d rather not visit. But somewhere between the constant scheming and the emotional heaviness, my interest just… slipped away.
The endless cycle of deception, the constant “everyone betrays everyone” energy, and that lingering sadness that never quite transformed into something deeper. I can handle flawed characters (I love flawed characters) but I need something to hold onto. Here, I could sympathize with Lucky’s situation, but I couldn’t fully step into her shoes. The choices she kept making, even when handed a literal golden ticket out, just didn’t sit right with me.
I can sympathize with a hard life, but when the scams are constant and the growth feels stalled by page 100, I have to tap out. I ended up DNFing this because, frankly, life is too short to spend it with people who refuse to catch a break even when it's handed to them.
Would I recommend it? Honestly? It’s a pass for me. The lack of connection to Lucky’s journey made this a struggle I wasn't willing to finish.
I was expecting dark academia meets sharp, witty mystery, with a side of absurdity. But honestly? WTF was this book? I was so confused by the internal logic of the McMasters Conservatory. The whole setup is that you get into this elite school only after you’ve creatively and successfully offed someone without getting caught. If you’re already a pro at getting away with murder, why on earth do you need a diploma for it? At that point, it’s pretty obvious you’ve already mastered the curriculum on your own.
The world-building leans heavily into this satirical, exaggerated tone, which I think is meant to be part of the charm. But instead of feeling clever, it felt oddly disconnected. I couldn’t latch onto the stakes or even the structure of the academy itself.I was looking for a "found family" of oddball assassins, but instead, I got a system that felt redundant and frustrating. The pacing dipped hard and early for me, and unlike my usual "invested enough to forgive it" attitude, I just couldn't find the heart in this one to keep going.
The biggest tragedy was the narration. I saw Neil Patrick Harris on the credits and was ready for that charm, but I pulled the plug at 20% before he even showed up. Simon Vance is a pro, but even his voice couldn't save a plot that felt like it was trying too hard to be clever while tripping over its own feet. It just wasn't the "warm, twisty read" I was hoping for.
Would I recommend it? We didn’t vibe. Like a blind date where we both pretended to get emergency calls. I really wanted to enjoy the "fiendishly funny" satire, but the confusing premise was a total dealbreaker for me.
I was expecting dark academia meets sharp, witty mystery, with a side of absurdity. But honestly? WTF was this book? I was so confused by the internal logic of the McMasters Conservatory. The whole setup is that you get into this elite school only after you’ve creatively and successfully offed someone without getting caught. If you’re already a pro at getting away with murder, why on earth do you need a diploma for it? At that point, it’s pretty obvious you’ve already mastered the curriculum on your own.
The world-building leans heavily into this satirical, exaggerated tone, which I think is meant to be part of the charm. But instead of feeling clever, it felt oddly disconnected. I couldn’t latch onto the stakes or even the structure of the academy itself.I was looking for a "found family" of oddball assassins, but instead, I got a system that felt redundant and frustrating. The pacing dipped hard and early for me, and unlike my usual "invested enough to forgive it" attitude, I just couldn't find the heart in this one to keep going.
The biggest tragedy was the narration. I saw Neil Patrick Harris on the credits and was ready for that charm, but I pulled the plug at 20% before he even showed up. Simon Vance is a pro, but even his voice couldn't save a plot that felt like it was trying too hard to be clever while tripping over its own feet. It just wasn't the "warm, twisty read" I was hoping for.
Would I recommend it? We didn’t vibe. Like a blind date where we both pretended to get emergency calls. I really wanted to enjoy the "fiendishly funny" satire, but the confusing premise was a total dealbreaker for me.
📚 Read as a physical book (signed copy!) 📃 305 pages | ⏱ ~4 hours read time 🏷️ Publisher: William Morrow Paperbacks
I'll be honest: I picked it up because I'd seen Jenny Colgan speak at the EVER AFTER Romance Book Festival, and let me tell you, if her enthusiasm and charm could be bottled and sold, Indigo would have a whole shelf dedicated to it. Naturally, her book delivers exactly what her talk promised: warmth, wit, and the kind of cozy literary escapism that makes Toronto in winter feel almost forgivable. Almost.
he setting alone feels like a love letter to bookworms. You can practically smell the dust and old paper, hear the wind rattling ancient windows, and feel that quiet magic of being surrounded by stories. Honestly, stepping out of McKinnon castle and back into real life felt jarring (Toronto could never compete in that moment).
The mystery thread kept things engaging, even if it didn’t try too hard to outsmart you. It’s more about the experience than the twist, and I didn’t mind that at all. Watching Mirren and Jamie piece together clues in a castle built on secrets was equal parts charming and suspenseful. And yes, the romance is inevitable, but it works because it’s rooted in something real: a shared obsession with books. That kind of connection? Dangerous. If someone started talking rare editions and literary history with that level of passion, I’d also be making questionable life choices.
Also, knowing Colgan herself lives in a Scottish castle just makes the whole thing richer. The authenticity seeps through every page. This isn’t just imagined whimsy. It’s lived-in magic.
Would I recommend it? If your idea of a perfect December involves a snowbound castle, a mystery hidden in a mountain of books, and a romance that earns its ending without needing to be scandalous about it, this is your book. Jenny Colgan writes with genuine affection for readers and for reading, and it shows on every page. It's a signed copy on my shelf now, and it has absolutely earned its place there.
📚 Read as a physical book (signed copy!) 📃 305 pages | ⏱ ~4 hours read time 🏷️ Publisher: William Morrow Paperbacks
I'll be honest: I picked it up because I'd seen Jenny Colgan speak at the EVER AFTER Romance Book Festival, and let me tell you, if her enthusiasm and charm could be bottled and sold, Indigo would have a whole shelf dedicated to it. Naturally, her book delivers exactly what her talk promised: warmth, wit, and the kind of cozy literary escapism that makes Toronto in winter feel almost forgivable. Almost.
he setting alone feels like a love letter to bookworms. You can practically smell the dust and old paper, hear the wind rattling ancient windows, and feel that quiet magic of being surrounded by stories. Honestly, stepping out of McKinnon castle and back into real life felt jarring (Toronto could never compete in that moment).
The mystery thread kept things engaging, even if it didn’t try too hard to outsmart you. It’s more about the experience than the twist, and I didn’t mind that at all. Watching Mirren and Jamie piece together clues in a castle built on secrets was equal parts charming and suspenseful. And yes, the romance is inevitable, but it works because it’s rooted in something real: a shared obsession with books. That kind of connection? Dangerous. If someone started talking rare editions and literary history with that level of passion, I’d also be making questionable life choices.
Also, knowing Colgan herself lives in a Scottish castle just makes the whole thing richer. The authenticity seeps through every page. This isn’t just imagined whimsy. It’s lived-in magic.
Would I recommend it? If your idea of a perfect December involves a snowbound castle, a mystery hidden in a mountain of books, and a romance that earns its ending without needing to be scandalous about it, this is your book. Jenny Colgan writes with genuine affection for readers and for reading, and it shows on every page. It's a signed copy on my shelf now, and it has absolutely earned its place there.
🎧 Listened in audio 📢 Narrated by Jim Frangione ⏱ Duration: 9 hours 📱📖 Also read as ARC 📃 320 pages 🏷️ Publisher: Recorded Books and Minotaur Books | Release Date: April 14, 2026
Sixteen books in, and Spencer Quinn still has me wrapped around Chet's dewclaw. Cat on a Hot Tin Woof feels both comfortably familiar and surprisingly fresh, like your favorite sweater that somehow got softer in the wash. We’re back to cat-hunting (a full-circle moment if you’ve been here since A Cat Was Involved), and Chet is… not thrilled. Chet's disdain for cats collides beautifully with his soft spot for Bitty, the teen girl whose livelihood depends on finding Miss Kitty. The way Chet describes her ("the moon shines out of her eyes") is so earnest and dog-brained that I actually got misty. He doesn't want to care about this case, but he cares about her, and that's everything.
This one hit a little harder emotionally for me. Chet getting lost and ending up in the pound (no collar, no Bernie) was rough. I felt that panic. I heard it in the narration. And maybe that’s why the quick reunion felt like a tiny cheat… but also, I’ll allow it because I cannot handle prolonged separation. The mystery itself is twisty without being convoluted. There's social media commentary woven in (internet fame, sponsors, the financial pressure on a struggling family), but it never feels preachy. Quinn keeps it light, filtered through Chet's hilariously oblivious POV.
And Chet's evolving too. More protective. More aggressive when Bernie's in danger. His "so therefore" logic is sharper, even if he doesn't realize he's doing detective work. Sixteen books later, Spencer Quinn hasn’t lost the magic. If anything, he’s deepened it.
Would I recommend it? If you're already a Chet and Bernie fan, this is a no-brainer. If you've never met Chet, honestly, start with Book 1 (Dog On It), but this would work as a standalone too. It's cozy mystery comfort food with just enough bite to keep you guessing. The narration by Jim Frangione is chef's kiss. He IS Chet. Warm, twisty, emotionally sneaky in the best way.
Originally posted at viewsshewrites.com.
🎧 Listened in audio 📢 Narrated by Jim Frangione ⏱ Duration: 9 hours 📱📖 Also read as ARC 📃 320 pages 🏷️ Publisher: Recorded Books and Minotaur Books | Release Date: April 14, 2026
Sixteen books in, and Spencer Quinn still has me wrapped around Chet's dewclaw. Cat on a Hot Tin Woof feels both comfortably familiar and surprisingly fresh, like your favorite sweater that somehow got softer in the wash. We’re back to cat-hunting (a full-circle moment if you’ve been here since A Cat Was Involved), and Chet is… not thrilled. Chet's disdain for cats collides beautifully with his soft spot for Bitty, the teen girl whose livelihood depends on finding Miss Kitty. The way Chet describes her ("the moon shines out of her eyes") is so earnest and dog-brained that I actually got misty. He doesn't want to care about this case, but he cares about her, and that's everything.
This one hit a little harder emotionally for me. Chet getting lost and ending up in the pound (no collar, no Bernie) was rough. I felt that panic. I heard it in the narration. And maybe that’s why the quick reunion felt like a tiny cheat… but also, I’ll allow it because I cannot handle prolonged separation. The mystery itself is twisty without being convoluted. There's social media commentary woven in (internet fame, sponsors, the financial pressure on a struggling family), but it never feels preachy. Quinn keeps it light, filtered through Chet's hilariously oblivious POV.
And Chet's evolving too. More protective. More aggressive when Bernie's in danger. His "so therefore" logic is sharper, even if he doesn't realize he's doing detective work. Sixteen books later, Spencer Quinn hasn’t lost the magic. If anything, he’s deepened it.
Would I recommend it? If you're already a Chet and Bernie fan, this is a no-brainer. If you've never met Chet, honestly, start with Book 1 (Dog On It), but this would work as a standalone too. It's cozy mystery comfort food with just enough bite to keep you guessing. The narration by Jim Frangione is chef's kiss. He IS Chet. Warm, twisty, emotionally sneaky in the best way.
Originally posted at viewsshewrites.com.
📱📖 Read on Kindle 📃 384 pages ⏱ Duration: 5 hours 🏷️ Publisher: Atria Books (ARC via NetGalley)
Here's the thing about The Final Chapter. It nearly lost me. Not once, not twice, but on multiple occasions in the first forty percent of the book, I set it down and strongly considered sending it back to the DNF pile with a polite but firm "it's not you, it's me." The meta-thriller premise is genuinely clever: a novelist tasked with annotating a dead friend's strange espionage manuscript, hunting for clues hidden in the fiction. Novel within a novel, author within an author. If that concept makes your bookworm heart skip a beat, I understand. Mine did too. But C.B. Everett drops you directly into the deep end without floaties. Both authors' lives unspool simultaneously, the spy narrative cuts in and out, and without any emotional grounding, the early chapters feel more like a briefing document than a book you're supposed to fall into.
And then, somewhere around the halfway mark, the floor drops out and suddenly I'm reading with the kind of focus usually reserved for when someone knocks on the bathroom door mid-chapter. The background fills in, the emotional stakes crystallize, and the pace shifts from "reluctant jog" to full sprint. The character arcs in the second half are genuinely impressive, particularly the way C.B. Everett (the fictional one) becomes a subject of scrutiny alongside the missing friend. The twists land hard. The thriller mechanics click into place like a lock you didn't know was broken. And the meta-fictional layer (the author as character, the book as confession, the novel as code) delivers exactly the kind of layered, literary thrill that fans of the Hawthorne and Horowitz series will recognize and love, albeit considerably darker in tone. Fair warning: there are spy torture scenes that may be a trigger for some readers.
By the final chapter (yes, that one) I had completely forgiven the slow start and was sitting in the slightly stunned aftermath of a book that earns its own title. The Final Chapter is a thriller about the stories we tell, the secrets we keep inside them, and the people we think we know until we really, truly don't. It asks unsettling questions and doesn't entirely let you off the hook. By the end, I had to physically step back and remind myself this was just a book. It felt that real.
Also worth noting: this one leans darker than your typical meta mystery. Think less playful puzzle, more psychological spiral, with some intense spy torture scenes that may not work for everyone.
Would I recommend it? If you can push through a slow-burn first half and trust that the payoff is coming, absolutely yes. The second half of The Final Chapter is a masterclass in meta-thriller pacing, and C.B. Everett builds something genuinely unsettling and emotionally resonant by the end. For fans of literary puzzle-box mysteries, this one will stay with you.
📱📖 Read on Kindle 📃 384 pages ⏱ Duration: 5 hours 🏷️ Publisher: Atria Books (ARC via NetGalley)
Here's the thing about The Final Chapter. It nearly lost me. Not once, not twice, but on multiple occasions in the first forty percent of the book, I set it down and strongly considered sending it back to the DNF pile with a polite but firm "it's not you, it's me." The meta-thriller premise is genuinely clever: a novelist tasked with annotating a dead friend's strange espionage manuscript, hunting for clues hidden in the fiction. Novel within a novel, author within an author. If that concept makes your bookworm heart skip a beat, I understand. Mine did too. But C.B. Everett drops you directly into the deep end without floaties. Both authors' lives unspool simultaneously, the spy narrative cuts in and out, and without any emotional grounding, the early chapters feel more like a briefing document than a book you're supposed to fall into.
And then, somewhere around the halfway mark, the floor drops out and suddenly I'm reading with the kind of focus usually reserved for when someone knocks on the bathroom door mid-chapter. The background fills in, the emotional stakes crystallize, and the pace shifts from "reluctant jog" to full sprint. The character arcs in the second half are genuinely impressive, particularly the way C.B. Everett (the fictional one) becomes a subject of scrutiny alongside the missing friend. The twists land hard. The thriller mechanics click into place like a lock you didn't know was broken. And the meta-fictional layer (the author as character, the book as confession, the novel as code) delivers exactly the kind of layered, literary thrill that fans of the Hawthorne and Horowitz series will recognize and love, albeit considerably darker in tone. Fair warning: there are spy torture scenes that may be a trigger for some readers.
By the final chapter (yes, that one) I had completely forgiven the slow start and was sitting in the slightly stunned aftermath of a book that earns its own title. The Final Chapter is a thriller about the stories we tell, the secrets we keep inside them, and the people we think we know until we really, truly don't. It asks unsettling questions and doesn't entirely let you off the hook. By the end, I had to physically step back and remind myself this was just a book. It felt that real.
Also worth noting: this one leans darker than your typical meta mystery. Think less playful puzzle, more psychological spiral, with some intense spy torture scenes that may not work for everyone.
Would I recommend it? If you can push through a slow-burn first half and trust that the payoff is coming, absolutely yes. The second half of The Final Chapter is a masterclass in meta-thriller pacing, and C.B. Everett builds something genuinely unsettling and emotionally resonant by the end. For fans of literary puzzle-box mysteries, this one will stay with you.
Edition: 🎧 Listened in audio 📢 Narrated by Allyson Morgan ⏱ Duration: 8 hours 🏷️ Publisher: Recorded Books and Poisoned Pen Press 📅 Published: October 28, 2025
I picked this one up because Eva Jurczyk is appearing in MOTIVE 2026, and honestly, a train thriller set in Toronto with stations I actually know (Guildwood, Kingston, Bowmanville, Coburg) sold me immediately. Very Bullet Train energy, minus the assassins (well, maybe). I thought I'd listen casually while working. Wrong! Dead wrong! I cancelled meetings. I stopped answering emails. Agatha Saint John hijacked my entire afternoon, and I wasn't mad about it.
The pacing is relentless in the best way. Every mishap (the spider, the missing attendant, the kid struggling to breath) builds tension like a perfectly stacked Jenga tower. Each one lands quickly, but not chaotically. The familiar VIA route made it visceral. I could feel the train crawling through those snow-covered woods. Allyson Morgan's narration nailed the claustrophobic dread without overdoing it. I was rigth there in the frigid train car, paranoid about every passenger, questioning even Agatha if she was the culprit after all.
But then... the ending. Look, I blasted through this four hour flat, completely absorbed, and finished with more questions than answers. Things wrapped up technically, but the logic felt wobbly. If this person did that, then how did this other thing happen? It's like the puzzle pieces fit, but the picture doesn't quite make sense. Either way, I closed the book feeling more confused than satisfied, which is frustrating after such a killer (pun intended) setup. It didn't ruin the ride, but it definitely took the shine off the landing.
Would I recommend it If you're here for atmosphere, pacing, and that addictive "just one more chapter" energy, this is a compulsive, high-tension thriller that delivers on the journey. The ride itself is worth it with a gripping, claustrophobic, and impossible to pause energy. I'm definitely reading more Eva Jurczyk, because the potential here is massive.
Edition: 🎧 Listened in audio 📢 Narrated by Allyson Morgan ⏱ Duration: 8 hours 🏷️ Publisher: Recorded Books and Poisoned Pen Press 📅 Published: October 28, 2025
I picked this one up because Eva Jurczyk is appearing in MOTIVE 2026, and honestly, a train thriller set in Toronto with stations I actually know (Guildwood, Kingston, Bowmanville, Coburg) sold me immediately. Very Bullet Train energy, minus the assassins (well, maybe). I thought I'd listen casually while working. Wrong! Dead wrong! I cancelled meetings. I stopped answering emails. Agatha Saint John hijacked my entire afternoon, and I wasn't mad about it.
The pacing is relentless in the best way. Every mishap (the spider, the missing attendant, the kid struggling to breath) builds tension like a perfectly stacked Jenga tower. Each one lands quickly, but not chaotically. The familiar VIA route made it visceral. I could feel the train crawling through those snow-covered woods. Allyson Morgan's narration nailed the claustrophobic dread without overdoing it. I was rigth there in the frigid train car, paranoid about every passenger, questioning even Agatha if she was the culprit after all.
But then... the ending. Look, I blasted through this four hour flat, completely absorbed, and finished with more questions than answers. Things wrapped up technically, but the logic felt wobbly. If this person did that, then how did this other thing happen? It's like the puzzle pieces fit, but the picture doesn't quite make sense. Either way, I closed the book feeling more confused than satisfied, which is frustrating after such a killer (pun intended) setup. It didn't ruin the ride, but it definitely took the shine off the landing.
Would I recommend it If you're here for atmosphere, pacing, and that addictive "just one more chapter" energy, this is a compulsive, high-tension thriller that delivers on the journey. The ride itself is worth it with a gripping, claustrophobic, and impossible to pause energy. I'm definitely reading more Eva Jurczyk, because the potential here is massive.
🎧 Listened in audio 📢 Narrated by Ellen Quay ⏱ Duration: 6 hours 🏷️ Publisher: Storm Publishing 📅 Release Date: April 21, 2026 ✨ ARC received via NetGalley
If you’ve read her Secret Bookcase Mystery series, you’ll recognize the rhythm immediately: a contained, book-specific mystery layered over a slow-burn overarching thread. This time, it’s Hal’s Agatha Christie lineage dangling in the background, and I’m already curious how far she’s willing to push that idea. Will she commit and make Hal Agatha's grandson, or keep it tantalizingly vague to avoid stepping on any real-life toes? Either way, I'm invested enough to keep listening.
The central mystery here is easy listening. This is the kind of audiobook you can press play on while folding laundry or commuting and never feel lost. The high school athletics backdrop is cozy mystery comfort food. You've got the overbearing parents, the golden child athlete, the fundraising scandal that smells fishy. It's not groundbreaking, but in a cozy, that's not a bad thing. You don't want disturbing. You want familiar with a twist, and Alexander delivers. Ellen Quay's narration helps; she's got a warm, steady voice that makes this the perfect bedtime listen (in the best way! I mean that as a compliment).
What surprised me most is that I didn’t bounce off this one like I almost did with book one. It’s still low-stakes in terms of emotional intensity, but there’s something comforting about that. It’s familiar, steady, and just twisty enough to keep your brain lightly ticking without demanding full attention.
Would I recommend it? If you’re in the mood for a cozy mystery that doesn’t demand your full soul (or your full attention span), this works. It’s a “press play and vibe” kind of listen. Ellen Quay's narration is the cherry on top. Not every book needs to blow your mind; sometimes you just need a pleasant escape into small-town murder and literary history. And if you enjoy series with an ongoing thread tying everything together, this one is shaping up nicely.
🎧 Listened in audio 📢 Narrated by Ellen Quay ⏱ Duration: 6 hours 🏷️ Publisher: Storm Publishing 📅 Release Date: April 21, 2026 ✨ ARC received via NetGalley
If you’ve read her Secret Bookcase Mystery series, you’ll recognize the rhythm immediately: a contained, book-specific mystery layered over a slow-burn overarching thread. This time, it’s Hal’s Agatha Christie lineage dangling in the background, and I’m already curious how far she’s willing to push that idea. Will she commit and make Hal Agatha's grandson, or keep it tantalizingly vague to avoid stepping on any real-life toes? Either way, I'm invested enough to keep listening.
The central mystery here is easy listening. This is the kind of audiobook you can press play on while folding laundry or commuting and never feel lost. The high school athletics backdrop is cozy mystery comfort food. You've got the overbearing parents, the golden child athlete, the fundraising scandal that smells fishy. It's not groundbreaking, but in a cozy, that's not a bad thing. You don't want disturbing. You want familiar with a twist, and Alexander delivers. Ellen Quay's narration helps; she's got a warm, steady voice that makes this the perfect bedtime listen (in the best way! I mean that as a compliment).
What surprised me most is that I didn’t bounce off this one like I almost did with book one. It’s still low-stakes in terms of emotional intensity, but there’s something comforting about that. It’s familiar, steady, and just twisty enough to keep your brain lightly ticking without demanding full attention.
Would I recommend it? If you’re in the mood for a cozy mystery that doesn’t demand your full soul (or your full attention span), this works. It’s a “press play and vibe” kind of listen. Ellen Quay's narration is the cherry on top. Not every book needs to blow your mind; sometimes you just need a pleasant escape into small-town murder and literary history. And if you enjoy series with an ongoing thread tying everything together, this one is shaping up nicely.
📱📖 Read on Kindle 📃 336 pages ⏱ Duration: 5 hours 🏷️ Publisher: Crooked Lane Books ✨ ARC provided by NetGalley & Edelweiss
After thoroughly enjoying 'The Queens of Crime', I couldn't wait to start reading Rosanne Limoncelli's second book in the series. This sequel is darker, grittier, and considerable less interested in playing nice. The cozy veneer, that was prominent in Book One, is entirely gone. In its place is a wartime thriller with teeth, power dynamics that make your skin crawl, the grinding indignity of being a woman in the Metropolitan Police in 1941, and the kind of institutional rot that feels uncomfortably timeless. I kept asking myself: What's happening to Richard? How deep does MI5 go? How is Ngiao Marsh going to contribute from the other side of the globe? And how are these seemingly separate threads going to collide?
The best part about this book is that it quietly corrects its own predecessor. In Book One, there's something deliciously fun but also slight stretch of imagination about the crime writing Queens being amateur sleuths, purely because of their writing experience. This book hands the baton back to the professionals. DCI Lilian Wyles and May carry this story, and the result is a sharper, more grounded thriller that feels true to the era. Lilian in particular gets a stunning character arc. Watching her navigate institutional sexism without flinching, choosing what's right over what's easy, made me want to stand up and clap in my reading chair. She's a real historical figure and Limoncelli does her justice in a way that feels like a love letter and a reckoning all at once.
The four Queens are still magnificent, don't' get me wrong. But they are deployed with more restraint and precision in Book One. Dorothy doesn't hold back. Agatha's pharmacy subplot is quietly chilling. Even from New Zealand, Ngiao connects to the team spectacularly. Margery and Susana just dives in the midst of the whole story. The way their separate wartime threads eventually weave into Wyles's investigation is genuinely plotting. If The Four Queens of Crime was a sparkling cocktail party, Death at King's Cross is the morning after, when the real work begins. I didn't expect to enjoy the sequel more than the original, but I absolutely did!
Would I recommend it? If you are expecting cozy vibes, reset and revisit. This one leans firmly into thriller territory. Limoncelli has sharpened her craft with every page and this book is proof that a series can not only continue well, but actually improve. Read Book One first (trust me, the payoff matters), then clear your afternoon for this one.
📱📖 Read on Kindle 📃 336 pages ⏱ Duration: 5 hours 🏷️ Publisher: Crooked Lane Books ✨ ARC provided by NetGalley & Edelweiss
After thoroughly enjoying 'The Queens of Crime', I couldn't wait to start reading Rosanne Limoncelli's second book in the series. This sequel is darker, grittier, and considerable less interested in playing nice. The cozy veneer, that was prominent in Book One, is entirely gone. In its place is a wartime thriller with teeth, power dynamics that make your skin crawl, the grinding indignity of being a woman in the Metropolitan Police in 1941, and the kind of institutional rot that feels uncomfortably timeless. I kept asking myself: What's happening to Richard? How deep does MI5 go? How is Ngiao Marsh going to contribute from the other side of the globe? And how are these seemingly separate threads going to collide?
The best part about this book is that it quietly corrects its own predecessor. In Book One, there's something deliciously fun but also slight stretch of imagination about the crime writing Queens being amateur sleuths, purely because of their writing experience. This book hands the baton back to the professionals. DCI Lilian Wyles and May carry this story, and the result is a sharper, more grounded thriller that feels true to the era. Lilian in particular gets a stunning character arc. Watching her navigate institutional sexism without flinching, choosing what's right over what's easy, made me want to stand up and clap in my reading chair. She's a real historical figure and Limoncelli does her justice in a way that feels like a love letter and a reckoning all at once.
The four Queens are still magnificent, don't' get me wrong. But they are deployed with more restraint and precision in Book One. Dorothy doesn't hold back. Agatha's pharmacy subplot is quietly chilling. Even from New Zealand, Ngiao connects to the team spectacularly. Margery and Susana just dives in the midst of the whole story. The way their separate wartime threads eventually weave into Wyles's investigation is genuinely plotting. If The Four Queens of Crime was a sparkling cocktail party, Death at King's Cross is the morning after, when the real work begins. I didn't expect to enjoy the sequel more than the original, but I absolutely did!
Would I recommend it? If you are expecting cozy vibes, reset and revisit. This one leans firmly into thriller territory. Limoncelli has sharpened her craft with every page and this book is proof that a series can not only continue well, but actually improve. Read Book One first (trust me, the payoff matters), then clear your afternoon for this one.
🎧 Listened in audio 📢 Narrated by Jim Frangione ⏱ Duration: 9 hours 📱📖 Also read as ARC 📃 320 pages 🏷️ Publisher: Recorded Books and Minotaur Books | Release Date: April 14, 2026
Sixteen books in, and Spencer Quinn still has me wrapped around Chet's dewclaw. Cat on a Hot Tin Woof feels both comfortably familiar and surprisingly fresh, like your favorite sweater that somehow got softer in the wash. We’re back to cat-hunting (a full-circle moment if you’ve been here since A Cat Was Involved), and Chet is… not thrilled. Chet's disdain for cats collides beautifully with his soft spot for Bitty, the teen girl whose livelihood depends on finding Miss Kitty. The way Chet describes her ("the moon shines out of her eyes") is so earnest and dog-brained that I actually got misty. He doesn't want to care about this case, but he cares about her, and that's everything.
This one hit a little harder emotionally for me. Chet getting lost and ending up in the pound (no collar, no Bernie) was rough. I felt that panic. I heard it in the narration. And maybe that’s why the quick reunion felt like a tiny cheat… but also, I’ll allow it because I cannot handle prolonged separation. The mystery itself is twisty without being convoluted. There's social media commentary woven in (internet fame, sponsors, the financial pressure on a struggling family), but it never feels preachy. Quinn keeps it light, filtered through Chet's hilariously oblivious POV.
And Chet's evolving too. More protective. More aggressive when Bernie's in danger. His "so therefore" logic is sharper, even if he doesn't realize he's doing detective work. Sixteen books later, Spencer Quinn hasn’t lost the magic. If anything, he’s deepened it.
Would I recommend it? If you're already a Chet and Bernie fan, this is a no-brainer. If you've never met Chet, honestly, start with Book 1 (Dog On It), but this would work as a standalone too. It's cozy mystery comfort food with just enough bite to keep you guessing. The narration by Jim Frangione is chef's kiss. He IS Chet. Warm, twisty, emotionally sneaky in the best way.
Originally posted at viewsshewrites.com.
🎧 Listened in audio 📢 Narrated by Jim Frangione ⏱ Duration: 9 hours 📱📖 Also read as ARC 📃 320 pages 🏷️ Publisher: Recorded Books and Minotaur Books | Release Date: April 14, 2026
Sixteen books in, and Spencer Quinn still has me wrapped around Chet's dewclaw. Cat on a Hot Tin Woof feels both comfortably familiar and surprisingly fresh, like your favorite sweater that somehow got softer in the wash. We’re back to cat-hunting (a full-circle moment if you’ve been here since A Cat Was Involved), and Chet is… not thrilled. Chet's disdain for cats collides beautifully with his soft spot for Bitty, the teen girl whose livelihood depends on finding Miss Kitty. The way Chet describes her ("the moon shines out of her eyes") is so earnest and dog-brained that I actually got misty. He doesn't want to care about this case, but he cares about her, and that's everything.
This one hit a little harder emotionally for me. Chet getting lost and ending up in the pound (no collar, no Bernie) was rough. I felt that panic. I heard it in the narration. And maybe that’s why the quick reunion felt like a tiny cheat… but also, I’ll allow it because I cannot handle prolonged separation. The mystery itself is twisty without being convoluted. There's social media commentary woven in (internet fame, sponsors, the financial pressure on a struggling family), but it never feels preachy. Quinn keeps it light, filtered through Chet's hilariously oblivious POV.
And Chet's evolving too. More protective. More aggressive when Bernie's in danger. His "so therefore" logic is sharper, even if he doesn't realize he's doing detective work. Sixteen books later, Spencer Quinn hasn’t lost the magic. If anything, he’s deepened it.
Would I recommend it? If you're already a Chet and Bernie fan, this is a no-brainer. If you've never met Chet, honestly, start with Book 1 (Dog On It), but this would work as a standalone too. It's cozy mystery comfort food with just enough bite to keep you guessing. The narration by Jim Frangione is chef's kiss. He IS Chet. Warm, twisty, emotionally sneaky in the best way.
Originally posted at viewsshewrites.com.
I picked this one for the Goodreads Marathon Reader Challenge. You know, the "read a book over 500 pages" dare. Look, I'm not afraid of big books. If a book's good, I don't feel the weight. But this one? I went in ready to commit (19 hours is not casual listening) but I expected that slow burn payoff that makes a long book feel immersive instead of exhausting. That didn’t happen. This is one of those books where you keep waiting for the point to reveal itself, and at 40%, I was still very much waiting.
The themes are interesting on paper: marriage, identity, the absurdity of wellness culture, and modern disconnection. But the execution felt meandering. It’s introspective to the point of inertia. I didn’t feel anchored to the characters enough to care about where they were headed, and that’s a problem in a book this long. Ari Fliakos does a solid job narrating, but even a good narrator can’t save a story that refuses to hook you.
I know people loved this book. Goodreads reviews are full of five-star raves. And honestly? Good for them. Not every book is for every reader, and clearly, I'm not Nathan Hill's people. Maybe if I'd stuck it out, something would've landed. But life's too short to slog through nearly 20 hours hoping for a payoff that may never come. I quit. No regrets.
I picked this one for the Goodreads Marathon Reader Challenge. You know, the "read a book over 500 pages" dare. Look, I'm not afraid of big books. If a book's good, I don't feel the weight. But this one? I went in ready to commit (19 hours is not casual listening) but I expected that slow burn payoff that makes a long book feel immersive instead of exhausting. That didn’t happen. This is one of those books where you keep waiting for the point to reveal itself, and at 40%, I was still very much waiting.
The themes are interesting on paper: marriage, identity, the absurdity of wellness culture, and modern disconnection. But the execution felt meandering. It’s introspective to the point of inertia. I didn’t feel anchored to the characters enough to care about where they were headed, and that’s a problem in a book this long. Ari Fliakos does a solid job narrating, but even a good narrator can’t save a story that refuses to hook you.
I know people loved this book. Goodreads reviews are full of five-star raves. And honestly? Good for them. Not every book is for every reader, and clearly, I'm not Nathan Hill's people. Maybe if I'd stuck it out, something would've landed. But life's too short to slog through nearly 20 hours hoping for a payoff that may never come. I quit. No regrets.
🎧 Listened in audio 📢 Narrated by: Saskia Maarleveld ⏱ Duration: 9 hours 🏷️ Publisher: William Morrow (an imprint of HarperCollins) 📅 Published: February 17, 2026 Genre: Fantasy
I'll be honest, I almost bailed on this book in the first few chapters. The pacing wobbled, and for a moment, I wondered if this magical library was one I'd quietly exit. But then, Kate Quinn hit the emotional resonance that makes her writing so addictive.
The concept of The Astral Library is exactly the kind of fantasy that speaks directly to the inner bookworm you've been carefully maintaining since childhood. A hidden library wher eyou can step inside your favorite novels and live there, not as the hero, but as a nobody? As the green grocer across from 221B Baker Street, watching Sherlock Holmes sweep past you on a Tuesday? As a teacher at Hogwarts, making small talk with McGonagall over a mug of butterbeer in the staffroom? As a retired resident of Coopers Chase trying to worm your way into Joyce's inner circle? (Just me? Fine!) I'd genuinely like to resign from real life and submit my CV to the Astral Library immediately. Kate Quinn was absolutely channeling her inner childhood bookworm with this one, and it shows. This book has the energy of someone who was told no, you can't live inside a story one too many times and finally decided to write back.
Alix is an easy to root character as a foster kid who's finally found a place where stories return her love. The slow-burn romance between her and the costume-maker adds tenderness without distracting from the central plot. The threat-to-the-library plot is solid, and Saskia Maarleveld narrates with the kind of warmth and energy that makes a 9-hour listen feels like three. What lingered for me though, was the delicious ache of wanting to step into a book and never leave. By the end, I had made approximately four different lists of which book worlds I would immediately apply to live in. That's the mark of a story that's done its job.
Would I recommend it? For every bookworm who has ever dog-eared a page and thought I'd never want to leave this world, this book is for you. This is not a perfect book. The pacing plays a little too coy with the very premise you came for. But the concept is pure joy, the narration is gorgeous, and the emotional core of books as refuge and libraries as lifelines, hits right where it's meant to. For those who've ever wished their library card was a portal pass, this one's for you.
🎧 Listened in audio 📢 Narrated by: Saskia Maarleveld ⏱ Duration: 9 hours 🏷️ Publisher: William Morrow (an imprint of HarperCollins) 📅 Published: February 17, 2026 Genre: Fantasy
I'll be honest, I almost bailed on this book in the first few chapters. The pacing wobbled, and for a moment, I wondered if this magical library was one I'd quietly exit. But then, Kate Quinn hit the emotional resonance that makes her writing so addictive.
The concept of The Astral Library is exactly the kind of fantasy that speaks directly to the inner bookworm you've been carefully maintaining since childhood. A hidden library wher eyou can step inside your favorite novels and live there, not as the hero, but as a nobody? As the green grocer across from 221B Baker Street, watching Sherlock Holmes sweep past you on a Tuesday? As a teacher at Hogwarts, making small talk with McGonagall over a mug of butterbeer in the staffroom? As a retired resident of Coopers Chase trying to worm your way into Joyce's inner circle? (Just me? Fine!) I'd genuinely like to resign from real life and submit my CV to the Astral Library immediately. Kate Quinn was absolutely channeling her inner childhood bookworm with this one, and it shows. This book has the energy of someone who was told no, you can't live inside a story one too many times and finally decided to write back.
Alix is an easy to root character as a foster kid who's finally found a place where stories return her love. The slow-burn romance between her and the costume-maker adds tenderness without distracting from the central plot. The threat-to-the-library plot is solid, and Saskia Maarleveld narrates with the kind of warmth and energy that makes a 9-hour listen feels like three. What lingered for me though, was the delicious ache of wanting to step into a book and never leave. By the end, I had made approximately four different lists of which book worlds I would immediately apply to live in. That's the mark of a story that's done its job.
Would I recommend it? For every bookworm who has ever dog-eared a page and thought I'd never want to leave this world, this book is for you. This is not a perfect book. The pacing plays a little too coy with the very premise you came for. But the concept is pure joy, the narration is gorgeous, and the emotional core of books as refuge and libraries as lifelines, hits right where it's meant to. For those who've ever wished their library card was a portal pass, this one's for you.
📱📖 Read on Kindle 📃 368 pages ⏱ Duration: ~5 hours 🏷️ Publisher: Penguin Books 📅 Published: September 30, 2025
There are series that ride on peaks. Not every book hits the same high note, but the best ones know when to shift tempo. Richard Osman's Thursday Murder club series has found its rhythm, and The Impossible Fortune proves he knows exactly when to slow down for moments that matter most. Book 2 and Book 4 set the emotional benchmarks, but Book 5 lingers in its aftermath. The grief isn't loud, but it's everywhere. The book harmonizes with Book 4 beautifully.
Elizabeth is still reeling from Stephen's death, and Osman doesn't rush her grief. The scene where she and Bogdan stand around Stephen's empty chair discussing life gutted me. When Elizabeth offers Bogdan the chair saying "Stephen would have liked it," and Bodgan refuses because "he's still sitting here," I had to put my Kindle down. That's the kind of writing that sneaks up on you in a cozy mystery series about pensioners solving crimes.
The Nick and Holly kidnapping mystery is solid, twisty, and perfectly plotted. But here's the genius move. Osman let's the £35 million puzzle simmer in the background while Ron's story takes centre stage. Watching Ron protect his grandson Kenderick from Danny Lloyd's calculated cruelty was gut-wrenching in the best way. A ten-year-old carrying that much weight on his tiny shoulders felt unbearable to me, especially as I was reading it sitting next to my one-year-old niece. I wanted to bubble wrap him and protect him from the world. But then I remember he's got Suzi, Jason, Ron, and the entire Thursday Murder Club in his corner, with even Connie stepping up to protect him.
Osman takes what could have been a formulaic mystery and transforms it into masterclass in character development, proving that sometimes the best plot twist is caring more about the people than the puzzle. The impossible fortune in this book remained the people. Always the people!
Would I recommend it? Absolutely, unequivocally, without hesitation! The Impossible Fortune is what happens when an author trusts his characters enough to let them breathe, grieve, and grow while still delivering a cracking mystery. The Nick and Holly case provides plenty of intrigue, but the real story is watching Elizabeth find her footing and Ron stepping back into the fierce lion to protect his family. Osman executed a brilliant narrative sleigh of hand, making the 'main' mystery the backdrop while elevating the emotional stakes to the foreground. This is peak Thursday Murder Club.
📱📖 Read on Kindle 📃 368 pages ⏱ Duration: ~5 hours 🏷️ Publisher: Penguin Books 📅 Published: September 30, 2025
There are series that ride on peaks. Not every book hits the same high note, but the best ones know when to shift tempo. Richard Osman's Thursday Murder club series has found its rhythm, and The Impossible Fortune proves he knows exactly when to slow down for moments that matter most. Book 2 and Book 4 set the emotional benchmarks, but Book 5 lingers in its aftermath. The grief isn't loud, but it's everywhere. The book harmonizes with Book 4 beautifully.
Elizabeth is still reeling from Stephen's death, and Osman doesn't rush her grief. The scene where she and Bogdan stand around Stephen's empty chair discussing life gutted me. When Elizabeth offers Bogdan the chair saying "Stephen would have liked it," and Bodgan refuses because "he's still sitting here," I had to put my Kindle down. That's the kind of writing that sneaks up on you in a cozy mystery series about pensioners solving crimes.
The Nick and Holly kidnapping mystery is solid, twisty, and perfectly plotted. But here's the genius move. Osman let's the £35 million puzzle simmer in the background while Ron's story takes centre stage. Watching Ron protect his grandson Kenderick from Danny Lloyd's calculated cruelty was gut-wrenching in the best way. A ten-year-old carrying that much weight on his tiny shoulders felt unbearable to me, especially as I was reading it sitting next to my one-year-old niece. I wanted to bubble wrap him and protect him from the world. But then I remember he's got Suzi, Jason, Ron, and the entire Thursday Murder Club in his corner, with even Connie stepping up to protect him.
Osman takes what could have been a formulaic mystery and transforms it into masterclass in character development, proving that sometimes the best plot twist is caring more about the people than the puzzle. The impossible fortune in this book remained the people. Always the people!
Would I recommend it? Absolutely, unequivocally, without hesitation! The Impossible Fortune is what happens when an author trusts his characters enough to let them breathe, grieve, and grow while still delivering a cracking mystery. The Nick and Holly case provides plenty of intrigue, but the real story is watching Elizabeth find her footing and Ron stepping back into the fierce lion to protect his family. Osman executed a brilliant narrative sleigh of hand, making the 'main' mystery the backdrop while elevating the emotional stakes to the foreground. This is peak Thursday Murder Club.
🎧 Listened in audio 📢 Narrated by Rory Kinnear — ARC from NetGalley ⏱ Duration: 9 hours 🏷️ Publisher: HarperCollins 📅 Publishing Date: April 28, 2026 Genre: Cozy Mystery
Here's the one thing that keeps me hooked on this series - the sheer brilliance and glorious weirdness of Anthony Horowitz making himself a character and then treating himself like the least important person in the room. This choice never gets old for me. In A Deadly Episode, we're back with the Hawthorne and Horowitz duo, and from the very first pages, Horowitz is being gently, cheerfully sidelined by his own publisher in favor of Hawthorne, because Hawthorne is the one who actually did it, right? The act of demeaning his own fictional character just enough to make Hawthorne look like the great towering genius of the story somehow works every single time. I spent half the book feeling bad for Horowitz and the other half admiring how brilliantly he's weaponizing that dynamic.
The premise is delicious. The film adaptation of The Word is Murder turns into a mystery itself. A screen version of The Word is Murder already feels meta, and then Horowitz drops a murder into the middle of it like he's casually showing off. The setting gave the story extra energy. I loved how the tensions behind the scenes mirrored the actual investigation. It all felt like a puzzle box built by someone who knows exactly how to keep the readers slightly off balance. The longer the book is, the happier I am because more pages means more time in this world, and nine hours of Rory Kinnear's narration felt like a gift I didn't deserve but absolutely accepted. Rory gives Hawthorn that superior edge while letting Horowitz sound perfectly self-deprecating, and the audiobook feels smoother, sharper, and like a complete character because of it.
And then there's Hawthorne's past. We get another tantalizing crumb of Danny Hawthorne's backstory in a just-enough way to keep you desperate for more. Every little glimpse into his childhood made me lean in harder, because I'm convinced there's a bigger story waiting there. I'm convinced a future book will pull back the curtain fully on who Hawthorne really is, and I can't wait to get my hands on it. This is the sixth book in the series, and Horowitz is still finding new ways to deepen it. That's not craft. That's sorcery.
Would I recommend it? This is a smart, playful, sharply constructed cozy mystery with a heavy dose of meta-fiction and one of the most entertaining author-as-character setup in crime fiction. I'm not even trying to be subtle. Anthony Horowitz is sheer genius , and this book is more proof of that.
🎧 Listened in audio 📢 Narrated by Rory Kinnear — ARC from NetGalley ⏱ Duration: 9 hours 🏷️ Publisher: HarperCollins 📅 Publishing Date: April 28, 2026 Genre: Cozy Mystery
Here's the one thing that keeps me hooked on this series - the sheer brilliance and glorious weirdness of Anthony Horowitz making himself a character and then treating himself like the least important person in the room. This choice never gets old for me. In A Deadly Episode, we're back with the Hawthorne and Horowitz duo, and from the very first pages, Horowitz is being gently, cheerfully sidelined by his own publisher in favor of Hawthorne, because Hawthorne is the one who actually did it, right? The act of demeaning his own fictional character just enough to make Hawthorne look like the great towering genius of the story somehow works every single time. I spent half the book feeling bad for Horowitz and the other half admiring how brilliantly he's weaponizing that dynamic.
The premise is delicious. The film adaptation of The Word is Murder turns into a mystery itself. A screen version of The Word is Murder already feels meta, and then Horowitz drops a murder into the middle of it like he's casually showing off. The setting gave the story extra energy. I loved how the tensions behind the scenes mirrored the actual investigation. It all felt like a puzzle box built by someone who knows exactly how to keep the readers slightly off balance. The longer the book is, the happier I am because more pages means more time in this world, and nine hours of Rory Kinnear's narration felt like a gift I didn't deserve but absolutely accepted. Rory gives Hawthorn that superior edge while letting Horowitz sound perfectly self-deprecating, and the audiobook feels smoother, sharper, and like a complete character because of it.
And then there's Hawthorne's past. We get another tantalizing crumb of Danny Hawthorne's backstory in a just-enough way to keep you desperate for more. Every little glimpse into his childhood made me lean in harder, because I'm convinced there's a bigger story waiting there. I'm convinced a future book will pull back the curtain fully on who Hawthorne really is, and I can't wait to get my hands on it. This is the sixth book in the series, and Horowitz is still finding new ways to deepen it. That's not craft. That's sorcery.
Would I recommend it? This is a smart, playful, sharply constructed cozy mystery with a heavy dose of meta-fiction and one of the most entertaining author-as-character setup in crime fiction. I'm not even trying to be subtle. Anthony Horowitz is sheer genius , and this book is more proof of that.
📱📖 Read on Kindle 📃 212 pages ⏱ Duration: 3 hours 🏷️ Publisher: Self Published (Sept 10, 2019) ARC provided by NetGalley
Here's the thing about small-town cozy mysteries: they live or die on the town. Mirror Falls had all the ingredients: a recently widowed protagonist starting over, a cast of quirky locals, a cold Minnesota setting practically begging for comfort reads and hot beverages. I was ready to settle in. The premise hooked me: Lainey, sharp ex-investigator, probes family secrets after Mary's test bombshell. Neat resolution ties it up, sure.
And then the story decided it was in a hurry. The rapid-fire events steamrolled everything. Situations piled up without breathing room, leaving characters as sketches, not folks you'd root for over coffee. No time to bond with Mirror Falls or feel the stakes. it all blurred into a hasty sprint. Pacing this breakneck kills the cozy heart. The DNA ancestry hook is genuinely clever, and inheritance-gone-wrong is a premise with real tension. But clever premise and satisfying execution are two different things, and this book doesn't quite bridge the gap.
I didn't finish this one wanting more time in Mirror Falls, which is rarely a good sign for book one of a series.
Would I recommend it? This one didn't land. Loose plot rushes through DNA twists without lovable characters or relatable stakes, despite tidy ending. Skipping the Lainey Maynard series. No pull to chase more Mirror Falls mayhem.
📱📖 Read on Kindle 📃 212 pages ⏱ Duration: 3 hours 🏷️ Publisher: Self Published (Sept 10, 2019) ARC provided by NetGalley
Here's the thing about small-town cozy mysteries: they live or die on the town. Mirror Falls had all the ingredients: a recently widowed protagonist starting over, a cast of quirky locals, a cold Minnesota setting practically begging for comfort reads and hot beverages. I was ready to settle in. The premise hooked me: Lainey, sharp ex-investigator, probes family secrets after Mary's test bombshell. Neat resolution ties it up, sure.
And then the story decided it was in a hurry. The rapid-fire events steamrolled everything. Situations piled up without breathing room, leaving characters as sketches, not folks you'd root for over coffee. No time to bond with Mirror Falls or feel the stakes. it all blurred into a hasty sprint. Pacing this breakneck kills the cozy heart. The DNA ancestry hook is genuinely clever, and inheritance-gone-wrong is a premise with real tension. But clever premise and satisfying execution are two different things, and this book doesn't quite bridge the gap.
I didn't finish this one wanting more time in Mirror Falls, which is rarely a good sign for book one of a series.
Would I recommend it? This one didn't land. Loose plot rushes through DNA twists without lovable characters or relatable stakes, despite tidy ending. Skipping the Lainey Maynard series. No pull to chase more Mirror Falls mayhem.
🎧 Listened in audio 📢 Narrated by L.J. Ganser ⏱ Duration: 14 hours 🏷️ Publisher: SoHo Crime ARC provided by NetGalley Genre: Cozy Mystery
I want to paint you a picture: 30+ hours of flight delays. Lost baggage. Airport limbo. The kind of travel day that makes you question every life choices, including the one where you said yes to the connecting flight. And through every single chaotic minute of it, Björn Diemel had me cackling. Karsten Dusse did not just save my sanity on that trip, he elevated it, which fittingly, is very on-brand for a book about mindfulness.
Björn Diemel is a defense lawyer so deep in mob entanglement that his moral compass doesn't just spin, it's completely detached from its housing. And yet, through the lens of his therapy sessions with mindfulness counselor Joschka Brietner, he becomes genuinely thoughtful, present, and self-aware about everything except the murders. The mindfulness lessons at the start of each chapters, I'm not joking when I say, are legitimately applicable to real life. How does this man write a satirical crime romp that also doubles as a functional self-help guide? I don't know. I don't need to know. I just need the rest of the series RIGHT NOW!!
I should mention, I actually read Book 2 first because NetGalley approved it before this one landed in my queue. I went into Murder Mindfully already knowing I loved this world, and I was prepared to enjoy this one too. What I wasn't prepared for was loving Book 1 more. The origin story hits differently when you know where Björn ends up, The dark comedy is sharper here, the stakes feel fresher, and watching him justify his first foray into crime with the serenity of a man who has just discovered breathe work is chef's kiss.
The translation by Florian Duijsens deserves its own round of applause. The dry wit and comedic timing land perfectly in English. The narration by L. J. Ganser adds another layer to the beauty of this book. His dry, deadpan delivery perfectly matches Dusse's humor Imagine Breaking Bad meets Headspace, but make it cozy. That's this audiobook. This book was a German bestseller before it was anything else, and to think English readers almost missed it entirely? Absolutely criminal. (Björn would agree, and then he'd do something about it, very calmly.)
Would I recommend it? If you've been sleeping on this one, wake up, caffeinate, and add this to your TBR immediately. Murder Mindfully is the kind of book you'll want to shout about from rooftops while also texting your group chat the funniest quotes at midnight. It's dark, it's deliriously funny, it's oddly instructive about mindfulness, and it features one of the most unhinged protagonist I've ever had the pleasure of spending 14 hours with. This series is a gift to the reading world, and I will be at MOTIVE in Toronto in June, making absolutely no attempt to be cool when I meet Karsten Dusse.
Originally posted at viewsshewrites.com.
🎧 Listened in audio 📢 Narrated by L.J. Ganser ⏱ Duration: 14 hours 🏷️ Publisher: SoHo Crime ARC provided by NetGalley Genre: Cozy Mystery
I want to paint you a picture: 30+ hours of flight delays. Lost baggage. Airport limbo. The kind of travel day that makes you question every life choices, including the one where you said yes to the connecting flight. And through every single chaotic minute of it, Björn Diemel had me cackling. Karsten Dusse did not just save my sanity on that trip, he elevated it, which fittingly, is very on-brand for a book about mindfulness.
Björn Diemel is a defense lawyer so deep in mob entanglement that his moral compass doesn't just spin, it's completely detached from its housing. And yet, through the lens of his therapy sessions with mindfulness counselor Joschka Brietner, he becomes genuinely thoughtful, present, and self-aware about everything except the murders. The mindfulness lessons at the start of each chapters, I'm not joking when I say, are legitimately applicable to real life. How does this man write a satirical crime romp that also doubles as a functional self-help guide? I don't know. I don't need to know. I just need the rest of the series RIGHT NOW!!
I should mention, I actually read Book 2 first because NetGalley approved it before this one landed in my queue. I went into Murder Mindfully already knowing I loved this world, and I was prepared to enjoy this one too. What I wasn't prepared for was loving Book 1 more. The origin story hits differently when you know where Björn ends up, The dark comedy is sharper here, the stakes feel fresher, and watching him justify his first foray into crime with the serenity of a man who has just discovered breathe work is chef's kiss.
The translation by Florian Duijsens deserves its own round of applause. The dry wit and comedic timing land perfectly in English. The narration by L. J. Ganser adds another layer to the beauty of this book. His dry, deadpan delivery perfectly matches Dusse's humor Imagine Breaking Bad meets Headspace, but make it cozy. That's this audiobook. This book was a German bestseller before it was anything else, and to think English readers almost missed it entirely? Absolutely criminal. (Björn would agree, and then he'd do something about it, very calmly.)
Would I recommend it? If you've been sleeping on this one, wake up, caffeinate, and add this to your TBR immediately. Murder Mindfully is the kind of book you'll want to shout about from rooftops while also texting your group chat the funniest quotes at midnight. It's dark, it's deliriously funny, it's oddly instructive about mindfulness, and it features one of the most unhinged protagonist I've ever had the pleasure of spending 14 hours with. This series is a gift to the reading world, and I will be at MOTIVE in Toronto in June, making absolutely no attempt to be cool when I meet Karsten Dusse.
Originally posted at viewsshewrites.com.
📱📖 Read on Kobo 📃 421 pages ⏱ Duration: 5 hours 🏷️ Publisher: Viking Genre: Cozy Mystery
This book broke me! I was of course expecting sharp wit, a murder that shouldn't be funny but somehow is, Joyce's dairy entries making me snort-laugh, and a tidy resolution with smuggled goods and suspicious antiques. What I didn't expect was hot deeply it would hurt. That's the thing with Richard Osman. He lures you in with lunch plans that include a smuggler, a killer, a Canadian ghost, a con artist, and an antiques professor, like it's just another afternoon, and somewhere between the laughs, he quietly breaks your entire heart.
The laughs are still there. The mystery is solid. Art forgery, heroin, an execution-style murder that kicks everything off. The plot threads weave together the way Osman does best in a purposely messy but satisfying end. But let's be honest. Nobody reading Book Four of this series is here purely for the whodunit. We're here for them. The beating heart of this story belongs to Stephen and Elizabeth. Their love, tangled in dementia and its slow theft of memory, shines brighter than any twist or reveal. When Stephen's journey comes full circle, everything else fades into grey. You feel Elizabeth's silence, her grief, her stillness, and the world momentarily stops, for you too, along with her. And this is where Osman asks us to pay the emotional price of loving these characters. The dementia storyline with Stephen was always on the horizon, but nothing prepared me for how it lands. It doesn't happen loudly. It happens quietly, steadily, like a light being turned down on a dimmer watch.
I finished this book and genuinely zombied out. Couldn't sleep. Kept thinking about what it means to love someone through memory loss, to lose them while they're still right there. This book is a love letter to dementia and their caregivers, to people watching their favorite person disappear in real time, and Osman handles it with such devastating tenderness that I'm still not okay. A reminder that even in a mystery, the most haunting unknown is the human heart itself.
This isn't just the best book in the series, this is the best book ever. Full stop. I don't know how he would top it. I am not sure he needs to.
Would I recommend it? This is the Thursday Murder Club at its most human, most hilarious, and most heartbreaking all at once. The mystery is fun, the banter is beautiful, but the real star is the love story buried inside it. If you've been following the series, this is the one that will wreck you in the best possible way. Osman outdoes himself. This is storytelling with a soul. Keep tissues close!
📱📖 Read on Kobo 📃 421 pages ⏱ Duration: 5 hours 🏷️ Publisher: Viking Genre: Cozy Mystery
This book broke me! I was of course expecting sharp wit, a murder that shouldn't be funny but somehow is, Joyce's dairy entries making me snort-laugh, and a tidy resolution with smuggled goods and suspicious antiques. What I didn't expect was hot deeply it would hurt. That's the thing with Richard Osman. He lures you in with lunch plans that include a smuggler, a killer, a Canadian ghost, a con artist, and an antiques professor, like it's just another afternoon, and somewhere between the laughs, he quietly breaks your entire heart.
The laughs are still there. The mystery is solid. Art forgery, heroin, an execution-style murder that kicks everything off. The plot threads weave together the way Osman does best in a purposely messy but satisfying end. But let's be honest. Nobody reading Book Four of this series is here purely for the whodunit. We're here for them. The beating heart of this story belongs to Stephen and Elizabeth. Their love, tangled in dementia and its slow theft of memory, shines brighter than any twist or reveal. When Stephen's journey comes full circle, everything else fades into grey. You feel Elizabeth's silence, her grief, her stillness, and the world momentarily stops, for you too, along with her. And this is where Osman asks us to pay the emotional price of loving these characters. The dementia storyline with Stephen was always on the horizon, but nothing prepared me for how it lands. It doesn't happen loudly. It happens quietly, steadily, like a light being turned down on a dimmer watch.
I finished this book and genuinely zombied out. Couldn't sleep. Kept thinking about what it means to love someone through memory loss, to lose them while they're still right there. This book is a love letter to dementia and their caregivers, to people watching their favorite person disappear in real time, and Osman handles it with such devastating tenderness that I'm still not okay. A reminder that even in a mystery, the most haunting unknown is the human heart itself.
This isn't just the best book in the series, this is the best book ever. Full stop. I don't know how he would top it. I am not sure he needs to.
Would I recommend it? This is the Thursday Murder Club at its most human, most hilarious, and most heartbreaking all at once. The mystery is fun, the banter is beautiful, but the real star is the love story buried inside it. If you've been following the series, this is the one that will wreck you in the best possible way. Osman outdoes himself. This is storytelling with a soul. Keep tissues close!
📱📖 Read on Kindle 📃 413 pages ⏱ Duration: 5 hours 🏷️ Publisher: Viking Genre: Cozy Mystery
Back to the TMC train and loving the ride! In the third installment, Richard Osman handed me a great time, with a side of chaos and a naive blackmailer I did not see coming. This book takes everything we love about the TMC (twisty plots, unexpected friendships, and laugh-out-loud moments) and amplifies it. The writing is sharper, the plotting is tighter, and the humor is just chef's kiss. Every time I thought a situation couldn't get more absurdly, delightfully ridiculous, he escalated it. But these impossible scenarios somehow made perfect sense here because that's the magic of the cozy world we sign up for.
The character growth continues to impress me. Elizabeth's layers keep peeling back in the most unexpected ways. The new additions (I'm not spoiling anything, but yes, the ex-KGB angle is just so brilliant) fit in so naturally that you forget they weren't always there. Ron's new love interest brought me genuine joy. I just feel slightly bad for Ibrahim as I feel he's being left out, but maybe something comes up in the future installments for him too? The celebrity subplot might have been gimmicky, but it actually lands because Osman trusts his characters enough to not let any storyline become just a punchline. The humour is earned, every single time.
Book 3 hits the sweet spot where laughter and murder coexist perfectly. This is the one where Richard Osman is fully in the driver's seat, grinning and absolutely flooring it. I finished this book grinning right back,, and immediately started looking up Book 4. No regrets. Zero!
Would I recommend it? If cozy mysteries that are actually funny, and not just charming, are you thing, then this series is non-negotiable. Book 3 peaks so far. The characters feel like friends you're rooting for. The mystery keeps you guessing, and Osman never lets the warmth outrun the wit. This one is a joyful blend of crime and comedy that cements Osman's spot as cozy mystery royalty. Jump in, stay, in, don't fight it!
📱📖 Read on Kindle 📃 413 pages ⏱ Duration: 5 hours 🏷️ Publisher: Viking Genre: Cozy Mystery
Back to the TMC train and loving the ride! In the third installment, Richard Osman handed me a great time, with a side of chaos and a naive blackmailer I did not see coming. This book takes everything we love about the TMC (twisty plots, unexpected friendships, and laugh-out-loud moments) and amplifies it. The writing is sharper, the plotting is tighter, and the humor is just chef's kiss. Every time I thought a situation couldn't get more absurdly, delightfully ridiculous, he escalated it. But these impossible scenarios somehow made perfect sense here because that's the magic of the cozy world we sign up for.
The character growth continues to impress me. Elizabeth's layers keep peeling back in the most unexpected ways. The new additions (I'm not spoiling anything, but yes, the ex-KGB angle is just so brilliant) fit in so naturally that you forget they weren't always there. Ron's new love interest brought me genuine joy. I just feel slightly bad for Ibrahim as I feel he's being left out, but maybe something comes up in the future installments for him too? The celebrity subplot might have been gimmicky, but it actually lands because Osman trusts his characters enough to not let any storyline become just a punchline. The humour is earned, every single time.
Book 3 hits the sweet spot where laughter and murder coexist perfectly. This is the one where Richard Osman is fully in the driver's seat, grinning and absolutely flooring it. I finished this book grinning right back,, and immediately started looking up Book 4. No regrets. Zero!
Would I recommend it? If cozy mysteries that are actually funny, and not just charming, are you thing, then this series is non-negotiable. Book 3 peaks so far. The characters feel like friends you're rooting for. The mystery keeps you guessing, and Osman never lets the warmth outrun the wit. This one is a joyful blend of crime and comedy that cements Osman's spot as cozy mystery royalty. Jump in, stay, in, don't fight it!
ARC provided by: NetGalley 📱📖 Read on Kindle 📃 448 pages ⏱ Duration: 5 hours 🏷️ Publisher: Soho Crime Expected Publishing: August 4, 2026 Genre: Cozy Mystery
With a title like My Inner Child wants to Kill, you'd never guess this is cozy, but oh, it absolutely is. Cozy in the chaos, maybe like, sipping herbal tea while hiding a body. This is one of the most genuinely funny, unexpectedly insightful books I've read in a long time. Karsten Dusse's humor translates brillantly into English, thanks to Florian Duijsens. I laughed out loud more times that I could count, and yes, this is definitely not a book to read in public unless you enjoy confused stares from strangers.
Björn Diemel’s mindfullness journey hits deeper this time. His therapist introducs the concept of inner-child healing, and Dusse manages to mix psychoanalysis, absurd comedy, and crime into something unexpectedly heartwarming. I'm still processing the fact that a dark comedy about a lawyer-turned-accidental-mafia-boss gave me actual, usable inner child therapy exercises. I did those exercises, people. I felt things. Somehow, the book doubles as a crime caper and a surprisingly effective self-help manual.
The distinction Björn makes between childish (an adult throwing a tantrum) and childlike (a child responding with age-appropriate clarity and creativity) hit differently than I expected. His inner child isn't a punchline. It's actually the most emotionally intelligent character in the book, and that's both hilarious and surprisingly moving. Björn trying very hard to not kill anyone while also absolutely killing everyone is a premise that shouldn't work this well, and yet here we are.
My biggest regret is not having read Book One first. I jumped in mid-series and while this absolutely holds up as a standalone read, I could feel the shadow of backstory I was missing. The kind that makes you want to sprint to Book One immediately and then binge the Netflix series at 1 am. The pacing is sharp, the supporting cast (yes, Sasha, you!) is wild in the best way, and the mindfulness chapter openers are equal part satirical and strangely soothing. Between mob meetings and meditation classes, Björn redefines what personal growth looks like, sometimes with hilarious collateral damage.
Would I recommend it? This book is proof that translated fiction is doing things English-language publishing hasn't caught up to yet. It delivers both humor and heart with surgical precision. If you love dark comedy, cozy-adjascent crime, or anything that makes you think while making you wheeze-laugh, this is your next read. My Inner Child Wants to Kill is clever, chaotic, and oddly healing. This one is a true gem.
Originally posted at viewsshewrites.com.
ARC provided by: NetGalley 📱📖 Read on Kindle 📃 448 pages ⏱ Duration: 5 hours 🏷️ Publisher: Soho Crime Expected Publishing: August 4, 2026 Genre: Cozy Mystery
With a title like My Inner Child wants to Kill, you'd never guess this is cozy, but oh, it absolutely is. Cozy in the chaos, maybe like, sipping herbal tea while hiding a body. This is one of the most genuinely funny, unexpectedly insightful books I've read in a long time. Karsten Dusse's humor translates brillantly into English, thanks to Florian Duijsens. I laughed out loud more times that I could count, and yes, this is definitely not a book to read in public unless you enjoy confused stares from strangers.
Björn Diemel’s mindfullness journey hits deeper this time. His therapist introducs the concept of inner-child healing, and Dusse manages to mix psychoanalysis, absurd comedy, and crime into something unexpectedly heartwarming. I'm still processing the fact that a dark comedy about a lawyer-turned-accidental-mafia-boss gave me actual, usable inner child therapy exercises. I did those exercises, people. I felt things. Somehow, the book doubles as a crime caper and a surprisingly effective self-help manual.
The distinction Björn makes between childish (an adult throwing a tantrum) and childlike (a child responding with age-appropriate clarity and creativity) hit differently than I expected. His inner child isn't a punchline. It's actually the most emotionally intelligent character in the book, and that's both hilarious and surprisingly moving. Björn trying very hard to not kill anyone while also absolutely killing everyone is a premise that shouldn't work this well, and yet here we are.
My biggest regret is not having read Book One first. I jumped in mid-series and while this absolutely holds up as a standalone read, I could feel the shadow of backstory I was missing. The kind that makes you want to sprint to Book One immediately and then binge the Netflix series at 1 am. The pacing is sharp, the supporting cast (yes, Sasha, you!) is wild in the best way, and the mindfulness chapter openers are equal part satirical and strangely soothing. Between mob meetings and meditation classes, Björn redefines what personal growth looks like, sometimes with hilarious collateral damage.
Would I recommend it? This book is proof that translated fiction is doing things English-language publishing hasn't caught up to yet. It delivers both humor and heart with surgical precision. If you love dark comedy, cozy-adjascent crime, or anything that makes you think while making you wheeze-laugh, this is your next read. My Inner Child Wants to Kill is clever, chaotic, and oddly healing. This one is a true gem.
Originally posted at viewsshewrites.com.
🎧 Listened in Audio 📢 Narrated by: Stephanie Nemeth-Parker ⏱ Duration: 10 hours 🏷️ Publisher: Macmillan Audio & Minotaur Books 📅 Published: September 24, 2024 🧩 Genre: Cozy Mystery
Okay, full confession, I almost didn't read this one. The title had me in a grammatical spiral for longer than I'd like to admit. I kept thinking, shouldn't it be "A Serial Killer's Guide?", and that small, stubborn part of my grammar-obsessed brain nearly made me miss a truly engaging debut. Turns out, I was the one who needed correcting. It wasn't until my library holds started unfreezing (and desperation met curiosity) that I gave it a chance, and thankfully so. It's not a serial killer's guide. It's a serial killer tour guide. As in, Capri literally takes people on tours of San Francisco's darkest history. Once that clicked, the whole premise opened up like a fog lifting over the Bay, and I was genuinely hooked.
The layering is what works beautifully for this story. On the surface, you have a smart, sardonic, and slightly chaotic Capri, basically the perfect cozy mystery heroine, who does true crime tours, and a city that practically narrates itself. But underneath, there's real emotional weight of a woman trying to clear her grandfather's name while simultaneously protecting her own daughter from a murder charge. The stakes feel personal, and Capri's drive to untangle decades of family secrets gives the story a wonderful and engaging momentum. When a new wave of killing erupts, echoing "Overkill Bill's" crimes, especially when Capri's ex-mother-in-law becomes a victim, the stakes shoot up. The copycat angle was clever, and I genuinely didn't see the reveal (both of it) coming, which is always a win.
The audiobook, narrated by Stephanie Nemeth-Parker, works beautifully. Because the story is told through Capri's voice, Stephanie's steady, personable narration makes it feel like you're walking beside her on one of those eerie true-crime tours. The pacing is tight, and though familiar at first, the plot twist catch you off guard in the right ways. For a debut novel, Michelle Chouinard knocked it out of the park with a very polished and refreshingly voice-driven story. I already have Book 2 on hold at the library, which honestly says everything.
Would I recommend it? If you love true crime, amateur sleuths, and a mystery that actually keeps you guessing, this one earns its place. Capri's fierce loyalty, to both her family and the truth, is spectacular. It's atmospheric, sharp, and unexpectedly heartfelt. A great start to what promises to be a solid new series. A debut worth celebrating.
🎧 Listened in Audio 📢 Narrated by: Stephanie Nemeth-Parker ⏱ Duration: 10 hours 🏷️ Publisher: Macmillan Audio & Minotaur Books 📅 Published: September 24, 2024 🧩 Genre: Cozy Mystery
Okay, full confession, I almost didn't read this one. The title had me in a grammatical spiral for longer than I'd like to admit. I kept thinking, shouldn't it be "A Serial Killer's Guide?", and that small, stubborn part of my grammar-obsessed brain nearly made me miss a truly engaging debut. Turns out, I was the one who needed correcting. It wasn't until my library holds started unfreezing (and desperation met curiosity) that I gave it a chance, and thankfully so. It's not a serial killer's guide. It's a serial killer tour guide. As in, Capri literally takes people on tours of San Francisco's darkest history. Once that clicked, the whole premise opened up like a fog lifting over the Bay, and I was genuinely hooked.
The layering is what works beautifully for this story. On the surface, you have a smart, sardonic, and slightly chaotic Capri, basically the perfect cozy mystery heroine, who does true crime tours, and a city that practically narrates itself. But underneath, there's real emotional weight of a woman trying to clear her grandfather's name while simultaneously protecting her own daughter from a murder charge. The stakes feel personal, and Capri's drive to untangle decades of family secrets gives the story a wonderful and engaging momentum. When a new wave of killing erupts, echoing "Overkill Bill's" crimes, especially when Capri's ex-mother-in-law becomes a victim, the stakes shoot up. The copycat angle was clever, and I genuinely didn't see the reveal (both of it) coming, which is always a win.
The audiobook, narrated by Stephanie Nemeth-Parker, works beautifully. Because the story is told through Capri's voice, Stephanie's steady, personable narration makes it feel like you're walking beside her on one of those eerie true-crime tours. The pacing is tight, and though familiar at first, the plot twist catch you off guard in the right ways. For a debut novel, Michelle Chouinard knocked it out of the park with a very polished and refreshingly voice-driven story. I already have Book 2 on hold at the library, which honestly says everything.
Would I recommend it? If you love true crime, amateur sleuths, and a mystery that actually keeps you guessing, this one earns its place. Capri's fierce loyalty, to both her family and the truth, is spectacular. It's atmospheric, sharp, and unexpectedly heartfelt. A great start to what promises to be a solid new series. A debut worth celebrating.
🎧 Listened in audio 📢 Narrated by Kiiri Sandy and John Pirhalla ⏱ Duration: 11 hours 🏷️ Published by Harper Collins, April 29, 2025 🎭 Genre: Mystery
This story sets you up for a middle-aged chaos wrapped in marital discontent. The opening leans heavily into humor and relatable frustration: decades long marriages, bad money choices, and the kind of "we love them, but also maybe want to kill them" energy only friendship and resentment can brew. Kiiri Sandy and John Pirhalla gave the wives and husbands such distinct energy that kept track of all the characters almost effortlessly.
And then the tone shifted. About halfway through, the book takes a turn that's noticeably darker, and I found myself recaliberating. Is this cozy? A thriller? A crime caper? The answer seems to be all three, and while that's an ambitious swing, it doesn't always land cleanly. The tonal unevenness threw me off more than once, and there are quietly devastating, emotional threads woven into these marriages that deserved more room to breathe than they got. Some of them simply drift away unresolved, which, depending on your reading style, will either feel like intentional ambiguity, or an unsatisfying loose end. The moral ambiguity of every single character made me question the choices made in the second half of the book so intently, I forgot I was doing laundry while listening to the audiobook.
The ending is where I found myself most conflicted. It's tidy, perhaps too tidy, and while I could follow the logic of how things wrapped up, I wasn't entirely convinced. It felt more like a conclusion the story needed rather than one it fully earned. I couldn't sympathize or empathize with a single character in the book, and couldn't, for the life of me, align with how any of their character arcs ended. It's messy, maybe intentionally so, but maybe that's the point that marriages, money, and midlife regrets are never tidy.
Would I recommend it? This one is tricky. You would either love or hate the book. Go in expecting a darkly absurd ride, not a cozy mystery. It's uneven, and brings out very strong emotions, and a few loose threads leaving you more puzzled than satisfied by the final page.
🎧 Listened in audio 📢 Narrated by Kiiri Sandy and John Pirhalla ⏱ Duration: 11 hours 🏷️ Published by Harper Collins, April 29, 2025 🎭 Genre: Mystery
This story sets you up for a middle-aged chaos wrapped in marital discontent. The opening leans heavily into humor and relatable frustration: decades long marriages, bad money choices, and the kind of "we love them, but also maybe want to kill them" energy only friendship and resentment can brew. Kiiri Sandy and John Pirhalla gave the wives and husbands such distinct energy that kept track of all the characters almost effortlessly.
And then the tone shifted. About halfway through, the book takes a turn that's noticeably darker, and I found myself recaliberating. Is this cozy? A thriller? A crime caper? The answer seems to be all three, and while that's an ambitious swing, it doesn't always land cleanly. The tonal unevenness threw me off more than once, and there are quietly devastating, emotional threads woven into these marriages that deserved more room to breathe than they got. Some of them simply drift away unresolved, which, depending on your reading style, will either feel like intentional ambiguity, or an unsatisfying loose end. The moral ambiguity of every single character made me question the choices made in the second half of the book so intently, I forgot I was doing laundry while listening to the audiobook.
The ending is where I found myself most conflicted. It's tidy, perhaps too tidy, and while I could follow the logic of how things wrapped up, I wasn't entirely convinced. It felt more like a conclusion the story needed rather than one it fully earned. I couldn't sympathize or empathize with a single character in the book, and couldn't, for the life of me, align with how any of their character arcs ended. It's messy, maybe intentionally so, but maybe that's the point that marriages, money, and midlife regrets are never tidy.
Would I recommend it? This one is tricky. You would either love or hate the book. Go in expecting a darkly absurd ride, not a cozy mystery. It's uneven, and brings out very strong emotions, and a few loose threads leaving you more puzzled than satisfied by the final page.