I was sent this book as an advance copy by the publisher via NetGalley for reviewing purposes, but all opinions are my own.
From the author of Boyfriend Material and Rosaline Palmer Takes the Cake comes a cozy mystery that revisits the Golden Age of detective fiction, starring a heroine who’s more podcaster than private eye and topped with a lethal dose of parody — perfect for fans of Clue, Knives Out, and Only Murders in the Building!
When up-and-coming true crime podcaster Liza and her corporate financier wife Hanna head to a luxurious hotel in the Scottish Highlands, they’re hoping for a chance to rekindle their marriage – not to find themselves trapped in the middle of an Agatha Christie-esque murder mystery with no way home. But who better to take on the case than someone whose entire profession relies on an obsession with all things mysterious and macabre? Though some of her fellow guests may consider her an interfering new media hack, Liza knows a thing or two about crime and – despite Hanna’s preference for waiting out the chaos behind a locked door – might be the only one capable of discovering the killer. As the bodies rack up and the stakes rise, can they save their marriage — and their lives?
Release date: November 9th
★★★★.5✩
I had so much fun reading this cozy murder mystery featuring an established couple of lesbians and a weird bunch of hotel guests.
One of the things I loved is how the not-so-serious tone is set right away so that you don’t end up expecting something this book is not. Maybe it’s because I’ve had Ace Attorney on my mind lately, but some characters and some dialogues reminded me so much of some of the ridiculousness you might find in that game series, and I say this in the most positive way. Despite the lightness of it, the danger in the atmosphere is still tangible as you keep reading, so I think the book really gives you the sense of “fun mystery” in all its aspects.
I loved Liza, the true crime podcaster whose marriage to Hanna is going through a bit of a crisis. I’m always a little torn about established relationships in fiction, especially when the story arc is about fixing it, but I liked how their problems felt real and kind of…down to earth? In a sort of mundane way. And I like how that ties in to the overall theme of the book. I also saw a lot of my own ADHD in Liza and I could relate to her so much, even though she never mentions she is and I’m not sure if the author wrote her with ADHD in mind. But she just made sense to me in a way neurotypical protagonists sometimes don’t.
While I liked the ending I also found it a little underwhelming, and I think some details that I took note of throughout the book since I thought were going to be important for the mystery turned out to be nothing. I also didn’t understand why this was set over the Easter weekend since it didn’t really match nor publication date nor the more typically-wintery snowy setting. At some point I realized that the guests had spent the actual Easter Sunday in the hotel and I don’t think it was even mentioned at all, not even by the actual vicar present? Anyway, those are all minor details that I thought about after reading and didn’t actually impact my reading.
Overall I highly recommend this if you’re into murder mysteries that don’t take themselves too seriously and are just in for a fun time.
TWs from the author site: Murder (happens off page but is discussed), threat of violence, mentions of blood
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