First, a note on comps and genre. For super strict cozy genre readers, there’s a few curse words, there’s no shexy times, there are darker themes and First, a note on comps and genre. For super strict cozy genre readers, there’s a few curse words, there’s no shexy times, there are darker themes and discussions but not graphic or on page, and the lead is literally a murderer—hence the whole theme. I wouldn’t put this as a comp for Pushing Daisies—outside of including pies and the magic being the same kind, just a pinch in our real world. I don’t say that as a knock on this book, I just like books to find their right audience rather than readers getting angry they didn’t get what they thought they were going to get.
Daisy Ellery murders men she thinks deserve to no longer inflict their harm on the world via her pies. The way Like Water For Chocolate infused emotion into food, she basically just makes murder pies that don’t have any added ingredient other than the magic that she is into them. And the good news is the pie can’t kill anyone else no matter who eats it, only the intended recipient. And they don’t have to die if they can choose to be a better person—most don’t take that option.
If you’re looking to read some mouthwatering pie-making and like revenge, cooking competitions, and a side dash of romance, here you go. There’s even a pie recipe–sans poison–at the end!
(TW domestic abuse/ mentions past parent with cancer, parent with addiction/ mentions past death from ectopic pregnancy/ sex recording without knowledge)
For fans of remote mysteries, past friends coming together, secrets bubbling over, multiple POVs from adults and kids, and not knowing who the victim For fans of remote mysteries, past friends coming together, secrets bubbling over, multiple POVs from adults and kids, and not knowing who the victim is at the beginning!
A married couple of architects left their city life for a quiet, remote life in hopes of helping their adopted son, who has PTSD because of his early childhood. They’re opening up a camping site and have invited their college friends for a weekend retreat reunion. Sounds fun, right? Except this is a remote mystery, and humans are gonna human. There’s a fight between the kids, in which the parents take sides, a teen who was forced to come along and is miserable, a loan amongst friends that is going sour, an arguing couple, and secrets amongst the friend group that start to accidentally be revealed. We begin with a scene that appears like someone is being forced to jump to their death, then you start getting DCI interviews and go back and forth between the arrival and reunion weekend and the investigation, which includes a missing person and a murder…
The audiobook has dual narrators, Beth Eyre and Jamie Parker, who kept me fully invested in this mystery!
Olivia Campbell is an actuary who recently had a nervous breakdown because of work. Her boyfriend, Aaron, is anFor fans of remote mysteries on a ship!
Olivia Campbell is an actuary who recently had a nervous breakdown because of work. Her boyfriend, Aaron, is an art curator who is planning a recently deceased artist’s exhibition on a luxury cruise. Hoping to reset herself, Liv decides to go on the cruise to Antarctica. Problem? Many! Liv is terrified of being out on the water since her father’s death; Aaron doesn’t make it onto the ship, Liv has to run the exhibition, and it’s a remote mystery, so there’s gonna be a lot of accidents, anxiety, and deaths…
The audiobook is narrated by Cathleen McCarron, who you may know from Conviction and Eleanor Oliphant Is Completely Fine.
(TW suspected suicide death/ recounts past desire for self-harm that could be triggering for suicidal ideation)
For readers of true crime and the US justice system this is a YA nonfiction adults can benefit from and another entry in the we-need-more-YA-nonfic.
InFor readers of true crime and the US justice system this is a YA nonfiction adults can benefit from and another entry in the we-need-more-YA-nonfic.
In Detroit in 1982, a fight that began in a bar ended with Vincent Chin, a Chinese American, being beaten to death by two white men after Chin left the bar and they went searching for him. The men who killed Chin only received three years of probation and a $3,000 dollar fine. Paula Yoo dives into interviews, court transcripts, and news to focus on the night Chin was killed, the court case, protests, the following federal civil rights trial, and the Asian American movement.
(TW mentions past suicidal thoughts, not detailed/ xenophobia, racism)
For fans of middle grade and crime-fighting teams!
Olive Cobin Zang is 12 and swears her busy parents don’t care about her. Her grandma recently passedFor fans of middle grade and crime-fighting teams!
Olive Cobin Zang is 12 and swears her busy parents don’t care about her. Her grandma recently passed away, and now she’s starting a new boarding school…which Olive quickly learns is a cover for a crime-fighting organization that uses kids. Adults didn’t work, and teenagers really didn’t work, so why not try kids?! They aren’t spies, and they aren’t police, and no one knows who is really in charge of the youth operatives, but they’re trained and taught to “prevent chaos, catch lawbreakers”. So that’s what Olive and her fellow team do in this fun, fast-paced, high-stakes (dangerous missions!) mystery!
For fans of secret identity, con women, and cat and mouse games!
Evie Porter isn’t really Evie Porter. She’s been assigned this identity, after screwinFor fans of secret identity, con women, and cat and mouse games!
Evie Porter isn’t really Evie Porter. She’s been assigned this identity, after screwing up her past assignment, by whoever her mysterious boss is. She’s determined to make up for her last job, except a few things happen: she likes the man she’s dating, Ryan Sumner, who is supposed to be her target, and a woman shows up in Evie’s life with Evie’s actual identity. Clearly, someone is after her, but who and why? And how is she going to outsmart them…?
This was an audiobook (narrated by Saskia Maarleveld) that I knew absolutely nothing about and hit play just to see if the beginning interested me, and OOP, suddenly all my chores were done, and I was at the end having read a very satisfying mystery.
For fans of murder mysteries with multiple POV procedurals!
This is a solid mystery that will satisfy many tropes: struggling detective (PTSD, alcoholiFor fans of murder mysteries with multiple POV procedurals!
This is a solid mystery that will satisfy many tropes: struggling detective (PTSD, alcoholism), small town, multiple POVs including from the sheriff, murder mystery + missing person mystery. It’s a great mix of following the clues of the mysteries mixed in with town life and the struggling characters’ personal lives.
Eli North has PTSD from war and is self-managing it with alcohol, which is obviously going terribly. Drunk, he stumbles across the body of a teen boy who appears to have drowned. He ends up being put on the case by his mother, who is the town sheriff and is trying her best to help Eli. She feels guilt over the death of the boy, whose mom is an addict, because she feels that as sheriff, she didn’t do enough. Added into the murder mystery is a missing teenage girl, a “miracle” drug from a pharmaceutical company, and Eli trying to do right by his son and ex-wife. If there is a sequel, I am definitely reading it.
(TW teen death/ PTSD, alcoholism/ drug addiction, drug overdose/ panic attacks/ suicidal ideation, attempted suicide/ past domestic, child abuse)
For fans of procedurals, archeologist leads, and MCs returning home to solve a mystery!
Syd Walker studied forensic anthropology but works instead for For fans of procedurals, archeologist leads, and MCs returning home to solve a mystery!
Syd Walker studied forensic anthropology but works instead for the Bureau of Indian Affairs, Rhode Island branch, trying to preserve Indigenous history. She doesn’t return home often, having left behind her parents, a sister with addiction issues, and her childhood, where she witnessed her childhood friend and parents’ murders. But she has to leave her pregnant wife and head back to Oklahoma when an old badge of hers is found in a skull, and her sister is now missing.
This is a great procedural––with a strong character voice right from the start––about being haunted by the past, struggling with the present, and the history of real atrocities towards Indigenous people, especially Indigenous women and Two-Spirit.
I really enjoyed the audiobook, narrated by Carolina Hoyos and Erin Tripp, and will absolutely read any future books if this becomes a series.
(TW addiction, past survived overdose/ mentions past child abuse/ graphic child harm)
This is a fun romance meets crime novel with great audiobook narrations by Soneela Nankani and Shahjehan Khan. Mira Chaudhary has not been having a luThis is a fun romance meets crime novel with great audiobook narrations by Soneela Nankani and Shahjehan Khan. Mira Chaudhary has not been having a lucky streak with the men she’s matched up with through a matchmaker. When her aunt dies, she shows up to deal with the will at the lawyer’s office and discovers it’s Naveen Desai, the first match she’d had that ended after a brief relationship. Fate may have thrown them back together to have a second chance at love, but first they’ll have to survive the night when they’re kidnapped. Turns out Mira’s con artist father left behind some angry criminals who are demanding Mira pay them back. It’ll be a long night as Naveen and Mira try to deal with their feelings for each other while trying to outsmart the criminals, figure out what’s really going on, and get out ahead. If you like films like Date Night and Lovebirds, or action and fun crime mixed with romance, this is your book.
For fans of YA mysteries with school settings, and fictional podcasts.
Four high school students were in a car accident that left one of them dead. SpeFor fans of YA mysteries with school settings, and fictional podcasts.
Four high school students were in a car accident that left one of them dead. Spencer Sandoval survived but not without injuries, including no memory of the accident or most of the night. She doesn’t know why she was in the car with her ex Ethan, or what happened, but soon Ethan is accused of being the driver. Making matters worse is a gossip podcast that has plenty of snide to throw out about the students at an elite prep school in LA. So Spencer, with her new service dog in tow, teams up with Ethan’s best friend to get answers.
And the audiobook gives you a multicast: Lori Felipe-Barkin, Inés del Castillo, André Santana, Eunice Wong.
Trisha Brown recently talked about this book on All The Backlist! which reminded me it’s been on my TBR list for-EV-er so I finally read it. This is aTrisha Brown recently talked about this book on All The Backlist! which reminded me it’s been on my TBR list for-EV-er so I finally read it. This is a fun page-turner for revenge fantasy fans — in this case the MC, Jane, is only set to revenge mode. Jane describes herself as a sociopath and while she doesn’t know if she was born that way or she retreated inward due to her parents emotional abuse, she’s not really out to figure it out. What she is out to do is ruin the man responsible for her best friend’s suicide. She’s going to infiltrate his life, manipulate him, figure out what he cares about most in the world, and then destroy him. If she doesn’t up and killing him first…I liked that Jane found herself the complication of a real potential relationship and I already got the next book in the series.
(TW past death by suicide, brief detail, suicide note read/ mentions child abuse/ brief recount child sexual assault/ mentions Image-based sexual abuse/ emotionally abusive partner/ sexual assault via blackmail)
For fans of small town procedurals, family drama, and murder mysteries.
There are days where I randomly grab a book and see where the journey takes me,For fans of small town procedurals, family drama, and murder mysteries.
There are days where I randomly grab a book and see where the journey takes me, which I did with this one. It’s why I didn’t realize it was a sequel (it gives you the info you need from the first book, I was never lost) and am now planning on reading the first since I enjoyed this one quite a bit.
Deputy Ben Packard recently moved to a small Minnesota town and took on the role of active Sheriff due to the Sheriff being diagnosed with cancer. He’s not thrilled about the Sheriff part, because of politics and he feels like he has a social target on his back as an openly gay deputy. But soon he has to decide, while being begged by others, if he’s willing to run for Sheriff to take the job full-time. It’s all going on while he has a complicated murder investigation that is full of family drama—like you could put this family on a reality show!
Bill Sandersen was murdered in his home while his wife slept in her separate room. His wife was his first real girlfriend, who he broke up with years ago to marry her sister instead. Bill was divorced from the sister and married to the original sister (I know!). Obviously the sisters don’t like each other, neither does the third sister who wants nothing to do with these two–or the emotionally abusive mom they blame for all their problems. As you can imagine, Bill had plenty of people who wanted him dead, including a business partner he stole money from. So Packard has plenty of work between his professional life of deciding if he wants to be Sheriff and this case with a long list of suspects…
I did the audioook format and enjoyed Linda Jones’ narration, even if at first I briefly wondered why a male narrator wasn’t picked since the lead is a dude. Maybe because there were a lot of supporting characters that are women? Anyhoo, if you’re an audiobook listener, it’s a good pick!
(TW talk of past suicide, detail/ alcoholism/ former Sheriff dies of cancer/ mentions past overdose, not deadly/ parent with dementia/ past child abuse case recounted, emotional child abuse/ fatphobia)
For fans of amateur sleuths! Morgan Carter, a bookstore owner and cryptozoologist in Wisconsin believes in plausible existability: it’s not that she iFor fans of amateur sleuths! Morgan Carter, a bookstore owner and cryptozoologist in Wisconsin believes in plausible existability: it’s not that she is certain for example that Big Foot exists, it’s that without proof it doesn’t there’s still the chance. After some strange deaths on Lake Michigan, police chief Jon Flanders hires Carter to look into the deaths to rule out murder by creature. What Flanders didn’t count on was Carter not being the best rule follower, nor staying out of danger. Carter, dealing with trauma from her parents’ murder and having been a suspect, isn’t looking to jump into any personal relationships but she has no problem throwing herself into an adventure or mysterious case with her loving dog in tow. I enjoyed Susan Bennett’s narration of the audiobook, especially since her transition to male characters was smooth and didn’t feel exaggerated or like she was hurting her throat.
(TW mentions maternal and child death, not graphic nor detailed/ mentions death by suicide, no detail/ brief domestic abuse/ mentions past child death and accident)
This is a ripped-from-the-headlines type story that doesn’t aim for thriller entertainment but rather the real life ways being a part of an industry sThis is a ripped-from-the-headlines type story that doesn’t aim for thriller entertainment but rather the real life ways being a part of an industry steeped in rape culture sneaks up on you. Sarah Lai went from up-and-coming producer to teaching film at a small college. It’s not the life she had wanted for herself but she’s left Hollywood and it is what it is — until a journalist asks to speak to her. He’s interviewing everyone who’s worked with a particular film producer over allegations of sexual assault. Lai is hesitant to speak but meets with him telling pieces of her story, revealing to the reader what it was like to be an assistant and then producer in an industry that celebrates the “boy’s club”. If you like going deep into a business (how films get made from start to finish), this is a well done look at rape culture that keeps the majority of things off page, focusing instead on the way we’re intentionally taught to not notice the red flags around us. The audiobook is narrated by Katie Leung and really made me feel like I was listening to Lai tell me the story of her time in film production.
(TW conversations about teen with eating disorder/ attempted sexual assault on page/ rumors, accusations, assumptions of sexual assault)
For fans of satire, a-hole women on a killing spree of men, and readers who maybe want a gender-swapped American Psycho!
Tiffany isn’t winning any kindFor fans of satire, a-hole women on a killing spree of men, and readers who maybe want a gender-swapped American Psycho!
Tiffany isn’t winning any kind of decent human award: she grew up being awful to her younger sister, is awful to her sorority sisters, and is basically spoiled and behaving as such. And now she’s found something to actually make her feel something and open her appetite: killing men! Quickly realizing––and even checking with a lawyer for advice––that she’ll quickly be suspected if she continues killing frat guys, she expands her killing spree to random prey. But satisfying her murderous desires isn’t enough when copycat killers begin. The boyfriend she’s trying to make “the one” won’t stop grieving, and the relationship starts to show cracks…
(TW fatphobia, diet culture, eating disorders, disordered eating/ mentions past parent cancer death/ date raper, drink drugging/ hidden camera to record sex/ domestic abuse)
Ross Quest is a thief because it’s the only life she’s ever known–her mom trained her for this life. But For fans of fun YA, heists, and competitions!
Ross Quest is a thief because it’s the only life she’s ever known–her mom trained her for this life. But even though Ross is really good at heists, she wants her own life and to not be controlled by her mom. So she’s planning another life for herself until her mom is kidnapped, and Ross needs a billion dollars to save her. Enter the Thieves’ Gambit, a competition that pits thieves against each other in international heists. Quickly, Ross learns that she may be good, but there’s a lot of talent out there. She’s also been raised to rely only on her immediate family and be suspicious of everyone else, which is immediately put to the test with a past friend turned enemy and a potential romantic interest. Can she trust any of the other contestants as friends or more? Can she save her mom? Can she have the kind of life she wants, and what exactly even is that life?
Come for the fun action heist scenes (aplenty!) and stay for the dive into family and found family.
For fans of YA, teams of amateur sleuths creating a PI team, fictional true crime podcasts, and past and present mysteries!
Iris Blackthorn is on a serFor fans of YA, teams of amateur sleuths creating a PI team, fictional true crime podcasts, and past and present mysteries!
Iris Blackthorn is on a serious deadline: she’s very close to turning 18 and the detective on her sister Stella’s missing person case has warned her the second she’s an adult, she will be prosecuted if she keeps investigating her sister’s year ago disappearance. So Iris, and her two friends who make up their amateur detective agency, are on the case. That’s all complicated enough–especially since Iris isn’t being totally forthcoming with her team–when another girl goes missing. This time it’s Iris’ ex girlfriend who just happened to be hosting a true crime podcast about Stella…
If you’re looking for a sapphic YA mystery with found family and hard lessons learned, grab this one.
(Tw questions parental emotional abuse, no details/ alcoholism, including parent in past/ mentions statutory involving teacher)
1. If the cover is giving you SFF vibes, it isn’t at all — it’s pure YA amateur sleuth mystery.
2. It’s so fun and funny, and one of my favorite charac1. If the cover is giving you SFF vibes, it isn’t at all — it’s pure YA amateur sleuth mystery.
2. It’s so fun and funny, and one of my favorite characters that I’ve read this year.
Bianca Torre has a lot of anxieties. So many in fact that they have a list! What’s a teen with a lot of fears who is trying to figure out their gender to do? Join a bird watching group of course! And maybe do some spying on neighbors (people watching?) with their binoculars. That’s how Bianca sees a neighbor’s murder, and realizes that after the police label it a suicide, the case must be solved properly. Bianca goes into sleuth mode with their best friend — both anime lovers — even though neither are true crime enthusiasts.
This is one of those books that’s fun, has a large dose of friendship, and makes the mystery solve the right kind of ridiculous. And it looks like Justine Pucella Winans has a middle grade fantasy, The Otherwoods, releasing this fall which I am definitely looking forward to — along with any future books.
This is one of my favorite reads this year and I absolutely judged this cover because I loved it so much – it’s why I pressed play on the audiobook, kThis is one of my favorite reads this year and I absolutely judged this cover because I loved it so much – it’s why I pressed play on the audiobook, knowing nothing about the book.
Andre Jackson has just been released from juvie but the life he was excited to get back to is no longer the same: the public has just learned about Covid-19; he has an ankle monitor, restrictions on his release, and six months of probation; there are protests against police brutality, and his friend is the reason he was in jail and now he is missing.
Andre is a sweet kid close to his family – his mom is a nurse, his dad owns a bookstore, he lives with his grandparents – and now finds himself needing to navigate a few things, including the pandemic and the reality of the danger vs. what is being said; his crush on his best friend’s sister; figuring out how he got framed with his friend’s backpack of stolen goods; and why his friend has just disappeared with only his sister worried?
The audiobook is narrated by Guy Lockard who has a great voice, and really made me feel like Andre was beside me at all times. Even though I am very much a person who avoids entertainment with pandemic stuff at the moment I loved Andrew so much that I stuck with this book and was glad I did. I’ll definitely be sure to read Kim Johnson’s previous novel, This Is My America, and all future work.
(TW grandparent death/ pandemic/ mentions of teen girl sexually assaulting teen boy, no graphic detail/ child abuse, not on page/ mentions past attempted murder-suicide, detail)
For fans of neighborhood social thrillers, current topics, and endings with a legal courtroom case.
I have learned that regardless of what you think yoFor fans of neighborhood social thrillers, current topics, and endings with a legal courtroom case.
I have learned that regardless of what you think you’re getting into with a thriller by Kia Abdullah (Take it Back; Next of Kin), it will be way more in-depth, nuanced, and more importantly, shift the ground out from underneath the reader at least once.
This time around we have Salma and Bilal Khatun moving to a new neighborhood with their son Zain. Zain had an incident in college and Salma and Bilal are in the process of closing the family restaurant so this move to a new neighborhood is meant as a fresh start, even if they’re concerned about the cost now. Upon arrival Zain puts up a BLM poster and Salma witnesses their new neighbor deface it. From there the two families are caught in an escalation of emotions, racism, and retaliations all the while their teenage sons form a friendship and work on an app together. It’s an unflinching look at the high cost of bigotry and division.
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