Stiletto Dig: when words aren't sharp enough

by Mimi Beck

It’s finally summer at the Jersey Shore and Ruby and Ward Sutton are thrilled to reunite with their cherished friends, the Nelsons and the Rivas. Ruby reveals her new business, a stiletto shoe line, but is quickly usurped by Lucy Hall, who has created a nationwide wellness craze with her program Obsessed! As Lucy and her husband, Brian, become entangled in their cozy neighborhood, rivalries emerge, marriages are challenged, and loyalties are tested. When Lucy is stabbed by a stiletto at Ruby’s launch party, everyone becomes a suspect and once the accusations begin, nothing will ever be the same.

Pat and Jasmine Nelson are reeling from the repercussions of COVID. Pat's restaurant has failed under the weight of social distancing restrictions while Jasmine has been elevated to a partner at her law firm. Their marriage is already shaky as Pat's sister, Lucy, is launched into superstardom with the success of Obsessed! Pat, accustomed to being the star, is resentful when the two women he is closest to outperform him.

Despite Aubrey and Tony's opulent lifestyle, they are struggling to find purpose. Lucy inspires Tony to want more for himself, leaving Aubrey feeling lost. As Tony’s infatuation grows, Aubrey begins unraveling. Soon secrets surrounding the early days of their marriage come to light igniting old jealousies and long-standing friendships are questioned.

Finally, Ruby, the self-proclaimed savvy social director of her neighborhood and the rest of Beach Haven, finds Lucy threatening the hierarchy she has masterfully established. Lucy is younger, prettier and wealthier and soon the entire town becomes obsessed with Obsessed!. As Lucy pushes each of them to challenge themselves, they attempt to passive aggressively put her in her place one Stiletto Dig at a time, but sometimes words just aren't sharp enough.

349 pages, Paperback

Published April 26, 2023

Reviews

[Diana · Rating 4 out of 5]

i really enjoyed this book! i felt like it was giving me gossip
girl vibes because everyone was so rich and toxic. i think mimi did a great job portraying how toxic and two-faced some people can be. it was honestly super hard to like or trust anyone because they all had so many issues and they could all be mean in their own way. my favorite character was aubrey because she was very insecure and never felt like she was good enough. felt bad for her because i can’t imagine what it would be like to be around that friend group while you felt like this. i couldn’t stand tony he was so annoying and such a player i didn’t trust him at all.

i do wish the ending had more plot twists. i feel like the person to ended up stabbing lucy was the most obvious person. i also don’t full trust lucy and i’m not sure why!

i do recommend this book if you are looking for a summer mystery!! thank you to the author for the gifted copy

[jess.kett · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really loved the premise of this book! I grew up going to LBI so I loved all the references to the town. The beginning felt a little slow to me, but then I couldn’t put it down.

Sometimes the dialogue and tone felt a little weird, but overall a really fun beach mystery novel!

[Jaclyn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Real Housewives meets Big Little Lies. I found myself unable to stop reading this book. The author did a great job of building up to the climax. There's just something about rich people and their problems that can be so enthralling. Being an LBI girl myself, I also loved all the LBI references. My only complaint is that the book would be so much better with some good editing. There were a large number of typos, etc.

[June · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a good book by what is obviously a new author. I was drawn to read it by the locale of the story, Long Beach Island. The mention of the many specific bars and restaurants will be relevant only to those who actually know the island, so I kind of feel like it was written for islanders and those that vacation there. The plot is entertaining, and the characters are wealthy and shallow with an underlying kindness (some at least). The reader will notice the need for editing, but overall, this was a good imaginative attempt by a young author who obviously has spent a lot of time on LBI, so I gave it 4 stars.

[Danielle Crawley · Rating 2 out of 5]

Long Winded

Felt more of a “get to the point” then an interesting read. I thoroughly enjoyed hearing about LBI, but this is “new” LBI = money, money and status! Goes to show even writers showcase the wealth rather then the heart of the island.