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Multi-Level Marketing Murder Mystery #1
Death in the Downline
It's multi-level murder in this darkly funny mystery novel about the glamorous world of MLM "huns"—and the dangerous secrets at the top of the pyramid.
Drew thought she was destined to rise above her small New Jersey hometown and make it as a serious journalist in New York City. But now she's back in Clearfield, pushing thirty, newly single, and living with her father.
After a chance encounter at the grocery store, she reconnects with her former best friend, Steph, who married young and never left their hometown. But Steph looks . . . good. She's tanned, clear skinned, and glowing. She drives an expensive car and wears only name brands. What's her secret? A multi-level marketing scheme called LuminUS that's taken the ladies of Clearfield by storm. With nothing left to lose, Drew gets sucked into this glamorous world of downlines, sales parties, and girls' trips.
But when a LuminUS distributor dies under mysterious circumstances, can Drew uncover the dark secret at the heart of the organization—and save her best friend—before it’s too late?
Laugh-out-loud funny and a pitch-perfect skewering of pyramid schemes, Death in the Downline is a page-turner that will have readers nodding in recognition and cheering for Drew until the cathartic conclusion.
Drew thought she was destined to rise above her small New Jersey hometown and make it as a serious journalist in New York City. But now she's back in Clearfield, pushing thirty, newly single, and living with her father.
After a chance encounter at the grocery store, she reconnects with her former best friend, Steph, who married young and never left their hometown. But Steph looks . . . good. She's tanned, clear skinned, and glowing. She drives an expensive car and wears only name brands. What's her secret? A multi-level marketing scheme called LuminUS that's taken the ladies of Clearfield by storm. With nothing left to lose, Drew gets sucked into this glamorous world of downlines, sales parties, and girls' trips.
But when a LuminUS distributor dies under mysterious circumstances, can Drew uncover the dark secret at the heart of the organization—and save her best friend—before it’s too late?
Laugh-out-loud funny and a pitch-perfect skewering of pyramid schemes, Death in the Downline is a page-turner that will have readers nodding in recognition and cheering for Drew until the cathartic conclusion.
305 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 14, 2025
127 people are currently reading
13306 people want to read
About the author
Maria Abrams
6 books103 followersMaria Abrams is a mystery novelist who lives in Colorado with her rescue frogs and dogs. Her favorite color is orange.
www.mariaabrams.com
www.mariaabrams.com
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 623 reviews
June 29, 2025
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4.5
I feel like I’ve been waiting years for someone to write this book. The moment I got wind of it, I added it to by TBR and wished for it on NetGalley. I was beyond excited to get an advance proof last night and devoured this novel in mere hours. For me, this was like if someone novelized r/antimlm and I loved it. From the beginning, I was instantly hooked and read the first 80% in one sitting!
What worked for me:
🔺No victim-blaming here: throughout the story, there’s interwoven delineation between the women who get sucked into MLMs (victims) and the true predators (top of the pyramid) while underscoring that the women who get manipulated into these scams are, emphatically, not stupid.
🔺 Our cast: Drew, Steph, and Jenny were especially compelling characters for me. I particularly liked Drew and Steph’s backstory, relationship, and how determined they are to heal/rekindle their childhood friendship.
🔺 The writing was excellent: superb commentary on MLMs, inventive use of mixed media, and some actual laugh-out-loud moments (honestly, that death script with the GOODBUY coupon code made me howl - it’s totally tone deaf and utterly believable for these companies!)
🔺 The sense of place: a dying small town in the NE, was expertly done and even though my small town experiences are north of the border, I could vividly imagine Clearfield and its inhabitants
🔺 While a little predictable and straightforward, I had heaps of fun with the overall mystery, story, and found the ending satisfying
🔺 This book is an exciting new channel for the antimlm message and I sincerely hope it reaches people who need to hear it. I think the structure of the book will help immensely with this: it paints a convincingly realistic portrayal the insidious recruitment and manipulation process, especially in the first 40%
🔺The chapter headings have little pyramids 😂
What I wasn’t so keen on:
🔻Second book I’ve read this week that expressly names Penguin Publishing for a character’s book deal. I really hate advertising in fiction. Even more so when I found out Penguin is a distributor for this imprint.
I highly recommend this book! #DeathInTheDownline #AntiMLM
I was privileged to have my wish to read this book granted through NetGalley. Thank you so much, Quirk Books - this has made my week! 💫
*please don't. Making this was physically painful.
4.5
I feel like I’ve been waiting years for someone to write this book. The moment I got wind of it, I added it to by TBR and wished for it on NetGalley. I was beyond excited to get an advance proof last night and devoured this novel in mere hours. For me, this was like if someone novelized r/antimlm and I loved it. From the beginning, I was instantly hooked and read the first 80% in one sitting!
What worked for me:
🔺No victim-blaming here: throughout the story, there’s interwoven delineation between the women who get sucked into MLMs (victims) and the true predators (top of the pyramid) while underscoring that the women who get manipulated into these scams are, emphatically, not stupid.
🔺 Our cast: Drew, Steph, and Jenny were especially compelling characters for me. I particularly liked Drew and Steph’s backstory, relationship, and how determined they are to heal/rekindle their childhood friendship.
🔺 The writing was excellent: superb commentary on MLMs, inventive use of mixed media, and some actual laugh-out-loud moments (honestly, that death script with the GOODBUY coupon code made me howl - it’s totally tone deaf and utterly believable for these companies!)
🔺 The sense of place: a dying small town in the NE, was expertly done and even though my small town experiences are north of the border, I could vividly imagine Clearfield and its inhabitants
🔺 While a little predictable and straightforward, I had heaps of fun with the overall mystery, story, and found the ending satisfying
🔺 This book is an exciting new channel for the antimlm message and I sincerely hope it reaches people who need to hear it. I think the structure of the book will help immensely with this: it paints a convincingly realistic portrayal the insidious recruitment and manipulation process, especially in the first 40%
🔺The chapter headings have little pyramids 😂
What I wasn’t so keen on:
🔻Second book I’ve read this week that expressly names Penguin Publishing for a character’s book deal. I really hate advertising in fiction. Even more so when I found out Penguin is a distributor for this imprint.
I highly recommend this book! #DeathInTheDownline #AntiMLM
I was privileged to have my wish to read this book granted through NetGalley. Thank you so much, Quirk Books - this has made my week! 💫
*please don't. Making this was physically painful.
April 17, 2025
This was insanity mixed with fun -- typical MLM + murder mystery, Drew was witty and smart you gotta love a main character like this one! I thoroughly enjoyed this fast paced page turner even though it got a tad predictable, the concept itself was engaging.
Plot Summary
Drew thought she’d be living her dream life as a journalist in New York by now, but instead she’s back in her hometown, trying to regroup after everything went off course. When she reconnects with her old best friend Steph—who’s suddenly glowing with success thanks to a wellness MLM called LuminUS—Drew gets pulled into the world of beauty products, inspirational quotes, and toxic positivity. But it doesn't take long before the cracks show. Behind the perfect posts and promises of empowerment, something much darker is lurking. As suspicious things start happening to other distributors, Drew starts asking questions—and what she finds could put her right in danger’s path.
Plot Summary
Drew thought she’d be living her dream life as a journalist in New York by now, but instead she’s back in her hometown, trying to regroup after everything went off course. When she reconnects with her old best friend Steph—who’s suddenly glowing with success thanks to a wellness MLM called LuminUS—Drew gets pulled into the world of beauty products, inspirational quotes, and toxic positivity. But it doesn't take long before the cracks show. Behind the perfect posts and promises of empowerment, something much darker is lurking. As suspicious things start happening to other distributors, Drew starts asking questions—and what she finds could put her right in danger’s path.
March 3, 2025
god I love insanity omg
January 3, 2025
I am the prime audience for this book. MLMs plus murder mystery??? Sign me up! Unfortunately, it didn't come together for me. The characters were flat, which I don't always mind for thrillers/mystery. However, the plot was not compelling or page-turning enough for me to not mind. The writing was alright but not great. Would have loved more humor to be infused into the book. That would have made it work a lot better for me. The reveals were not all that interesting or surprising. Not terrible, just not my favorite!
Thank you to the publisher for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!
Thank you to the publisher for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!
August 20, 2024
This was just plain fun! I find MLMs absolutely fascinating and then to combine it with a little murder mystery?? It was everything I wanted it to be and more!
This is 100% for all the #bossbabes who #hustle and wanna #retireyourhusband! (I have no husband)
This is 100% for all the #bossbabes who #hustle and wanna #retireyourhusband! (I have no husband)
April 23, 2025
This was so much fun !! A quick read and a new storyline, even though we all hear about these cults. It is fun to actually read something that seemed very real.
March 24, 2025
ੈ♡˳ rating: two of five stars
ੈ♡˳ summary: Death in the Downline by Maria Abrams is a twisty mystery/thriller centered around a woman caught in the shiny, deceptive world of MLMs (multi-level marketing schemes). what begins as a seemingly harmless dive into side-hustle culture quickly unravels into something darker, more dangerous, and way more personal than expected. there are secrets, betrayal, and a mystery at the heart of it all—but not everything is as it seems.
ੈ♡˳ thoughts: this book had a lot of potential, and honestly, i did enjoy the premise. the concept of setting a mystery inside the world of MLMs? genius. it’s such a chaotic and shady environment, and there were so many directions this story could’ve gone. but in the end, it just felt like it didn’t live up to what it could have been.
the plot twist? it was fine, but i kind of saw it coming a mile away. there wasn’t really a shocking gasp moment—it was more of a slow “yep, figured” kind of reaction. and then the ending?? way too boring for how the book had built up. i was hoping for a bit more action, or at least some tension, but it kind of fizzled out.
i wouldn’t say it was a bad read—it had its moments, and the writing was decent—but overall, it felt more meh than memorable. i liked it, just not enough to rate it higher.
ੈ♡˳ tropes:
ꕥ corporate corruption
ꕥ unreliable characters
ꕥ secret pasts
ꕥ morally gray women
ੈ♡˳ summary: Death in the Downline by Maria Abrams is a twisty mystery/thriller centered around a woman caught in the shiny, deceptive world of MLMs (multi-level marketing schemes). what begins as a seemingly harmless dive into side-hustle culture quickly unravels into something darker, more dangerous, and way more personal than expected. there are secrets, betrayal, and a mystery at the heart of it all—but not everything is as it seems.
ੈ♡˳ thoughts: this book had a lot of potential, and honestly, i did enjoy the premise. the concept of setting a mystery inside the world of MLMs? genius. it’s such a chaotic and shady environment, and there were so many directions this story could’ve gone. but in the end, it just felt like it didn’t live up to what it could have been.
the plot twist? it was fine, but i kind of saw it coming a mile away. there wasn’t really a shocking gasp moment—it was more of a slow “yep, figured” kind of reaction. and then the ending?? way too boring for how the book had built up. i was hoping for a bit more action, or at least some tension, but it kind of fizzled out.
i wouldn’t say it was a bad read—it had its moments, and the writing was decent—but overall, it felt more meh than memorable. i liked it, just not enough to rate it higher.
ੈ♡˳ tropes:
ꕥ corporate corruption
ꕥ unreliable characters
ꕥ secret pasts
ꕥ morally gray women
January 12, 2025
Death in the Downline by Maria Abrams⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Drew’s life has taken an unexpected turn and she’s back at her father’s in a New Jersey. When she runs into an old school friend, she gets sucked into the world of LuminUS, a direct sales company hyping up the women of the town. When one of the two dies under mysterious circumstances, Drew starts to see cracks in the company.
I despise MLM’s and this book exemplifies the reason. While it gets pretty extreme in the end, it still shows how women are preyed on and it’s a legal (somehow) pyramid scheme. I liked the characters and their drama and was more into that than the mystery. Maybe for that reason I had no idea who had dunnit, so I was in for a surprise.
“Twelve years living in New York City, and I couldn’t tell the snake oil from the essential oil.”
Death in the Downline comes out 1/14.
Drew’s life has taken an unexpected turn and she’s back at her father’s in a New Jersey. When she runs into an old school friend, she gets sucked into the world of LuminUS, a direct sales company hyping up the women of the town. When one of the two dies under mysterious circumstances, Drew starts to see cracks in the company.
I despise MLM’s and this book exemplifies the reason. While it gets pretty extreme in the end, it still shows how women are preyed on and it’s a legal (somehow) pyramid scheme. I liked the characters and their drama and was more into that than the mystery. Maybe for that reason I had no idea who had dunnit, so I was in for a surprise.
“Twelve years living in New York City, and I couldn’t tell the snake oil from the essential oil.”
Death in the Downline comes out 1/14.
January 23, 2025
Anyone who has dabbled with MLMs or been pitched to by an old friend will find this mystery cathartic and creepy. Even as over-the-top as it seemed at times, it felt believable thanks to the very real predatory practices of direct sales companies.
The characters were sympathetic even when making questionable choices, and the theme was a great anchor to the story and relatable.
Overall, I highly recommend to mystery lovers and anyone who feels ashamed by that one time they threw a Mary Kay party in college.
The characters were sympathetic even when making questionable choices, and the theme was a great anchor to the story and relatable.
Overall, I highly recommend to mystery lovers and anyone who feels ashamed by that one time they threw a Mary Kay party in college.
April 9, 2025
A fun mystery that dives into the darker side of MLMs. As someone with previous experience in a MLM, I found many of the details and tactics used completely spot-on. Overall, an enjoyable read.
January 12, 2025
Thank you to NetGalley for an advanced copy of this book.
I’ve not been in someone’s downline, but I have been approached online with the same cringy script that promises my life will change if I just become my own boss selling someone else’s products.
That said, here is my honest review.
1) Talking about the negative impacts of MLMs is becoming more and more important as we are discovering how damaging on every level they can be. I am so grateful that there is media attempting to open conversations about it!
2) While the author is written to have some awareness of bigoted and racial stereotypes, they only keep their thoughts about what people say to the,selves and still nod along and respond with affirmations to just avoid the challenging conversation that can follow when you say something.
3) The plot has potential, but it takes too long to get to the inciting event and then the investigative part of the experience is rushed and shallow. With death in the title, the death needed to come way earlier in the book so we could all dig into the commentary around the problems with the company and the town as we investigated the deaths.
4) THE VILLAIN WAS THE HUSBAND?! I did not like this ending…
4a) Things are too convenient for the main character’s search for the truth. Cops not doing their jobs but only kinda mentioning that they might be buddies with the bad guy. People spilling their guts to her about convenient pieces of information. It just all works a little too well.
5) This is a super fast read (and I’m a medium? paced reader). I read it with my brain on and active (building theories!) and still flew through it in a weekend!
With some plot reorganizing and some more boldness from the main character in moments that deserved it. I would’ve enjoyed her as arc much more.
I’ve not been in someone’s downline, but I have been approached online with the same cringy script that promises my life will change if I just become my own boss selling someone else’s products.
That said, here is my honest review.
1) Talking about the negative impacts of MLMs is becoming more and more important as we are discovering how damaging on every level they can be. I am so grateful that there is media attempting to open conversations about it!
2) While the author is written to have some awareness of bigoted and racial stereotypes, they only keep their thoughts about what people say to the,selves and still nod along and respond with affirmations to just avoid the challenging conversation that can follow when you say something.
3) The plot has potential, but it takes too long to get to the inciting event and then the investigative part of the experience is rushed and shallow. With death in the title, the death needed to come way earlier in the book so we could all dig into the commentary around the problems with the company and the town as we investigated the deaths.
4) THE VILLAIN WAS THE HUSBAND?! I did not like this ending…
4a) Things are too convenient for the main character’s search for the truth. Cops not doing their jobs but only kinda mentioning that they might be buddies with the bad guy. People spilling their guts to her about convenient pieces of information. It just all works a little too well.
5) This is a super fast read (and I’m a medium? paced reader). I read it with my brain on and active (building theories!) and still flew through it in a weekend!
With some plot reorganizing and some more boldness from the main character in moments that deserved it. I would’ve enjoyed her as arc much more.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 17, 2024
this was fun for what it was! a murder mystery that was a little silly and perfect if you enjoy books like Dial A for Auntie.
drew is a down on her luck reporter that’s just moved back to her small hometown. after running into her ex best friend from high school who is literally glowing, her friend pitches LuminUs, the fancy skin care and supplement MLM she sells for. not having many other options, drew decides to dive in to LuminUs and try her chances. it doesn’t take long for the cracks in the LuminUs facade to start showing, and the someone in her team ends up dead.
for as low key and fun as this was to read, it was a great takedown of the MLM industry, showing how they get women in their clutches and keep them there. we had some interesting reveals as drew’s investigation into the murder mystery gets deeper and idk! it was just a fun little read hating on MLM’s and i love that.
*I received a free book for review from the publisher.
drew is a down on her luck reporter that’s just moved back to her small hometown. after running into her ex best friend from high school who is literally glowing, her friend pitches LuminUs, the fancy skin care and supplement MLM she sells for. not having many other options, drew decides to dive in to LuminUs and try her chances. it doesn’t take long for the cracks in the LuminUs facade to start showing, and the someone in her team ends up dead.
for as low key and fun as this was to read, it was a great takedown of the MLM industry, showing how they get women in their clutches and keep them there. we had some interesting reveals as drew’s investigation into the murder mystery gets deeper and idk! it was just a fun little read hating on MLM’s and i love that.
*I received a free book for review from the publisher.
November 8, 2024
Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC.
Down on her luck, Drew moves back to her hometown and reconnects with old friends. Those old friends have an "excellent business opportunity" to help Drew get back on her feet. But when one of the girls in the downline ends up dead, Drew knows she has to get to the bottom of it.
This book was so slow. It took almost half of the book to get to the real plot. I love anti-MLM content, but this just felt like the author took all of the talking points from an anti-MLM video and regurgitated it into the book. I think the audience for this book was cozy mystery readers, which I am not.
Down on her luck, Drew moves back to her hometown and reconnects with old friends. Those old friends have an "excellent business opportunity" to help Drew get back on her feet. But when one of the girls in the downline ends up dead, Drew knows she has to get to the bottom of it.
This book was so slow. It took almost half of the book to get to the real plot. I love anti-MLM content, but this just felt like the author took all of the talking points from an anti-MLM video and regurgitated it into the book. I think the audience for this book was cozy mystery readers, which I am not.
August 13, 2025
This is a very entertaining read, ofc the content is not exactly laugh a minute, but it's easy to get sucked into the story & once I started I couldn't stop! The characters felt very real, & certainly rang true for the 'MLM Huns' that pop up on your timelines now & then - if this story is anywhere close to the reality, there needs to be some investigation & legal restrictions on the exploitation of vulnerable women 🥲
December 31, 2025
Death in the Downline by Maria Abrams is a darkly funny and timely mystery that dives into the glamorous but deeply unsettling world of multi‑level marketing, following Drew Cooper, a once promising journalist who has returned to her New Jersey hometown and finds herself drawn into her ex‑best friend’s beauty‑supplement MLM called LuminUS, only to discover that beneath the smiling selfies and girls’ trips lurks a secret that might include murder and betrayal.
What begins as a reluctant reunion and social opportunity quickly unfurls into a sharp social critique wrapped in a page‑turning investigation as Drew tries to save her friend and uncover what really happened when a distributor dies under mysterious circumstances. The novel blends witty observation of MLM culture with suspenseful twists that keep you guessing while exploring how ambition, community, and desperation can entangle in unexpected ways.
What struck me most was how vividly the book captured the insidious allure of schemes that promise empowerment and transformation, especially through Drew’s eyes as someone both skeptical and vulnerable, trying to make sense of her stalled career, shaken confidence, and rekindled friendship. I felt pulled into her internal conflict: part of me was chuckling at Abrams’s satirical skewering of downline culture, and part of me was genuinely curious and uneasy as the body count and secrets mounted.
The pacing felt like a slow‑burn unraveling that sometimes leaned more on social commentary than edge‑of‑your‑seat tension, and a few characters didn’t always feel fully rounded, yet the theme of how easily charm and community can mask darker motives resonated deeply and stayed with me beyond the last page.
Rating: 3 out of 5 stars. I appreciated how this book made me think about the real human costs behind the curated smiles and motivational slogans, and I genuinely laughed and cringed in equal measure as Drew navigated a world that felt both absurd and eerily familiar. While it wasn’t a perfect mystery for me, its voice felt lively and relatable, and I can see readers who enjoy clever social satire and character‑driven thrillers finding a lot to love here.
What begins as a reluctant reunion and social opportunity quickly unfurls into a sharp social critique wrapped in a page‑turning investigation as Drew tries to save her friend and uncover what really happened when a distributor dies under mysterious circumstances. The novel blends witty observation of MLM culture with suspenseful twists that keep you guessing while exploring how ambition, community, and desperation can entangle in unexpected ways.
What struck me most was how vividly the book captured the insidious allure of schemes that promise empowerment and transformation, especially through Drew’s eyes as someone both skeptical and vulnerable, trying to make sense of her stalled career, shaken confidence, and rekindled friendship. I felt pulled into her internal conflict: part of me was chuckling at Abrams’s satirical skewering of downline culture, and part of me was genuinely curious and uneasy as the body count and secrets mounted.
The pacing felt like a slow‑burn unraveling that sometimes leaned more on social commentary than edge‑of‑your‑seat tension, and a few characters didn’t always feel fully rounded, yet the theme of how easily charm and community can mask darker motives resonated deeply and stayed with me beyond the last page.
Rating: 3 out of 5 stars. I appreciated how this book made me think about the real human costs behind the curated smiles and motivational slogans, and I genuinely laughed and cringed in equal measure as Drew navigated a world that felt both absurd and eerily familiar. While it wasn’t a perfect mystery for me, its voice felt lively and relatable, and I can see readers who enjoy clever social satire and character‑driven thrillers finding a lot to love here.
September 23, 2025
I love anti-MLM content, and I find MLM “conventions” the cringiest part of it all, so I found Death in the Downline very fun. The book follows a journalist living with her dad after losing her job at Buzzfeed. Desperation leads her to her best friend, who’s suddenly very interested in “hey hun”-ning her into a great business opportunity... singing up to be a direct seller of LuminUS (which I think it’s based on the real life MLM Monat).
The book series has a clear theme of crime in MLMs, and the tone is light enough for this to be almost cozy. But I didn’t really care about the murder aspect of the book. The true horror story is following the characters as they recount what miseries led them to fall for an MLM and the bankruptcy and loss of self that followed. The cringey conventions, products that not only don’t work but have awful side effects, number-based bullying within downlines, how expensive it is to maintain rank, weaponizing religion… that was the real horror.
I liked that the book didn’t demonize people in MLMs. Instead, it emphasized that under all the “hey hun”s and cringey social media posts, they are victims of a predatory business model masked as female empowerment.
Overall the writing was light and quirky, the story predictable. Still enjoyed it. The characters were flat and I’ll admit it felt like a Hannah Alonzo video sprinkled with murder mystery, but I was def the right audience for this one lol I’ll definitely pick up the next book (lowkey hope it’s based on the MLM Optavia because that one is unhinged).
The book series has a clear theme of crime in MLMs, and the tone is light enough for this to be almost cozy. But I didn’t really care about the murder aspect of the book. The true horror story is following the characters as they recount what miseries led them to fall for an MLM and the bankruptcy and loss of self that followed. The cringey conventions, products that not only don’t work but have awful side effects, number-based bullying within downlines, how expensive it is to maintain rank, weaponizing religion… that was the real horror.
I liked that the book didn’t demonize people in MLMs. Instead, it emphasized that under all the “hey hun”s and cringey social media posts, they are victims of a predatory business model masked as female empowerment.
Overall the writing was light and quirky, the story predictable. Still enjoyed it. The characters were flat and I’ll admit it felt like a Hannah Alonzo video sprinkled with murder mystery, but I was def the right audience for this one lol I’ll definitely pick up the next book (lowkey hope it’s based on the MLM Optavia because that one is unhinged).
March 1, 2025
This book had potential. The MLM setting for the murder was definitely promising. I enjoyed the anti-mlm tidbits that you would really only find funny if you've gone down the anti-mlm rabbit hole on YouTube the way I have. There were some funny little jokes on there about the traits most MLM companies tend to have (the "paid" not paid trips, cult-like conferences, "free" vehicles that land you in debt, etc). I found those moments amusing and even chuckled here and there.
Now comes the bad part. The writing was pretty subpar. This reminded me of a Freida McFadden book, and that is not a compliment coming from me. The plot was pretty predictable, and all the characters were flat and boring. I did not care for the main character whose only personality traits was being a sad, unemployed-30-year-old. She was whiny as heck. Everyone felt flat to me.
I do not intend to read any more books by this author, but at least this served its purpose as a mindless "fluff" read for me which is what I wanted anyway.
Now comes the bad part. The writing was pretty subpar. This reminded me of a Freida McFadden book, and that is not a compliment coming from me. The plot was pretty predictable, and all the characters were flat and boring. I did not care for the main character whose only personality traits was being a sad, unemployed-30-year-old. She was whiny as heck. Everyone felt flat to me.
I do not intend to read any more books by this author, but at least this served its purpose as a mindless "fluff" read for me which is what I wanted anyway.
August 6, 2024
Oh, how I loved this book. If you've ever been in an MLM, or if your friends have been, you'll relate to it pretty hard. The main character, Drew, is back in her Jersey hometown after failing out of New York City. Her dream is to become a serious journalist, but she's only ever gotten contract jobs that easy fall through. Desperate for money, she takes a meeting with her childhood friend, Steph. Steph offers her "the opportunity" - shilling for LuminUS, an MLM that claims to make women beautiful through supplements and facial creams. Drew has the "in" with the bigwigs at the company because Steph is one of them. When one of those women is murdered, Drew starts to investigate, and she realizes there is more to LuminUS than meets the eye. The murder doesn't happen until the halfway point, so there is a lot of setup, but it's needed to see out the rest of the plot. If you liked HEY, HUN by Emily Lynn Paulsen, you'll love this.
October 12, 2024
This was fun — the plot was outlandish at times and a little predictable, but as someone very steeped in the online anti-MLM community I felt like this author is a kindred spirit and fellow snarker (the character Bre is definitely based on a well known MLM hun who has her own snark page— iykyk 😉). More fun MLM books please!!
January 17, 2025
I was so completely absorbed in this book. The plot hooks you right from the beginning because you KNOW there’s something wrong with LuminUS. I thought Drew was a brilliant main character. She was smart and witty and you could tell she really cared about finding out what the heck was going on. The plot thickens more and more as you read, it makes it impossible to put this book down.
May 31, 2025
IYKYK. I wish I could leave the review there and call it good, but I’ll give you a little more. The characters are perfect, the plot is subpar but hilarious, and the knowledge on the toxic culture that can exist within MLMs is spot on! If you’ve been involved in one, it’s an interesting read.
June 30, 2025
Mystery elements didn't start until halfway though the book. The first half felt like a direct copy of "Hey, Hun: Sales, Sisterhood, Supremacy, and the Other Lies Behind Multilevel Marketing" (Emily Lynn Paulson) but I guess that's the reality of all MLMs.
April 16, 2025
Plot… eh.
Writing… eh.
Murder… eh.
Characters were interesting though and kept me turning the pages.
Writing… eh.
Murder… eh.
Characters were interesting though and kept me turning the pages.
February 15, 2025
3.5 rounding up. I won’t lie - I was dreading reading this one. I hate cult books and what is an MLM if not a cult. This did end up being culty but I actually enjoyed the main character enough to not hate this at all.
Drew is down on her luck and has moved back in with her dad after a failed career attempt in journalism. When her childhood friend recruits her into being a sales rep for LuminUS she suspicious but desperate enough to try. When one of her fellow reps ends up dead at a conference, her old investigative skills kick into gear and soon Drew is uncovering a whole lot of secrets.
My issue with cult books is that we know who the bad guy is from the start. It’s true in this one too. The cult leader is always evil. However, there are a couple more twists in this one that keep it fresh. It’s also terrifyingly realistic and if some other reviews are to be believed, it’s possible this is based on a real company. I’m not at all surprised. It appears this is a series, I have no idea what else you can do with these characters since they have left the MLM at the end but I’ll be back to find out!
Drew is down on her luck and has moved back in with her dad after a failed career attempt in journalism. When her childhood friend recruits her into being a sales rep for LuminUS she suspicious but desperate enough to try. When one of her fellow reps ends up dead at a conference, her old investigative skills kick into gear and soon Drew is uncovering a whole lot of secrets.
My issue with cult books is that we know who the bad guy is from the start. It’s true in this one too. The cult leader is always evil. However, there are a couple more twists in this one that keep it fresh. It’s also terrifyingly realistic and if some other reviews are to be believed, it’s possible this is based on a real company. I’m not at all surprised. It appears this is a series, I have no idea what else you can do with these characters since they have left the MLM at the end but I’ll be back to find out!
September 15, 2025
Book Title: Death in the Downline
Author(s): Maria Abrams
Publisher(s): Quirk Books/Blackstone Publishing
Publication Date: January 14, 2025
Currently Available on KU? 🙅🏼♀️
Audiobook? ✅
🍿 𝘍𝘪𝘳𝘴𝘵 𝘐𝘮𝘱𝘳𝘦𝘴𝘴𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘴: Death in the Downline was a #BookstagramMadeMeDoIt, and I wish I would have read it way sooner! I didn’t realize Maria Abrams is a local author for me, and I will definitely be keeping my eye on her… 😍👀
🤩 𝚃͏𝚑͏𝚎͏ 𝙱͏𝚎͏𝚜͏𝚝͏ 𝙱͏𝚒͏𝚝͏𝚜͏: I love anything with cult vibes, drama, and female friendship and this one delivered on all 3 counts. I couldn’t help but feel sorry for Drew and could completely see how she got drawn into LuminUS’ web. Those MLM’s (pyramid schemes) are sneaky little suckers and having a friend trying to get you into it doesn’t help. Drew’s journalistic tendencies made this story even more interesting, and I loved the mixed media that was included throughout the book as well.
🎧 𝒜𝓊𝒹𝒾𝑜𝒷𝑜𝑜𝓀 𝒩𝒶𝓇𝓇𝒶𝓉𝒾𝑜𝓃: Mia Hutchinson-Shaw & Megan Tusing were more than amazing and more than fantastic, and I adored listening to the audio. I don’t even know what to say other than the audiobook is a must listen.
💭 𝘊𝘭𝘰𝘴𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘛𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘨𝘩𝘵𝘴: I am shocked that Death in the Downline is Abrams’ debut, and it read like she has years of experience with writing novels. I was surprised by the whodunnit while also not, if that makes sense, and the progression to get there was a fun ride. I cannot WAIT to see what this author writes next!
T͏h͏i͏s͏ B͏o͏o͏k͏ i͏n͏ 5͏ E͏m͏o͏j͏i͏’s͏ o͏r͏ L͏e͏s͏s͏: ☠️🚙🧴🤑
𝙱𝚘𝚘𝚔 𝚁𝚊𝚝𝚒𝚗𝚐: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
𝙰𝚞𝚍𝚒𝚘𝚋𝚘𝚘𝚔 𝚁𝚊𝚝𝚒𝚗𝚐: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Author(s): Maria Abrams
Publisher(s): Quirk Books/Blackstone Publishing
Publication Date: January 14, 2025
Currently Available on KU? 🙅🏼♀️
Audiobook? ✅
🍿 𝘍𝘪𝘳𝘴𝘵 𝘐𝘮𝘱𝘳𝘦𝘴𝘴𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘴: Death in the Downline was a #BookstagramMadeMeDoIt, and I wish I would have read it way sooner! I didn’t realize Maria Abrams is a local author for me, and I will definitely be keeping my eye on her… 😍👀
🤩 𝚃͏𝚑͏𝚎͏ 𝙱͏𝚎͏𝚜͏𝚝͏ 𝙱͏𝚒͏𝚝͏𝚜͏: I love anything with cult vibes, drama, and female friendship and this one delivered on all 3 counts. I couldn’t help but feel sorry for Drew and could completely see how she got drawn into LuminUS’ web. Those MLM’s (pyramid schemes) are sneaky little suckers and having a friend trying to get you into it doesn’t help. Drew’s journalistic tendencies made this story even more interesting, and I loved the mixed media that was included throughout the book as well.
🎧 𝒜𝓊𝒹𝒾𝑜𝒷𝑜𝑜𝓀 𝒩𝒶𝓇𝓇𝒶𝓉𝒾𝑜𝓃: Mia Hutchinson-Shaw & Megan Tusing were more than amazing and more than fantastic, and I adored listening to the audio. I don’t even know what to say other than the audiobook is a must listen.
💭 𝘊𝘭𝘰𝘴𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘛𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘨𝘩𝘵𝘴: I am shocked that Death in the Downline is Abrams’ debut, and it read like she has years of experience with writing novels. I was surprised by the whodunnit while also not, if that makes sense, and the progression to get there was a fun ride. I cannot WAIT to see what this author writes next!
T͏h͏i͏s͏ B͏o͏o͏k͏ i͏n͏ 5͏ E͏m͏o͏j͏i͏’s͏ o͏r͏ L͏e͏s͏s͏: ☠️🚙🧴🤑
𝙱𝚘𝚘𝚔 𝚁𝚊𝚝𝚒𝚗𝚐: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
𝙰𝚞𝚍𝚒𝚘𝚋𝚘𝚘𝚔 𝚁𝚊𝚝𝚒𝚗𝚐: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
January 2, 2026
FIRST BOOK OF 2026 ✅️
I love a classic whodunnit mystery!
When i saw the plot involving a murder within a MLM company, i knew I had to read it.
The story kept me on my toes and there were so many people who seemed like they each have the perfect motive to kill, that it was a bit of a struggle to guess.
Kind of wished the author touched on sensitive topics more deeply rather than just brushing through it, but still a decent read overall.
I love a classic whodunnit mystery!
When i saw the plot involving a murder within a MLM company, i knew I had to read it.
The story kept me on my toes and there were so many people who seemed like they each have the perfect motive to kill, that it was a bit of a struggle to guess.
Kind of wished the author touched on sensitive topics more deeply rather than just brushing through it, but still a decent read overall.
February 1, 2025
i don’t know what to say i love an mlm horror
June 27, 2025
No tenía expectativas jajajaja ni me acordaba de qué trataba pero lo tenía en mis holds. Me ha gustado bastante. Predecible? Sip, pero vale la pena.
January 15, 2025
MLMs and murder??? I was so excited for this! For some reason MLMs have long fascinated me, and with more coming to light about their predatory and shady practices, there are so many interesting (and horrifying) stories coming out from previous members. Unfortunately, this didn't quite pull it off like I hoped it would, but I still appreciate what it was TRYING to do. Drew is newly single and newly unemployed when she moves in with her dad in New Jersey, at a total loss. She reconnects with Steph, a friend from high school with whom she had a falling out years ago. Of course, Steph has an AMAZING OPPORTUNITY for her with her direct marketing skincare company, LimunUS. You can imagine where things go from here.
January 15, 2025
I don't know what it is about MLMs but I just cannot look away from the trainwreck that they are (probably because I feel like I was close to getting sucked in a few times). Although not exactly lighthearted, this murder mystery/MLM story definitely kept my attention. I flew through this one, trying to figure out what was happening. It was kind of over the top ridiculous but I was into it. There was a lot going on in this book-- too much at times-- like the author was trying to decide which way to go with the plot and just decided to go all the ways- but even still I enjoyed this.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this eARC in exchange for an honest review.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this eARC in exchange for an honest review.
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