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Etiquette for Lovers and Killers
It's 1964 in the tiny town of Eastport, Maine, and Billie McCadie is bored to death. She's surrounded by dull people with more manners than sense, and no sign of the intrigue or romance that fills her beloved novels.
Then everything changes. An engagement ring and cryptic love letter addressed to 'Gertrude' turn up. Billie meets yacht-club handsome Avery Webster. Unsettling phone calls and visits from a man in a fedora begin. She ends up being one of the last people to see Gertrude alive—and the first to see her dead.
What follows is an intoxicating cocktail of stalking, blackmail, Jell-O salads, and champagne secrets, all served along the rocky Maine coastline. Everyone is a suspect. Everyone has a secret. And (strangely) everyone has a boat. But who is willing to kiss and tell? As the body count rises and the danger nears, why does Billie feel like she's more than just a side character?
Then everything changes. An engagement ring and cryptic love letter addressed to 'Gertrude' turn up. Billie meets yacht-club handsome Avery Webster. Unsettling phone calls and visits from a man in a fedora begin. She ends up being one of the last people to see Gertrude alive—and the first to see her dead.
What follows is an intoxicating cocktail of stalking, blackmail, Jell-O salads, and champagne secrets, all served along the rocky Maine coastline. Everyone is a suspect. Everyone has a secret. And (strangely) everyone has a boat. But who is willing to kiss and tell? As the body count rises and the danger nears, why does Billie feel like she's more than just a side character?
352 pages, Hardcover
First published July 1, 2025
90 people are currently reading
12077 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 208 reviews
July 24, 2025
Amusing and compelling, this murder mystery is Nancy Drew with a touch of Rebecca. A thoroughly bored amateur sleuth gets far more than she wished for when she stumbles into a crime of passion, revealing a world of deceit in a town where even the quietest corners hide the deadliest secrets.
[ Contains some spoilers ]
PLOT SUMMARY
The setting is Eastport, Maine, in the 1960s where time seems to have slowed to a crawl. Its inhabitants still dress as if the 50s never ended and there is little to see or do. 26-year-old Wilhelmina “Billie” McCadie works in the dress shop but her dream after studying cultural linguistics is to work in a museum. She is, quite frankly, and ironically, bored to death. That is, until something piques her interest.
Expecting to find 2 rejection letters from archive jobs she has applied to, Billie discovers one of the envelopes bears only her PO Box number, with no name or return address. Within it is a love letter addressed to Gertrude and an engagement ring. She then meets the handsome and wealthy yacht-club gentleman, Avery Webster, who invites her to his semiformal summer solstice party on June 19th. There, Billie encounters Gertrude who antagonises guests while she is there. Most importantly, Billie is one of the last to see Gertrude alive and the first to see her dead. Making her, of course, a top suspect.
From there are some twists and turns: trespassing, wiretapping, fake identities, blackmail, eerie phone calls, a stranger in a fedora trying to warn her, cryptic tattoos, more letters, more bodies, even romance. Everybody has a secret. And Billie will have to unravel every last one if she wants to clear her name – and survive.
OVERALL OPINIONS
This was a pleasant surprise to discover that this is Anna Fitzgerald Healy’s debut novel: it is unbelievably well-written and enticing! As far as this goes, it is a great first attempt and I am sure we shall see more things from her.
This one really had my cogs churning the moment the first clue of the letter was produced. Overthinker that I am, I was frantically taking notes (naturally in red pen – we are investigating murder, after all) along the way. Arguably, while the whodunnit part was something I saw a mile away, some aspects of it I didn’t anticipate at all, which struck a nice balance.
The general descriptions in the story and the characteristics of our heroine Billie are among the superior aspects of this tale. Some of the descriptions are incredible and added so much life and insight! Take this one, for example, which is remarkably clever:
Other standout descriptions include:
• “complexions as faded and gray as their newsprint”
• “Our relationship is a lot like this chaise longue: comfortable, well-worn, and designed for hot gossip.”
Not only that but the word choices were excellent too. The “absinthe-green” was especially interesting for the description of the wallpaper in the room where Gertrude is murdered. Absinthe is an alcoholic drink and it has been blamed for inducing seizures and inciting murders – very fitting! The murder itself is very poetic: the green is a complementary colour against the red of Gertrude (her hair, her fuchsia-coloured dress).
Along with the lovely epigraphs concerning etiquette per chapter, there are footnotes throughout with definitions for some words that are not only informative with etymologies but also contain some supplied thoughts and quirky remarks from Billie herself, which was exceptionally unique. I particularly liked trollop on page 44 where she says some people argue it comes from trollen (stroll/roll), others argue troll (gremlin/witch/wizard) – Billie asks “But why is it either/or? Why can’t we have both?”. I did laugh – and completely concur. The facts about cloud nine were interesting too, I hadn’t ever thought of it before.
I love stories with a sense of humour and this really had it! There are some great moments in here like:
• when her friend Debbie is “more shocked by [Billie liking a guy] than by the murder”
• the interaction with the tattooist, who asks “You think I tattooed the John Doe when he was still alive?” to which Billie responds “It would be weird if you tattooed him when he was dead”.
• the witty banter between Billie and Avery, like his query “Do you have an embargo on sincerity?”, met with her reply, “It’s tolerated but frowned upon. There’s a steep import tax.”
My personal favourite has to be Billie’s internal monologue upon discovering Gertrude’s body (aside from her jealousy when the maid screams perfectly about it):
ㅤ🔪🩸👤 literary references 🔎📝❓
As someone who read Nancy Drew back when I was a teenager, it is so nice to be able to return to something that reminds me so much of it. Naturally, there was some humour and plenty of clues. But it did explore more than that: Billie’s obsession over Gertrude Taylor –to quote Mr. Woodhouse from Austen’s Emma (a rather missed opportunity here), “Poor Miss Taylor!”– harkened very much to the likes of Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier. That novel has stuck with me, though it’s been about a decade since I read it. Everyone obsesses over the late Mrs. de Winter, Rebecca, to the extent that the narrator (who is never named) feels inferior and can never be her. There are some parallels:
• Both Rebecca and Gertrude are not the main characters but the “leading lady” who the main characters, the current Mrs. de Winter and Billie, both (willingly or unwillingly) look up to.
• Both die mysteriously, and their death triggers the central mystery.
• Both are murdered at the hands of someone they trusted, one of whom does this deliberately, the other who doesn’t.
• Both the current Mrs. de Winter and Billie alter their looks to match the deceased. The current Mrs. de Winter (unknowingly) wears the same costume Rebecca did to the party, upsetting Maxim. Billie changes her hairstyle, getting the same flipped Hollywood bob as Gertrude’s (looking rather similar, save the colour of hair).
The novel constantly links to Austen too: from Billie’s frequent musings on “what would Jane Austen have done?” to her forever carrying a copy of Northanger Abbey, and even to her comparing the arcs of a historical romance to her own unfolding story.
What I really liked about the Northanger Abbey idea is the similarities and contrasts between its main character, Catherine “Cathy” Morland and Billie. Both have unrealistic expectations, but the result of this for each of them is inverted:
• Cathy has unrealistic expectations as she believes the world is full of what she reads in gothic novels: seductions, crimes, villains. She experiences this when she visits Northanger Abbey itself and the mystery behind the Tilney family and the mother’s death. It turns out everything isn’t quite as terrible as she supposes.
• Billie however has unrealistic expectations in the sense that she hopes (and has hoped for a while) that her life will be like the romances she reads and she’ll have secrets and excitement. And she gets to experience that through the mysterious letter to Gertrude, sounding like something “straight out of the novels I devour every night”. It turns out that everything is worse than she supposes.
Clara’s love of ballet and the discovery of John Tux reminds me immensely of Agatha Christie’s 4.50 from Paddington.
ㅤ🔪🩸👤 not quite “elementary” 🔎📝❓
One expectation for any murder mystery is that all threads should be solved, loose ends tied up, and red herrings explained. Unfortunately, in this regard, the story disappoints.
════WARNING════
[ THIS CONTAINS MAJOR SPOILERS – SO STOP READING HERE IF YOU DON’T WANT TO KNOW
TURN BACK NOW
STILL HERE?
OKAY.
LET’S TALK MURDER ]
══════════════
🧩 { Missing information/conclusions } 🧩
🧩 { Character inconsistency } 🧩
🧩 { Disconnected deceased } 🧩
This then felt extremely anti-climactic.
🧩 { Illogical murders } 🧩
🧩 { Unrealistic moments } 🧩
🧩 { Insignificance } 🧩
🧩 { Others } 🧩
ㅤ🔪🩸👤 to conclude 🔎📝❓
Overall, this is a 3.5 rounded up. Despite the plot's occasional missteps and inconsistencies (with the exception of Billie, who generally shone), Anna Fitzgerald Healy’s debut is a well-written and compelling mystery. This type of murder mystery has considerable potential and I am looking forward to seeing this develop over time.
<< Positives >>
🠚 A well-written debut
🠚 Engaging, well-balanced mystery
🠚 Thought-provoking
🠚 Pretty cover
🠚 The inclusion of a map (from someone who isn’t American, this is useful to see Maines)
🠚 Very witty dialogues and protagonist
🠚 Captivating literary references and symbolism
🠚 Clever and excellent descriptions
🠚 Unique footnotes defining words
🠚 Plenty of aspects to tell you it is set in 1964-5 (other than the obvious year listed) such as Elizabeth Taylor’s wedding dress from 1964 being discussed; My Fair Lady, released in 1965.
<< Negatives >>
🠚 The loose ends weren’t tied up in a satisfactory way
🠚 Unexplained plot holes
🠚 Missing key information
🠚 Billie’s character inconsistencies
🠚 Underutilized supporting characters
🠚 Murders felt disconnected
🠚 Illogical death details
🠚 Motive for victim #3’s killer is out of character
🠚 Unrealistic character reactions
🠚 Unexplored symbolic elements
🠚 Uneven pacing
FAV QUOTES
• That’s the thing about old money–it hides things. It takes each ugly truth, salacious lie, brutal kiss, and tepid embrace, then swallows them whole.
• those memories aren’t quite so awful. Because my grief has softened. It isn’t a whirlpool anymore, but more like the salt air–faint but pervasive. And it doesn’t stifle me because I’ve learned how to breathe.
• A Sadie Hawkins date is when a girl asks a boy out, but what do you call it if she does so over blackmail?
• As if there were some rule book for flirting and felonies. A book of etiquette for lovers and killers.
• There are certain skills that a young lady must hone for a rainy day–like learning to ice a layer cake, ride equestrian, or breaking and entering.
• Who needs a life when you’re busy investigating a murder?
• The average American has about thirty-two thousand words in their vocabulary, while more advanced English speakers have approximately forty-five thousand words at their disposal. As a trained linguist, I know at least fifty-two thousand words, yet none of them could sufficiently describe this situation to Detective Wallace. Although I’m pretty sure that a few of them could get me arrested.
• Let me worship at the altar of your beauty, then burn it to the ground.
• He studies me as if I were a painting in a museum, with appreciation, as if all of my imperfections were beautiful.
══════════ ⋆★⋆ ══════════
I received an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review and I’d like to thank Anna Fitzgerald Healy and Little, Brown Book Group for the opportunity. This has not affected my opinion in any way.
A huge thank you to the Little, Brown Book Group Influencer program for providing me with a paperback copy.
Webster Cottage is the most sophisticated and dangerous place I know. Hom to priceless antiques: Tiffany lamps, Lalique sculptures, and the complete first edition of Audubon’s Birds of America–but nothing is quite as precious as its secrets.
[ Contains some spoilers ]
PLOT SUMMARY
The setting is Eastport, Maine, in the 1960s where time seems to have slowed to a crawl. Its inhabitants still dress as if the 50s never ended and there is little to see or do. 26-year-old Wilhelmina “Billie” McCadie works in the dress shop but her dream after studying cultural linguistics is to work in a museum. She is, quite frankly, and ironically, bored to death. That is, until something piques her interest.
Expecting to find 2 rejection letters from archive jobs she has applied to, Billie discovers one of the envelopes bears only her PO Box number, with no name or return address. Within it is a love letter addressed to Gertrude and an engagement ring. She then meets the handsome and wealthy yacht-club gentleman, Avery Webster, who invites her to his semiformal summer solstice party on June 19th. There, Billie encounters Gertrude who antagonises guests while she is there. Most importantly, Billie is one of the last to see Gertrude alive and the first to see her dead. Making her, of course, a top suspect.
From there are some twists and turns: trespassing, wiretapping, fake identities, blackmail, eerie phone calls, a stranger in a fedora trying to warn her, cryptic tattoos, more letters, more bodies, even romance. Everybody has a secret. And Billie will have to unravel every last one if she wants to clear her name – and survive.
Was she a villain, a victim, or both? Gertrude was everything that I’m not. She’s the sort of heroine who people write books about. Lovely, brilliant, and insane. I want to know everything I can about her. But I guess I’ll have to start by finding out who killed her.This is told from the first-person present-tense POV of Billie.
OVERALL OPINIONS
This was a pleasant surprise to discover that this is Anna Fitzgerald Healy’s debut novel: it is unbelievably well-written and enticing! As far as this goes, it is a great first attempt and I am sure we shall see more things from her.
This one really had my cogs churning the moment the first clue of the letter was produced. Overthinker that I am, I was frantically taking notes (naturally in red pen – we are investigating murder, after all) along the way. Arguably, while the whodunnit part was something I saw a mile away, some aspects of it I didn’t anticipate at all, which struck a nice balance.
“But you longed for the poetic justice of trading one broken heart for another.”ㅤ🔪🩸👤 narrative and descriptions 🔎📝❓
The general descriptions in the story and the characteristics of our heroine Billie are among the superior aspects of this tale. Some of the descriptions are incredible and added so much life and insight! Take this one, for example, which is remarkably clever:
The spiral staircase looks like the double helix of a DNA molecule, which is fitting, because this kind of wealth runs in the blood.
Other standout descriptions include:
• “complexions as faded and gray as their newsprint”
• “Our relationship is a lot like this chaise longue: comfortable, well-worn, and designed for hot gossip.”
Not only that but the word choices were excellent too. The “absinthe-green” was especially interesting for the description of the wallpaper in the room where Gertrude is murdered. Absinthe is an alcoholic drink and it has been blamed for inducing seizures and inciting murders – very fitting! The murder itself is very poetic: the green is a complementary colour against the red of Gertrude (her hair, her fuchsia-coloured dress).
Along with the lovely epigraphs concerning etiquette per chapter, there are footnotes throughout with definitions for some words that are not only informative with etymologies but also contain some supplied thoughts and quirky remarks from Billie herself, which was exceptionally unique. I particularly liked trollop on page 44 where she says some people argue it comes from trollen (stroll/roll), others argue troll (gremlin/witch/wizard) – Billie asks “But why is it either/or? Why can’t we have both?”. I did laugh – and completely concur. The facts about cloud nine were interesting too, I hadn’t ever thought of it before.
I love stories with a sense of humour and this really had it! There are some great moments in here like:
• when her friend Debbie is “more shocked by [Billie liking a guy] than by the murder”
• the interaction with the tattooist, who asks “You think I tattooed the John Doe when he was still alive?” to which Billie responds “It would be weird if you tattooed him when he was dead”.
• the witty banter between Billie and Avery, like his query “Do you have an embargo on sincerity?”, met with her reply, “It’s tolerated but frowned upon. There’s a steep import tax.”
My personal favourite has to be Billie’s internal monologue upon discovering Gertrude’s body (aside from her jealousy when the maid screams perfectly about it):
What is the polite reaction when one discovers a corpse at a social function? If I make a fuss, I’ll ruin the party and offend the hosts. But if I *don’t* do anything, then I’m the girl who found a body and didn’t bother to inform anyone. A bumbling idiot. A morally deficient human being. A possible suspect.
ㅤ🔪🩸👤 literary references 🔎📝❓
As someone who read Nancy Drew back when I was a teenager, it is so nice to be able to return to something that reminds me so much of it. Naturally, there was some humour and plenty of clues. But it did explore more than that: Billie’s obsession over Gertrude Taylor –to quote Mr. Woodhouse from Austen’s Emma (a rather missed opportunity here), “Poor Miss Taylor!”– harkened very much to the likes of Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier. That novel has stuck with me, though it’s been about a decade since I read it. Everyone obsesses over the late Mrs. de Winter, Rebecca, to the extent that the narrator (who is never named) feels inferior and can never be her. There are some parallels:
• Both Rebecca and Gertrude are not the main characters but the “leading lady” who the main characters, the current Mrs. de Winter and Billie, both (willingly or unwillingly) look up to.
• Both die mysteriously, and their death triggers the central mystery.
• Both are murdered at the hands of someone they trusted, one of whom does this deliberately, the other who doesn’t.
• Both the current Mrs. de Winter and Billie alter their looks to match the deceased. The current Mrs. de Winter (unknowingly) wears the same costume Rebecca did to the party, upsetting Maxim. Billie changes her hairstyle, getting the same flipped Hollywood bob as Gertrude’s (looking rather similar, save the colour of hair).
The novel constantly links to Austen too: from Billie’s frequent musings on “what would Jane Austen have done?” to her forever carrying a copy of Northanger Abbey, and even to her comparing the arcs of a historical romance to her own unfolding story.
What I really liked about the Northanger Abbey idea is the similarities and contrasts between its main character, Catherine “Cathy” Morland and Billie. Both have unrealistic expectations, but the result of this for each of them is inverted:
• Cathy has unrealistic expectations as she believes the world is full of what she reads in gothic novels: seductions, crimes, villains. She experiences this when she visits Northanger Abbey itself and the mystery behind the Tilney family and the mother’s death. It turns out everything isn’t quite as terrible as she supposes.
• Billie however has unrealistic expectations in the sense that she hopes (and has hoped for a while) that her life will be like the romances she reads and she’ll have secrets and excitement. And she gets to experience that through the mysterious letter to Gertrude, sounding like something “straight out of the novels I devour every night”. It turns out that everything is worse than she supposes.
Clara’s love of ballet and the discovery of John Tux reminds me immensely of Agatha Christie’s 4.50 from Paddington.
ㅤ🔪🩸👤 not quite “elementary” 🔎📝❓
One expectation for any murder mystery is that all threads should be solved, loose ends tied up, and red herrings explained. Unfortunately, in this regard, the story disappoints.
════WARNING════
[ THIS CONTAINS MAJOR SPOILERS – SO STOP READING HERE IF YOU DON’T WANT TO KNOW
TURN BACK NOW
STILL HERE?
OKAY.
LET’S TALK MURDER ]
══════════════
🧩 { Missing information/conclusions } 🧩
🧩 { Character inconsistency } 🧩
🧩 { Disconnected deceased } 🧩
This then felt extremely anti-climactic.
🧩 { Illogical murders } 🧩
🧩 { Unrealistic moments } 🧩
🧩 { Insignificance } 🧩
🧩 { Others } 🧩
ㅤ🔪🩸👤 to conclude 🔎📝❓
Overall, this is a 3.5 rounded up. Despite the plot's occasional missteps and inconsistencies (with the exception of Billie, who generally shone), Anna Fitzgerald Healy’s debut is a well-written and compelling mystery. This type of murder mystery has considerable potential and I am looking forward to seeing this develop over time.
<< Positives >>
🠚 A well-written debut
🠚 Engaging, well-balanced mystery
🠚 Thought-provoking
🠚 Pretty cover
🠚 The inclusion of a map (from someone who isn’t American, this is useful to see Maines)
🠚 Very witty dialogues and protagonist
🠚 Captivating literary references and symbolism
🠚 Clever and excellent descriptions
🠚 Unique footnotes defining words
🠚 Plenty of aspects to tell you it is set in 1964-5 (other than the obvious year listed) such as Elizabeth Taylor’s wedding dress from 1964 being discussed; My Fair Lady, released in 1965.
<< Negatives >>
🠚 The loose ends weren’t tied up in a satisfactory way
🠚 Unexplained plot holes
🠚 Missing key information
🠚 Billie’s character inconsistencies
🠚 Underutilized supporting characters
🠚 Murders felt disconnected
🠚 Illogical death details
🠚 Motive for victim #3’s killer is out of character
🠚 Unrealistic character reactions
🠚 Unexplored symbolic elements
🠚 Uneven pacing
FAV QUOTES
• That’s the thing about old money–it hides things. It takes each ugly truth, salacious lie, brutal kiss, and tepid embrace, then swallows them whole.
• those memories aren’t quite so awful. Because my grief has softened. It isn’t a whirlpool anymore, but more like the salt air–faint but pervasive. And it doesn’t stifle me because I’ve learned how to breathe.
• A Sadie Hawkins date is when a girl asks a boy out, but what do you call it if she does so over blackmail?
• As if there were some rule book for flirting and felonies. A book of etiquette for lovers and killers.
• There are certain skills that a young lady must hone for a rainy day–like learning to ice a layer cake, ride equestrian, or breaking and entering.
• Who needs a life when you’re busy investigating a murder?
• The average American has about thirty-two thousand words in their vocabulary, while more advanced English speakers have approximately forty-five thousand words at their disposal. As a trained linguist, I know at least fifty-two thousand words, yet none of them could sufficiently describe this situation to Detective Wallace. Although I’m pretty sure that a few of them could get me arrested.
• Let me worship at the altar of your beauty, then burn it to the ground.
• He studies me as if I were a painting in a museum, with appreciation, as if all of my imperfections were beautiful.
══════════ ⋆★⋆ ══════════
I received an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review and I’d like to thank Anna Fitzgerald Healy and Little, Brown Book Group for the opportunity. This has not affected my opinion in any way.
A huge thank you to the Little, Brown Book Group Influencer program for providing me with a paperback copy.
July 7, 2025
3.5⭐ rounded up. The title and description intrigued me, and I'm happy to say I enjoyed it. Although it had a slow start, I still enjoyed the story and writing. Eventually, it picked up, and the murder mystery pulled me in. I loved the 1960’s time period and the small town Maine setting. There are some good twists as well. I'm happy I had the chance to read this. I'll be interested in reading this author's future books.
Thank you to the publisher and netgalley for the gifted copy. All opinions are my own.
Thank you to the publisher and netgalley for the gifted copy. All opinions are my own.
July 15, 2025
firstly, thank you to the publisher for an arc!
3.5 stars — this was a fun, rainy day mystery with a dash of coziness, romance, and danger, and FULL of definitions (a nice touch, considering our fmc is a budding linguist/translator)!!
i also listened to the audio and absolutely loved the narrator — she did a fantastic job!
3.5 stars — this was a fun, rainy day mystery with a dash of coziness, romance, and danger, and FULL of definitions (a nice touch, considering our fmc is a budding linguist/translator)!!
i also listened to the audio and absolutely loved the narrator — she did a fantastic job!
April 15, 2025
The setting and period made me hopeful for this one. However, it was so slow-paced that I saw the "big reveal" coming almost immediately. The other reveals surrounding The Big One also felt uninteresting. The plot dragged on; there was a lot of filler with very little payoff, and it lacked a sense of urgency. I found the subject matter and writing neither enjoyable nor compelling enough to offset this absence of urgency, and every character was exceptionally one-dimensional. There was no clarity about what drove Billie or fed her obsession, making her neither likable nor relatable. Overall, it was mostly a miss for me; I finished it, but it was a slog.
Thank you to NetGalley and Putnam for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.
Thank you to NetGalley and Putnam for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.
August 9, 2025
Gosh I loved Billie. This was such a fun murder mystery, set in 1960s Maine. I like to be able to have a laugh when I am reading about murder and Billie and her antics gave me so much to giggle at. It is always interesting to read something set in the past, the way life has changed, how the way people think and act has changed.. thank goodness 😅
Billie is a woman in her 20s, single, living with her grandparents and she is bored. Nothing exciting ever happens. She immerses herself in her books, so she is definitely a character to love! after being invited to a summer party by one of the rich summer residents, she finds herself in the midst of a murder investigation. Unable to help herself, she does some digging of her own with some hilarious results. The ending was perfect!
A murder mystery with a romance and some laughs, this book will appeal to a wide audience.
Thanks so much to Little, Brown Group UK on NetGalley for my advanced copy to read. Publishes on August 7th.
Billie is a woman in her 20s, single, living with her grandparents and she is bored. Nothing exciting ever happens. She immerses herself in her books, so she is definitely a character to love! after being invited to a summer party by one of the rich summer residents, she finds herself in the midst of a murder investigation. Unable to help herself, she does some digging of her own with some hilarious results. The ending was perfect!
A murder mystery with a romance and some laughs, this book will appeal to a wide audience.
Thanks so much to Little, Brown Group UK on NetGalley for my advanced copy to read. Publishes on August 7th.
June 5, 2025
Utterly delightful and crackling with wit, I could not put this down! Think 1960s Gilmore Girls with a good dose of murder and a dash of romance. Billie McCadie is the kind of character you’ll love spending time with, and the ups and downs her investigating murder in the upper echelons of Eastport Maine have all the hallmarks of the perfect murder mystery: fantastic setting, characters with layers of secrets, and fabulous twists and turns.
July 13, 2025
Thank you to NetGalley for an ARC of
Etiquette for Lovers and Killers.
** Minor mannerly non-spoilers ahead **
Billie McCadie is bored out of her gourd in her tiny town of Eastport, Maine.
She lives with her grandparents and slums it working at a dress shop despite her intelligence and college degree.
Then her life takes a dramatic turn when she meets a handsome, affluent young man and a party girl in his social circle is murdered.
Life suddenly seems dramatic and not all boring for Billie as she works on figuring out whodunit.
First, great cover and title!
Second, I love the premise and the 60s setting.
Third, Billie was hard to like.
I didn't dislike her but I didn't like her and I just couldn't put my finger on why.
She was also both mature and immature at the same time.
She was smart and resourceful but silly and naive, desperate to find a man and fall in love like all the heroines in the books she reads.
Fourth, the etiquette rules were amusing but they soon grew tiresome. The schtick didn't last long.
Fifth, the narrative lacked suspense and urgency.
It was boring since a good portion of the story dealt with Billie's budding romance with Avery.
This was cozier than I expected; murders do happen but it's not graphic or violent.
We're mostly in Billie's head and her romance with Avery, her Nancy Drew-like machinations, socializing with the hoity-toity and and dealing with her grandparents and her lack of a real job.
I guessed who the bad guy was easily and though the ending wasn't bad, I wasn't a fan of the mystery or Billie.
The writing was good, but the story too slow-paced, which fits the 60s setting.
** Minor mannerly non-spoilers ahead **
Billie McCadie is bored out of her gourd in her tiny town of Eastport, Maine.
She lives with her grandparents and slums it working at a dress shop despite her intelligence and college degree.
Then her life takes a dramatic turn when she meets a handsome, affluent young man and a party girl in his social circle is murdered.
Life suddenly seems dramatic and not all boring for Billie as she works on figuring out whodunit.
First, great cover and title!
Second, I love the premise and the 60s setting.
Third, Billie was hard to like.
I didn't dislike her but I didn't like her and I just couldn't put my finger on why.
She was also both mature and immature at the same time.
She was smart and resourceful but silly and naive, desperate to find a man and fall in love like all the heroines in the books she reads.
Fourth, the etiquette rules were amusing but they soon grew tiresome. The schtick didn't last long.
Fifth, the narrative lacked suspense and urgency.
It was boring since a good portion of the story dealt with Billie's budding romance with Avery.
This was cozier than I expected; murders do happen but it's not graphic or violent.
We're mostly in Billie's head and her romance with Avery, her Nancy Drew-like machinations, socializing with the hoity-toity and and dealing with her grandparents and her lack of a real job.
I guessed who the bad guy was easily and though the ending wasn't bad, I wasn't a fan of the mystery or Billie.
The writing was good, but the story too slow-paced, which fits the 60s setting.
May 30, 2025
Penguin Group Putnam provided an early galley for review.
After reading the opening chapters of this novel, I would have been knocked over with a feather if I had been informed that this was Healy's debut novel (which it is). Through Billie's narration, with vibrant prose and energized dialogue the author brings us into the world of Eastport, Maine. I found the grin on my face broadening with each turn of a phrase she dishes out. This is a kind of writing I very much enjoy. It is fun and comes across as effortless (even though, as a writer, I know it often is not so easy produce).
The story is a bit drawn out with Billie bouncing between her investigation and her love life over the course of a year. One would think the police in a small town with only a single public phone booth would be able to solve a murder faster than that. It almost seems like Billie is the only one even trying to resolve the case. I can see where the author was going with the ending, though I personally did not find it to be fully satisfying. I give the book high marks on style even if the substance could have used a bit more polish.
I do have to nitpick a couple minor references dropped in: "Burt Reynolds mustache" (ch 2) which he did not sport until 1972 after filming Deliverance, a mention of watching Guiding Light (ch 4) and then Candid Camera (ch 5) on the same Saturday when they aired weekdays Monday through Friday and Sunday nights respectively. These might go by most readers' heads, but they stuck out to a pop culture fanatic like myself. As we always say in writing group: if you want to include real world references in fiction with historical foundations, you need to make sure they all are accurately presented.
After reading the opening chapters of this novel, I would have been knocked over with a feather if I had been informed that this was Healy's debut novel (which it is). Through Billie's narration, with vibrant prose and energized dialogue the author brings us into the world of Eastport, Maine. I found the grin on my face broadening with each turn of a phrase she dishes out. This is a kind of writing I very much enjoy. It is fun and comes across as effortless (even though, as a writer, I know it often is not so easy produce).
The story is a bit drawn out with Billie bouncing between her investigation and her love life over the course of a year. One would think the police in a small town with only a single public phone booth would be able to solve a murder faster than that. It almost seems like Billie is the only one even trying to resolve the case. I can see where the author was going with the ending, though I personally did not find it to be fully satisfying. I give the book high marks on style even if the substance could have used a bit more polish.
I do have to nitpick a couple minor references dropped in: "Burt Reynolds mustache" (ch 2) which he did not sport until 1972 after filming Deliverance, a mention of watching Guiding Light (ch 4) and then Candid Camera (ch 5) on the same Saturday when they aired weekdays Monday through Friday and Sunday nights respectively. These might go by most readers' heads, but they stuck out to a pop culture fanatic like myself. As we always say in writing group: if you want to include real world references in fiction with historical foundations, you need to make sure they all are accurately presented.
July 29, 2025
❤️ Won in a giveaway 🔪
I enjoyed this book for the most part early on. A woman, Billie, is intrigued by a woman (mostly wanting to be just like her). The woman ends up murdered and Billie wants to find out why. This takes place in a very wealthy community. A lot of the characters are stuck up and really unlikeable. I couldn't really relate or root for anyone. Somewhere after the middle of the book, I was pretty bored. I was bored with a lot of the writing. I enjoyed the conversations with the characters more than all the drawn out details about people's clothes or the scenery. This is not a bad book. It just could have wrapped up a lot sooner. Thank you to the author, Anna Fitzgerald Healy, Penguin Random House and Goodreads for my uncorrected proof copy. Happy reading! 👒🎩
I enjoyed this book for the most part early on. A woman, Billie, is intrigued by a woman (mostly wanting to be just like her). The woman ends up murdered and Billie wants to find out why. This takes place in a very wealthy community. A lot of the characters are stuck up and really unlikeable. I couldn't really relate or root for anyone. Somewhere after the middle of the book, I was pretty bored. I was bored with a lot of the writing. I enjoyed the conversations with the characters more than all the drawn out details about people's clothes or the scenery. This is not a bad book. It just could have wrapped up a lot sooner. Thank you to the author, Anna Fitzgerald Healy, Penguin Random House and Goodreads for my uncorrected proof copy. Happy reading! 👒🎩
March 2, 2025
Be careful what you wish for....especially, if you’re a bored witty young woman in 1960’s Maine. Our FMC Billie finds herself suddenly pulled into high society amidst murder, chaos, and affairs. Will she find love? Where are these mystery letters appearing from? Is the marvelous Mr. Avery Webster everything she’s hoped for or will he leave her for another high society woman? And why is everyone so obsessed with the late Gertrude?
If you’ve a lover of mysteries and small-town murders, I can’t recommend this enough for a fun summertime read.
Thank you to Penguin Group Putnam | GP Putnam’s and NetGalley for an E-ARC copy of this book.
If you’ve a lover of mysteries and small-town murders, I can’t recommend this enough for a fun summertime read.
Thank you to Penguin Group Putnam | GP Putnam’s and NetGalley for an E-ARC copy of this book.
September 7, 2025
jaw literally dropped
Read
November 26, 2025Good ... but what WAS that ending (spoilers included under protection.)
I don't read a lot of historical fiction but the overall vibe of this early 1960s murder mystery was really fun. The book's main character is Wilhelmina "Billie" McCadie, an educated woman stuck in a remote small town in Maine. Trained as a linguist, she's unsuccessfully applying for jobs, and in the meantime is working as a seamstress for the women in town.
One day, a mysterious letter and an engagement ring show up in her PO box. Then the glamorous woman to whom the letter is addressed is murdered. Billie, who has been desperately waiting for something to happen to her, is ON the case.
I loved that fact that as she investigated, her confidence grew. She, an unglamorous townie, is suddly romanced by a rich and charming man (THAT'S not suspicious at all) and infiltrates the world of the "summer people." She's going to find the killer.
While I give this book a 10/10 for a fun and authentic-feeling 1964 vibe and was loving the spunky Nancy Drew feel of it, things took a VERY strange turn at the end that I just could not get behind. Billie, what? That was just seriously weird. Go read some Betty Friedan and try again.
Thanks to the publisher for providing an advance copy for review!
Love hearing about the latest and greatest books to read? Subscribe to my amazing newsletter HERE at JenRyland.com Let's be friends on Bookstagram!
I don't read a lot of historical fiction but the overall vibe of this early 1960s murder mystery was really fun. The book's main character is Wilhelmina "Billie" McCadie, an educated woman stuck in a remote small town in Maine. Trained as a linguist, she's unsuccessfully applying for jobs, and in the meantime is working as a seamstress for the women in town.
One day, a mysterious letter and an engagement ring show up in her PO box. Then the glamorous woman to whom the letter is addressed is murdered. Billie, who has been desperately waiting for something to happen to her, is ON the case.
I loved that fact that as she investigated, her confidence grew. She, an unglamorous townie, is suddly romanced by a rich and charming man (THAT'S not suspicious at all) and infiltrates the world of the "summer people." She's going to find the killer.
While I give this book a 10/10 for a fun and authentic-feeling 1964 vibe and was loving the spunky Nancy Drew feel of it, things took a VERY strange turn at the end that I just could not get behind. Billie, what? That was just seriously weird. Go read some Betty Friedan and try again.
Thanks to the publisher for providing an advance copy for review!
Love hearing about the latest and greatest books to read? Subscribe to my amazing newsletter HERE at JenRyland.com Let's be friends on Bookstagram!
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January 23, 2025I did not finish this book.
I wanted to love it. Loved the cover and the time period and was sooooo bored.
Not for me.
I wanted to love it. Loved the cover and the time period and was sooooo bored.
Not for me.
Read
March 1, 2025DNF. Entirely too much high society nonsense for me. But I might enjoy this one in tv/movie form.
Read
June 11, 2025DNF. Not enjoying this perspective and I don't want to hate read just to say I finished it. MC is kind of a brat.
May 25, 2025
I received a eGalley ARC through NetGalley for an honest review. Here it is.
Wilhelmina "Billie" McCadie is a young woman trying to figure out her place in the world. After losing both of her parents, Billie stays with her grandparents in the small town of Eastport, Maine, where she works as a seamstress while applying for linguistic and librarian positions. One day, Billie receives a letter with an engagement ring, but it's not for her. Then, she meets Avery Webster, a rich, young man summering in Maine and is invited to a clam bake. As a townie, Billie is intrigued by the wealthy who summer in Maine, and the lives of the rich and infamous. At the party, Billie witnesses more than she bargained for, and soon a woman is found dead. The woman whose engagement ring Billie received in the mail. Thus, Billie begins her plunge into the secrets of the wealthy, and ultimately the truth behind Gertrude's murder. But, Billie gets more than she bargained for, and soon becomes enthralled with the life and people to her detriment. Can Billie save herself and figure out who executed the perfect murder, or will she succumb to the life of luxury?
Etiquette for Lovers and Killers has great potential, but it is all over the board. Healy needed to focus her writing more to create a cohesive story. At times, things are going great, but then she calls back upon etiquette, or randomly references something from 1964-5 that takes away from the story. She needed to focus more on Billie and the deceased instead of trying to encapsulate the time period, feminism, etiquette, and whatever else was going on. Several times I was lost in the story because too much was being thrown in without any connection. Not enough was known about the victims to help guide the story, while too much time was spent on frivolous ideas that took away from the story. I would have liked Billie to receive the letter and engagement ring after the party; this would have added intrigue to the story instead of the mundane way she does receive it. More connections need to be made throughout. I did enjoy the use of the etiquette manual at the start of each chapter, but Healy should have just left it to the reader to connect instead of trying to explain everything in the chapters.
Wilhelmina "Billie" McCadie is a young woman trying to figure out her place in the world. After losing both of her parents, Billie stays with her grandparents in the small town of Eastport, Maine, where she works as a seamstress while applying for linguistic and librarian positions. One day, Billie receives a letter with an engagement ring, but it's not for her. Then, she meets Avery Webster, a rich, young man summering in Maine and is invited to a clam bake. As a townie, Billie is intrigued by the wealthy who summer in Maine, and the lives of the rich and infamous. At the party, Billie witnesses more than she bargained for, and soon a woman is found dead. The woman whose engagement ring Billie received in the mail. Thus, Billie begins her plunge into the secrets of the wealthy, and ultimately the truth behind Gertrude's murder. But, Billie gets more than she bargained for, and soon becomes enthralled with the life and people to her detriment. Can Billie save herself and figure out who executed the perfect murder, or will she succumb to the life of luxury?
Etiquette for Lovers and Killers has great potential, but it is all over the board. Healy needed to focus her writing more to create a cohesive story. At times, things are going great, but then she calls back upon etiquette, or randomly references something from 1964-5 that takes away from the story. She needed to focus more on Billie and the deceased instead of trying to encapsulate the time period, feminism, etiquette, and whatever else was going on. Several times I was lost in the story because too much was being thrown in without any connection. Not enough was known about the victims to help guide the story, while too much time was spent on frivolous ideas that took away from the story. I would have liked Billie to receive the letter and engagement ring after the party; this would have added intrigue to the story instead of the mundane way she does receive it. More connections need to be made throughout. I did enjoy the use of the etiquette manual at the start of each chapter, but Healy should have just left it to the reader to connect instead of trying to explain everything in the chapters.
November 5, 2025
Somehow this underrated debut cozy historical murder mystery slash romance has gone largely unnoticed and I can't imagine why! It was so fun following along as amateur sleuth, Billie McCadie gets caught up in solving who is responsible for the dead body at one of the dinner parties she was attending.
Set in 1964 Maine, the story takes place over several months as Billie tracks down various leads, gets entangled with a number of mysterious men and educates the reader on the entomology and idioms of an untold number of words. I really enjoyed how Billie was equal parts brainy and horny and had twin goals of getting laid and solving the murder.
This was great on audio narrated by Mia Hutchinson-Shaw and would make for a fantastic streaming series. I hope there are more Billie adventures because the book ends on a cliff hanger and I for one, can't wait to see what happens next!
Set in 1964 Maine, the story takes place over several months as Billie tracks down various leads, gets entangled with a number of mysterious men and educates the reader on the entomology and idioms of an untold number of words. I really enjoyed how Billie was equal parts brainy and horny and had twin goals of getting laid and solving the murder.
This was great on audio narrated by Mia Hutchinson-Shaw and would make for a fantastic streaming series. I hope there are more Billie adventures because the book ends on a cliff hanger and I for one, can't wait to see what happens next!
June 30, 2025
A delightfully clever blend of mystery and romance, this debut delivers the perfect rom-com-meets-whodunit.
Overflowing with nostalgia, sharp wit, and stylish prose, it’s twisty, darkly comedic, and thoroughly engaging. The 1960s Maine setting is vividly rendered, rich in detail and atmosphere, transporting readers with ease.
I’m always intrigued by stories that explore high society, and seeing it through Billie’s perspective made it all the more compelling.
Though occasionally a bit over-the-top and slow-paced, it remains an entertaining mix of romantic suspense and historical fiction.
3.5 stars rounded to 4 for Goodreads
Overflowing with nostalgia, sharp wit, and stylish prose, it’s twisty, darkly comedic, and thoroughly engaging. The 1960s Maine setting is vividly rendered, rich in detail and atmosphere, transporting readers with ease.
I’m always intrigued by stories that explore high society, and seeing it through Billie’s perspective made it all the more compelling.
Though occasionally a bit over-the-top and slow-paced, it remains an entertaining mix of romantic suspense and historical fiction.
3.5 stars rounded to 4 for Goodreads
dnf
August 12, 2025Listened to about 45 minutes. Twice the protagonist has mentioned her own "wide eyes" even though it's first person POV and somehow, between the writing and the author's introduction, this just feels awfully pleased with itself.
After seeing the spoiler in Jen's review https://www.goodreads.com/review/show... and contemplating whether it would be written convincingly, I'm putting this one aside.
Audio Notes: Mia Hutchinson-Shaw's voice is pleasant, but I'd forgotten that I don't love the mannered way she narrates.
After seeing the spoiler in Jen's review https://www.goodreads.com/review/show... and contemplating whether it would be written convincingly, I'm putting this one aside.
Audio Notes: Mia Hutchinson-Shaw's voice is pleasant, but I'd forgotten that I don't love the mannered way she narrates.
July 14, 2025
Пока рейтинг явно занижен. Книга действительно не самая простая для чтения. Те, кто ожидал традиционного дамского романа, где очаровательная блондинка бодро разгадывает загадки и в конце вознаграждается удачным браком с красавцем-принцем, разочарованы. История движется как в жизни: с удачами и поражениями, с мечтами и слезами. И множеством лингвистических "сносок" - что мне как раз очень импонирует. Это дебютный роман автора - и надеюсь, не последний :)
June 21, 2025
Etiquette for Lovers and Killers is part murder mystery, part romance. It's set in Eastport, Maine in the 1960's. The main character, Billie McCadie, is a wannabe linguist who works at a seamstress shop during the day, and at night, reads her heart's fill worth of decorous love stories and murder mysteries hoping that something, anything, interesting would happen to her. Before long, she gets her wish.
After receiving an engagement ring and a cryptic love letter addressed to a Gertrude in the mail, strange things start happening, and Billie's life starts to roll along like the plot of one of her beloved novels. Not only is there murder, but there's coercion, stalking, betrayal, connection, and secrets whispered over cocktails at high society soirees. As the bodies keep mounting, will Billie be able to sus out the killer? As the heart stakes keep rising, will she be able to let herself fall for the gentleman of her dreams or will she be felled by charm and money?
I had hoped to like this better than I did. The etiquette rules were a creative touch at the beginning of each chapter, but the plot lacked suspense and urgency. I also had a hard time connecting to the 60's setting. Perhaps it was how Billie and the other characters talked, maneuvered, but they felt modern to me. I suppose I wanted to be immersed more in the high society environment of it all, I don't know. I liked that Billie was smart, resourceful, and a little unhinged, but the twist at the end kind of gave me whiplash.
2.5 stars
Thank you to NetGalley and Putnam for the ARC in exchange for my review.
BOOK BLOG
After receiving an engagement ring and a cryptic love letter addressed to a Gertrude in the mail, strange things start happening, and Billie's life starts to roll along like the plot of one of her beloved novels. Not only is there murder, but there's coercion, stalking, betrayal, connection, and secrets whispered over cocktails at high society soirees. As the bodies keep mounting, will Billie be able to sus out the killer? As the heart stakes keep rising, will she be able to let herself fall for the gentleman of her dreams or will she be felled by charm and money?
I had hoped to like this better than I did. The etiquette rules were a creative touch at the beginning of each chapter, but the plot lacked suspense and urgency. I also had a hard time connecting to the 60's setting. Perhaps it was how Billie and the other characters talked, maneuvered, but they felt modern to me. I suppose I wanted to be immersed more in the high society environment of it all, I don't know. I liked that Billie was smart, resourceful, and a little unhinged, but the twist at the end kind of gave me whiplash.
2.5 stars
Thank you to NetGalley and Putnam for the ARC in exchange for my review.
BOOK BLOG
July 5, 2025
Good in theory…Poor in execution.
August 8, 2025
Not my cup of tea. The murder mystery aspect felt like a slog, interrupted by "etiquette" blurbs at the beginning of every chapter and word definitions cluttering the footnotes. After the first few chapters I skipped them completely.
The main character, Billie, is painted to be a boring, average girl who doesn't fit in with the popular crowd. Usually, those traits would make me more drawn to a character, but in this case it just made her feel like a pick me. On top of that, she felt annoyingly rude and *way* too quippy. Reviews of this book praise the dialogue, but I was exhausted by the sarcasm that littered every. single. conversation.
She lives with her grandparents rent-free, but is increasingly rude and dismissive of them. I also would have preferred for her grandparents to have more of an effect on the story, considering she lives with them and sees them every day. (Also, was the mystery of her Grandmother's phone conversation with Avery ever revealed?)
I saw the twist coming and yet it still disappointed me. Wow, Avery was the bad guy and played Billie like a fiddle the whole time. But she's still kind of in love with him. Billie is rude, blackmails Avery at the end, trespasses, interferes with police investigations, etc, and Avery is a murderer. I guess they deserved each other after all?
The main character, Billie, is painted to be a boring, average girl who doesn't fit in with the popular crowd. Usually, those traits would make me more drawn to a character, but in this case it just made her feel like a pick me. On top of that, she felt annoyingly rude and *way* too quippy. Reviews of this book praise the dialogue, but I was exhausted by the sarcasm that littered every. single. conversation.
She lives with her grandparents rent-free, but is increasingly rude and dismissive of them. I also would have preferred for her grandparents to have more of an effect on the story, considering she lives with them and sees them every day. (Also, was the mystery of her Grandmother's phone conversation with Avery ever revealed?)
I saw the twist coming and yet it still disappointed me. Wow, Avery was the bad guy and played Billie like a fiddle the whole time. But she's still kind of in love with him. Billie is rude, blackmails Avery at the end, trespasses, interferes with police investigations, etc, and Avery is a murderer. I guess they deserved each other after all?
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 7, 2024
This story takes place in idealistic 1960's New England, where etiquette and being polite matters over all else (at least for women). But one day a dead body shows up...and it's not the last.
This was a fun and unique twist on a murder mystery, I think setting it in such a falsely picture-perfect era and location really added to the ambience and the eeriness that arises when the bodies do.
I did think it was cool that there were little etiquette lessons at the beginning of each chapter, I thought that was funny and a nice little touch. Little touches like that do make a difference in reading experience, in my opinion.
However, I do wish that this was a little more riveting. I found it a bit slow-paced for my taste in mysteries/thrillers. But overall, I had fun.
Thanks to NetGalley for the e-ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review!
This was a fun and unique twist on a murder mystery, I think setting it in such a falsely picture-perfect era and location really added to the ambience and the eeriness that arises when the bodies do.
I did think it was cool that there were little etiquette lessons at the beginning of each chapter, I thought that was funny and a nice little touch. Little touches like that do make a difference in reading experience, in my opinion.
However, I do wish that this was a little more riveting. I found it a bit slow-paced for my taste in mysteries/thrillers. But overall, I had fun.
Thanks to NetGalley for the e-ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review!
July 27, 2025
3.5 stars, rounded up.
A fun and clever read that doesn’t quite reach its potential but is a worthy pick regardless.
It’s a bit of a bummer when the publisher’s summary sets up unrealistic expectations for a novel, which is sort of what happened here.
The summary is a LOT funnier than the book (which I would not have called especially humorous at all, more like occasionally sly). Because of the way the summary was written, I was forever waiting for jokes or even just some observational humor that was never coming.
That aside, this is fine as a mystery and certainly well paced. I liked the protagonist a lot (unusual for me in a book in this subgenre), and while the solve and the twist toward the end are fairly predictable, they’re also well-conceived and well-told.
I think I needed a bit more humor to truly love this (and perhaps a more unusual or complex ending), but I loved the tone in a general sense and all the word origin stuff was a delight to read.
*I received an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.*
A fun and clever read that doesn’t quite reach its potential but is a worthy pick regardless.
It’s a bit of a bummer when the publisher’s summary sets up unrealistic expectations for a novel, which is sort of what happened here.
The summary is a LOT funnier than the book (which I would not have called especially humorous at all, more like occasionally sly). Because of the way the summary was written, I was forever waiting for jokes or even just some observational humor that was never coming.
That aside, this is fine as a mystery and certainly well paced. I liked the protagonist a lot (unusual for me in a book in this subgenre), and while the solve and the twist toward the end are fairly predictable, they’re also well-conceived and well-told.
I think I needed a bit more humor to truly love this (and perhaps a more unusual or complex ending), but I loved the tone in a general sense and all the word origin stuff was a delight to read.
*I received an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.*
June 26, 2025
I was drawn into the mystery set in the 1960s from the very beginning. The details of the time period felt real and vivid, creating a strong sense of place that pulled me in completely. It felt like stepping into another world.
The story of the letters arriving and slowly uncovering their meaning kept me hooked. I found myself eager to discover how everything connected and what secrets lay beneath the surface. Each new revelation deepened the mystery and made me think carefully about the characters’ lives.
As I read, I realized the story focused on more than just the mystery itself. The quiet moments of reflection on the characters’ struggles made the experience meaningful and thoughtful. That subtle depth stayed with me well after I turned the last page.
The story of the letters arriving and slowly uncovering their meaning kept me hooked. I found myself eager to discover how everything connected and what secrets lay beneath the surface. Each new revelation deepened the mystery and made me think carefully about the characters’ lives.
As I read, I realized the story focused on more than just the mystery itself. The quiet moments of reflection on the characters’ struggles made the experience meaningful and thoughtful. That subtle depth stayed with me well after I turned the last page.
July 29, 2025
In 1964, Billie McCadie lives in the small town of Eastport, Maine. She is a townie with a degree in linguistics, working at a local alterations shop as she sends resumes out. One day she receives a love letter - addressed to another woman's name - and a ring in the mail. This is the first odd thing to happen, but certainly not the last. She goes to a party at the "cottage" belonging to one of the summer people and finds a body. She ends up being caught up in sleuthing and in a dangerous, complicated web that changes constantly.
I wanted to read Etiquette for Lovers and Killers because I love the 1960's and was intrigued by a historical mystery set during this time period.
I have read a couple of online reviews that refer to this book as a cozy mystery. I am a lifelong mystery reader and this is not a cozy mystery. It has a small town setting, as many cozies do, but it is dark and twisty - reminiscent of Patricia Highsmith's mysteries, or a Hitchcock film. Nothing in this book is as it seems!
I found this novel ridiculously compelling - I read two nights long after my bedtime because I couldn't put it down. It is absolutely unique, with a fresh voice and an interesting format (the chapters are punctuated by etiquette tips and word definitions, courtesy of Billie the linguist).
I recommend Etiquette for Lovers and Killers for fans of historical mysteries, noir style storytelling, and unique and interesting period reads.
I wanted to read Etiquette for Lovers and Killers because I love the 1960's and was intrigued by a historical mystery set during this time period.
I have read a couple of online reviews that refer to this book as a cozy mystery. I am a lifelong mystery reader and this is not a cozy mystery. It has a small town setting, as many cozies do, but it is dark and twisty - reminiscent of Patricia Highsmith's mysteries, or a Hitchcock film. Nothing in this book is as it seems!
I found this novel ridiculously compelling - I read two nights long after my bedtime because I couldn't put it down. It is absolutely unique, with a fresh voice and an interesting format (the chapters are punctuated by etiquette tips and word definitions, courtesy of Billie the linguist).
I recommend Etiquette for Lovers and Killers for fans of historical mysteries, noir style storytelling, and unique and interesting period reads.
August 11, 2025
This was a different sort of mystery, odd and witty. Billie McCadie is trying to survive the mostly-staid early 60s in her small town in Maine. She lives with her grandparents in a strange and unbalanced situation. Billie is smart as a whip and has a degree in linguistics but despite sending in dozens and dozens of job applications all over the country, is forced to take a job at a clothing alteration shop.
So, bored Billie is intrigued when a local rich boy shows an interest. Soon she is involved in a quirky semi-relationship and is on the scene when a woman is murdered. Things run in all directions from there. The victim's circle of "friends" is strange, and the woman herself was highly unusual.
Billie leaps in and is soon taking a lot of chances: learning how to wiretap phones, obtaining fake I.D. so she can claim the murdered woman's belongings, spying on suspects. She is definitely in over her head.
The ending has a couple of unexpected if not shocking surprises. A fun read if you are looking for something a bit different.
So, bored Billie is intrigued when a local rich boy shows an interest. Soon she is involved in a quirky semi-relationship and is on the scene when a woman is murdered. Things run in all directions from there. The victim's circle of "friends" is strange, and the woman herself was highly unusual.
Billie leaps in and is soon taking a lot of chances: learning how to wiretap phones, obtaining fake I.D. so she can claim the murdered woman's belongings, spying on suspects. She is definitely in over her head.
The ending has a couple of unexpected if not shocking surprises. A fun read if you are looking for something a bit different.
June 24, 2025
Etiquette for Lovers and Killers by Anna Fitzgerald Healy is a suspenseful story about a woman named Billie who is bored with her life in 1964. After mistakenly receiving a love letter meant for another woman, she runs into this woman at a party before the woman is murdered. Not only is she being drawn to a rich summer visitor named Avery, she’s also drawn into her investigating the murder of but what will happen when the cops start suspecting her?
I felt this story had a slow start, but it picked up and had some good twists and turns at the end. While it took me a bit to be drawn into the story, I was invested and had to know who the killer was by the end.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for access to an advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.
I felt this story had a slow start, but it picked up and had some good twists and turns at the end. While it took me a bit to be drawn into the story, I was invested and had to know who the killer was by the end.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for access to an advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.
July 16, 2025
I loved the idea and the book blurb, but this book felt like it dragged quite a bit and I never felt very invested in the characters, the "romance", or the murder mystery. It had moments but not many. Also, I felt like the voice of the book was rather distant and that also made it hard to feel anything for the characters.
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