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The Last Picks #7
By the Book
A stolen book. A desperate killer. And two very meddlesome parents.
Dashiell Dawson Dane might have a problem. It’s not a huge problem. In fact, all things considered, life is good—he’s got a wonderful boyfriend, fantastic friends, and a home where he’s genuinely happy, maybe for the first time ever. He’s even writing regularly. (Okay, mostly regularly.)
There is, however, the teensiest issue with money—in that, he doesn’t have any.
And it turns out Dash isn’t the only one strapped for cash. The Hastings Rock Public Library has recently been defunded by the mayor and the city council, and the town is in an uproar.
To keep the library open, Dash hosts a charity auction at Hemlock House. But disaster strikes when an exceptionally valuable book is stolen before the fundraiser can begin. And when Dash finds the mayor dead—and Hastings Rock’s head librarian refuses to provide an alibi—he quickly becomes tangled in yet another murder investigation.
How could things get any worse?
Oh. Right.
A surprise visit from his parents.
Dashiell Dawson Dane might have a problem. It’s not a huge problem. In fact, all things considered, life is good—he’s got a wonderful boyfriend, fantastic friends, and a home where he’s genuinely happy, maybe for the first time ever. He’s even writing regularly. (Okay, mostly regularly.)
There is, however, the teensiest issue with money—in that, he doesn’t have any.
And it turns out Dash isn’t the only one strapped for cash. The Hastings Rock Public Library has recently been defunded by the mayor and the city council, and the town is in an uproar.
To keep the library open, Dash hosts a charity auction at Hemlock House. But disaster strikes when an exceptionally valuable book is stolen before the fundraiser can begin. And when Dash finds the mayor dead—and Hastings Rock’s head librarian refuses to provide an alibi—he quickly becomes tangled in yet another murder investigation.
How could things get any worse?
Oh. Right.
A surprise visit from his parents.
238 pages, Kindle Edition
Published February 10, 2025
57 people are currently reading
143 people want to read
About the author
Gregory Ashe
136 books1,802 followersI'm a long-time Midwesterner. I've lived in Chicago, Bloomington (IN), and Saint Louis, my current home. Aside from reading and writing (which take up a lot of my time), I'm an educator.
While I enjoy reading across many genres, my two main loves are mystery and speculative fiction. I used to keep a list of favorite books, but it changes so frequently that I've given up. I'm always looking for recommendations, though, so please drop me a line if you have something in mind!
My big goal right now is one day to be responsible enough to get a dog.
While I enjoy reading across many genres, my two main loves are mystery and speculative fiction. I used to keep a list of favorite books, but it changes so frequently that I've given up. I'm always looking for recommendations, though, so please drop me a line if you have something in mind!
My big goal right now is one day to be responsible enough to get a dog.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 76 reviews
September 9, 2025
This series feels like home, despite the abundance of murder.
Read
December 9, 2024🎄Gregory Ashe dropped a super generous deal for anyone who is or becomes an active patron between now and the end of 2024! What deal, you ask?
✨ 33% off for 12 months for both annual and monthly subscriptions✨
Last year when he did this, it initially looked like I was charged the full amount when I signed up, but was issued a refund of the difference a few days later. If you think you were charged the wrong amount or might have been missed, you can easily reach out to the author for confirmation.
In other words, if you've been toying with the idea of becoming a patron, there's no better time than now :)
Original post here (sign up on this website): https://patrons.gregoryashe.com/2024-...
Curious about his offerings or need help signing up? Check out this general How to Guide.
Graphical tier breakdown:
https://www.canva.com/design/DAGUQCck...
-----
Believe it or not, book 7 (past the series midway checkpoint!) is sizzling on the grill, preparing to drop on February 10, 2025!
In the meantime, for anyone also on the search for some bite-sized comfort to sink into, GA has accumulated 30 posts of Hazardverse bonus content on his patronage site - including some Dash & Co. Hazardverse crossovers (so far with Hazard, and another with North/Shaw). You can sign up at the Intermediate tier or higher and binge the heck out of them if you so desire. Absolutely worth it, in my humble, biased opinion ;)
For more details on what’s available: Bonus Content Index.
✨ 33% off for 12 months for both annual and monthly subscriptions✨
Last year when he did this, it initially looked like I was charged the full amount when I signed up, but was issued a refund of the difference a few days later. If you think you were charged the wrong amount or might have been missed, you can easily reach out to the author for confirmation.
In other words, if you've been toying with the idea of becoming a patron, there's no better time than now :)
Original post here (sign up on this website): https://patrons.gregoryashe.com/2024-...
Curious about his offerings or need help signing up? Check out this general How to Guide.
Graphical tier breakdown:
https://www.canva.com/design/DAGUQCck...
-----
Believe it or not, book 7 (past the series midway checkpoint!) is sizzling on the grill, preparing to drop on February 10, 2025!
In the meantime, for anyone also on the search for some bite-sized comfort to sink into, GA has accumulated 30 posts of Hazardverse bonus content on his patronage site - including some Dash & Co. Hazardverse crossovers (so far with Hazard, and another with North/Shaw). You can sign up at the Intermediate tier or higher and binge the heck out of them if you so desire. Absolutely worth it, in my humble, biased opinion ;)
For more details on what’s available: Bonus Content Index.
February 15, 2025
✰ 2.5 stars ✰
Is cozy synonymous with chaos? For all that it feels like the author is trying to do something different, the whole arrival of Dash's parents was nothing short of the predictable way of how parents are portrayed by being overly eager to humiliate their kids with as many embarrassing anecdotes as possible and friends being amused by it. Which, as much as it was distressing to watch, it's somehow a given in parent portrayals - pleasure in their child's torment, it's nothing new. But, it only worsened from there; everything about their actions screamed torture. 😬
How did these two get through life without ever being held accountable for their actions knowingly breaking the law so self centered and patronizing. Why didn't Dash just leave them to their devices? It's almost as if they were deliberately antagonizing - agonizing him to get a rose out of him and have him willingly participate and contribute his own ideas..
Yes, this is something I wrote down verbatim while reading - because, we do see why Dash is unable to ignore them right after; but it was so exhaustingly frustrating!!! 😫 I have a lot more choice words to say about them, none of them kind or flattering, but what really took the cake was that absolutely ridiculous, absurdly horrendous, totally unforgivable dinner??
“Not everything is about you.”
“Wow,” I said. “Just wow.”
Forgive the pejorative, but what the fudge?? 🤬😡
Good Lord, Dash, you have my utmost sympathies. 🥺 'A part of me wanted to cry.' Me too, Dash, me, too. 😭😭 I felt even worse when he couldn't even stay angry or upset long enough, because we instantly not only get forgiveness or contrite acknowledgements, but we get to know why they behave this way... No, no, no. I don't like it! You're the parents, why should Dash have to be the adult to not only forgive, but see it from their perspective... Just because you're hurting, you take the abrasive and hurtful route, thinking that it'll make amends and do right to your son? NO!!! 🙅🏻♀️ Maybe it's my own personal issues that have me so visibly upset by this, but this was just a bit too much for my delicate sensibilities. 💔💔
“Some internal alarm was going off; there was something about all of this that wasn’t right. We were missing something, or we’d misinterpreted something, or—I didn’t know.”
The Last Picks are once again the last picks in their involvement in the story. The mystery was tepid, lukewarm, at best. 🙄 I honestly could not make heads or tails of it. If only to serve as a purposeful way to propel Dash in a challenging way to find improvements and different ways to challenge his writing technique, then, yes, that it did. But, it did not hold my interest; lack of clues and visible points made it difficult even to try and attempt to figure it out, and even when the final pieces were laid out, it was very hard for me to care. 😮💨
Also, the running gag for Dash to be constantly interrupted when he's trying to announce how he solved the murder has gotta stop. It was acceptable at first, but seven books in and now it's no longer cute or endearing, but tiresome and annoying. 😒 Well, I wouldn't be surprised if book 8 has Dash succeed in being the one to break the case - just to prove me wrong. Or with my luck, it'll be the final book, instead, simply to show that Dash finally got the recognition he deserved... Boy, do I overthink too much... 😩
“And I want to keep growing. Someday, I want to be the kind of guy who deserves you.”
I do also know that it is a progression of Dash's life; it has been a year at Hastings Rock after all, and we're seeing the positives that have come from his time at Hemlock House - his growth as a writer, a person, and most notably, his relationship with Bobby. Although, I hate the red flags that are flying with how many times Bobby is dropping hints about his own parents... It was refreshing to see that there was no OTT drama between them -, that they were taking healthy steps to be a strong supportive couple. ❤️🩹🫂 That he is taking a risk with his heart, his feelings, his career, rather than adhering By the Book, which his parents would have preferred him to follow. And yes, he needed to get closure with his parents, as well... I just was not a fan of how it went down. Perhaps the fact that this read made me so visibly frustrated is a sign of good writing, that it made me feel so much aggravation... 🤦🏻♀️
Am I being unreasonable? The rational part of my sense is screaming at me that yes, yes, you are. 😢 For I do recognize the concurrent theme of what the author was trying to achieve - of how we don't know the whole picture, we see only what we want, and it's only by getting a clearer focus, do we get to make the right judgment and assessment. I get all that. But, there's only so much tongue-in-cheek I can take before it gives me a headache. And after reading this, I definitely had one. 😞
“We’re overlooking something,” I said. “There’s something else, something we’re not seeing.”
“Maybe,” the sheriff said. “But all I can do is work with what I’ve got.”
Is cozy synonymous with chaos? For all that it feels like the author is trying to do something different, the whole arrival of Dash's parents was nothing short of the predictable way of how parents are portrayed by being overly eager to humiliate their kids with as many embarrassing anecdotes as possible and friends being amused by it. Which, as much as it was distressing to watch, it's somehow a given in parent portrayals - pleasure in their child's torment, it's nothing new. But, it only worsened from there; everything about their actions screamed torture. 😬
How did these two get through life without ever being held accountable for their actions knowingly breaking the law so self centered and patronizing. Why didn't Dash just leave them to their devices? It's almost as if they were deliberately antagonizing - agonizing him to get a rose out of him and have him willingly participate and contribute his own ideas..
Yes, this is something I wrote down verbatim while reading - because, we do see why Dash is unable to ignore them right after; but it was so exhaustingly frustrating!!! 😫 I have a lot more choice words to say about them, none of them kind or flattering, but what really took the cake was that absolutely ridiculous, absurdly horrendous, totally unforgivable dinner??
“Not everything is about you.”
“Wow,” I said. “Just wow.”
Forgive the pejorative, but what the fudge?? 🤬😡
Good Lord, Dash, you have my utmost sympathies. 🥺 'A part of me wanted to cry.' Me too, Dash, me, too. 😭😭 I felt even worse when he couldn't even stay angry or upset long enough, because we instantly not only get forgiveness or contrite acknowledgements, but we get to know why they behave this way... No, no, no. I don't like it! You're the parents, why should Dash have to be the adult to not only forgive, but see it from their perspective... Just because you're hurting, you take the abrasive and hurtful route, thinking that it'll make amends and do right to your son? NO!!! 🙅🏻♀️ Maybe it's my own personal issues that have me so visibly upset by this, but this was just a bit too much for my delicate sensibilities. 💔💔
“Some internal alarm was going off; there was something about all of this that wasn’t right. We were missing something, or we’d misinterpreted something, or—I didn’t know.”
The Last Picks are once again the last picks in their involvement in the story. The mystery was tepid, lukewarm, at best. 🙄 I honestly could not make heads or tails of it. If only to serve as a purposeful way to propel Dash in a challenging way to find improvements and different ways to challenge his writing technique, then, yes, that it did. But, it did not hold my interest; lack of clues and visible points made it difficult even to try and attempt to figure it out, and even when the final pieces were laid out, it was very hard for me to care. 😮💨
Also, the running gag for Dash to be constantly interrupted when he's trying to announce how he solved the murder has gotta stop. It was acceptable at first, but seven books in and now it's no longer cute or endearing, but tiresome and annoying. 😒 Well, I wouldn't be surprised if book 8 has Dash succeed in being the one to break the case - just to prove me wrong. Or with my luck, it'll be the final book, instead, simply to show that Dash finally got the recognition he deserved... Boy, do I overthink too much... 😩
“And I want to keep growing. Someday, I want to be the kind of guy who deserves you.”
I do also know that it is a progression of Dash's life; it has been a year at Hastings Rock after all, and we're seeing the positives that have come from his time at Hemlock House - his growth as a writer, a person, and most notably, his relationship with Bobby. Although, I hate the red flags that are flying with how many times Bobby is dropping hints about his own parents... It was refreshing to see that there was no OTT drama between them -, that they were taking healthy steps to be a strong supportive couple. ❤️🩹🫂 That he is taking a risk with his heart, his feelings, his career, rather than adhering By the Book, which his parents would have preferred him to follow. And yes, he needed to get closure with his parents, as well... I just was not a fan of how it went down. Perhaps the fact that this read made me so visibly frustrated is a sign of good writing, that it made me feel so much aggravation... 🤦🏻♀️
Am I being unreasonable? The rational part of my sense is screaming at me that yes, yes, you are. 😢 For I do recognize the concurrent theme of what the author was trying to achieve - of how we don't know the whole picture, we see only what we want, and it's only by getting a clearer focus, do we get to make the right judgment and assessment. I get all that. But, there's only so much tongue-in-cheek I can take before it gives me a headache. And after reading this, I definitely had one. 😞
February 3, 2025
When it was revealed on the very first pages of this book that Dash's avoidance tendencies are in full bloom -- the power is cut off because he didn't pay the electric bill and didn't confide in or ask for help from the (multiple!) other people seemingly living for free in his house; his parents turn up for a visit that is only a surprise because he's been avoiding their calls -- I heaved a despairing sigh. Dash's inability to withstand discomfort, which effectively translates as willed helplessness, is his least appealing characteristic, and here it was whacking us in the face from the go. Loins thus girded, I prepared myself for another frustrating cozy read.
But! Mark it down on your calendars, friends, because here I am, admitting I was wrong. This installment continues the positive trend from the last book of Dash not just bemoaning (at exhaustive length) his flaws and inadequacies and how they detrimentally affect his relationships, but actually taking these insights and putting them to use. Amazing! While book 6 focused on the Dash-Bobby relationship, finally seeing both of them make an effort to be honest and vulnerable in communicating their desires and hopes with each other, this one focuses on Dash's troubled relationship with his parents and, by extension, previous partners. I nearly pumped my fist when Dash confided to Bobby that he tends to cede control to others to avoid unpleasantness or inconvenience -- or, conversely, to bristlingly oppose any offers of assistance, not out of principle or even having better options, but out of childish reflex -- and that this is infantalizing and makes him a spectator in his own life. The confrontation in the restaurant and the fallout from that was excellent, as Dash communicates his hurt and dismay and then starts doing the work to put these relationships on a new, hopefully more sustainable path. This one had no relationship drama -- Dash and Bobby are, for now, blessedly solid -- and very little Last Picks nonsense -- for me, the less Last Picks, the better. Instead, it honed in on Dash's ongoing development into a functioning adult who actually shows agency in his personal and professional life, not just in his accidental crimesolving. Hip and hurrah!
Hilariously, I still don't actually know who did the one crime against the book dealer. Seriously. That is how little invested in the crime storyline I was, and/or how bad my reading comprehension has become. I guess having clearly identified perpetrators is not a requirement of cozy noir.
Look, the cozies are never gonna be my thing -- I like sex, swearing, and stakes too much -- but within the context of this series, this was a necessary step forward for Dash.
I got an ARC from the author, disclaimer disclaimer
But! Mark it down on your calendars, friends, because here I am, admitting I was wrong. This installment continues the positive trend from the last book of Dash not just bemoaning (at exhaustive length) his flaws and inadequacies and how they detrimentally affect his relationships, but actually taking these insights and putting them to use. Amazing! While book 6 focused on the Dash-Bobby relationship, finally seeing both of them make an effort to be honest and vulnerable in communicating their desires and hopes with each other, this one focuses on Dash's troubled relationship with his parents and, by extension, previous partners. I nearly pumped my fist when Dash confided to Bobby that he tends to cede control to others to avoid unpleasantness or inconvenience -- or, conversely, to bristlingly oppose any offers of assistance, not out of principle or even having better options, but out of childish reflex -- and that this is infantalizing and makes him a spectator in his own life. The confrontation in the restaurant and the fallout from that was excellent, as Dash communicates his hurt and dismay and then starts doing the work to put these relationships on a new, hopefully more sustainable path. This one had no relationship drama -- Dash and Bobby are, for now, blessedly solid -- and very little Last Picks nonsense -- for me, the less Last Picks, the better. Instead, it honed in on Dash's ongoing development into a functioning adult who actually shows agency in his personal and professional life, not just in his accidental crimesolving. Hip and hurrah!
Hilariously, I still don't actually know who did the one crime against the book dealer. Seriously. That is how little invested in the crime storyline I was, and/or how bad my reading comprehension has become. I guess having clearly identified perpetrators is not a requirement of cozy noir.
Look, the cozies are never gonna be my thing -- I like sex, swearing, and stakes too much -- but within the context of this series, this was a necessary step forward for Dash.
I got an ARC from the author, disclaimer disclaimer
February 11, 2025
4,5 stars
I think it’s really happening.
It’s a slow process (as it has to be) and Dash, of course, will always be Dash (who else could he be!)
BUT I can really feel it … Dash is coming into himself. And he does it in leaps and bounds.
Yes, he still has a tendency to avoid problems, to put his head into the sand over things he doesn’t want to face (I was getting very fraught and frustrated over that unpaid electricity bill) and flee into the comforting world of sugar, but then he does stop and think about what he is doing and why.
I love that it’s Dash who chooses to speak to Bobby first after an incident (it’s not an argument, but the usual issue between them). The conversation that follows is hugely beneficial for their relationship development.
I love that Dash looks into his relationship with his parents, talks to them and stands up for himself.
I love that he is getting better at accepting help.
I love all the introspection he pushes himself into to come out with amazing results.
One thing though:
Dash’s parents. They are awful, self-centred, interfering, disrespectful, irritating … (I could go on) and THEN they suddenly are NOT????
I could not quite understand the sudden change after Dash’s talk with each his dad and mum towards the end of the book. It was great to hear his mum accept that her/their actions in the past were wrong/not right, but found it difficult to swallow the easy forgiveness that followed.
But, I guess, this shows how kind and open-hearted Dash is. And how much he craves some (real) love from his parents.
Excellent character development, even if the mystery is a bit sidelined (not that this bothered me, that’s not what I’m here for!)
I think it’s really happening.
It’s a slow process (as it has to be) and Dash, of course, will always be Dash (who else could he be!)
BUT I can really feel it … Dash is coming into himself. And he does it in leaps and bounds.
Yes, he still has a tendency to avoid problems, to put his head into the sand over things he doesn’t want to face (I was getting very fraught and frustrated over that unpaid electricity bill) and flee into the comforting world of sugar, but then he does stop and think about what he is doing and why.
I love that it’s Dash who chooses to speak to Bobby first after an incident (it’s not an argument, but the usual issue between them). The conversation that follows is hugely beneficial for their relationship development.
I love that Dash looks into his relationship with his parents, talks to them and stands up for himself.
I love that he is getting better at accepting help.
I love all the introspection he pushes himself into to come out with amazing results.
One thing though:
Dash’s parents. They are awful, self-centred, interfering, disrespectful, irritating … (I could go on) and THEN they suddenly are NOT????
I could not quite understand the sudden change after Dash’s talk with each his dad and mum towards the end of the book. It was great to hear his mum accept that her/their actions in the past were wrong/not right, but found it difficult to swallow the easy forgiveness that followed.
But, I guess, this shows how kind and open-hearted Dash is. And how much he craves some (real) love from his parents.
Excellent character development, even if the mystery is a bit sidelined (not that this bothered me, that’s not what I’m here for!)
February 3, 2025
Um, who killed the mayor?
Swell family dynamics,
solid romance, but...
3.5 rounded up, because the relationships are really working, but the mysteries aren't all that.
The free short (that kickstarter was definitely money well spent) was a little worrisome--I hope we haven't swapped Bobby and Dash's inability to name and articulate their relationship with Millie and Keme. And even if we haven't, that's a heck of an age gap at this point in their lives. (and given the sneak peek of book 8, it's going to be a bumpy ride for the two of them.
I don't think it's a spoiler to say that a crime occurs at Hemlock House when everyone (including Dash's parents) are there for an auction to benefit the library. If you couldn't see that coming, well (she said, snarkily) you are the target audience for cozies.
And about Dash's parents--no wonder they liked Hugo so well. No wonder Dash didn't. Every time I get frustrated with Dash, GA gives us a little crumb to explain why he’s the way he is:
The fact that this was a real murder, and we were in real trouble, didn’t bother them any more than, say, abandoning a ten-year-old boy at home because his social anxiety made him a burden at award banquets.
On the other hand (even GA makes mistakes), wiry means "lean, tough, and sinewy." I'm not sure Dash can call himself wiry if he's concerned he's been eating too much cake. And donuts. And muffins. I don't care what he looks like. Neither does Bobby, and the last thing I want to read is GA fat shaming (I feel like we had some of that in earlier books) or for Dash to add another anxiety. But I don't think that word means what you think it does.
Swell family dynamics,
solid romance, but...
3.5 rounded up, because the relationships are really working, but the mysteries aren't all that.
The free short (that kickstarter was definitely money well spent) was a little worrisome--I hope we haven't swapped Bobby and Dash's inability to name and articulate their relationship with Millie and Keme. And even if we haven't, that's a heck of an age gap at this point in their lives. (and given the sneak peek of book 8, it's going to be a bumpy ride for the two of them.
I don't think it's a spoiler to say that a crime occurs at Hemlock House when everyone (including Dash's parents) are there for an auction to benefit the library. If you couldn't see that coming, well (she said, snarkily) you are the target audience for cozies.
And about Dash's parents--no wonder they liked Hugo so well. No wonder Dash didn't. Every time I get frustrated with Dash, GA gives us a little crumb to explain why he’s the way he is:
The fact that this was a real murder, and we were in real trouble, didn’t bother them any more than, say, abandoning a ten-year-old boy at home because his social anxiety made him a burden at award banquets.
On the other hand (even GA makes mistakes), wiry means "lean, tough, and sinewy." I'm not sure Dash can call himself wiry if he's concerned he's been eating too much cake. And donuts. And muffins. I don't care what he looks like. Neither does Bobby, and the last thing I want to read is GA fat shaming (I feel like we had some of that in earlier books) or for Dash to add another anxiety. But I don't think that word means what you think it does.
February 12, 2025
A Joyfully Jay review.
4 stars
By the Book is the seventh book in Gregory’s Ashe’s Last Picks cozy mystery series. While Dash once again has a murder to solve, this story has a heavy focus on the personal side as Dash works through issues with his parents. In prior books, we have learned that his parents were self involved and never prioritized Dash over their lives or careers. At the same time, they always have an idea of what is best for him and how he should live his life. Dash has always felt not good enough and unloved, and moving to the other side of the country has given him a sense of freedom to be himself and live life on his own terms. So his parents showing up and suddenly thrusting themselves back in his life and into the case really is difficult for Dash to handle.
I found this another great installment and the focus on the personal side felt well timed for the series. This book leaves Dash and Bobby in a good place with some nice personal and relationship growth. And having read the blurb for the next book, I am really excited for more!
Read Jay’s review in its entirety here.
4 stars
By the Book is the seventh book in Gregory’s Ashe’s Last Picks cozy mystery series. While Dash once again has a murder to solve, this story has a heavy focus on the personal side as Dash works through issues with his parents. In prior books, we have learned that his parents were self involved and never prioritized Dash over their lives or careers. At the same time, they always have an idea of what is best for him and how he should live his life. Dash has always felt not good enough and unloved, and moving to the other side of the country has given him a sense of freedom to be himself and live life on his own terms. So his parents showing up and suddenly thrusting themselves back in his life and into the case really is difficult for Dash to handle.
I found this another great installment and the focus on the personal side felt well timed for the series. This book leaves Dash and Bobby in a good place with some nice personal and relationship growth. And having read the blurb for the next book, I am really excited for more!
Read Jay’s review in its entirety here.
March 11, 2025
B / 4 stars
By the Book, the seventh novel in Gregory Ashe’s The Last Picks series of cosy mysteries opens a couple of months after the events of Again with Feeling . Dash and Bobby have finally fessed up to how they feel about one another and are solid as a couple – well, mostly; they still hit the odd bump along the road – and Dash is writing regularly (or more regularly, perhaps) so everything is going well. Or it would be if Dash’s parents didn’t keep blowing up his phone with calls and messages. In typical Dash fashion he adopts the ‘if I ignore it, it’ll go away’ approach – which, of course, doesn’t work, so he’s not best pleased when he opens the front door to find them standing on his doorstep.
It’s been clear since the beginning of the series that Dash has a very difficult relationship with his parents, who are completely self-absorbed and rarely seem to remember that they actually have a son. They’re rude and selfish, they embarrass Dash at just about every opportunity and in this book, have no qualms about breaking the law just so they can play at being detectives. Meeting them ‘in person’ hammers home very effectively exactly why Dash made the decision to move across the country from them. Not only was he in a romantic relationship with someone who was controlling and slowly suffocating him, his parents were effectively doing the same thing, trying to control Dash’s life and his career and mould him into the son they wanted with no regard for what he wanted. They saw it as ‘helping’ of course, and Dash as ungrateful for rejecting their efforts on his behalf. Honestly, they’re simply awful; it’s a tribute to the author’s skill that he’s able to write such horrible people and still make them believeable, but, rather like Pippi in Broken Bird , they’re SO HORRIBLE and made me SO ANGRY (yes, I’m channelling Millie, there) whenever they appeared, that it made for a tough read.
BUT – I was pleased to see Dash continuing to grow in confidence and self-awareness, and that he actually admits (out loud, to Bobby) that he’s always tended to run from problems and things he doesn’t want to face and that he knows he needs to change that. I loved that that Dash is the one to step up and actually talk to Bobby after a disagreement, and the conversation that follows is hugely important for their relationship. We get to see Dash actually using the things he’s learning about himself to move forward on the path to becoming his own person, a functioning adult who isn’t prepared to let others run his life simply because he doesn’t like unpleasantness or inconvenience. His willingness to draw a line and express his hurt and frustration with his parents in the restaurant scene near the end is one of those fist-pump moments that’s been a long time coming; and the way he then starts the process of working to try to put their relationships on a new and – hopefully more equitable – footing, with proper boundaries, is superbly done. Maybe he’s too forgiving considering what he’s had to put up with, and I’m not sure the reasons we’re given for their behaviour – his mother’s especially – are enough to justify his not cutting them out of his life entirely. But Dash is clearly a much nicer person than I am.
By the Book, the seventh novel in Gregory Ashe’s The Last Picks series of cosy mysteries opens a couple of months after the events of Again with Feeling . Dash and Bobby have finally fessed up to how they feel about one another and are solid as a couple – well, mostly; they still hit the odd bump along the road – and Dash is writing regularly (or more regularly, perhaps) so everything is going well. Or it would be if Dash’s parents didn’t keep blowing up his phone with calls and messages. In typical Dash fashion he adopts the ‘if I ignore it, it’ll go away’ approach – which, of course, doesn’t work, so he’s not best pleased when he opens the front door to find them standing on his doorstep.
It’s been clear since the beginning of the series that Dash has a very difficult relationship with his parents, who are completely self-absorbed and rarely seem to remember that they actually have a son. They’re rude and selfish, they embarrass Dash at just about every opportunity and in this book, have no qualms about breaking the law just so they can play at being detectives. Meeting them ‘in person’ hammers home very effectively exactly why Dash made the decision to move across the country from them. Not only was he in a romantic relationship with someone who was controlling and slowly suffocating him, his parents were effectively doing the same thing, trying to control Dash’s life and his career and mould him into the son they wanted with no regard for what he wanted. They saw it as ‘helping’ of course, and Dash as ungrateful for rejecting their efforts on his behalf. Honestly, they’re simply awful; it’s a tribute to the author’s skill that he’s able to write such horrible people and still make them believeable, but, rather like Pippi in Broken Bird , they’re SO HORRIBLE and made me SO ANGRY (yes, I’m channelling Millie, there) whenever they appeared, that it made for a tough read.
BUT – I was pleased to see Dash continuing to grow in confidence and self-awareness, and that he actually admits (out loud, to Bobby) that he’s always tended to run from problems and things he doesn’t want to face and that he knows he needs to change that. I loved that that Dash is the one to step up and actually talk to Bobby after a disagreement, and the conversation that follows is hugely important for their relationship. We get to see Dash actually using the things he’s learning about himself to move forward on the path to becoming his own person, a functioning adult who isn’t prepared to let others run his life simply because he doesn’t like unpleasantness or inconvenience. His willingness to draw a line and express his hurt and frustration with his parents in the restaurant scene near the end is one of those fist-pump moments that’s been a long time coming; and the way he then starts the process of working to try to put their relationships on a new and – hopefully more equitable – footing, with proper boundaries, is superbly done. Maybe he’s too forgiving considering what he’s had to put up with, and I’m not sure the reasons we’re given for their behaviour – his mother’s especially – are enough to justify his not cutting them out of his life entirely. But Dash is clearly a much nicer person than I am.
While the character development in By the Book is excellent, the mystery is pretty low-key, and honestly, I wasn’t really invested in who stole the book or who killed the mayor. Both those plot-points really feel like they’re there only to provide the way in to the real meat of the story; the exploration of Dash’s relationships with his parents and his own continuing personal growth. The mysteries in the series so far have generally been fairly simple compared to the author’s usual style, but this one just didn’t pull me in.
We’re into the last half of the Last Picks – and the author has said that the next three books will put some of the other characters in the spotlight, Keme in book eight, Indira and Millie in nine and ten.
I enjoyed the character/relationship development in By the Book, but the shine was kind of taken off by the blood-boiling anger I felt over the behaviour of Dash’s parents, which I found hard to stomach. So it’s a solid B/4 stars from me.
February 26, 2025
4.5 stars, if only GR would provide half-stars.
I wondered if I'd like this one, because the first third was not appealing to me. But I read the last third today, and the characters payoff was as good as the mystery payoff. Whew. :)
I wondered if I'd like this one, because the first third was not appealing to me. But I read the last third today, and the characters payoff was as good as the mystery payoff. Whew. :)
February 25, 2025
Well it was a hard read.
For me it was several things : Dash is too old millennial coded. Like, his humor doesn't do it for me, it borders on cringe (i'm a geek, i wear video games t-shirt, haha, look i'm a geek) and I'm tired of skinny Dash eating thrice his weight in food and barely exercising and not gaining a pound. He's like an adult teenager, I know he said he had grown since first arriving at Hasting Rocks, but I don't really see it. It's nice to have heart-to-heart, but time and time again he goes against what he promised Bobby not to do.
About Dash and Bobby there is always something with these two damns. I mean, I know relationship isn't all heart eyes and pink, but honestly, it kinda feel forced and fake? Mainly because I feel like Dash isn't really growing. And we only get repeats for Bobby.
To quote my fave blond midget : "A man can only have so many issues".
And sadly, the plot wasn't enough to hook me in.
It was a drag to read, mainly because of Dash, then because of his parent, and lastly because I felt like every character had become a stereotype of themselves.
Really I couldn't get into the book, which is so fucking sad because I loved the first few ones.
* Edit to add, I feel like I didn't go off enough with the parent because what the hell was that??????
No accountablility, just saying horrible things to Dash, who barely stand up for himself, and then after a horrible dinner where horrible things where said we get a "but her dad is sick, she's not well" yes and????? Doesn't excuse the heck. I get that not everyone is perfect etc, but damn, too infuriating for me.
This book made me realise that I hate, hate, when MC don't stand up for themself when they are clearly being disrepected by family members. I think it's just me, I am petty, come for me and you'll get one too. But damn, wished Dash wasn't the bigger adult which he was.
Overall their whole behaviour through the book was horrible and I couldn't stand them. They kinda felt too cartoonish. And that's something that coming up more and more in this book : it's getting cartoonish at time.
Maybe I'm just une vieille rageuse aigrie who doesn't like change. I get what the author is trying to do, maybe it's just not for me.
For me it was several things : Dash is too old millennial coded. Like, his humor doesn't do it for me, it borders on cringe (i'm a geek, i wear video games t-shirt, haha, look i'm a geek) and I'm tired of skinny Dash eating thrice his weight in food and barely exercising and not gaining a pound. He's like an adult teenager, I know he said he had grown since first arriving at Hasting Rocks, but I don't really see it. It's nice to have heart-to-heart, but time and time again he goes against what he promised Bobby not to do.
About Dash and Bobby there is always something with these two damns. I mean, I know relationship isn't all heart eyes and pink, but honestly, it kinda feel forced and fake? Mainly because I feel like Dash isn't really growing. And we only get repeats for Bobby.
To quote my fave blond midget : "A man can only have so many issues".
And sadly, the plot wasn't enough to hook me in.
It was a drag to read, mainly because of Dash, then because of his parent, and lastly because I felt like every character had become a stereotype of themselves.
Really I couldn't get into the book, which is so fucking sad because I loved the first few ones.
* Edit to add, I feel like I didn't go off enough with the parent because what the hell was that??????
No accountablility, just saying horrible things to Dash, who barely stand up for himself, and then after a horrible dinner where horrible things where said we get a "but her dad is sick, she's not well" yes and????? Doesn't excuse the heck. I get that not everyone is perfect etc, but damn, too infuriating for me.
This book made me realise that I hate, hate, when MC don't stand up for themself when they are clearly being disrepected by family members. I think it's just me, I am petty, come for me and you'll get one too. But damn, wished Dash wasn't the bigger adult which he was.
Overall their whole behaviour through the book was horrible and I couldn't stand them. They kinda felt too cartoonish. And that's something that coming up more and more in this book : it's getting cartoonish at time.
Maybe I'm just une vieille rageuse aigrie who doesn't like change. I get what the author is trying to do, maybe it's just not for me.
September 29, 2025
A complimentary audio was provided in exchange for an honest review.
Am I allowed to threaten fictional characters? Because seriously, I wanted to be all up on Dash's parents, particularly his mom. How self-centered and clueless can these people be? They basically walk into Dash's house uninvited with a For Sale sign under their arm (not literally the last part), as if Dash moving was a forgone conclusion, which it WAS NOT! Sure Dash is basically broke, and he has not hopes for income, but! He has a great boyfriend, and lots of friends, plus...umm...well...hmmm. Okay, he has friends and a boyfriend. 😆 So what! It's his life. And then, then!!! His parents construct this weird book deal where Dash's dad would basically be taking credit for Dash's work by having the Dad's name on the book because the Dad has a reader following. Nope. Just nope. Dash is of course very upset by this. Oh, I'm leaving out the murder! Of course there is a murder.
Dash's parents are silly sleuths one minute, then haughty snobs the next saying Dash is basically "above" all this (living in the small nothing town).
AND I LOVED EVERY SECOND!!!!!!
The gang is back people, and the murder is real. The book, the "exceptionally valuable book" to be auctioned to save the Hastings Rock Public Library, which was defunded by the mayor and the city council, is maybe less real. Yep, the murder is real, but was it worth it? That is what Dash and the gang have to figure out because some claim the book is a fake. Dun dun dun!
I highly recommend this book and series. It's fun and funny, with wonderful characters. The writing is excellent. Yes, it's stilly, but it's a cosy mystery and it's supposed to be silly. This is the kind of book that you can read and just have fun with; forget your worldly troubles.
4.5 stars for the story. 5 stars for the narration. Can't wait for the next!!
Am I allowed to threaten fictional characters? Because seriously, I wanted to be all up on Dash's parents, particularly his mom. How self-centered and clueless can these people be? They basically walk into Dash's house uninvited with a For Sale sign under their arm (not literally the last part), as if Dash moving was a forgone conclusion, which it WAS NOT! Sure Dash is basically broke, and he has not hopes for income, but! He has a great boyfriend, and lots of friends, plus...umm...well...hmmm. Okay, he has friends and a boyfriend. 😆 So what! It's his life. And then, then!!! His parents construct this weird book deal where Dash's dad would basically be taking credit for Dash's work by having the Dad's name on the book because the Dad has a reader following. Nope. Just nope. Dash is of course very upset by this. Oh, I'm leaving out the murder! Of course there is a murder.
Dash's parents are silly sleuths one minute, then haughty snobs the next saying Dash is basically "above" all this (living in the small nothing town).
AND I LOVED EVERY SECOND!!!!!!
The gang is back people, and the murder is real. The book, the "exceptionally valuable book" to be auctioned to save the Hastings Rock Public Library, which was defunded by the mayor and the city council, is maybe less real. Yep, the murder is real, but was it worth it? That is what Dash and the gang have to figure out because some claim the book is a fake. Dun dun dun!
I highly recommend this book and series. It's fun and funny, with wonderful characters. The writing is excellent. Yes, it's stilly, but it's a cosy mystery and it's supposed to be silly. This is the kind of book that you can read and just have fun with; forget your worldly troubles.
4.5 stars for the story. 5 stars for the narration. Can't wait for the next!!
March 23, 2025
While in some sense, like the last one, the relationship side of this installment could be considered strong, and while I recognize the exchanges between Dash and his parents represent an important development and coming of age type event for Dash, I have no interest in reading about parent-child relationships, so that whole thing was largely negative for me.
Add to that his parents being writers too, meant we got more than the usual amount of writers talking about writing in this one, which is the kind of authorial self-insert “meta” content that never fails to kick me right out of the story, even when it didn’t completely smack of self-flattery on the author’s part.
There was not enough focus on the mystery, which is par for course for this series. But hey, at least we got an actual crime this time.
3.5, cuz I liked the parts I didn’t dislike.
Add to that his parents being writers too, meant we got more than the usual amount of writers talking about writing in this one, which is the kind of authorial self-insert “meta” content that never fails to kick me right out of the story, even when it didn’t completely smack of self-flattery on the author’s part.
There was not enough focus on the mystery, which is par for course for this series. But hey, at least we got an actual crime this time.
3.5, cuz I liked the parts I didn’t dislike.
December 28, 2025
Phenomenal. Loved it. Hilarious and emotional as always, we get to see Dash’s parents visit and his relationship with them, and his growth over the last year. His conversations and arc of his relationship with them over the book is just incredible. So impressed.
February 21, 2025
Dash and his parents break my heart 😭 but Bobby! 🥰
March 10, 2025
I have no idea why my review for this hasn’t saved 😩 Maybe I pulled a Dash and just imagined that I had actually worked on it!
What’s not to love? Another fab one in the series. Maybe I am biased because I am invested in the author and his characters ..but this is another effortless read . Just a nice balance of fun, angsty and mysteries.
What’s not to love? Another fab one in the series. Maybe I am biased because I am invested in the author and his characters ..but this is another effortless read . Just a nice balance of fun, angsty and mysteries.
February 10, 2025
So here's the thing. I love GA's writing. I love his humour, I love his angst, I love his hilarious, vulnerable, flawed, complex characters. I don't really love mysteries. Just not my jam. So I devour GA's books but I am a very poor reviewer if you want the details of the mystery. The Hastings Rock library is in trouble (!!!). There's a book that may or may not be fake. Someone kills the mayor. There are several suspects.
But more importantly, Dash and Bobby are together and in love and NO ONE IS DATING ANYONE ELSE! I would have liked to see a little more of them on page but what was there was good. But there wasn't quite as much for a good reason - Dash's parents figure heavily in the book. In fact, this one is all about Dash's relationship with his parents, how he has been shaped by it, and his own journey toward being a fully-functioning adult. And if you know GA's books, you will not be surprised to know that this whole exploration is PAINFUL.
Some of the scenes with Dash and his parents are hilarious, like Dash's dad's obsession with his gun and his parents getting into playing medieval folk music. Some were infuriating - no spoilers so no specifics, but times they don't listen and just do whatever they want in irresponsible ways. And some were painful. We learn much more about Dash's childhood and how neglectful his parents were and how deeply it impacted Dash.
I love Dash. I love his little neurotic, sugar-addicted, late-sleeping, avoidant-of-discomfort-in-all-forms self. So watching him go through the emotional wringer was hard. But he comes out the other side with a new understanding of his parents and a new perspective on himself - he owns up to his avoidance and passivity and takes a big old step into adulthood. AND he comes into the concept of healthy interdependence in relationships, instead of the all or nothing thing he'd done in the past.
There continues to be lots of humorous dialogue, clever meta commentary on the mystery genre and the conventions being used in the book, and Keme being awesome. Oh, and words I needed my dictionary to know and desserts that made me wish I knew Indira in real life.
All in all, another great installment of a great series.
Thank you to GA for the ARC of this book.
But more importantly, Dash and Bobby are together and in love and NO ONE IS DATING ANYONE ELSE! I would have liked to see a little more of them on page but what was there was good. But there wasn't quite as much for a good reason - Dash's parents figure heavily in the book. In fact, this one is all about Dash's relationship with his parents, how he has been shaped by it, and his own journey toward being a fully-functioning adult. And if you know GA's books, you will not be surprised to know that this whole exploration is PAINFUL.
Some of the scenes with Dash and his parents are hilarious, like Dash's dad's obsession with his gun and his parents getting into playing medieval folk music. Some were infuriating - no spoilers so no specifics, but times they don't listen and just do whatever they want in irresponsible ways. And some were painful. We learn much more about Dash's childhood and how neglectful his parents were and how deeply it impacted Dash.
I love Dash. I love his little neurotic, sugar-addicted, late-sleeping, avoidant-of-discomfort-in-all-forms self. So watching him go through the emotional wringer was hard. But he comes out the other side with a new understanding of his parents and a new perspective on himself - he owns up to his avoidance and passivity and takes a big old step into adulthood. AND he comes into the concept of healthy interdependence in relationships, instead of the all or nothing thing he'd done in the past.
There continues to be lots of humorous dialogue, clever meta commentary on the mystery genre and the conventions being used in the book, and Keme being awesome. Oh, and words I needed my dictionary to know and desserts that made me wish I knew Indira in real life.
All in all, another great installment of a great series.
Thank you to GA for the ARC of this book.
February 9, 2025
What a joy it is to pick up another Gregory Ashe book — especially when it’s one of The Last Picks series.
By The Book surprised me. Both the murder mystery that really kept me on my toes throughout, and also by the sheer depth of raw emotion felt by Dash as he navigates his complicated reunion with his parents. Once again, the author proves that cosy mysteries have both a deserved place in the literature world, and also that this genre can be just as tense, wrought, and thought-provoking as its neighbouring genres.
With a sweeping and involving murder mystery, a confronting storyline with Dash’s challenging family, and a swoony love story between Dash and Bobby, By The Book ticks every literary box. Written with heart and honesty, this book is a testament of why more people should read cosy mysteries and novels written by indie authors.
Utterly brilliant.
By The Book surprised me. Both the murder mystery that really kept me on my toes throughout, and also by the sheer depth of raw emotion felt by Dash as he navigates his complicated reunion with his parents. Once again, the author proves that cosy mysteries have both a deserved place in the literature world, and also that this genre can be just as tense, wrought, and thought-provoking as its neighbouring genres.
With a sweeping and involving murder mystery, a confronting storyline with Dash’s challenging family, and a swoony love story between Dash and Bobby, By The Book ticks every literary box. Written with heart and honesty, this book is a testament of why more people should read cosy mysteries and novels written by indie authors.
Utterly brilliant.
January 28, 2026
A lovely update to the series! Fun to get our first book with Bobby and Dash in a relationship, and start to see them navigate that. We also get to meet Dash's parents, and I really appreciated the additional context for Dash's actions/reactions we get from seeing the people he was raised by. This mystery felt even more loosey-goosey than the previous books, but I'm not really here for the mystery, so that didn't bother me much.
November 1, 2025
I absolutely adore Dash and gang. I thought this book was overall light on the gang, but then Dash’s parents kinda take over. His parents are equal part hysterical and frustrating, but I greatly enjoy how things played out both in the mystery and on the emotional front.
March 26, 2025
3.75⭐️
When Dash's parents turn up to Hastings Rock at the same time a valuable book goes missing, Dash has to help solve the case while trying not to commit his own familial murder.
I love reading about Dash and whatever shenanigans he gets up to, but this wasn't my favorite of The Last Picks series. The focus of this installment was on Dash and his relationship with his parents more than anything. And I did not like his parents. Dash has some abandonment issues because they were pretty crappy parents, and I don't really think they really acknowledged that enough. They realized they made mistakes in the present, but didn't really touch what happened before. But maybe I'm just not an evolved enough human to forgive and move on, and they aren't my parents. The whole situation did show how much Dash has grown since the beginning of the series, more ready to face his issues head on than run away and bury the problems. Yay progress!
The case was okay, but it seemed a bit irrelevant. Just a bit of background noise. I'm so happy that Bobby and Dash are finally together but I really wish we got more of their relationship now that it's in a good place! However, they did have some great moments of communication. I also wish we had a bit more of the Last Picks. It seems this book left me wanting, but overall I did like it. I like how Ashe writes his cozy series - the humor is always a good time and character development is always great to read. I say this every review but I love the setting and how all the side characters, no matter how small, round out the story so well. And that bonus epilogue? Absolutely adorable. I hope we get more of those types of moments in the next book!
Read if you like:
• small town
• cozy mystery
• found family
• friends to lovers
•••••••••••••••••••••
When Dash's parents turn up to Hastings Rock at the same time a valuable book goes missing, Dash has to help solve the case while trying not to commit his own familial murder.
I love reading about Dash and whatever shenanigans he gets up to, but this wasn't my favorite of The Last Picks series. The focus of this installment was on Dash and his relationship with his parents more than anything. And I did not like his parents. Dash has some abandonment issues because they were pretty crappy parents, and I don't really think they really acknowledged that enough. They realized they made mistakes in the present, but didn't really touch what happened before. But maybe I'm just not an evolved enough human to forgive and move on, and they aren't my parents. The whole situation did show how much Dash has grown since the beginning of the series, more ready to face his issues head on than run away and bury the problems. Yay progress!
The case was okay, but it seemed a bit irrelevant. Just a bit of background noise. I'm so happy that Bobby and Dash are finally together but I really wish we got more of their relationship now that it's in a good place! However, they did have some great moments of communication. I also wish we had a bit more of the Last Picks. It seems this book left me wanting, but overall I did like it. I like how Ashe writes his cozy series - the humor is always a good time and character development is always great to read. I say this every review but I love the setting and how all the side characters, no matter how small, round out the story so well. And that bonus epilogue? Absolutely adorable. I hope we get more of those types of moments in the next book!
Read if you like:
• small town
• cozy mystery
• found family
• friends to lovers
•••••••••••••••••••••
March 31, 2025
I can't believe I have to wait for a book to come out this time!!!
For someone who never expected to read these one right after another (although, who am I kidding, I probably knew a little that would happen), the fact the next one isn't readily available is a killer!
This packed a lot in and I really have fallen head over heels for all of them.
I can hardly wait for what is to come.
For someone who never expected to read these one right after another (although, who am I kidding, I probably knew a little that would happen), the fact the next one isn't readily available is a killer!
This packed a lot in and I really have fallen head over heels for all of them.
I can hardly wait for what is to come.
September 14, 2025
This was my favorite in the series. I loved learning more about Dash’s family. Still love Bobby so much. The audio is the best! The narrator is great!
February 6, 2026
By the Book (The Last Picks number 7)
By Gregory Ashe
Published by Hodgkin & Blount, 2025
Five stars
Each of the books in this series has its own focus, its own emotional emphasis. I’d venture to say that this book, number 7 in the series, is the most ‘meta’ of any so far. Once again, Dash Dane and his group of oddball friends, with Hemlock House as their base camp, get caught up in a confusing and bizarre murder mystery. This time, however, it revolves around a rare book and a desperate attempt to save the Hastings Rock public library.
That’s where the uber-meta aspect of the story really kicks in. This whole series is already meta, in that it’s a whodunnit about a young man trying to become a whodunnit author, who is the son of two famous whodunnit authors—and who talks constantly about other famous whodunnit authors (real ones) as he’s trying to figure out his own next (first) detective novel.
Added to this, and the title of the story, ‘By the Book,’ you have Dane’s parents arriving without notice (well, he was ignoring their calls for weeks) from the East Coast, apparently as part of the fund-raising event at Hemlock House to save the public library. They get involved, and we finally get a full-force introduction to Dane’s mother and father and a close-up investigation of the trauma that made Dane who he is. Everything is authors and books.
Oh, and Bobby is his boyfriend now—which is an important factor in the way things play out. I’ll insert here that, even as a retired 70-year-old author, almost-30-year-old Dane’s relationship with his parents took me back to my own relationship with my parents—which was entirely different, but nonetheless resonated deeply with me in terms of the influence parents (even well-meaning ones) can have on a child’s psychological development. This fraught relationship between Dane and his parents sets up a profoundly powerful, gut-wrenching moment.
It dawned on me, as the book was settling down after its hilarious (sort of) finale, as Dane is feeling brave and secure enough to commit to writing what he thinks of as a ‘cozy noir’ novel, that this entire series is cozy noir novels. Meta squared.
This particularly struck me because Gregory Ashe’s previous great series, the Hazard & Somerset books, are more in the noir vein—and distressing to me emotionally in exactly the way Dash describes noir detective fiction as he struggles with his own writing. Ashe leavens this series with both humor and tenderness. Thus my personal reaction to this entire series is driven by the ‘cozy noir’ idea that Dane finally latches onto, with the help of people who love him and support him in his journey of authorial self-discovery.
Boy, oh boy. I did not see that coming. On to book 8. Whew.
By Gregory Ashe
Published by Hodgkin & Blount, 2025
Five stars
Each of the books in this series has its own focus, its own emotional emphasis. I’d venture to say that this book, number 7 in the series, is the most ‘meta’ of any so far. Once again, Dash Dane and his group of oddball friends, with Hemlock House as their base camp, get caught up in a confusing and bizarre murder mystery. This time, however, it revolves around a rare book and a desperate attempt to save the Hastings Rock public library.
That’s where the uber-meta aspect of the story really kicks in. This whole series is already meta, in that it’s a whodunnit about a young man trying to become a whodunnit author, who is the son of two famous whodunnit authors—and who talks constantly about other famous whodunnit authors (real ones) as he’s trying to figure out his own next (first) detective novel.
Added to this, and the title of the story, ‘By the Book,’ you have Dane’s parents arriving without notice (well, he was ignoring their calls for weeks) from the East Coast, apparently as part of the fund-raising event at Hemlock House to save the public library. They get involved, and we finally get a full-force introduction to Dane’s mother and father and a close-up investigation of the trauma that made Dane who he is. Everything is authors and books.
Oh, and Bobby is his boyfriend now—which is an important factor in the way things play out. I’ll insert here that, even as a retired 70-year-old author, almost-30-year-old Dane’s relationship with his parents took me back to my own relationship with my parents—which was entirely different, but nonetheless resonated deeply with me in terms of the influence parents (even well-meaning ones) can have on a child’s psychological development. This fraught relationship between Dane and his parents sets up a profoundly powerful, gut-wrenching moment.
It dawned on me, as the book was settling down after its hilarious (sort of) finale, as Dane is feeling brave and secure enough to commit to writing what he thinks of as a ‘cozy noir’ novel, that this entire series is cozy noir novels. Meta squared.
This particularly struck me because Gregory Ashe’s previous great series, the Hazard & Somerset books, are more in the noir vein—and distressing to me emotionally in exactly the way Dash describes noir detective fiction as he struggles with his own writing. Ashe leavens this series with both humor and tenderness. Thus my personal reaction to this entire series is driven by the ‘cozy noir’ idea that Dane finally latches onto, with the help of people who love him and support him in his journey of authorial self-discovery.
Boy, oh boy. I did not see that coming. On to book 8. Whew.
January 27, 2025
If you're looking for an objective review, keep scrolling because this is not it.
I'm unashamedly addicted to this series. From the first page of each new book, I'm fighting a losing battle to keep the smile off my face, my blood pressure goes down and I can breathe more freely. Just blissfully happy to be getting my dose.
So all this to say that I loved this book even more than I expected to, more than I liked the previous one (which let me tell you was an awful lot already)
Everything I loved in the previous books is still there : Dash's humour, the smart mystery, Greg's writing but we also get Dash&Bobby being cute, Dash being a grown-up (gasp) and to my utmost satisfaction and pleasure : Dash's parents.
Now I don't know how new you are to Gregory Ashe's work but parent/son relationships are his superpower. Every time he writes them, they're guaranteed to procure the deepest, truest, rawest scenes.
This book is no exception and honestly even by GA standards I was blown away.
Greg excels at drawing layered characters, complex and subtle. To me as flawed as Dash's parents are, *they are perfectly human all the time*. That's why the book is so powerful.
Entering spoiler territory
You've been warned
I'm serious
I'm unashamedly addicted to this series. From the first page of each new book, I'm fighting a losing battle to keep the smile off my face, my blood pressure goes down and I can breathe more freely. Just blissfully happy to be getting my dose.
So all this to say that I loved this book even more than I expected to, more than I liked the previous one (which let me tell you was an awful lot already)
Everything I loved in the previous books is still there : Dash's humour, the smart mystery, Greg's writing but we also get Dash&Bobby being cute, Dash being a grown-up (gasp) and to my utmost satisfaction and pleasure : Dash's parents.
Now I don't know how new you are to Gregory Ashe's work but parent/son relationships are his superpower. Every time he writes them, they're guaranteed to procure the deepest, truest, rawest scenes.
This book is no exception and honestly even by GA standards I was blown away.
Greg excels at drawing layered characters, complex and subtle. To me as flawed as Dash's parents are, *they are perfectly human all the time*. That's why the book is so powerful.
Entering spoiler territory
You've been warned
I'm serious
February 14, 2025
Parental Woes, Brilliant
Book 7 and I am not in the least losing interest in Dashiell Dane and Officer Bobby and eagerly await each new book.
In this book we meet the parents when they unexpectedly turn up for the library fundraising event Dash is staging at House. Both his parents are best selling authors and the author gives us an insight into just what poor Dash had to endure growing up with two neglectful parents who always put their careers before their kids. They were an absolute nightmare at the start of the book but when Dash found his backbone and stood up to them, it took them dissing Bobby to make him angry enough to do this, it was brilliant and then Gregory wrote some really emotional scenes where he talked it out with them, telling them how he felt without sugar coating it and it brought tears to my eyes.
As usual there was murder, two, and mystery and frustration for Dash as his parents, celebrated crime writers who can’t seem to separate fact from fiction, kept trying to steal his thunder.
The last picks, whilst in this story, didn’t have their usual part in helping keep Dash safe and helping him solve the murder, his parents muscled them out😂
I love seeing Dash and Bobby navigating a relationship and they are doing well and Dash is starting to adult. Maybe in the next book he will actually start writing instead of staring at a blank screen but I won’t hold my breath😂 Here is an excerpt from Dash’s inner thoughts:
I ended up in the den/office/napatorium. I got myself comfy in my favorite chair. I adjusted my favorite blanket until it was exactly right. I opened my laptop and navigated to my current manuscript. The blank screen stared back at me. I took a sip of my coffee and considered getting a fresh cup. And then I decided: No. I was a writer. I was going to write. The screen stayed stubbornly blank.
Since I was not a genius, no matter what my parents said, I was having trouble coming up with a MacGuffin-and, more importantly, with a way to make the MacGuffin meaningful beyond being a, uh, weenie to get the plot rolling. So, I was going to do the good, responsible, writerly thing and sit here in the den, brainstorming, until inspiration struck and I came up with an idea that would revolutionize the mystery genre forever. (Maybe I needed to take up smoking. Maybe I needed a pipe!) I spent a while researching pipes and decided they seemed gross. Maybe I needed to smoke a really raw, rough cigarette. Maybe it would put hair on my chest. I bet Raymond Chandler smoked like a chimney while he was yelling at his secretary.
Roll on book 8
Book 7 and I am not in the least losing interest in Dashiell Dane and Officer Bobby and eagerly await each new book.
In this book we meet the parents when they unexpectedly turn up for the library fundraising event Dash is staging at House. Both his parents are best selling authors and the author gives us an insight into just what poor Dash had to endure growing up with two neglectful parents who always put their careers before their kids. They were an absolute nightmare at the start of the book but when Dash found his backbone and stood up to them, it took them dissing Bobby to make him angry enough to do this, it was brilliant and then Gregory wrote some really emotional scenes where he talked it out with them, telling them how he felt without sugar coating it and it brought tears to my eyes.
As usual there was murder, two, and mystery and frustration for Dash as his parents, celebrated crime writers who can’t seem to separate fact from fiction, kept trying to steal his thunder.
The last picks, whilst in this story, didn’t have their usual part in helping keep Dash safe and helping him solve the murder, his parents muscled them out😂
I love seeing Dash and Bobby navigating a relationship and they are doing well and Dash is starting to adult. Maybe in the next book he will actually start writing instead of staring at a blank screen but I won’t hold my breath😂 Here is an excerpt from Dash’s inner thoughts:
I ended up in the den/office/napatorium. I got myself comfy in my favorite chair. I adjusted my favorite blanket until it was exactly right. I opened my laptop and navigated to my current manuscript. The blank screen stared back at me. I took a sip of my coffee and considered getting a fresh cup. And then I decided: No. I was a writer. I was going to write. The screen stayed stubbornly blank.
Since I was not a genius, no matter what my parents said, I was having trouble coming up with a MacGuffin-and, more importantly, with a way to make the MacGuffin meaningful beyond being a, uh, weenie to get the plot rolling. So, I was going to do the good, responsible, writerly thing and sit here in the den, brainstorming, until inspiration struck and I came up with an idea that would revolutionize the mystery genre forever. (Maybe I needed to take up smoking. Maybe I needed a pipe!) I spent a while researching pipes and decided they seemed gross. Maybe I needed to smoke a really raw, rough cigarette. Maybe it would put hair on my chest. I bet Raymond Chandler smoked like a chimney while he was yelling at his secretary.
Roll on book 8
October 1, 2025
How Dashiell Dane came to own Hemlock House is quite a fantastical and diabolical tale. Dashiell, mostly referred to as Dash, came to Hemlock House to learn the craft from a mystery writer and old friend of his parents. Said mystery writer left the house to Dash when trying to frame him for her murder. Her faked murder. When she ended up caught by Dash in his first amateur sleuthing, she was sent to jail and the property remained in Dash’s care.
And he really does care about the property. Its become important to him and to the previous housekeeper who stays on to cook and live there at no cost. However, Dash’s money has dried up and though his parents tried to help for a little bit, they decided to stop funding Dash’s life far away from them and the life he used to live. Dash tries to hold things down. He tries to open the house for events, and he has some roommates in the house who he could turn to for help, but he’s just a bit too stubborn. And who cares if a few months go by without the electricity being paid? Dash is definitely getting the feeling of being overtaken by his problems when his parents show up unexpectedly for a visit.
I’m all for a bit of picking yourself up by your bootstraps. (I definitely thought that Dash might need to find a way to bring in some income, perhaps a job in town?) But the way his parents started discussing whether they should sell his house and trying to pick apart his life while also not acknowledging his serious relationship with Bobby… I was furious at them. I felt Dash’s hurt at the one sided relationship he’s had with his parents all his life. I was confused about how they praised his sleuthing abilities, and yet dismissed them at the same time. How they tried to jump in the mystery-solving game themselves, and how they tried to tie his future writing career to theirs. His mothers coldness, and his father’s trigger happy personas set me off. Can you tell that I was feeling all of Dash’s feelings? Let me take a deep breath.
As much as I talked up Dash and his parents visit, there was a lot more to this book. When the library holds a fundraiser at Hemlock House, a journal from the designer of Dash’s home is up for auction, but disappears before the bidding can start. A missing journal leads to a mysterious death, and break-ins at Hemlock House. There are quite a few suspects, and I have to admit I was clueless.
Dash spends a lot of time running around town after his parents, and he finds himself on Bobby’s bad side a time or two. The murder is solved and so is the book-napping. Dash learns to ask for and accept help from those who care about him. And he even manages to address the issues with his parents and they might just be able to salvage their relationships. I enjoyed the mystery and definitely got caught up in the family drama.
I am a big fan of this author and always recommend his books. The characters are real and romance is hard won. This cozy is perfect for those who might not like too much violence or sex in their stories. Andrew Gibson does a great job bringing the story to life.
And he really does care about the property. Its become important to him and to the previous housekeeper who stays on to cook and live there at no cost. However, Dash’s money has dried up and though his parents tried to help for a little bit, they decided to stop funding Dash’s life far away from them and the life he used to live. Dash tries to hold things down. He tries to open the house for events, and he has some roommates in the house who he could turn to for help, but he’s just a bit too stubborn. And who cares if a few months go by without the electricity being paid? Dash is definitely getting the feeling of being overtaken by his problems when his parents show up unexpectedly for a visit.
I’m all for a bit of picking yourself up by your bootstraps. (I definitely thought that Dash might need to find a way to bring in some income, perhaps a job in town?) But the way his parents started discussing whether they should sell his house and trying to pick apart his life while also not acknowledging his serious relationship with Bobby… I was furious at them. I felt Dash’s hurt at the one sided relationship he’s had with his parents all his life. I was confused about how they praised his sleuthing abilities, and yet dismissed them at the same time. How they tried to jump in the mystery-solving game themselves, and how they tried to tie his future writing career to theirs. His mothers coldness, and his father’s trigger happy personas set me off. Can you tell that I was feeling all of Dash’s feelings? Let me take a deep breath.
As much as I talked up Dash and his parents visit, there was a lot more to this book. When the library holds a fundraiser at Hemlock House, a journal from the designer of Dash’s home is up for auction, but disappears before the bidding can start. A missing journal leads to a mysterious death, and break-ins at Hemlock House. There are quite a few suspects, and I have to admit I was clueless.
Dash spends a lot of time running around town after his parents, and he finds himself on Bobby’s bad side a time or two. The murder is solved and so is the book-napping. Dash learns to ask for and accept help from those who care about him. And he even manages to address the issues with his parents and they might just be able to salvage their relationships. I enjoyed the mystery and definitely got caught up in the family drama.
I am a big fan of this author and always recommend his books. The characters are real and romance is hard won. This cozy is perfect for those who might not like too much violence or sex in their stories. Andrew Gibson does a great job bringing the story to life.
February 3, 2025
We can apparently stop worrying about Dash and [Deputy] Bobby being complete idiots and failing to notice that they're in love with each other. Also, Dash is definitely getting somewhere in the assertiveness department -- as when, for example, his awful parents show up unexpectedly and he tells them, "Mom, Dad, this is a surprise. Notice I'm not saying it's great to see you."
This leaves me more mental space with which to worry about Dash's sugar intake, though better even an entire huckleberry icebox cake, I guess, than Hugo controlling everything Dash eats. Make your own choices, Dash! Even if some of them, like not paying the electric bill, are stupid ones! In fact the whole theme of this installment of The Last Picks is Dash learning when he needs to run his own life without interference, however well-intentioned, and when accepting help /= being under someone else's control. Sure, there's a murder (not that you're going to feel too bad about the victim), and sure Dash solves it (not that he breaks his record of being unable to get a whole sentence out during the big explanation), but as usual the mystery takes a back seat to the, um, interpersonal dynamics.
(The exception so far in this series is #6, Again with Feeling, where the mystery packs an emotional wallop.)
Really I have no objections to "By the Book," except for the scene that follows Dash's showdown with his parents: he doesn't them off the hook entirely, but he's way, way, way more generous toward them than they deserve. In my 100% correct opinion. Also, Hugo is so a bad person, Dash. Please make an effigy of him and set it on fire at your earliest convenience.
Thanks, as always, to GA for the ARC. Complaints and praise both reflect my honest opinion.
This leaves me more mental space with which to worry about Dash's sugar intake, though better even an entire huckleberry icebox cake, I guess, than Hugo controlling everything Dash eats. Make your own choices, Dash! Even if some of them, like not paying the electric bill, are stupid ones! In fact the whole theme of this installment of The Last Picks is Dash learning when he needs to run his own life without interference, however well-intentioned, and when accepting help /= being under someone else's control. Sure, there's a murder (not that you're going to feel too bad about the victim), and sure Dash solves it (not that he breaks his record of being unable to get a whole sentence out during the big explanation), but as usual the mystery takes a back seat to the, um, interpersonal dynamics.
(The exception so far in this series is #6, Again with Feeling, where the mystery packs an emotional wallop.)
Really I have no objections to "By the Book," except for the scene that follows Dash's showdown with his parents: he doesn't them off the hook entirely, but he's way, way, way more generous toward them than they deserve. In my 100% correct opinion. Also, Hugo is so a bad person, Dash. Please make an effigy of him and set it on fire at your earliest convenience.
Thanks, as always, to GA for the ARC. Complaints and praise both reflect my honest opinion.
February 24, 2025
At first I thought we were supposed to think Dash’s parents are quirky and cute. Yikes. I didn’t like them before the apology and I didn’t like them after.
Dash’s mother is mean. IDGAF about her childhood trauma or the high dollar words used to explain it. There is no excuse for being mean to your child. The conversation she had with Dash after the dinner was clinical. I kept waiting for the mother/son connection. There isn’t one.
His father is a useless dangerous idiot. At least he seemed to have some kind of emotional connection with Dash. The only good thing about his parents is they don’t live in Hastings Rock. I don’t ever need to see them again.
The Hemlock House expenses. That has been driving me crazy! So Dash has been supporting 3 people and the utilities of a mansion for a year?! The food bill alone would be insane! He feeds himself, Indira and Keme and then Bobby moves in. Bobby and Indira could have coughed up more than two months rent in my opinion. And if Dash isn’t paying Indira a salary how is she affording personal expenses? Who buys her personal hygiene products?
I’m here for Dash and Bobby. I like the characters and their growing relationship. I do wish this wasn’t a cozy series most of the time though. Lol - I’d like to read some non PG dialogue.
I also like Dash’s interactions with the Last Picks. They make me laugh but they aren’t the draw.
I don’t see where this Keme crush on Molly can go. Yeah he’s eighteen now but he’s too young for her in too many ways. He’s unemployed and immature and that should be a deal breaker for any grown woman. I’m hoping it fizzles in the background in the next book. There’s nothing in their ‘relationship’ that interest me. 🥴
Dash should be on a consultant retainer with the sheriff’s department.
Dash’s mother is mean. IDGAF about her childhood trauma or the high dollar words used to explain it. There is no excuse for being mean to your child. The conversation she had with Dash after the dinner was clinical. I kept waiting for the mother/son connection. There isn’t one.
His father is a useless dangerous idiot. At least he seemed to have some kind of emotional connection with Dash. The only good thing about his parents is they don’t live in Hastings Rock. I don’t ever need to see them again.
The Hemlock House expenses. That has been driving me crazy! So Dash has been supporting 3 people and the utilities of a mansion for a year?! The food bill alone would be insane! He feeds himself, Indira and Keme and then Bobby moves in. Bobby and Indira could have coughed up more than two months rent in my opinion. And if Dash isn’t paying Indira a salary how is she affording personal expenses? Who buys her personal hygiene products?
I’m here for Dash and Bobby. I like the characters and their growing relationship. I do wish this wasn’t a cozy series most of the time though. Lol - I’d like to read some non PG dialogue.
I also like Dash’s interactions with the Last Picks. They make me laugh but they aren’t the draw.
I don’t see where this Keme crush on Molly can go. Yeah he’s eighteen now but he’s too young for her in too many ways. He’s unemployed and immature and that should be a deal breaker for any grown woman. I’m hoping it fizzles in the background in the next book. There’s nothing in their ‘relationship’ that interest me. 🥴
Dash should be on a consultant retainer with the sheriff’s department.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 2, 2025
Well, it had to happen eventually. A book by Gregory Ashe that I didn't love *sighs*
My main issue here isn't even that the mystery is chaotic background noise, only there to showcase how absurd Dash's parents are. It's Dash's parents.
All the book is about them, showing in every way what awful people they are. Fine, it's a cosy, so sometimes they are all about the relationship between the characters. But here I felt so deeply disappointed about how this was resolved. I felt outraged on Dash's behalf for the whole story, wanting to pull them from the book and ask them wtf? are you for real? And that's the thing: they didn't feel real but... cartoonish. And, after that awful dinner, the sole thought of Dash having anything to do with them from then on is unbearable. No, a father dying is not an excuse to be such an awful self-conceit being, and even if it were (WHICH IT ISN'T!), it doesn't explain all the years before this.
Oh, but Dash's dad apologised, you could say. Too little, too late, I reply. Particularly because it's implied he knew what they were doing was wrong, and he still went with what her wife wanted with no regard for his son's feelings. Adding coward to the list of his shortcomings *facepalm*
They both should be out of his life. Just like his mom did to her father, remember? Argh!
Aaaaaaaaaanyway, you can say this was not my favourite book...
My main issue here isn't even that the mystery is chaotic background noise, only there to showcase how absurd Dash's parents are. It's Dash's parents.
All the book is about them, showing in every way what awful people they are. Fine, it's a cosy, so sometimes they are all about the relationship between the characters. But here I felt so deeply disappointed about how this was resolved. I felt outraged on Dash's behalf for the whole story, wanting to pull them from the book and ask them wtf? are you for real? And that's the thing: they didn't feel real but... cartoonish. And, after that awful dinner, the sole thought of Dash having anything to do with them from then on is unbearable. No, a father dying is not an excuse to be such an awful self-conceit being, and even if it were (WHICH IT ISN'T!), it doesn't explain all the years before this.
Oh, but Dash's dad apologised, you could say. Too little, too late, I reply. Particularly because it's implied he knew what they were doing was wrong, and he still went with what her wife wanted with no regard for his son's feelings. Adding coward to the list of his shortcomings *facepalm*
They both should be out of his life. Just like his mom did to her father, remember? Argh!
Aaaaaaaaaanyway, you can say this was not my favourite book...
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