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Killer in the Margins: A neurodivergent sleuth, her clever cat, and a killer lurking in the pages
I’m Jessica Larsen. My mom’s a powerhouse entrepreneur, my sister’s a doctor, and I’m… an author with a normal 9-to-5 that I can’t seem to keep. After getting fired (again) and dumped by my boyfriend of two years (again), I have no choice but to take a job as a caretaker for my eccentric grandfather in a tiny town with nothing to do.
At least I’ll have time to write—unless, of course, I get roped into something ridiculous. Like bonding with my grandfather over his secret past as a detective. Or stumbling onto a murder way too close to home.
Now, with my grandfather’s old case files and a town full of quirky suspects, I have to solve this mystery—because surely, it can’t be that different from writing crime novels… right?
At least I’ll have time to write—unless, of course, I get roped into something ridiculous. Like bonding with my grandfather over his secret past as a detective. Or stumbling onto a murder way too close to home.
Now, with my grandfather’s old case files and a town full of quirky suspects, I have to solve this mystery—because surely, it can’t be that different from writing crime novels… right?
236 pages, Kindle Edition
Published September 10, 2025
20 people are currently reading
117 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 74 reviews
August 30, 2025
4.25✨
I received this as an ARC so here is my honest review.
The first thing I am gonna say is this, I have never really related to a character until Jess. I never knew I needed an MC with ADHD. Like, dang, she is me and I am her. Except for the fact that she tends to run late—I tend to run early.
“You only think your mind’s frazzled because that’s what everyone keeps telling you. You can’t keep up in this society, because this society wasn’t built for your mind—just theirs.” You have no idea how good this quote makes me feel. 🥹 And this quote is relatable, Blame it on my ADHD, but I was not very good at registering audible instructions.
I love the fact that the romance is inspired by the author’s. That’s so sweet! 🥰
Thomas is so dang toxic. HE WAS FLIRTING WITH GRACE RIGHT IN FRONT OF JESS. He also made a passive-aggressive comment implying that he was surprised that Jess looked pretty. Like, who does that?
Where Thomas is toxic, Michael is all green flags. The man is so sweet and protective and handsome and nice and a bunch of other things. He’s also great at his job.
Every time Alexander spoke, I read him as having a British accent just because he’s a butler! There was no mention of him being British, so I assume he’s American, but he still has an accent to me lol.
I approve of Grace. I would consider her to be crunchy. Good for her.
I never would’ve guessed who the killer was. I was shocked. 😱
Anyways, this was really good, and I enjoyed it. The only drawback was that it was an ebook so my screentime was atrocious lol.
Last but not least, thank you to the author, Eliza Floretta, for this ARC opportunity.
I received this as an ARC so here is my honest review.
The first thing I am gonna say is this, I have never really related to a character until Jess. I never knew I needed an MC with ADHD. Like, dang, she is me and I am her. Except for the fact that she tends to run late—I tend to run early.
“You only think your mind’s frazzled because that’s what everyone keeps telling you. You can’t keep up in this society, because this society wasn’t built for your mind—just theirs.” You have no idea how good this quote makes me feel. 🥹 And this quote is relatable, Blame it on my ADHD, but I was not very good at registering audible instructions.
I love the fact that the romance is inspired by the author’s. That’s so sweet! 🥰
Thomas is so dang toxic. HE WAS FLIRTING WITH GRACE RIGHT IN FRONT OF JESS. He also made a passive-aggressive comment implying that he was surprised that Jess looked pretty. Like, who does that?
Where Thomas is toxic, Michael is all green flags. The man is so sweet and protective and handsome and nice and a bunch of other things. He’s also great at his job.
Every time Alexander spoke, I read him as having a British accent just because he’s a butler! There was no mention of him being British, so I assume he’s American, but he still has an accent to me lol.
I approve of Grace. I would consider her to be crunchy. Good for her.
I never would’ve guessed who the killer was. I was shocked. 😱
Anyways, this was really good, and I enjoyed it. The only drawback was that it was an ebook so my screentime was atrocious lol.
Last but not least, thank you to the author, Eliza Floretta, for this ARC opportunity.
August 23, 2025
I received this arc and this is my honest opinion.
This is a cozy mystery featuring a neurodivergent heroine with a broken heart, lost job and eviction. She makes a new start to a small town with her grandfather, a former P.I. until he's found dead so she starts investigating along with a cold case.
I liked the plot, it kept me interested though there were some inconsistencies. I also felt the dialogues were quite abrupt. For example she's meeting her grandfather after a very very long time and she asks him "do you have a chore list for me?". Umm okay? No hello, no hey long time no see how have you been? It felt really strange.
Also the heroine is not subtle. She's new and tries to investigate in a small town and when she questions someone she brings her notepad and pen from her bag like some cop. Yeah that's very subtle.
Lastly I would prefer her romance with Mike to expand throughout the series instead of focusing so much in this one. I felt that half of the book was romance which is fine by me but again I would prefer it a slow burn instead of saying "I love him" after two weeks.
This is a cozy mystery featuring a neurodivergent heroine with a broken heart, lost job and eviction. She makes a new start to a small town with her grandfather, a former P.I. until he's found dead so she starts investigating along with a cold case.
I liked the plot, it kept me interested though there were some inconsistencies. I also felt the dialogues were quite abrupt. For example she's meeting her grandfather after a very very long time and she asks him "do you have a chore list for me?". Umm okay? No hello, no hey long time no see how have you been? It felt really strange.
Also the heroine is not subtle. She's new and tries to investigate in a small town and when she questions someone she brings her notepad and pen from her bag like some cop. Yeah that's very subtle.
Lastly I would prefer her romance with Mike to expand throughout the series instead of focusing so much in this one. I felt that half of the book was romance which is fine by me but again I would prefer it a slow burn instead of saying "I love him" after two weeks.
August 30, 2025
Wow! Loved it!
ARC review, all thoughts are my own.
Ok, this was so awesome and sweet!
I really thought this was a good balanced story of romance and mystery.
Jess: I really felt a connection to this character. She is so lovely. I also really liked how she had some problems. She felt everything so deeply, and that is something I can relate to.
Michael: Oh my! This man is so SWEET!
❤️ He was so caring and patient and protective and kind and just so perfect!
He was willing to wait for her because she wasn't ready, and that is so nice not to be pushed. She was able to be ready at her own time. He's so wonderful.
Overall thought:
Thomas was a rude, ignorant jerk. 😠
But enough of him. He doesn't deserve to be mentioned anymore.🤣
The killer, (Not saying who), but wow, I did not see that coming.
I really enjoyed this book and recommend this for 13-14+
Thank you for the chance to read this advanced copy, Eliza Floretta!
ARC review, all thoughts are my own.
Ok, this was so awesome and sweet!
I really thought this was a good balanced story of romance and mystery.
Jess: I really felt a connection to this character. She is so lovely. I also really liked how she had some problems. She felt everything so deeply, and that is something I can relate to.
Michael: Oh my! This man is so SWEET!
❤️ He was so caring and patient and protective and kind and just so perfect!
He was willing to wait for her because she wasn't ready, and that is so nice not to be pushed. She was able to be ready at her own time. He's so wonderful.
Overall thought:
Thomas was a rude, ignorant jerk. 😠
But enough of him. He doesn't deserve to be mentioned anymore.🤣
The killer, (Not saying who), but wow, I did not see that coming.
I really enjoyed this book and recommend this for 13-14+
Thank you for the chance to read this advanced copy, Eliza Floretta!
September 5, 2025
* Full Review *
📜Killer in the Margins by Eliza Floretta📜
Book One in The Red Pen Mysteries series.
📢 ARC READ!! 📢
📖 Expected Publication Date: September 10, 2025 📖
Tropes and things you’ll like:
📌 Small-town Charm
📌 Sweet Romance
📌 Indie Author FMC
📌 Neurodivergent amateur sleuth
📌 Cold-case with a recent murder
📌 Cat as companion
📌 MMC is a Cop
📌 Fall vibes
📌 Suspenseful moments
“You only think your mind’s frazzled because that’s what everyone keeps telling you. You can’t keep up in this society, because this society wasn’t built for your mind—just theirs.”
Wow.. I cannot believe how suspenseful and thrilling that was! 🤯🤯
It seemed like after the first few chapters we’re thrown headfirst into a mystery that’ll make you wonder and turn pages furiously until you find out what happens next.
~ Plot ~
It was like something happened, one after the other, and I couldn’t stop having my own theories of “who did what” and “who I think is bad”. I would’ve never guessed who did it if not for the minor clues and suspicous activity coming from that man…(no spoilers from me!) I also loved how this book gave Fall vibes! 🍁
“He breathed a chuckle. ‘You’re a ten out of ten normally, but with a gun in your hand, you’re an eleven, so yeah, I’m willing to take the risk.’”
—> Jessica
To put it simply, I loved her!
(1) She was an Indie Fantasy Author [loved that!] (2) She was a quiet yet sweet soul who just needed somebody to love her for who she was. I wanted to give her a big hug! (3) Because she didn’t realize she was beautiful inside and OUT (and 4) In the end, she didn’t let people get the best of her.
Although she made a terrible mistake of trying to change HERSELF for a man… she finally realized that she didn’t have to and that the right man would love her for who she is. I practically was screaming MICHAEL, MICHAEL, MICHAEL!!!
“I’m a man. I know how a guy’s mind works. And you, Jessica Larsen, you’re a catch worth taking a bullet for.”
—> Thomas
Don’t get me started on him!!!
He made my blood boil. Like who does this guy think he is to literally give up the BEST girl he could have and all because she was too dependent on him?!! All he was, was manipulative and toxic to Jessica (poor girl and her emotions).
“You are the best thing that’s happened to me in a long time, Jessica Larsen. You’re funny and beautiful and smart as a whip. And I’d love for you to be my girlfriend. So, will you be my girlfriend?”
—> Michael
swoons. Is there hope for man like him in my future?? I hope so… cuz he was the sweetest! So protective and kind, plus he was a Cop too 😏. I loved how he kept saying he’d wait and let Jessica think about having a relationship with him. It was adorable how he would constantly flirt giving her compliment after compliment 💞
In conclusion, I very much enjoyed this cozy mystery! There wasn’t a boring moment and I hope to continue this cozy series and see what mysteries and trouble Jessica gets into!
*I received this eARC for free from the author and publisher! All opinions are my own.*
Thank you the author for the opportunity to read an advanced copy of this wonderful book!
⚠️ Age recommendation: 13-14+ ⚠️
My rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Ages 10-12 rating: ⭐️
Ages 13-14 rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫
Ages 15-16 rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Sexual Content:
Some embraces and holding hands. Noticing, Winks, Flirting, Blushing, Some Warmth, Nearness, and Tingles. Mentions of dating, dates, and a breakup. Mentions of a man wanting to get to know and date Jessica. Mentions of a toxic relationship Jessica was in. Mentions of girlfriends and boyfriends. Having and starting to have feelings for a guy. Some emotions and very light love.(No Kissing in this book)
Profanity:
None
Violence:
Some blood, death, a mention of having to kill someone for defense (by a police officer), threatening to kill, and murder.[Mild]
Some pain, stress, and anxiety. Michael’s fiancé was killed and shot by a gun.
Jessica learns how to shoot a gun for self-defense. A man was found dead in his office. [Mild] A mention of suicide.
(All of this is pretty mildly detailed)
Trigger Warnings‼️:
It is mentioned that Jessica has ADHD, and
Jessica was in a toxic relationship. Murder scenes and some death and blood.
POV’s:
Single POV (in 1st person)
-Jessica Larsen
📜Killer in the Margins by Eliza Floretta📜
Book One in The Red Pen Mysteries series.
📢 ARC READ!! 📢
📖 Expected Publication Date: September 10, 2025 📖
Tropes and things you’ll like:
📌 Small-town Charm
📌 Sweet Romance
📌 Indie Author FMC
📌 Neurodivergent amateur sleuth
📌 Cold-case with a recent murder
📌 Cat as companion
📌 MMC is a Cop
📌 Fall vibes
📌 Suspenseful moments
“You only think your mind’s frazzled because that’s what everyone keeps telling you. You can’t keep up in this society, because this society wasn’t built for your mind—just theirs.”
Wow.. I cannot believe how suspenseful and thrilling that was! 🤯🤯
It seemed like after the first few chapters we’re thrown headfirst into a mystery that’ll make you wonder and turn pages furiously until you find out what happens next.
~ Plot ~
It was like something happened, one after the other, and I couldn’t stop having my own theories of “who did what” and “who I think is bad”. I would’ve never guessed who did it if not for the minor clues and suspicous activity coming from that man…(no spoilers from me!) I also loved how this book gave Fall vibes! 🍁
“He breathed a chuckle. ‘You’re a ten out of ten normally, but with a gun in your hand, you’re an eleven, so yeah, I’m willing to take the risk.’”
—> Jessica
To put it simply, I loved her!
(1) She was an Indie Fantasy Author [loved that!] (2) She was a quiet yet sweet soul who just needed somebody to love her for who she was. I wanted to give her a big hug! (3) Because she didn’t realize she was beautiful inside and OUT (and 4) In the end, she didn’t let people get the best of her.
Although she made a terrible mistake of trying to change HERSELF for a man… she finally realized that she didn’t have to and that the right man would love her for who she is. I practically was screaming MICHAEL, MICHAEL, MICHAEL!!!
“I’m a man. I know how a guy’s mind works. And you, Jessica Larsen, you’re a catch worth taking a bullet for.”
—> Thomas
Don’t get me started on him!!!
He made my blood boil. Like who does this guy think he is to literally give up the BEST girl he could have and all because she was too dependent on him?!! All he was, was manipulative and toxic to Jessica (poor girl and her emotions).
“You are the best thing that’s happened to me in a long time, Jessica Larsen. You’re funny and beautiful and smart as a whip. And I’d love for you to be my girlfriend. So, will you be my girlfriend?”
—> Michael
swoons. Is there hope for man like him in my future?? I hope so… cuz he was the sweetest! So protective and kind, plus he was a Cop too 😏. I loved how he kept saying he’d wait and let Jessica think about having a relationship with him. It was adorable how he would constantly flirt giving her compliment after compliment 💞
In conclusion, I very much enjoyed this cozy mystery! There wasn’t a boring moment and I hope to continue this cozy series and see what mysteries and trouble Jessica gets into!
*I received this eARC for free from the author and publisher! All opinions are my own.*
Thank you the author for the opportunity to read an advanced copy of this wonderful book!
⚠️ Age recommendation: 13-14+ ⚠️
My rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Ages 10-12 rating: ⭐️
Ages 13-14 rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫
Ages 15-16 rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Sexual Content:
Some embraces and holding hands. Noticing, Winks, Flirting, Blushing, Some Warmth, Nearness, and Tingles. Mentions of dating, dates, and a breakup. Mentions of a man wanting to get to know and date Jessica. Mentions of a toxic relationship Jessica was in. Mentions of girlfriends and boyfriends. Having and starting to have feelings for a guy. Some emotions and very light love.(No Kissing in this book)
Profanity:
None
Violence:
Some blood, death, a mention of having to kill someone for defense (by a police officer), threatening to kill, and murder.[Mild]
Some pain, stress, and anxiety. Michael’s fiancé was killed and shot by a gun.
Jessica learns how to shoot a gun for self-defense. A man was found dead in his office. [Mild] A mention of suicide.
(All of this is pretty mildly detailed)
Trigger Warnings‼️:
It is mentioned that Jessica has ADHD, and
Jessica was in a toxic relationship. Murder scenes and some death and blood.
POV’s:
Single POV (in 1st person)
-Jessica Larsen
September 13, 2025
⭐️⭐️⭐️.25
I am so thankful to the author for the privilege of receiving this ARC.
There were a lot of positives to this book: small town charm, amateur sleuthing, the backstory of Jess (FMC) was really relatable and cool to read, especially with the romance being modeled after the author’s own romance story. I really enjoyed that! I also loved how it was a cozy and easy read. It was perfect for the fall season & definitely the perfect light and cozy fall mystery.
A few parts unfortunately fell flat for me. 🥲
The ending was a bit predictable and I really didn’t love some of the side characters. There were a few tropes that I personally didn’t enjoy but because that won’t make/break the book I am choosing not to include them in the review.
A reminder that reading is subjective and while I didn’t fully love this one, I enjoyed the writing style and will continue to read this author and will recommend this book to others!
💖 PG romance, no spice
🤭 clean language
C/TW: murder, wrongful arrest, police corruption, emotional manipulation, toxic relationship
I am so thankful to the author for the privilege of receiving this ARC.
There were a lot of positives to this book: small town charm, amateur sleuthing, the backstory of Jess (FMC) was really relatable and cool to read, especially with the romance being modeled after the author’s own romance story. I really enjoyed that! I also loved how it was a cozy and easy read. It was perfect for the fall season & definitely the perfect light and cozy fall mystery.
A few parts unfortunately fell flat for me. 🥲
The ending was a bit predictable and I really didn’t love some of the side characters. There were a few tropes that I personally didn’t enjoy but because that won’t make/break the book I am choosing not to include them in the review.
A reminder that reading is subjective and while I didn’t fully love this one, I enjoyed the writing style and will continue to read this author and will recommend this book to others!
💖 PG romance, no spice
🤭 clean language
C/TW: murder, wrongful arrest, police corruption, emotional manipulation, toxic relationship
October 15, 2025
If you like a sweet romance with a light subplot mystery on the side, then this story is for you.
First off, I really enjoyed the MC as I could relate to her a bit, and the MMC is super cute and sweet. I love those types of MMC. I loved how they worked together throughout the book, and the MMC likes her but is not pushing her into a relationship right off the bat.
The only reason why I didn't give this book a 5 star is the mystery in the story. As a reader who likes to read mysteries, the mystery in the story could be flush out a bit more and drawn out. The ending felt rushed, especially on how she solved the mystery.
When I first received this ARC, I was hoping for more of a mystery than a romance as the main plot, but I still enjoyed the book since I like the type of romance the author put in her book.
Overall, I enjoyed reading this book!
"I received a free ARC of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review. Opinions are entirely my own"
First off, I really enjoyed the MC as I could relate to her a bit, and the MMC is super cute and sweet. I love those types of MMC. I loved how they worked together throughout the book, and the MMC likes her but is not pushing her into a relationship right off the bat.
The only reason why I didn't give this book a 5 star is the mystery in the story. As a reader who likes to read mysteries, the mystery in the story could be flush out a bit more and drawn out. The ending felt rushed, especially on how she solved the mystery.
When I first received this ARC, I was hoping for more of a mystery than a romance as the main plot, but I still enjoyed the book since I like the type of romance the author put in her book.
Overall, I enjoyed reading this book!
"I received a free ARC of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review. Opinions are entirely my own"
August 30, 2025
Killer in the Margins was a delightful and cozy read! Wasn't expecting to hear that about a book with murder and mystery, huh? Here is my honest ARC review.
The main character, Jess, is the kind of girl you root for. After getting her heart broken, losing her job, and struggling to make a living off of her books, she's offered a job at her grandfather's mansion. Her grandfather was a private investigator and is well known in his small town.
When she arrives at her grandfather's, Jess meets local police officer, Michael. With his help, Jess slowly begins to follow in her grandfather's footsteps, searching for fingerprints and solving murders. But if anyone asks, she's just doing research for her new novel!
I could not put down this book; it sucked me in! There's a lot going on in this small town, but I loved it. The characters were charming, the romantic sublot was sweet, and story overall was exciting to follow. Oh, and don't even get me started on Michael! I think I'm in love...
The main character, Jess, is the kind of girl you root for. After getting her heart broken, losing her job, and struggling to make a living off of her books, she's offered a job at her grandfather's mansion. Her grandfather was a private investigator and is well known in his small town.
When she arrives at her grandfather's, Jess meets local police officer, Michael. With his help, Jess slowly begins to follow in her grandfather's footsteps, searching for fingerprints and solving murders. But if anyone asks, she's just doing research for her new novel!
I could not put down this book; it sucked me in! There's a lot going on in this small town, but I loved it. The characters were charming, the romantic sublot was sweet, and story overall was exciting to follow. Oh, and don't even get me started on Michael! I think I'm in love...
September 4, 2025
I really enjoyed this book! I love me a good murder mystery and this did a great job intertwining romance and murder! Jessica was so easy to root for in the story, even though when she thought about Thomas I wanted to reach into the book and shake her. Michael was so lovable and definitely portrayed a Golden Retriever/Cinnamon Roll MMC. At the end at first I wasn’t sure I was happy with the quick switch with Jess and Michael, but after the author explained the near death realization, it fit perfectly! Great set of characters overall and I’m excited for the second book! Thank you for the ARC Eliza!
“He came across way too much like a cinnamon roll, whereas I preferred a croissant dipped in black coffee sorta guy.”
“I’m a man. I know how a guy’s mind works. And you Jessica Larsen, you’re a catch worth taking a bullet for.”
Does he know yellow roses signal friendship? Probably not. He’s a guy.
“He came across way too much like a cinnamon roll, whereas I preferred a croissant dipped in black coffee sorta guy.”
“I’m a man. I know how a guy’s mind works. And you Jessica Larsen, you’re a catch worth taking a bullet for.”
Does he know yellow roses signal friendship? Probably not. He’s a guy.
August 25, 2025
To say Jessica was having a bad day just does not describe her day. As a waitress for an impossible angry boss when she demands he apologize for yelling she hears two words. Two words , but not the ones she was expecting. "Your Fired!" Upset and attempting to quiet her panic attack, she calls her sister, who does not really help. She points out that the kitten Jessica has taken in costs money on top of the fact she has past due rent. Her day does not end there, oh no not for our girl. Her evasive boyfriend wants to meet for coffee. On top of snickety criticism, he breaks up with her. With her world imploding on her she is offered an opportunity to work for her grandfather. Housing, food and money problems solved, right? Not quite! She was told that her grandfather was having senior moments about someone stealing from him. True, or not true? When Jessica finds him shot and dead sitting at his desk the mysteries unfold. Not knowing anyone in town,officer Mike steps in to help her. This book and the creation of break up and new relationship is not only dear to Eliza Floretta's heart, it hits a spot in mine as well.
November 23, 2025
I received Killer in the Margins by Eliza Floretta as an eARC, and I absolutely LOVED it! It had been a while since I had read a cozy mystery, and it was so refreshing and exactly what I needed. This was my first novel by Eliza Floretta, and I really enjoyed her style. Killer in the Margins is written from the first-person perspective of the FMC, who has a hilarious and relatable personality. It was definitely fun to hear the story through her inner thoughts.
The mystery aspect was exciting and suspenseful, and even though there were multiple murders mentioned, the novel was not excessively gory or graphic at all. The story takes place in a small town where everybody knows everybody, so anyone could be a possible suspect, adding to the suspense.
The romance was sweet and slow, featuring a heartbroken FMC trying to get over her latest breakup and a cinnamon roll MMC who falls for the FMC about as soon as he meets her. It contained no language or explicit content whatsoever, which made it that much more enjoyable. Overall, Killer in the Margins was an easy five stars! If you enjoy small-town mysteries and he-falls-first romances, I 100% recommend Killer in the Margins!
The mystery aspect was exciting and suspenseful, and even though there were multiple murders mentioned, the novel was not excessively gory or graphic at all. The story takes place in a small town where everybody knows everybody, so anyone could be a possible suspect, adding to the suspense.
The romance was sweet and slow, featuring a heartbroken FMC trying to get over her latest breakup and a cinnamon roll MMC who falls for the FMC about as soon as he meets her. It contained no language or explicit content whatsoever, which made it that much more enjoyable. Overall, Killer in the Margins was an easy five stars! If you enjoy small-town mysteries and he-falls-first romances, I 100% recommend Killer in the Margins!
November 16, 2025
About the Book
Jessica Larsen has never quite measured up to her ambitious family. With a mom who’s a powerhouse entrepreneur and a sister saving lives as a doctor, Jessica is just… an author who can’t seem to hold onto a “normal” job. After getting fired (again) and dumped (again), she retreats to a small town to care for her eccentric grandfather—hardly the fresh start she imagined.
But life with Grandpa is anything but dull. Not only does she uncover his secret (to her) past as a detective, she also stumbles into a murder investigation that hits dangerously close to home. Armed with her grandfather’s old case files, a superpower (figuratively, of course) she didn’t know she had, and a town full of quirky suspects, Jessica is determined to crack the case.
My Thoughts
I really enjoyed this book. As someone with ADHD, I felt that Floretta absolutely nailed what it’s like. The story opens with Jessica trying her best to stay calm and manage her anxiety, only to spiral into a full-blown panic attack. Within the first chapter, we meet her charming boss and boyfriend (spoiler: they’re both terrible). In a burst of impulsivity, Jessica quits her job, gets dumped, and—because ADHD logic is real—rescues a cat despite being broke, unemployed, and facing eviction. Honestly? That tracks. When a job offer from her grandfather comes through, it feels like a sliver of hope. So Jessica and her new cat pack up and head to a small town for a fresh start.
Floretta does a wonderful job bringing the town to life and introducing its people. Jessica soon discovers that her grandfather used to be a private detective, and the one case he never solved still haunts him. Seeing potential in Jessica’s knack for reading people—her “superpower”—he asks for her help. She initially refuses, convinced she’s not cut out for it, but when tragedy strikes, she finds herself determined to see the mystery through.
I loved the cozy fall vibes woven throughout the story, as well as the way Jessica’s relationship with Michael develops. The plot had the twists and surprises I expect from a good cozy mystery. That said, I did feel parts of the book were a bit rushed. At just 193 pages, there wasn’t enough room for some of the side characters to be fleshed out. Jessica’s friendship with Grace, for example, seemed to develop too quickly, and a few scenes with suspects ended abruptly. On the other hand, the police station scene—which initially felt rushed—made sense when viewed through an ADHD lens.
Some readers might feel the romance developed too quickly, but I don’t agree. Some relationships just work that way—mine did! Once my husband and I started dating, we were married 3.5 months later, and 11 years and two kids later, we’re still going strong. So for me, Jessica and Michael’s relationship felt authentic.
Floretta also captured small-town life perfectly: how everyone knows everyone, businesses close early, and gossip spreads faster than wildfire. Paired with the cozy autumn setting, it made for an engaging and relatable backdrop. While I wished for a bit more character development, this was still a charming, twisty cozy mystery that I thoroughly enjoyed.
My Final Thoughts
Killer in the Margins is a charming, fast-paced cozy mystery with heart, humor, and just enough twists to keep the pages turning. While I wished for a little more depth in some of the side characters, Jessica’s messy, relatable journey—and her growing bond with her grandfather—made this such an enjoyable read. Eliza Floretta captures both the warmth of small-town life and the chaos of figuring yourself out, all wrapped up in cozy fall vibes. At 3.5 coffees, this was a delightful series debut, and I’m already looking forward to the next book in the series.
Jessica Larsen has never quite measured up to her ambitious family. With a mom who’s a powerhouse entrepreneur and a sister saving lives as a doctor, Jessica is just… an author who can’t seem to hold onto a “normal” job. After getting fired (again) and dumped (again), she retreats to a small town to care for her eccentric grandfather—hardly the fresh start she imagined.
But life with Grandpa is anything but dull. Not only does she uncover his secret (to her) past as a detective, she also stumbles into a murder investigation that hits dangerously close to home. Armed with her grandfather’s old case files, a superpower (figuratively, of course) she didn’t know she had, and a town full of quirky suspects, Jessica is determined to crack the case.
My Thoughts
I really enjoyed this book. As someone with ADHD, I felt that Floretta absolutely nailed what it’s like. The story opens with Jessica trying her best to stay calm and manage her anxiety, only to spiral into a full-blown panic attack. Within the first chapter, we meet her charming boss and boyfriend (spoiler: they’re both terrible). In a burst of impulsivity, Jessica quits her job, gets dumped, and—because ADHD logic is real—rescues a cat despite being broke, unemployed, and facing eviction. Honestly? That tracks. When a job offer from her grandfather comes through, it feels like a sliver of hope. So Jessica and her new cat pack up and head to a small town for a fresh start.
Floretta does a wonderful job bringing the town to life and introducing its people. Jessica soon discovers that her grandfather used to be a private detective, and the one case he never solved still haunts him. Seeing potential in Jessica’s knack for reading people—her “superpower”—he asks for her help. She initially refuses, convinced she’s not cut out for it, but when tragedy strikes, she finds herself determined to see the mystery through.
I loved the cozy fall vibes woven throughout the story, as well as the way Jessica’s relationship with Michael develops. The plot had the twists and surprises I expect from a good cozy mystery. That said, I did feel parts of the book were a bit rushed. At just 193 pages, there wasn’t enough room for some of the side characters to be fleshed out. Jessica’s friendship with Grace, for example, seemed to develop too quickly, and a few scenes with suspects ended abruptly. On the other hand, the police station scene—which initially felt rushed—made sense when viewed through an ADHD lens.
Some readers might feel the romance developed too quickly, but I don’t agree. Some relationships just work that way—mine did! Once my husband and I started dating, we were married 3.5 months later, and 11 years and two kids later, we’re still going strong. So for me, Jessica and Michael’s relationship felt authentic.
Floretta also captured small-town life perfectly: how everyone knows everyone, businesses close early, and gossip spreads faster than wildfire. Paired with the cozy autumn setting, it made for an engaging and relatable backdrop. While I wished for a bit more character development, this was still a charming, twisty cozy mystery that I thoroughly enjoyed.
My Final Thoughts
Killer in the Margins is a charming, fast-paced cozy mystery with heart, humor, and just enough twists to keep the pages turning. While I wished for a little more depth in some of the side characters, Jessica’s messy, relatable journey—and her growing bond with her grandfather—made this such an enjoyable read. Eliza Floretta captures both the warmth of small-town life and the chaos of figuring yourself out, all wrapped up in cozy fall vibes. At 3.5 coffees, this was a delightful series debut, and I’m already looking forward to the next book in the series.
September 14, 2025
Jessica Larsen gets fired from yet another job, and dumped by her boyfriend almost at the same time. She rescues a cat that she can’t keep at her apartment and isn’t sure how she’s going to take care of anyway. She gets word that her eccentric grandfather, a private investigator, is in need of a keeper, and since she doesn’t have anything to keep her where she is, goes off to live with him. A few days after arriving at his mansion, she finds him dead in his study, and things go downhill from there. She’s driven to solve the case, partly so she won’t have to go to jail, and also in honor of her beloved grandfather.
Jessica is an interesting character – she’s a neurodivergent writer of fantasy novels and is just starting on a cozy mystery and the odd woman out in her family. Her mother is a high powered entrepreneur and her sister is a physician. She feels like she doesn’t quite measure up and struggles with that. The ex boyfriend is a weenie who treats her poorly, but she can’t quite let go of him. On her way to her grandfather’s, she gets pulled over for distracted driving by a hot cop who seems to be attracted to her. They strike up a friendship and together work to solve her grandfather’s murder.
Minuses: The author used “smirk” or a variation thereof about 10 times. I have an irrational bias to the word (I think it has negative connotations and that people who like each other don’t smirk at each other). In this story, people who otherwise seemed to like each other, were smirking at each other left and right throughout the book. The repetition made me crazy and took me out of the story. Also, the story veers towards romance dressed in mystery clothing for me.
Pluses: Jessica is an interesting character. The author does a good job of “showing, not telling” about her neurodivergence. Jessica gets knocked down a lot, but continues to get back up, even if she’s doubting herself or scared out of her wits. I enjoyed watching her get stronger as she pulled the threads on her grandfather’s death, figuring out whodunnit as she figured out herself. I also liked the way Michael treats her, like she’s gold, instead of the loser boyfriend who treated her like an afterthought.
The characters are well-developed, the plot interesting, and the ending was a bit of a surprise. This was a light, easy read, and I will read more in this series.
Jessica is an interesting character – she’s a neurodivergent writer of fantasy novels and is just starting on a cozy mystery and the odd woman out in her family. Her mother is a high powered entrepreneur and her sister is a physician. She feels like she doesn’t quite measure up and struggles with that. The ex boyfriend is a weenie who treats her poorly, but she can’t quite let go of him. On her way to her grandfather’s, she gets pulled over for distracted driving by a hot cop who seems to be attracted to her. They strike up a friendship and together work to solve her grandfather’s murder.
Minuses: The author used “smirk” or a variation thereof about 10 times. I have an irrational bias to the word (I think it has negative connotations and that people who like each other don’t smirk at each other). In this story, people who otherwise seemed to like each other, were smirking at each other left and right throughout the book. The repetition made me crazy and took me out of the story. Also, the story veers towards romance dressed in mystery clothing for me.
Pluses: Jessica is an interesting character. The author does a good job of “showing, not telling” about her neurodivergence. Jessica gets knocked down a lot, but continues to get back up, even if she’s doubting herself or scared out of her wits. I enjoyed watching her get stronger as she pulled the threads on her grandfather’s death, figuring out whodunnit as she figured out herself. I also liked the way Michael treats her, like she’s gold, instead of the loser boyfriend who treated her like an afterthought.
The characters are well-developed, the plot interesting, and the ending was a bit of a surprise. This was a light, easy read, and I will read more in this series.
September 8, 2025
Your career fails. Your heart is broken. You find a cat, and suddenly, your grandfather, whom you haven't seen in decades, offers you a job? Fortunately, this isn't your typical murder mystery. It took about three chapters to get me hooked, but with that plot twist at the beginning, who could resist?
One of the book's strongest points was the development of the main character. I loved the portrayal of ADHD and how her anxiety affected her at the same time. Plus, she was a writer (bonus points for me). She went from an indecisive, codependent being to an assertive woman willing to face new challenges. Honestly, I think an author would be capable of solving a mystery, since connecting all the dots and themes in a book is serious business.
From there, I liked the secondary characters. Each one served their purpose in the story. The mansion staff who make you doubt, the friend who makes you react to your reality, a man who brings out the best in you, the hateful ex, and the grandfather who awakens your newfound detective skills. Also, of course, your faithful companion: the adorable cat.
I'm not usually a fan of Insta-romance, but I feel the writer made it work very well here because for a while, it was one sided. Jessica was very conflicted about moving forward with this potential relationship because she had just broken up with her boyfriend. I appreciated the display of her doubts and insecurities until her heart began to change. This pair was adorable without being annoying.
Regarding the mystery, there was a coherent thread regarding who the killer was. Although it was predictable, the process was entertaining to read. They got to the truth in the way one would expect, but what happened beforehand in terms of the buildup made me feel the tension of the climax.
The only thing I didn't like was the behavior of Jessica's family members. They're not bad people, but there's something about them that makes me uncomfortable. I don't know why. Given all that's been written, I definitely recommend this book. Cozy, full of intrigue, a small town, romance, and personal development. I already want to read the sequel to these detectives. Thanks for the arc!🕵️♀️👮♂️
One of the book's strongest points was the development of the main character. I loved the portrayal of ADHD and how her anxiety affected her at the same time. Plus, she was a writer (bonus points for me). She went from an indecisive, codependent being to an assertive woman willing to face new challenges. Honestly, I think an author would be capable of solving a mystery, since connecting all the dots and themes in a book is serious business.
From there, I liked the secondary characters. Each one served their purpose in the story. The mansion staff who make you doubt, the friend who makes you react to your reality, a man who brings out the best in you, the hateful ex, and the grandfather who awakens your newfound detective skills. Also, of course, your faithful companion: the adorable cat.
I'm not usually a fan of Insta-romance, but I feel the writer made it work very well here because for a while, it was one sided. Jessica was very conflicted about moving forward with this potential relationship because she had just broken up with her boyfriend. I appreciated the display of her doubts and insecurities until her heart began to change. This pair was adorable without being annoying.
Regarding the mystery, there was a coherent thread regarding who the killer was. Although it was predictable, the process was entertaining to read. They got to the truth in the way one would expect, but what happened beforehand in terms of the buildup made me feel the tension of the climax.
The only thing I didn't like was the behavior of Jessica's family members. They're not bad people, but there's something about them that makes me uncomfortable. I don't know why. Given all that's been written, I definitely recommend this book. Cozy, full of intrigue, a small town, romance, and personal development. I already want to read the sequel to these detectives. Thanks for the arc!🕵️♀️👮♂️
September 1, 2025
Jess struggles with ADHD and feels like the black sheep of her otherwise very successful family. I appreciate the inclusivity with a main character having ADHD and many times, I was reminded of my husband who has ADHD. After her life seems to fall apart, Jess' entire life changes when she is asked to help take care of her grandfather. Who then winds up dead. When the police seem to be doing a less than stellar job, Jess tries to solve the case.
Jess has an ex boyfriend, Thomas, that is the definition of toxic. But she loves him and annoyingly let's him break her heart repeatedly. Annoyingly, but so relatable. Most people have been where Jess is and it's frustrating to see it from the outside looking in, but this represents where so many have been. Even when a guy that treats her well and is smitten with her shows up, it's hard to move past Thomas. No complaints with this, I find it so relatable for so many.
The case had a lot of clues and suspects and kept me guessing until the end. Jess is an amateur sleuth, very amateur. Not subtle. So that felt a little unrealistic. I also wasn't sure about the aspect with her grandfather that he seemed to know her so well but she hasn't seen him in like 20 years. They were close but she never saw him? It didn't really make sense. This was a minor part of the story but it left me with some questions.
Each chapter has a cute picture, which I love. It's simple, but it's just something a little extra. At the beginning, the author talks about this romance being based on her own life which was sweet. Normally the fast romance isn't my jam, but since it's based on a real story, I give it a pass. I was fortunate enough to receive an advanced copy of the book.
Jess has an ex boyfriend, Thomas, that is the definition of toxic. But she loves him and annoyingly let's him break her heart repeatedly. Annoyingly, but so relatable. Most people have been where Jess is and it's frustrating to see it from the outside looking in, but this represents where so many have been. Even when a guy that treats her well and is smitten with her shows up, it's hard to move past Thomas. No complaints with this, I find it so relatable for so many.
The case had a lot of clues and suspects and kept me guessing until the end. Jess is an amateur sleuth, very amateur. Not subtle. So that felt a little unrealistic. I also wasn't sure about the aspect with her grandfather that he seemed to know her so well but she hasn't seen him in like 20 years. They were close but she never saw him? It didn't really make sense. This was a minor part of the story but it left me with some questions.
Each chapter has a cute picture, which I love. It's simple, but it's just something a little extra. At the beginning, the author talks about this romance being based on her own life which was sweet. Normally the fast romance isn't my jam, but since it's based on a real story, I give it a pass. I was fortunate enough to receive an advanced copy of the book.
September 4, 2025
Rating: 3.5
Jess struggles with ADHD and in only one day she loses her job and her boyfriend dumps her (though he was doing her a favour) so she finds herself accepting a job as caretaker of her grandfather and moving to a small town. Now, she's following his footsteps in solving some murders.
As far the mystery, I had my suspicions from the beginning, but there were so many layers and clues, that I found myself doubting whether my guess was accurate or not. And the motive behind one of them? I didn't see that one coming.
Michael was really patient and I loved his character. He wanted her to be safe and help her, but he respected her boundaries and understood she had things to sort out first. On the other hand, Grace was a great friend. She was honest and also, worry about her. Also, I loved the cat!
I some occasions I was frustrated with how Jess was so obsessed with Thomas. He treated her poorly and awful, but she was still coming back whenever he gave her some attention. Though, I understand that it's quite realistic and can be relatable for people that has been in that situation.
My only complains would be that I would have liked to have more of bonding between Jess and her grandfather or at least addressing all those years they didn't keep in touch. Not only directly asking for chores to do. Also, I feel like some questions left unanswered or the end came too fast.
In overall, the story was light, cozy, fast-paced and enjoyable. It has a good balance of romance and mystery and I’d recommend reading it. Normally the instaromance (two weeks) isn't my thing, but the author calls it out at the beginning as it's based on her real story.
* Thank you for this E-ARC opportunity. All the opinions expressed are purely my own.
Jess struggles with ADHD and in only one day she loses her job and her boyfriend dumps her (though he was doing her a favour) so she finds herself accepting a job as caretaker of her grandfather and moving to a small town. Now, she's following his footsteps in solving some murders.
As far the mystery, I had my suspicions from the beginning, but there were so many layers and clues, that I found myself doubting whether my guess was accurate or not. And the motive behind one of them? I didn't see that one coming.
Michael was really patient and I loved his character. He wanted her to be safe and help her, but he respected her boundaries and understood she had things to sort out first. On the other hand, Grace was a great friend. She was honest and also, worry about her. Also, I loved the cat!
I some occasions I was frustrated with how Jess was so obsessed with Thomas. He treated her poorly and awful, but she was still coming back whenever he gave her some attention. Though, I understand that it's quite realistic and can be relatable for people that has been in that situation.
My only complains would be that I would have liked to have more of bonding between Jess and her grandfather or at least addressing all those years they didn't keep in touch. Not only directly asking for chores to do. Also, I feel like some questions left unanswered or the end came too fast.
In overall, the story was light, cozy, fast-paced and enjoyable. It has a good balance of romance and mystery and I’d recommend reading it. Normally the instaromance (two weeks) isn't my thing, but the author calls it out at the beginning as it's based on her real story.
* Thank you for this E-ARC opportunity. All the opinions expressed are purely my own.
September 29, 2025
I enjoyed this book. This is the first book I have read or listened to by this author but it won't be my last. I must admit I had to look up what neurodivergent meant before getting the book and after having listened to the book I have a better understanding of what it means. What it means for the book is the author has created an unusual main character that might be a bit needy but she's working on it and despite what she and others think she is capable of stepping into her grandfather's shoes and solving mysteries, which is why I have added the author to my follow list. The mystery was good and involved Jessica solving the case that her grandfather couldn't in order to solve his death. I had guessed who the killer was but nearly changed my mind a few times as the case unfolded. Looking forward to the next book.
Jessica loses everything all in one week, her job, her apartment and boyfriend, so when her grandfather needs some assistance she packs up her a cat and life without asking questions and hits the road. She might not have seen her grandfather since her childhood and knows nothing about his life but when she stumbles over his dead body, she steps in to his investigative shoes to find his killer. Her grandfather was a private investigator and solved every case he worked on, except one. Now Jessica will have to solve his old case to find his killer, which will prove difficult especially as she thinks she might be living with his killer.
I liked the narrator. She had a pleasant voice that was easy to listen too.
I was given this free review copy audio book at my request and have voluntarily left this review.
Jessica loses everything all in one week, her job, her apartment and boyfriend, so when her grandfather needs some assistance she packs up her a cat and life without asking questions and hits the road. She might not have seen her grandfather since her childhood and knows nothing about his life but when she stumbles over his dead body, she steps in to his investigative shoes to find his killer. Her grandfather was a private investigator and solved every case he worked on, except one. Now Jessica will have to solve his old case to find his killer, which will prove difficult especially as she thinks she might be living with his killer.
I liked the narrator. She had a pleasant voice that was easy to listen too.
I was given this free review copy audio book at my request and have voluntarily left this review.
September 14, 2025
"Killer In The Margins" is book #1 in "The Red Pen Mysteries" by Eliza Floretta.
Jessica Larsen has had a tough week. She's been fired from yet another job, her boyfriend of two years broke up with her (again) and she got an eviction notice for back rent. So, she reluctantly takes a job as a caretaker for her elderly grandfather - a retired P. I. She barely gets settled in when during a late night storm, a gun shot rings out and she discovers a body. This was not part of the plan but with the help of Michael, a cute officer she met on her way into town, she does her best to find a killer before the killer gets to her.
It took me a couple of chapters to get into this book. Jessica's life was a mess and no matter how hard she tried, her anxiety and desire to be loved by her ex, she just couldn't find a way to let go. I felt bad for her but at the same time I wanted to scream at her to open her eyes to what a jerk her ex was. Her sister and mother didn't really do a lot to help other than draw more attention to the issues. SMH.
The murder did distract her, but that also brought on new issues as she tried to piece together an old cold case that her grandfather had gotten wrong. As she worked with Michael, I cheered for them to get to the truth.
A few potential suspects and clearly some corruption in local law but I did have a hunch as to who might have been responsible - I just wasn't sure of the motive. The reveal, take down and follow-up were well done.
Overall, an interesting cozy murder mystery read.
Jessica Larsen has had a tough week. She's been fired from yet another job, her boyfriend of two years broke up with her (again) and she got an eviction notice for back rent. So, she reluctantly takes a job as a caretaker for her elderly grandfather - a retired P. I. She barely gets settled in when during a late night storm, a gun shot rings out and she discovers a body. This was not part of the plan but with the help of Michael, a cute officer she met on her way into town, she does her best to find a killer before the killer gets to her.
It took me a couple of chapters to get into this book. Jessica's life was a mess and no matter how hard she tried, her anxiety and desire to be loved by her ex, she just couldn't find a way to let go. I felt bad for her but at the same time I wanted to scream at her to open her eyes to what a jerk her ex was. Her sister and mother didn't really do a lot to help other than draw more attention to the issues. SMH.
The murder did distract her, but that also brought on new issues as she tried to piece together an old cold case that her grandfather had gotten wrong. As she worked with Michael, I cheered for them to get to the truth.
A few potential suspects and clearly some corruption in local law but I did have a hunch as to who might have been responsible - I just wasn't sure of the motive. The reveal, take down and follow-up were well done.
Overall, an interesting cozy murder mystery read.
August 26, 2025
Cozy mysteries with a touch of romance are probably my favorite genre, so I was really looking forward to reading this one.
I am generally not a fan of instalove. And the author totally called me out in her Author’s Note. Since it’s based on her own love story, I will accept it this time. My problem in other books is that instalove can become unhealthy obsession real quick. But that wasn’t the case here! The MMC was clear in what he hoped would happen, but his help and friendship wasn’t contingent on that. I appreciated that.
The FMC is neurodivergent and it was interesting hearing the story from her point of view because that meant you heard her internal struggles with wanting to be different. I love the representation. Arguably a lot of book detectives are neurodivergent, but it’s never actually talked about in the book. This Book made it clear from the start and it was an important part of the story.
As far as the mystery, I liked that there were multiple layers uncovered. I had my suspicions about the killer, but there were so many people it could have been. You also can’t guess the motive until the very end. I didn’t fully understand how no one knew about the motive or at least part of it, given that the town was so small.
Overall, I enjoyed this book. It was a good balance of mystery and romance, with no spice and nothing graphic.
I received an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.
I am generally not a fan of instalove. And the author totally called me out in her Author’s Note. Since it’s based on her own love story, I will accept it this time. My problem in other books is that instalove can become unhealthy obsession real quick. But that wasn’t the case here! The MMC was clear in what he hoped would happen, but his help and friendship wasn’t contingent on that. I appreciated that.
The FMC is neurodivergent and it was interesting hearing the story from her point of view because that meant you heard her internal struggles with wanting to be different. I love the representation. Arguably a lot of book detectives are neurodivergent, but it’s never actually talked about in the book. This Book made it clear from the start and it was an important part of the story.
As far as the mystery, I liked that there were multiple layers uncovered. I had my suspicions about the killer, but there were so many people it could have been. You also can’t guess the motive until the very end. I didn’t fully understand how no one knew about the motive or at least part of it, given that the town was so small.
Overall, I enjoyed this book. It was a good balance of mystery and romance, with no spice and nothing graphic.
I received an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.
August 31, 2025
ARC READER 🫶🏻
I just want to start off by saying that I enjoyed the book. It was a nice, easy read & fast paced which I do tend to like.
The author put a little tidbit about her own relationship which was a nice touch & she seems genuinely such a lovely person from my interaction with her.
I found some of the FMCs traits to be very relateable but I did feel that the book touched on her neurodiversity a little too heavily.
We have some insta love in there which I personally like but isn’t everyone’s cup of tea, I just love a golden retriever man (I have one of my own hehe).
This was a bit of a different read for me as it had mystery to it. I felt that the book could have been longer by a good 100 pages at least & I struggled to understand the timeline of it as it was so fast paced. I’ve gathered it must be at least a month due to a couple of things that happened in it but it felt like it was about a week as everything seemed to run straight into the next thing that happened.
The ending also felt a little unfinished to me, a couple of questions left unanswered but nothing that felt like a cliffhanger. It was just missing a little something that I can’t quite put my finger on.
To conclude, I did enjoy the read but it could do with a little more detail and refining. Would still recommend if you’re after something fast paced and easy for sure.
Happy reading besties 🫶🏻
I just want to start off by saying that I enjoyed the book. It was a nice, easy read & fast paced which I do tend to like.
The author put a little tidbit about her own relationship which was a nice touch & she seems genuinely such a lovely person from my interaction with her.
I found some of the FMCs traits to be very relateable but I did feel that the book touched on her neurodiversity a little too heavily.
We have some insta love in there which I personally like but isn’t everyone’s cup of tea, I just love a golden retriever man (I have one of my own hehe).
This was a bit of a different read for me as it had mystery to it. I felt that the book could have been longer by a good 100 pages at least & I struggled to understand the timeline of it as it was so fast paced. I’ve gathered it must be at least a month due to a couple of things that happened in it but it felt like it was about a week as everything seemed to run straight into the next thing that happened.
The ending also felt a little unfinished to me, a couple of questions left unanswered but nothing that felt like a cliffhanger. It was just missing a little something that I can’t quite put my finger on.
To conclude, I did enjoy the read but it could do with a little more detail and refining. Would still recommend if you’re after something fast paced and easy for sure.
Happy reading besties 🫶🏻
October 6, 2025
Favorite Quote:
'He's not... toying with me. I just-i’m just not who he wants yet." I bit my trembling lip.
Michael scoffed. "Don't do that. Don't turn yourself into someone else just to fit into his fantasy. You deserve to be loved exactly as you are." He gently lifted my chin. "Exactly as you are."You don't know that,"
I whispered, pulling away from his gaze.
"You don't know me, what I'm like... Id scare you away, too. I scare everybody away. I want so much to be strong, and independent, and put-together, but I'm broken.
"You're beautiful," he corrected.
"As you are. And the right guy won't expect you to be perfect. Nobody's perfect. The right guy will love you even when you're a complete mess."
This was such a cute cozy mystery to read!
I enjoyed it from start to finish. I absolutely adore the emotional support/detective cat-honestly, give that cat a badge! The story kept me guessing the entire time, and I loved that it wasn't predictable. It kind of felt like playing a game of Clue, but with more heart, a lot more charm, and a neurodivergent sleuth I genuinely rooted for.
Some moments made me want to bang my head against a door, and other times I couldn't stop smiling. The sprinkled-in romance was such a sweet touch and added just the right amount of lightness to balance the tension. Totally recommend if you're in the mood for a cozy, clever, emotionally satisfying mystery.
'He's not... toying with me. I just-i’m just not who he wants yet." I bit my trembling lip.
Michael scoffed. "Don't do that. Don't turn yourself into someone else just to fit into his fantasy. You deserve to be loved exactly as you are." He gently lifted my chin. "Exactly as you are."You don't know that,"
I whispered, pulling away from his gaze.
"You don't know me, what I'm like... Id scare you away, too. I scare everybody away. I want so much to be strong, and independent, and put-together, but I'm broken.
"You're beautiful," he corrected.
"As you are. And the right guy won't expect you to be perfect. Nobody's perfect. The right guy will love you even when you're a complete mess."
This was such a cute cozy mystery to read!
I enjoyed it from start to finish. I absolutely adore the emotional support/detective cat-honestly, give that cat a badge! The story kept me guessing the entire time, and I loved that it wasn't predictable. It kind of felt like playing a game of Clue, but with more heart, a lot more charm, and a neurodivergent sleuth I genuinely rooted for.
Some moments made me want to bang my head against a door, and other times I couldn't stop smiling. The sprinkled-in romance was such a sweet touch and added just the right amount of lightness to balance the tension. Totally recommend if you're in the mood for a cozy, clever, emotionally satisfying mystery.
September 7, 2025
𝑭𝒊𝒏𝒊𝒔𝒉𝒆𝒅!!
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𝑺𝒐 𝑰 𝒓𝒆𝒂𝒍𝒍𝒚 𝒍𝒐𝒗𝒆𝒅 𝒕𝒉𝒊𝒔 𝒃𝒐𝒐𝒌 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒇𝒍𝒆𝒘 𝒕𝒉𝒓𝒐𝒖𝒈𝒉 𝒊𝒕. 𝑰𝒕 𝒐𝒏𝒍𝒚 𝒕𝒐𝒐𝒌 𝒎𝒆 𝒂 𝒅𝒂𝒚 𝒄𝒐𝒏𝒔𝒊𝒅𝒆𝒓𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝑰 𝒉𝒂𝒅 𝒔𝒄𝒉𝒐𝒐𝒍 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒂𝒍𝒍 𝒇𝒐𝒓 𝒎𝒐𝒔𝒕 𝒐𝒇 𝒕𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒅𝒂𝒚. 𝑰 𝒇𝒊𝒏𝒊𝒔𝒉𝒆𝒅 𝒊𝒕 𝒊𝒏 𝒑𝒓𝒐𝒃𝒂𝒃𝒍𝒚 𝒂 𝒕𝒐𝒕𝒂𝒍 𝒐𝒇 𝒇𝒊𝒗𝒆 𝒉𝒐𝒖𝒓𝒔 𝒐𝒓 𝒔𝒐. 𝑰𝒕 𝒘𝒂𝒔 𝒓𝒆𝒂𝒍𝒍𝒚 𝒈𝒐𝒐𝒅
𝑰 𝒓𝒆𝒂𝒍𝒍𝒚 𝒍𝒐𝒗𝒆𝒅 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒇𝒂𝒄𝒕 𝒕𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝑰 𝒉𝒂𝒅 𝒏𝒐 𝒊𝒅𝒆𝒂 𝒘𝒉𝒐 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒎𝒖𝒓𝒅𝒆𝒓 𝒘𝒂𝒔. 𝑰 𝒉𝒐𝒏𝒆𝒔𝒕𝒍𝒚 𝒅𝒊𝒅𝒏’𝒕 𝒇𝒊𝒈𝒖𝒓𝒆 𝒊𝒕 𝒘𝒐𝒖𝒍𝒅 𝒃𝒆 𝒘𝒉𝒐 𝒊𝒕 𝒘𝒂𝒔.
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𝓢𝓸𝓶𝓮 ℕ𝕆𝕋𝔼𝕊 𝓪𝓫𝓸𝓾𝓽 𝓽𝓱𝓮 𝓼𝓽𝓸𝓻𝔂:
✦ 𝚃𝚑𝚎 𝚛𝚘𝚖𝚊𝚗𝚌𝚎 𝚊𝚝 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚎𝚗𝚍 𝚏𝚎𝚕𝚝 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚝𝚒𝚗𝚢𝚢𝚢𝚢𝚢𝚢𝚢𝚢𝚢𝚢𝚢𝚢 (𝚊𝚜 𝚒𝚗 𝙸 𝚠𝚒𝚜𝚑 𝙸 𝚌𝚘𝚞𝚕𝚍 𝚖𝚊𝚔𝚎 𝚖𝚢 𝚏𝚘𝚗𝚝 𝚊 𝚜𝚒𝚣𝚎 𝚘𝚗𝚎 𝚝𝚘 𝚜𝚑𝚘𝚠 𝚑𝚘𝚠 𝚜𝚖𝚊𝚕𝚕) 𝚋𝚒𝚝 𝚏𝚘𝚛𝚌𝚎𝚍 𝚋𝚎𝚌𝚊𝚞𝚜𝚎 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚋𝚘𝚘𝚔 𝚠𝚊𝚜 𝚘𝚗𝚕𝚢 𝟸𝟸𝟷 𝚙𝚊𝚐𝚎𝚜. 𝚆𝚑𝚒𝚌𝚑 𝙸’𝚖 𝚗𝚘𝚝 𝚜𝚊𝚢𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚒𝚜 𝚊 𝚜𝚖𝚊𝚕𝚕 𝚋𝚘𝚘𝚔 𝚋𝚢 𝚊𝚗𝚢 𝚖𝚎𝚊𝚗𝚜, 𝚊𝚜 𝚊𝚗 𝚊𝚞𝚝𝚑𝚘𝚛 𝚖𝚢𝚜𝚎𝚕𝚏 (𝚠𝚎𝚕𝚕 𝚒’𝚖 𝚝𝚛𝚢𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚝𝚘 𝚋𝚎 𝚘𝚗𝚎 𝚊𝚗𝚢𝚠𝚊𝚢𝚜) 𝙸 𝚔𝚗𝚘𝚠 𝚑𝚘𝚠 𝚑𝚊𝚛𝚍 𝚒𝚝 𝚒𝚜 𝚝𝚘 𝚠𝚛𝚒𝚝𝚎 𝚊𝚗𝚍 𝚝𝚑𝚎𝚗 𝚠𝚑𝚎𝚗 𝚢𝚘𝚞 𝚜𝚎𝚎 𝚢𝚘𝚞𝚛 𝚙𝚊𝚐𝚎 𝚌𝚘𝚞𝚗𝚝 𝚢𝚘𝚞𝚛 𝚕𝚒𝚔𝚎 𝚘𝚑 𝚒 𝚘𝚗𝚕𝚢 𝚠𝚛𝚘𝚝𝚎 𝚝𝚑𝚊𝚝 𝚖𝚞𝚌𝚑. 𝚋𝚞𝚝 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚛𝚘𝚖𝚊𝚗𝚌𝚎 𝚌𝚘𝚞𝚕𝚍 𝚑𝚊𝚟𝚎 𝚌𝚘𝚖𝚎 𝚝𝚘𝚐𝚎𝚝𝚑𝚎𝚛 𝚒𝚗 𝚜𝚖𝚊𝚕𝚕 𝚙𝚒𝚎𝚌𝚎𝚜 𝚝𝚘𝚠𝚊𝚛𝚍𝚜 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝟽𝟻% 𝚛𝚊𝚗𝚐𝚎 𝚒𝚗𝚜𝚝𝚎𝚊𝚍 𝚘𝚏 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝟿𝟾% 𝚛𝚊𝚗𝚐𝚎.
✦ 𝙸 𝚜𝚝𝚒𝚕𝚕 𝚕𝚘𝚟𝚎𝚍 𝚝𝚑𝚒𝚜 𝚋𝚘𝚘𝚔 𝚊 𝚖𝚒𝚕𝚕𝚒𝚘𝚗 𝚙𝚎𝚛𝚌𝚎𝚗𝚝 𝚊𝚗𝚍 𝚕𝚘𝚟𝚎𝚍 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚖𝚢𝚜𝚝𝚎𝚛𝚢 𝚘𝚏 𝚒𝚝 𝚊𝚕𝚕.
✦ 𝚃𝚑𝚎 𝚛𝚘𝚖𝚊𝚗𝚝𝚒𝚌 𝚒𝚗 𝚖𝚎 𝚠𝚒𝚜𝚑𝚎𝚜 𝚝𝚑𝚊𝚝 𝚠𝚎 𝚌𝚘𝚞𝚕𝚍 𝚑𝚊𝚟𝚎 𝚐𝚘𝚝𝚝𝚎𝚗 𝚝𝚘 𝚜𝚎𝚎 𝚝𝚑𝚎𝚒𝚛 𝚏𝚒𝚛𝚜𝚝 𝚔𝚒𝚜𝚜 𝚋𝚞𝚝 𝚒 𝚊𝚕𝚜𝚘 𝚔𝚗𝚘𝚠 𝚝𝚑𝚊𝚝 𝚒𝚝 𝚠𝚘𝚞𝚕𝚍 𝚑𝚊𝚟𝚎 𝚗𝚘𝚝 𝚋𝚎𝚎𝚗 𝚊𝚜 𝚐𝚘𝚘𝚍 𝚘𝚏 𝚊 𝚜𝚝𝚘𝚛𝚢 𝚒𝚏 𝚠𝚎 𝚑𝚊𝚍 𝚜𝚘 𝙸’𝚖 𝚟𝚎𝚛𝚢 𝚝𝚑𝚊𝚗𝚔𝚏𝚞𝚕 𝚝𝚑𝚊𝚝 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚛𝚘𝚖𝚊𝚗𝚌𝚎 𝚠𝚎𝚗𝚝 𝚑𝚘𝚠 𝚒𝚝 𝚍𝚒𝚍.
✦ 𝙸 𝚊𝚕𝚜𝚘 𝚍𝚒𝚍𝚗'𝚝 𝚏𝚒𝚐𝚞𝚛𝚎 𝚘𝚞𝚝 𝚊𝚝 𝚏𝚒𝚛𝚜𝚝 𝚝𝚑𝚊𝚝 𝚆𝚊𝚝𝚜𝚘𝚗 𝚠𝚊𝚜 𝚗𝚊𝚖𝚎𝚍 𝚆𝚊𝚝𝚜𝚘𝚗 𝚌𝚊𝚞𝚜𝚎 𝚒𝚝’𝚜 𝚊 𝚖𝚢𝚜𝚝𝚎𝚛𝚢 𝚋𝚘𝚘𝚔. 𝙻𝚒𝚔𝚎 𝚑𝚘𝚠 𝚜𝚝𝚞𝚙𝚒𝚍 𝚌𝚊𝚗 𝙸 𝚐𝚎𝚝? 𝚊𝚗𝚢𝚠𝚊𝚢𝚜 𝟷𝟶/𝟻 𝚜𝚝𝚊𝚛𝚜. ⭐️
🇷🇦🇳🇩🇴🇲 🇳🇴🇹🇪🇸:
𝐈’𝐦 𝐚𝐭 𝟓𝟎% 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐈'𝐦 𝐬𝐨 𝐡𝐨𝐨𝐤𝐞𝐝. 𝐈 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐲 𝐝𝐨𝐧’𝐭 𝐤𝐧𝐨𝐰 𝐰𝐡𝐨 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐤𝐢𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐫 𝐢𝐬 𝐲𝐞𝐭 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐈 𝐰𝐚𝐧𝐭 𝐭𝐨 𝐟𝐢𝐧𝐝 𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐬𝐨 𝐛𝐚𝐝𝐝𝐝.
𝐈'𝐦 𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐚 𝐜𝐫𝐢𝐦𝐞 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐞𝐫 𝐭𝐲𝐩𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐨𝐧 𝐛𝐮𝐭 𝐈 𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐥𝐥 𝐥𝐨𝐯𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬. 𝐈 𝐥𝐞𝐠𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐦𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐥𝐲 𝐝𝐨𝐧���𝐭 𝐤𝐧𝐨𝐰 𝐰𝐡𝐨 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐤𝐢𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐫 𝐢𝐬. 𝐈 𝐤𝐧𝐨𝐰 𝐰𝐡𝐨 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐯𝐨𝐢𝐜𝐞 𝐠𝐮𝐲 𝐢𝐬 𝐛𝐮𝐭 𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐤𝐢𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐫 𝐠𝐮𝐲
Thank you to Eliza Floretta on Instagram for giving me an Advanced Readers Copy. All thoughts expressed are my own and I was not required to leave a positive review.
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𝑺𝒐 𝑰 𝒓𝒆𝒂𝒍𝒍𝒚 𝒍𝒐𝒗𝒆𝒅 𝒕𝒉𝒊𝒔 𝒃𝒐𝒐𝒌 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒇𝒍𝒆𝒘 𝒕𝒉𝒓𝒐𝒖𝒈𝒉 𝒊𝒕. 𝑰𝒕 𝒐𝒏𝒍𝒚 𝒕𝒐𝒐𝒌 𝒎𝒆 𝒂 𝒅𝒂𝒚 𝒄𝒐𝒏𝒔𝒊𝒅𝒆𝒓𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝑰 𝒉𝒂𝒅 𝒔𝒄𝒉𝒐𝒐𝒍 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒂𝒍𝒍 𝒇𝒐𝒓 𝒎𝒐𝒔𝒕 𝒐𝒇 𝒕𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒅𝒂𝒚. 𝑰 𝒇𝒊𝒏𝒊𝒔𝒉𝒆𝒅 𝒊𝒕 𝒊𝒏 𝒑𝒓𝒐𝒃𝒂𝒃𝒍𝒚 𝒂 𝒕𝒐𝒕𝒂𝒍 𝒐𝒇 𝒇𝒊𝒗𝒆 𝒉𝒐𝒖𝒓𝒔 𝒐𝒓 𝒔𝒐. 𝑰𝒕 𝒘𝒂𝒔 𝒓𝒆𝒂𝒍𝒍𝒚 𝒈𝒐𝒐𝒅
𝑰 𝒓𝒆𝒂𝒍𝒍𝒚 𝒍𝒐𝒗𝒆𝒅 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒇𝒂𝒄𝒕 𝒕𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝑰 𝒉𝒂𝒅 𝒏𝒐 𝒊𝒅𝒆𝒂 𝒘𝒉𝒐 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒎𝒖𝒓𝒅𝒆𝒓 𝒘𝒂𝒔. 𝑰 𝒉𝒐𝒏𝒆𝒔𝒕𝒍𝒚 𝒅𝒊𝒅𝒏’𝒕 𝒇𝒊𝒈𝒖𝒓𝒆 𝒊𝒕 𝒘𝒐𝒖𝒍𝒅 𝒃𝒆 𝒘𝒉𝒐 𝒊𝒕 𝒘𝒂𝒔.
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𝓢𝓸𝓶𝓮 ℕ𝕆𝕋𝔼𝕊 𝓪𝓫𝓸𝓾𝓽 𝓽𝓱𝓮 𝓼𝓽𝓸𝓻𝔂:
✦ 𝚃𝚑𝚎 𝚛𝚘𝚖𝚊𝚗𝚌𝚎 𝚊𝚝 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚎𝚗𝚍 𝚏𝚎𝚕𝚝 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚝𝚒𝚗𝚢𝚢𝚢𝚢𝚢𝚢𝚢𝚢𝚢𝚢𝚢𝚢 (𝚊𝚜 𝚒𝚗 𝙸 𝚠𝚒𝚜𝚑 𝙸 𝚌𝚘𝚞𝚕𝚍 𝚖𝚊𝚔𝚎 𝚖𝚢 𝚏𝚘𝚗𝚝 𝚊 𝚜𝚒𝚣𝚎 𝚘𝚗𝚎 𝚝𝚘 𝚜𝚑𝚘𝚠 𝚑𝚘𝚠 𝚜𝚖𝚊𝚕𝚕) 𝚋𝚒𝚝 𝚏𝚘𝚛𝚌𝚎𝚍 𝚋𝚎𝚌𝚊𝚞𝚜𝚎 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚋𝚘𝚘𝚔 𝚠𝚊𝚜 𝚘𝚗𝚕𝚢 𝟸𝟸𝟷 𝚙𝚊𝚐𝚎𝚜. 𝚆𝚑𝚒𝚌𝚑 𝙸’𝚖 𝚗𝚘𝚝 𝚜𝚊𝚢𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚒𝚜 𝚊 𝚜𝚖𝚊𝚕𝚕 𝚋𝚘𝚘𝚔 𝚋𝚢 𝚊𝚗𝚢 𝚖𝚎𝚊𝚗𝚜, 𝚊𝚜 𝚊𝚗 𝚊𝚞𝚝𝚑𝚘𝚛 𝚖𝚢𝚜𝚎𝚕𝚏 (𝚠𝚎𝚕𝚕 𝚒’𝚖 𝚝𝚛𝚢𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚝𝚘 𝚋𝚎 𝚘𝚗𝚎 𝚊𝚗𝚢𝚠𝚊𝚢𝚜) 𝙸 𝚔𝚗𝚘𝚠 𝚑𝚘𝚠 𝚑𝚊𝚛𝚍 𝚒𝚝 𝚒𝚜 𝚝𝚘 𝚠𝚛𝚒𝚝𝚎 𝚊𝚗𝚍 𝚝𝚑𝚎𝚗 𝚠𝚑𝚎𝚗 𝚢𝚘𝚞 𝚜𝚎𝚎 𝚢𝚘𝚞𝚛 𝚙𝚊𝚐𝚎 𝚌𝚘𝚞𝚗𝚝 𝚢𝚘𝚞𝚛 𝚕𝚒𝚔𝚎 𝚘𝚑 𝚒 𝚘𝚗𝚕𝚢 𝚠𝚛𝚘𝚝𝚎 𝚝𝚑𝚊𝚝 𝚖𝚞𝚌𝚑. 𝚋𝚞𝚝 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚛𝚘𝚖𝚊𝚗𝚌𝚎 𝚌𝚘𝚞𝚕𝚍 𝚑𝚊𝚟𝚎 𝚌𝚘𝚖𝚎 𝚝𝚘𝚐𝚎𝚝𝚑𝚎𝚛 𝚒𝚗 𝚜𝚖𝚊𝚕𝚕 𝚙𝚒𝚎𝚌𝚎𝚜 𝚝𝚘𝚠𝚊𝚛𝚍𝚜 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝟽𝟻% 𝚛𝚊𝚗𝚐𝚎 𝚒𝚗𝚜𝚝𝚎𝚊𝚍 𝚘𝚏 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝟿𝟾% 𝚛𝚊𝚗𝚐𝚎.
✦ 𝙸 𝚜𝚝𝚒𝚕𝚕 𝚕𝚘𝚟𝚎𝚍 𝚝𝚑𝚒𝚜 𝚋𝚘𝚘𝚔 𝚊 𝚖𝚒𝚕𝚕𝚒𝚘𝚗 𝚙𝚎𝚛𝚌𝚎𝚗𝚝 𝚊𝚗𝚍 𝚕𝚘𝚟𝚎𝚍 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚖𝚢𝚜𝚝𝚎𝚛𝚢 𝚘𝚏 𝚒𝚝 𝚊𝚕𝚕.
✦ 𝚃𝚑𝚎 𝚛𝚘𝚖𝚊𝚗𝚝𝚒𝚌 𝚒𝚗 𝚖𝚎 𝚠𝚒𝚜𝚑𝚎𝚜 𝚝𝚑𝚊𝚝 𝚠𝚎 𝚌𝚘𝚞𝚕𝚍 𝚑𝚊𝚟𝚎 𝚐𝚘𝚝𝚝𝚎𝚗 𝚝𝚘 𝚜𝚎𝚎 𝚝𝚑𝚎𝚒𝚛 𝚏𝚒𝚛𝚜𝚝 𝚔𝚒𝚜𝚜 𝚋𝚞𝚝 𝚒 𝚊𝚕𝚜𝚘 𝚔𝚗𝚘𝚠 𝚝𝚑𝚊𝚝 𝚒𝚝 𝚠𝚘𝚞𝚕𝚍 𝚑𝚊𝚟𝚎 𝚗𝚘𝚝 𝚋𝚎𝚎𝚗 𝚊𝚜 𝚐𝚘𝚘𝚍 𝚘𝚏 𝚊 𝚜𝚝𝚘𝚛𝚢 𝚒𝚏 𝚠𝚎 𝚑𝚊𝚍 𝚜𝚘 𝙸’𝚖 𝚟𝚎𝚛𝚢 𝚝𝚑𝚊𝚗𝚔𝚏𝚞𝚕 𝚝𝚑𝚊𝚝 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚛𝚘𝚖𝚊𝚗𝚌𝚎 𝚠𝚎𝚗𝚝 𝚑𝚘𝚠 𝚒𝚝 𝚍𝚒𝚍.
✦ 𝙸 𝚊𝚕𝚜𝚘 𝚍𝚒𝚍𝚗'𝚝 𝚏𝚒𝚐𝚞𝚛𝚎 𝚘𝚞𝚝 𝚊𝚝 𝚏𝚒𝚛𝚜𝚝 𝚝𝚑𝚊𝚝 𝚆𝚊𝚝𝚜𝚘𝚗 𝚠𝚊𝚜 𝚗𝚊𝚖𝚎𝚍 𝚆𝚊𝚝𝚜𝚘𝚗 𝚌𝚊𝚞𝚜𝚎 𝚒𝚝’𝚜 𝚊 𝚖𝚢𝚜𝚝𝚎𝚛𝚢 𝚋𝚘𝚘𝚔. 𝙻𝚒𝚔𝚎 𝚑𝚘𝚠 𝚜𝚝𝚞𝚙𝚒𝚍 𝚌𝚊𝚗 𝙸 𝚐𝚎𝚝? 𝚊𝚗𝚢𝚠𝚊𝚢𝚜 𝟷𝟶/𝟻 𝚜𝚝𝚊𝚛𝚜. ⭐️
🇷🇦🇳🇩🇴🇲 🇳🇴🇹🇪🇸:
𝐈’𝐦 𝐚𝐭 𝟓𝟎% 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐈'𝐦 𝐬𝐨 𝐡𝐨𝐨𝐤𝐞𝐝. 𝐈 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐲 𝐝𝐨𝐧’𝐭 𝐤𝐧𝐨𝐰 𝐰𝐡𝐨 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐤𝐢𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐫 𝐢𝐬 𝐲𝐞𝐭 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐈 𝐰𝐚𝐧𝐭 𝐭𝐨 𝐟𝐢𝐧𝐝 𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐬𝐨 𝐛𝐚𝐝𝐝𝐝.
𝐈'𝐦 𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐚 𝐜𝐫𝐢𝐦𝐞 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐞𝐫 𝐭𝐲𝐩𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐨𝐧 𝐛𝐮𝐭 𝐈 𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐥𝐥 𝐥𝐨𝐯𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬. 𝐈 𝐥𝐞𝐠𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐦𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐥𝐲 𝐝𝐨𝐧���𝐭 𝐤𝐧𝐨𝐰 𝐰𝐡𝐨 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐤𝐢𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐫 𝐢𝐬. 𝐈 𝐤𝐧𝐨𝐰 𝐰𝐡𝐨 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐯𝐨𝐢𝐜𝐞 𝐠𝐮𝐲 𝐢𝐬 𝐛𝐮𝐭 𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐤𝐢𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐫 𝐠𝐮𝐲
Thank you to Eliza Floretta on Instagram for giving me an Advanced Readers Copy. All thoughts expressed are my own and I was not required to leave a positive review.
September 2, 2025
Floretta has done it again! It is essentially the same concept as Whisking Up Whodunnits, being a cosy murder mystery that ends up being heartfelt.
But the characters, plot and setting are all completely different making for a just as exciting read! My only niggle is I wanted more! It didn’t seem long enough- but this is seemingly turning out to be a series.
I enjoyed Jess as a character- she begins off in a bad place. Insecure, complex negative feelings about herself, not confident and self-sabotaging. Throughout the story we start to see her blossom as she discovers a hidden calling. Of course it’s helped and spurred on by the rather lovely Michael (and how cute is it that it’s based off the author’s own romance!). I also really loved that there was some neurodivergence representation that wasn’t necessarily portrayed in a bad life- it was simple and a natural part of Jess’ character. This I appreciated hugely.
Now I had my suspicions as who did it, but I was not correct! I had lots of different theories and I found myself putting each character into the shoes of the murderer- could they have done it? It was fabulous and so easy to read- I practically devoured the book in almost one sitting!
I’m very excited to read the next one!
But the characters, plot and setting are all completely different making for a just as exciting read! My only niggle is I wanted more! It didn’t seem long enough- but this is seemingly turning out to be a series.
I enjoyed Jess as a character- she begins off in a bad place. Insecure, complex negative feelings about herself, not confident and self-sabotaging. Throughout the story we start to see her blossom as she discovers a hidden calling. Of course it’s helped and spurred on by the rather lovely Michael (and how cute is it that it’s based off the author’s own romance!). I also really loved that there was some neurodivergence representation that wasn’t necessarily portrayed in a bad life- it was simple and a natural part of Jess’ character. This I appreciated hugely.
Now I had my suspicions as who did it, but I was not correct! I had lots of different theories and I found myself putting each character into the shoes of the murderer- could they have done it? It was fabulous and so easy to read- I practically devoured the book in almost one sitting!
I’m very excited to read the next one!
November 20, 2025
This story revolves around a girl named jess who has dreams of becoming a well known renowned author but doesn't seem to quite figure out how in her life. She gets panic attacks and have ADHD and went thru a bad breakup. The guy was neglecting her and she was so tired of every single thing.
Her ex is everything we define as a toxic red flag and ofcrs this shitty guy couldn't even commit to her properly. He completely shatters her heart and oh my god, I relate so much to her that that Time, cuz honestly? I am bad at letting people go too....I beg them to stay too. All this made me relate to jess so much and overall made this book one of my VERY FAVOURITES.
AND THE CAT AS A EMOTIONAL COMPANION?!?!?! Iam sold. I love cats. Like literally LOVE them. Now later on she goes to her home town as a caretaker for her grandfather, Nd that when the cutest encounter between jess and the police officer happens. The story moves on with jess trying to figure out the killer in the town. And her chemistry with the locals is sooo cute. micheal is a cinnamon roll for real. He takes care of jess.I couldn't keep the book down as I was approaching the end. And oh my god. HAPPILY EVER AFTER. man I loved this book
Her ex is everything we define as a toxic red flag and ofcrs this shitty guy couldn't even commit to her properly. He completely shatters her heart and oh my god, I relate so much to her that that Time, cuz honestly? I am bad at letting people go too....I beg them to stay too. All this made me relate to jess so much and overall made this book one of my VERY FAVOURITES.
AND THE CAT AS A EMOTIONAL COMPANION?!?!?! Iam sold. I love cats. Like literally LOVE them. Now later on she goes to her home town as a caretaker for her grandfather, Nd that when the cutest encounter between jess and the police officer happens. The story moves on with jess trying to figure out the killer in the town. And her chemistry with the locals is sooo cute. micheal is a cinnamon roll for real. He takes care of jess.I couldn't keep the book down as I was approaching the end. And oh my god. HAPPILY EVER AFTER. man I loved this book
September 20, 2025
I had the amazing opportunity to receive an ARC of Killer In The Margins by Eliza Floretta. Where this isn't my preferred genre for reading I really enjoyed this cozy mystery!! The neurodivergent heroine with a broken heart had also lost her job - So she decides to make a fresh start in a small town with her grandfather, a former P.I. she is working on a cold case until he is found dead she then adds his case to her investigating.
The plot is well thought out - with little inconsistencies it didn't stop me from enjoying the writing and the book itself. The heroine herself is very forward as the new girl in a small town with her investigation - which I found refreshing myself. The romance between herself and Mike was a fast burn but honestly it is to be expected with the character profile of the FMC herself!
all-in-all this was a great shorter read, fast paced and informative. If you love cozy mysteries with romance in the mix and a plot twist I didn't see coming then this is the book for you!
thank you again to Eliza for the opportunity for receiving an ARC
The plot is well thought out - with little inconsistencies it didn't stop me from enjoying the writing and the book itself. The heroine herself is very forward as the new girl in a small town with her investigation - which I found refreshing myself. The romance between herself and Mike was a fast burn but honestly it is to be expected with the character profile of the FMC herself!
all-in-all this was a great shorter read, fast paced and informative. If you love cozy mysteries with romance in the mix and a plot twist I didn't see coming then this is the book for you!
thank you again to Eliza for the opportunity for receiving an ARC
October 10, 2025
I want to start by saying I received an ARC of this book. This is a cozy mystery book and part of the Red Pen Mysteries series. Jessica is an author who got fired from her restaurant job, lost her boyfriend, and got evicted in the same week. When she get the chance to go live with her grandfather she takes it. While there a murder happens so she starts investigating a cold case in hopes it will reveal the murderer of the most recent person. She teams up with Michael who is a cop. Will they find out who the murderer is? When danger gets close will they make it out alive? I was a little hesitant when I first started reading this as I couldn’t tell if the main character was a girl or a woman at times with how she would react to things. Michael was great for Jessica. He was so sweet and understanding. I do love how to small town opened her up and made her realize she is worth more. The book had some great side characters. I loved the suspense in this book too. Overall, this book was good and I can’t wait to read the next book to see what happens next.
September 9, 2025
“Killer in the Margins” by Eliza Floretta is described as a cozy mystery, but it’s got so much more going on. It’s a fast-paced easy read, it has a very cute meet-cute romance, it has a neurodivergent main character, and it’s a whodunit to boot. What more could a reader ask for, right?
The book doesn’t start out well for Jess, our heroine. One thing leads to another and her world comes crashing down around her ears. But good things start to happen quickly, starting with Watson, a found kitten. She doesn’t even get a traffic ticket on her way to her new job, and the cop is cute! This really is a whodunit. The action starts fast; there are a handful of suspects, and most have opportunity if not clear motives. I would have liked a little more detail on a few of the suspects, but that’s just me. Overall, I thought the characters were interesting and the story well laid out. Oh, and I picked the wrong suspect as the murderer!
The book doesn’t start out well for Jess, our heroine. One thing leads to another and her world comes crashing down around her ears. But good things start to happen quickly, starting with Watson, a found kitten. She doesn’t even get a traffic ticket on her way to her new job, and the cop is cute! This really is a whodunit. The action starts fast; there are a handful of suspects, and most have opportunity if not clear motives. I would have liked a little more detail on a few of the suspects, but that’s just me. Overall, I thought the characters were interesting and the story well laid out. Oh, and I picked the wrong suspect as the murderer!
August 28, 2025
I absolutely loved this book! From the very beginning when Jessica demanded an apology from her horrific boss, I just knew she would be my favorite character! I felt so bad that she got fired, but Jessica deserved so much better than that toxic work environment. Then to top it all off her boyfriend of two years broke up with her, but honestly he was doing her a favor. He was the type of guy that you would want to run over then reverse and hit him again. I couldn’t be happier that Jessica finally found a cinnamon roll cop who treated her with the love and respect that she deserved! The cozy small town setting, unexpected cat companion, and the ADHD/anxiety representation was pure perfection! This murder mystery was uniquely quirky, flawlessly dramatic, and humorously satisfying! 10/10 highly recommend!
September 2, 2025
I just finished this book in three days and absolutely loved it.
The characters were charming and sweet (except for a certain character) and altogether so fun to see in writing.
The story was captivating along with leaving you guessing what happened and 'whodunit along with rooting for characters and booing a certain one *cough * Thomas *cough*.
I love how there was no fowl language whatsoever, making it clean for younger readers like myself.
the only thing I have to say about it is that it felt like it went WAYYY too fast, leaving me counting down until the next one releases.
Its a great read and honestly I'm going to be recommending it to everyone I know who loves murder mysteries, cozy cottage vibe, cats, cinnamon roll guys, and great books.
I can't wait for paperback to come out so I can buy it!
The characters were charming and sweet (except for a certain character) and altogether so fun to see in writing.
The story was captivating along with leaving you guessing what happened and 'whodunit along with rooting for characters and booing a certain one *cough * Thomas *cough*.
I love how there was no fowl language whatsoever, making it clean for younger readers like myself.
the only thing I have to say about it is that it felt like it went WAYYY too fast, leaving me counting down until the next one releases.
Its a great read and honestly I'm going to be recommending it to everyone I know who loves murder mysteries, cozy cottage vibe, cats, cinnamon roll guys, and great books.
I can't wait for paperback to come out so I can buy it!
September 27, 2025
Eliza has such a gift for writing cozy mysteries.
This was a lovely constructed story with all types of characters. Jess is the main character who deals with anxiety and ADHD and is often underestimated and treated as a child until she finds a new environment and supportive people in her life who encourage her to be herself.
Her grandfather, George is a P.I. who has made quite a fortune for himself and has a high solved case percentage.
Thomas is the perfect character who makes you want to reach through the pages and ask sir what are you thinking?!
Michael is a sweet cinnamon roll cop character who is everything that Thomas isn't. So dreamy and sweet.
Grace and the other friends we encounter in this book are so sweet and delightful.
This is a clean cozy mystery book that was such an easy read. Highly recommend this, along with her other books.
This was a lovely constructed story with all types of characters. Jess is the main character who deals with anxiety and ADHD and is often underestimated and treated as a child until she finds a new environment and supportive people in her life who encourage her to be herself.
Her grandfather, George is a P.I. who has made quite a fortune for himself and has a high solved case percentage.
Thomas is the perfect character who makes you want to reach through the pages and ask sir what are you thinking?!
Michael is a sweet cinnamon roll cop character who is everything that Thomas isn't. So dreamy and sweet.
Grace and the other friends we encounter in this book are so sweet and delightful.
This is a clean cozy mystery book that was such an easy read. Highly recommend this, along with her other books.
October 6, 2025
I received this book as an ARC, and this is my honest review based on my read through of the book.
This book was so cute. I had to stop myself from picking it up during my university classes. I was sitting there trying to figure out who the killer could possibly be, analysing every character that we were introduced to in case it was them.
It definitely gave the cutesy small-town feel, with everyone knowing everyone, and the small-town stories/rumours.
Such a good book for someone struggling with a reading slump (aka me) as it hooks you straight from the start and you get so invested in Jessica solving the mystery and making the right choice in men (I was almost yelling telling her to stop going back to her ex).
Absolutely recommend and thank you Eliza for allowing me to be an ARC reader for this amazing book.
This book was so cute. I had to stop myself from picking it up during my university classes. I was sitting there trying to figure out who the killer could possibly be, analysing every character that we were introduced to in case it was them.
It definitely gave the cutesy small-town feel, with everyone knowing everyone, and the small-town stories/rumours.
Such a good book for someone struggling with a reading slump (aka me) as it hooks you straight from the start and you get so invested in Jessica solving the mystery and making the right choice in men (I was almost yelling telling her to stop going back to her ex).
Absolutely recommend and thank you Eliza for allowing me to be an ARC reader for this amazing book.
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