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Verona Montero #1
Alibi by Accident
F*ck It isn't just the name of her favorite smoothie—it's also Verona Montero's approach to murder investigations.
“...an amusing debut mystery…”—Library Journal
Verona Montero loves calling herself a private dick because it makes her sound like she’s in a 1940s detective movie. And she gets to say “dick” a lot. So when Miami—a walking Barbie with an emoji addiction—needs proof her billionaire husband Javier is cheating, Verona's all over it. Bonus: it means working with divorce lawyer Quentin, whose cologne gives her “crotch headaches.”
Then bam—Javier turns up dead in Greece, and Miami is staring down a murder charge. With her client’s billions at stake and a hefty retainer padding her account, Verona’s jetting off to Mykonos faster than you can say “Dark and Stormy.”
Between conning hotel staff and recruiting a drag queen to go undercover in a secret sex club, evidence suggests that the wrong person might be taking the fall. Now Verona’s facing her toughest moral dilemma yet: pursue justice for a dead predator, or let a killer with excellent taste in victims walk free.
Wickedly funny and twisty, this whodunit delivers the goods for fans of Janet Evanovich's Stephanie Plum series and Elle Cosimano’s Finlay Donovan series.
Praise for Alibi by Accident:
“...a vibrant cast of characters…” —Kirkus Reviews
“I grinned like a lunatic from page one to the end.”—Shannon Baker, award-winning author of Stripped Bare
"...fast-paced, darkly funny, and driven by crisp dialogue…”—Carolyn Ridder Aspenson, USA TODAY bestselling author
"...will keep readers on their toes…”—Booklist
“...an amusing debut mystery…”—Library Journal
Verona Montero loves calling herself a private dick because it makes her sound like she’s in a 1940s detective movie. And she gets to say “dick” a lot. So when Miami—a walking Barbie with an emoji addiction—needs proof her billionaire husband Javier is cheating, Verona's all over it. Bonus: it means working with divorce lawyer Quentin, whose cologne gives her “crotch headaches.”
Then bam—Javier turns up dead in Greece, and Miami is staring down a murder charge. With her client’s billions at stake and a hefty retainer padding her account, Verona’s jetting off to Mykonos faster than you can say “Dark and Stormy.”
Between conning hotel staff and recruiting a drag queen to go undercover in a secret sex club, evidence suggests that the wrong person might be taking the fall. Now Verona’s facing her toughest moral dilemma yet: pursue justice for a dead predator, or let a killer with excellent taste in victims walk free.
Wickedly funny and twisty, this whodunit delivers the goods for fans of Janet Evanovich's Stephanie Plum series and Elle Cosimano’s Finlay Donovan series.
Praise for Alibi by Accident:
“...a vibrant cast of characters…” —Kirkus Reviews
“I grinned like a lunatic from page one to the end.”—Shannon Baker, award-winning author of Stripped Bare
"...fast-paced, darkly funny, and driven by crisp dialogue…”—Carolyn Ridder Aspenson, USA TODAY bestselling author
"...will keep readers on their toes…”—Booklist
296 pages, Kindle Edition
Published March 10, 2026
About the author
Kayleigh Suggett
4 books21 followersKayleigh Suggett’s love of classic mysteries, British satire, and clever humour inspired Alibi by Accident, the first in her series of mysteries featuring private dick Verona Montero. She wishes that more female authors were writing in the irreverent style she enjoys, so she decided to become one herself.
With a background in customer service and business administration, she draws on her experience of the oddities of human behaviour to craft distinctly zany characters, fast-paced banter, and hilarious situations.
When she’s not coming up with a perfectly snide simile to add to her books she’s a wedding singer, choir nerd, mountain-gazer, and NYT crossword frustrated solver. She lives in Calgary, AB with her husband and son.
With a background in customer service and business administration, she draws on her experience of the oddities of human behaviour to craft distinctly zany characters, fast-paced banter, and hilarious situations.
When she’s not coming up with a perfectly snide simile to add to her books she’s a wedding singer, choir nerd, mountain-gazer, and NYT crossword frustrated solver. She lives in Calgary, AB with her husband and son.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 62 reviews
March 10, 2026
If you read this book and found yourself offended by the language and sexual innuendo, you DID have fair warning from the blurb and should have passed this one by. If you enjoy irreverent, over the top, zany characters and situations, this book may be a good choice. The book doesn’t take itself too seriously and you can’t either. It is entertainment! Raunchy and cringy at times to be sure, but entertainment.
March 4, 2026
Quite honestly, I did not like this book. I felt like it was trying way too hard. The excessive inappropriate language was a bit much for me. This book just wasn’t what I hoped it would be. Thank you to NetGalley and the publishing team for this ARC!
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Thank you for the ARC. Not good, not bad. A lot going on for one book with one story. I either want a PI and a lawyer teamed up or I want a bunch of love stories. Nothing really meshes or flows well here and the author tried incredibly hard to be “sexy cool fun girl” with all the language and dirty talk.
August 5, 2025
Alibi By Accident is a fabulous who-done-it with a witty, lovable, complicated heroine and a fully rounded out cast of adorable nutballs. The engaging plot keeps you guessing until the end and I couldn’t put it down until I knew who the killer really was. For fans of The Stephanie Plum series by Janet Evanovich and the Finlay Donovan series by Elle Cosimano.
March 16, 2026
I would like to thank Severn River Publishing and Kayleigh Suggett for a digital copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.
2⭐- don't judge a book by a cover, I did exactly that thinking it would be a good fit for me - I mean the premise sounded really good to me. A female private detective.. or a private dick as Verona likes to call herself. To be honest this book was too much and all over the place.
2⭐- don't judge a book by a cover, I did exactly that thinking it would be a good fit for me - I mean the premise sounded really good to me. A female private detective.. or a private dick as Verona likes to call herself. To be honest this book was too much and all over the place.
March 12, 2026
Thank you so much to NetGalley and RBMedia for the audiobook!
Our FMC Verona’s inner dialogue is hilarious and the banter throughout the book delivers laughs. But when Part 2 kicked in, I found myself confused. I had completely forgotten about the prologue and had to go back and relisten just to get my bearings again.
The backstory between Zayn and Blair felt a little out of place for a mystery (at least at first) until everything finally tied together. I just wasn’t a fan of the structure. Usually when a book is split into parts, it helps the story come together but here it introduced more characters and made things feel a bit scattered in the moment.
With that being said, I did absolutely love Verona and I enjoyed the story overall so I’d definitely listen to the second book. And I’ll admit I am a little invested in her and Quentin now. The narrator Carlotta Brentan did an amazing job!
Our FMC Verona’s inner dialogue is hilarious and the banter throughout the book delivers laughs. But when Part 2 kicked in, I found myself confused. I had completely forgotten about the prologue and had to go back and relisten just to get my bearings again.
The backstory between Zayn and Blair felt a little out of place for a mystery (at least at first) until everything finally tied together. I just wasn’t a fan of the structure. Usually when a book is split into parts, it helps the story come together but here it introduced more characters and made things feel a bit scattered in the moment.
With that being said, I did absolutely love Verona and I enjoyed the story overall so I’d definitely listen to the second book. And I’ll admit I am a little invested in her and Quentin now. The narrator Carlotta Brentan did an amazing job!
March 8, 2026
Absolutely perfect! Thank you NetGalley, Recorded Books, and Kayleigh Suggett for the ALC in exchange for my honest review. This was such a breath of fresh air. It was entertaining, witty, and so much fun. For being a debut novel and the first in a serious, I cannot wait for “Hot Girls Die First.” The cover is fun and can cover so many prompts (drink on cover, teal, yellow title). I loved how there were separate stories that merged so nicely. Verona Montero is the new Stephanie Plum. The narrator Carlotta Brentan is easily becoming a favorite of mine.
March 17, 2026
This story sounded so fun, but almost 20% into the audiobook on NetGalley and I had to DNF. Every other word is a sexual topic or curse word that did not add to the storyline in any way whatsoever. I had really high hopes for this one.
Thank you for the opportunity to read this ARC!
Thank you for the opportunity to read this ARC!
March 11, 2026
Verona Montero calling herself a “private dick” every five minutes is the kind of running joke that should absolutely be my personality type. I support women committing to a bit. I support detective chaos. I support a main character who knows exactly how ridiculous she sounds and keeps saying it anyway. So walking into Alibi by Accident, I was ready. I had my metaphorical margarita. I was prepared for a messy, snarky mystery with big Stephanie Plum energy and a heroine making questionable life choices in designer sunglasses.
And honestly? The idea of this book is extremely my vibe. Verona is a Miami private investigator who gets hired by a woman named Miami Cavallero, which is already incredible because that is not a human name, that is a yacht. Miami suspects her billionaire husband Javier is cheating, which feels less like a suspicion and more like an extremely safe bet. Verona ropes in divorce lawyer Quentin Ellsworth, partially because the case might require legal backup and partially because she has what she professionally describes as “crotch headaches” around him, which is both medically concerning and emotionally relatable.
Naturally, things escalate immediately. Instead of just catching a cheating billionaire in the act, Javier turns up dead in Greece, Miami becomes the prime murder suspect, and Verona suddenly finds herself flying to Mykonos to untangle a murder investigation involving shady rich people, suspicious hotel staff, sexy bartenders, and a drag queen helping with undercover work. Which, on paper, is exactly the level of chaotic detective nonsense I want in my life.
And there are moments where this book absolutely delivers that energy. Verona is messy, impulsive, foul mouthed, and constantly teetering between “professional investigator” and “woman making decisions she will absolutely regret later.” Her awkward crush on Quentin creates some genuinely funny internal spirals, and when the humor lands it really lands. The undercover shenanigans, the banter, the general “how did my life become this?” energy, it all has the bones of a really fun mystery series lead.
But this is also where the book started doing narrative gymnastics that occasionally made me feel like the plot had three different group chats going and none of them were talking to each other.
The story jumps around quite a bit between timelines and perspectives, and sometimes it feels less like clever mystery layering and more like the narrative equivalent of someone shuffling a deck of cards mid conversation. There are multiple threads happening at once, the investigation, the romance tension with Quentin, some side story elements that take a while to click into place, and instead of blending together smoothly they sometimes just sort of… bump into each other awkwardly.
And look, I enjoy chaotic storytelling. My brain thrives on chaos. But even I occasionally found myself pausing like, wait, hold on, who are we with right now and why are we here?
The humor also tries very hard. Sometimes in a good way. Sometimes in a “you can relax, we already get the joke” kind of way. Comedy works best when it trusts those reading it, and every now and then the book pokes you in the shoulder like “did you see what I did there?” and I’m sitting here like yes, I did, I was enjoying it until you explained it.
That said, the audiobook experience gets a serious boost thanks to Carlotta Brentan, who absolutely commits to the chaos. She gives Verona a sharp, sarcastic personality that keeps the character engaging even when the plot starts wandering a bit. Her character voices are distinct, her comedic timing is solid, and she carries the tone in a way that makes the listening experience genuinely fun. There are narrators who read a story and then there are narrators who perform one, and she definitely leans into the performance side.
The mystery itself didn’t quite hit that big gasp moment I want from a whodunit. I wasn’t aggressively trying to solve it along the way, and the final reveal didn’t give me the dramatic “wait WHAT” reaction I live for in murder mysteries. It was more of a polite nod like, okay sure, that tracks.
But here’s the thing. The bones of a really fun series are absolutely here. Verona has potential to become a wildly entertaining disaster detective, the premise is strong, and the world has that snarky mystery energy that could really shine once everything tightens up a bit. This feels very much like a debut where the author is still calibrating the pacing, the structure, and how all the moving pieces fit together.
And honestly? I would absolutely read the second book. Because sometimes the first book is the messy pilot episode where everyone is still figuring out the vibe before the show suddenly finds its groove in season two.
Three stars from me. A fantastic premise, a narrator who fully understood the assignment, and a mystery that didn’t completely land but definitely showed flashes of the chaos I wanted.
Whodunity Award: For The Most Chaotic International Murder Investigation Conducted By Someone Who Absolutely Should Have Slept More
Also a big thank you to RBmedia and NetGalley for the ALC, which allowed me to experience this mystery the way it was clearly meant to be consumed, through Carlotta Brentan fully committing to the drama while I wandered around my house doing chores and quietly judging fictional billionaires.
And honestly? The idea of this book is extremely my vibe. Verona is a Miami private investigator who gets hired by a woman named Miami Cavallero, which is already incredible because that is not a human name, that is a yacht. Miami suspects her billionaire husband Javier is cheating, which feels less like a suspicion and more like an extremely safe bet. Verona ropes in divorce lawyer Quentin Ellsworth, partially because the case might require legal backup and partially because she has what she professionally describes as “crotch headaches” around him, which is both medically concerning and emotionally relatable.
Naturally, things escalate immediately. Instead of just catching a cheating billionaire in the act, Javier turns up dead in Greece, Miami becomes the prime murder suspect, and Verona suddenly finds herself flying to Mykonos to untangle a murder investigation involving shady rich people, suspicious hotel staff, sexy bartenders, and a drag queen helping with undercover work. Which, on paper, is exactly the level of chaotic detective nonsense I want in my life.
And there are moments where this book absolutely delivers that energy. Verona is messy, impulsive, foul mouthed, and constantly teetering between “professional investigator” and “woman making decisions she will absolutely regret later.” Her awkward crush on Quentin creates some genuinely funny internal spirals, and when the humor lands it really lands. The undercover shenanigans, the banter, the general “how did my life become this?” energy, it all has the bones of a really fun mystery series lead.
But this is also where the book started doing narrative gymnastics that occasionally made me feel like the plot had three different group chats going and none of them were talking to each other.
The story jumps around quite a bit between timelines and perspectives, and sometimes it feels less like clever mystery layering and more like the narrative equivalent of someone shuffling a deck of cards mid conversation. There are multiple threads happening at once, the investigation, the romance tension with Quentin, some side story elements that take a while to click into place, and instead of blending together smoothly they sometimes just sort of… bump into each other awkwardly.
And look, I enjoy chaotic storytelling. My brain thrives on chaos. But even I occasionally found myself pausing like, wait, hold on, who are we with right now and why are we here?
The humor also tries very hard. Sometimes in a good way. Sometimes in a “you can relax, we already get the joke” kind of way. Comedy works best when it trusts those reading it, and every now and then the book pokes you in the shoulder like “did you see what I did there?” and I’m sitting here like yes, I did, I was enjoying it until you explained it.
That said, the audiobook experience gets a serious boost thanks to Carlotta Brentan, who absolutely commits to the chaos. She gives Verona a sharp, sarcastic personality that keeps the character engaging even when the plot starts wandering a bit. Her character voices are distinct, her comedic timing is solid, and she carries the tone in a way that makes the listening experience genuinely fun. There are narrators who read a story and then there are narrators who perform one, and she definitely leans into the performance side.
The mystery itself didn’t quite hit that big gasp moment I want from a whodunit. I wasn’t aggressively trying to solve it along the way, and the final reveal didn’t give me the dramatic “wait WHAT” reaction I live for in murder mysteries. It was more of a polite nod like, okay sure, that tracks.
But here’s the thing. The bones of a really fun series are absolutely here. Verona has potential to become a wildly entertaining disaster detective, the premise is strong, and the world has that snarky mystery energy that could really shine once everything tightens up a bit. This feels very much like a debut where the author is still calibrating the pacing, the structure, and how all the moving pieces fit together.
And honestly? I would absolutely read the second book. Because sometimes the first book is the messy pilot episode where everyone is still figuring out the vibe before the show suddenly finds its groove in season two.
Three stars from me. A fantastic premise, a narrator who fully understood the assignment, and a mystery that didn’t completely land but definitely showed flashes of the chaos I wanted.
Whodunity Award: For The Most Chaotic International Murder Investigation Conducted By Someone Who Absolutely Should Have Slept More
Also a big thank you to RBmedia and NetGalley for the ALC, which allowed me to experience this mystery the way it was clearly meant to be consumed, through Carlotta Brentan fully committing to the drama while I wandered around my house doing chores and quietly judging fictional billionaires.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
I had Alibi by Accident on hold from the library for when it came out, so I was excited to get an ARC of it before hand. I love fun comedy type mysteries so I was really hopeful I would like this one.
I didn't mind the cursing like some have said in their reviews, that didn't bother me at all. I just overall found it hard to connect with the characters, the timeline of jumping back and forth was chaotic and confusing, and the overall mystery never made me wonder or care about whodunit.
The author broke the 4th wall a few times in this novel, which I have seen work well in other books but came across condescending and kind of pick me. There were multiple times when she said something negative about journalists and then said "it just part of the story, please give me a good review", which I am sure she thought was cute and playful but the overall tone was desperate. She also would make jokes and then break the 4th wall to explain the joke and say, "get it?", I think the author should feel their readers are smart enough to get the inference or joke that is being made instead of pointing everything out she thought was funny.
The plot was boring. It took so long, bounced around so much, was not great at creating any kind of redeeming quality for the characters. I had a hard time remembering who each character was because I could not for the life of me connect with them. I was hoping that the potential love connection between the PI and the Lawyer would hold my attention but even that was a complete let down.
The end of the book where we learn what really happened was not a very gotcha moment. It felt like a throw away ending. But there was nothing else in the book that made up for the fact that solving the murder was lackluster to give this book any additional credit.
The only pluses I experienced with this book was I was intrigued by the premise but I don't think it was executed well and could use some serious editing. The other was I do think the narrator for the book was good, I just don't think this book was made for her. She did great voices but she would have been stronger on other books.
In the end I am giving this book a 2 star rating,
Thank you to NetGalley for giving me the ARC for my honest review.
I didn't mind the cursing like some have said in their reviews, that didn't bother me at all. I just overall found it hard to connect with the characters, the timeline of jumping back and forth was chaotic and confusing, and the overall mystery never made me wonder or care about whodunit.
The author broke the 4th wall a few times in this novel, which I have seen work well in other books but came across condescending and kind of pick me. There were multiple times when she said something negative about journalists and then said "it just part of the story, please give me a good review", which I am sure she thought was cute and playful but the overall tone was desperate. She also would make jokes and then break the 4th wall to explain the joke and say, "get it?", I think the author should feel their readers are smart enough to get the inference or joke that is being made instead of pointing everything out she thought was funny.
The plot was boring. It took so long, bounced around so much, was not great at creating any kind of redeeming quality for the characters. I had a hard time remembering who each character was because I could not for the life of me connect with them. I was hoping that the potential love connection between the PI and the Lawyer would hold my attention but even that was a complete let down.
The end of the book where we learn what really happened was not a very gotcha moment. It felt like a throw away ending. But there was nothing else in the book that made up for the fact that solving the murder was lackluster to give this book any additional credit.
The only pluses I experienced with this book was I was intrigued by the premise but I don't think it was executed well and could use some serious editing. The other was I do think the narrator for the book was good, I just don't think this book was made for her. She did great voices but she would have been stronger on other books.
In the end I am giving this book a 2 star rating,
Thank you to NetGalley for giving me the ARC for my honest review.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 13, 2026
I enjoyed Alibi by Accident and Verona is quite a main character. Keep that in mind because the book itself had some issues for me. She’s a private detective, or a private dick as she refers to herself in a kind of running joke, in Calgary. Her new client, Miami, knows her very rich husband is about to divorce her and wants Verona to get proof that he’s cheating on her so she can cash in on her share of the billions. Then, the husband ends up dead, murdered in a hotel in Greece, and Miami becomes a chief suspect, even though she was thousands of miles away, so Verona is off to Greece to find another focus for the police’s attention.
I was not prepared for the language in this one. I should have been, just look at the first word of the blurb, but there were too many f-words when they just weren’t needed. I was also not prepared for the amount of drooling Verona would do over her friend, divorce lawyer Quentin. Once again, if I had paid more attention to the blurb… It just felt like the whole thing was trying too hard.
The plot was a little disjointed. We start off with a prologue featuring a couple in Greece, but by the time we get back to it, I had almost forgotten they existed. We get a brief introduction to a drug dealer in a sex club, but he’s never a serious suspect. We get a lot of funny, slightly outrageous moments but they don’t fit smoothly together. The narrator does a great job with it all, though, and i definitely recommend the audio. She gives Verona a sharp, sarcastic personality that keeps the character engaging even when the plot goes a little off the rails. Her character voices are distinct, and her timing and tone make the whole thing fun.
The whodunnit made sense, but I felt like the wrap-up was overly long, especially considering I doubt we’ll see those particular characters again. #2 in the series is supposed to be out this summer, and I’ll definitely be picking it up. Hopefully some of the issues I had will be smoothed out and I’ll be more ready for the type of mystery and humor it has. I think it’ll be a perfect pool read – maybe with a dark and stormy, which I had never heard of before, but sounds yummy.
I was not prepared for the language in this one. I should have been, just look at the first word of the blurb, but there were too many f-words when they just weren’t needed. I was also not prepared for the amount of drooling Verona would do over her friend, divorce lawyer Quentin. Once again, if I had paid more attention to the blurb… It just felt like the whole thing was trying too hard.
The plot was a little disjointed. We start off with a prologue featuring a couple in Greece, but by the time we get back to it, I had almost forgotten they existed. We get a brief introduction to a drug dealer in a sex club, but he’s never a serious suspect. We get a lot of funny, slightly outrageous moments but they don’t fit smoothly together. The narrator does a great job with it all, though, and i definitely recommend the audio. She gives Verona a sharp, sarcastic personality that keeps the character engaging even when the plot goes a little off the rails. Her character voices are distinct, and her timing and tone make the whole thing fun.
The whodunnit made sense, but I felt like the wrap-up was overly long, especially considering I doubt we’ll see those particular characters again. #2 in the series is supposed to be out this summer, and I’ll definitely be picking it up. Hopefully some of the issues I had will be smoothed out and I’ll be more ready for the type of mystery and humor it has. I think it’ll be a perfect pool read – maybe with a dark and stormy, which I had never heard of before, but sounds yummy.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Okay not what I was expecting. The reader was warned about the excessive swearing in the blurb, so that didn't bother me and I did enjoy it. However there was several reason I marked it down a star. I think the main reason was the story couldn't decide what it wanted to be, I enjoyed it until near the end when it became a court room drama and nobody talked to each other. The other reason was the story jumped around and it took a long time to explain why we kept getting the perspective of a meet cute romantic story. It did eventually all come together but I by far enjoyed Verona side of the story the most, especially when she went undercover with a drag queen. She was sassy and had enough attitude to keep it entertaining and the banter coming. It was a good job Verona was investigating because I had no clue who the killer was. I did like the long epilogue that explained everything and even pointed out some clues that I missed. I don't think the humour flows like an Evanovich’s story but the banter, sexual innuendos and adult themes are there. It will be interesting to read the next book.
Verona is hired by Miami who is afraid her husband has lost interest in her and is about to file for a divorce and needs the good on him first. Verona sets her up with lawyer Quinton and with Miami's good looks could be a big mistake but at least she will get to work with him. With Verona trying to prove he is cheating and with Quinton trying to protect her assets, what could go wrong? Actually a lot, when the husband in question leaves the country and is found dead in his hotel room. With the police looking at Miami, Verona jumps on a plane to find the real killer. Cheating husbands might be more her speed but can she step up and find a killer?
I liked the narrator. She did a good English accent that didn't make me cringe. The rest of the character voices were good too and it was a pleasure to listen too.
I was given this free review copy audio book at my request and have voluntarily left this review.
Verona is hired by Miami who is afraid her husband has lost interest in her and is about to file for a divorce and needs the good on him first. Verona sets her up with lawyer Quinton and with Miami's good looks could be a big mistake but at least she will get to work with him. With Verona trying to prove he is cheating and with Quinton trying to protect her assets, what could go wrong? Actually a lot, when the husband in question leaves the country and is found dead in his hotel room. With the police looking at Miami, Verona jumps on a plane to find the real killer. Cheating husbands might be more her speed but can she step up and find a killer?
I liked the narrator. She did a good English accent that didn't make me cringe. The rest of the character voices were good too and it was a pleasure to listen too.
I was given this free review copy audio book at my request and have voluntarily left this review.
March 27, 2026
I found this debut quite entertaining and laugh out loud funny.
This first in the Verona Montero series is silly and exaggerated camp at times, but turns out to be a cozy murder mystery that takes a sharp turn.
Verona Montero is an irreverent and foul-mouthed private investigator (insists on the term private dick) who is hired by a client (Miami) to find proof that her billionaire husband, Javier, is cheating. Miami's goal is to overcome the strict prenup agreement and get herself a massive divorce settlement. Javier is a huge jerk so there's no love lost there. Before Verona can get the proof, Javier is found murdered in Greece and of course the wife is the main suspect. Verona jets of to Mykonos to see what she can find out and discovers that he was a nasty man who probably deserved his fate. An unfortunate twist, however, is that an innocent man has been arrested.
This is not deep nor probably very accurate in the portrayal of lawyers and private detectives, but it was fun to read and I needed something to make me laugh after a run of more serious reads. I do think I will read the next in the series because I just have to know if Verona's obsession, a divorce attorney named Quentin, will ever take her out of the friend zone.
I was able to listen to the audio book while also reading along in the e-book ARC, both provided by the publishers. The narrator, Carlotta Brentan, did a great job of voicing all the characters including the various accents required. She brought the story to life and definitely enhanced my enjoyment of the book.
This first in the Verona Montero series is silly and exaggerated camp at times, but turns out to be a cozy murder mystery that takes a sharp turn.
Verona Montero is an irreverent and foul-mouthed private investigator (insists on the term private dick) who is hired by a client (Miami) to find proof that her billionaire husband, Javier, is cheating. Miami's goal is to overcome the strict prenup agreement and get herself a massive divorce settlement. Javier is a huge jerk so there's no love lost there. Before Verona can get the proof, Javier is found murdered in Greece and of course the wife is the main suspect. Verona jets of to Mykonos to see what she can find out and discovers that he was a nasty man who probably deserved his fate. An unfortunate twist, however, is that an innocent man has been arrested.
This is not deep nor probably very accurate in the portrayal of lawyers and private detectives, but it was fun to read and I needed something to make me laugh after a run of more serious reads. I do think I will read the next in the series because I just have to know if Verona's obsession, a divorce attorney named Quentin, will ever take her out of the friend zone.
I was able to listen to the audio book while also reading along in the e-book ARC, both provided by the publishers. The narrator, Carlotta Brentan, did a great job of voicing all the characters including the various accents required. She brought the story to life and definitely enhanced my enjoyment of the book.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Not every book is meant for every reader—and this is probably one of those. That’s exactly why I don’t rate books with stars. Reading is subjective, personal, and emotional; not everyone is going to connect with every story.
If you’re a fan of Janet Evanovich or Elle Cosimano, there’s a good chance you’ll appreciate this one. The moment I saw “F&ck It” in the description, it reminded me of my favorite book bestie, and I knew I had to pick it up.
This is a whodunit featuring a witty, lovable, slightly complicated heroine surrounded by a fully fleshed-out cast of delightfully adorable nutballs. It’s a light mystery packed with sharp snark, ironic life observations, and a strong supporting crew rallying around the FMC. The plot isn’t especially deep, but the humor shines. There’s even some courtroom drama—which I especially enjoyed as a paralegal—alongside a private “dick” investigator and her cases.
And I have to mention the narrator, who did a fantastic job. The delivery perfectly captured the wit and personality of the heroine, brought the quirky supporting cast to life, and elevated the humor in all the right places. The narration truly added another layer of enjoyment to the story.
If you’re looking for a quick, funny palate cleanser and you love characters like Stephanie Plum or Finlay Donovan, I think you’ll really enjoy Verona Montero.
Thank you to NetGalley, RBMedia and Kayleigh Suggett for the ALC.
If you’re a fan of Janet Evanovich or Elle Cosimano, there’s a good chance you’ll appreciate this one. The moment I saw “F&ck It” in the description, it reminded me of my favorite book bestie, and I knew I had to pick it up.
This is a whodunit featuring a witty, lovable, slightly complicated heroine surrounded by a fully fleshed-out cast of delightfully adorable nutballs. It’s a light mystery packed with sharp snark, ironic life observations, and a strong supporting crew rallying around the FMC. The plot isn’t especially deep, but the humor shines. There’s even some courtroom drama—which I especially enjoyed as a paralegal—alongside a private “dick” investigator and her cases.
And I have to mention the narrator, who did a fantastic job. The delivery perfectly captured the wit and personality of the heroine, brought the quirky supporting cast to life, and elevated the humor in all the right places. The narration truly added another layer of enjoyment to the story.
If you’re looking for a quick, funny palate cleanser and you love characters like Stephanie Plum or Finlay Donovan, I think you’ll really enjoy Verona Montero.
Thank you to NetGalley, RBMedia and Kayleigh Suggett for the ALC.
March 23, 2026
A fun read with a clever premise that struggles to decide what it wants to be thematically.
There’s definitely some good humor here in this rollicking PI-led mystery (the cat infidelity case was priceless), and the cringey, raunchy stuff that seems to be upsetting a lot of reviewers didn’t bother me, though I don’t think it added anything valuable either.
The actual mystery taking place here js pretty good, but the book seems unclear on whether it really wants to be a mystery or a romance with a side of mystery, and all the silly will they/wont they stuff takes the reader out of the central plot frequently.
It also made the book overlong, and the back and forth gets irritating to the point where I didn’t care whether they got together or not, only that they stop talking about it. Romance readers might be more keen on this than I. As a mystery reader, I found all of it annoying and not particularly funny.
I also think the book needed a least some sense of place. This is pretty short on descriptive content and atmosphere for this style of mystery, and it’s not unique or funny enough plot wise for this not to matter (à la Stephanie Plum or Finlay Donovan).
Some of the comedy in this as well as the structure of the actual mystery was good enough that I’d try another, but it needs some tightening up and less YA-style romance, as this is an adult novel.
*I received an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.*
There’s definitely some good humor here in this rollicking PI-led mystery (the cat infidelity case was priceless), and the cringey, raunchy stuff that seems to be upsetting a lot of reviewers didn’t bother me, though I don’t think it added anything valuable either.
The actual mystery taking place here js pretty good, but the book seems unclear on whether it really wants to be a mystery or a romance with a side of mystery, and all the silly will they/wont they stuff takes the reader out of the central plot frequently.
It also made the book overlong, and the back and forth gets irritating to the point where I didn’t care whether they got together or not, only that they stop talking about it. Romance readers might be more keen on this than I. As a mystery reader, I found all of it annoying and not particularly funny.
I also think the book needed a least some sense of place. This is pretty short on descriptive content and atmosphere for this style of mystery, and it’s not unique or funny enough plot wise for this not to matter (à la Stephanie Plum or Finlay Donovan).
Some of the comedy in this as well as the structure of the actual mystery was good enough that I’d try another, but it needs some tightening up and less YA-style romance, as this is an adult novel.
*I received an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.*
April 14, 2026
If you’re looking for a quintessential beach read that you can fly through in a single afternoon, „Alibi by Accident” definitely fits the bill. It’s fast-paced, genuinely funny, and doesn’t take itself too seriously.
The story follows Verona Montero, a witty and sharp-tongued investigator who finds herself entangled in a chaotic murder mystery. Verona is a standout character—her inner monologue and banter are the driving force of the book, making it a „laugh-out-loud” experience in many chapters.
The Main Protagonist- Verona- is a breath of fresh air if you enjoy female leads who are clever and unapologetically themselves.
While the mystery is engaging, it is a bit predictable. If you’re a seasoned thriller reader, you might spot the killer early on (I certainly did!).
The biggest drawback for me, however, was the heavy reliance on profanity and sexualization. While it starts off as part of the book’s edgy charm, it eventually feels excessive. After a while, the constant stream of „shocks” stops being funny and starts becoming a bit annoying, distracting from the actual plot.
If you aren’t easily offended and enjoy a „salty” sense of humor and snarky dialogue, this is a great pick for a weekend getaway. It’s a fun, breezy mystery led by a fantastic investigator. Just be prepared for a lot of spice and even more swearing!
The story follows Verona Montero, a witty and sharp-tongued investigator who finds herself entangled in a chaotic murder mystery. Verona is a standout character—her inner monologue and banter are the driving force of the book, making it a „laugh-out-loud” experience in many chapters.
The Main Protagonist- Verona- is a breath of fresh air if you enjoy female leads who are clever and unapologetically themselves.
While the mystery is engaging, it is a bit predictable. If you’re a seasoned thriller reader, you might spot the killer early on (I certainly did!).
The biggest drawback for me, however, was the heavy reliance on profanity and sexualization. While it starts off as part of the book’s edgy charm, it eventually feels excessive. After a while, the constant stream of „shocks” stops being funny and starts becoming a bit annoying, distracting from the actual plot.
If you aren’t easily offended and enjoy a „salty” sense of humor and snarky dialogue, this is a great pick for a weekend getaway. It’s a fun, breezy mystery led by a fantastic investigator. Just be prepared for a lot of spice and even more swearing!
May 8, 2026
⭐️⭐️⭐️✨/5 (7/10)
Thank you to Severn River Publishing and Edelweiss for the review copy.
This was chaotic, witty, and a little all over the place in a way that mostly worked for me.
Verona Montero is not your typical sleuth and that is exactly the appeal. She’s impulsive, morally flexible, and way more focused on vibes than procedure. The humor really carries the story, especially her narration and the running jokes that lean into how unserious she is about… everything, including murder.
The mystery itself is twisty enough to stay engaging, but it definitely takes a backseat to the comedy and chaos. The plot sometimes feels a bit loose, with things happening more for entertainment than airtight logic. That said, the Mykonos setting and the over-the-top situations made it a fun ride.
One thing that did leave me wanting more was the dynamic between Verona and Quentin. There’s clear tension and buildup there, but it never fully resolves in this book, which felt a little unsatisfying by the end. That said, it definitely has me curious to see where their relationship goes next, and I’ll be looking forward to more development in book two.
Overall, not the tightest mystery, but an entertaining debut with a strong voice and plenty of personality.
Thank you to Severn River Publishing and Edelweiss for the review copy.
This was chaotic, witty, and a little all over the place in a way that mostly worked for me.
Verona Montero is not your typical sleuth and that is exactly the appeal. She’s impulsive, morally flexible, and way more focused on vibes than procedure. The humor really carries the story, especially her narration and the running jokes that lean into how unserious she is about… everything, including murder.
The mystery itself is twisty enough to stay engaging, but it definitely takes a backseat to the comedy and chaos. The plot sometimes feels a bit loose, with things happening more for entertainment than airtight logic. That said, the Mykonos setting and the over-the-top situations made it a fun ride.
One thing that did leave me wanting more was the dynamic between Verona and Quentin. There’s clear tension and buildup there, but it never fully resolves in this book, which felt a little unsatisfying by the end. That said, it definitely has me curious to see where their relationship goes next, and I’ll be looking forward to more development in book two.
Overall, not the tightest mystery, but an entertaining debut with a strong voice and plenty of personality.
Review of advance copy received from Goodreads Giveaways
Alibi By Accident is the story of Verona Montero, a Miami P.I. – or as she prefers to be called, a private dick. Verona is hired by the vapid wife of a local billionaire to prove that he is cheating. Soon the billionaire ends up murdered, the wife has been accused of his murder and Verona is stuck in an international investigation. Author Kayleigh Suggett has written a light mystery with some snark, ironic insights on life, and a varied cast of characters that surround and aide Verona. The description/blurb described it as “wickedly funny and twisty” but I didn’t find it to be that strong. It was amusing and light-hearted, but I just didn’t empathize with the main character or story as much as I’d hoped.
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
3.5 stars.
Alibi by Accident by Kayleigh Suggett is an adventurous first installment in the Verona Montero private detective series.
Verona Montero is hired by Miami Cavallero to see if her husband Javier is cheating on her. Verona suggests she hire divorce lawyer Quentin Ellsworth just in case her suspicions are true. Sounds like a straight forward case, but Javier ends up dead, and Verona tries to find his killer after her client becomes a suspect in his murder.
Alibi by Accident is a busy mystery with a tough, foul-mouthed lead character. Verona is an interesting character that is flawed yet likable. Her crush on Quentin leads to some funny scenes due to her romantic ineptness. The storyline is a little convoluted with unexpected time jumps. The footnotes for the chapters are funny! Although the story is a bit a rough around edges, Kayleigh Suggett brings the mystery to a satisfying conclusion.
Alibi by Accident by Kayleigh Suggett is an adventurous first installment in the Verona Montero private detective series.
Verona Montero is hired by Miami Cavallero to see if her husband Javier is cheating on her. Verona suggests she hire divorce lawyer Quentin Ellsworth just in case her suspicions are true. Sounds like a straight forward case, but Javier ends up dead, and Verona tries to find his killer after her client becomes a suspect in his murder.
Alibi by Accident is a busy mystery with a tough, foul-mouthed lead character. Verona is an interesting character that is flawed yet likable. Her crush on Quentin leads to some funny scenes due to her romantic ineptness. The storyline is a little convoluted with unexpected time jumps. The footnotes for the chapters are funny! Although the story is a bit a rough around edges, Kayleigh Suggett brings the mystery to a satisfying conclusion.
March 14, 2026
This is a fun debut mystery. Verona is an irreverent private investigator with an unrequited crush on the lawyer she works with. She is fearless, confident, brash, opinionated, and potty mouthed. While I enjoyed her character, the murderer she was seeking to identify was too easily apparent; I solved the case much more quickly than Verona did. I liked the author’s use of footnotes with their pop culture references, but they would be better placed at the bottom of the page instead of the end of the chapter; I had forgotten what they referred to by the time they appeared. And I found that Verona’s crush’s (who seemed interested in her at one point) suddenly infatuation with another woman jarring. But overall the book was enjoyable and funny, and I look forward to the sequel.
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
Alibi by Accident is the first in debut author, Kayleigh Suggett's, series starring Verona Montero, a private detective. I read the synopsis and was excited to read this book. Verona is hired to find proof that billionaire husband, Javier, is cheating on his wife, Miami. Should be simple, until it's not when Javier turns up dead in Greece.
What would have been a fun mystery for me was spoiled by all the inappropriate language. It seemed that the author relied on this thinking it made for a more amusing story. I enjoyed the cast of characters and Verona.
Thank you to the publisher, Severn River Publishing, for an ARC. The opinions in this review are my own.
What would have been a fun mystery for me was spoiled by all the inappropriate language. It seemed that the author relied on this thinking it made for a more amusing story. I enjoyed the cast of characters and Verona.
Thank you to the publisher, Severn River Publishing, for an ARC. The opinions in this review are my own.
April 20, 2026
This was definitely a slower-moving, cozier kind of mystery.
I do struggle to get really invested in mysteries like that, but this wasn't boring for me.
I did feel like there was a lot going on with this book, which is why it didn't come across as boring, but it was definitely too much at times. It just didn't all seem that necessary. Especially the romances.
There were also times when the main character felt like she was trying too hard to be the main character. That was weird. Maybe not super noticeable to others, but I could feel it.
Thanks to NetGalley for the audiobook ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review!
I do struggle to get really invested in mysteries like that, but this wasn't boring for me.
I did feel like there was a lot going on with this book, which is why it didn't come across as boring, but it was definitely too much at times. It just didn't all seem that necessary. Especially the romances.
There were also times when the main character felt like she was trying too hard to be the main character. That was weird. Maybe not super noticeable to others, but I could feel it.
Thanks to NetGalley for the audiobook ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review!
September 16, 2025
A light mystery with a vivid plot that never stands still. There are three povs here: two from the main couple and a third from a separate heroine whose storyline is tied to the investigation. Instead of a dynamic mystery, I got endless inner monologues about who desires whom, and that quickly became exhausting. Verona isn’t idealized, she’s stubborn, sarcastic, and sometimes even irritating. There were a few funny moments, the author does handle irony well, but with too many events packed into such a short book, the story felt chaotic. At some point, I just lost interest.
Review of advance copy received from Goodreads Giveaways
I received this book as a Goodreads giveaway winner. The book started off good for me but about 50% through I honestly lost interest. I did finish it but I really did contemplate dnf’ing this one. Zane and Blair were thrown in as side characters which should have been more developed for becoming the major players in the story. The Verona and Quentin storyline was a complete waste of time when all of the sudden we get Nina at the end with no warning. Blair was so over the top but could have been so much more when Javier was so terrible. There was no mystery or intrigue about whodunnit, about 70% through it was given away with a sentence in the book.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
5⭐️ narration by Carlotta Bretan
2.5⭐️ book
The actual mystery part of the story is interesting, but the characters did not connect for me. We jump around so much and are repeatedly told feelings, it's a bit chaotic. Plus the random 4th wall breaks during towards the end were a bit much.
I love when books are filled with dark humor, but it all felt a bit forced and didn't feel like the characters actually liked anyone (except Quentin - he 'loved' all the women he encountered a bit too much, ick vibes).
2.5⭐️ book
The actual mystery part of the story is interesting, but the characters did not connect for me. We jump around so much and are repeatedly told feelings, it's a bit chaotic. Plus the random 4th wall breaks during towards the end were a bit much.
I love when books are filled with dark humor, but it all felt a bit forced and didn't feel like the characters actually liked anyone (except Quentin - he 'loved' all the women he encountered a bit too much, ick vibes).
March 17, 2026
For a book full of characters that made me want to wring their freaking necks, this book was surprisingly enjoyable!
Verona is one of those girls who--pearl clutch--curses a lot. (eye roll) It's mostly for shock value. She's a PI though she prefers to use the other term. Liberally. Anyway, she's weirdly in love with a lawyer who has the personality of an overcooked noodle but thinks he's hot. Their whole relationship makes no sense, but maybe that's the point. Verona's new client is the rich wife of a philandering billionaire, until he dies and she's the suspect. Poor Verona has to travel to Greece to investigate.
There's a minor romantic subplot of the man accused of murder on his wedding day and his not quite wife. I actually found them a little less annoying than Verona and the lawyer. Anyway, the way the mystery went was actually pretty fun, and even though I clocked the killer quickly, I enjoyed this book! I wouldn't classify this as cozy mystery, but it's really not hardboiled noir either. Vacation mystery? Ish?
The narrators were great!
I received an advanced copy of this audiobook for review. All opinions are my own. Thanks to RB Media for the ALC.
3.5/5
Verona is one of those girls who--pearl clutch--curses a lot. (eye roll) It's mostly for shock value. She's a PI though she prefers to use the other term. Liberally. Anyway, she's weirdly in love with a lawyer who has the personality of an overcooked noodle but thinks he's hot. Their whole relationship makes no sense, but maybe that's the point. Verona's new client is the rich wife of a philandering billionaire, until he dies and she's the suspect. Poor Verona has to travel to Greece to investigate.
There's a minor romantic subplot of the man accused of murder on his wedding day and his not quite wife. I actually found them a little less annoying than Verona and the lawyer. Anyway, the way the mystery went was actually pretty fun, and even though I clocked the killer quickly, I enjoyed this book! I wouldn't classify this as cozy mystery, but it's really not hardboiled noir either. Vacation mystery? Ish?
The narrators were great!
I received an advanced copy of this audiobook for review. All opinions are my own. Thanks to RB Media for the ALC.
3.5/5
March 18, 2026
So there are people who swear like they've heard it and they're trying to imitate it, and there are people who swear freely and gleefully and enthusiastically. This author is the second one. This was so irreverent and hilarious-- there was so much energy here. Apparently this is a debut, but I was entertained throughout and I enjoyed the characters. The narration was energetic too. If the writer can keep up the pace, this could end up being a favorite series for me.
This is a review of the audiobook.
This is a review of the audiobook.
May 3, 2026
Stop! This is not a cozy mystery, do not be fooled by the cover. This is a fun, irreverent detective novel in the vein of Stephanie Plum or V. I. Warshawski. Do not ignore the book blurb for the cover and then complain about the sex and swearing.
That said, I was not a huge fan of the way this story is told with the two parallel stories being told in a seemingly unconnected way. I did enjoy the story over all, and the characters are ones I'll be happy to visit again. The mystery has a satisfying ending.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publishers for the audio ARC
That said, I was not a huge fan of the way this story is told with the two parallel stories being told in a seemingly unconnected way. I did enjoy the story over all, and the characters are ones I'll be happy to visit again. The mystery has a satisfying ending.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publishers for the audio ARC
June 2, 2026
2.5 stars
I bought this since I won the second book in a giveaway and wanted to make sure I wasnt missing any background info.
It feels like this book wanted so bad to be the perfect blend of funny and quirky but fell a little flat. The footnotes felt more condescending than funny or helpful. I found I liked Blair far more than Verona, who is the main character.
Also, just because you combine fuck with the r slur doesn't make it better. We really need to not bring that shit back as a society.
I bought this since I won the second book in a giveaway and wanted to make sure I wasnt missing any background info.
It feels like this book wanted so bad to be the perfect blend of funny and quirky but fell a little flat. The footnotes felt more condescending than funny or helpful. I found I liked Blair far more than Verona, who is the main character.
Also, just because you combine fuck with the r slur doesn't make it better. We really need to not bring that shit back as a society.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Cozy mystery, kind of.
No small town or amateur sleuth. But still kinda got those vibes. I loved this. It was fun and mysterious. The main character was kind of quirky and odd. Pining after the lawyer unsuccessfully. But I’m so invested in seeing how it works out. I need this to be a series. I did guess the mystery, but it had me seriously second-guessing myself. Another character I hope to see more of! I’m all in here.
Come read with me @booksy.tx.ana
No small town or amateur sleuth. But still kinda got those vibes. I loved this. It was fun and mysterious. The main character was kind of quirky and odd. Pining after the lawyer unsuccessfully. But I’m so invested in seeing how it works out. I need this to be a series. I did guess the mystery, but it had me seriously second-guessing myself. Another character I hope to see more of! I’m all in here.
Come read with me @booksy.tx.ana
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