Someone Is After LuLu Dupree

Lulu Dupree Mystery #1

by Josi S. Kilpack

"LuLu’s strong, unique voice, the frame of living with the effects of a brain trauma, and a compelling story combine for a satisfying mystery." -Booklist


For LuLu Dupree, what she doesn’t remember might just be the death of her.


Five years ago, LuLu was in a car accident that left her with a traumatic brain injury and a gaping hole in her memory. Choosing to start over rather than return to a life she can’t remember, she moved to Sedona, Arizona, and built a new life which includes plenty of time for crochet, night-hiking in the desert, and starting an eco-friendly cleaning company.


But now her buried past might be coming after her.


If she’s going to survive repeated attempts on her life, including a poisoned Snapple and an attempt to burn down her house, she’ll need to confront her past—both what she can remember, and what she’s managed to forget.


In addition to solving the mystery of who is trying to kill her, she has to wrestle with her neurodivergent brain that tells her to avoid conflict and blinking lights—to say nothing of the flamingos.


Determined to find answers before she is silenced forever, LuLu and her reluctant attorney must navigate through clues and suspects, inching closer to confronting the shadows of her former self and apprehending the person who doesn’t want her to have this simple and peaceful life she’s worked so hard to build.

Genres: Mystery, Fiction, Cozy Mystery, Contemporary, Audiobook, Suspense, Adult

315 pages, Kindle Edition

Published September 9, 2025

About the author

I wrote my first book while on bed rest with my third child in 1998 and haven't stopped. My most recent books have been Historical Romance through the Proper Romance line with Shadow Mountain Publishing.

I currently live in Willard, Utah with my husband, and children.

Reviews

[Julie Carpenter · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lulu was a fun character to read about and discover. She made me smile and had me rethinking what I thought I "saw" after reading the scenes of the book. She is recovering from an accident that caused some traumatic brain injury and makes her brain work differently than before the accident. She's a little quirky but sweet and delightful. I loved her optimism and seeing how her thought process worked. She is definitely underestimated by all around her, which I loved. I loved how she proved them wrong.

I was very curious about her past and loved the bits and pieces of it that we saw, and especially when more was revealed near the end, how it all tied in together! Very clever and well played! Especially with how her past came knocking and has her searching for answers as to who is after her and why!

Some readers might have a harder time connecting with her character, but I liked it. I liked her quirkiness, her desire for peace and healing and joy in her life. And I especially liked understanding more and more about her pre- and post-accident!

Get ready for a fun mystery, delightfully quirky characters, characters that will surprise you and a bit of a romance that's starting to brew! Don't let your guard down, stay focused so you will know who the bad guy is!!!

Content: Clean. Some mild peril, death, and mystery. No language.

I received a copy from the publisher, Shadow Mountain Publishing, via NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions in the review are my own.

Happy Reading!!!

[Katie (hiding in the pages) · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’ve missed this author’s cozy mysteries and was purely enthralled and delighted with LuLu Dupree. Recovering from a traumatic brain injury has completely remade who this quirky woman is, but she is so much fun to watch as she fully embraces a simpler and quieter life. Until someone tries to murder her with a diet peach snapple and a candle.

As her past is uncovered bit by bit and the mystery is slowly unearthed, a various cast of characters is introduced, and I loved how they each played a part in all the twists and turns–both past and present.

Aside from the obvious mystery elements that I adore, I enjoyed the themes of accepting what is, finding ways to move on and live fully, integrating gratitude, and using your gifts. Josi S. Kilpack is such a clever writer and I was impressed with this story.

This is sure to be a fantastic series, set in the beautiful place of Sedona…and don’t mind me while I go make some no-bake cookies. I can’t wait for more!

*I received a complimentary copy. All thoughts and opinions expressed are my own and were voluntarily given*

[Tiffany (Work Kids N Books) · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was absolutely delightful! Its main character definitely had quirks, flaws, and a unique gift of knowing truth from lies. As such, it made this story unlike any other cozy mystery I’ve read!

If you like cozy mysteries, this is a must read! It brings laughter. It brings intrigue. It brings a ridiculous amount of happiness!

Read this book if you like:
🩴 Sun Dresses
🩴 Diet Snapple
🩴 Flamingos
🩴 Kumquats
🩴 Mother Earth
🩴 Pink Light
🩴 Helping the Elderly
🩴 Telling the Truth
🩴 Naming Things

Content: cozy mystery, life endangerment, disability rep.

Thank you to Josi S Kilpack and Shadow Mountain Publishing for the #gifted copy; all thoughts and opinions are my own.

[Regency_Fan_ Michelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

Have you ever wondered if a car accident could actually lead to something positive in your life? LuLu, a wonderfully unique character, embodies this idea. Her journey as a neurodivergent individual stemming from a brain injury adds depth to her charm. Transforming through her experiences, LuLu emerges not just as a survivor, but as a better version of herself.

Embracing her quirks, she radiates confidence and finds peace in both her strengths and limitations. While she's self-aware enough to recognize her oddities, there are moments when the world feels overwhelming, blurring her perception.

Beyond her engaging personality, LuLu also holds onto her faith, peppered with some quirky beliefs that make her even more relatable. The balance in her character is beautifully crafted, making it hard not to root for her. The mystery woven through her story is skillfully done, keeping readers on the edge of their seats, completely absorbed in her evolving world.
I received a complimentary copy of this book and read it with pleasure. I was under no obligation to leave a positive review. Thank you, Shadow Mountain Publishing. If you’re looking for an entertaining and clean story visit this publisher website! They are my favorite publisher. 💗

[A.L. Sowards]

Lulu had a traumatic brain injury a few years ago, and that lead to a new life, a new personality, and a new focus. But when someone tries to kill her, she has to look into her not-so-great past if she wants to survive. This is a fun cozy mystery with a quirky character. I'm so excited that Josi is writing mysteries again, and I'll absolutely read the next one.

[Bree · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5⭐️

•𝐀𝐑𝐂 𝐑𝐞𝐯𝐢𝐞𝐰•

{𝑺𝒐𝒎𝒆𝒐𝒏𝒆 𝑰𝒔 𝑨𝒇𝒕𝒆𝒓 𝑳𝒖𝑳𝒖 𝑫𝒖𝒑𝒓𝒆𝒆}

“𝚃𝚑𝚎 𝚜𝚘𝚕𝚞𝚝𝚒𝚘𝚗 𝚒𝚜 𝚊𝚕𝚛𝚎𝚊𝚍𝚢 𝚒𝚗 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚛𝚘𝚘𝚖.”

☀️ Release Date: September 9, 2025 ☀️
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Though I didn’t find it overly difficult to keep reading this story once I’d started it, I didn’t feel at all invested in the plot. The whole mystery aspect was pretty much lost on me, and I found it rather dull (even just flat-out silly at times)—so I didn’t really care whether they solved it or not. I’m not much of a mystery reader as it is, but this one especially was a pretty big disappointment to me.

LuLu was a bit strange, or maybe I should say more than a bit strange. I struggled to really find a groove while reading about her character because of it. I wouldn’t say it was necessarily a bad thing—I just didn’t vibe with her very much. The same goes for pretty much every other character in this story—I just didn’t really connect with any of them.

This was my first read by Josi S. Kilpack and, honestly, it might end up being my last 😬 Who knows, maybe I’ll give one of her proper romances a try, but I highly doubt I’ll ever pick up another contemporary mystery by her. I had no issues with the writing style itself, but I wasn’t a fan of the plot or the characters, which is literally the entire story. I thought I’d give this author a try since, as I mentioned, I’d never read her books before, but it’s going to be a pass for me.
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I received a complimentary arc from Shadow Mountain Publishing. All opinions listed are purely my own.

[Rhonda · Rating 3 out of 5]

It's a good base storyline, and I understand she's supposed to be quirky, but it gets to being too much. Naming her purse, suitcase, etc. became obnoxious and confusing at times. Repeating her mantra was a bit much after a while.
Normally, I really enjoy Josi's books, and I would like to know how the series continues, but I don't think I can handle listening to more. Part of it may have been the narrator as well.

[Katie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lulu is a quirky character. She believes someone is trying to kill her. From poisoning her favorite drink and then trying to shoot her. She enlists the help of a lawyer to help her at the encouragement of a neighbor.

Definitely enjoyed this read. I wanted to keep reading to find out why this was happening to Lulu.

[Shauna Jones · Rating 5 out of 5]

A different twist on a mystery
This book presents a mystery with some very different twists. LuLu was Catherine before a severe accident left her with brain trauma, weeks of missing memories, inability to continue in her occupation, and a change of perspective on what she wants. The world of finance no longer holds the attraction it did. Now she prefers peace, quiet and calm. But when she realizes someone wishes her permanently gone, everything in her new, quiet life changes. Now she’s trying to figure out who is after her and why. But so many of the people she engages to help her seem to have a different agenda and she is left wondering who, if anyone, she can trust. A wonderful story with mystery, suspense, and discovery. Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for the copy. This is my review and all thoughts are my own.

[Cheri · Rating 3 out of 5]

#SomeoneIsAfterLuluDupree #NetGally

Catherine Dupree was in an accident and renamed herself Lulu.The accident affected her brain.
She's a different person than she was before in a good way.
Lulu's is in trouble.someone is trying to kill her, and she has no idea why. 'Sometietimes, she
just has to believe that
there is good in the middle of the craziness. This story is a little crazy and quirky. Lulu has
a way of turning things around and looks at things a little differently because that's how her brain works.
Overall, I enjoyed, the story.

[The_Power Of_The Page · Rating 4 out of 5]

It took a little bit to get into the story, the inner dialogue took a little getting used to. But then I was hooked. This a an unconventional whodunnit with an increasing element of suspense and a twist or two as it goes along

If you like a cozy mystery with quirky characters you will love this book. It reminds me a little of “Juniper Bean Commits Murder” by Gracie Ruth Mitchell, it was an enjoyable read.

[Mary Watson · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5⭐️ ARC Review: DNF at 35%. I really wanted to love this story and continue on, but I just could not. I have been a Josi fan since I was super young. I was an OG reader of her Culinary mystery series and read the first one when it came out years ago. So this series is looking up to be quite a disappointment.

I just didn’t like anything about this. The best thing was the plot. Even then it was just okay. From what I read. I think it could have been good if I continued, but I didn’t see it getting better. I wasn’t invested and didn’t even care to find out who tried killing her and why. Oh, and maybe one more thing was kind of cool. She can detect truths and lies. That was interesting for sure! I just think it didn’t do enough for me.

And Lulu was QUIRKY. Not like a fun and cute quirky you can laugh at, but like soooo strange and downright hard to read about. She was in an accident which resulted in a TBI 5 years previous to the beginning of this book. She is very different from it. She has these weird techniques that I didn’t understand at all. I was like does she have anxiety? Will she pass out? Like what is the purpose of these exercises? I knew it was because of her brain being damaged, but I had no clue what the purpose was. So I was extremely bothered. She named all of her things, she was super rude at one moment, made absolutely no sense the next moment, and to top it all off, I didn’t like the attorney helping her either. He seemed like a man with zero ambition and no personality. And lowkey shady.

So to not like the plot or characters makes it real hard to push through. I don’t like wasting my time with a book I have zero connection and interest in. If this is a series, I will not continue on. This says nothing about Josi’s previous works. Because I liked those when I was young. Maybe I’d think differently now though ha.

*Thank you to the author and Shadow Mountain Publishing for the complimentary copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

[Shayla Riley · Rating 4 out of 5]

SOMEONE IS AFTER LULU DUPREE
by: Josi S. Kilpack
@authorjosiskilpack

••I give 4 stars!⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

~For Lulu Dupree, what she doesn’t remember might be just the death of her…

-SOMEONE IS AFTER LULU DUPREE, is a fun adventure/mystery story about a woman who is a survivor of a traumatic brain injury and is balancing a new life she has built with an unresolved past. Lulu is the main character in this story. She is relatable, hilarious, and makes the most of her circumstances. In some ways I could not stop giggling at, or shaking my head at her antics. But, deep down, it’s the imperfect ways of doing things that are just right. It took me a minute to get into this adventure/mystery of a story but, once in, I was intrigued to know what would happen next, and what was on Lulu’d mind. I was unexpectedly pleased with where this story went. I loved the important themes of gratitude, positive affirmations about oneself and surroundings, and finding joy in any circumstance and simplicity despite challenges. It was thrilling to watch Lulu help uncover a mystery and discover truths. I loved that Lulu didn’t let her disability deter her from being happy, confident, and resilient. This is a story worth the cozy, intriguing fun read!💯

“I had to walk away from the life I had, accept the limitations and potential of who I am now, and created a life where I can wake up with joy to have another day. Finding peace can happen anywhere, for anyone, in any circumstance, but it takes an inside view to find it.”

•Content: traumatic brain injury disability rep, some mild peril, death, loss, and mystery. No language.

“The past is finished, and its only power is to be learned from. The future, as l’ve learned, is impossible to predict, and its only power is hope.”

-I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book which I received from the author. All views expressed are only my honest opinion.

“There’s no time like the present.”

#someoneisafterluludupree

“In the present, I can always do my best to be my best.”

#authorjosiskilpack
#shadowmountainpub

“I am ready to live it with a bit more joyful momentum.”

#allaboutthebestreads

“I am LuLu, and LuLu is great.”

[Nicole · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars rounded up

This was an interesting ride and a new direction for Kilpack. I started reading her books with the Sadie Hoffmiller cozy mysteries, and Sadie was a fun, quirky, and entertaining character. LuLu is also a quirky character, but she was actually much harder to follow her thought processes and relate to with all her brain injury quirks. I almost wish Kilpack had picked only a couple quirks to focus on LuLu having instead of so many to try to keep up with (the naming every single thing she owns was one I could do without, although the car's did tie into the storyline, but most people name cars, not purses or handbags or things like that though). The pacing was a bit slow for me on this one, but I feel like, from past Kilpack books, as she develops the series and the characters further, she'll work out more of the "bugs" I felt this one had. There was so much backstory that needed to be told in this one and it came out quite slow and left me trying to figure a lot of LuLu's details/personality/history out that I felt didn't all necessarily need to be hidden that weren't essential clues to the plot. Sometimes things felt a bit too forced. I needed to relate to LuLu much better and just didn't. There's also the confusion of tying together LuLu's past as Catherine and her new personality as LuLu. I felt like that was another detail that needed to blend better. The cover makes this book seem cozy, and it is, but it also isn't. *shrugs* Not sure else how to say it. It does deal with some heavy themes (nothing dark, just deeper, thought-provoking subjects). The reason for the murders felt unrealistic as well, but maybe I just needed more connection in that aspect as well? The last part of the book was stronger than the beginning. This book needed more, in my opinion, editing of the first part to considerably help the flow and build. I waited a while to write this review and I feel generous rounding up, which may be because I am a fan of this author and all of her previous books. This one was harder to read as far as flow, but I feel the potential is there for the series, especially after reading the preview chapter for book two included at the end of this book.

Content: Clean, though triggers of attempted murder, car accident, traumatic brain injury with related PTSD symptoms

***I received a complimentary digital copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.***

[Chelsea · Rating 3 out of 5]

Rating 2.5

I really liked the first 60-70% of this book. But the last little bit ruined it for me. In the beginning the only thing that kind of annoyed me was that because she could tell when people were lying, in her inner monalogue she kept thinking "truth" or "lie", anytime anyone was telling her anything. I hated everything about the end. She became randomly religious in a way that I hate. She kept talking about God and how everyone can be forgiven and her and another character were acting like the reason that they want to be good people is because they found God. The private detective, who I thought had a good dynamic with her at the beginning, turned into a bit of a sleazbag at the end. And the character that she's going to have a romance with was in this book twice and she just was thinking he was hot. And she has a daughter, who she was trying to have a better relationship with. But other than mentioning her a couple of times and having a short phone call with her, it didn't seem like she was focusing on her as much as she should have been. Overall, I wouldn't recommend this and I won't be reading any more of this series.

[Megan | Reads Alotl Books · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was not exactly what I was expecting but I loved it! It was such a fun summer read. Someone really is out to get Lulu, even if she doesn’t remember a large chunk of her life or love who she was before a car accident. Catherine was a kick butt, business savvy, dishonest woman who cared about money. Lulu is the complete opposite in every way.

This book really made me feel like seeing inside someone’s brain or mind who has had some traumatic accidents, ADHD or autism. Lulu is absolutely brilliant, but after a major accident, she’s opted to live a simple life helping elderly people with their normal tasks, until she discovers a poisoned snapple.

With the help of her lawyer and some fun characters, she sets out to find out who is trying to kill her, why and what she can do before they are successful. There were so many characters that I wasn’t sure who to trust and I absolutely loved how the story ended. I can’t wait for the next book to see what happens to Lulu.

[Meg · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved this mystery! There were so many fun surprises and twists and turns, so I won't say too much to spoil it. Lulu is a perfectly quirky character, and I enjoyed the Arizona setting. This mystery was just the fun read that I needed.

If you love cozy mysteries, definitely check this one out!

Thank you to Shadow Mountain Publishing, NetGalley, and Josi S. Kilpack for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for my honest reviews.

[Rita · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cozy Mystery

First book for me by this author. It took me a bit to get accustomed to her writing style but it did keep me engaged. I was invested throughout the book as LuLu tried to figure out how her past wast connected to someone trying to kill her in the present. I do hope there will be more books in which LuLu solves mysteries!

[Alice-Anne · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ok she’s always been a favorite easy read mystery author of mine. She makes me laugh out loud. This book was especially fun bc it was set in Sedona! (Lived there for 6 months on my mission and know it well.) I also am a fan of energetic medicine and there’s a good dose of that in there, too. Anyways a fun escape read that was especially memorable for me. I also really liked Lulu.

[Karen Danielson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very fun g-rated read with quirky characters and unique surprising plot. It made me laugh.

[Sami · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.95

[Lochsley · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have been loving Josi's books since I stumbled upon Sadie's mysteries a decade ago. I have read almost everything she's written and I love the complexity of her characters and the crazy situations they end up in!

Lulu was so unique and interesting!

[Maria · Rating 2 out of 5]

I’ve read Kilpack’s other series and enjoyed them, so I was excited to see a new release by her. While the depiction of someone with a TBI may be accurate, it was too all over the place for me to keep up with the story and I found myself drifting. This was an interesting concept, but it just didn’t work for me. DNF

[Jordyn Gines · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received a copy of this as an ARC and I have to say I really enjoyed it. I wasn’t sure where it was going until the end. Lulu is quirky but kind and goes with her gut when trying to figure out who is trying to kill her. She had a past injury that makes her brain not remember a lot of details about her past and she did a complete 360 with her personality. Super fun murder mystery.

[Jeni | StoryTimeReviews · Rating 4 out of 5]

At first glance, LuLu Dupree is pure chaos wrapped in a sundress. A free-spirited, scatterbrained woman living her quirky best life in Sedona. Life looks simple...

Then—bam! 🍑 A poisoned Snapple. Flames. Danger around every corner. What follows is a wild ride packed with laugh-out-loud moments & gasp-worthy twists.

As the mystery unravels, LuLu learns the truth isn’t just about who’s trying to kill her—it’s about who she used to be. Her past collides with her present in ways that are both heartbreaking & hopeful, & I was completely invested in her survival… and redemption.

𝗪𝗛𝗔𝗧 𝗜 𝗟𝗢𝗩𝗘𝗗
🌵 LuLu herself — quirky, funny, vulnerable, & fierce. Perfectly imperfect & unforgettable.
🧘‍♀️ Coping techniques like tapping (a real thing!), meditation, & reframing woven naturally into her story.
🙏 Faith themes — redemption & grace.
🔍 Twisty mystery + humor — every time I thought I’d solved it, @authorjosiskilpack surprised me.
💬 Wisdom bombs, especially in Chapter 25.
🌄 Sedona vibes — desert beauty, night hikes, & small-town secrets.

𝗧𝗢𝗣 𝗠𝗢𝗠𝗘𝗡𝗧𝗦
🍑 The poisoned Snapple scene — hilarious & chilling.
🔥 The house scare — heart-pounding!
🗝️ A memory that changes everything.
🕵️ When her skeptical attorney finally believes her.
🌙 The night hike where courage & clarity collide.
🤯 A reveal so wild you’ll say, “Wait, WHAT just happened?!”

𝗙𝗜𝗡𝗔𝗟 𝗧𝗛𝗢𝗨𝗚𝗛𝗧𝗦
💭 𝙎𝙤𝙢𝙚𝙤𝙣𝙚 𝙄𝙨 𝘼𝙛𝙩𝙚𝙧 𝙇𝙪𝙇𝙪 𝘿𝙪𝙥𝙧𝙚𝙚 is more than a cozy mystery — it’s a rollercoaster of humor, suspense, & heart.

💭 As someone who also survived a traumatic brain injury 7 years ago (and spent 3 years recovering), LuLu’s journey struck a deeply personal chord. Her struggles & quirky coping strategies felt so real & relatable.

💭 If you love clean mysteries with humor, emotional depth, & a dash of eccentric chaos, this book belongs on your shelf.

⸻

𝗖𝗢𝗡𝗧𝗘𝗡𝗧 𝗪𝗔𝗥𝗡𝗜𝗡𝗚𝗦
𝙇𝙖𝙣𝙜𝙪𝙖𝙜𝙚/𝙋𝙧𝙤𝙛𝙖𝙣𝙞𝙩𝙮: No profanity or crude language
𝙎𝙚𝙭𝙪𝙖𝙡 𝘾𝙤𝙣𝙩𝙚𝙣𝙩: No sexual content. Reference to past relationships.
𝙑𝙞𝙤𝙡𝙚𝙣𝙘𝙚/𝘿𝙖𝙣𝙜𝙚𝙧: Attempts on LuLu’s life. Poisoning. Reference to near fatal car accident. Shooting. Death. Nothing graphic or explicit.
𝙏𝙧𝙞𝙜𝙜𝙚𝙧/𝙎𝙚𝙣𝙨𝙞𝙩𝙞𝙫𝙞𝙩𝙞𝙚𝙨: Suicide. Traumatic brain injury. Short term memory loss. Reference to divorce and child visitation.
𝙏𝙑/𝙈𝙤𝙫𝙞𝙚 𝙍𝙖𝙩𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙀𝙦𝙪𝙞𝙫𝙖𝙡𝙚𝙣𝙩: Probably TV-14: mild peril, some scary moments, emotional depth, but no strong language or graphic scenes.

𝗦𝗧𝗔𝗥 𝗥𝗔𝗧𝗜𝗡𝗚𝗦
📙 𝘽𝙤𝙤𝙠 4/5 stars. There were a few instances where the pacing lagged.
🎧 𝙉𝙖𝙧𝙧𝙖𝙩𝙤𝙧 (Leanne Woodward): 4/5 stars. Her voice fits LuLu perfectly—she captures the quirkiness, the confusion, the tension. A few emotional highs could have used more build-up in tone.

[Sharon the Librarian · Rating 4 out of 5]

A cozy mystery, a neurodivergent character (post TBI from a car crash), some shady characters from her past, and a couple of good recipes- all Josi Kilpack style.

This book took me a minute to get into, but once the story started unfolding I was invested. Lulu (the name seemed fitting at first as she came across as quite crazy) is free-spirit and living her best life in Sedona. She works occasionally helping senior citizens with household chores and has a bit of hippie vibe. She is convinced that someone is trying to kill her based on a bottle of Snapple, her signature drink, that smelled off and killed her plant. She is hard to take serious as her scattered thoughts spill out randomly and is sent home from the police department promptly. She hires her own attorney to prove herself- even though he seems quite reluctant and as skeptical as the police. I wasn't convinced myslef.

It turns out, she is NOT crazy or wrong, she is being sought after by a killer. Shots fired finally convince everyone. The craziest day in the history of the world ensues as she and her attorney follow leads and begin their own investigation. She soon finds out she isn't sure who she can trust, even her own memories. As the investigation unfolds, so do details of her past and what led her to living in a different place with a different career. That is when I started feeling invested in her well-being and the outcome of the story.

I loved the wisdom of gratitude, positive affirmations about herself and her surroundings, and finding joy in any circumstance and simplicity.

"I had to walk away from the life I had, accept the limitations and potential of who I am now, and created a life where I can wake up with joy to have another day. Finding peace can happen anywhere, for anyone, in any circumstance, but it takes an inside view to find it."

"I had isolated myself from from people and become so focused on success-- on power-- that I stopped seeing the good in anything other than accomplishment. People became stepping stones or stumbling blocks, and I didn't even care."

"The past is finished, and its only power is to be learned from. The future, as I've learned, is impossible to predict, and its only power is hope."

If you want a clean cozy mystery- you'll enjoy this. It is so different than my typical read, it was fun for a change. There is in the end, some deep messages amongst the bad decisions she made that frustrated me.

[Lisi Bee (Beth) · Rating 3 out of 5]

First off, be warned: this is not a romance book so don't go into it thinking it is (like I did). The colorful cover and the lighthearted description are misleading and really don't do this book justice. What you're getting is actually a combination mystery (with some heavier themes) and LuLu's journey of self-discovery after a traumatic brain injury more than anything else, with some very minor romantic elements. I had a hard time with LuLu; although incredibly quirky she felt a bit flat in the first half of the book and it's a little dry initially for how much is going on. I would have liked if knew more about what life was like pre-LuLu a little earlier in the book (i.e. Catherine before the car accident and traumatic brain injury that caused amnesia and a personality change for the better). I really liked the premise but the story didn't grab me nearly as much as I'd hoped. Although the book jumps right into the story at the beginning, the pacing is uneven and drags in places (making it hard to believe the book's events take place in the course of one day!). I struggled initially to connect with LuLu and the invest in the mystery. The second half of the book is much more active, but for me the buildup took way too long before the plot caught up with it and LuLu wasn't engaging enough for me to make the wait pay off. I will say that if the energy in the second half of the book had been there from the start, it would have been a much more enjoyable read. I liked the author's voice overall, and the book was pretty informative about LuLu's struggles with recovering from her brain injury. LuLu's personal messaging and mantras were a mix of both New Agey woo-woo and churchy redemption, which was unexpected. I think overall if you're already a fan of this author you'll enjoy this book. In general I would probably read this author again, but I would be much more skeptical about whether or not I was actually getting the story I was expecting. That said, it looks like this is being set up as a LuLu Dupree mystery series, but I'm unlikely to read the next one. Publishes September 9, 2025. This review is based on a complimentary eARC, all opinions are my own.

[Cathy R Morgan · Rating 5 out of 5]

A car accident a couple of years earlier left LuLu with a brain injury that completely changed her life - but, she's now convinced, for the better. Settled into her quiet new life in Sedona, she's happy and managing just fine. Until the day when a peach Snapple didn't appear sealed and smelled odd, so she poured it on a plant - which then died. The finding of a candle on her stove with the burners on (thankfully the gas was off) just confirms the horrible idea that someone wants her dead. But why? A visit to an attorney, the nephew of one of her clients, at least shows more belief than the police, but the situation soon escalates. With no idea who to trust and forced to consider a connection to the accident she doesn't remember and hates to think about, will LuLu manage to hold it together long enough to discover the truth?

LuLu is definitely a very unusual character. I don't say that in any judgemental way, merely as a fact. I have never come across a character - or a person, as far as I know - like her. And that made for an intriguing story in itself. I was gifted the chance to step into the shoes (mind?) of someone who is completely different from me and faces some very different challenges - even before someone tries to kill her! The descriptions of her way of thinking were borderline overwhelming at first, but fortunately soon eased back, leaving me a mix of amused (though unsure whether that was really fair), fascinated and compassionate. As for the story itself, which should definitely not be forgotten amidst my intrigue by the main character, it held my attention from the word go and kept me guessing. I have to admit to being disappointed in a couple of characters' characters and behaviours, but I suppose it fits. All in all, a fascinating read, unusual in a good way - I'm looking forward to reading more by the author.

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

[Lyssa · Rating 3 out of 5]

Josi Kilpack is a longtime favorite of mine. I have missed the mysteries since she wrapped up her Sadie series, so I'm excited to have a new one.

My strongest feelings on reading this were:
I was surprised and disappointed to find so much woo-woo spiritualism, talking about energy vortexes and such and mixing it with Christianity. Sure, I believe rocks can hold energy - anyone who has felt the heat of a rock sitting in the sun, absorbing its rays, can easily agree. That's science and it's different from "rose agate supports emotional healing." With no evidence, it's just idol worship. Attributing healing to created inanimate objects, believing the power comes from them instead of God. Reminds me of the Israelites melting their gold down and shaping it into a calf and stating it led them out of Egypt. -_- Anyway, I'm off on a tangent. I didn't like it. I think it's a stumbling block for readers and I'm sad, given the beautiful way the author used to share Christian themes before.

I wish I could share my notes - there were humorous moments and poignant ones, and even just interesting tidbits, like a stat on 90% of single women over the age of 65 living below the poverty line (what?!?!), but I received an ARC, so they're not showing up here.

I did like Lulu's character in general - such a unique and interesting thing to have the MC be one with a traumatic brain injury. And more so, one that really dislikes who they used to be. Though it was off putting to find her self describing as a ditzy middle aged woman. I don't think her age was ever directly mentioned, but I think she was indicated to be in her very early forties. I guess that's technically middle aged. I'm 38. I don't hear anyone in their forties calling themselves middle aged and I don't see myself or others that way. Weird.


SPOILERS


and I was really glad she did not choose him in the end.

I'm not sure if I'll continue with this series.

[Kaye · Rating 4 out of 5]

(Book Club July 2025) The first of a new cozy mystery series from Josi S. Kilpack. I know her from her previous Culinary Mystery series and from her clean historical romances. Lulu Dupree was a business woman and five years ago she was in a serious car accident. She suffered some brain trauma to the point she didn’t want to relearn the skills of her old life. She has moved to Sedona, Arizona, embracing the natural beauty of the area and the laid back atmosphere.

When an attempt is made on her life she tries to remember her past to see if there is a connection. When more attempts are made the need to remember is ramped up. Lulu also realizes people around her have their own agenda and it is hard to know who she can trust. She does possess a unique gift that helps. If she is talking to someone in person she can tell if they are telling the truth or lying.

I enjoyed the mystery and was rooting for Lulu. She isn’t a perfect character and is still growing from who she used to be. It looks like it could be a fun cozy mystery series. I hate to fully commit until they are a couple of books in the series. But Kilpack is an author I trust. And as an added bonus she is local to my state and is published locally as well. I actually used this for my book club book for July. Normally we all read the same book, but this time we were asked to read the first book in a mystery series. Because I had this on my TBR pile it was an easy selection and I was happy to tell my club about the book and character. Thank you to NetGalley and Shadow Mountain Publishing for the eARC and I am leaving an honest review.