A Zoom with a View: A Mystery

by Jess Cannon

A fiction debut filled with heart and humor, A Zoom with a View will make you want to move to Blue Oak—if only the annual Fourth of July festivities didn't end with a dead body.

Leo can't believe she's back in Blue Oak. Her small, quirky Texas hometown feels suffocating after trying to make it big as an English professor in New York—especially due to her strained relationship with her overly hair-sprayed mother, Karina. But with Leo’s career in academia in shambles, at least she's able to work as a photographer for her godmother's real estate business. And her best friend, Emily, is around to help her navigate through the mess—and maybe force her to reconnect with her old high school boyfriend, Mack.

But while at work, Leo makes a grisly discovery at one of her godmother's properties: the dead body of rival real estate agent and social media influencer Chaz. Even worse, Leo and Emily have been secretly running a snarky Reddit page making fun of Chaz’s cringe-inducing advice and duck-faced selfies. When someone she loves is accused of the murder, Leo finds herself flung headfirst into a dangerous investigation, teaming up with a local detective who is a lot more attractive than she remembered when they were both teenagers. Meanwhile, Karina has been acting stranger and stranger, as if all her hair hides a big secret. . . .

Genres: Mystery, Cozy Mystery, Adult, Mystery Thriller, Romance, Fiction, Cozy

384 pages, Hardcover

Published May 5, 2026

Reviews

[Dee (in the Desert) · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5 stars, rounded up as it's a debut. "Zoom with a View" sounded really cute and I was able to slot the title into several challenges, but it was not a good fit for me and if it hadn't been for said challenges I'd have DNF'd it so fast, sigh. 😩 As it was I skipped a good deal of it and felt like I missed nothing which isn't good in a Murder mystery. 😖 My biggest issue is that besides the titular Zoom call, there's just way, way too much social media - A 💩ton of Reddit - so, so much Reddit - plus many others - sometimes even simultaneously. And just so, so, so many characters (and yet the killer stood right out). And also there was just so much diversity that it felt so inauthentic - especially for a Texas small-town (even for close to Austin). Finally, it ends with a sequel set-up, which is just no way ever... sorry, not sorry, but I'm sorry I chose this.

[Norma (I'm here just have assignments to do now)]

ೄྀ࿐ ˊˎ- 𝒫𝓇𝑒-𝓇𝑒𝒶𝒹

Well I got the arc y'all. So excited to read this!!!

Thank you to Netgalley and Dutton for the arc

. . . . . ╰──╮╭──╯ . . . . .. . . . . ╰──╮╭──╯ . . . . .. . . . . ╰──╮╭──╯ . . . . .

[Christina C · Rating 2 out of 5]

A Zoom with a View had an interesting premise, but unfortunately it was a difficult book for me to get into. The writing itself isn’t bad, and the author clearly put effort into the story. However, I struggled to stay engaged and found it hard to connect with what was happening.

[Lola · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a well-written murder mystery that I’d recommend, but the ending really threw me off. It felt like a cliffhanger, and I’m left wondering if a sequel is planned because so many threads weren’t fully resolved. I appreciated the diverse cast and queer representation, especially in a small-town setting. The subreddit thread was also a fun touch.

That said, some key questions were never answered, which was frustrating for a mystery novel, and I noticed a couple of minor typos. I wish Beth had appeared on the page instead of just being discussed. Overall, the murder was solved yaaaay, but the ending didn’t feel fully satisfying.

Thanks to Netgallery for the ARC copy

[Brooke Hester · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received a copy of A Zoom with a View prior to publication from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review || 3.5 stars rounded up to 4. Definitely a cozy murder mystery in many ways. While it took a little while to get into the story, the journey was a lot of fun along the way. The ending is definitely a cliffhanger but I’m excited to read the next book in the series.

[zahh]

Shout out to NetGalley and Dutton for the eArc in exchange of an honest review🫶🏻

Dnfed at 30%
Unfortunately this book did not do it for me, I love the premise of it but the writing wasn’t smooth and made me zone out.
I was really intrigued by the main characters dynamic but not enough to finish the book.
It’s not for me but if you’re into crime/ romance then this book is for you!!!

[Rebecca Annie · Rating 4 out of 5]

A Zoom with a View is a witty, modern cozy mystery that blends small-town chaos, influencer culture, and sharp humor into an engaging whodunit.

Cannon’s writing is the standout. Her voice is fresh, playful, and observant, capturing awkward conversations and messy human behavior with humor and authenticity. The pacing works well—quick enough to keep the story moving, but with enough space for emotional moments to land naturally.

The use of multiple POVs adds depth and texture to the mystery, and the third-person narration feels like a refreshing choice for the genre. However, clearer transitions or subheadings indicating whose perspective we’re following would have helped, especially given the large cast of characters.

Where the book stumbles slightly is in its resolution. While the central mystery is solved, several key threads remain unresolved, making the ending feel more like a setup for a sequel than a fully satisfying conclusion. It doesn’t take away from the overall enjoyment, but it does leave lingering questions and a desire for tighter closure.

Overall, this is a funny, heartfelt, and distinctly contemporary cozy mystery with charm, romance, and a strong sense of voice. Perfect for readers who enjoy messy families, internet drama, and small-town intrigue—just be prepared to finish it wanting a second book.

Thank you to Jess Cannon and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

[Robin Loves Reading · Rating 3 out of 5]

Leo finds herself thrown headfirst into a murder investigation. Despite the seriousness of what is going on around her, Leo is glad to have been able to spend time away for her position as an English professor. The setting of a professor turned snark Reddit page runner turned investigator is what we have in Jess Cannon’s enjoyable fiction debut.

This captivating mystery, infused with a delightful sense of humor, weaves a narrative that consistently references influencer culture. The ending left some intriguing questions unanswered, suggesting that this could be the first book in a series. Nevertheless, Jess Cannon’s exceptional creativity and storytelling prowess kept me engrossed throughout the entire read.

Many thanks to Dutton and to NetGalley for this ARC for review. This is my honest opinion.

[Lexi · Rating 3 out of 5]

“A Zoom with a View” is a perplexing modern day mystery set in the small town of Blue Oak, Texas. This third-person narrative portrays the experience of towns members, primarily Leo and her best friend Emily, as they experience Fourth of July festivities and a surprise murder the next day. My feelings on this book are mixed. Some elements I did not love, such as the significance of a subreddit and the character hopping. But regardless, I was entertained and interested in the mystery-solving. I guess that’s all that really matters!

Many thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this ARC.

[Leona · Rating 3 out of 5]

Firstly, thank you to netgalley for kindly gifting me a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. A Zoom with a View is a cosy mystery book. I wanted to love this one but unfortunately it fell a little flat for me, however, it did pick up in the second half of the book. The beginning of the book I felt dragged a little with the author trying to set the scene, the family dynamics, explain the town and everyone's relationships which I felt could have been a little shorter. However, the book does have fun and quirky elements as well as the book showcasing messy family dynamics especially after grief.

The book is set in a fictionalized town called Blue Oak. Our main character Leo, can't believe she's back in her small town after failing to make it big as an English professor in New York. Blue Oak is no ordinary town and full of quirkiness. Leo has a strained relationship with her mother Karina especially after the death of her father so that makes the move even harder. With her career in shambles she returns to Blue Oak to help her godmother's real estate business by being a photographer of the homes. While at work Leo makes a haunting discovery, a dead body in one of the homes she's shooting. The dead body is the local influencer, loved by some, hated by others. Together with the cops, Leo helps to uncover the truth.

This book will be right up your street if you enjoy small town cosy mysterys. This small town is also deeply rooted in influencer culture and that element along with a subreddit page about the murdered Chaz made the book quite unique and interesting. I loved the subreddit side of things where the characters are gossiping about Chaz prior to his death and then also trying to figure out why he was murdered. The book also has a great range of diverse characters in this small town setting. There are also multiple POVs to keep the story interesting and a love triangle in the mix. I did enjoy the twists throughout, but a lot remained unsaid by the end and I didn't love the cliffhanger ending. It definitely setup for a sequel book.

Overall, an easy read with humour, romance, messy families and murder at the core.

#AZoomWithAView #NetGalley #bookblogger #bookreview #mysterybook

[Stress Reader · Rating 3 out of 5]

🎇🧡📸 A Zoom with a View ARC Review 📸🎇🧡

What happens when the town gossip page becomes evidence in a murder? What happens after the life you imagined for yourself fall apart?

⭐⭐⭐

A Zoom with a View is a witty, chaotic, small town murder mystery packed with influencer drama, messy family secrets, Reddit snark/gossip, and simmering with romantic tension.

📓 After her academia career implodes, Leo Holloway returns to her quirky Blue Oak, Texas hometown expecting embarrassment, judgement, and way too much time with people she'd rather avoid. What she doesn't expect is to find the body of a smug real estate, gym bro influencer while she's photographing a house listing — or to get dragged into a murder investigation tangled up with online snark pages, old flames, and secrets long buried in Blue Oak.

📘 I thoroughly enjoyed the beginning - a character forced to return to her small, quirky yet charming hometown that's full of zany characters. But all those characters came at a cost for me. You meet a lot of characters early on, including two who have the same name but both change their names. Maybe it was just my brain, but all of them being introduced so close together made it difficult for me to keep up with who's who and how they know one another. Additionally, the limited omniscient POV, while well done, added a layer of complexity that combined with so many characters... It kept me from being truly attached to any of the characters. I was just trying to keep up, keep everyone and their connections straight. So I couldn't really form any attachments, or follow the mystery and try to piece the clues together myself. As a character-focused reader who loves piecing mysteries together and trying to figure it out before the reveal, this made it a bit frustrating and harder to get and stay invested, engaged.

And the ending? I'm still unsure how I feel. On one hand, it sets up for a potentially exciting follow up. But as much as it made sense looking back, it also felt out of place.

I liked the book ok enough, but I'm not sold on continuing the series.

🫵🏻 A Zoom with a View is for readers who:

• love a diverse and inclusive cast, with accessible writing
• enjoy messy, lovable, small town casts
• love contemporary, cozy mysteries with humor
• enjoy sharp, modern dialogue and internet culture references
• love amateur sleuths stumbling into chaos
• enjoy family drama mixed with romance and mystery
• enjoy books with Gilmore Girls style hometown, but with 💀
• enjoy cozy mysteries that feel very online, emotionally messy, and full of snarky humor

✍🏼 The prose is breezy, conversational, accessible, and very readable. I love that it's unapologetically online and feels intentionally modern. The sharp observations, internet-era humor, and emotionally honest narration that captures the exhausted millennial experience extremely well. For me, the writing shines most in internal dialogue, awkward social interactions, family tension, comedic timing, and small town observations.

Instead of lyrical or atmospheric writing, Cannon opts for accessibility and personality - I great choice for this book, I think. It feels intimate and voice-driven, almost like listening to a clever friend recount the most chaotic month of their life.

Limited omniscient POV took me a second to adjust to, but it works well for this story.

Read if you're looking for witty, contemporary fiction, character-first mystery, and/or humor mixed with vulnerability.

🎙️ Dialogue is one of the areas this book shines. The characters all speak distinctly and their conversations carry a lot of the plot weight. Dialogue masterfully conveys: layered emotional tension, sarcasm, passive-aggressive family dynamics, flirtation, and internet-savvy humor. The banter feels natural and does a great job capturing the pace and rhythm of small town conversations. I love that dialogue reveals relationships and nuances, without lengthy exposition. The humor will probably land best with readers familiar with online culture, academic burnout, millennial awkwardness, and social media performativity.

⏳ Character-driven pacing with a mystery that unfolds steadily. The emotional layering slows the plot down, which for this type of story, I didn't love. I think me reading this expecting the focus to be almost exclusively on the mystery, maybe some thriller, did the book a disservice. If you approach it as more of a contemporary dramedy with a murder mystery, you'd enjoy it more than I did.

👥 The cast is wonderfully and organically diverse and inclusive, which I love. I love that Leo isn't perfect and makes mistakes. I especially love that she often makes emotionally immature decisions, but in believable ways. I just found I couldn't connect or have feelings about the characters.

The supporting cast adds warmth and texture, and the town almost functions as a character itself, both comforting and suffocating.

🩵 While I love that the romantic dynamics feel mature, both characters carrying baggage and emotional scars, I didn't feel or see the chemistry as much as I prefer. I love that the romance complements the book's larger themes — Leo has to decide whether she's capable of letting herself belong somewhere again, both romantically and personally.

📚 Read if you liked: Arsenic and Adobo (Mia P Manansala), A Murder Most Camp (Nicolas DiDomizio), Finlay Donovan is Killing it (Elle Cosimano), Board to Death (CJ Connor), Vera Wong's Unsolicited Advice for Murderers (Jesse Q Sutanto), Mother-Daughter Murder Night (Nina Simon), or Only Murders in the Building.

Thank you to Jess Cannon, Dutton Publishing, and @netgalley for the opportunity to read this gifted eARC. All thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.

[Jillian · Rating 1 out of 5]

I just did not like this book. This book was advertised for people who like Thursday Murder Club books, which is a series I love. But the characters in TMC are unique and endearing, while the characters in this book were annoying and dramatic. As far as mysteries go, it wasn’t very mysterious.

I received this book as an ARC from NetGalley.

[Lily · Rating 2 out of 5]

18 people were introduced / talking in the first forty pages. That's a bit much. We have over 300 pages to get into it. I would've liked it to be spread out more because it was overwhelming to start the book and feel like I was thrown into the deep end.

The limited omniscient pov is a little tough to get used to. There's a scene in the police station where, for a paragraph or two, it switches to a pov from one of the moms.

The caricature that's Quackenbush... Other than the fact that his view of Chaz is very different from everyone else's, he seems to be very high and mighty in his view of himself. What sheriff knocks on a door and says, "'I think you and I both know why I’m here. We can talk here, or down at the courthouse. But I know what you did. And you’re not getting away with it.'" I'm not familiar with the law or how law enforcement typically approaches these things. But nowhere before this statement did it say any evidence had been gathered. None at all. He didn't even visit the crime scene.

Back to the police station. Leo says she smelled Chaz's dead body yesterday and saw the pile of cloths. That would have to be a massive pile of cloths to cover his body. Plus, didn't she try to gather them up and offered to get rid of them for Emily? You'd think she would've seen something.

Karina is also a character. Your best friend was arrested, but without sufficient evidence, she can't be held or taken to trial. Calm down. (I'm guessing this was part of her cover, so I can overlook it.)

The reader assumes that Leo isn't the murderer, but how do the police believe that? Isn't she a suspect as well? Yet Jake is telling her details and setting her up as a paid consultant on the same case that she hasn't been absolved from. I understand that she has a lot of knowledge of these influencers, but how does that override her potential part in this as someone who was alone in the house the night before? He doesn't stop sharing information with her either. He tells her everything, including how Chaz was murdered. That's not realistic.

Why did Karina lie about the telegraph set being Phil's? Just tell the truth? How does a telegraph set equal potentially murdering Chaz?

The romance (?) between Jake and Leo feels so weird. It's a murder mystery. We don't need romance in every book. It just got thrown in there. The only possible link would have been Emily mentioning that Jake was attractive in the very beginning of the book.

The way Emily blew up at Leo when she told her that she told the police they moderated the subreddit was crazy. Of course the police would discover that. What's the point in lying? Especially when there may be info there that would exonerate Emily's mom. In addition to that, Macy could hack into their devices so quickly.

For all the talk about how good at her job Esquivel is, I'm shocked that she asked, "Melody, how do you know Chaz was killed?"

Of course Karina is a CIA agent. And yes, she revealed that to Leo on the sidewalk outside of Chaz's house after they apprehended Kymber. Where anyone could hear. Then Leo and Karina fight. I get that it was a shock but man. Leo overreacted. "Betrayal"? Girl, there are secrets that need to be kept from even family.

The final bit, to signal a sequel, is that Leo's dad was murdered and as long as she's in Blue Oak, she's in danger too.

I don't think I'll end up reading the next book. It was a little too dramatic at every turn to the point of being a comedic murder mystery. The in between chapters were meant to add intrigue, but I wasn't really interested in what it meant / what was going on. I found myself rolling my eyes at every outburst. Each time it happened, I remember thinking that the characters were overreacting. It just wasn't for me.

I also don't understand how the title ties into the book.

Thank you to Netgalley and Dutton for the eARC.

[Jessica Stephens · Rating 4 out of 5]

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
This cozy mystery was a page turner and a fast read that kept me guessing as I tried to figure out what was truly going on in Blue Oak, TX!

Quick Synopsis
When Leo loses her job as an English professor, she is convinced by her mom’s best friend, Kay, to move back home for the summer to capitalize on her photography skills as a photographer for Kay’s real estate business. Leo is reluctant but at least she’ll be able to spend more time with her best friend, Emily, as they work on their secret side project: as moderators of a subreddit devoted to snarky comments about the influencer they went to high school with, Chaz - who just happens to be Kay’s biggest real estate competitor.

But, when Chaz is found dead in one of Kay’s listings, and Kay is arrested for his murder, Leo puts her deep knowledge about Chaz to work to figure out who really killed him. She joins forces with local detective Jake, who got hot since Leo last saw him as a gangly teenager, to find the real killer and clear Kay’s name - all while dealing with a surprising attraction to Jake, reignited feelings for her high school ex, Mack, and her rocky relationship with her mom, Karina.

My Thoughts
I was thoroughly engaged with this story, and suffered from “just one more chapter-itis” as I tried to uncover all the secrets layered in this story. I LOVED the influencer aspect of the story, and the snarky subreddit angle - I only wish it were real, because I’d love to join! 😜 It was a unique angle to take on a murder mystery, and made Leo’s involvement in the murder investigation believable and credible.

So often with cozy mysteries, the main character has no expertise to actually help with an investigation but somehow manages to solve the mystery anyway - so, I really appreciated that Leo’s expertise in all things Chaz was the reason for her continued involvement in the investigation and the thing that helped her “crack the case” in the end. 🤓

I loved that there was more to the story than just figuring out who killed Chaz; I was very invested in uncovering Karina’s big secret 🙈 and it was a huge part of what kept me turning the pages. The author did a great job at dropping breadcrumbs throughout the story, but held off on Karina’s big reveal until the very end, although I never felt frustrated or annoyed to be in the dark. Instead, it heightened the tension between Leo and Karina, and gave the author lots of opportunities to provide clues as to what Karina was hiding. When Karina finally revealed the truth to Leo, I had basically guessed, but it still felt satisfying. 😊

There was a romance element to the story, but it didn’t overwhelm the story or take over from the murder investigation. I got the impression that the author was trying to build a case for a love triangle 🔺 between Leo, Mack and Jake however it didn’t feel like Leo was really trying to choose between Mack and Jake - more that she was surprised that they would each be interested in her. 🤨

I didn’t get the feeling that Leo was really invested in exploring a relationship with either one of them, so the end of book kiss was frankly shocking 😱 and felt a little bit like it came out of nowhere…but given the way the book ended, I’m hopeful that we’ll get more of the love triangle in the next book. 😄

Although Chaz’s murder was solved, the story did end on sort of a cliffhanger! 😧 But, now I’m invested and definitely want to read the next installment to get ALL the answers that weren’t revealed in this book!

Thank you to Dutton & NetGalley for providing this book for review consideration; all thoughts and opinions in this review are my own.

[MC · Rating 3 out of 5]

Rating: 3.25 out of 5
Series Status: First in a Series (didn’t realize it until the end of the book!)
Genre/Subgenres: (Small-town) mystery, romance (love triangle)
Point of View: 3rd person from multiple characters, the majority of which are the main protagonist Leo. Also, includes case reports, Reddit posts, etc. in addition to the narrative sections.

Leonora “Leo” was at a crossroads in her academic career and without a job on the East Coast. Her best friend Emily’s mom offers her a place to stay in their pool house and a job handling social media and real estate listing photos at her realty business in her hometown of Blue Oak, Texas, and she reluctantly agrees. The small town of Blue Oak is usually pretty quiet, but the morning after an event-filled Fourth of July, a body of one of their own is found. The death leaves everyone talking and the hunt to find his killer begins. Leo runs into her first love from high school, Mack, and agrees to have dinner to catch up. Leo also has some unexpected information that will assist in the investigation, so she helps the detective Jake, a friend’s younger brother who used to have a crush on her, as he diligently works to solve the case.

What Worked for Me:
I found Leo relatable, and I enjoyed her conversations with her best friend Emily. They had a lot more interaction in the first part of the book, but after they have a fight, even though they work it out, they don’t interact much after that, unfortunately. Besides Emily, I also liked the diversity and personalities of several of the side characters and seeing their perspectives, like Detective Esquivel and Karina (Leo’s mom).

Many years earlier, Leo and Emily had started a snarky but harmless subreddit on an influencer with whom they went to high school. The Reddit posts and case files presented the story via different media, and the variety was appreciated and added interest. It was enjoyable to see how Leo starts to see some of the people in her town differently vs. how she considered them for the subreddit.

What Didn’t Quite Work for Me: The relationship between Leo and her mom is strained, and it has been for years. As the story unfolds, the reader becomes aware of the history, but it just felt unnecessary and almost callous, given that her mom’s best friend was in the know.

This is minor, but I expected that photography would play a larger role in the plot, based on its title and cover. Leo did more zooming in on her phone than she did on

While a love triangle is implied at the end, it isn’t really explored. The kiss near the end felt off in its timing, given the events preceding it.

The confession felt too easy and neat, considering it’s stated that the killer is intelligent. Also, I didn’t realize this was the first book of a series, so the cliffhanger to the other story arc (not the main murder plot) was not only odd and abrupt, but it was unexpected since I thought this was a standalone.

Overall Thoughts:
This mystery is easy-to-read with several likable characters. I am interested to see how the story continues, although I will likely wait to read any other books until I know more about the plans for the series.


Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher Dutton, and the author for the advanced copy to read. All opinions expressed here are my own and given freely.

[Nicole Austin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you NetGalley and Dutton for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!

With sharp humor, small-town chaos, and a mystery rooted in influencer culture, “A Zoom with a View” is a cozy whodunit that delivers plenty of charm. Cannon’s debut brings the “returning-home-after-life-falls-apart” trope to Texas and gives it a contemporary spin involving Reddit threads, real estate listings, and a corpse inconveniently discovered during a photography gig.

Leo’s academic career has fizzled out, so she’s back in Blue Oak, trying to rebuild her life while dodging small-town gossip and her mother’s aerosol hair products. When Chaz who is the town’s former golden boy turned fitness influencer is found dead in a house Leo is photographing, she finds herself at the center of the investigation. The twist? She and her best friend are moderators of a snarky subreddit dedicated to roasting Chaz. Suddenly, Leo’s internet alter ego, her past relationships, and her complicated family dynamics all become potential motives or liabilities.

Cannon keeps the tone lively with multiple POVs that add texture to the mystery without overwhelming it. The third-person narration is refreshing for a cozy mystery, giving you access to several perspectives instead of being trapped inside one head. This structure also deepens the small-town vibe: everyone’s history with Chaz and with each other feels tangled, messy, and deeply believable. The cast is diverse, with meaningful queer representation that feels especially notable in a rural setting, and supporting character Macy is a standout presence.

Mixed into the mystery is a lightly chaotic love triangle, simmering with tension but never overshadowing the investigation. The romance elements add an extra layer of fun, especially as Leo tries to decide whether the charming detective is a love interest, a threat, or both. Between her misfires with family, her reliance on sarcasm and iced coffee, and her quietly sincere attempts to get her life back on track, Leo makes an easy protagonist to root for.

Where the story falters a bit is in its resolution. While the murder is solved, several key threads feel unresolved, enough that the ending reads like the setup for a sequel rather than a full closing of the case. I was left with several important questions regarding the mystery and all of its components. These lingering questions don’t undo the book’s strengths, but they may leave you craving tighter closure.

Still, Cannon’s playful voice, layered characters, and clever integration of online culture make “A Zoom with a View” a standout contemporary cozy. Even with a few loose threads, the ride is entertaining, heartfelt, and distinctly modern.

Overall, “A Zoom with a View” is a witty and engaging small-town mystery with heart, humor, and a dash of romance. It’s perfect for readers who love messy families, internet drama, and cozy mysteries with a contemporary flair. Just be prepared to reach the end wishing for a second book to tie up the rest.

[Jerica Mercado · Rating 4 out of 5]

Set in a fictional Texas town with the most delightfully colorful cast I've encountered in a while, A Zoom with a View is a lively cozy mystery that kept me puzzling and chuckling until the final big reveal. I heartily enjoyed it!

*Thank you Dutton Books for the advanced copy of the book; this review is entirely my own opinion.

The story centers around main character, Leo, who has just returned to Blue Oaks for what she hopes is just the summer. The university jobs haven't been plentiful and Leo (short for Leonora) accepts an offer from her close family friends to help them manage the photography and social media for their family-owned real estate business. But days after her return, the controversial owner of a rival real estate firm turns up dead in a soon-to-be listed home, and Leo's friend is the number one suspect.

I went into this read expecting a typical cozy mystery -- full of memorable characters, a decent mystery, and probably a romance of some sort--and while those elements were happily there, this story also had more substance than I expected. Notably, from the beginning there was a sort of Bridgerton-esque colorblind cast of characters that I found delightful. It's revealed that Blue Oaks voted early on to embrace integration, so the town was gloriously diverse, and it was long-enough established that it didn't feel like a novelty to the citizens. I loved this--both the inclusion of so many diverse characters, but also that it's briefly explained and then left to be. If not for the murder and the scheming townsfolk, I'd be signing up to move there myself!

Author Jess Cannon also incorporates an interesting thread about social media and the parasocial relationships fans form with celebrities these days. In her story Leo is brought on by the police department as a consultant for her extensive knowledge of the victim, his social circles, his background, and his businesses because she and her friends were members of a sub-Reddit dedicated to the man and his daily outrageous social media content. It makes for a great plot device, picking apart suspects and motives by analyzing their own content, while also providing an interesting commentary on the current state of social media and its inherent dangers. It was food for thought I didn't expect in my mystery and I was very pleasantly surprised.

Of course I also enjoyed the traditional elements to the story. There's a love triangle introduced that had me repeatedly switching sides as each man showed off his various charms. And the wacky characters were charming in their colorful descriptions. It was honestly a joy to spend time with them as I moved through the pages.

In all, this was a very enjoyable mystery that by the end definitely felt like it was being set up for a Book Two and I'm already eager to read it! I have some unanswered questions I'd like resolved, and a charming Texas town I'd like to return to.

[Jennie · Rating 4 out of 5]

A Zoom with a View feels like if a cozy mystery, a Hallmark movie, and a snarky subreddit had a baby together… and then someone immediately found a dead body in an open house.

Honestly? That’s a compliment.

Jess Cannon’s debut leans HARD into chaotic small-town energy, and based on reviews, that’s exactly why so I ended up loving it. You’ve got failed academia dreams, Texas gossip, messy family dynamics, old flames, influencer culture, real estate drama, Reddit detectives, and a murder victim almost everyone actively disliked. It’s a LOT — but in a fun, bingeable way.

The setup is immediately entertaining:
Leo returns to her hometown after her academic career implodes, planning to quietly regroup while working for her godmother’s real estate business. Instead, she discovers the body of local influencer/realtor menace Chaz during a house photoshoot… which becomes awkward VERY quickly when you learn she secretly moderates a snark subreddit devoted to mocking him.

And I was obsessed with the subreddit angle.

I loved how funny and modern the Reddit/influencer culture elements felt. Instead of the usual cozy mystery setup where everyone owns a bakery and solves crimes between scone recipes, this one brings in internet drama, social media personas, and “local celebrity” culture in a way that actually feels current.

Leo herself seems to be one of the stronger parts of the book. She’s sarcastic, awkward, smart, emotionally stalled, and deeply relatable to anyone who’s ever had a “my life was supposed to look VERY different by now” moment.

And the small-town setting?
Peak gossip energy.

I loved how interconnected everyone felt — old classmates, exes, parents, rival realtors, local cops, beauty salon drama, church politics… the town basically functions like one giant dysfunctional family where nobody minds their business.

That said, reviews were definitely mixed on the execution.

My BIGGEST criticism was that there are simply too many characters and POVs introduced too quickly. The first part of the book felt overwhelming because the book throws you into the deep end of Blue Oak immediately.

Another common complaint:
the ending.

While the mystery technically gets solved, but the book leaves behind enough unresolved emotional threads and cliffhanger-style reveals that it feels more like “Book One of a series” than a fully self-contained mystery.

This was a charming, contemporary cozy mystery with humor, heart, internet chaos, and strong small-town vibes — even if it occasionally tries to juggle a few too many storylines at once.

[Brea · Rating 4 out of 5]

A Zoom with a View by Jess Cannon
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (4 stars)
This book is the literary equivalent of showing up to your hometown for a “temporary reset” and immediately being handed chaos with a side of unresolved feelings. It’s warm, witty, and genuinely comforting—like a romcom wrapped inside a murder mystery that knows exactly how ridiculous life can be and leans into it with confidence.
What really works here is the writing. Cannon has a sharp, modern voice that makes even small moments entertaining. The humor comes from awkward conversations, bad timing, and people behaving exactly like people do when they’re stressed, defensive, or pretending they totally have their life together (they do not). The pacing strikes a nice balance—fast enough to stay fun, but patient enough to let emotional beats land without rushing everyone into feelings just because the plot demands it.
Leo is an easy protagonist to root for: smart, sarcastic, quietly spiraling, and trying to figure out who she is now that her Big Career Plan has face-planted. Her return to her Texas hometown is full of small-town energy—everyone knows everyone, everyone has opinions, and everyone is absolutely sure they’re right. The mystery kicks things into high gear quickly, and while the murder is the hook, the real joy is watching Leo navigate messy family dynamics, old relationships, and a town that hasn’t changed nearly as much as she hoped.
The cast is a standout. Even secondary characters feel fully formed, not just filler bodies wandering around to advance the plot. The multiple POVs add texture and humor, especially when you realize how wildly different people’s interpretations of the same events can be. No one feels cartoonish—even when they’re wrong, they’re wrong in a way that makes sense to them, which is oddly refreshing.
If I had one complaint, it’s that the ending leaves a few threads dangling just enough to make me suspicious this might be the start of a series. I wanted a little more closure in a couple of places, because the setup and characters could absolutely support it. Still, I was having such a good time that I mostly just felt greedy for more.
Overall, this is a funny, cozy, modern mystery with heart, charm, and a strong sense of voice. Come for the murder, stay for the writing, the humor, and the deeply relatable experience of trying to rebuild your life while everything around you insists on being inconvenient.
Thank you to Jess Cannon, NetGalley, and Dutton for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

[Meryl · Rating 2 out of 5]

I received an advance reader copy from Dutton, via NetGalley. Thank you to the publisher!

This one started fun, but it eventually lost its steam with its execution. I liked the idea of the snark subreddit, the content posted there was sassy and funny, and how it played into solving the murder.

In the first part of the book, Leo and Emily were very two peas in a pod and then suddenly they were sporadic in communication. I get that they had a fight while they also focused on the investigation, but Emily (and in part, her mom) felt like a big part of the first half and then suddenly they're off the pages in the second half.

I didn't get why Leo was so hung up on Mack and vice versa. It felt a bit forced, especially in the end, when almost right after the murder gets solved, they're suddenly kissing lol. Really, in front of Leo's mother and the guy Leo has been semi-flirting with recently?

Jake with his starry eyed crush wasn't any better. He was so dependent on Leo... like why. He's a grown man with a grown ass job, supposedly something he's good at, and yet he kept relying on Leo to lead the way, sometimes even dictate the pacing of the investigation? I get the forced proximity trope we're somewhat err, forcing here, but he seemed such a weak character. Leo was doing his job for him.

The female side characters seemed more interesting: Leo's mom, Esquivel, and Macy. Makes me wish this whodunnit was anchored on all the female characters instead, they had stronger characterization than the male ones. Leo, as the main character though, had the bossy, "I'm always right" energy and seemed to be deadset on steamrolling everyone, whether it's her mother, a murder suspect or her friend.

Sometimes the prose felt overwritten, overexplained, like it doesn't let the reader imagine or trust them to draw the context of what's happening. This isn't an exact quote, but things like "Character A takes a sip of her takeaway coffee. She puts down the coffee cup, then drives off. She arrives ten minutes later, parks her Toyota and walks to the bookstore."

I know this is mystery lite, but because it's written the way it is, the book overall lacked the tension to keep me engaged. It took me double the days to finish this book, when normally I'm in the three to five day range. I only speed read the last 40% in one sitting because I seriously wanted to get it over with and move on to my next book. 😅

[Brittany Barry · Rating 3 out of 5]

This one is hard to talk about because I can see *exactly* what it was trying to do. A small town full of secrets. Messy relationships. A murder. A complicated mother-daughter dynamic. A love triangle that leans chaotic. And woven throughout it all? A snarky subreddit thread that honestly ended up being one of my favorite parts of the entire book.

The ingredients were absolutely there. But for me, it never fully came together in the way I wanted it to.

The biggest disconnect was the main character. Leo spends so much of the story stuck in a kind of emotional immaturity that made it difficult for me to stay invested in her choices. And when a story relies heavily on relationship dynamics and emotional tension, that disconnect becomes impossible to ignore.

That said, I *did* like that Leo wasn’t a traditional detective. Her background in literature and research gave the mystery a slightly different angle that helped the investigation stand apart from more standard cozy mysteries. There’s also a very large cast of characters, but to the book’s credit, most of them were distinct enough that I never struggled to keep track of who was who.

The pacing, though, felt uneven. There were moments where the story was genuinely charming and engaging, especially with the “everyone knows something” small-town atmosphere, but other sections dragged long enough that the momentum started slipping away.

And then there’s the ending. No spoilers, but this is ultimately what dropped the rating for me the most. The final stretch felt incredibly rushed, and instead of landing like an intentionally open-ended conclusion, it came across more like an abrupt stop. The love triangle resolution especially had me internally screaming “NO NO NO NO” the entire time, and several important interpersonal conflicts were left hanging in ways that didn’t feel emotionally satisfying.

Honestly, the subreddit structure was one of the freshest parts of the book, and I almost wish the story had leaned harder into that modern, meta energy because those sections consistently worked for me. Overall, this is a contemporary cozy mystery with a fun premise, some clever structural choices, and moments of charm, but the emotional payoff and ending just weren’t strong enough for me to fully connect with it.

[Anne Morgan · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5/5 stars
When Leo moves back to her home town of Blue Oaks, TX for the summer, she's expecting to spend time with her best friend Emily, photographing houses for Emily's family's real estate business. She'll keep her distance as much as possible from the town she doesn't like, including her mom-their relationship works best from a distance. Leo will find a new job in her field as an English professor and get out of town as fast as possible.

It's the plan, but the plan goes off the rails almost at once. When Leo and Emily find local influencer Chaz dead in a house they show up to photograph, Leo is drawn into the investigation. Old secrets, betrayals, and rivalries are unearthed. Leo learns there's a lot more going on in her little town than she imagined. But can she discover the killer in their midst before an innocent woman is sent to prison?

I liked the concept of this book. I'm always up for a small town cozy mystery. But I had a hard time getting into this one. The characters were all hard to get to know, or/and unlikeable for me. Leo was the main character with most of the story told through her eyes, but it still felt like I was getting her from a distance. While I liked the twist with her mom, so often I found myself thinking she and Leo (and others in the book) just needed a few honest conversations and half the problems would sort themselves out. Which was just annoying to me.

The first half of the book was really slow, getting characters and their relationships established in a way I felt could have been done faster. But the second half did pick up and get a little better. Leo is an expert in the influencer world Chaz stars in, so it made sense the police would bring her in for advice. The subreddit group of Chaz snarkers was entertaining and seemed like a unique angle- I wish it had gotten more play just for the snark factor.

If there had been more of an emotional connection for me with any of the characters I think I'd have enjoyed this more but a lot of this felt forced. Even the potential romance triangle, forced with no chemistry that I could feel. Overall, a bit of a disappointment for me.

I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review

[Sylthrina · Rating 4 out of 5]

After trying - and failing - to start a career in academia, Leo moves back home for a photography job. Just for the summer, of course, there'll be other opportunities next autumn.. Right? But then the guy, she's now spent years making fun of on social media for being a wannabe influencer, gets murdered.. In the very house Leo is doing her first photography job in. As the local wannabe influencer specialist, Leo of course gets to join the investigation.. Even though her own mother really does not want her anywhere near that.

I'm going to be honest, this book is difficult to get into - you start off by meeting basically all of the characters at the same time without even really knowing the main ones and it's overwhelming. There's Leo and her best friend Emily, Emily's partner and three kids, their mothers, the wannabe influencer, his girlfriend, the ex, the random people in her old town, ... But once you know who is who, this story becomes a lot of fun.

It feels very much like a small town take on desperate housewives, especially with the way the story is told - while you mainly follow Leo, you also get literally everyone else's point of view as well. And they're all fun! Even if it's the biased old police officer who obviously gets everything wrong, he's fun to follow along because what he does makes sense to him, he's no 2-dimensional character who doesn't think, he's doing what he truly thinks is right. Even if you know he's wrong, he's not just on one side because someone has to be.. And I loved that! Feels so refreshing when even the characters you disagree with aren't just there to force a story along, they are well rounded, thought through characters.

The plot was really fun to read too - I really enjoyed how it was set up and later slowly finding out why things happened and why people thought the way they did and how everything made sense. The one thing I wasn't the biggest fan of is Karina's story. Yes, I know it potentially sets up a part 2 maybe, but.. This kind of thing isn't my favourite. Plus the ending was a little hard to believe.. Everything was set up so well and then the perpetrator goes down like that? I also didn't like the whole romance plot.

One more thing to add though is how well that small town was set up - by the end of the book, it felt like an actually real place. Especially after that step into the book and having to familiarize yourself with all the characters etc, you just get a feeling for the place and everyone is so familiar, their actions just make sense for who they are. I really enjoyed that part, it was so well done!

Overall, I had a lot of fun with this book, I really enjoyed the read and while it's currently winter here, I felt like I took a trip to the south and somehow met everyone in this little small town. While I didn't love the ending, I already went checking for more books by this author because this was just such a good time.

Thank you Dutton for providing this book for review consideration via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

[Nannette Demmler · Rating 4 out of 5]

ARC provided by Dutton Publishing via Netgalley for an honest review.

This was a fun and fast paced cozy mystery that I enjoyed reading. That said, I did have a few issues with it. Nothing that totally took away from the story, but were problematic for me. But I still enjoyed it enough that I would pick up the next in the series, or any other books that this author writes.

Leo is a great character and she makes a great detective. I enjoyed the chapters from her point of view. She is smart and loves to do research. She is also a bit of an introvert which can hold her back. I loved her relationship with her childhood friend, Emily. They had a great dynamic that I look forward to seeing more of in the next book.

As much as I enjoyed the other characters in the story, there were too many perspectives on what was going on. The narrative jumped around a bit to much from character to character and at times it was hard to know who was telling that part of the story. This was especially true towards the middle of the book as a couple of new characters were added. Fewer perspectives would have worked better for this story.

There were also a couple of subplots that didn’t quite work for me and took away from the main mystery. The estrangement between Leo and her mom felt forced and didn’t really make a lot of sense to me. The romance story lines also didn’t add anything to the story and there are some awkward scenes towards the end that just didn’t make sense.

There was a lot that did work for me though. I loved the snarky comments on the subreddit about Chaz and Kymber. That whole story line was brilliant and it brought up some issues about influencers that were interesting. The small town feel to the book was good and I loved the quirky residents of Blue Oak.

Overall, this was a solid start to a fun cozy fantasy. I certainly hope that there will be a second book as I look forward to seeing what these characters get up to next.

https://elnadesbookchat.com

[Ashley Cohoon · Rating 4 out of 5]

⭐⭐⭐✨☆ (3.5/5 stars)

This was such a fun, modern cozy mystery- with just enough chaos, drama, and small-town vibes to keep me entertained the whole way through.

A Zoom with a View follows Leo, who returns to her quirky hometown after her life in New York kind of falls apart (relatable). What starts as a fresh start quickly turns into a full-blown murder mystery when she discovers a dead body while working a real estate photography job. From there, it’s gossip, secrets, and a whole lot of small-town tension.

What I really liked about this book was how current it felt. The influencer culture, the subreddit threads, the messy online commentary, it all added such a unique twist to the classic cozy mystery setup. It made the story feel more layered and honestly more realistic in a “this is how people would actually react” kind of way.

The characters were another highlight. Leo is easy to root for, and the supporting cast brings a lot of personality. I especially liked the mix of perspectives, it kept things interesting and gave more depth to what was going on behind the scenes.

That said, the pacing was a little uneven for me. The beginning felt a bit slow while everything was being set up, but once the mystery really kicked in, I was hooked. The second half definitely carried the story.

My biggest hang-up, though, was the ending. The main mystery does get resolved (which I appreciated), but there were still quite a few loose ends that didn’t feel fully wrapped up. It gave strong “this is setting up a sequel” energy, which is fine, but I just wish it felt a little more complete on its own.

Overall, this is a light, engaging read with humor, romance, and just enough mystery to keep you guessing. If you like cozy mysteries with a modern twist and a little internet drama mixed in, this one is definitely worth picking up- just go in expecting a bit of an open-ended finish.

A big thank you to NetGalley and Dutton for an advanced. copy in exchange for an honest review.

[Devi · Rating 4 out of 5]

📱📖 Read on Kobo
📃 384 pages | ⏱️ ~4 hours
🏷️ Publisher: Dutton
📅 Release Date: May 5, 2026
✨ ARC provided by NetGalley

The concept behind A Zoom with a View is genuinely strong and exactly the kind of setup that cozy mystery readers tend to gravitate toward. A small-town bully turned influencer, a murder tied to real estate rivalries, and a found-family circle rallying together to protect one of their own makes for an engaging foundation. Once the mystery kicked in, I found myself flying through the pages and easily finishing the book in record time.

One element that didn’t quite land for me was the heavy emphasis on Leo being a photographer without that skill ever truly impacting the investigation. Given the title, I expected photography to play a more meaningful role, whether through clues, images, or perspective, but it mostly remained background detail rather than a storytelling tool. The mother’s big secret also overstayed its welcome. While I understand the intention to build suspense, by the time the reveal came (literally in the final pages), the reaction didn't fully ring true for me emotionally. The final stretch of the book dragged a bit, and the cliffhanger ending may divide readers depending on their tolerance for unresolved threads.

Still, Cannon’s voice sparkles. Her sense of humor, her pacing once the plot kicks in, and her small-town details all sing with potential. For a debut, this one is full of promise, and I’ll absolutely be keeping an eye out for what she writes next. I mean, there's a cliffhanger I need to find resolution for!

Would I recommend it?
A cozy mystery with small-town drama, witty banter, and a murder to untangle. While the pacing and some unresolved elements didn’t fully work for me, the core idea and writing style show a lot of promise. For a debut novel, this is a confident start, and I’d absolutely be interested in picking up the next book to see where the story goes.

[Jen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Oh. My. Word. Sequel, ASAP please!

Because, while this wasn’t perfect, it was an absolute page-turner, a cozy mystery with an intriguing plot and surprising depth.

Listen, maybe I’m partial. I am a Texan after all… a Texan who just happens to work Austin realtors daily. And I swear to you… I know Chaz. Stupid top-knot and all.

Truly, though, I think I’d have still loved this book even without all the hyper-polished, Insta-ready-ATX-realtor relatability (Wow. That’s a mouthful!). Because Leo is the true heart of the story, a remarkably well-developed character in a genre that often lacks depth. Cozy mysteries often sacrifice emotional richness for plot — here, you get both, and it’s impressively well-balanced.

And while there are a few kooky, small-town elements, it’s not so much that it offsets the more grounded elements. There are elements of exaggeration in Blue Oak, sure, but much of the quirk feels true to the weird Austin of yesteryears.

If I have one issue with this book, it’s the narrative writing choices. Third-person, present tense is never my favorite, and rarely the best choice. On top of that, the book has about ten different POVs, and the transitions between each aren’t always clear. It often took several paragraphs to figure out whose perspective you were in, which slowed the pacing at times. With so many narrative switches in a fast-paced story, something as simple as including the characters’ names at the top of each chapter or section would have helped immensely.

One other thing to warn you about — and maybe I should have mentioned this earlier — is that this ends on a cliffhanger. Yes, Chaz’s murder is solved. But there’s so much more going on in Blue Oak, and Leo has only begun to scratch the surface.

Totally recommended — I cannot wait for the sequel!

Thanks so much to NetGalley and Penguin Dutton for providing an advanced copy in exchange for my honest and unbiased opinion.

[Susan · Rating 4 out of 5]

A ZOOM WITH A VIEW is the first book in a fun new cozy series. It features a quirky Southern town filled with quirky Southern folks dealing with quirky Southern doin's that lead to a shocking murder. As sleuths, both professional and amateur, look into the mystery, secrets old and new are brought to glaring light. Clearly, there's more to the quaint town of Blue Oak than meets the eye.

The book has an appealing setup that leads to an entertaining story. Our heroine, Leo, is an adorkable fish-out-of-water whose bookishness has never been understood by the local folks. She's relatable and mostly likable, although her role as the co-administrator of a mean-spirited Reddit group made me like her a lot less. It just seems like a really immature and petty hobby for a serious-minded, 33-year-old academic. Other than that, I enjoyed spending time with her and her friends. I would like the two men in her love triangle to have more personality as they're both pretty bland, or better yet for there not to be a love triangle at all (I HATE those), but, alas...

As far as plot goes, the tale is pretty implausible and predictable, which is par for the course for a cozy. I definitely would have liked more twists to keep me guessing. That doesn't mean the story's not engrossing, though. It kept me turning pages, even though I was not even a little surprised by the killer's identity.

While I for sure have some issues with the novel, A ZOOM WITH A VIEW did keep me entertained. It's upbeat, funny, silly in some ways, and diverting. I enjoyed it for the most part and will for sure pick up the next book when it comes out.

If I could, I would give this book 3 1/2 stars; since I can't, I'm rounding up.

If this were a movie, it would be rated: PG-13 for language (no F-bombs), innuendo, crude humor, and violence

[Catarina Geirinhas · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank you Jess Canon, Dutton and Netgalley for the ARC!
The story follows Leo, who returns to her hometown of Blue Oak after her academic career falls apart, only to find herself caught up in a murder investigation when she discovers a body during a real estate photoshoot. Add in messy family dynamics, a complicated past and the fact that she secretly moderates a snarky subreddit about the victim, and things get chaotic very quickly.
There’s a lot this book does well. The small town feels vibrant and full of personality and I loved how influencer culture and online drama were woven into the mystery through Reddit threads and mixed media elements. It gave the story a fresh, modern edge that made it stand out. The multiple points of view also added depth and made the town feel interconnected in a really engaging way.
Leo is an easy character to root for as she tries to rebuild her life while navigating grief, strained family relationships and unexpected feelings. The side characters added warmth and diversity and the hints of romance and tension kept things interesting without completely taking over the plot.
That said, the pacing at the beginning felt slow and took a while to fully pull me in. Some of the emotional threads and relationships felt underdeveloped and I found myself wanting a bit more depth in certain areas. The mystery itself was intriguing, but the resolution felt a little too neat, while other parts of the story were left hanging.
And the ending… I wasn’t expecting a cliffhanger, and it left me more frustrated than satisfied. I can see the setup for what comes next, but I wish this book had given a bit more closure on its own.
Overall, this is an easy, entertaining read with humour, small town chaos and a unique modern twist. It didn’t completely hook me, but I’m still curious to see where the story goes next.

[Anushree · Rating 3 out of 5]

Okay. So this was a well written book and I'd recommend it to anyone who likes murder mysteries. However, what was that END????? Are we getting a sequel?
Was that why the end was drafted like a cliffhanger?
And the author mentions in the acknowledgments that she is aware which character we are rooting for in this love triangle? So....will we get a proper conclusion or....not?
I did like the diversity of the characters.There was queer representation in the book too. And that too, in a small town? Kudos. I liked that aspect. Small town which is not small in their way of thinking.

I do have a few lingering questions and that's never good for a murder mystery. How did Melody know the details of the murder? That was never answered. Karina never got to know why was Leo so important to the police investigation. I also found two slight typos - one where it is typed as "murders Chaz's" instead of "murders Chaz" another where a space between two words is missing. I hope the author rectifies the above before the book is finally available to buy and read for all.

I liked Macy as the best supporting character. And I wish we had met Beth on the pages instead of her only being discussed and talked about. I did like the third person narration. It was a refreshing change from all the first person POVs that we have in many books now. Also, Leo did not narrate every chapter. We got snapshots from every important character and that added to the mystery element. The subreddit thread was super interesting to read about.

I did want a concrete end....the murder was solved but I still felt bereft??
Like....all the ends were not tied neatly.


Thank you to NetGalley and Dutton Publications for approving my ARC request.