What do you think?
Rate this book
Don’t Cross Mo Ellery
Not yet published
Expected 11 Aug 26A laugh-out-loud mystery following the indomitable hot mess Mo Ellery, whose job as a school crossing guard pulls her into an unhinged murder investigation.
Mo Ellery’s 29th birthday is a disaster. After one small accident—the exposure of her boyfriend’s genitals (well, maybe not that small) on a work video call—she manages to get fired, dumped, and kicked out of their overpriced Chicago apartment. Luckily, a sign appears to guide Mo to her new “Looking for flexible part-time work? Become a school crossing guard!” It’s everything Mo has been looking health insurance. How hard can it be?
A few weeks later, Mo is adjusting to her new low-paying job, her bisexual reawakening, and her new neighborhood’s wacky characters. There’s Claudia, an old woman who refuses to let Mo help her cross the street, and Marlowe, a tween cell phone prodigy whose antics terrify her. But Mo’s greatest nemesis is Poodle Dude, a guy with an SUV full of poodles who speeds through her intersection each morning. . . until the day he speeds into a sinkhole. Mo tries and fails to shield innocent eyes from his bloody corpse, but succeeds in accidentally becoming the guardian to his three poodles.
And that’s not the worst of some of the locals are convinced that Poodle Dude was murdered. Their allegations are obviously ridiculous, but Mo, desperate for distractions—and for several hot neighbor-suspects—reluctantly agrees to help. But Mo the detective is just as chaotic as Mo the underemployed adult, and the three entitled poodles are not helping. When a second local dies under mysterious circumstances, it’s going to take all of Mo’s broadly applicable and transferrable skills to find the killer.
Murderers beware. . . DON'T CROSS MO ELLERY!
Mo Ellery’s 29th birthday is a disaster. After one small accident—the exposure of her boyfriend’s genitals (well, maybe not that small) on a work video call—she manages to get fired, dumped, and kicked out of their overpriced Chicago apartment. Luckily, a sign appears to guide Mo to her new “Looking for flexible part-time work? Become a school crossing guard!” It’s everything Mo has been looking health insurance. How hard can it be?
A few weeks later, Mo is adjusting to her new low-paying job, her bisexual reawakening, and her new neighborhood’s wacky characters. There’s Claudia, an old woman who refuses to let Mo help her cross the street, and Marlowe, a tween cell phone prodigy whose antics terrify her. But Mo’s greatest nemesis is Poodle Dude, a guy with an SUV full of poodles who speeds through her intersection each morning. . . until the day he speeds into a sinkhole. Mo tries and fails to shield innocent eyes from his bloody corpse, but succeeds in accidentally becoming the guardian to his three poodles.
And that’s not the worst of some of the locals are convinced that Poodle Dude was murdered. Their allegations are obviously ridiculous, but Mo, desperate for distractions—and for several hot neighbor-suspects—reluctantly agrees to help. But Mo the detective is just as chaotic as Mo the underemployed adult, and the three entitled poodles are not helping. When a second local dies under mysterious circumstances, it’s going to take all of Mo’s broadly applicable and transferrable skills to find the killer.
Murderers beware. . . DON'T CROSS MO ELLERY!
336 pages, Paperback
Expected publication August 11, 2026
About the author
Birdie Horne
1 book42 followersBirdie Horne is the combined pen name of former enemies Eden Robins and MW Garguilo. Over the years, they have been love rivals, co-godmothers, and neighbors across an alley in Chicago. Separately, they have published over twenty books, and together they have a resume full of the kinds of jobs that genuinely worry their parents. DON'T CROSS MO ELLERY is their first outing as Birdie Horne.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 51 reviews
June 21, 2026
Mo, our FMC, is having a pretty horrible day when this book starts.
It’s her 29th birthday, and all in the same afternoon she is fired from her job, dumped by her boyfriend of 10 years, and forced to find a new place to live as the condo that she’d been living in belongs to her now ex.
She’s also dealing with the embarrassment of some very unintentional nudity on a work Zoom meeting.
With her savings dwindling, Mo has to find a new job and soon.
She notices a sign hiring school crossing guards, and most importantly, it provides health insurance, which she needs as she has illness anxiety disorder (hypochondria) and frequently visits an urgent care clinic.
She ends up forming an unlikely camaraderie with an entitled tween and older neighbor, both of whom initially came across as very unlikable characters.
I was also intrigued when I read that there was a character called Poodle Dude and kind of chuckled because I wouldn’t be shocked if someone gave me the same nickname.
I love all dogs, but poodles have a very special place in my heart.
Although in this book, Poodle Dude is a major jerk to nearly everyone he encounters and regularly drives his SUV through a school zone like a bat out of hell with three poodles in tote.
(For my dog lovers out there, don’t worry, no animals were harmed).
What really made this book interesting to me is that I wouldn’t put it into a specific genre or category.
It felt like a hybrid of murder mystery, humor and romance.
There were several parts that made me laugh out loud, and towards the end it gives you a suspenseful scene that a lot of us who frequently read thrillers are so used to.
Overall, this was a far-fetched but fun weekend read for me, and it will definitely make you look at Botox in a different manner!
Thanks to William Morrow and NetGalley for providing me with an eARC to review!
It’s her 29th birthday, and all in the same afternoon she is fired from her job, dumped by her boyfriend of 10 years, and forced to find a new place to live as the condo that she’d been living in belongs to her now ex.
She’s also dealing with the embarrassment of some very unintentional nudity on a work Zoom meeting.
With her savings dwindling, Mo has to find a new job and soon.
She notices a sign hiring school crossing guards, and most importantly, it provides health insurance, which she needs as she has illness anxiety disorder (hypochondria) and frequently visits an urgent care clinic.
She ends up forming an unlikely camaraderie with an entitled tween and older neighbor, both of whom initially came across as very unlikable characters.
I was also intrigued when I read that there was a character called Poodle Dude and kind of chuckled because I wouldn’t be shocked if someone gave me the same nickname.
I love all dogs, but poodles have a very special place in my heart.
Although in this book, Poodle Dude is a major jerk to nearly everyone he encounters and regularly drives his SUV through a school zone like a bat out of hell with three poodles in tote.
(For my dog lovers out there, don’t worry, no animals were harmed).
What really made this book interesting to me is that I wouldn’t put it into a specific genre or category.
It felt like a hybrid of murder mystery, humor and romance.
There were several parts that made me laugh out loud, and towards the end it gives you a suspenseful scene that a lot of us who frequently read thrillers are so used to.
Overall, this was a far-fetched but fun weekend read for me, and it will definitely make you look at Botox in a different manner!
Thanks to William Morrow and NetGalley for providing me with an eARC to review!
March 15, 2026
Review of advance digital copy received from Netgalley
Don’t Cross Mo Ellery by Birdie Horne (combined pen name of Eden Robins and MW Garguilo) is a fine, palette-cleansing, not at all serious rom com.
The start of this book is a sex, getting fired, and breakup scene that GAVE ME WHIPLASH. I could totally see early 2000s Kate Hudson being the forefront actress.
I had a really hard time with this one. It’s breezily written but MY GOD the level of secondhand embarrassment I got from this made me have to put it down often.
It was fine. I will not remember characters or plot points past this past next week. If you need a palette cleanser after a hard hitter, then sure, give this a go.
I’m more interested on how Eden Robins and MW Garguilo went from former enemies to co-authors. Next book idea?
Don’t Cross Mo Ellery by Birdie Horne (combined pen name of Eden Robins and MW Garguilo) is a fine, palette-cleansing, not at all serious rom com.
The start of this book is a sex, getting fired, and breakup scene that GAVE ME WHIPLASH. I could totally see early 2000s Kate Hudson being the forefront actress.
I had a really hard time with this one. It’s breezily written but MY GOD the level of secondhand embarrassment I got from this made me have to put it down often.
It was fine. I will not remember characters or plot points past this past next week. If you need a palette cleanser after a hard hitter, then sure, give this a go.
I’m more interested on how Eden Robins and MW Garguilo went from former enemies to co-authors. Next book idea?
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
"Don’t Cross Mo Ellery" by Birdie Horne is a chaotic cozy mystery, just like its heroine. Birdie Horne is the pseudonym of two authors, Eden Robins and Mary Winn Heider, and this is their first novel together. And a successful endeavor it is!
Told in the first-person POV, the book follows Mo Ellery, a 29-year-old bisexual hypochondriac woman who finds herself in the thick of a murder mystery. Her 29th birthday starts on the wrong foot when a Zoom work meeting goes awry due to a small accident involving indecent exposure. As a result, she gets fired, dumped by her boyfriend, and kicked out of their Chicago apartment, all on the same day. She finds a low-paying job as a crossing guard and moves into a small flat in a less posh neighborhood. However, her troubles are far from over. The neighbors are less than welcoming, the kids disregard her orders to wait for her signal to cross, and her bestie is distant.
Among the colorful locals are Claudia, a wacky old woman; Marlowe, a tween prodigy; and Poodle Dude, a man with an SUV full of poodles who speeds through her intersection each morning. The plot thickens when Poodle Dude dies after speeding into a sinkhole. Claudia believes he was murdered and drags Mo into investigating it. Soon, Mo finds herself the guardian of three poodles and in the role of an amateur sleuth. When another local dies under mysterious circumstances, Mo needs to step on it. With the help of Marlowe, her sidekick - or is it the other way around? - they try to find a murderer. What follows is a series of shenanigans, chaos, and mayhem.
I enjoyed the book very much. Mo isn't your standard heroine. You'll either like her or hate her, and I liked her. Yes, she is a mess, selfish at times, and has issues, but that made her feel human and authentic. She grows and develops throughout the tale, and I couldn't help but root for her. She doesn't always act wisely, that's true, and more than once I wanted to shout at her to reconsider her actions. But then, we all make the wrong choices at times.
What made the book work for me was the humor. Much of it comes from Mo herself, whose chaotic decision-making repeatedly lands her in awkward situations. The investigation is just as messy as its heroine, which fits the tone of the story perfectly. I also enjoyed the interactions between the characters and watching Mo become more aware of her flaws and more independent as the story progresses. And I loved the dogs and their antics!
The mystery is a light but fun one. There is a light romance subplot, which doesn't overshadow the plot. The pace was just right, and the tone strikes a nice balance between lighthearted and tense moments. Even though two authors wrote the tale, the seam is invisible, and the writing is smooth.
Overall, it was an enjoyable read, a palate cleanser if you please. Despite enjoying the book very much, there were a few things that kept it from being a five-star read. The opening scene made me somewhat uncomfortable, and I found the motive behind the murders a bit far-fetched. That said, I really enjoyed it and would recommend it to those looking for a light and fun read. I would love to read more books featuring this heroine.
* Thank you NetGalley and (publisher) for the opportunity to read this arc. All opinions are my own.
* Review on my blog: https://galibookish.blogspot.com/2026...
Told in the first-person POV, the book follows Mo Ellery, a 29-year-old bisexual hypochondriac woman who finds herself in the thick of a murder mystery. Her 29th birthday starts on the wrong foot when a Zoom work meeting goes awry due to a small accident involving indecent exposure. As a result, she gets fired, dumped by her boyfriend, and kicked out of their Chicago apartment, all on the same day. She finds a low-paying job as a crossing guard and moves into a small flat in a less posh neighborhood. However, her troubles are far from over. The neighbors are less than welcoming, the kids disregard her orders to wait for her signal to cross, and her bestie is distant.
Among the colorful locals are Claudia, a wacky old woman; Marlowe, a tween prodigy; and Poodle Dude, a man with an SUV full of poodles who speeds through her intersection each morning. The plot thickens when Poodle Dude dies after speeding into a sinkhole. Claudia believes he was murdered and drags Mo into investigating it. Soon, Mo finds herself the guardian of three poodles and in the role of an amateur sleuth. When another local dies under mysterious circumstances, Mo needs to step on it. With the help of Marlowe, her sidekick - or is it the other way around? - they try to find a murderer. What follows is a series of shenanigans, chaos, and mayhem.
I enjoyed the book very much. Mo isn't your standard heroine. You'll either like her or hate her, and I liked her. Yes, she is a mess, selfish at times, and has issues, but that made her feel human and authentic. She grows and develops throughout the tale, and I couldn't help but root for her. She doesn't always act wisely, that's true, and more than once I wanted to shout at her to reconsider her actions. But then, we all make the wrong choices at times.
What made the book work for me was the humor. Much of it comes from Mo herself, whose chaotic decision-making repeatedly lands her in awkward situations. The investigation is just as messy as its heroine, which fits the tone of the story perfectly. I also enjoyed the interactions between the characters and watching Mo become more aware of her flaws and more independent as the story progresses. And I loved the dogs and their antics!
The mystery is a light but fun one. There is a light romance subplot, which doesn't overshadow the plot. The pace was just right, and the tone strikes a nice balance between lighthearted and tense moments. Even though two authors wrote the tale, the seam is invisible, and the writing is smooth.
Overall, it was an enjoyable read, a palate cleanser if you please. Despite enjoying the book very much, there were a few things that kept it from being a five-star read. The opening scene made me somewhat uncomfortable, and I found the motive behind the murders a bit far-fetched. That said, I really enjoyed it and would recommend it to those looking for a light and fun read. I would love to read more books featuring this heroine.
* Thank you NetGalley and (publisher) for the opportunity to read this arc. All opinions are my own.
* Review on my blog: https://galibookish.blogspot.com/2026...
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Thank you to NetGalley and to William Morrow for the ARC of Don't Cross Mo Ellery by Birdie Horne.
I started off laughing out loud in the first chapter, and found numerous other times throughout the story that had me chuckling or smiling -- the two authors dueling to write a story to make people laugh as their Birdie Horne persona definitely achieved exactly what they were going for. Mo Ellery is a hot mess of hilarity.
Losing her job, being broken up with by her boyfriend of a decade, and moving into a tiny apartment on the outskirts of Chicago to work as a part time crossing guard (with health insurance!) has made it quite the month in Mo Ellery's life. She's perservering in her own way, with pockets of snack pepperoni and loads of hypochondriac trips to urgent care, but when a man who always recklessly blows through her crosswalk speeds through right into a sinkhole and dies, Mo finds herself seeking out if murder played a hand. Along the way she makes friends with a dog walker who looks like Link from Zelda, a nosy neighbor with the largest collection of large sun hats, a tween hacker, a dedicated public servant, and the victim's brother who is more than accurately described at one point as a "chaos hostage". Oh, and she's doing all of this detecting while carting around the victim's 3 show poodles.
Overall, it was an enjoyable read - it's light, it doesn't take itself seriously, with intent, and it's just a solid romp of a read.
For me, where I struggled was that, while Mo made me laugh, she isn't a likeable person. The situations she gets herself into are funny, but she's such a selfish mess who doesn't seem to have any intent on changing and that was just frustrating. When I finished I wasn't sure I would want to read another story with her as the lead because of her personality, and it seems like while a plot will push her forward to action, she's never going to take any action on herself.
My other struggle was one mention that happens in the book that I think maybe confused the whole mystery for me but I will write about that solely in the NetGalley publisher notes. Overall I think the mystery made sense and had some fun layers to it to keep the readers guessing.
I started off laughing out loud in the first chapter, and found numerous other times throughout the story that had me chuckling or smiling -- the two authors dueling to write a story to make people laugh as their Birdie Horne persona definitely achieved exactly what they were going for. Mo Ellery is a hot mess of hilarity.
Losing her job, being broken up with by her boyfriend of a decade, and moving into a tiny apartment on the outskirts of Chicago to work as a part time crossing guard (with health insurance!) has made it quite the month in Mo Ellery's life. She's perservering in her own way, with pockets of snack pepperoni and loads of hypochondriac trips to urgent care, but when a man who always recklessly blows through her crosswalk speeds through right into a sinkhole and dies, Mo finds herself seeking out if murder played a hand. Along the way she makes friends with a dog walker who looks like Link from Zelda, a nosy neighbor with the largest collection of large sun hats, a tween hacker, a dedicated public servant, and the victim's brother who is more than accurately described at one point as a "chaos hostage". Oh, and she's doing all of this detecting while carting around the victim's 3 show poodles.
Overall, it was an enjoyable read - it's light, it doesn't take itself seriously, with intent, and it's just a solid romp of a read.
For me, where I struggled was that, while Mo made me laugh, she isn't a likeable person. The situations she gets herself into are funny, but she's such a selfish mess who doesn't seem to have any intent on changing and that was just frustrating. When I finished I wasn't sure I would want to read another story with her as the lead because of her personality, and it seems like while a plot will push her forward to action, she's never going to take any action on herself.
My other struggle was one mention that happens in the book that I think maybe confused the whole mystery for me but I will write about that solely in the NetGalley publisher notes. Overall I think the mystery made sense and had some fun layers to it to keep the readers guessing.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
This teeters around the 3.5 range but screw it, I'll go with a four. It was a fun read and one of the few books I read over the course of just 24 hours. You can tell the author duo had a great time writing this, from the "yes, and" style plotting to characters who are both a bit much and all too real at the same time. Marlowe is the highlight of a wonderful cast that really doesn't have too many weak links. I'm excited to go back and reread her and Tasha's introductions for a lesson in how to make characters so darn likable. The formatting and humor won't be for everyone I think, but it absolutely works once you let yourself take a backseat in Mo's head and just watch her wind-up toy herself around the outskirts of Chicago.
Mo is a whirlwind and it's nice to see a detective story with someone who just has no idea what she's doing. But she's figuring it out and that's the point. She chases down leads, walks into dangerous situations with unearned confidence, and throws accusations around with ease. The mystery itself isn't too complex (complimentary), but I will fully admit I gasped when a reveal happened.
Excellent pacing is the star of the show here. I don't think I've read a "self discovery" type of character arc that zips quite like this. Mo's motivations and feelings are stated clearly and no scene feels like its dragging on as she doomspirals and shushes her way through conversations. Having three large dogs dragging her around does wonders for keeping things moving.
The book gets off to a rough start I maybe wasn't ready for and there were initial worries that the book was going to be a little too "random lolz" for me to enjoy, but things thankfully settle into a nice rhythm. I'm glad I persevered through what was mostly a prologue and now I'm hoping there's a sequel in the future!
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this advanced copy, I really enjoyed it.
Mo is a whirlwind and it's nice to see a detective story with someone who just has no idea what she's doing. But she's figuring it out and that's the point. She chases down leads, walks into dangerous situations with unearned confidence, and throws accusations around with ease. The mystery itself isn't too complex (complimentary), but I will fully admit I gasped when a reveal happened.
Excellent pacing is the star of the show here. I don't think I've read a "self discovery" type of character arc that zips quite like this. Mo's motivations and feelings are stated clearly and no scene feels like its dragging on as she doomspirals and shushes her way through conversations. Having three large dogs dragging her around does wonders for keeping things moving.
The book gets off to a rough start I maybe wasn't ready for and there were initial worries that the book was going to be a little too "random lolz" for me to enjoy, but things thankfully settle into a nice rhythm. I'm glad I persevered through what was mostly a prologue and now I'm hoping there's a sequel in the future!
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this advanced copy, I really enjoyed it.
Review of advance copy received from Goodreads Giveaways
This book was chaotic fun. The first chapter had me laughing out loud, even as I registered that it was all a bit improbable.
Mo Ellery is one of those characters that you either find hysterical or annoying - I landed somewhere in between. She is dumped on her 29th birthday after also losing her job minutes before, for exposing her naked soon to be ex over zoom. Her best friend Hannah can't take her in, as she is part of a tricky polycule, and moving back in with her parents is too much of a step back. So, with considerable encouragement from Hannah, Mo gets a job as an elementary school crossing guard and finds a tiny studio apartment nearby.
Mo is the personification of weaponized incompetence, she falls to pieces every few minutes, virtually has a punch card at the local urgent care, and is always hyperventilating. Mo is a lot, to say the least.
She's the type of person that when she sees a car in a sinkhole, instead of calling 911, she approaches with one of the school children she's supposed to be ushering across the street. She then somehow ends up with the dead driver's 3 show poodles, taking them to her one room apartment in a building that doesn't allow pets. A fully functioning adult would not have left the scene with the dogs in the first place, let alone taken them home.
The madness goes from there, with Mo anxiously letting a loud neighborhood regular Claudia, and Marlowe the truant, force her into several ridiculous situations. At no point does Mo do anything to take control of her life, content to spiral and be told what to do by other people. And while she spins endless wild theories about what is going on, she eventually actually does figure things out, but not because she was rational or in control of any moment in her life since her birthday.
You might find yourself wanting to tell Mo to grow up already but there is never a dull moment as you read along with the hijinks.
Mo Ellery is one of those characters that you either find hysterical or annoying - I landed somewhere in between. She is dumped on her 29th birthday after also losing her job minutes before, for exposing her naked soon to be ex over zoom. Her best friend Hannah can't take her in, as she is part of a tricky polycule, and moving back in with her parents is too much of a step back. So, with considerable encouragement from Hannah, Mo gets a job as an elementary school crossing guard and finds a tiny studio apartment nearby.
Mo is the personification of weaponized incompetence, she falls to pieces every few minutes, virtually has a punch card at the local urgent care, and is always hyperventilating. Mo is a lot, to say the least.
She's the type of person that when she sees a car in a sinkhole, instead of calling 911, she approaches with one of the school children she's supposed to be ushering across the street. She then somehow ends up with the dead driver's 3 show poodles, taking them to her one room apartment in a building that doesn't allow pets. A fully functioning adult would not have left the scene with the dogs in the first place, let alone taken them home.
The madness goes from there, with Mo anxiously letting a loud neighborhood regular Claudia, and Marlowe the truant, force her into several ridiculous situations. At no point does Mo do anything to take control of her life, content to spiral and be told what to do by other people. And while she spins endless wild theories about what is going on, she eventually actually does figure things out, but not because she was rational or in control of any moment in her life since her birthday.
You might find yourself wanting to tell Mo to grow up already but there is never a dull moment as you read along with the hijinks.
July 7, 2026
Thank you to Netgalley for the advanced copy of the book.
I started this book and was immediately laughing in chapter one. The connection to the main character was instant, and by chapter three, I was already thinking of friends I wanted to recommend it to. Early on, I was a little worried the story would fall into a cliché, miserable "nobody loves me" rut, but the comedy and a few great secondary characters kept it from getting too depressing. It also yielded one of the funniest lines in the book: “They are my MAGA aunt’s worst nightmare (again, compliment).”
That said, the plot goes completely off the rails about twenty percent in. The main character, Mo, is late for work when her crossing guard nemesis suddenly crashes into a pothole-turned-sinkhole and dies. It totally threw me, but even though the storyline is completely bananas, it kept me hooked.
As the book went on, the main character started to test my patience. She is the type of friend who needs constant reassurance, the kind you love but occasionally want to tell to shut up. She clearly only talks to her best friend, Hannah, when she needs something, though Hannah isn't exactly the greatest bestie either. Her making frustrating life choices, like hanging up on a guy offering her a real job when she desperately needs one, definitely made me roll my eyes.
Fortunately, the book is genuinely, audibly funny, which redeemed a lot of the frustration. Every time I worried it was taking itself too seriously, a hilarious reveal stage would pull me back in.
Ultimately, this started incredibly strong but got a bit more annoying as it went. It isn't deep literature, but it is a quick, silly, lighthearted read. If you are looking for something light that will make you laugh out loud at the sheer absurdity of the plot, it is a fun ride.
I started this book and was immediately laughing in chapter one. The connection to the main character was instant, and by chapter three, I was already thinking of friends I wanted to recommend it to. Early on, I was a little worried the story would fall into a cliché, miserable "nobody loves me" rut, but the comedy and a few great secondary characters kept it from getting too depressing. It also yielded one of the funniest lines in the book: “They are my MAGA aunt’s worst nightmare (again, compliment).”
That said, the plot goes completely off the rails about twenty percent in. The main character, Mo, is late for work when her crossing guard nemesis suddenly crashes into a pothole-turned-sinkhole and dies. It totally threw me, but even though the storyline is completely bananas, it kept me hooked.
As the book went on, the main character started to test my patience. She is the type of friend who needs constant reassurance, the kind you love but occasionally want to tell to shut up. She clearly only talks to her best friend, Hannah, when she needs something, though Hannah isn't exactly the greatest bestie either. Her making frustrating life choices, like hanging up on a guy offering her a real job when she desperately needs one, definitely made me roll my eyes.
Fortunately, the book is genuinely, audibly funny, which redeemed a lot of the frustration. Every time I worried it was taking itself too seriously, a hilarious reveal stage would pull me back in.
Ultimately, this started incredibly strong but got a bit more annoying as it went. It isn't deep literature, but it is a quick, silly, lighthearted read. If you are looking for something light that will make you laugh out loud at the sheer absurdity of the plot, it is a fun ride.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
I ended up doing a hybrid read with the physical book and audiobook, and I think the audiobook was my favorite way to experience this one.
Don't Cross Mo Ellery is quirky, chaotic, and doesn't take itself too seriously. Mo loses her job, her boyfriend, and her apartment in one spectacularly bad day, only to end up working as a school crossing guard and somehow getting pulled into a murder investigation... with three poodles along for the ride. If that sounds completely unhinged, that's because it is.
What kept me reading was the humor and the cast of characters. There were several moments that genuinely made me laugh, and I never knew what kind of situation Mo was going to find herself in next. The neighborhood had so much personality, and the poodles were a fun addition to all the chaos.
Mo herself was a little hit or miss for me. There were times when her constant overthinking and questionable decisions became a bit much, and I found myself wishing the mystery took center stage a little more. I enjoyed trying to figure out what was going on, but the characters were definitely the highlight.
Cia Court did a fantastic job narrating the audiobook. She captured Mo's personality so well and gave each character their own distinct voice, making an already entertaining story even more fun to listen to.
Overall, this was a fun, lighthearted mystery that made for a great palate cleanser. If you enjoy cozy mysteries with plenty of humor, eccentric characters, and a healthy dose of chaos, this one is worth checking out.
Thank you to William Morrow, Harper Audio, and NetGalley for the advance copies. All thoughts are my own.
3.5 rounded to 4
Don't Cross Mo Ellery is quirky, chaotic, and doesn't take itself too seriously. Mo loses her job, her boyfriend, and her apartment in one spectacularly bad day, only to end up working as a school crossing guard and somehow getting pulled into a murder investigation... with three poodles along for the ride. If that sounds completely unhinged, that's because it is.
What kept me reading was the humor and the cast of characters. There were several moments that genuinely made me laugh, and I never knew what kind of situation Mo was going to find herself in next. The neighborhood had so much personality, and the poodles were a fun addition to all the chaos.
Mo herself was a little hit or miss for me. There were times when her constant overthinking and questionable decisions became a bit much, and I found myself wishing the mystery took center stage a little more. I enjoyed trying to figure out what was going on, but the characters were definitely the highlight.
Cia Court did a fantastic job narrating the audiobook. She captured Mo's personality so well and gave each character their own distinct voice, making an already entertaining story even more fun to listen to.
Overall, this was a fun, lighthearted mystery that made for a great palate cleanser. If you enjoy cozy mysteries with plenty of humor, eccentric characters, and a healthy dose of chaos, this one is worth checking out.
Thank you to William Morrow, Harper Audio, and NetGalley for the advance copies. All thoughts are my own.
3.5 rounded to 4
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
“There’s a lesson in here somewhere for me. Not that I like getting my life lessons from murderers.”
This is a fun one, y’all.
Mo Ellery’s life implodes on her 29th birthday. She finds herself jobless, boyfriend-less, and apartment-less all on the same day, as everything goes south for her in a laugh-out-loud-funny sequence of events. (Not that I like to laugh at others’ misfortune but it is all quite comical.)
Fast forward and now Mo is living in a studio apartment, serving as a crossing guard—she’s a bit of a Google-assisted hypochondriac and needs those health benefits—and facing off against her speeding, poodle-dad nemesis every morning. Well, she’s facing off against him, that is, until he ends up dead, back wheels up in the massive sinkhole in front of his stalled parking garage development right next to her crossing guard corner.
Soon she finds herself holding the reins of three show poodles and inveigled into investigating a possible murder—neither of which she is entirely equipped to handle.
It’s a comedic, late coming-of-age tale, centered around the amateur detective antics of Mo and an increasingly kooky cast of characters, in which the chaotic bisexual FMC flails about as she seeks answers, stability, and love (or at least some more hookups) before she turns 30.
It is so much fun and is bound to make you grin, chuckle, and maybe even laugh out loud.
I received an advance copy of the book from William Morrow. All review opinions are my own. #MorrowPartner
This is a fun one, y’all.
Mo Ellery’s life implodes on her 29th birthday. She finds herself jobless, boyfriend-less, and apartment-less all on the same day, as everything goes south for her in a laugh-out-loud-funny sequence of events. (Not that I like to laugh at others’ misfortune but it is all quite comical.)
Fast forward and now Mo is living in a studio apartment, serving as a crossing guard—she’s a bit of a Google-assisted hypochondriac and needs those health benefits—and facing off against her speeding, poodle-dad nemesis every morning. Well, she’s facing off against him, that is, until he ends up dead, back wheels up in the massive sinkhole in front of his stalled parking garage development right next to her crossing guard corner.
Soon she finds herself holding the reins of three show poodles and inveigled into investigating a possible murder—neither of which she is entirely equipped to handle.
It’s a comedic, late coming-of-age tale, centered around the amateur detective antics of Mo and an increasingly kooky cast of characters, in which the chaotic bisexual FMC flails about as she seeks answers, stability, and love (or at least some more hookups) before she turns 30.
It is so much fun and is bound to make you grin, chuckle, and maybe even laugh out loud.
I received an advance copy of the book from William Morrow. All review opinions are my own. #MorrowPartner
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Thank you to Birdie Horne and William Morrow for this copy in exchange for an honest review.
Don’t Cross Mo Ellory by Birdie Horne follows Mo, a 29 year old who moves back in with her parents after being dumped and struggling to figure out what to do with her life. She ends up taking a crossing guard job through her friend Hannah, but things take a strange turn when a man walking three poodles suddenly falls into a sinkhole and dies right in front of her. What first appears to be a bizarre accident slowly turns into a possible murder when people around Mo begin raising questions. Before long she finds herself pulled into an investigation she never expected to be part of.
A big part of the story is Mo’s reliance on the people around her as she tries to get her life together. She leans heavily on friends and family for support, guidance, and sometimes validation while she struggles to stand on her own. At first I honestly did not love Mo as a main character because she came across as a bit oblivious and immature in certain situations. However, as the suspects changed and she was forced to confront more difficult situations, she slowly started to grow on me.
Where this book really shined for me was in its side characters. The people around Mo added a lot of personality and humor to this story. Characters like Claudia, Benny, and Marlowe brought energy to the investigation and made the mystery feel more dynamic. This funny late coming of age story made the overall reading experience very enjoyable.
Don’t Cross Mo Ellory by Birdie Horne follows Mo, a 29 year old who moves back in with her parents after being dumped and struggling to figure out what to do with her life. She ends up taking a crossing guard job through her friend Hannah, but things take a strange turn when a man walking three poodles suddenly falls into a sinkhole and dies right in front of her. What first appears to be a bizarre accident slowly turns into a possible murder when people around Mo begin raising questions. Before long she finds herself pulled into an investigation she never expected to be part of.
A big part of the story is Mo’s reliance on the people around her as she tries to get her life together. She leans heavily on friends and family for support, guidance, and sometimes validation while she struggles to stand on her own. At first I honestly did not love Mo as a main character because she came across as a bit oblivious and immature in certain situations. However, as the suspects changed and she was forced to confront more difficult situations, she slowly started to grow on me.
Where this book really shined for me was in its side characters. The people around Mo added a lot of personality and humor to this story. Characters like Claudia, Benny, and Marlowe brought energy to the investigation and made the mystery feel more dynamic. This funny late coming of age story made the overall reading experience very enjoyable.
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
Don’t Cross Mo Ellery was such a fun and enjoyable read. I went in blind, not knowing what to expect and came out the other side thoroughly entertained.
After losing her job and her boyfriend in the same day….which happened to be her 29th birthday…Mo Ellery takes a job as a crossing guard where she encounters an eclectic cast of characters each day. One day, one of those characters dies right before her eyes. Together with an older neighbor and a local tween, Mo investigates the mysterious death and the three soon find themselves in hot water.
Witty, scandalous, fun, delightful, chaotic, witty, playful, spicy and at times even charming, this book is a quick and easy read that left me feeling refreshed. It has a little bit of everything: cozy mystery, thriller, romance and humor.
I both read and listened to this one. Narrator Cia Court brought so much to the audio production. Her portrayal of the different characters gave them their own unique personalities and with just the right emotions behind the words it was so easy to connect with the characters and story. I was so engrossed in the book that I was annoyed any time I was forced to pause it!
Thank you to William Morrow for the gifted copy of this book and to Harper Audio for the audiobook. They were each such a delight. Whether you are a reader or a listener, you cannot go wrong with either option.
After losing her job and her boyfriend in the same day….which happened to be her 29th birthday…Mo Ellery takes a job as a crossing guard where she encounters an eclectic cast of characters each day. One day, one of those characters dies right before her eyes. Together with an older neighbor and a local tween, Mo investigates the mysterious death and the three soon find themselves in hot water.
Witty, scandalous, fun, delightful, chaotic, witty, playful, spicy and at times even charming, this book is a quick and easy read that left me feeling refreshed. It has a little bit of everything: cozy mystery, thriller, romance and humor.
I both read and listened to this one. Narrator Cia Court brought so much to the audio production. Her portrayal of the different characters gave them their own unique personalities and with just the right emotions behind the words it was so easy to connect with the characters and story. I was so engrossed in the book that I was annoyed any time I was forced to pause it!
Thank you to William Morrow for the gifted copy of this book and to Harper Audio for the audiobook. They were each such a delight. Whether you are a reader or a listener, you cannot go wrong with either option.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
A very unself-aware Mo Ellery has her life turned upside down when, during the course of an (ahem) unfortunate situation, she loses her job, her boyfriend, and her place to live. As she attempts to pick up the pieces of her life and start anew, she unexpectedly becomes an amateur detective when a potential murder happens in front of her.
At first I thought of this book as a pallet cleanser - a book that didn't take itself too seriously and allowed me to just read something a bit steamy, silly, quirky, and with a side of murder and mystery. In the end, I still mostly agree with that initial assessment, but at times it was too over the top ridiculous, even for a goofy summer read type of book. Mo's unawareness was cute and almost charming at the start but got on my nerves as the story went on. Fortunately, the ending redeemed that aspect when Mo showed true growth in character.
The murder mystery part of the book was fine. It was nothing mind blowing, but it was exactly what you'd expect from this type of book - red herrings, false accusations, and a murderer that was probably the last person you'd guess.
Thank you, NetGalley and HarperCollins, for the advanced egalley!
At first I thought of this book as a pallet cleanser - a book that didn't take itself too seriously and allowed me to just read something a bit steamy, silly, quirky, and with a side of murder and mystery. In the end, I still mostly agree with that initial assessment, but at times it was too over the top ridiculous, even for a goofy summer read type of book. Mo's unawareness was cute and almost charming at the start but got on my nerves as the story went on. Fortunately, the ending redeemed that aspect when Mo showed true growth in character.
The murder mystery part of the book was fine. It was nothing mind blowing, but it was exactly what you'd expect from this type of book - red herrings, false accusations, and a murderer that was probably the last person you'd guess.
Thank you, NetGalley and HarperCollins, for the advanced egalley!
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Don’t Cross Mo Ellery by Birdie Horne is a humorous thriller that follows Mo just as her life has completely fallen apart. She’s lost her job, her boyfriend, and her apartment, and now she’s trying to pull herself together while working part‑time as a crossing guard. Crossing‑guard life isn’t exactly calm, and the people she deals with keep her on her toes, especially the man who drives an SUV full of poodles.
After a shocking sinkhole accident, Mo unexpectedly becomes the guardian of those poodles when their owner dies. It quickly becomes clear that nothing about the situation is as simple as it looks, and Mo finds herself drawn into the investigation to figure out what really happened to him. The story is so much fun, and every time I thought I had it figured out, I was wrong. It never takes itself too seriously, which adds to the charm, but there’s also real growth in Mo as the story moves forward. The dogs add a great touch to the plot, and the whole thing comes together as a very entertaining story.
Thank you NetGalley and William Morrow for the advanced reader copy. This is my honest review.
After a shocking sinkhole accident, Mo unexpectedly becomes the guardian of those poodles when their owner dies. It quickly becomes clear that nothing about the situation is as simple as it looks, and Mo finds herself drawn into the investigation to figure out what really happened to him. The story is so much fun, and every time I thought I had it figured out, I was wrong. It never takes itself too seriously, which adds to the charm, but there’s also real growth in Mo as the story moves forward. The dogs add a great touch to the plot, and the whole thing comes together as a very entertaining story.
Thank you NetGalley and William Morrow for the advanced reader copy. This is my honest review.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Screwball but witty murder mystery that delivers fun and good sleuthing.
Mo Ellery loses her job, her boyfriend and her home all in one day. She’s doomed but as luck would have it job - albeit part time cones her way: she’s a school crossing guard! Mo soon inherits a nemesis whom she names Poodle Dude - her drives a green Kia and is accompanied by three poodles. When Poodle Dude drives into a sink hole by Mo’s stop, she discovers he’s dead. A neighbor, Claudia, thinks he’s been killed, tells Mo to take the poodles home and come back to help her investigate. With the help of Marlowe, a pink haired tween, the fun begins. Mo is reluctant to investigate but she soon realizes she must when another body shows up. It’s great fun to follow this mystery with Mo and her kooky friends and neighbors.
Mo is such a refreshing character. She’s a lovable klutz who gets caught inadvertently in things she’s not to deal with but one thing is for sure - when she gets involved there’s no holding her back. And there’s more fun in the mystery this way - a reader gets the best of both worlds: a good murder mystery and a laugh out loud fun read.
My thanks to NetGalley and William Morrow for granting me access to this ARC.
Mo Ellery loses her job, her boyfriend and her home all in one day. She’s doomed but as luck would have it job - albeit part time cones her way: she’s a school crossing guard! Mo soon inherits a nemesis whom she names Poodle Dude - her drives a green Kia and is accompanied by three poodles. When Poodle Dude drives into a sink hole by Mo’s stop, she discovers he’s dead. A neighbor, Claudia, thinks he’s been killed, tells Mo to take the poodles home and come back to help her investigate. With the help of Marlowe, a pink haired tween, the fun begins. Mo is reluctant to investigate but she soon realizes she must when another body shows up. It’s great fun to follow this mystery with Mo and her kooky friends and neighbors.
Mo is such a refreshing character. She’s a lovable klutz who gets caught inadvertently in things she’s not to deal with but one thing is for sure - when she gets involved there’s no holding her back. And there’s more fun in the mystery this way - a reader gets the best of both worlds: a good murder mystery and a laugh out loud fun read.
My thanks to NetGalley and William Morrow for granting me access to this ARC.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
**Thank you Harper Audio for providing this book for review consideration via NetGalley. All opinions are my own**
Don't Cross Mo Ellery is laugh out loud funny! This book was such a fun, entertaining read. I really enjoyed the humor in this book and it was a good mystery - I liked the way everything tied together at the end. What kept it from being a higher rating for me was that Mo too much of a mess. She's funny and a lot of her struggles are relatable. But she's not good at anything? She's not really good at the mystery solving, she's not good at her job, she's not a very good friend. About three quarters of the way in it was becoming a bit difficult to cheer her on. I did think she kind of pulled it together at the end and the ending gives some hope that she's going to get her shit together, I just wish we'd gotten a bit more of that growth throughout or honestly just had her be a mess but still a good friend (the selfishness really makes her hard to like at some points).
I listened to the audiobook and the narrator did a great job. No annoying voices. She was really great at the humorous bits. Definitely made the story enjoyable to listen to.
Don't Cross Mo Ellery is laugh out loud funny! This book was such a fun, entertaining read. I really enjoyed the humor in this book and it was a good mystery - I liked the way everything tied together at the end. What kept it from being a higher rating for me was that Mo too much of a mess. She's funny and a lot of her struggles are relatable. But she's not good at anything? She's not really good at the mystery solving, she's not good at her job, she's not a very good friend. About three quarters of the way in it was becoming a bit difficult to cheer her on. I did think she kind of pulled it together at the end and the ending gives some hope that she's going to get her shit together, I just wish we'd gotten a bit more of that growth throughout or honestly just had her be a mess but still a good friend (the selfishness really makes her hard to like at some points).
I listened to the audiobook and the narrator did a great job. No annoying voices. She was really great at the humorous bits. Definitely made the story enjoyable to listen to.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Funny and entertaining—this is the perfect audiobook for your summer road trip or a relaxing day by the pool or beach!
We all know hooking up on a Zoom work call is a terrible idea but getting caught when your boss spots a certain body part 🍆 costs Mo everything. She's instantly fired, dumped by her boyfriend, and forced to move back home all in one disastrous day.
Desperate for work, Mo takes a job as a school crossing guard. But when her daily nemesis, "Poodle Dude," dies in a sinkhole, an eccentric neighbor insists it was murder and convinces Mo to take in his dogs and investigate. As Mo digs deeper, she uncovers deadly secrets, realizes she may be the next target, and another murder rocks the neighborhood.
The narrator absolutely nailed this laugh-out-loud cozy mystery! Every quirky character came to life, the humor landed perfectly, and the mystery kept me guessing. I was convinced I had solved the case but I was completely wrong! The final reveal caught me totally off guard, making this a twisty, entertaining audiobook I couldn't stop listening to.
Thank you Netgalley, and Harper Audio.
Listen on release day 08/11/2026.
We all know hooking up on a Zoom work call is a terrible idea but getting caught when your boss spots a certain body part 🍆 costs Mo everything. She's instantly fired, dumped by her boyfriend, and forced to move back home all in one disastrous day.
Desperate for work, Mo takes a job as a school crossing guard. But when her daily nemesis, "Poodle Dude," dies in a sinkhole, an eccentric neighbor insists it was murder and convinces Mo to take in his dogs and investigate. As Mo digs deeper, she uncovers deadly secrets, realizes she may be the next target, and another murder rocks the neighborhood.
The narrator absolutely nailed this laugh-out-loud cozy mystery! Every quirky character came to life, the humor landed perfectly, and the mystery kept me guessing. I was convinced I had solved the case but I was completely wrong! The final reveal caught me totally off guard, making this a twisty, entertaining audiobook I couldn't stop listening to.
Thank you Netgalley, and Harper Audio.
Listen on release day 08/11/2026.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
The first page had me immediately laughing. I find Mo's sense of humor hilarious, and love to read her witty internal monologue. However, I couldn't find myself reading for long periods of time without getting fatigued.
Mo is a hypochondriac, who self-diagnosis to the point of annoyance. She's just a bit too much-- too "quirky," too spastic, too whiney. Clearly, she had (ironically undiagnosed) ADHD, but she's also written too big. Too close to a caricature. I've encountered MCs who are distracted and anxious and have ADHD, and have been so far from annoyed that it's charming. Mo was not one of them.
The "whodunnit" felt so random, no real clues or anything, just a random old woman in a hat who declared it a murder. Then character after character popped up who suddenly had significance to the plot. It felt unrefined.
Overall, the book is light (despite the suspected murder) and funny, but in small doses.
I received this book as a digital advanced reader copy from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review
Mo is a hypochondriac, who self-diagnosis to the point of annoyance. She's just a bit too much-- too "quirky," too spastic, too whiney. Clearly, she had (ironically undiagnosed) ADHD, but she's also written too big. Too close to a caricature. I've encountered MCs who are distracted and anxious and have ADHD, and have been so far from annoyed that it's charming. Mo was not one of them.
The "whodunnit" felt so random, no real clues or anything, just a random old woman in a hat who declared it a murder. Then character after character popped up who suddenly had significance to the plot. It felt unrefined.
Overall, the book is light (despite the suspected murder) and funny, but in small doses.
I received this book as a digital advanced reader copy from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
I absolutely loved Don’t Cross Mo Ellery, it was such a quick, hysterical read that I flew through in one sitting.
This story follows a girl who truly cannot catch a break. Mo has crippling anxiety, and on her 29th birthday she officially hits rock bottom in the most chaotic, unfortunate (but honestly hilarious) series of events. We’re talking dumped, fired… and suddenly starting over as a school crossing guard.
But of course, that’s not where the chaos ends; because she somehow ends up tangled in a murder mystery situation 😅
This is one of those books where you keep thinking, “ugh, this would 100% happen to me,” while simultaneously laughing the entire time. Mo is messy, relatable, and so painfully real, and I loved being along for the ride as her life unraveled and (kind of) came back together.
If you love quirky, fast-paced stories with a mix of humor, chaos, and a little mystery, I definitely recommend picking this one up! Big thanks to NetGalley for allowing me an early read!
This story follows a girl who truly cannot catch a break. Mo has crippling anxiety, and on her 29th birthday she officially hits rock bottom in the most chaotic, unfortunate (but honestly hilarious) series of events. We’re talking dumped, fired… and suddenly starting over as a school crossing guard.
But of course, that’s not where the chaos ends; because she somehow ends up tangled in a murder mystery situation 😅
This is one of those books where you keep thinking, “ugh, this would 100% happen to me,” while simultaneously laughing the entire time. Mo is messy, relatable, and so painfully real, and I loved being along for the ride as her life unraveled and (kind of) came back together.
If you love quirky, fast-paced stories with a mix of humor, chaos, and a little mystery, I definitely recommend picking this one up! Big thanks to NetGalley for allowing me an early read!
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
*I received an e-arc from the publisher via Net Galley to read and review. Thank you!
I was originally drawn to this book because of the synopsis of fun, quirky characters and queer rom com style. However, the execution really didn't land for me. The pacing moves at a relentless clip, with major plot developments stacking on top of each other in a way that is overwhelming. It truly felt like a finale of Grey's Anatomy, where one unbelievable thing happens after another. And the story didn't have to be believable, the farfetched is part of what makes the premise really fun. But the story doesn't pause to let any single moment breathe. I found myself wanting it to slow down. I also struggled with the main character. While her chaotic energy was supposed to be endearing, it was really just more frustrating. She also kept using the word "shitballs" which happened so often that it pulled me out of the story each time. I also love an imperfect narrator, but this was a miss for me.
If you love fast-paced plots and a messy protagonist with an endless stream of ridiculous, but funny circumstances, this might be the read for you.
I was originally drawn to this book because of the synopsis of fun, quirky characters and queer rom com style. However, the execution really didn't land for me. The pacing moves at a relentless clip, with major plot developments stacking on top of each other in a way that is overwhelming. It truly felt like a finale of Grey's Anatomy, where one unbelievable thing happens after another. And the story didn't have to be believable, the farfetched is part of what makes the premise really fun. But the story doesn't pause to let any single moment breathe. I found myself wanting it to slow down. I also struggled with the main character. While her chaotic energy was supposed to be endearing, it was really just more frustrating. She also kept using the word "shitballs" which happened so often that it pulled me out of the story each time. I also love an imperfect narrator, but this was a miss for me.
If you love fast-paced plots and a messy protagonist with an endless stream of ridiculous, but funny circumstances, this might be the read for you.
July 14, 2026
Thank you to NetGalley, William Morrow and Libro.fm for the gifted ARC and ALC!
3.5 stars rounded up. The first chapter literally had me laughing out loud. From there, I knew this wasn’t going to take itself too seriously, and it definitely leaned into the chaos from start to finish.
Mo somehow manages to stumble into solving a murder while juggling a new job, an identity crisis, and three very high-maintenance poodles. The whole premise was so ridiculous that I couldn’t help but have fun with it. There were quite a few moments that made me laugh, and I loved all the quirky characters that popped up along the way. I also switched back and forth between the physical book and the audiobook, and I thought the narrator did a great job bringing Mo’s chaotic personality to life.
The middle did lose me a little, and there were times when Mo’s constant chaos started to wear on me. I also found myself wanting just a little more from the mystery itself. But once everything started coming together, I was invested enough to keep turning the pages to see how it all wrapped up.
This ended up being a fun palate cleanser with a cozy mystery vibe, plenty of humor, and a cast of memorable characters. If you enjoy quirky mysteries that don’t take themselves too seriously, I think this one is worth picking up.
3.5 stars rounded up. The first chapter literally had me laughing out loud. From there, I knew this wasn’t going to take itself too seriously, and it definitely leaned into the chaos from start to finish.
Mo somehow manages to stumble into solving a murder while juggling a new job, an identity crisis, and three very high-maintenance poodles. The whole premise was so ridiculous that I couldn’t help but have fun with it. There were quite a few moments that made me laugh, and I loved all the quirky characters that popped up along the way. I also switched back and forth between the physical book and the audiobook, and I thought the narrator did a great job bringing Mo’s chaotic personality to life.
The middle did lose me a little, and there were times when Mo’s constant chaos started to wear on me. I also found myself wanting just a little more from the mystery itself. But once everything started coming together, I was invested enough to keep turning the pages to see how it all wrapped up.
This ended up being a fun palate cleanser with a cozy mystery vibe, plenty of humor, and a cast of memorable characters. If you enjoy quirky mysteries that don’t take themselves too seriously, I think this one is worth picking up.
July 14, 2026
At the end of the book, you find out this was written by two besties down on their luck, just trying to make each other laugh, and honestly that explained so much to me!
This is a murder mystery with a heavy dose of “omg what the actual hell is happening”. Our FMC, Mo, has the worst luck and timing of anyone. Ever. Lacking in self awareness, she loses both her job and long term boyfriend in under 5 minutes. Hilarity and murder ensue.
For this genre of book, it has everything you’d expect, and is a ridiculously fun read. I will say I had some trouble finishing because of Mo’s lack of general social and self awareness. In the beginning it was very charming, but as the book went on it became annoying. In the end, I just had to be in a specific reading mood for this. Would definitely recommend to anyone who enjoys incompetent but lovable characters!
Thank you to the author and NetGalley for the ARC! All opinions expressed are my own! 🖤
This is a murder mystery with a heavy dose of “omg what the actual hell is happening”. Our FMC, Mo, has the worst luck and timing of anyone. Ever. Lacking in self awareness, she loses both her job and long term boyfriend in under 5 minutes. Hilarity and murder ensue.
For this genre of book, it has everything you’d expect, and is a ridiculously fun read. I will say I had some trouble finishing because of Mo’s lack of general social and self awareness. In the beginning it was very charming, but as the book went on it became annoying. In the end, I just had to be in a specific reading mood for this. Would definitely recommend to anyone who enjoys incompetent but lovable characters!
Thank you to the author and NetGalley for the ARC! All opinions expressed are my own! 🖤
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
3.5 Stars
Don’t Cross Mo Ellery is a chaotic, laugh‑out‑loud ride following Mo, a 29‑year‑old woman who manages to lose her job and her boyfriend on her birthday — and somehow that’s only the beginning. Mo is a full‑blown hypochondriac with a talent for spiraling into the most unhinged conclusions, and watching her navigate a murder conspiracy she absolutely should not be involved in had me cackling.
The humor is the standout here. Mo’s nonsensical decisions, frantic inner monologue, and absolute inability to stay out of trouble kept the story light even as the mystery ramped up. And despite all the chaos, she actually pulls it together long enough to solve the crime.
If you’re in the mood for a breezy, quirky read that leans into absurdity and delivers genuine laughs, this one is worth picking up. A solid 3.5 stars from me.
Don’t Cross Mo Ellery is a chaotic, laugh‑out‑loud ride following Mo, a 29‑year‑old woman who manages to lose her job and her boyfriend on her birthday — and somehow that’s only the beginning. Mo is a full‑blown hypochondriac with a talent for spiraling into the most unhinged conclusions, and watching her navigate a murder conspiracy she absolutely should not be involved in had me cackling.
The humor is the standout here. Mo’s nonsensical decisions, frantic inner monologue, and absolute inability to stay out of trouble kept the story light even as the mystery ramped up. And despite all the chaos, she actually pulls it together long enough to solve the crime.
If you’re in the mood for a breezy, quirky read that leans into absurdity and delivers genuine laughs, this one is worth picking up. A solid 3.5 stars from me.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
*Thank you to William Morrow and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for my honest review*
If you loved Finlay Donovan but thought to yourself "Man, this feels too tame. I want it to be even crazier!", Mo Ellery is your girl. From the accidental Zoom meeting flashing to constant poodle wrangling, I was laughing out loud at the zaniness of it all. It's a comedy of errors that somehow ends up wrapped in a hilarious bow. Mo is a hot mess, the cast of characters is oh so wacky, and honestly the sinkhole is serving main character energy. It's a modern cozy mystery for the ladies who don't have it all figured out and I loved reading it.
There were parts where I wish the pacing would've slowed down a little just to make you wait for the big reveal, but what a read. Now grab your high-visibility vest because we're all crossing guards: that is crossing our fingers for a Book 2!!
If you loved Finlay Donovan but thought to yourself "Man, this feels too tame. I want it to be even crazier!", Mo Ellery is your girl. From the accidental Zoom meeting flashing to constant poodle wrangling, I was laughing out loud at the zaniness of it all. It's a comedy of errors that somehow ends up wrapped in a hilarious bow. Mo is a hot mess, the cast of characters is oh so wacky, and honestly the sinkhole is serving main character energy. It's a modern cozy mystery for the ladies who don't have it all figured out and I loved reading it.
There were parts where I wish the pacing would've slowed down a little just to make you wait for the big reveal, but what a read. Now grab your high-visibility vest because we're all crossing guards: that is crossing our fingers for a Book 2!!
June 29, 2026
I enjoyed the book’s amusing opening pages and its fun setup. Mo is a reluctant, bumbling detective who doesn't have her life together at all. While the concept is definitely cute and kept me entertained for the most part, Mo herself was a tough pill to swallow. She is incredibly self-absorbed, struggles with basic adulthood, and honestly botches almost everything she attempts.
As a fan of cozy mysteries, I appreciate a flawed protagonist, but Mo frequently crossed the line into being a bit too frustrating to get behind. The humor relies heavily on slapstick comedy, which felt a little forced at times. If you enjoy highly chaotic, disaster main characters and don't mind a lot of clumsy execution, you'll likely love the entertainment value here. For me, it was a fun ride, but I wanted just a little more competence from our leading lady!
Thank you to NetGalley & William Morrow for the eARC.
As a fan of cozy mysteries, I appreciate a flawed protagonist, but Mo frequently crossed the line into being a bit too frustrating to get behind. The humor relies heavily on slapstick comedy, which felt a little forced at times. If you enjoy highly chaotic, disaster main characters and don't mind a lot of clumsy execution, you'll likely love the entertainment value here. For me, it was a fun ride, but I wanted just a little more competence from our leading lady!
Thank you to NetGalley & William Morrow for the eARC.
March 17, 2026
⊹ ࣪ ˖ ꒰ঌ ໒꒱ ˖ ࣪ ⊹
✨ 𝐎𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠: ★★★☆☆ ➛⋆˚࿔
🕊️ 𝐌𝐲 𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐬 ╰┈➤ˎˊ˗ This book had a rough start and was chaotic from the start. A lot of things were happening and the story never felt dull. Mo was a silly character but she was also a little annoying and embarrassing. Her choices and relationship drama weren’t for me. The only thing I really cared about was Mo and Tasha. I was so invested in their relationship and wanted more. The ending was definitely unexpected and still not sure how I feel.
⭐️ 𝐅𝐚𝐯𝐨𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐞 𝐩𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐬/𝐪𝐮𝐨𝐭𝐞𝐬: ➛⋆˚࿔ Mo & Tasha
💭 𝐖𝐨𝐮𝐥𝐝 𝐈 𝐫𝐞𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐝? Not sure
🌙 𝐅𝐢𝐧𝐚𝐥 𝐟𝐞𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐬 ╰┈➤ˎˊ˗Overall a decent chaotic read just didn’t really stand out to me
⊹ ࣪ ˖ ꒰ঌ ໒꒱ ˖ ࣪ ⊹
🪽 𝐑𝐞𝐚𝐝 𝐚𝐠𝐚𝐢𝐧? No 🤍 𝐓𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐬 𝐬𝐡𝐞𝐝: None
✨ 𝐎𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠: ★★★☆☆ ➛⋆˚࿔
🕊️ 𝐌𝐲 𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐬 ╰┈➤ˎˊ˗ This book had a rough start and was chaotic from the start. A lot of things were happening and the story never felt dull. Mo was a silly character but she was also a little annoying and embarrassing. Her choices and relationship drama weren’t for me. The only thing I really cared about was Mo and Tasha. I was so invested in their relationship and wanted more. The ending was definitely unexpected and still not sure how I feel.
⭐️ 𝐅𝐚𝐯𝐨𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐞 𝐩𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐬/𝐪𝐮𝐨𝐭𝐞𝐬: ➛⋆˚࿔ Mo & Tasha
💭 𝐖𝐨𝐮𝐥𝐝 𝐈 𝐫𝐞𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐝? Not sure
🌙 𝐅𝐢𝐧𝐚𝐥 𝐟𝐞𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐬 ╰┈➤ˎˊ˗Overall a decent chaotic read just didn’t really stand out to me
⊹ ࣪ ˖ ꒰ঌ ໒꒱ ˖ ࣪ ⊹
🪽 𝐑𝐞𝐚𝐝 𝐚𝐠𝐚𝐢𝐧? No 🤍 𝐓𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐬 𝐬𝐡𝐞𝐝: None
April 4, 2026
Mo Ellery is down on her luck. She gets fired from her job and broken up with - all on her birthday. In desperation, she takes a part-time job as a crossing guard. What should be a pretty simple job turns into a murder investigation when she witnesses an accident that just might be an accident. And now, along with friends and three poodles, Mo Ellery is on the case.
The only way I can describe this book is silly. I had such a fun time reading it. Mo was such a mess, but she was endearing. In fact, the whole cast of characters was endearing.
Toward the end, I did feel like this dragged a bit, but, overall, I mostly just found it to be a fun palette cleanser.
I'd be down for more Mo and friends!
The only way I can describe this book is silly. I had such a fun time reading it. Mo was such a mess, but she was endearing. In fact, the whole cast of characters was endearing.
Toward the end, I did feel like this dragged a bit, but, overall, I mostly just found it to be a fun palette cleanser.
I'd be down for more Mo and friends!
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
Mo Ellery has a really rough birthday—she’s newly jobless, homeless, and loveless. Fast forward a couple of weeks, and Mo is making ends meet with a part-time job as a crossing guard while caring for an accident (murder?) victim’s three poodles. Surrounded by a comic, quirky cast of characters—each more entertaining than the last—Mo stumbles her way into solving the so-called “accidental” death.
This book is laugh-out-loud funny and fast-paced. Readers will enjoy the comical romp of a new amateur detective, Mo Ellery. I look forward to more adventures with Mo and the gang.
Thank you to William Morrow and Book Club Girl for an early read in exchange for an honest review. I truly laughed out loud while reading this one—4 stars.
This book is laugh-out-loud funny and fast-paced. Readers will enjoy the comical romp of a new amateur detective, Mo Ellery. I look forward to more adventures with Mo and the gang.
Thank you to William Morrow and Book Club Girl for an early read in exchange for an honest review. I truly laughed out loud while reading this one—4 stars.
June 30, 2026
Thank you so much for the opportunity to read this ARC! I haven’t laughed reading a book like that in a long time. The first chapter was so funny I had to read it out loud to my boyfriend.
Mo has everything going: a fancy neighborhood with a doctor boyfriend, a marketing job. Then suddenly she doesn’t, life throws her an epic birthday curve ball and she has to start over. An eclectic cast of characters is introduced into her new life and when suddenly faced with a few dead characters, she is reluctantly transformed into an investigator and a dog-sitter for 3 poodles.
The whole time I kept thinking of the Gilmore Girls’ line “Oye with the poodles already.” A fantastic laugh-out-loud comedic mystery, Don’t Cross Mo Ellery will have you rooting for the chaos master herself!
Mo has everything going: a fancy neighborhood with a doctor boyfriend, a marketing job. Then suddenly she doesn’t, life throws her an epic birthday curve ball and she has to start over. An eclectic cast of characters is introduced into her new life and when suddenly faced with a few dead characters, she is reluctantly transformed into an investigator and a dog-sitter for 3 poodles.
The whole time I kept thinking of the Gilmore Girls’ line “Oye with the poodles already.” A fantastic laugh-out-loud comedic mystery, Don’t Cross Mo Ellery will have you rooting for the chaos master herself!
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
ARC via NetGalley.
Nothing is worse than having your life upended by the loss of your job and your relationship. Well, until life throws you children trying to play Frogger IRL, poodles, and murder.
This is a funny and lighthearted murder mystery that moves at a steady pace and reels you in. Mo is a lovable, quirky character. At times, the quirkiness and amateur-sleuth antics came close to feeling overdone, but the writing managed to pull it back before it became too annoying. The characters were hilarious and well written, and the self-reflection and growth felt earned.
I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys lighthearted mysteries and some sass with their plot. I would love to read a follow-up, if one ever comes to be.
Nothing is worse than having your life upended by the loss of your job and your relationship. Well, until life throws you children trying to play Frogger IRL, poodles, and murder.
This is a funny and lighthearted murder mystery that moves at a steady pace and reels you in. Mo is a lovable, quirky character. At times, the quirkiness and amateur-sleuth antics came close to feeling overdone, but the writing managed to pull it back before it became too annoying. The characters were hilarious and well written, and the self-reflection and growth felt earned.
I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys lighthearted mysteries and some sass with their plot. I would love to read a follow-up, if one ever comes to be.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
⭐⭐⭐⭐
The audiobook definitely elevated the experience of Mo's story. Cia Court was the perfect narrator for Mo, capturing her awkwardness, humor, and anxious inner monologue while bringing the quirky cast of characters to life.
This was a fun, fast-paced mystery filled with eccentric neighbors, three unforgettable poodles, and plenty of chaotic moments. While the mystery itself didn't completely surprise me, the real charm lies in the characters and humor. It gave me major Finlay Donovan vibes, which made it an especially enjoyable read.
If you enjoy character-driven mysteries with plenty of humor and chaos, I highly recommend the audiobook.
Thank you to Harper Audio and NetGalley for the advance listening copy. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
The audiobook definitely elevated the experience of Mo's story. Cia Court was the perfect narrator for Mo, capturing her awkwardness, humor, and anxious inner monologue while bringing the quirky cast of characters to life.
This was a fun, fast-paced mystery filled with eccentric neighbors, three unforgettable poodles, and plenty of chaotic moments. While the mystery itself didn't completely surprise me, the real charm lies in the characters and humor. It gave me major Finlay Donovan vibes, which made it an especially enjoyable read.
If you enjoy character-driven mysteries with plenty of humor and chaos, I highly recommend the audiobook.
Thank you to Harper Audio and NetGalley for the advance listening copy. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 51 reviews