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The Girlfriend Guide to Negligent Homicide: A Jaycee Grayson Novel
When a Wisconsin brewmaster drops dead after sampling his nineteen-year-old bride’s internet-famous meat sticks, Jaycee Grayson’s fortunes take a turn from disgraced Hollywood exec to reluctant sleuth on the prairie—one killer kielbasa at a time.
A viral cooking show, a camera-shy chef, and an imaginary lawyer named “Chet Gepiti” hardly make an airtight case for her own defense when Jaycee’s desperate hunt to find a missing corpse goes awry. As a slushy early-spring weekend exposes her faulty life plan across Mad City, it may not be the best time to throw over that small-town cop with integrity issues for the earnest would-be congressman forced to choose between saving her—or democracy.
What follows is a hilariously sharp “Girlfriend Guide” to making a case for accidental death, incidental romance, and a woman-owned Mennonite meat empire—all while straddling the culture wars under the homicidal guise of Midwest nice.
"A fearless satire of love, loyalty, and belonging in a world that persists in mistaking female empowerment for original sin."
Jaycee is waiting for someone super important to declare this in the Littleburgh Pennysaver—or maybe even the New Norske Times! But for now, she’s already a cult favorite among sharp-tongued book-nerds everywhere.
For fans of sharp, darkly funny workplace fiction and dark humor novels in the vein of Natalie Sue's I Hope This Finds You Well, Rufi Thorpe's Margot's Got Money Troubles, and John Kenney's I See You've Called in Dead, dive into the chaotic corporate mayhem of The Jaycee Grayson Novels by Julie Ann Sipos. Explore a world of institutional absurdity, Midwest suspense, and witty contemporary satire where messy modern survival meets unforgettable laughs.
A viral cooking show, a camera-shy chef, and an imaginary lawyer named “Chet Gepiti” hardly make an airtight case for her own defense when Jaycee’s desperate hunt to find a missing corpse goes awry. As a slushy early-spring weekend exposes her faulty life plan across Mad City, it may not be the best time to throw over that small-town cop with integrity issues for the earnest would-be congressman forced to choose between saving her—or democracy.
What follows is a hilariously sharp “Girlfriend Guide” to making a case for accidental death, incidental romance, and a woman-owned Mennonite meat empire—all while straddling the culture wars under the homicidal guise of Midwest nice.
"A fearless satire of love, loyalty, and belonging in a world that persists in mistaking female empowerment for original sin."
Jaycee is waiting for someone super important to declare this in the Littleburgh Pennysaver—or maybe even the New Norske Times! But for now, she’s already a cult favorite among sharp-tongued book-nerds everywhere.
For fans of sharp, darkly funny workplace fiction and dark humor novels in the vein of Natalie Sue's I Hope This Finds You Well, Rufi Thorpe's Margot's Got Money Troubles, and John Kenney's I See You've Called in Dead, dive into the chaotic corporate mayhem of The Jaycee Grayson Novels by Julie Ann Sipos. Explore a world of institutional absurdity, Midwest suspense, and witty contemporary satire where messy modern survival meets unforgettable laughs.
270 pages, Kindle Edition
Published July 25, 2026
About the author
Julie Ann Sipos
5 books35 followersA former writer-producer for Disney, Mattel, and American Girl, Julie Ann Sipos is known for creating witty, complex female leads and social satire with bite. Her multiple award-winning Jaycee Grayson Novels—a darkly comic world of small-town secrets, corporate greed, and heartland reinvention—launched in 2025 with the breakout hit Horrible Women, Wonderful Girls. Her debut won the Writer’s Digest Grand Prize, Foreword INDIES Book of the Year Gold Medal in Humor, and IPPY Gold for Regional Fiction. The series continues with The Girlfriend Guide to Negligent Homicide, an meaty new murder mystery set in the dangerous world of Wisconsin snack sausages.
The expanding Jaycee Grayson storyworld also features two bestselling companion books: Naomi’s Recipe Box, a character-voiced cookbook packed with farmhouse classics and local gossip, and Postcards from Littleburgh, an epistolary travelogue with a mystery of its own from a town that doesn’t exist. There’s also an online catalogue of fine Midwest merch you can actually buy from local folk who may or may not have your best interests at heart.
A professor of Cinema & Television Arts at Cal State Northridge, Sipos earned her MFA in Screenwriting at UCLA, still delivers a mean Bruin 8-Clap, and spends her off-hours restoring a classic pickup truck and a hundred-year-old home.
For fans of sharp, darkly funny workplace fiction and dark humor novels in the vein of Natalie Sue's I Hope This Finds You Well, Rufi Thorpe's Margot's Got Money Troubles, and John Kenney's I See You've Called in Dead, dive into the chaotic corporate mayhem of The Jaycee Grayson Novels by Julie Ann Sipos. Explore a world of institutional absurdity, Midwest suspense, and witty contemporary satire where messy modern survival meets unforgettable laughs.
🎬 Watch the official book trailer: bit.ly/JayceesBookTrailer
🌽 Visit The Jaycee Grayson Novels Official Site: bit.ly/ShopJayceeGrayson
The expanding Jaycee Grayson storyworld also features two bestselling companion books: Naomi’s Recipe Box, a character-voiced cookbook packed with farmhouse classics and local gossip, and Postcards from Littleburgh, an epistolary travelogue with a mystery of its own from a town that doesn’t exist. There’s also an online catalogue of fine Midwest merch you can actually buy from local folk who may or may not have your best interests at heart.
A professor of Cinema & Television Arts at Cal State Northridge, Sipos earned her MFA in Screenwriting at UCLA, still delivers a mean Bruin 8-Clap, and spends her off-hours restoring a classic pickup truck and a hundred-year-old home.
For fans of sharp, darkly funny workplace fiction and dark humor novels in the vein of Natalie Sue's I Hope This Finds You Well, Rufi Thorpe's Margot's Got Money Troubles, and John Kenney's I See You've Called in Dead, dive into the chaotic corporate mayhem of The Jaycee Grayson Novels by Julie Ann Sipos. Explore a world of institutional absurdity, Midwest suspense, and witty contemporary satire where messy modern survival meets unforgettable laughs.
🎬 Watch the official book trailer: bit.ly/JayceesBookTrailer
🌽 Visit The Jaycee Grayson Novels Official Site: bit.ly/ShopJayceeGrayson
Ratings & Reviews
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
August 28, 2026
well beyond me
The writing was genuinely sharp and poignant. While well-written, I must admit that this was a niche that went over my head. I'm from the South, and a lot of the references were well beyond my repertoire. I also made the mistake of starting with book 2 instead of book 1, so I didn't quite get the actual significance of Jaycee's sister, Meredith's role, throughout. That was on me, though. Otherwise, the ending was quite satisfying, and I do recommend it to people who know or are interested in all things Mennonite culture.
The writing was genuinely sharp and poignant. While well-written, I must admit that this was a niche that went over my head. I'm from the South, and a lot of the references were well beyond my repertoire. I also made the mistake of starting with book 2 instead of book 1, so I didn't quite get the actual significance of Jaycee's sister, Meredith's role, throughout. That was on me, though. Otherwise, the ending was quite satisfying, and I do recommend it to people who know or are interested in all things Mennonite culture.
August 5, 2026
Just a bit too much
I truly enjoy comedy. I truly enjoy satire. I truly enjoy mysteries. This exhibited a ton of effort but it is just a bit too much for me. Not every single sentence needs to be ironic or humorous. I enjoyed the book but just not quite as much as I think I would have if it had not tried quite as hard.
I truly enjoy comedy. I truly enjoy satire. I truly enjoy mysteries. This exhibited a ton of effort but it is just a bit too much for me. Not every single sentence needs to be ironic or humorous. I enjoyed the book but just not quite as much as I think I would have if it had not tried quite as hard.
Review of advance copy received from Author
Funny, flirty and absolutely zany. Julie Sipos has done it again with a cast of characters so wildly unique you'll feel like you've known them your whole life, even if they're unlike anyone you've ever met. The story takes sharp, hilarious jabs at the legal system, saying all the things everyone thinks but nobody actually says out loud. Each character brings something unexpected to the page. While I'd recommend starting with the first book in the series to get the full picture of the main character's earlier adventures, this one is a blast on its own. If you're looking for a fun, clever read, pre-order The Girlfriend Guide to Negligent Homicide!
I was grateful to receive an advance review copy from the author.
I was grateful to receive an advance review copy from the author.
August 7, 2026
This second book in the Jaycee Grayson series is entertaining and a lot of fun. It includes a murder mystery with a few twists; however, it is a bit wordy at times. Jaycee is a strong, confident, yet chaotic protagonist whose sarcasm and humor had me genuinely amused in places. The supporting characters add plenty of personality, and the small-town atmosphere gives the novel extra charm. I enjoyed the story and the humor, but the rambling occasionally made it difficult to follow the storyline. I found myself rereading pages to have a better understanding of what is going on. Overall, this was an enjoyable novel mixing dark humor with satire, and the quirky female lead provides plenty of laugh-out-loud moments.
Currently Reading
October 13, 2025⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ — “Preordered My Own Downfall.”
Review by Jaycee Grayson
I don’t usually review books that haven’t been written yet, but since this one’s allegedly about me (again), I figured I should get ahead of the narrative before Goodreads does.
If you’re new here: Book 1 (Horrible Women, Wonderful Girls) covered my so-called “career crisis.” Book 2, coming June 26 (The Girlfriend Guide to Negligent Homicide), is about my friend Naomi’s “wedding-night situation.” There’s also a companion cookbook you can actually get for free—if you’re in the know enough to join the author’s mailing list (spoiler: this is not difficult). And a book of postcards with a mystery of its own about a town that doesn’t exist. Check the reviews—one of you already nailed it, bless your over-caffeinated heart.
Anyway—back to the new novel. We'll obviously resurrect that love triangle between the cop I ghosted and the boyfriend I maybe marry someday (this is a planned trilogy, after all)—and also introduce my know-it-all attorney, “Chet Gepiti”: yes, just when it didn’t seem possible to find a man more unavailable, I found one who’s neither.
Obviously, this isn’t a romance—so if that’s what you’re after, put on some lipstick and head over to the Grumpy Billionaire section to convince him to look on the bright side, because that's an original twist. I'm not even giving “women’s fiction” here, whatever that means, other than a sure way to winnow down half the audience in advance and send the rest over to see Carl Hiaasen about an alligator situation. This is a meat-stick murder mystery about a Mennonite chef, her dead husband, his missing body, and a small-town snack sausage scandal spicy enough to merit a USDA warning label.
Five stars, obviously.
And not to be a nudge, but we all know what we came for: either to find the most special book ever (while secretly dreaming of writing one ourselves) or to put one out of its misery—just because we can.
So if there’s a shred of lingering doubt in that dark heart of yours, be a dear and preorder. Because I might be a work of fiction—but you’re a real person everyone swears is a super nice person who's maybe a tad moody. But you are real, right?
Also, fun fact: the author once sent out thousands of free copies, landing on thousands of TBR lists hoping to get read and reviewed. Nobody did either thing. Not even the winners, not even after we nabbed a few shiny awards and went viral with a bunch of book nerds way too culty for Goodreads. So this time, we're playing hard to get.
So yeah—grab this one now, before that tragically hip coworker you can't stand starts waving it around on her new Kindle Paperwhite and gloating. We hate when that happens. But yeah, she's super nice, maybe a tad moody.
Review by Jaycee Grayson
I don’t usually review books that haven’t been written yet, but since this one’s allegedly about me (again), I figured I should get ahead of the narrative before Goodreads does.
If you’re new here: Book 1 (Horrible Women, Wonderful Girls) covered my so-called “career crisis.” Book 2, coming June 26 (The Girlfriend Guide to Negligent Homicide), is about my friend Naomi’s “wedding-night situation.” There’s also a companion cookbook you can actually get for free—if you’re in the know enough to join the author’s mailing list (spoiler: this is not difficult). And a book of postcards with a mystery of its own about a town that doesn’t exist. Check the reviews—one of you already nailed it, bless your over-caffeinated heart.
Anyway—back to the new novel. We'll obviously resurrect that love triangle between the cop I ghosted and the boyfriend I maybe marry someday (this is a planned trilogy, after all)—and also introduce my know-it-all attorney, “Chet Gepiti”: yes, just when it didn’t seem possible to find a man more unavailable, I found one who’s neither.
Obviously, this isn’t a romance—so if that’s what you’re after, put on some lipstick and head over to the Grumpy Billionaire section to convince him to look on the bright side, because that's an original twist. I'm not even giving “women’s fiction” here, whatever that means, other than a sure way to winnow down half the audience in advance and send the rest over to see Carl Hiaasen about an alligator situation. This is a meat-stick murder mystery about a Mennonite chef, her dead husband, his missing body, and a small-town snack sausage scandal spicy enough to merit a USDA warning label.
Five stars, obviously.
And not to be a nudge, but we all know what we came for: either to find the most special book ever (while secretly dreaming of writing one ourselves) or to put one out of its misery—just because we can.
So if there’s a shred of lingering doubt in that dark heart of yours, be a dear and preorder. Because I might be a work of fiction—but you’re a real person everyone swears is a super nice person who's maybe a tad moody. But you are real, right?
Also, fun fact: the author once sent out thousands of free copies, landing on thousands of TBR lists hoping to get read and reviewed. Nobody did either thing. Not even the winners, not even after we nabbed a few shiny awards and went viral with a bunch of book nerds way too culty for Goodreads. So this time, we're playing hard to get.
So yeah—grab this one now, before that tragically hip coworker you can't stand starts waving it around on her new Kindle Paperwhite and gloating. We hate when that happens. But yeah, she's super nice, maybe a tad moody.
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews