Last Night Was Killer

by Mary Pauline Lowry

A suspenseful, bighearted, and laugh-out-loud story of a single mom trying to do it all—including solve a murder she may or may not have committed…

When Tilly Turner signed up for an introductory pole-dancing class, she was looking for a distraction. Reeling from her mother’s passing, and with her career as a stand-up comedian in ruins, Tilly has just moved back to the Idaho hometown she was desperate to leave, with her twin daughters in tow.

But Tilly gets more than she bargained for after a night out with her new pole-dancing pals. She wakes to a raging hangover, no memory of the evening before, and a dead body in the trunk of her car.

Who was the dead man? And more importantly, who killed him? Tilly has no alibi and needs answers. But investigating a murder is complicated, especially with an old frenemy circling, childcare plans falling through, and pole-dancing classes to attend. And don’t even mention the sexy ATF agent who she’s trying (and failing) to keep at arm’s length.

As Tilly races to solve the mystery before the police come knocking, she finds herself implicated in a larger plot that includes political subterfuge and arms dealing. But who knows—maybe busting a criminal enterprise will be just the shake-up she needs.

Balancing both heart and hilarity, and with a witty take on the struggles of modern motherhood, Last Night Was Killer is a charming introduction to the most unlikely—and likable—of sleuths.

Genres: Mystery, Thriller, Mystery Thriller, Fiction

320 pages, Hardcover

Expected publication July 7, 2026

About the author

Mary Pauline Lowry received her MFA from the Boise State University in 2019. She is the author of two novels, Wildfire and The Roxy Letters. Her newest book, Last Night Was Killer, will be out 07/07/26. Her essays have been published in The New York Times, The New York Times Magazine, O Magazine, and other publications. She lives in her hometown of Austin Texas.

Reviews

[Kimberly · Rating 4 out of 5]

Tilly is an out of work comedian whose mom just passed away. She moved from LA to Idaho with her twin girls and in an effort to get her out to the house her neighbor bought her pole dancing lessons. After a wild night out she finds a dead body in her trunk and now she has to find out what happened to him and who killed him.

This was the mom version of the Hangover and it was a whole lot of fun! Lots of laughs and hijinks. Read if you love Finlay, friendships, and female empowerment.

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC!

[Vonnie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Oh my goodness, I loved this book. It had me gasping one moment and laughing the next, and I was completely pulled into the chaos of this story. The pacing, the twists, and the humor all worked so well together. This was such a wild ride from beginning to end.

[Whitney Mayo · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC! This book was a trip. Definitely had some Finlay Donovan vibes and parts that were hilariously funny. There were also parts very real in regards to grief. The main character Tilly, takes you on an adventure while she is starting her own. Definitely an entertaining read with a happy ending

[Lis · Rating 3 out of 5]

Murder, pole dancing, hot ATF agent, what's a single mother of twin 7-year-old girls to do??

This is a fun light-hearted murder mystery in the same vein as Finlay Donovan Is Killing It. I really enjoyed the found family vibes and how much the characters support each other. Every woman need a good ride or die! I will admit at sometimes it does pass into the realm of silly more so than I personally enjoy.

I think I would have preferred this as an audiobook. There were parts of the book where there is stand-up comedy bit, and i think timing would be better through audio as opposed to physically reading it.

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for an advance copy!

[CarrieLynn S · Rating 5 out of 5]

Tilly Turner is hilarious! Her friends, hobbies, neighbor and love life are hilarious. This book had me laughing out loud multiple times.
Tilly mom passes away and she’s forced to moves back to her hometown in Idaho after a couple decades in LA trying to make it as a comedian. She’s in a grief rut and her quirky cool neighbor gifts her pole dance lessons that she definitely doesn’t want. What comes next is a murder mystery, profound friendship, female empowerment and a race to thwart the IDIOTS and save the city. Equal parts funny and meaningful, this book delivers mystery, laughs and heart.
This book is perfect for readers who loved Too Old for This by Samantha Downing or Listen for the Lie by Amy Tintera, a murder thriller with a sense of humor.
Thank you NetGalley and William Morrow for the ARC

[Leyna Odell · Rating 4 out of 5]

A mystery that makes you laugh - I’m here for it! I loved the main character, Tilly, and her newly found bffs. They were quite the cast of characters and I loved how they all supported each other. This book reminded me of a funnier, more progressive Finlay Donovan type book. The drama of this story unfolds as Tilly takes a pole dancing class, gifted to her by her elderly neighbor who was her mom’s best friend. After their first class, the group goes out for drinks. One drink leads to two and then to a third, and that’s all Tilly remembers of that night. The next day, she happens to find the body of a skeezy guy who had hit on her at the bar in the trunk of her car. With no memory of the night before, Tilly has to find out who the man is and more importantly how he ended up in her car!

Huge thanks to NetGalley for an advanced copy of this book for an honest review.

[Kelly Newman · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book had me laughing out loud! Tilly has moved back home and is mourning the loss of her Mother when her neighbor gives her pole dancing lessons to cheer her up. At the first class, she realizes she likes these people and goes out for a nightcap. When she wakes up, she doesn't really remember anything, and then she finds a dead body in her trunk! What in the world happened last night? With her new pole dancing friends, a little courage, and some funny mishaps, she starts trying to put the pieces together and solve the mystery. She just can't go to jail! What would happen to her girls? Introduce a handsome ATF agent and an old high school frenemy to keep things spicy and lively. I was even surprised at the end when the mystery unfolded. If you like funny books with a little mystery and love thrown in, this is the book for you.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC in exchange for my honest review

[Jessica Brainard]

Last Night Was Killer: A Novel by Mary Pauline Lowry is an absolute delight—a perfect blend of suspense, sharp humor, and heartfelt moments that had me laughing out loud one minute and on the edge of my seat the next.The story centers on Tilly Turner, a single mom of twins who's recently returned to her small hometown after a heartbreak. She's juggling motherhood, a budding comedy career (or at least attempts at it), and—unexpectedly—pole dancing classes as a way to reclaim some confidence. But things take a wild turn when a murder occurs, and Tilly finds herself in the suspicious position of possibly having committed it... or at least needing to prove she didn't. What follows is a comedic murder mystery where Tilly turns amateur sleuth while navigating the chaos of modern single parenthood, small-town gossip, and her own messy life.Lowry's writing shines here. Her wit is razor-sharp without ever feeling mean-spirited, and she nails the absurdities of everyday motherhood—those moments of exhaustion mixed with fierce love—while keeping the plot moving at a brisk, entertaining pace. The humor lands consistently, whether it's Tilly's self-deprecating inner monologue, the quirky cast of supporting characters (the pole dancing instructor alone is worth the read), or the escalating ridiculousness of her investigation. Yet beneath the laughs, there's genuine warmth and empathy for Tilly's struggles, making her a character you root for from page one.This isn't a dark, gritty thriller; it's more in the vein of lighthearted cozy mysteries with a rom-com edge—think "The Thursday Murder Club" meets "Where'd You Go, Bernadette," but with a fresh, contemporary voice. The pacing keeps you hooked, the twists are clever (if not always shocking), and the resolution feels satisfying and earned.If you're looking for a fun, bighearted read that balances killer laughs with real emotional depth, Last Night Was Killer delivers in spades. Mary Pauline Lowry has crafted a charming, laugh-out-loud debut in this new direction (following her earlier works like The Roxy Letters), and I can't wait to see what Tilly gets up to next. Highly recommended—perfect for a weekend binge-read or as a pick-me-up when life feels a little too serious.4.5/5 stars
(A minor quibble: a couple of the side plots resolve a tad neatly, but it doesn't detract from the overall joy.)

23 web pages

[Nicolette · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with the ARC!!

To start with, the first half was boring and annoying. The author tried to fit in a joke every page, multiple times sometime, and most of them did not land at all. Intense millennial humor, and that's not a compliment.

However as the mystery progressed and plot twists start to unravel, it became an enjoyable read. There were some really intense moments that I didn't know how Tilly would get through, but they, for the most part, made sense and was still exciting. The end was satisfying, if dragging on a bit.

The character interactions started out really rough, but they form into their own dynamics that was pleasant to witness. There was one sub-plot that was incredibly stupid with Tilly and her love interest; it was there only for a half-hearted attempt at melodrama.

Lastly, towards the end you are bombarded with a chapter whose sole purpose is to tell you, the reader, explicitly the message of the book. Forget about showing, we are going to tell you what you should get from this book!!

Overall, a fairly okay read. I think people who enjoy that sort of humor will have a way better time with the book.

[Brandon Thomas · Rating 5 out of 5]

The FMC, Tilly, took pole dancing classes as an escape from her sadness about her mom’s passing and from being a single mom. Her career as a stand-up comedian in LA has crashed and burned and she is still reeling from that disappointment. The class is a chance to make new friends and try something new. All is going well until she wakes up to a dead body in her trunk and no recollection of the night before.

Tilly decides she must solve this herself before getting the police involved. That is easier said than done when she meets a friendly (and handsome) cop at her daughter’s school. Was this a realistic story? – no, I don’t think anyone would go to these lengths without police involvement. Was this story a good time? – YES! I had such a great time reading this book. It was seriously funny. I really did laugh out loud on more than one occasion.

I received an advance e-reader copy of this book through NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.

[Zoe Lipman · Rating 3 out of 5]

An upbeat and lighthearted mystery full of pole dancing lessons and a dead body.

Overall, this was a fun and easy read. But I did struggle with the writing style and humor, it didn't always work. I could tell what was trying to be done, but it fell a little short, a little awkward.

This also has quite the slow start. It takes a while to get into what's really happening and for it to make sense. That made me struggle to connect with or care about the main character. But this did have a fun ensemble cast of characters, which I do love. Some might even consider it a bit found family.

Thanks to NetGalley for the e-ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review!

[lj · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book. I felt like I knew Tilly - we are the same age, we both have 7/8 year old kiddos, and we both recently lost our moms. The way grief intertwined with the story was so relatable and well-written. I also loved how all the mothers in the story did not treat motherhood as a burden but an honor. I loved the respectful way stripping /sex work was discussed and I learned a lot about the craft of pole dancing. I feel like I figured out the big twist early on in the story but it did not stop it from being a very enjoyable read. It was funny, suspensful at times, and it had a whole lot of heart! Thank you Netgalley for the ARC.

[Kate Wells · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was all over the place deciding rating with this one. At first I thought Tilly’s actions were plain dumb - falling short of funny - and that annoys me in an mfc but as the book progressed the tone changed as she worked her way through the mystery surrounding a dead guy in the trunk of her car. The physical and mental benefits of pole were nicely worked into the plot, with Tilly unfolding from her grief and angst. I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

[Laura · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was such a fun book! Full of twists and mystery it’ll keep you on the edge of your seat. I was so connected to Tilly. Dealing with her grief, raising kids alone, struggling with letting people in, trying to get your life back on track, and keeping yourself out of jail, are basically all things women have to deal with on a daily basis. I found myself anxiously waiting for the next twist to come, and trying to figure out what exactly happened but only to be wrong. I never saw the ending coming! It was such a great way to finish up the story.

[Kayda Noelle · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was so fun! The comedic murder mystery I didn’t know I needed. The found family trope is a favorite of mine, and this book was oozing with it. I found myself getting attached to all the characters 😭 Tilly was seriously hilarious, and her twins were the perfect mix of witty and odd. Emmylou, all the pole gals, and even the love interest…seriously, I’m going to miss these guys!

Thank you Harper Collins and Netgalley for the early copy!

[Amanda Henley · Rating 5 out of 5]

Let me start by saying thank you so much to NetGalley for this amazing ARC! Spoilerrrr Alerttttt!!! This one was so fun! Such an easy read. A single mom with twins girls just wants to take a pole dancing class, but what happens when she goes out with her class has one to many drinks and wakes up the next morning with a dead guy in her trunk!!!

[JXR · Rating 5 out of 5]

fun book with a superfun protagonist and some fantastic character development throughout. the plotting was great, and the ending resolved really well in telling the message. 5 stars. tysm for the arc.

[Akeating2003 · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a fun book. Tilly takes pole dancing to de-stress from her life and becomes involved in a murder. Completely unrealistic and majorly funny!

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC!

[Carolyn · Rating 5 out of 5]

The blurb from the publisher tells you all you need to know: "A suspenseful, bighearted, and laugh-out-loud story of a single mom trying to do it all—including solve a murder she may or may not have committed…

When Tilly Turner signed up for an introductory pole-dancing class, she was looking for a distraction. Reeling from her mother’s passing, and with her career as a stand-up comedian in ruins, Tilly has just moved back to the Idaho hometown she was desperate to leave, with her twin daughters in tow.
But Tilly gets more than she bargained for after a night out with her new pole-dancing pals. She wakes to a raging hangover, no memory of the evening before, and a dead body in the trunk of her car."

At first, I thought this story was too over-the-top. But Tilly's voice was fun to read, and her problems so ridiculous, it just kept drawing me in. Also, if a novel teaches me something along the way, that's a plus. I learned about pole dancing, the history, the art, and the athletic ability of those who do it well.

I read an advance copy. Last Night was a Killer will be published July 2026