Last Night Was Killer

by Mary Pauline Lowry

"On any list of writers that make me laugh, Mary Pauline Lowry is near the top. Last Night Was Killer, but it's also killer fun." -- Steven Rowley, New York Times bestselling author of The Guncle 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, Audiobook, Thriller, Fiction, Adult, Humor, Mystery Thriller

Audible Audio

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

[_blondebooknerd · Rating 4 out of 5]

I Opened the Trunk and There Was a Dead Body… and Somehow This Book Made It FUNNY??? 🔪😂🚗💀

⭐⭐⭐⭐

I had so much fun with this audiobook and I genuinely was not prepared for that level of chaos.

This entire story is told through Tilly Turner—comedian, hot mess, absolute menace—and at times I swear I forgot I was reading a mystery and thought I had wandered into a stand-up set. Like why am I laughing??? There is a dead man involved???

Tilly has A LOT going on:
• single mom of twins (via donor)
• disgraced comedian thanks to a guilty-by-association scandal 🙃
• back in her Idaho hometown after her mom’s death

Naturally, instead of processing any of that in a healthy way…

SHE TAKES POLE DANCING CLASSES.

As one does 💅

Enter the “virgin pole dancing besties” (yes, that’s their name and yes, I’m obsessed).

So after a night out with them, Tilly is living her life, minding her business, goes to load groceries into her trunk and—

✨ BOOM. DEAD BODY. ✨

I—

From there it’s chaotic in the BEST way. We’re retracing the night, trying to piece together what happened, and every time I thought I had it figured out the story said “absolutely not” and threw another twist at me.

We’ve got:
• a sexy ATF agent 👀
• messy hometown drama
• childcare struggles (honestly relatable)
• arms dealing???
• politics???
• and a victim who is, quite frankly, a terrible human

The tone for most of this book is fun, witty, and completely unhinged in a way that made it impossible to put down.

BUT.

The ending shifts hard into heavier territory, which felt a little jarring compared to the light, comedic vibe of the rest of the book. And the “bad guy” reveal? A bit out of nowhere for me.

Also—keeping it honest—the political elements got a little heavier than I personally prefer. It pulled me out of the story at times when I was fully here for the chaos, comedy, and mystery.

That said—

Helen Laser absolutely KILLED this narration. The comedic timing? The delivery? She is Tilly.

Overall:
✨ chaotic main character energy
✨ genuinely funny mystery
✨ fast-paced and entertaining

Just expect a bit of tonal whiplash at the end.

And maybe think twice before opening your trunk 😌

[Elizabeth · Rating 4 out of 5]

Last Night Was Killer by Mary Pauline Lowry
Book Blurb: 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…

Rating: ****
Feels: Hilarity, Curious, Invested, Satisfied
Style: Mystery, Audiobook, Thriller, Fiction, Adult, Humor, Mystery Thriller
First published July 7, 2026 : 320 pages

Giggle fits and cuteness galore. This read kept me sooo entertained and amused. I adored single mom Tilly is relatable , fun, smart and I loved following along on the greatest mystery of her life … did she kill that man ??? 😂😂 Just utterly outrageous and all the shenanigans you can think of ensue as Tilly takes up pole dancing and after a night on the town finds a dead body in her trunk .. she does what any self respecting single mom of twins would do … tell her twins there is a scary spider in the trunk and try to solve the murder while not falling in love with the hunky ATF agent. Completely legit heart warming and hilarious hijinks follow and I enjoyed every moment.

Audiobook Review:
Narration Style: Solo - Narrated by Helen Laser
Listener Rating: *****
Audiobook Notes: Absolutely fantastic amusing narration that really brought out the humor of this read. Listening to this the narrator had me giggling and loving this story as we went on the wildest ride with this single mom. Tone and pitch were amazing and really easy to understand at all speeds. I tend to listen to my audio books at 2.0 and this one was great at all the speeds I tried 1.0 to 2.5. It was easy to follow along and I always knew who was speaking during the read. Sound quality was really good and easy to hear everything. Highly recommend this read as an audiobook as it was really enjoyable.

Favorite Quote: Trying to have a lighthearted night out during an epic rough patch had somehow resulted in this - me, disturbingly hungover, with a dead man in my trunk ...

This book has:
Thriller-Rom-Com
Found Family
Murder Mystery
Soo many Shenanigans
Single Mom
Pole Dancing Fun

[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.

[EmJustReading · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book makes me want to sign up for a pole class

I really enjoyed this “who done it” mystery. We get to see a single mother attempt to solve a murder to prove to everyone (and herself) that she didn’t commit the crime. The story was full of twists that fit in the storyline, and these conflicts moved the story in unexpected directions. I truly didn’t know who did it until the end.

I’m definitely a “Woo girl” (except I’d tip) and the writing was funny because the FMC had a career as a comedian. It was great to see all of the relationships and the found family trope for a single mother working through grief. It addressed some darker themes, but made it easy to digest and makes you feel understanding of the characters’ choices.

It was nice to see how the FMC came to terms and healed from issues in her childhood (like bullies and feeling alone). We get to see a lot of female relationships morph from the beginning to the end, and it’s great to see how communities can support each other. The neighbors’ parts in the story were like the cherry on top… imagine an older woman with a crossbow as her default protection.

The epilogue really made me happy - if you read it you will understand. I love when women get the job done!!

Thank you to HaperAudio adult and the author for the ALC.

[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

[Christina C · Rating 4 out of 5]

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

*Last Night Was a Killer* was such a fun and entertaining read! From start to finish, I found myself laughing out loud thanks to the sharp humor and witty writing. The narrator truly elevated the experience, delivering every joke and chaotic moment with perfect comedic timing.

The story follows a single mom who signs up for a pool dancing class—only for things to spiral wildly out of control when the night ends in murder… and a dead guy in her trunk. What follows is a hilarious, fast-paced adventure as she tries to figure out what happened and who’s responsible. Along the way, her loyal (and equally funny) group of girlfriends add plenty of charm, and her twin daughters absolutely steal the show with their antics.

This book strikes a great balance between mystery and comedy, making it an easy, enjoyable read. Fans of the Finlay Donovan series will feel right at home with the tone and style. Definitely worth picking up if you’re in the mood for something light, funny, and a little bit chaotic.

[Kelsea · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a Chaotic mess!

...and I don't mean the book. I mean the FMC, Tilly Turner. Hahaha! Boy does she have a lot going on; failed comedy career, single mom (literally signed up knowing she was single), swimming in debt, and grieving the loss of her mother. Well she is persuaded to do something for herself, so she takes up pole dancing. One night out with her pole dancing friends she gets a little toooooo something...and finds a DEAD body in her trunk the next morning! Did she kill someone? Does she go to the cops? If Tilly didn't do it...who did?

If you're looking for a good laugh, Tilly's story is it. This book is fast paced, plot heavy and full of fun. While this book is a little out of my comfort zone, I enjoyed it. The easy pace and story line was the perfect palate cleanser for my usual reads. If you love quick wit, chaotic parenting, even funnier side characters, solving crimes and books that keep you guessing until the very end, give this book a try!

A huge thank you to NetGalley and HarperAudio for the privilege to listen and review this ALC.

[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.

[Dozelina 666 · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ohhh this book…

I actually scrolled past it a few times on NetGalley because I wasn’t sure I’d get approved. Then I said, you know what, I'm gonna try anyway. And THANK YOU HarperAudio because this ended up being exactly what I didn’t know I needed.

This was such a fresh breath of air.

I listened to the audiobook and the narrator did an amazing job. At some point I genuinely felt like I was the main character there. :))

So, the story. Our FMC, Tilly, is going through a lot. She’s dealing with grief after losing her mom, her career is a mess because of a scandal that wasn’t even her fault, and she’s juggling life as a single mom to twins. So… yup, ofc she deserves one wild night.

And what a night it was....

She goes out with her pole dancing friends, wakes up the next day with no memory… and a dead body in her car.

From there, everything spirals into absolute chaos. She starts investigating what happened, who the guy was, and how he ended up dead. And somehow we end up with arms dealing, grenades, unexpected friendships, and a romance with an ATF agent who is honestly a cinnamon roll. Calm, patient (even when Tilly was pushing him away), supportive… we love him.

The humor worked. The book is chaotic, funny and surprisingly heartfelt at times.

Also… the pole dancing aspect? I loved it. Will I ever try it? Probably not, but I will always want to. :))

And we cannot forget the dog. Little Sister was a whole personality.

⭐ 5 stars

Thank you NetGalley and HarperAudio for the ARC.

[Emily · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5/5 rounding up to 5 stars

Thank you NetGalley for an ALC!

What an absolutely entertaining and FUN read! It was fast paced and had twists that made you want to keep listening, found family vibes which I always love, moments that made me laugh out loud and moments with the our FMC Tilly that felt relatable.

One of my favorite things about reading is being able to see pieces of myself in the characters and relate to them.
While I can’t say I ever see myself trying pole dancing as a way to find myself/make friends, and I also don’t anticipate having a stressor as big as finding a dead body in the trunk of my car anytime soon, the motherhood factor I could relate to Tilly. Her constant fear that she was “screwing up her kids” was relatable for me. Isn’t that most decent parent’s worst fear? That despite trying our hardest we will somehow mess our kids up in the long run? This is not something I see addressed in a lot of the books I normally pick up so I enjoyed that relatability here.

For a murder mystery the last thing you want is to be able to guess who the murderer was. The twists in this one left me without a clue!

I would HIGHLY recommend this on audio as the narrator Helen Laser was absolutely PHENOMENAL. From the character voices to delivering the comedy with perfection, her narration alone bumped this one up a half star for me. I think it would’ve been closer to 4 stars had her narration not done such a wonderful job at bringing the book to life.

This was the perfect read to break up a lot of the more serious fantasy books I’ve been reading and listening to more recently. Would highly recommend!

[Athena 💗 · Rating 2 out of 5]

I’m just going to be very straightforward with this one. I requested it on NetGalley based purely on the cover, title, and the promise of a murder mystery with satire, I was in.

Honestly, I was hooked immediately. The humor worked, the premise was fun (a single mom takes a pole dancing class, has a night out, then wakes up to a dead man in her trunk with zero memory, I thought this was going to be good! I was fully expecting a laugh-out-loud, chaotic whodunnit with a little romance on the side.

With Boise, ID as the setting, the local references added such a fun personal touch!

Somewhere along the way, the momentum just dropped. The pacing got inconsistent and at times felt like it came to a full stop. The humor was laugh out loud funny but then it started to feel overused and a little forced, like it was doing too much instead of letting the story carry itself.

But here’s where it really lost me. The story started leaning heavily into political and social commentary, and it didn’t feel subtle or naturally woven in—it felt loud. Like, louder than the actual plot I came for. It became distracting, and instead of enhancing the story, it kind of took over it.

Which is frustrating, because there are things here that worked. The writing itself flows well, it’s easy to read, and the concept is genuinely strong.

[Cindy · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very funny book about a single mom of twins trying to mourn her own mother's recent passing and the loss of her comedy career in LA while trying to make ends meet in Boise, UT. Yes, despite the stress and loss, it is very funny! Most of the book takes place over two days: the night before at pole dancing class and a visit to the local strip club, then the morning after, when there's a dead body in the trunk, apparently stabbed with her mother's scrapbooking scissors that were headed to Goodwill.
This happens early on, and much of the book is trying to find out IF the MFC did the killing, as she has no recollection of her time between 9:30 pm and 4:30 am. Plus there's a cute guy at her daughters' Career Day class presentation who is laughing at her jokes, so maybe she shouldn't give up on comedy? This is a fun romp of a story, similar to Elle Cosimano's Finlay Donovan series. If you enjoy those, you will also love this gem! 4.4 stars.
My thanks to the author, publisher, @HarperAudio, and #NetGalley for early access to the audiobook of #LastNightWasKiller for review purposes. Publication date: 7 July 2026: a perfect beach read!

[LeAnn Millward · Rating 4 out of 5]

*ALC provided via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review*

I had so much fun with this audiobook. It's the first book I've listened to in a while that I finished in one sitting. The story is around Tilly, a stand up comic who returns home to Idaho after her mother passes away. The elderly neighbor next door convinces her that she needs to try pole dancing as a new hobby and on the first day of class, she's invited to go out with all of the "pole virgins." She wakes up the next day with a wicked hangover and a dead body in the trunk of her car.

Tilly's adventure to find out who killed the man in her trunk is hilarious and heartwarming at the same time. Her friends and neighbors are so fun and add so much more to the story. Her twin daughters are equally as hilarious as well. This was just a lot of fun and a very quick paced listen.

Helen Laser's narration was brilliant and really kept up with the pace of the story, which was very refreshing.

Thank you to NetGalley, Mary Pauline Lowry, and HarperAudio Adult for allowing me to listen and review. I really enjoyed this one a lot and am looking forward to checking out more stories from Ms. Lowry in the future.

[Alvira Frish · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you @netgalley @harperaudio for this ALC!

Tilly, a single mom to twin daughters and a stand-up comedian in the middle of a career crisis, decides to take a pole dancing class. The next day, she wakes up with very little memory of the night before but with the body of a strange man in her car.

I listened to this via NetGalley, with excellent narration, a fast-paced plot, and so many laugh-out-loud moments.

This is a comedic thriller that blends serious themes (like a murder investigation and coping with loss) with genuinely hilarious ones (like beginner-level pole dancing or the savings jar Tilly keeps for her daughters’ future therapy).

Of course, this isn’t your classic thriller and you can’t really compare the genres. It’s something different, and that’s exactly how it should be approached. Still, I found myself genuinely intrigued by the mystery and eager to see how it would unfold, following Tilly’s every “detective” steps alongside the comedic disasters she finds herself in.

The characters were incredibly engaging, especially the vibrant, larger-than-life main character who steals every scene.

I really enjoyed listening to this one. it’s perfect for anyone looking for a great mix of suspense and humor.

[Jessica Harper · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received this arc from NetGalley so thank you to them, the author Mary Pauline Lowry for this arc! I was intrigued from the moment I started listening to this! I binged listened to it in one day because I couldn’t stop. It was so good. It had me laughing, gasping in shock, sad then happy. The FMC Tilly was just fantastic. Honestly all the characters were amazing. I just loved them all. They were very relatable. There were so many plot twists I didn’t see coming that just made it keep getting better and better. This is my first book I have read by this author but it certainly won’t be my last.

Tilly is a comedian out of work that moves from LA to Idaho after the death of her mom with her twin daughters. She’s just trying to make it through life with her girls and the grief of her mom when a murder mystery gets thrown in her lap or should I say car. She can’t remember the night before so she is uncertain if she did it or not. Follow her as she tries to figure out this mystery and keep her life together.

[Kendra Chura · Rating 3 out of 5]

A fun, easy mystery that didn’t take itself too seriously.

I listened to the audiobook, and Helen Laser was a great fit for the character. She always does a great job, even if there were a couple of small pronunciation quirks that stood out.

The story was funny and lighthearted, and I found myself engaged in the mystery, even when it got a little too silly for my taste.

I don’t usually gravitate toward stories that involve memory loss, but the whole “finding a body in your own trunk after picking up your car and not remembering what happened” plot was original, and I liked that.

Overall, this was an entertaining listen, even if it didn’t fully land for me.

Thank you to NetGalley, Harper Audio Adult, and William Morrow for the advanced listening copy.

[Beth · Rating 5 out of 5]

Last Night Was Killer is a 5 star audiobook! This story follows a single mom, Tilly, who finds a body in the trunk of her car after a wild night with friends from her new pole dancing class. She has no recollection of what happened and has to figure out who killed the person before the cops find out she is hiding a body. Tilly is hilarious, wild and an absolute delight of a FMC. Enter a hot ATF agent who is her daughter’s soccer coach and might possibly be connected to the dead man in the trunk of her car.

This hilarious murder mystery with a side of romance had me laughing the whole way through. I recommend this book to EVERYONE!

Thank you NetGalley and HarperAudio for the ARC audiobook. Opinions are my own.

[Lindsey Domokur · Rating 4 out of 5]

Tilly is kind of a mess. She is grieving and is trying to make ends meet with her twin 7 year olds. She is newly back in her hometown and is trying to get out of the spiral by taking some pole dancing classes. On her first night out with her new friends she has too much to drink and wakes up to a body in her trunk. Trying to piece together what happened the night before to prove she didn't do this, she goes on a quest and gets into some sticky situations.
I loved the cast of characters in this book, especially the hot detective. It was fun and I really didn't see the twists coming, so that is always a plus for me. It really was a liberating book and I think it was a great escape.

[Jane B · Rating 5 out of 5]

Murder, but make it funny. 😆
This book really hit so many things that I like: comedy, mystery, a little thrill, intrigue, and of course, pole dancing. I devoured this story, and loved every bit of it. Such a fun listen, and great narration done by Helen Laser.

Thank you to HarperAudio Adult, William Morrow, and NetGalley for an advanced listening copy of this excellent book!

5⭐️

[Lex · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is going to do great things when it comes out I just know it!

Thank you NetGalley for the ALC.

The audio of this book was so fun! The constant Millennial Easter eggs and twists and turns this book took kept me on my toes. Great mystery with found family and a hint of romance.

[Sarah Gray · Rating 2 out of 5]

I received an audio arc of this book from NetGalley. This book was little too much for me. So much of the issues that the FMCs had felt like the world’s more exaggerated versions of feminism that it wasn’t even fun. It felt like the author just tried to drop as many “girl bosses” that she knew. The story wasn’t even that engaging. Maybe pass on this one.

[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.

[CryptofBooks · Rating 4 out of 5]

Disclaimer: This book was sent to me by the Publisher, HarperAudio Adult, via NetGalley for an honest review.

Opinion:

“The satanists must have killed another goose out here.”



Tilly Turner is experiencing rock bottom. Her career in Los Angeles as a rising comedian has imploded due to the inappropriate happenings of a comic she was tied to, she is struggling to care financially for her twin daughters, and to make matters worse beyond imagination – her mother has died. Forced to move back to her hometown of Boise, Idaho, Tilly tries to pick up the pieces of her life she’s found in shambles. When her neighbor gifts her a few free classes at a local pole dancing studio, Tilly is almost horrified. Pole dancing?! She could never. But when she goes to her first class, she finds that her fellow dancers are more than enjoyable to be around and she even joins them for a few drinks out after class. But the next day, Tilly can’t remember anything from the night before. And to make matters worse, there’s a dead guy in the trunk of her car.

Now how did that get there?!



I received this ARC in audiobook format, and I have to say that listening is the way to go with this book. The narrator captures Tilly’s voice perfectly, a place between depressed/dry and funny/the other kind of hysterical. Tilly feels like a pretty typical woman and mother who is struggling to make ends meet, while also trying to find some enjoyment around the shitstorms she finds herself in. She is likable enough and an easy character to follow down this tragically hilarious rabbit hole of a drunken night.

Plus, her twins are hilarious. They pretend to be conjoined to mess with strangers and say things like:

“Sad mother goes to sexy dance class.”



Now like most women out in the world, I love a true crime story and a little bit of murder. Who doesn’t, right? Weirdos. That’s who. But with all the true crime we’ve ingested over the years, I think we could all agree we know a decent amount about getting away with a crime in some way or another. Or at the very least, we all know exactly what NOT to do to be incriminated for a little something like murder.

Apparently, Tilly sure as shit doesn’t.

This girl does everything you SHOULDN’T do!

–Touches the dead body

–Moves dead body

–Doesn’t clean car after dead body?!?!?!

–Touches the phone of said dead body and goes through it…and RESPONDS to texts

–Takes phone of dead body home (no ping concerns?!)

–Breaks into house of dead body

–Eats ice-cream sandwich from dead body’s freezer?!

–Steals dead body’s mail

–Takes dead body’s mail home and then throws it in own trash (Jesus, have mercy)

–Leaves fingerprints on phone

–Leaves fingerprints in house

–Leaves fingerprints on dead body and blood scissors

–STEALS DOG OF DEAD BODY!!!

“Countless murder mysteries taught me a chest freezer would be the best option for hiding a body, but I didn’t have one.”



And though I can’t believe this girl and the mistakes she makes, it all really feels believable. I think the countless mistakes she makes lends to her feeling like a regular person and having no idea how to deal with what is happening around her. Tilly goes through the story trying to piece together what happened on that drunken night, and why she can’t remember anything but the first couple drinks. Some of the other members of her pole class join her and help her through everything, and their quirky lives add to the silliness that makes this story up.

“And he died with his pants unbuckled, the bastard!”



What is super fun is that this story is set in the city I live in, so all the landmarks, streets and nods to the town were a nice little treat for me since I had no idea it was set here when I started reading. But with that being said, I do feel like I need to mention a few things that just weren’t doing it for me.

The author seems to kind of hate Idaho and leans heavily into voicing her feminist/woke politics.

I’m totally down for it if it adds to the story, but it didn’t. She kept alluding to Idaho being backwards, racist and full of men who hate women. Sure, this is a fictional story. But when you are making everything in the setting based off reality (businesses, police departments, landmarks, local staples, streets, etc.), maybe don’t bash an entire area of people because they might just end up reading your book.



This author leans HEAVY into feminism, which I also have never minded before, if it adds to the story. She just comes across preachy when she starts shoving it down the readers’ throat, so that was very confusing to me why it was even added in.

Another miss for me was who was behind everything – like, really? THAT is the evil mastermind?!

Weird.

Apart from the last few things I mentioned, I actually really enjoyed this book and thought it was a super fun and creative idea for a story. The characters were different, diverse, fun and sassy and I loved the chain of events that linked everything together. Highly recommend, if you can get past the negatives I mentioned.

[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!

[Meranda · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you to Netgalley for blessing me with an advanced copy to this wonderfully chaotic and fun world.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️1/2 : 4.5 stars rounded up to 5
Title: Last Night Was Killer
Author :Mary Pauline Lowry
Narrated by: Hellen Laser


Pros:
Compelling and action packed from first chapter
Relatable moments with outrageous scenes
Mystery that keeps you guessing
Hot love interest who doesn’t steal the show
Powerful women and LGBTQ + characters
“A love story to motherhood” - Mary Lowery interview
Humorous without feeling too campy
A loveable pain in the butt animal *(spoiler and trigger warnings for those who are sensitive with animals at the end of my review)


Cons:
I had trouble distinguishing some of Tilly’s thoughts with her spoken dialogue (though it didn’t deter me that much)
I had questions about timeline (“11 day’s left “ seemed to stretch on for a couple days )
Wanting to finish the story to find out what the F*** actually happened but not wanting the story to end


Tilly turner a single mom of twins, returns to her hometown in Idaho after a public scandal nose dives her stand up comic career and still reeling from the loss of her mother, she is pushed to join a pole dancing class. After a night out with her new pole virgin friends, she awakes to a massive hangover with almost no memory of her night and to top it off, she finds a dead guy in her trunk. What’s a girl to do when you have no alibi and no answers, except try and find the answers yourself, only to find herself in even hotter water when she uncovers an even bigger crime where all dead ends circle back to her going to prison if she doesn’t figure out the truth soon.

I absolutely devoured this book, to where I was making excuses to do already done house work or drive an errand just so I could have a few more minutes with this audiobook. I was gripped from the first chapter. While the suspense and high stakes kept me guessing until the end, the chaotically lovable characters and humor made me not want the story to end. I can honestly say this is the first book I e read where our female protagonist is not only a mom but a down on her luck comedian, trying to not break a stiletto heel while learning the art of pole dancing. While funny and lighthearted in many areas, the author also was respectful and informative about pole dancing and those that created it and bring it to life.

The audiobook was narrated by Helen Laser and with so many characters popping in and out she did a fantastic job of giving them their own unique voice and life. The flow was great and I felt like I was actually listening to Tilly turner vent about her unbelievable situation. My only complaint was it was hard to distinguish between Tilly’s thoughts and her spoken dialogue.

* while there is an injury to an animal and talk of an animal's death, no violence towards any animal is during a scene and the dog lives