Prime Time Murder

Hollywood Whodunit #1

by Brittany E. Brinegar

She’s little. She’s feisty. Spoiler alert, she’s not the killer.

Move to Hollywood. Catch her big break. Become a movie star. Nowhere on Becky Robinson’s to-do list does it say discover a dead body or become the prime suspect.

Becky’s first day on set is anything but glamorous. Between coffee runs and walking the star dog, she discovers the body of a prominent actress. Not exactly how she pictured seeing her name in the papers. And they didn’t even spell it right.

After finding evidence at the crime scene, the cops are on her trail and a Hollywood hunk is in the hot seat.

To clear her name and discover whodunit, Becky rubs elbows with Tinseltown insiders. With the help of her best friend and an adorable puppy, they attempt to expose the killer before he claims his next victim.

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Prime Time Murder is the whimsical first installment in the Hollywood Whodunit cozy mystery series.

If you love clumsy heroines, a Hollywood backdrop, quirky suspects, and an adorable rescue puppy this series is for you!

Genres: Cozy Mystery, Mystery, Ebooks, Cozy, Fiction

230 pages, ebook

Published December 26, 2020

About the author

Brittany E. Brinegar is the author of witty mysteries and whodunits. When you open one of her books, look out for rapid-fire banter and nostalgic pop culture references.

Her hobbies include time travel to the 1940s, solving mysteries, and training to be a super spy... vicariously through her characters of course.

She lives in Arlington, Texas with two canine writing companions/distractions and loves drawing inspiration from family, friends, and her home state.

Ready to smile your way through murder? Join Brittany's newsletter and never miss a new release.

Reviews

[Carol · Rating 4 out of 5]

The setting plus the concept of the book make
for a good read full of interesting, colorful and
distinctive characters.
Becky Robinson, a wannabe actress moved to
Hollywood with a former college friend, Lois Vo.
Lois is a wannabe producer.
Becky gets a job as a gofer in the television
studio for Prime Suspect. What she didn’t plan
on was finding the star, Maria Sinclair dead on
the floor.
Becky and Maria’s ex-boyfriend, Justin become
suspects. So Becky and Justin set out to prove
themselves innocent with Lois help.
I enjoyed the variety of characters involved in
this mystery scenario.
A scruffy but adorable dog who was at the
scene of the crime plus a police service dog
add some flavor to the shenanigans going on.
A very fast paced, intriguing and entertaining
read.
I volunteered to read Prime Time Murder. Thanks
to Story Origin for the opportunity. My opinion is
voluntary and my own.

[Alex · Rating 3 out of 5]

3⭐️ fun easy mystery! Goofy characters, reminds me of a hallmark movie!

[Judith Mosconi · Rating 3 out of 5]

Moves quickly. Many cultural references which are fun if you recognize them. Not enough clues to help you figure out the outcome! Don't think I would read series any more though characters are pleasant enough, just too quirky for me.

[John Hennessy]

I love hard edged thrillers, but I can understand why cozy mysteries are gaining popularity. In Prime Suspect, the main character reminds me of how Naomi Watts might have played Betty in Mulholland Drive IF it had been a comedy.

Humour is subjective so it is hard to hit the right notes at times.

The MC Becky is street smart but also displays an adorable haplessness at times. I like the humour:-

"How was your first day?"

"Well, about what you might expect. I got coffee for the assistant's assistant. I spilled a bag of bagels. Some guy in a headset stole my order. I found a dead body. Spilled coffee all over myself..."

Aside from the mystery is the parallel story of Becky aiming for stardom (whilst avoiding being cast as the prime suspect in a murder) - the question, as always, is who - done - IT? I enjoyed unpacking this mystery, and I am sure you will too.

[Paula · Rating 1 out of 5]

Although I could barely finish the first few chapters, I think a young person might enjoy this writing style.

[Elle Randolph · Rating 1 out of 5]

This was horrible. Maybe would have been okay when I was a tween but I downloaded and read it since it was free and I needed a book and it was the only one that loaded on my wifi. I dreaded reading every page because it was so cringe. I can’t imagine what the other 8 of these books are like.

[Nicole · Rating 2 out of 5]

The silly sense of humour is off-putting. Without it, this could have been a reasonable murder mystery

[Linda Rorex · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the first book in the Hollywood Whodunit cozy mystery series by Brittany E. Brinegar. Becky Robinson is an aspiring actress who moves to Hollywood to chase her dreams with her college friend Lois Vo an aspiring producer. Becky is a Production Assistant (gofer) on the set of a prime-time television series. On her first day on set, Becky stumbles upon the body of prominent actress Maria Sinclair and finds herself as the prime suspect in the murder. Justin Wood’s, Maria’s ex-boyfriend is also a suspect in Maria’s murder. Becky and Justin are determined to clear their names as they team up with Lois and rescue puppy Lorelai to uncover the truth. Amid the glamour and turmoil of Tinseltown, she mingles with Hollywood’s elite, evades shady figures, and races against the clock to unmask the true killer before another life is lost. This lively and quick-paced mystery weaves together eccentric suspects, sharp humor, and an intriguing whodunit. I really enjoyed this fantastic cozy mystery novel.

[Sandie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Adventure awaits Becky Robinson, a clumsy “wanna-be Hollywood actress” and Lois her equally quirky “wanna-be producer” friend when they land jobs as “gofers” on a Prime Time television series. These determined and often hilarious women find themselves at the center of the action when Becky discovers the series female lead, Maria Sinclair, dead and becomes one of the prime suspects in her murder.

Along the way Becky meets Justin, the handsome “hunk” on the series – who is Maria’s ex and also a suspect in the murder. Other characters are liberally peppered throughout the narrative, not the least of which is a bedraggled but lovable dog who was at the scene of the crime and lends a light mood to the antics.

Hang on as this determined and intrepid band help our tangle-footed heroine to sleuth out the truth as she pursues her Hollywood dream.

[Sandra Lopez · Rating 3 out of 5]

Being a coffee girl on a TV studio set was at least “acting adjacent.”
The first day on the set and Becky was sure she’d be fired due to the spilled coffee. Could the day get any worse? Uh, yeah, it could. She also happened to stumble on the dead body of the crime show’s star. Suddenly, Becky was in the middle of a who-dunnit mystery.

The narrative was simply engaging with its witty commentary of the main character. Becky was so sassy and sarcastic—just loved it!

“People say sarcasm is a form of a guilty conscience.”

Wait, could the cops really think Becky killed the star?

I liked the funny TV references and enjoyed the witty narrative, but, let’s face it, Becky wasn’t a detective. I didn’t quite buy her way of solving the case.

Overall, this was a fairly nice mystery with humor and wit.

[Michele Bishop · Rating 5 out of 5]

Becky Robinson is on her first day as a gofer at the television studio for a running series called Prime Suspect. Upon entering the set early to bring coffee and begals for the crew, she dicovers the body of the leading actress, Maria Sinclair. The police arrive and once they have her statement she is told to leave. Since she discovered the body, she is one of the suspects along with the ex-boyfriend, Justin Woods. CBI dective Cornwallis is determined to find the killer but is focused on Becky and Justin. So Becky and her roommate Lois Vo decide to find the killer. Plenty of suspects, all with various alibis. Who is the killer? Funny story, great book.

I received this book free from Story Origin for my review of same.

[Lise · Rating 2 out of 5]

As a gopher on set, Becky Robinson's tasks are pretty clear: get coffee, perform menial errands, stay out of the important people's way. Nowhere in the job description was: find dead body. It's going to be a long first day.

Clearly, I wasn't the target audience for this novel. The humour didn't tickle my funny bone. At least one incorrect homonym made it through the proofreading process. The author used so many pop culture references - those are not going to date well. And finally, on an e-reader, the pictures of phone texts remained minuscule leaving me, as a reader, unable to decipher them and left out of the loop.

[Doctor Nyk · Rating 4 out of 5]

Becky Robinson is an aspiring actress working as a gofer on a TV show. She'll get her big break someday... but it won't be her first day. Her first day was the day she found one of the lead cast members murdered on set! Now it looks like the police have her as the lead suspect.

This book is your classic amature sleuth, it has a very simple premise and it's easy to follow. The characters are a little one dimensional, but that could be because we didn't really get the chance to get to know them.

The story wasn't complex, and the story was easy to follow. You'll probably like this book if you like cozy mysteries

[Michael Reilly · Rating 4 out of 5]

Can you solve this murder?

Trying to get your foot in the door for a TV show in Hollywood is one thing, but trying to do it and prove to the police you didn’t commit the crime is overload. That is what Becky is facing after she finds a dead body in a stage room on the show she is a helper for, her and her best friend must try to solve this murder to keep her out of the jail the police want to put her in. Can she do it, well if you don’t pick up this book and start reading it now you’ll never know the hilarity of the situation. Becky needs your help today.

[Reshme Shaik · Rating 3 out of 5]

If you’re in the mood for a wild and entertaining ride through Hollywood, "Prime Time Murder" by Brittany E. is just what you need! This murder mystery is a delightful blend of chaos, humor, and pop culture references that keeps you turning the pages.

Brittany E. captures the chaos of the entertainment industry perfectly, peppering the narrative with pop culture references that feel both relatable and entertaining. The pacing is brisk, with twists and turns that keep you guessing until the very end.

[Pat M · Rating 4 out of 5]

I had a hard time getting through this story.
Reason 1) I reformatted my reading settings and that flubbed me up.
2) I had trouble focusing on the story.
3) in light of the first two reasons, my determination to read this cozy mystery and get to the dénouement, kept me reading and rereading the last bit of the story until I wrestled myself into finishing the book. I’m glad I persevered as the story isn’t as mixed up as it seemed. I will definitely read this author again.

[Suzen · Rating 2 out of 5]

Becky is trying to break into acting. Now she has a gopher job on the low hit show Prime Suspect. And she stumbles on the dead body of the star. Now everyone associated with the show is a suspect- especially Becky - when her name bade is found under the dead body. She gets her roommate a job too, and they traipse around with loose tips. The police finally nab the murderer- and he is really off the radar. Just like a sappy tv show.

[Deanna · Rating 3 out of 5]

Cute but more of a YA read than what I care for. Too many pop culture references, too many. It is constant throughout the dialogue not just a reference here and there. Sure, it was funny at times, and I got all the references, but it was not enough to hold my interest.

An aspiring actress takes a job as a gopher at a movie set and stumbles upon a murdered actress her first day on the job. The actress is not well liked (of course) and her ex is one of the prime suspects along with Becky because of course she found the body. So, it is up to Becky & her roommate and aspiring producer, Vo to solve the crime.

[Cheryl · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the first in the series. The main characters are Lois and Becky . Becky's first day on the job in the tv set stage and she finds the body of the main woman in the series. Of course the cop decides she must have done it. With Lois helping her, she set off to figure out who really did it. They keep asking questions and the answers are telling them who did what. But can they get the cops to believe then before it's too late?

[Phillip Wray · Rating 4 out of 5]

Breezy, fun read

It was different than the historical mysteries and noir stories I usually read. I stumbled across it and definitely will read the other books featuring this likable heroine. Its nice to have heroine who isn't already better than everyone else. It makes her easier to root for.

[Laurel · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a clean fast paced murder mystery. The main character is a total wise cracking female from a small town in Texas. Trying to break into show business in California with her best friend. Old TV shows, movies, and names of characters get thrown around often, and rather quickly. I guess it is better than cussing.

[Kaylan M. Dockins · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fantastic, clever storyline

This book really kept me on my toes. It constantly kept me guessing who the real murderer was. But it also gave enough information for me to feel like I was part of the case myself! Excellent writing job and I look forward to reading the rest of the series!!

[Larry · Rating 3 out of 5]

I am going to blame my rating on the age differences between myself and the author. The characters were superficial to me, the plot wandered all over the place and I couldn't find the premise. Granted, I am 71, so perhaps someone who is much closer to the author's age would find this simply as hilarious as the promoter of this story claimed.

[Angel · Rating 4 out of 5]

It was a cute story but a bit hard to follow at some points. They jumped around a lot on the clues and main character grasping at straws a lot. Not much back story till the end. Wish there was more of a love angle between main characters but maybe in the next book. If you like acting, tv movies or movie stars you might like it.

[Barb Hegreberg · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is another book that’s been in my Kindle library for longer than I care to admit. It is a fun read with plenty of action and quirky characters to keep the reader entertained from the first page to the last.

I received this book free from the author, publisher, or other source. My only obligation is to provide a fair and honest review.

[Judi Politte-Downs · Rating 3 out of 5]

I listened to this book while on a long driving trip. It kept my interest and I was anxious to finish it when I got home. Twists and turns as the young amateur detectives, including a hunky Hollywood star, go from suspect to suspect including themselves. In the end, they are successful in discovering the truth. This was a fun book.

[Charlene · Rating 5 out of 5]

Becky moves to Hollywood to become a star but discovering a dead body makes her famous all right, but not the way she wants! A wonderful cozy mystery, lots of quirky and interesting characters make this a fun read!

[fred jones · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great, light hearted cozy mystery. A aspiring actress discovers the body of the star of the show while working as a gopher and begins an investigation. Great characters, interesting location and fun plot make a great lighthearted read. I look forward to the next novel in this series. I received a complimentary copy from Storyorigin and am leaving a voluntary honest review

[Kathy · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a fun little cozy! The characters were likeable and funny. The setting of a TV show was interesting. The plot was good with some twists and turns. Loved the dog! Good light read.
I received a free copy of this book voluntarily chose to review it.

[Renee Arthur · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fun read

This was a cute and funny read. Becky got a job on a Hollywood set and before you know it, there's a murder. Becky and her friends start snooping. There's way too many suspects and it's funny to see all the things they go through to try and solve a murder.