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Detective Sam Mysteries #1
Like & Subscribe for Murder
Nonbinary Detective Sam is on the case . . . although a murder at a social media influencer's wedding isn't exactly their typical case.
On Paradiso Island, the wedding of the century is set to begin. It's going to be the perfect wedding, except for one small problem . . . A staff member at the club has inconveniently gone and gotten herself murdered mere days before the event. Now it's up to Detective Sam to solve the murder before anyone else can get hurt. Between shifty social media influencers, disgruntled staff, and one annoyingly handsome translator, they will have their work cut out for them.
Knives Out meets Scream Queens in this queer murder mystery that is perfect for readers seeking a feel-good, fast-paced investigation full of memorable characters and laugh-out-loud dialogue.
On Paradiso Island, the wedding of the century is set to begin. It's going to be the perfect wedding, except for one small problem . . . A staff member at the club has inconveniently gone and gotten herself murdered mere days before the event. Now it's up to Detective Sam to solve the murder before anyone else can get hurt. Between shifty social media influencers, disgruntled staff, and one annoyingly handsome translator, they will have their work cut out for them.
Knives Out meets Scream Queens in this queer murder mystery that is perfect for readers seeking a feel-good, fast-paced investigation full of memorable characters and laugh-out-loud dialogue.
- GenresMystery
354 pages, Paperback
Published June 1, 2022
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 33 reviews
Did Not Finish
January 22, 2023dnf @10%. i was promised knives out but all i got was being bored and also i do not vibe with the writing style
March 29, 2022
Let me start by saying:
WHAT
A
RIDE
The book read like if Ryan Murphy and Elle Cosimano had a love child, and the result is as oddly beautiful as you'd expect.
We follow the rather down-to-earth and taciturn Detective Sam (yes, just Sam) as they are called to Paradiso Island, the go to vacation destination for the obscenely wealthy, to investigate the murder of a staff member who was working at the resort that has been rented out for the marriage of the influencer power couple Maggie and Cole. Now as you can imagine since Detective Sam is an analog person in a digital world (seriously, they still use a frickin' TAPE RECORDER) hijinks immediately ensue as Sam tries to navigate the insane personalities that you'd expect to find at the wedding of two people who care more about their follower count than getting married.
Credit to the author that even in such a heightened world they still manage to craft a compelling mystery that has more twists and turns than a pretzel and will have you guessing whodunnit right up until the last couple chapters. And don't worry this isn't one of those stupid HA see this person did it now let me show you all the clues that the reader was never shown kind of mysteries. No all the clues are there and when you find out what happened you may end up slapping yourself in the face for missing what's been in front of your face the who time (I know I did!).
Beyond the mystery and the ridiculous world of social media there is also a cute love story at the heart of the story. Now I won't go into too much detail about it, because I want you to experience the cute and cuddliness for yourself but lets just say Detective Sam is making sure the bride isn't the only person getting some action during the wedding festivities ;) Warning this love story while cute is HORNY as hell, so prep yourself for some lusty passages!
Overall, this is a hidden gem of a mystery novel with a heap of romance thrown in. It definitely might be too silly for some people and too horny for others, but I think the majority of people will have a hell of a fun time reading it!
WHAT
A
RIDE
The book read like if Ryan Murphy and Elle Cosimano had a love child, and the result is as oddly beautiful as you'd expect.
We follow the rather down-to-earth and taciturn Detective Sam (yes, just Sam) as they are called to Paradiso Island, the go to vacation destination for the obscenely wealthy, to investigate the murder of a staff member who was working at the resort that has been rented out for the marriage of the influencer power couple Maggie and Cole. Now as you can imagine since Detective Sam is an analog person in a digital world (seriously, they still use a frickin' TAPE RECORDER) hijinks immediately ensue as Sam tries to navigate the insane personalities that you'd expect to find at the wedding of two people who care more about their follower count than getting married.
Credit to the author that even in such a heightened world they still manage to craft a compelling mystery that has more twists and turns than a pretzel and will have you guessing whodunnit right up until the last couple chapters. And don't worry this isn't one of those stupid HA see this person did it now let me show you all the clues that the reader was never shown kind of mysteries. No all the clues are there and when you find out what happened you may end up slapping yourself in the face for missing what's been in front of your face the who time (I know I did!).
Beyond the mystery and the ridiculous world of social media there is also a cute love story at the heart of the story. Now I won't go into too much detail about it, because I want you to experience the cute and cuddliness for yourself but lets just say Detective Sam is making sure the bride isn't the only person getting some action during the wedding festivities ;) Warning this love story while cute is HORNY as hell, so prep yourself for some lusty passages!
Overall, this is a hidden gem of a mystery novel with a heap of romance thrown in. It definitely might be too silly for some people and too horny for others, but I think the majority of people will have a hell of a fun time reading it!
April 11, 2022
Well, I wrote the thing, so giving a "review" might be a little biased...! But I'd love to hear the honest thoughts of all the amazing reviewers who may stumble upon this book. If you'd like to read an advance copy, please feel free to visit NetGalley.com and get your copy today: https://tinyurl.com/2vm5ak4w
If the book is no longer available on NetGalley when you read this, visit likeandsubscribeformurder.com and send me a message - I'll be happy to help you out!
If the book is no longer available on NetGalley when you read this, visit likeandsubscribeformurder.com and send me a message - I'll be happy to help you out!
September 27, 2022
Primary content warnings are murder and violence. Minor content warnings include racism, misgendering, misogyny, and slutshaming.
This was a fun read! Murder mysteries aren't my usual genre, but I've been wanting to get more into them and this felt like the perfect choice to close out the summer. Frothy, quick-paced, and well-suited for escapism, Like and Subscribe for Murder follows non-binary detective Sam as they try to solve a mystery that took place less then 48 hours before the influencer wedding of the decade, and it certainly delivers on the premise. The characters by and large are fairly two-dimensional, leaning into stereotypes—Maggie, our bride, is a shining example of this—and this is where the book draws most of its humor from. The whirlwind romance was charming and I did enjoy it quite a bit, feeling sold by the end on their fling and the joy they both got from it.
The floating POV at times detracted from the storytelling (it implied that Sam knew things they didn't) and I was confused by the author's choices around the Spanish language here in general. Additionally, the sheer amount of misgendering happening in the first twenty or thirty pages of the book was a bit jarring. Sam's total non-reaction to it was surprising, but I settled into it as time went on and ended up ultimately liking that choice for their character.
One reason I struggle with this genre is in the inherently flawed and biased nature of the American justice system, which this book does touch on a bit, though it still ends up being mostly upheld as "the right way" by the story by the end.
Overall, a solid three star read for me that I'd recommend for people looking for a queer romp and a quick, fast plot!
This was a fun read! Murder mysteries aren't my usual genre, but I've been wanting to get more into them and this felt like the perfect choice to close out the summer. Frothy, quick-paced, and well-suited for escapism, Like and Subscribe for Murder follows non-binary detective Sam as they try to solve a mystery that took place less then 48 hours before the influencer wedding of the decade, and it certainly delivers on the premise. The characters by and large are fairly two-dimensional, leaning into stereotypes—Maggie, our bride, is a shining example of this—and this is where the book draws most of its humor from. The whirlwind romance was charming and I did enjoy it quite a bit, feeling sold by the end on their fling and the joy they both got from it.
The floating POV at times detracted from the storytelling (it implied that Sam knew things they didn't) and I was confused by the author's choices around the Spanish language here in general. Additionally, the sheer amount of misgendering happening in the first twenty or thirty pages of the book was a bit jarring. Sam's total non-reaction to it was surprising, but I settled into it as time went on and ended up ultimately liking that choice for their character.
One reason I struggle with this genre is in the inherently flawed and biased nature of the American justice system, which this book does touch on a bit, though it still ends up being mostly upheld as "the right way" by the story by the end.
Overall, a solid three star read for me that I'd recommend for people looking for a queer romp and a quick, fast plot!
May 23, 2022
OK OK OK MY DUDES AND DUDETTES.
This book was FUN.
Two influencers are getting married on an island. It's going to be "the wedding of the century." But the day before the wedding, a body is found in the wine cellar. A detective from the mainland is shipped in (because this tiny island definitely doesn't have a homicide department) to solve the case.
THE DETECTIVE'S NAME IS SAM. SAM USES THEY/THEM PRONOUNS. SAM IS A BADASS NON-BINARY/ANDROGYNOUS PROTAGONIST. I LOVE SAM.
This book had me hooked. The writing is fast paced and while I wanted to murder the bride influencer, I could NOT stop reading. It honestly is a quick whodunnit for 2022.
5/5. All the 🌈 All the 🏳️🌈 I need more Detective Sam ASAP.
Thank you to NetGalley and the author for my advance e-copy in exchange for my honest review.
This book was FUN.
Two influencers are getting married on an island. It's going to be "the wedding of the century." But the day before the wedding, a body is found in the wine cellar. A detective from the mainland is shipped in (because this tiny island definitely doesn't have a homicide department) to solve the case.
THE DETECTIVE'S NAME IS SAM. SAM USES THEY/THEM PRONOUNS. SAM IS A BADASS NON-BINARY/ANDROGYNOUS PROTAGONIST. I LOVE SAM.
This book had me hooked. The writing is fast paced and while I wanted to murder the bride influencer, I could NOT stop reading. It honestly is a quick whodunnit for 2022.
5/5. All the 🌈 All the 🏳️🌈 I need more Detective Sam ASAP.
Thank you to NetGalley and the author for my advance e-copy in exchange for my honest review.
September 19, 2022
Trigger Warnings: Murder, alcohol, sex off the page, sex, off the page blackmail, infidelity, revenge, affair, drug addiction, blood, attempted murder, domestic violence, lying, bribery, arrest, gun, reckless driving, police brutality
Representation: They/them pronouns, MLM relationship, Gay, Non-binary
Like & Subscribe for Murder is a funny, queer murder mystery which centers a wedding on an island between two social media influencers. When a dead body is found, Detective Sam appears on the scene to help solve this mystery. They quickly discover that the island isn’t as perfect as it seems and this case won’t be open and shut.
This audiobook was provided by the author in exchange for an honest review.
Wow I really liked this story! It is very quirky and funny! The mystery keeps you on your toes throughout the entire book and is not spooky or scary! The author does a fantastic job crafting this crazy wedding/social media world that parallels a fun murder mystery with a bunch of twists! This story also provides a cutesy love story for any romance fans. I feel like this book is such a gem and needs to be found by more queer readers and readers alike!
Representation: They/them pronouns, MLM relationship, Gay, Non-binary
Like & Subscribe for Murder is a funny, queer murder mystery which centers a wedding on an island between two social media influencers. When a dead body is found, Detective Sam appears on the scene to help solve this mystery. They quickly discover that the island isn’t as perfect as it seems and this case won’t be open and shut.
This audiobook was provided by the author in exchange for an honest review.
Wow I really liked this story! It is very quirky and funny! The mystery keeps you on your toes throughout the entire book and is not spooky or scary! The author does a fantastic job crafting this crazy wedding/social media world that parallels a fun murder mystery with a bunch of twists! This story also provides a cutesy love story for any romance fans. I feel like this book is such a gem and needs to be found by more queer readers and readers alike!
April 12, 2022
Thank you Netgalley and Elle Kleos for an advance copy of Like & Subscribe for Murder.
I love a good mystery and a mystery involving influencers seemed like a no brainer.
Like & Subscribe for Murder was my first LGBTQIA mystery. I found Detective Sam. Just Detective Sam. To be an interesting character. They had a distinct personality and was a more than capable detective. When I saw the cover and requested the book through Netgalley, I thought the book was be more like a cozy mystery, but it was not. So if you like clean cozy mysteries that avoid sex and cursing this book is not for you. I had no problems with that and thought the mystery kept me guessing.
Detective Sam is smart and although blunt they get the job done. The mystery is slow in the beginning but after a certain event happens (no spoilers) the book turns fast paced. I thought the wrap up was very good as well.
There are several supporting characters in the story and those have their own personalities that make the book more enjoyable. I did struggle with distinguishing some of the staff in the book (more on this issue below). But Teddy was a joy and I enjoyed him and Sam’s relationship.
While I figured out the initial murder suspect relatively quickly, there were other mysteries happening that kept me guessing. I flew through the last part of the book because I wanted to know what would happen.
My one complaint with this book is the difficulty keeping the staff apart. While I normally do not comment on editing issues, I found I needed to point this out and hope that it will be corrected in its final version. There is a lot of dialogue in the book in Spanish with a footnote. The footnote made it difficult to find and then read what the characters were saying in Spanish. I understand the need for this because it allows Sam and Teddy’s relationship to interact more. But there needs to be a better way to handle this. I found myself skipping these paragraphs and then reading the footnote when I eventually got to it at the end (which could be a few pages later).
Overall, this was a fun mystery and romance. The mystery kept me guessing and I enjoyed Detective Sam. I plan to read the next book when it comes out.
I love a good mystery and a mystery involving influencers seemed like a no brainer.
Like & Subscribe for Murder was my first LGBTQIA mystery. I found Detective Sam. Just Detective Sam. To be an interesting character. They had a distinct personality and was a more than capable detective. When I saw the cover and requested the book through Netgalley, I thought the book was be more like a cozy mystery, but it was not. So if you like clean cozy mysteries that avoid sex and cursing this book is not for you. I had no problems with that and thought the mystery kept me guessing.
Detective Sam is smart and although blunt they get the job done. The mystery is slow in the beginning but after a certain event happens (no spoilers) the book turns fast paced. I thought the wrap up was very good as well.
There are several supporting characters in the story and those have their own personalities that make the book more enjoyable. I did struggle with distinguishing some of the staff in the book (more on this issue below). But Teddy was a joy and I enjoyed him and Sam’s relationship.
While I figured out the initial murder suspect relatively quickly, there were other mysteries happening that kept me guessing. I flew through the last part of the book because I wanted to know what would happen.
My one complaint with this book is the difficulty keeping the staff apart. While I normally do not comment on editing issues, I found I needed to point this out and hope that it will be corrected in its final version. There is a lot of dialogue in the book in Spanish with a footnote. The footnote made it difficult to find and then read what the characters were saying in Spanish. I understand the need for this because it allows Sam and Teddy’s relationship to interact more. But there needs to be a better way to handle this. I found myself skipping these paragraphs and then reading the footnote when I eventually got to it at the end (which could be a few pages later).
Overall, this was a fun mystery and romance. The mystery kept me guessing and I enjoyed Detective Sam. I plan to read the next book when it comes out.
June 4, 2022
This was a very fun read. The writing kept me interested in the mystery and the potential romance. I don't want to spoil a thing so all I'll say is if you love a modern day murder mystery, this is the book for you!
Also, we love a non-binary protagonist. It was genuinely an interesting reading experience with the pronouns corrected to reflect this. A wonderful reading experience.
Also, we love a non-binary protagonist. It was genuinely an interesting reading experience with the pronouns corrected to reflect this. A wonderful reading experience.
April 14, 2022
This was a great read, and the romance was so cute!
April 11, 2022
This ARC was provided to me via Kindle, Elle Kleos and by #NetGalley. Opinions expressed are completely my own.
Funny, quaint and hard to put down. An enjoyable and entertaining read.
Funny, quaint and hard to put down. An enjoyable and entertaining read.
March 11, 2022
Loved it, loved it, loved it!!!! This book was so much fun, which I feel like I have been very much missing in both life and the books I have picked up recently. The story follows a nonbinary protagonist, Detective Sam, in a who-dun-it murder mystery where they must try to untangle the truth while navigating the worst of society- entitled rich people.
The author does not hold back on their portrayal of entitled rich influencers and all of their ridiculous antics (I for one had a good laugh at the goat yoga). Since Sam is non binary and uses gender neutral pronouns it was also hilarious seeing them effortlessly refuse to be defined by gender norms in a place that likes to strictly enforce it. Maggie as a character is so much fun just for how she embodies entitled rich influencer cranked to the MAX! And for anyone saying this is too much or unrealistic... real life influencers have pulled some stunts AT LEAST at this level (expecting work for free, scamming their followers... selling models of their baby to fans... etc).
Also... the romance.... THE ROMANCE... I don't want to spoil anything... but Sam if you don't lock that down THEN I WILL. The love interest is SO much fun and honestly just a breath of fresh air! I also enjoyed how adult the romance was. There's no out of left field declarations of true love, just two adults who decide to see where their relationship can take them due to their AMAZING chemistry throughout the book.
Another breath of fresh air was the mystery of the book. I am SO TIRED of plot twists that come out of no where, or the murderer was a person that's introduced at the last 10 pages. This mystery does have a lot of enjoyable twists and turns and it actually rewards, not punishes, readers who pick up clues sprinkled throughout the book. I did end up guessing correctly who-dun-it, but that didn't lessen my enjoyment of the book at all! The author focuses on creating a good story rather than a last ditch 'shock value' element.
So if your in the mood for an LGBTQ book for the summer that is engaging, fun, with hilarious and memorable characters then pick up this book!! The only downside is that now it's over I have to wait for the sequel!
The author does not hold back on their portrayal of entitled rich influencers and all of their ridiculous antics (I for one had a good laugh at the goat yoga). Since Sam is non binary and uses gender neutral pronouns it was also hilarious seeing them effortlessly refuse to be defined by gender norms in a place that likes to strictly enforce it. Maggie as a character is so much fun just for how she embodies entitled rich influencer cranked to the MAX! And for anyone saying this is too much or unrealistic... real life influencers have pulled some stunts AT LEAST at this level (expecting work for free, scamming their followers... selling models of their baby to fans... etc).
Also... the romance.... THE ROMANCE... I don't want to spoil anything... but Sam if you don't lock that down THEN I WILL. The love interest is SO much fun and honestly just a breath of fresh air! I also enjoyed how adult the romance was. There's no out of left field declarations of true love, just two adults who decide to see where their relationship can take them due to their AMAZING chemistry throughout the book.
Another breath of fresh air was the mystery of the book. I am SO TIRED of plot twists that come out of no where, or the murderer was a person that's introduced at the last 10 pages. This mystery does have a lot of enjoyable twists and turns and it actually rewards, not punishes, readers who pick up clues sprinkled throughout the book. I did end up guessing correctly who-dun-it, but that didn't lessen my enjoyment of the book at all! The author focuses on creating a good story rather than a last ditch 'shock value' element.
So if your in the mood for an LGBTQ book for the summer that is engaging, fun, with hilarious and memorable characters then pick up this book!! The only downside is that now it's over I have to wait for the sequel!
April 17, 2022
An engaging murder mystery. Throughout the book I was trying to figure out who-done-it. Some of the twists I could guess and others I did not see coming.
There is a wide cast of well developed characters - some made me laugh (Maggie), some I rooted for (Sam) and some were irritating (Teddy).
There is a wide cast of well developed characters - some made me laugh (Maggie), some I rooted for (Sam) and some were irritating (Teddy).
April 14, 2022
Once I started reading this book, I couldn't put it down. The story was fun and compelling the whole way through with characters that had me wanting a book two! #TeamTeddy
I can't wait to see what Detective Sam is up to next!
Oh and my 93 year old Grandma loved it too 😄
I can't wait to see what Detective Sam is up to next!
Oh and my 93 year old Grandma loved it too 😄
April 28, 2022
This book had many problems. The first was that the characters were too over the top for a "serious" book, but not funny enough for a parody. Yes, in Knives Out (which the blurb makes comparisons to) the joke is that rich people are awful, but it shows a variety of amusing ways in which the rich characters are awful. In Like & Subscribe the joke is that influencers are shallow and stupid, and it shows all influencers being shallow and stupid in very similar ways, and that gets exhausting very quickly.
For Sam and their love interest...Sam had their moments, the LI was somewhat annoying and childish, and the attraction between them seemed entirely based around sexual attraction. Which can be a nice start, but it never seemed to develop in anything more...it just magically turned into true love, which I just didn't buy.
And finally: the mystery. First, there was the interesting choice to have almost all interrogations/witness interviews dialogue-only. (Well, we get to "listen in" to the tapes Sam records during the interviews, so we get the dialogue and occasional descriptions of sounds...like a goat bleating when the interviewee is just doing goat yoga...yeah...don't ask). Yes. The detective is questioning people and the reader does not learn anything about their body language or if the detective believes them/what they think about the suspect. Because why would we care about unimportant details like that?
Well, and finally I have to get into spoilers. Major whodunnit spoilers:
For Sam and their love interest...Sam had their moments, the LI was somewhat annoying and childish, and the attraction between them seemed entirely based around sexual attraction. Which can be a nice start, but it never seemed to develop in anything more...it just magically turned into true love, which I just didn't buy.
And finally: the mystery. First, there was the interesting choice to have almost all interrogations/witness interviews dialogue-only. (Well, we get to "listen in" to the tapes Sam records during the interviews, so we get the dialogue and occasional descriptions of sounds...like a goat bleating when the interviewee is just doing goat yoga...yeah...don't ask). Yes. The detective is questioning people and the reader does not learn anything about their body language or if the detective believes them/what they think about the suspect. Because why would we care about unimportant details like that?
Well, and finally I have to get into spoilers. Major whodunnit spoilers:
June 2, 2022
Like & Subscribe for Murder
is a fun queer murder mystery complete with:
♥ constant affirming use of they/them pronouns (and gender neutral Spanish!) for its nonbinary protagonist
♥ very hot, very gay “enthusiastic romancing”
♥ and "rich people suck, hotel staff deserve more” solidarity.
The way Elle Kleos gets the absurdity of wealth and the traditions of the rich SO SHARP, alongside the ridiculously serious business of an influencer’s lifestyle (complete with product placements) is SO DAMN PERFECT. The entire book is simply chef’s kiss! but a quote I adore: “Who do you think you are?” Maggie asked, and Sam cringed a little at the shrill note in her voice. “Arresting someone? In the middle of a sponsored livestream? Someone tell me this is a sick joke.”
If you wanted HBO's The White Lotus to be the murder mystery we expected, only way more queer (nonbinary detective protagonist! several horny gay dudes!) and heavier on the ‘eat the rich’ energy…. Like & Subscribe for Murder is everything you need and more! It's kinda ruined my life, in a 'what do I even read after this' way —because it had never occurred to me that one book could have so much of who i am and what i love ALL AT ONCE?!
The author dedicates this book “to any queer readers who are tired of crying over sad stories and are ready to laugh again.” and continues: “If this story can make even one person smile, then it’s already everything I dreamed it would be.” If I could give this billion stars I would. (And if you can think of any books that do something even remotely similar in vibe, please let me know!) There's gonna be a sequel and i simply cannot wait!
I received an advanced copy for review.
♥ constant affirming use of they/them pronouns (and gender neutral Spanish!) for its nonbinary protagonist
♥ very hot, very gay “enthusiastic romancing”
♥ and "rich people suck, hotel staff deserve more” solidarity.
The way Elle Kleos gets the absurdity of wealth and the traditions of the rich SO SHARP, alongside the ridiculously serious business of an influencer’s lifestyle (complete with product placements) is SO DAMN PERFECT. The entire book is simply chef’s kiss! but a quote I adore: “Who do you think you are?” Maggie asked, and Sam cringed a little at the shrill note in her voice. “Arresting someone? In the middle of a sponsored livestream? Someone tell me this is a sick joke.”
If you wanted HBO's The White Lotus to be the murder mystery we expected, only way more queer (nonbinary detective protagonist! several horny gay dudes!) and heavier on the ‘eat the rich’ energy…. Like & Subscribe for Murder is everything you need and more! It's kinda ruined my life, in a 'what do I even read after this' way —because it had never occurred to me that one book could have so much of who i am and what i love ALL AT ONCE?!
The author dedicates this book “to any queer readers who are tired of crying over sad stories and are ready to laugh again.” and continues: “If this story can make even one person smile, then it’s already everything I dreamed it would be.” If I could give this billion stars I would. (And if you can think of any books that do something even remotely similar in vibe, please let me know!) There's gonna be a sequel and i simply cannot wait!
I received an advanced copy for review.
September 29, 2022
"...As long as I can rely on you to be straight with me, having someone who knows 10 percent more about the ins and outs of this place could make all the difference..."
"Well, being straight has never been my specialty but I'll do my best."
Come for the murder, stay for the banter, steam, and insta love between non binary detective Sam (just Sam) and bad boy bisexual Teddy in the queer cozy murder mystery Like & Subscribe For Murder by debut author Elle Kleos.
There has been a murder on Paradise Island and Detective Sam has been called from the mainland to solve the case since the population of the Island is too small for a homicide division and that makes everyone a suspect.
Props to narrator TJ Clark for equal comedic, sultry, and crime drama talents. The murder takes place at a hotel hosting the wedding of a YouTube sensation to a pure bridezilla social media influencer. Both sides of the family are extreme examples of privileged brats. Teddy, however is no pretense, what you see is what you get, and when Sam interviews him with their trusted tape recorder, they are aware of Teddy's appeal. As for Teddy, how he feels is obvious when he says, "I think my heart has known you all my life."
Despite a few red herrings the resolution of the murder was quite satisfying and believable considering the social media consciousness of all the suspects.
I read and listened to this writer's easy to follow story and really enjoyed the mash up of Scream Queens/Columbo/Knives Out. I hope there are more Detective Sam books because I would definitely like and subscribe to that series.
I received a free copy of this book and audiobook from the author via #netgalley for a fair and honest review. All opinions are my own.
"Well, being straight has never been my specialty but I'll do my best."
Come for the murder, stay for the banter, steam, and insta love between non binary detective Sam (just Sam) and bad boy bisexual Teddy in the queer cozy murder mystery Like & Subscribe For Murder by debut author Elle Kleos.
There has been a murder on Paradise Island and Detective Sam has been called from the mainland to solve the case since the population of the Island is too small for a homicide division and that makes everyone a suspect.
Props to narrator TJ Clark for equal comedic, sultry, and crime drama talents. The murder takes place at a hotel hosting the wedding of a YouTube sensation to a pure bridezilla social media influencer. Both sides of the family are extreme examples of privileged brats. Teddy, however is no pretense, what you see is what you get, and when Sam interviews him with their trusted tape recorder, they are aware of Teddy's appeal. As for Teddy, how he feels is obvious when he says, "I think my heart has known you all my life."
Despite a few red herrings the resolution of the murder was quite satisfying and believable considering the social media consciousness of all the suspects.
I read and listened to this writer's easy to follow story and really enjoyed the mash up of Scream Queens/Columbo/Knives Out. I hope there are more Detective Sam books because I would definitely like and subscribe to that series.
I received a free copy of this book and audiobook from the author via #netgalley for a fair and honest review. All opinions are my own.
June 17, 2022
An island paradise doesn't seem so idyllic as police Detective Sam is called in from the mainland to solve a tragic death of a hotel staff member. The Paradiso club is the stage of the most anticipated social media wedding of the year and the show must go on as Sam investigates the Paradiso rich and famous.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for giving me the opportunity to read this in exchange for a review.
With many twists and turns, this book is a detailed and well executed mystery. The colourful cast of characters, many with secrets for Sam to uncover as they piece together a mysterious death that seems at odds with the perfect product placement of the social media wedding. As with all good books of the genre, it keeps you guessing as you identify one suspect and then Sam unravels a new clue to make you question all over again.
I tend to prefer romantic liaison in my police procedurals to be slow burn rather than the instalust that happens in this book. Particularly when it looks like the romantic partner may be a suspect. That said, Teddy is delightful and stands in stark relief to the other soulless and superficial island inhabitants, I'd personally love to see him and Sam have a long term thing. If you are looking for sex, this book is fade to black, so there's plenty of sexual tension and preliminary exploration on the page but no sex.
This book hovers somewhere between cozy mystery and police procedural with periods of lighthearted chatter and some methodical police work. All in all a fabulous introduction to Detective Sam, I think they could make a great reoccurring character for a series.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for giving me the opportunity to read this in exchange for a review.
With many twists and turns, this book is a detailed and well executed mystery. The colourful cast of characters, many with secrets for Sam to uncover as they piece together a mysterious death that seems at odds with the perfect product placement of the social media wedding. As with all good books of the genre, it keeps you guessing as you identify one suspect and then Sam unravels a new clue to make you question all over again.
I tend to prefer romantic liaison in my police procedurals to be slow burn rather than the instalust that happens in this book. Particularly when it looks like the romantic partner may be a suspect. That said, Teddy is delightful and stands in stark relief to the other soulless and superficial island inhabitants, I'd personally love to see him and Sam have a long term thing. If you are looking for sex, this book is fade to black, so there's plenty of sexual tension and preliminary exploration on the page but no sex.
This book hovers somewhere between cozy mystery and police procedural with periods of lighthearted chatter and some methodical police work. All in all a fabulous introduction to Detective Sam, I think they could make a great reoccurring character for a series.
October 13, 2022
The island of Paradiso is filled with influencers, insta celebrities, and sponsored content. When a body of a staff member is discovered inopportunely the week of an influencer wedding, non-binary Detective Sam is called in to crack the case. Surrounded by wealth, privilege, and an absence of tact, Sam doesn’t shy away from making allies where they can, and inserting themselves into life at Paradiso to solve this mystery.
After reading the description I was immediately intrigued! I love a cozy murder mystery, but add in a queer romance and non-binary main character? This was just hands down enjoyable! With humor reminiscent of Schitt’s Creek, the mystery kept me guessing the entire way through, and I was still surprised by the ending! The audiobook also includes some tasteful sound effects and wonderful narration!
Thank you to the author, Elle Kleos, for a gifted copy of the audiobook for review purposes!
After reading the description I was immediately intrigued! I love a cozy murder mystery, but add in a queer romance and non-binary main character? This was just hands down enjoyable! With humor reminiscent of Schitt’s Creek, the mystery kept me guessing the entire way through, and I was still surprised by the ending! The audiobook also includes some tasteful sound effects and wonderful narration!
Thank you to the author, Elle Kleos, for a gifted copy of the audiobook for review purposes!
May 2, 2022
On Paradiso Island, the wedding of the century is set to begin. It's going to be the perfect wedding, except for one small problem . . . A staff member at the club has inconveniently gone and gotten herself murdered mere days before the event. Now it's up to nonbinary Detective Sam to solve the murder before anyone else can get hurt. Between shifty social media influencers, disgruntled staff, and one annoyingly handsome translator, they will have their work cut out for them.
Overall it was a good mystery however some of the characters are annoying. It was on the line to me of a serious or cozy mystery.
#Like&Subscribefor Murder#NetGalley
Overall it was a good mystery however some of the characters are annoying. It was on the line to me of a serious or cozy mystery.
#Like&Subscribefor Murder#NetGalley
January 26, 2023
I thoroughly enjoyed this book. Once I started reading it, I couldn't put it down. I needed to know who did it. Every time I thought I had figured it out, I soon found out I was wrong. There is a lightness to this mystery that is a refreshing change from other mysteries.
Well done! I can't wait for Book 2 to see what Detective Sam is up to next.
Well done! I can't wait for Book 2 to see what Detective Sam is up to next.
June 16, 2022
very interesting
I understand this is the first book by this author and I found it to be an interesting and different mystery. Great writing and I look forward to another book in this series.
I understand this is the first book by this author and I found it to be an interesting and different mystery. Great writing and I look forward to another book in this series.
June 21, 2023
This was a really fun listen! The story is just the right amount of steamy and has an interesting mystery that had me trying to solve it before the reveal!
June 6, 2022
I thought that the mystery in this book was very well written because every time I thought I had a solid idea of who did it I would be completely wrong! There were so many working parts to this book but it never felt chaotic, which made it all the better. I loved the LGBTQIA+ representation since this is the first book that I have read with a Nonbinary main character that is a detective, which is PERFECT for Pride Month! This book was published May 31st, 2022 so be sure to check it out!
June 1, 2022
I was immediately hooked by the prospect of another nonbinary detective starring in a murder mystery as I have loved queer murder mysteries recently.
Detective Sam is brought to Paradiso Island during the biggest wedding of the season to investigate the murder of a staff memeber working the event. Thrown into a world of influencers and having a language barrier with the staff, will Sam be able to solve this case?
I read this book right when I needed something just like it - being easy to follow, containing humor, and having lots of diverse characters. However, is it the best written book? No. I felt that it was lacking both in character development and writing engagement. I would have loved to learn more about the characters, their personalities, who they are. Instead, they felt rather flat to me. The writing - I'm not quite sure how to describe it, other than it's not one that I would struggle to put down and take breaks reading. It's just missing that really engaging factor for me.
Plotwise, I did really enjoy it. Some pacing was off and the timeline was fairly confusing, but the mystery and way the case was written allowed me to relax and enjoy the book. I was mostly kept guessing along the way which I like in mysteries & thrillers.
Characterwise, we have a nonbinary MC, Sam, who uses they/them pronouns and I really liked the way some of this representation was done. There are also various characters who fall somewhere on the achillean spectrum, including Sam. There's a lot of Latine representation & Spanish language, although it felt too much like it was playing into the stereotype of Latine staff & rich white country clubbers, rather than including POC characters in other positions.
One other reason I couldn't rate this higher, is the poor inclusion of gender neutral language in Spanish. I myself do not speak Spanish aside from a few words here and there, but when it felt off to me, I consulted people in the bookstagram community who do speak Spanish. The consensus on what was done wrong:
- El detectivex: detective is already gender neutral in Spanish, as it ends in -e. The -x is also not pronounceable in Spanish and the -e ending is preferred by Spanish speakers. Using "el" (or the masculine form of "the") also defeats the purpose of gender neutral language and should be "le" instead.
- Ellos as "they": ellos is the masculine version of the plural "they" in Spanish, with ellas being the feminine version. Referring to Sam with the pronoun "ellos" is still using gender to refer to them. Instead, the gender neutral singular they, "elle" is used by Spanish speakers & should be used instead of "ellos".
Overall, I would still probably pick up the next installment out of curiosity and a general state of enjoyment.
Rep: nonbinary MC, achillean MC & SCs, Latine SCs, Spanish language
CW: murder, death, blood, needles, alcohol, explosives, misgendering, cyberbullying, bullying, ableist language
Rating system:
5 - absolutely love, little-to-no dislikes that did not impact my reading experience
4 - great book, minor dislikes that did have an impact on my reading experience
3 - good/decent book but for some reason did not hook me or there were some problematic things that just were not addressed or greatly impacted my reading experience
2 - is either a book I did not click with and did not enjoy, problematic aspects are not addressed and severely impacted my reading experience, or I DNF'd but think it has potential for others
1 - is very problematic, I would not recommend the book to anyone
Thank you to Netgalley & Akleos Productions for an eARC in exchange for an honest review. Expected pub date: June 1, 2022.
Detective Sam is brought to Paradiso Island during the biggest wedding of the season to investigate the murder of a staff memeber working the event. Thrown into a world of influencers and having a language barrier with the staff, will Sam be able to solve this case?
I read this book right when I needed something just like it - being easy to follow, containing humor, and having lots of diverse characters. However, is it the best written book? No. I felt that it was lacking both in character development and writing engagement. I would have loved to learn more about the characters, their personalities, who they are. Instead, they felt rather flat to me. The writing - I'm not quite sure how to describe it, other than it's not one that I would struggle to put down and take breaks reading. It's just missing that really engaging factor for me.
Plotwise, I did really enjoy it. Some pacing was off and the timeline was fairly confusing, but the mystery and way the case was written allowed me to relax and enjoy the book. I was mostly kept guessing along the way which I like in mysteries & thrillers.
Characterwise, we have a nonbinary MC, Sam, who uses they/them pronouns and I really liked the way some of this representation was done. There are also various characters who fall somewhere on the achillean spectrum, including Sam. There's a lot of Latine representation & Spanish language, although it felt too much like it was playing into the stereotype of Latine staff & rich white country clubbers, rather than including POC characters in other positions.
One other reason I couldn't rate this higher, is the poor inclusion of gender neutral language in Spanish. I myself do not speak Spanish aside from a few words here and there, but when it felt off to me, I consulted people in the bookstagram community who do speak Spanish. The consensus on what was done wrong:
- El detectivex: detective is already gender neutral in Spanish, as it ends in -e. The -x is also not pronounceable in Spanish and the -e ending is preferred by Spanish speakers. Using "el" (or the masculine form of "the") also defeats the purpose of gender neutral language and should be "le" instead.
- Ellos as "they": ellos is the masculine version of the plural "they" in Spanish, with ellas being the feminine version. Referring to Sam with the pronoun "ellos" is still using gender to refer to them. Instead, the gender neutral singular they, "elle" is used by Spanish speakers & should be used instead of "ellos".
Overall, I would still probably pick up the next installment out of curiosity and a general state of enjoyment.
Rep: nonbinary MC, achillean MC & SCs, Latine SCs, Spanish language
CW: murder, death, blood, needles, alcohol, explosives, misgendering, cyberbullying, bullying, ableist language
Rating system:
5 - absolutely love, little-to-no dislikes that did not impact my reading experience
4 - great book, minor dislikes that did have an impact on my reading experience
3 - good/decent book but for some reason did not hook me or there were some problematic things that just were not addressed or greatly impacted my reading experience
2 - is either a book I did not click with and did not enjoy, problematic aspects are not addressed and severely impacted my reading experience, or I DNF'd but think it has potential for others
1 - is very problematic, I would not recommend the book to anyone
Thank you to Netgalley & Akleos Productions for an eARC in exchange for an honest review. Expected pub date: June 1, 2022.
August 7, 2022
Enjoyment: 4
Total rating: 4.07
Like & Subscribe for Murder is a delightful queer mystery. Sam is a quirky non-binary detective who's not afraid to mix business and pleasure. I feel that the representation alone is worth reading this book for. As an "origin story," I get that some mistakes were made in the investigation that resulted in Sam finding a sidekick. I hope that the story focuses more on Sam's development and their job as a detective in future novels.
It's a solid debut, and I hope Kleos continues delivering light-hearted whodunnits.
Disclaimer: In exchange for an honest review, I am thankful to the publishers and NetGalley for providing a copy of Like & Subscribe for Murder
Total rating: 4.07
Like & Subscribe for Murder is a delightful queer mystery. Sam is a quirky non-binary detective who's not afraid to mix business and pleasure. I feel that the representation alone is worth reading this book for. As an "origin story," I get that some mistakes were made in the investigation that resulted in Sam finding a sidekick. I hope that the story focuses more on Sam's development and their job as a detective in future novels.
It's a solid debut, and I hope Kleos continues delivering light-hearted whodunnits.
Disclaimer: In exchange for an honest review, I am thankful to the publishers and NetGalley for providing a copy of Like & Subscribe for Murder
August 18, 2022
I really enjoyed this book. If you want a cozy mystery with rich person drama and some steamy romance on the side, then definitely check out this book. Plus there's LGBTQ rep in this book for numerous characters, and Sam is non-binary. 🏳️🌈
We follow Detective Sam who is called in from the mainland to this small island, as their expertise is homicide and the police on the island don't have a homicide unit. We are introduced to a number of interesting characters throughout Sam's investigation, and some are more willing to help than others. Sam also enlists the help of a few people throughout the investigation to better understand the nuances of the staff and customers that are staying on the island.
There were quite a few twists and turns that I didn't see coming. And I loved seeing the clues that Sam discovered and how they put all the pieces together to solve the investigation.
This was definitely a wild ride and I read it pretty quickly. Not gonna lie, as a romance reader I always love when there are romance subplots in other genres, and I was here for it! I loved the large personality of Sam's love interest (without giving too much away).
Considering this is mentioned as book 1, I'm really hoping the author continues with this series. I will definitely be picking up more books from this author in the future.
I received an ARC from Netgalley in exchange for my honest opinion.
We follow Detective Sam who is called in from the mainland to this small island, as their expertise is homicide and the police on the island don't have a homicide unit. We are introduced to a number of interesting characters throughout Sam's investigation, and some are more willing to help than others. Sam also enlists the help of a few people throughout the investigation to better understand the nuances of the staff and customers that are staying on the island.
There were quite a few twists and turns that I didn't see coming. And I loved seeing the clues that Sam discovered and how they put all the pieces together to solve the investigation.
This was definitely a wild ride and I read it pretty quickly. Not gonna lie, as a romance reader I always love when there are romance subplots in other genres, and I was here for it! I loved the large personality of Sam's love interest (without giving too much away).
Considering this is mentioned as book 1, I'm really hoping the author continues with this series. I will definitely be picking up more books from this author in the future.
I received an ARC from Netgalley in exchange for my honest opinion.
August 14, 2022
**3.5 stars**
The premise caught my attention and I thought the murder mystery, and having a non binary character was cool but the story fell flat for me and I lost interest in the middle.
The narrator, TJ Clark was okay. He has a lilt when he’s telling the story. It was okay at the beginning but as the story progressed I realized that in some scenes, some phrases were being repetitive.
One of the male characters was a Spanish translator, but instead of the locals speaking in Spanish it was told in English in a monotone voice and then the translator was repeating it again in English. This completely took me out of the book.
The murder mystery was interesting and I was shocked to find out who was behind everything. I had a inkling of who was behind it, but the author did a wonderful job of leading you to believe it was someone else.
If you’re looking for a queer mystery read with a non-binary character, I believe you will enjoy this book.
My main issue was the narrator and the changes that completely took me out of the story.
The premise caught my attention and I thought the murder mystery, and having a non binary character was cool but the story fell flat for me and I lost interest in the middle.
The narrator, TJ Clark was okay. He has a lilt when he’s telling the story. It was okay at the beginning but as the story progressed I realized that in some scenes, some phrases were being repetitive.
One of the male characters was a Spanish translator, but instead of the locals speaking in Spanish it was told in English in a monotone voice and then the translator was repeating it again in English. This completely took me out of the book.
The murder mystery was interesting and I was shocked to find out who was behind everything. I had a inkling of who was behind it, but the author did a wonderful job of leading you to believe it was someone else.
If you’re looking for a queer mystery read with a non-binary character, I believe you will enjoy this book.
My main issue was the narrator and the changes that completely took me out of the story.
November 7, 2022
Like and subscribe for murder is a fast paced queer cozy mystery novel and was very well written I really enjoyed it however, I did take off one star because in my opinion there wasn’t enough social media in it. We follow a detective named Sam and sams pronouns are they/them/their we follow Sam as they get a called on a case in the island of Paradiso where they speak Spanish so they need a translator and that’s where the handsome teddy comes in. But one of the staff members is murdered found in a wine cellar… can sam race to find the killer if the people of Paradiso refuse to work with sam since they aren’t the usual detective? Can sam be professional knowing they have feelings for someone on the island? You need to read this book to find out what happens! Twists and turns you don’t want to miss!
Thanks you to NetGalley and the author Elle Kleos for letting me have this copy for my honest review.
Thanks you to NetGalley and the author Elle Kleos for letting me have this copy for my honest review.
December 4, 2022
This was a really fun mystery/romance novel. I loved that it revolves around so-called influencers and it wasn’t set in Detective Sam’s usual setting. They had to start from the beginning as the book started, new place, new people, new coworkers, not knowing what’s going to happen. I loved to see that, because most crime shows don’t show that aspect of the job, it happens in real life all of the time and most media doesn’t show it.
I loved that the plot immediately started as the book started, we barely got any backstory and we really learned everything as Sam did. The book really did keep me on my toes the entire time I was reading and I really did enjoy reading it.
Thank you to NetGalley and the author Elle Kleos for an eARC of this book.
I loved that the plot immediately started as the book started, we barely got any backstory and we really learned everything as Sam did. The book really did keep me on my toes the entire time I was reading and I really did enjoy reading it.
Thank you to NetGalley and the author Elle Kleos for an eARC of this book.
June 15, 2023
This started out great with an interesting, somewhat snarky but still professional detective, then started to drag in the middle, and picked up more at the very end. I'm still not sure how I feel about this one. The writing style, with interviews used to convey information about the investigation, was not a favorite of mine, particularly when they were interviewing someone in Spanish (in the audio, the Spanish portions are in English, with another character translating so you get the same phrase in English twice); I found these actually took me out of the story. The suspects were annoying and I found that, as a parody, this fell short of the mark. I will read the next one and make my decisions on the series from there.
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