This is actually a 3.8 or so for a rating because I had fun but I had issues with it. I will say, the story moves well and the world of Poppy is good but there was a teeny bit too much repetition in it for me (however, I read the series back to back so I may have gotten things a little muddled). The main problem I had is it appears Ms. Webb got lazy or had an underling do the bulk of the writing. It is all small details but in a mystery where we are supposed to pick up on details, it gets annoying at times.
Example: Poppy gets robbed in the first book where her (now ex) friend and roommate stole an idea of Poppy's and sells it as her own and gets a book deal out of it. A 3 book deal! Poppy rallies and pitches another of her ideas and also gets a book deal (for 1 book). There is an ongoing discussion in the first two books about the competition between the two and Juliette lords it over Poppy how Juliette got the deal first, got a 3 book deal, Poppy is jealous and Juliette didn't do one thing wrong using Poppy's idea without permission. Suddenly in this 3rd book, POPPY has a 3 book deal. Where did THAT come from? Especially since so much was made of the situation in the first two books!
Also, in this book, a main "off screen" character, Abbie, is often cited to be a senior at Stanford who is going to graduate in a couple of months (a misogynous jerk is trying to put Abbie down to Poppy and Ophelia saying Abbie will never make it through school or in the working world. Abbie being close to graduation is brought up AND underscored). Suddenly, in Chapter 19, while interviewing a possible suspect, it is stated that Abbie is a freshman. Again, a small error but annoying.
So settle in to have fun with this book/series but keep your mental eye roll at the ready.
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A practical "real world" note: It is mentioned in other reviews that the review wishes this book has an audiobook version. It does but things are messed up at this moment (Aug 21st 2023). If one goes on Audible, this volume is NOT available for purchase. HOWEVER if one goes to Amazon, the audiobook can be purchased along with the Kindle and paper copies. I don't understand how that could be but I listened to this book via Audible but I don't recall how I acquired it.