Amateurs Sleuths Archives – Page 2 of 9

Vera Wong’s Guide to Snooping (on a Dead Man) by Jesse Q. Sutanto [Book Review]

Posted on November 9, 2025November 9, 2025 by Darinda

This post contains affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. For more info, read my Disclosure Policy.

BOOK INFO

Title: Vera Wong’s Guide to Snooping [on a Dead Man]

Author: Jesse Q. Sutanto

Publisher: Berkley

Publish Date: April 1, 2025

Genre: Cozy Mystery

Series: Vera Wong #2

My Rating: 4/5

Vera Wong’s Guide to Snooping [on a Dead Man] by Jesse Q. Sutanto

BOOK BLURB

Ever since a man was found dead in Vera’s teahouse, life has been good. For Vera that is. She’s surrounded by loved ones, her shop is bustling, and best of all, her son, Tilly, has a girlfriend! All thanks to Vera, because Tilly’s girlfriend is none other than Officer Selena Gray. The very same Officer Gray that she had harassed while investigating the teahouse murder. Still, Vera wishes more dead bodies would pop up in her shop, but one mustn’t be ungrateful, even if one is slightly…bored.

Then Vera comes across a distressed young woman who is obviously in need of her kindly guidance. The young woman is looking for a missing friend. Fortunately, while cat-sitting at Tilly and Selena’s, Vera finds a treasure trove: Selena’s briefcase. Inside is a file about the death of an enigmatic influencer—who also happens to be the friend that the young woman was looking for.

Online, Xander had it all: a parade of private jets, fabulous parties with socialites, and a burgeoning career as a social media influencer. The only problem is, after his body is fished out of Mission Bay, the police can’t seem to actually identify him. Who is Xander Lin? Nobody knows. Every contact is a dead end. Everybody claims not to know him, not even his parents.

Vera is determined to solve Xander’s murder. After all, doing so would surely be a big favor to Selena, and there is nothing she wouldn’t do for her future daughter-in-law.

MY REVIEW

Vera Wong is back with another mystery to solve. This time, she meets a young woman looking for a missing friend. Vera’s snooping reveals the missing friend is dead, but it’s unclear on the real identity of the individual.

Vera Wong’s Guide to Snooping (on a Dead Man) is lighthearted mystery. Vera is in her 60s, and overlooked by many. An intriguing mystery and a fun cast of characters, make for an entertaining read.

Tea, food, and friendships are strong in this novel. Good for readers who like lighter mysteries that also focus on family.

I received a digital copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Books in the Vera Wong Series:

Vera Wong’s Unsolicited Advice for Murderers
Vera Wong’s Guide to Snooping [on a Dead Man]

Nosy Neighbors by Freya Sampson [Book Review]

Posted on June 28, 2024June 28, 2024 by Darinda

This post contains affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. For more info, read my Disclosure Policy.

BOOK INFO

Title: Nosy Neighbors

Author: Freya Sampson

Publisher: Berkley

Publish Date: April 2, 2024

Genre: Cozy Mystery

Series: na

My Rating: 3/5

BOOK BLURB

Nothing brings neighbors together like someone else’s secrets… At Shelley House, the walls have ears, and they’re attached to a ragtag duo of busybodies ready to pry, snoop, and generally annoy their neighbors into solving a crime.

Seventy-seven-year-old Dorothy Darling has lived in Shelley House longer than any of the other residents, and if you take their word for it, she’s as cantankerous as they come. But Dorothy has her reasons for spying. And none of them require justifying herself to Kat Bennett.

Twenty-five-year-old Kat has never known a place where she felt truly at home, and crumbling Shelley House is no different. Her neighbors find her prickly and unapproachable, but beneath her tough exterior, Kat’s plagued by a guilty secret from her past.

When their apartments face demolition, sworn enemies Kat and Dorothy agree on just one thing: they must save their historic building. But when someone plays dirty—and one of the residents is viciously taken down—Dorothy and Kat seek justice. The police close the investigation too soon, leaving it up to the unlikely amateur sleuths—with a playful Jack Russell terrier at their side—to restore peace in their community.

MY REVIEW

An unlikely duo work together to discover who is behind the break-ins in their apartment building, and attempt to save their apartment building from demolition.

Nosy Neighbors is told using the alternating points of view of Dorothy and Kat. Dorothy is a 77 year old woman who has lived in Shelly House for over 30 years. She is viewed as a nosy, cranky neighbor. She has a routine of walking the grounds and knows what is happening at Shelly House. Kat is 25 years old and new to Shelly House. She is reluctant to get to know her neighbors.

A quirky cast of characters in a charming setting. Nosy Neighbors is both heartbreaking yet hopeful.

I received a digital copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

How To Solve Your Own Murder by Kristen Perrin [Book Review]

Posted on June 25, 2024July 19, 2026 by Darinda

This post contains affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. For more info, read my Disclosure Policy.

BOOK INFO

Title: How To Solve Your Own Murder

Author: Kristen Perrin

Publisher: Dutton

Publish Date: March 26, 2024

Genre: Cozy Mystery

Series: Castle Knoll Files #1

My Rating: 3/5

How To Solve Your Own Murder by Kristen Perrin

BOOK BLURB

It’s 1965 and teenage Frances Adams is at an English country fair with her two best friends. But Frances’s night takes a hairpin turn when a fortune-teller makes a bone-chilling prediction: One day, Frances will be murdered. Frances spends a lifetime trying to solve a crime that hasn’t happened yet, compiling dirt on every person who crosses her path in an effort to prevent her own demise. For decades, no one takes Frances seriously, until nearly sixty years later, when Frances is found murdered, like she always said she would be.

In the present day, Annie Adams has been summoned to a meeting at the sprawling country estate of her wealthy and reclusive great-aunt Frances. But by the time Annie arrives in the quaint English village of Castle Knoll, Frances is already dead. Annie is determined to catch the killer, but thanks to Frances’s lifelong habit of digging up secrets and lies, it seems every endearing and eccentric villager might just have a motive for her murder. Can Annie safely unravel the dark mystery at the heart of Castle Knoll, or will dredging up the past throw her into the path of a killer?

As Annie gets closer to the truth, and closer to the danger, she starts to fear she might inherit her aunt’s fate instead of her fortune.

MY REVIEW

In the 1965, Frances was told she would be murdered one day. She spent her life wondering who would kill her, but no one took her seriously. After nearly 60 years, Frances was finally murdered. Her great-niece, Annie, has arrived at Frances’s estate, and is looking for a killer. Fortunately, Frances has left clues.

How to Solve Your Own Murder is told through two points of view and timelines – Frances in the past via her diary entries and Annie in the present. This book has plenty of suspects, a lovely setting, and an enjoyable plot.

How to Solve Your Own Murder is a light and fun cozy mystery.

I received a digital copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Books in the Castle Knoll Files:

How to Solve Your Own Murder
How to Seal Your Own Fate
How to Cheat Your Own Death

Broadcast Blues by R.G. Belsky [Book Review]

Posted on June 23, 2024June 23, 2024 by Darinda

This post contains affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. For more info, read my Disclosure Policy.

BOOK INFO

Title: Broadcast Blues

Author: R.G. Belsky

Publisher: Oceanview Publishing

Publish Date: January 2, 2024

Genre: Amateur Investigator

Series: Clare Carlson #6

My Rating: 3/5

BOOK BLURB

New York City has no shortage of crime, making for a busy schedule for TV newswoman Clare Carlson. But not all crimes are created equal, and when an explosive planted in a car detonates and kills a woman, Clare knows it’ll be a huge story for her.

But it’s not only about the story—Clare also wants justice for the victim, Wendy Kyle. Wendy had sparked controversy as an NYPD officer, ultimately getting kicked off the force after making sexual harassment allegations and getting into a physical altercation with her boss. Then, she started a private investigations business, catering to women who suspected their husbands of cheating. Undoubtedly, Wendy had angered many people with her work, so the list of her suspected murderers is seemingly endless.

Despite the daunting investigation, Clare dives in headfirst. As she digs deeper, she attracts the attention of many rich and powerful people who will stop at nothing to keep her from breaking the truth about the death of Wendy Kyle—and exposing their personal secrets that Wendy took to her grave.

MY REVIEW

Broadcast Blues is the sixth book in the Clare Carlson series by R.G. Belsky. Clare is a journalist who has worked on several high profile investigations. In Broadcast Blues, Clare covers the death of a former police officer turned private investigator.

Clare is an intelligent, yet flawed character. She makes some questionable decisions, but does have good investigative skills and the determination to find truth.

This is an enjoyable series with interesting mysteries. Broadcast Blues can be read as a stand-alone, but I recommend reading the earlier books too.

Broadcast Blues is a complex and intriguing mystery. Recommended for readers who enjoy mysteries from a journalists point of view.

I received a digital copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Books in the Clare Carlson series:

Yesterday’s News
Below the Fold
The Last Scoop
Beyond the Headlines
It’s News to Me
Broadcast Blues

Sniffing Out Murder by Kallie E. Benjamin [Book Review]

Posted on December 28, 2023January 15, 2024 by Darinda

This post contains affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. For more info, read my Disclosure Policy.

BOOK INFO

Title: Sniffing Out Murder

Author: Kallie E. Benjamin

Publisher: Berkley

Publish Date: December 5, 2023

Genre: Cozy Mystery

Series: Bailey the Bloodhound Mystery #1

My Rating: 3/5

Sniffing Out Murder by Kallie E. Benjamin

BOOK BLURB

When a murder unleashes a widespread investigation through Crosbyville, children’s book author Pris and her trusty bloodhound, Bailey, must sniff out the truth before the whole town goes to the dogs.

After deciding that life as a teacher wasn’t right for her, Priscilla found inspiration for her first children’s book in her three-year-old bloodhound’s nose for truth, and so The Adventures of Bailey the Bloodhound was born. After the book’s massively pawsitive response led Pris to move back to her hometown of Crosbyville, Indiana, to continue the series, she’s surprised by how things have changed in the town, but even more so how they haven’t.

Pris is frustrated to discover that newly elected school board trustee Whitney Kelley—a former high school mean girl—is intent on making Crosbyville more competitive by eliminating “frivolous spending” on the arts and social programs, including Pris and Bailey’s beloved pet-assisted reading program. A minor altercation between them isn’t anything unusual, but after Bailey sniffs out Whitney’s body in a bed of begonias, locals start hounding Pris and Bailey as suspects for the crime.

With Bailey’s sharp senses and Pris’s hometown know-how, can they prove to the community that they’re all barking up the wrong tree?

MY REVIEW

Sniffing Out Murder is the first book in the Bailey the Bloodhound mystery series. Pris, a children’s book author, and her dog, Bailey, help solve a murder. Pris and the deceased did not get along, so Pris is a suspect, but there is a long list of suspects.

A diverse group of characters in a quaint, small town. This is a delightful new cozy mystery series. Recommended for fans of cozies that have dogs as a main character.

I received a digital copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Books in the Bailey the Bloodhound mystery series:

Sniffing Out Murder

Snow Place for Murder by Diane Kelly [Book Review]

Posted on December 28, 2023January 15, 2024 by Darinda

This post contains affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. For more info, read my Disclosure Policy.

BOOK INFO

Title: Snow Place for Murder

Author: Diane Kelly

Publisher: St. Martin’s Paperbacks

Publish Date: October 24, 2023

Genre: Cozy Mystery

Series: Mountain Lodge #3

My Rating: 4/5

BOOK BLURB

International resort developer Nigel Goodwin has traveled all the way from London, England to Misty Murphy’s little corner of North Carolina and bought out the Mountaintop Lodge for the week prior to Christmas. Their intention? To pitch an exclusive new resort concept to wealthy American investors.

But locals are at odds over the idea, and when a group comes to the lodge to express their worries to Mr. Goodwin and the potential investors, a blizzard hits Beech Mountain. Like the weather outside, things quickly get frosty, and Misty has to call local police to intervene. Handyman Rocky Crowder plows the lodge’s drive and, in an attempt to regain a jovial holiday atmosphere, smooths the snow pile into a makeshift sledding hill for the guests to enjoy.

Misty’s boys have finished their exams and are “home” from college for the winter break, planning to spend most of their time snowboarding at the ski resort. While taking a few runs down Rocky’s sledding hill, they discover a funny-looking, nose-shaped rock. Only it’s not a rock. It’s the frozen nose of Nigel Goodwin, who’s found dead and buried under the mound of snow.

Who put the developer on ice and why?

MY REVIEW

Misty Murphy runs the Mountain Top Lodge in the Blue Ridge Mountains. A developer is staying at the Lodge with plans to present a resort idea to investors. Locals are not happy with idea.

Snow Place for Murder is the third book in Mountain Lodge mystery series. This book can be read as a standalone, but I suggest starting with the first book in the series, Getaway With Murder.

Snow Place for Murder is a charming cozy mystery with likable characters and a lovely setting.

I received a digital copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Books in the Mountain Lodge series:

Getaway With Murder
A Trip With Trouble
Snow Place for Murder

The Mysterious Case of the Alperton Angels by Janice Hallett [Book Review]

Posted on December 28, 2023January 15, 2024 by Darinda

This post contains affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. For more info, read my Disclosure Policy.

BOOK INFO

Title: The Mysterious Case of the Alperton Angels

Author: Janice Hallett

Publisher: Atria Books

Publish Date: January 23, 2024

Genre: Amateur Sleuth

Series: na

My Rating: 3/5

The Mysterious Case of the Alperton Angels by Janice Hallett

BOOK BLURB

Everyone knows the story of the Alperton Angels: the cult who brainwashed a teenage girl into believing her baby was the anti-Christ. When the girl came to her senses and called the police, the Angels committed suicide and mother and baby disappeared.

Now, true crime author Amanda Bailey is looking to revive her career by writing a book on the case. The Alperton baby has turned eighteen; finding them will be the scoop of the year. But rival author Oliver Menzies is just as smart, better connected, and also on the baby’s trail.

As Amanda and Oliver are forced to collaborate, they realize that the truth about the Angels is much darker and stranger than they’d ever imagined, and in pursuit of the story they risk becoming part of it.

MY REVIEW

Amanda is a true crime author looking for a scoop. She researches an old case of a dangerous cult where the surviving members were a teenage girl and her baby. The baby would now be 18 years old, and Amanda hopes to locate them for her book.

The story is told using emails, text messages, letters, and other documents. I really enjoy this writing style, and this author does it well.

A clever, multi-layered mystery. Recommended for fans of true crime and epistolary novels.

I received a digital copy of this book from the publisher via Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review.

Death Writes by Andrea Carter [Book Review]

Posted on December 27, 2023January 15, 2024 by Darinda

This post contains affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. For more info, read my Disclosure Policy.

BOOK INFO

Title: Death Writes

Author: Andrea Carter

Publisher: Oceanview Publishing

Publish Date: December 5, 2023

Genre: Amateur Investigator

Series: Inishowen Mysteries #6

My Rating: 4/5

BOOK BLURB

A local author dies on stage at a literary festival. Ben O’Keeffe has to sort through his complicated estate—and find his murderer while she’s at it.

Solicitor Benedicta “Ben” O’Keeffe and her boyfriend Police Sergeant Tom Molloy race to Dublin after hearing that some strangers had moved in with Ben’s parents. When they arrive, only Ben’s parents and their strange lodger remain, but come morning the lodger has left. Not wanting to leave them alone, Ben persuades her parents to come and stay with her in Inishowen.

In Glendara, preparations are underway for Glenfest, Glendara’s literary festival. Phyllis Kettle, the local bookshop owner, is especially pleased to have persuaded Gavin Featherstone, the local best-selling recluse writer, to take part.

The festival begins, and an eager crowd awaits Featherstone’s appearance on stage. He is unexpectedly engaging, but when he stands to read from his new book, he stumbles and keels over on the platform.

Ben discovers that she holds Featherstone’s will at the office, drafted by her predecessor. Soon, she’s drawn into a complicated legal wrangle over the man’s estate involving his family and the assistant who lived with him.

But nothing can yet be resolved, as a killer cannot inherit from their victim—and Gavin Featherstone’s death was a murder.

MY REVIEW

Death Writes is the sixth book in the Inishowen mysteries series. Benedicta (Ben) O’Keeffe is a local attorney in Glendara, a small town in northern Ireland. She has been involved with solving a few murder mysteries, and is drawn into a new one.

I recommend reading this series in order. While the mystery is new, the recurring characters have a history that progresses between books. This series has a charming small town setting, quirky characters, and an amateur sleuth.

Death Writes is an atmospheric mystery with a vivid setting.

I received a digital copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Books in the Inishowen Mysteries series:

Playing Dead by Peggy Rothschild [Book Review]

Posted on December 26, 2023January 15, 2024 by Darinda

This post contains affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. For more info, read my Disclosure Policy.

BOOK INFO

Title: Playing Dead

Author: Peggy Rothschild

Publisher: Berkley

Publish Date: February 7, 2023

Genre: Cozy Mystery

Series: Molly Madison #2

My Rating: 4/5

BOOK BLURB

Molly Madison has barely had a moment to catch her breath after moving to the sleepy beach town she now calls home. But as a former PI, she can’t help but notice the odd chemistry between members of Playtime Academy on the first day she and her loyal Saint Bernadoodle, Noodle, and golden retriever, Harlow, visit. When a trainer’s body is found on-site, Molly knows it’s her duty to put her ex-police skills to use. She can’t say no to temporarily taking in the deceased woman’s dog, either—not with those puppy dog eyes.

Relationships at the training facility are not as clean as the prize-winning agility runs, making it difficult for Molly to get a leash on potential suspects. And her personal life is just as messy—her boyfriend is hiding something, her agoraphobic neighbor needs help, and her number of four-legged friends keep growing as she agrees to dogsit a wriggly local French bulldog.

When Molly’s friend is arrested for the murder, she’s not sure who to believe anymore. Is the case as simple as the local cops make it seem, or is something more devious afoot?

MY REVIEW

Playing Dead is the second book in the Molly Madison series. Molly is a former police officer and private investigator. She relocated to California, and can’t keep herself from trying to solve murders in her community.

While visiting the Playtime Academy dog training facility, Molly’s dog discovers a dead body. Molly gets involved in the investigation when a friend is suspected of the murder.

A light and charming mystery. Recommended for readers who enjoy cozy mysteries with dogs.

I received a digital copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Books in the Molly Madison series:

A Deadly Bone to Pick
Playing Dead

A Trip With Trouble by Diane Kelly [Book Review]

Posted on July 7, 2023January 15, 2024 by Darinda

This post contains affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. For more info, read my Disclosure Policy.

BOOK INFO

Title: A Trip With Trouble

Author: Diane Kelly

Publisher: St. Martin’s Paperbacks

Publish Date: October 25, 2022

Genre: Cozy Mystery

Series: Mountain Lodge #2

My Rating: 4/5

BOOK BLURB

When the ladies of the Dangerous Curves Motorcycle Club take over the Mountaintop Lodge for their annual autumn ride along the Blue Ridge Parkway, Misty Murphy couldn’t be more thrilled. Every room is full and the adventurous women even invite Misty and her assistant Brynn to join them on a ride to admire the colorful fall foliage. Hotel handyman Rocky Crowder is happy to keep an eye on the lodge for the day, and the ladies set out for a fun ride on the scenic road.

The skies are clear, the air is crisp, and the leaves are gorgeous. But what starts as a perfect ride turns worrisome when the tail gunner – the last rider in their group – fails to show up at the Craggy Gardens overlook. Cell phone service is spotty in the remote, mountainous area, and the group is unable to connect with their friend. Might the missing woman have simply run out of gas? Or is something far more sinister afoot?

The ladies are determined to locate their ride or die, and Misty is equally determined to help them. But will they be able to solve the mystery when the scenic route seems intent on hiding its secrets?

MY REVIEW

Misty Murphy runs the Mountain Top Lodge in the Blue Ridge Mountains. Her latest booking is a women’s biker club. They invite Misty and her assistant Brynn to ride along with them as they go on a ride to enjoy the Fall foliage. When the rider at the tail end fails to arrive at the overlook, Misty has a new case to solve.

A Trip With Trouble is the second book in Mountain Lodge mystery series. This is a charming series, and I suggest starting with the first book in the series, Getaway With Murder.

A Trip With Trouble is a delightful cozy mystery with likable characters and a lovely setting. I look forward to reading more of this series.

I received a digital copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Books in the Mountain Lodge series:

Getaway With Murder
A Trip With Trouble
Snow Place for Murder

Bayou Book Thief by Ellen Byron [Book Review]

Posted on December 31, 2022January 16, 2024 by Darinda

This post contains affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. For more info, read my Disclosure Policy.

BOOK INFO

Title: Bayou Book Thief

Author: Ellen Byron

Publisher: Berkley Books

Publish Date: June 7, 2022

Genre: Cozy Mystery

Series: Vintage Cookbook #1

My Rating: 4/5

BOOK BLURB

Twenty-eight-year-old widow Ricki James leaves Los Angeles to start a new life in New Orleans after her showboating actor husband perishes doing a stupid internet stunt. The Big Easy is where she was born and adopted by the NICU nurse who cared for her after Ricki’s teen mother disappeared from the hospital.

Ricki’s dream comes true when she joins the quirky staff of Bon Vee Culinary House Museum, the spectacular former Garden District home of late bon vivant Genevieve “Vee” Charbonnet, the city’s legendary restauranteur. Ricki is excited about turning her avocation – collecting vintage cookbooks – into a vocation by launching the museum’s gift shop, Miss Vee’s Vintage Cookbooks and Kitchenware. Then she discovers that a box of donated vintage cookbooks contains the body of a cantankerous Bon Vee employee who was fired after being exposed as a book thief.

The skills Ricki has developed ferreting out hidden vintage treasures come in handy for investigations. But both her business and Bon Vee could wind up as deadstock when Ricki’s past as curator of a billionaire’s first edition collection comes back to haunt her.

Will Miss Vee’s Vintage Cookbooks and Kitchenware be a success … or a recipe for disaster?

MY REVIEW

Bayou Book Thief is the first book in the Vintage Cookbook mystery series by Ellen Byron. I have enjoyed Byron’s Cajun Country series, so I was excited to see she had a new mystery series.

Ricki James has moved back to New Orleans. She lands a dream job running a gift shop at the Bon Vee Culinary House Museum in the Garden District. The shop, Miss Vee’s Vintage Cookbooks and Kitchenware, is housed in the former home of a Vee, a late New Orleans restaurateur.

While going through boxes of donated books, Ricki finds the body of a recently fired employee of Bon Vee. The employee was exposed as a book thief and let go. Ricki puts her research skills to the test, and investigates the murder. She is especially interested in finding the killer, after one of her new friends is considered a suspect.

Bayou Book Thief has quirky characters, an enchanting setting, and a well-plotted mystery. This was a delightful start to a new cozy mystery series.

I received a digital copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Books in the Vintage Cookbook series:

Bayou Book Thief

It’s News to Me by R.G. Belsky [Book Review]

Posted on December 30, 2022June 23, 2024 by Darinda

This post contains affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. For more info, read my Disclosure Policy.

BOOK INFO

Title: It’s News to Me

Author: R.G. Belsky

Publisher: Oceanview

Publish Date: October 4, 2022

Genre: Amateur Investigator

Series: Clare Carlson #5

My Rating: 3/5

BOOK BLURB

When Riley Hunt—a beautiful, smart, popular student at Easton College in Manhattan—is brutally murdered, it becomes a big story for TV newswoman Clare Carlson.

After days of intense media coverage, a suspect is caught: a troubled Afghanistan war veteran with a history of violent and unstable behavior. The suspect’s mother, however, comes to Clare with new evidence that might prove her son’s innocence.

As Clare digs deeper into the puzzling case, she learns new information: Riley had complained about being stalked in the days before her murder, she was romantically involved with two different men—the son of a top police official and the son of a prominent underworld boss—and she had posted her picture on an escort service’s website offering paid dates with wealthy men.

Soon, Clare becomes convinced that Riley Hunt’s death is more than just a simple murder case—and that more lives, including her own, are now in danger until she uncovers the true story.

MY REVIEW

It’s News to Me is the fifth book in the Clare Carlson series by R.G. Belsky. Clare is a journalist who has worked on several high profile investigations. In It’s News to Me, Clare covers the murder of a popular college student.

Clare is an intelligent and witty, yet flawed character. She makes some questionable decisions, but does have good investigative skills and the determination to find truth.

This is an enjoyable series with gripping mysteries. It’s News to Me can be read as a stand-alone, but I recommend reading the earlier books too.

It’s News to Me is a complex and suspenseful mystery. Recommended for fans of mysteries from a journalists point of view.

I received a digital copy of this book from the publisher via Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review.

Books in the Clare Carlson series:

Yesterday’s News
Below the Fold
The Last Scoop
Beyond the Headlines
It’s News to Me
Broadcast Blues