I read this book to confirm that this series was not for me and boy howdy did it.

Odessa Dean is back stumbling into a crime scene and spending more time telling the reader her every waking thought than solving a mystery, and then somehow at 97% revealing a killer like she'd been diligently following up leads the entire goddamn time. It's absolutely bonkers that people are seeing these as viable mysteries.

Instead of doing literally any detective work, Odessa spends much of the book telling the reader her thoughts on important things such as: the geography of New York, ideal styles of luggage, the affordable housing crisis (AGAIN), accessibility in restaurants, the logic of manicures, craft beers, and the benefits of homemade food over purchased food. I'm convinced that Blacke thinks her readers are idiots, because she insists on explaining every little concept introduced like it's absolutely the first time the reader has been exposed to it. I don't think it's news to most folks that there are five boroughs in New York City??? These little diatribes are condescending and patronizing and I'm over it.

These books aren't inherently problematic -- if anything, they lean very hard into the "how do you do fellow kids, I too am Woke" vibe -- and clearly, they work for a lot of people. I'd mention them to someone looking for a modern cozy mystery series, but I am super done with them.

Thank you Berkley and NetGalley for the ARC.