kishab's reviews
301 reviews

This was a super compelling and addicting read! It’s the fifth book in the Eddie Flynn series but the first one I’ve read, and my first book from the author. After this I will definitely be picking up more. We follow Eddie as he represents one of two sisters accused of murdering their father, both sisters are blaming the other but as the story progresses we see that they both have motives and means. I definitely flipped back and forth in who I thought was the murderer and although ultimately I came to the right conclusion early on I still enjoyed seeing how the story played out. I guess I don’t read many legal procedurals because this was a different point of view for me, usually we follow the police investigation side of things but I enjoyed seeing the ins and outs of the court process. I also really liked that the author put a lot of thought into the legal aspects of forensics, I thought it was a very realistic take on how things typically happen. I am definitely excited to read more by this author!

 

Thanks to Netgalley and Atria Books for this e-ARC that I chose to read and review

Billie Levine returns in Making a Killing, and what starts as a simple cheating-spouse case quickly unravels into something much darker. When Billie is hired to trail a possibly unfaithful husband, she stumbles into a tangled web of sexual harassment, corporate cover-ups, and workplace abuse. It’s a timely, emotionally charged mystery that feels a little different from the first two books but still very Billie.

This third installment leans more into social commentary than organized crime or black-market dealings, and I thought that shift worked really well. The mystery unfolded at a steady pace, and once again, I had no idea where it was headed. I appreciated that Billie stayed true to herself: scrappy, determined, and just a little reckless. We also see her grappling with the emotional weight of the case in a way that felt very grounded and real.

There’s less of the high-octane chaos we saw in Death of a Dancing Queen, but this story still kept me turning the pages. I liked that we got a bit more of Billie’s day-to-day work life, and how being a P.I. isn’t always glamorous. It’s stakeouts, paperwork, and sometimes walking right into dangerous power dynamics.

Overall, this felt like a more mature, introspective installment, but it didn’t lose the noir vibes or the emotional edge that make this series so enjoyable. I’m still fully on board with Billie’s journey and hope there’s more to come.

Thanks to Datura Books, NetGalley, and Kimberly G. Giarratano for this e-ARC!

After being contracted to find a painting that was stolen from a local museum, Freya and her Aunt Carole manage to board an antiques cruise as subject matter experts (after previously being told their services were not needed). They then become entangled in various murders and an FBI manhunt for the mysterious collector, the ringleader of black market art trafficking. We see some characters return from the first novel, and many new and interesting characters as well. Again the mystery is full of twists and turns as the author sets up the various facets of what’s going on. This is very slow paced and detailed, something you really want to take your time with and examine all the facts. This leads me to think of it as more of a traditional mystery with the locked room aspect, but still manages to incorporate some cozy elements. I also like the development of a possible romantic interest for Freya, as it shows her development from the first book. Seems like a third book is on the horizon so I’m excited to see where we go from here

 

Thanks to Netgalley and Atria books for this e-ARC that I chose to read and review

In Time Loops and Meet Cutes, we follow Noelle after a hard day at work instead of returning to her empty apartment, she visits a night market and buys some sketchy dumplings only to find out after that she's stuck reliving the same day over and over. The dumpling vendor tells her that the meal will give her what she needs most. The ability to take risks in her day that will have no consequence since the day resets every night, allows Noelle  to step out of her comfort zone. I liked that she gained a female friend that was also stuck in the time loop, rather than her romantic interest. I really related to Noelle as a character, since she's the stereotype of an eldest daughter in an immigrant family and understood the freedom she was able to gain by living without consequence. I felt the middle part of the book dragged a bit, but I did like how everything wrapped up by the end. Overall I wasn't expecting to like this as much as I did but it was a really pleasant surprise

Thanks to Netgalley and Simon and Schuster Canada for this e-ARC that I chose to read and review

When Pomona Afton’s glamourous, heiress life (a la Paris Hilton) is turned upside down by the shocking murder of her grandmother, she’s forced to start over with no access to her fortune (The Simple Life), share a Brooklyn apartment with a roommate and get a job for the first time. Consistently underestimated by her family she resolves to solve the mystery and return access to the family fortune. Part murder mystery and part “socialite in exile” character arc, this was an enjoyable albeit predictable read. The premise was fun and the contrast between Pomona’s past and present was interesting, especially as she began to grow as a person. I really like watching her evolve, but Gabe the MMC, really felt underdeveloped. He had a lot of potential but really just ended up being Pomona’s side kick. The mystery played out well enough to keep me interested but it didn’t have many surprises.

Thanks to Netgalley and Atria Books for this e-ARC that I chose to read and review

After a drought reveals the body of her father, Madeline Ironwood enlists the help of Dash McClane, an ex Hollywood fixer turned stand up comic to help her investigate his murder. The story unfolds as a noir, mystery inspired road trip through the seedier parts of  California. Dash and Madeline end up navigating crooked cops,  Hollywood documentarians, and a coverup at a winery. Both characters are equally cynical and witty so their banter is really enjoyable. I also liked that the author did not force a romance between them just because they were in close proximity. The author did a good job balancing the darker elements with the humor from the characters. While overall, the plot isn’t anything new to the genre, I still think it was a worthwhile read.

 

Thanks to Datura, and Netgalley for this e-ARC that I chose to read and review

I finished heartless hunter then immediately went into Rebel Witch and then finished half of it in the same sitting. This series is super addictive and I really feel for anyone who had to wait for the sequel to come out. To me this is a real potato chip series, while it's no literary masterpiece that will change your life, it is full of super delicious empty calories. I think it helped that I had low expectations going into the series so I was pleasantly surprised while reading. I really enjoyed the side characters and that each of that actually had something to contribute to the story. Although I expected the twist I thought it was still well done and fun to read.

 

Thanks to Netgalley and St. Martins Press for this e-ARC that I chose to read and review

The sequel to The Tainted Cup builds on everything that made the first book great, and delivers even more of what I loved: a high stakes, super high fantasy setting with a mystery plot that’s genuinely clever and intricate. It felt a bit easier to get invested this time around, since we already know the world and how it works as well as the dynamic between Din and Ana. I still think the Sherlock Holmes comparison holds, especially since in this book we get to see a bit more of how her mind works as the layers of the mystery grow. I also really enjoyed Din’s arc in this one, he’s definitely becoming more unravelled, but in a way that’s fun for the reader (and not for Din). His backstory added some emotional weight and his perspective compared to Ana really sets the tone for the book. There were a lot of new side characters introduced and they were all compelling in their own ways. I really hope that some of them continue to appear as the series progresses. It made me feel so smart that I was able to predict portions of the mystery, but it was also so fun to see some of the bigger reveals that I had no idea were coming. Overall I think I liked this more than the first book and I’m really looking forward to what comes out next.  

 

Thanks to Netgalley and Del Rey for this e-ARC that I chose to read and review

In this cozy mystery, Bird runs a cheese board business and solves crime in her spare time. She finds herself wrapped up in a murder investigation after moving to a new town. There’s plenty of cheese puns and small-town charm involved along the way. The mystery was fun and fairly original, and even though I had a hunch about where we were heading I still enjoyed the ride. The humour landed well and I really enjoyed the thoughtful depiction of our neurodivergent main character without relying on any harmful stereotypes. It was a quick engaging listen that I had a hard time pausing, with narration that really suited the tone and characters

 

Thanks to Datura books and Netgalley for this ALC that I chose to listen to and review

In Detective Aunty we follow Kausar Kaur, who must return to Toronto to help her daughter when she is accused of a murder. It's up to Kausar to get to the bottom of this mystery and clear her daughters name. The mystery kept me hooked from start to finish, with just the right balance of tension and playfulness. Every character felt fully realized from the clever and determined lead to the richly drawn supporting cast. What really made this book special to me was how relatable and authentic the family dynamics felt. As a South Asian reader, I saw so many cultural nuances and moments that mirrored my own experiences. There are just some things that we don't talk about in South Asian families, but I liked that Kausar had to dig deep into these issues in order to solve the mystery. I also really like that she used the cover of being a nosy aunty in order to find things out and get away with things other people couldn't. I absolutely loved this book and flew through it in one sitting.

Thanks to Netgalley and Harper Collins Canada for this e-ARC that I chose to read and review