the setup…
Mia Crawford is a successful financial planner at a crossroads in her life as she approaches her thirtieth birthday. Facing a serious promotion, she takes time off for an extended stay at the exclusive St. Claire island in the Caribbean, actually forced upon her by her well-meaning boss. He and her friends recognize she needs more in her life than work so Mia plans to make the most of it, hoping for the proverbial fling. But she can’t resist curling up with a good mystery thriller and picks up a book from the free table at the island gift shop. As she gets into the book, she can’t ignore the cryptic notes that the previous owner wrote in the margins and soon discovers that they are meaningful and may belong to the woman who recently went missing.
the heart of the story…
Mia loves thriller novels and decides to become an amateur sleuth after finding that book. It leads to some dangerous mishaps, curious alliances and a budding romance with Jason, a handsome bartender. This has all the feels of a cozy mystery, which isn’t my favorite, with lots of viable suspects among the island guests. But it was fun and sometimes a bit slapstick but always entertaining.
the narration…
Vanessa Johansson was a perfect choice for this mystery style, keeping things lighthearted and airy. She epitomized Mia.
the bottom line…
I’m a diehard fan of Brennan and will always read any story she writes, even if cozy mysteries aren’t typically my cuppa. That said, I found this highly entertaining and got caught up in the whodunnit aspects. The romance has that instalove feel but it fit with the story. I kind of guessed the big twist before the reveal but not the central mystery. Nicely done!
Book Info
- Release Date: June 17, 2025
- Narrator: Vanessa Johansson
- Audio Length: 12 hours, 4 minutes
- Publisher: Harlequin Audio
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Blue Mood Café 
Love the title…the instalove not so much “) Wonderful review, Jo!
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Thank you, Marialyce💜 Instalove isn’t my favorite but it works here.
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Fab review, Jo, glad you enjoyed it even though cosy mysteries aren’t your thing.
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Thank you, Nicki💜 Every once in a while one seems to connect.
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What an interesting premise! Wonderful review Jonetta.
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Thank you, Jodie💜 There’s a lot unconventional here.
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Waiting for a copy of this one from the library – sounds intriguing!
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Hope you enjoy, Rebecca💜
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Lovely review! Like you it isn’t really my favorite genre but I will always try books by this author.
Anne – Books of My Heart
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Thank you, Anne💜 A bit different but well written.
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Fab review! I’m not that big of a fan of cozy mysteries either, but this book was so much fun to read. I agree that some parts are definitely over the top and the insta-love vibe was a bit annoying, but it was also entertaining enough to make me forget about those things. xx
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Thank you, Yvo💜 You said it best!
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Great review, Jo. I also enjoyed this one. You did better than me as those twists at the end took me by surprise.
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Thanks, Carla💜 There we’re a few clues that tipped me off.
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