Hot Girl Murder Club by Ashley Winstead

 What happens when the people who should protect women ... don't?

"They walk in stilettos. They run on revenge." Who can resist a tagline like that? I entered the giveaway from Minotaur Books on Goodreads as soon as I saw it. Then I actually won! Thank you Minotaur Books for the advance copy! Winning the giveaway was exciting, but reading the book was even better.

Scout Sage has spent the last ten years living in the shadow of her sister Georgia's murder. Everyone believed the case was solved when a socially awkward young man named Alden, who had been infatuated with Georgia, died by suicide. Meanwhile, Detective Grey Holloway is investigating a present-day murder that appears to have ties to Scout, all while quietly carrying the unresolved disappearance of her own sister twelve years earlier. And absolutely everybody has secrets. As the story moves between past and present, those secrets begin to surface, rumors swirl about the mysterious Hot Girl Murder Club, and seemingly unrelated investigations slowly begin to intersect.

The premise immediately hooked me, but what stayed with me long after I finished the book was the question at its heart:

What happens when the people who should protect women...don't?

Not every predator gets arrested. Not every victim is believed. Not every woman has the resources to escape. Hot Girl Murder Club explores those uncomfortable truths with empathy and intensity. The women connected to the Hot Girl Murder Club refuse to let other women remain isolated when they're at their most vulnerable, and I found that idea incredibly powerful. The club represents the support system we all wish existed for women with nowhere else to turn.

The mystery itself unfolds differently than many thrillers I've read. Rather than scattering obvious clues and daring the reader to solve the crime, Ashley Winstead allows the truth to emerge naturally as buried secrets come to light. When the revelations finally arrived, everything fit together in a way that was so satisfying.

Grey Holloway ended up being my favorite character. Beneath her determination as a detective is someone desperately searching for answers about her own sister, and that personal stake made me care deeply about her journey. By the end of the novel, the emotional threads came together just as satisfyingly as the mystery itself, with just enough justice outside the system to leave me smiling.

My one criticism involves the timeline. The novel frequently shifts between the past and present, and while the large cast of characters never confused me, I found myself flipping back repeatedly to figure out where I was in the timeline. I couldn't keep track of both the large cast and the timeline at the same time.

Even so, this was a compelling, emotionally satisfying thriller with memorable characters and something meaningful to say about justice, friendship, and women looking out for one another. It's the kind of story that entertains while also leaving you thinking about its bigger questions long after you've turned the final page.

If you're looking for a thriller that's equal parts Hollywood mystery, emotional suspense, and social commentary, with a cast of women who refuse to let each other fight alone, Hot Girl Murder Club is well worth picking up.

Scream City by Hannah Morrisey

"Imagine the scuttlebutt."

Thank you to NetGalley, St. Martin's Press, and Minotaur Books for providing me with an advance copy of Scream City in exchange for an honest review.

Imagine living your entire life in the shadow of a serial killer's legacy ... especially when that serial killer was your grandfather. That's the burden Alice carries as she runs a quirky bookstore housed in what was once his piano shop. Meanwhile, retired detective Rex is trying to rebuild his life after an unimaginable family tragedy. When women begin turning up dead in murders that echo the crimes of decades past, Alice and Rex find themselves searching for the truth while their beloved Cream City neighborhood fights to survive against an aggressive developer.

This is an atmospheric, character-driven crime novel with several twists that genuinely caught me by surprise. I thought I had things figured out more than once, only to discover I was completely wrong. The mystery is well constructed, and I enjoyed trying to untangle who was behind the copycat murders and why. Was someone trying to drive down property values? Seeking revenge? Chasing money? The possibilities kept changing as the story unfolded.

The characters were the heart of the novel for me. I felt especially sorry for Alice, whose entire identity has been shaped by crimes she had absolutely nothing to do with. Watching her navigate the assumptions people make about her because of her family history was heartbreaking and frustrating. At the same time, she has an endearing eccentricity, punctuating her conversations with the phrase, "Imagine the scuttlebutt," whenever she and Rex begin piecing together another possibility. It's a small character detail, but one that made her feel distinct and memorable. Rex was equally compelling. The tragedy involving his son is almost unimaginable, and I admired his determination to keep moving forward despite carrying that burden every day. I also loved the slow-building chemistry between Alice and Rex. It's clear the connection has been there for a long time, and I found myself rooting for them to finally make it work.

The reason this settled at four stars instead of five is that it never quite felt like a thriller to me. I was invested in the mystery and the characters, but I never experienced that overwhelming urgency to keep reading "just one more chapter." The pacing is more deliberate, allowing the atmosphere and relationships to take center stage rather than nonstop suspense.

Content warnings should include violence against women, serial murder, discussions of past murders, grief, trauma, and death of a child.

If you enjoy character-driven mysteries, police procedurals, and crime fiction with memorable protagonists, emotional depth, and surprising twists, Scream City is well worth picking up. Readers looking for relentless, edge-of-your-seat thriller pacing may find it slower than expected, but mystery fans will find plenty to enjoy.

Murder Unabridged by PJ Nelson

If your newly inherited bookshop has a repeat body problem…maybe it’s not the business, it’s the building.

I gave Murder Unabridged by PJ Nelson a solid 4 stars. This is firmly in my “laughed more than I eye-rolled” category, and exactly the kind of cozy mystery I reach for when life gets busy but I still want something fun and engaging.

The story follows Maddy, who inherits a bookshop from the previous owner and distant relative, Rose. When an elderly man arrives claiming to have known and loved Rose, Maddy reluctantly lets him stay the night ... only for him to turn up dead the next morning. What initially seems like an unfortunate natural death quickly turns into a murder investigation with Maddy as the only obvious suspect. With few options, she takes matters into her own hands and begins investigating to clear her name.

The plot is classic cozy mystery with a fun twist. It is a locked-room style situation that kept me guessing. I didn’t see the culprit coming, and the motivation behind it added an extra layer of intrigue without getting too heavy for the genre.

The characters were one of the highlights for me. From Billy, the small-town cop who’s sharper than he first appears, to Tanya, the local conspiracy theorist who adds just the right amount of craziness, the cast felt lively and entertaining. Maddy herself is a strong, likable main character, and her humor really carries the story. There were multiple moments where I had to stop myself from laughing out loud. Never over-the-top, but perfectly timed.

What I appreciated most was how easy this book was to pick up and get lost in. As a teacher nearing the end of the school year, my reading time is scattered at best, but this was the kind of story I could jump back into anytime and immediately feel pulled in. It played out vividly in my head, which always makes for a more immersive read.

In terms of content, this is very much a traditional cozy mystery: no profanity, no explicit content, very light romance, and minimal on-page violence. The only potential content note (outside of the central murder) is that Maddy’s parents passed away when she was young, but it’s not handled in a heavy or distressing way.

If I had one small critique, it’s that my practical brain occasionally popped in to ask questions, like how Maddy is managing everyday life while running around investigating, but that’s a minor quibble and pretty easy to set aside in a story like this. The focus here is clearly on the mystery and the characters, and both deliver.

Overall, Murder Unabridged is a cozy, entertaining read with a strong cast, a clever mystery, and just the right amount of humor. It’s perfect for fans of lighthearted whodunits, especially those who love bookish settings and small-town charm.

This is a “curl up with a blanket on a rainy evening” kind of book, and I’d happily read more if this turns into a series. A special thank you to St. Martin's Press/Minotaur Books for providing this book for review consideration via NetGalley.