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lmcneil's review
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.5
I wanted to like this more, but it was about 60 pages too long. I get that everyone has secrets, but they took too long to be revealed. It's unrealistic to me that all the guests would be allowed to wander the hotel after a murder. The obvious product placement references were annoying.
dollycas's review
funny
lighthearted
mysterious
4.0
Dollycas's Thoughts
The Pearl B&B in Hudson Valley is having its grand opening and Jess Byrne, her partner, and best friend Kat Miller, along with Jess's brother Nate want it to be a huge success. They have booked reality singing sensation and Jess's ex-boyfriend Lars Armstrong to perform. The guests arrive to check-in and Jess encourages everyone to take pictures and share their opening weekend experience all over social media. #bestplaceever #girlsweekend #thiscallsforwine #Roséallday
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Lars arrived with his stepfather/manager, Bob, and Jess knows they have a very strained relationship. Later when Bob is found dead and Lars leads the list of suspects Jess doesn't know what to think. Lars proclaims his innocence and begs Jess to help him. She is worried about how the murder is going to affect her B&B. She wants the killer caught as soon as possible and before her guests, one of whom could be a murderer, checks out, so she agrees to help him. She never imagined she would find him at the scene of another murder.
A killer is on the loose, guests aren't happy, and The Pearl is getting the worst publicity ever. #murder #killer #don'tstayhere Jess asks Kat for help as they try to save the B&B, catch the killer, and hopefully clear Lars' name too.
______
Jess and Kat take on a huge project turning Jess’s grandmother’s run-down former boarding house into a fun B&B aimed at 20 - 30-year-olds like themselves. With them handling the basic running of the place, Jess's brother running the bar, his wife Sarah doing yoga sessions, her Aunt Marnie working wherever she is needed, and her mother dropping by randomly to throw in her 2 cents, The Pearl B&B is a real family affair. All the characters are well-developed for the first book in the series. Their interactions and dialogues are true to real life.
The Pearl is an amazing B&B. The "behemoth" Queen Anne is set on a large piece of land and has ten guest rooms each with a bottle of sparkling Rosé in the mini-fridge, "a big pool, sprawling deck, and an adjacent garage turned bar" the Cool Vibes Café, all with a soft-blush aesthetic. It's a superb place for a cozy mystery series.
The victim was not a nice man and had caused a lot of trouble. The more we found out about his past more suspects were brought to light. Kat and Jess are obsessed with true crime. "Murderinos" who love the My Favorite Murder podcast. So of course they are primed to be expert amateur sleuths. Detective Holloway wants them to butt out and leave the case to him. The girls learned about some surprising relationships and a second murder twisted everything up. Jess ran herself ragged trying to do everything to be sure her guests were taken care of while trying to solve the case. It was her dog Duke though that gave Jess her A-Ha moment and set the reveal in motion.
Peril in Pink has set this series off to a fine start. A fresh voice that will draw a new generation to cozy mysteries while entertaining current fans of the genre. #funny #sparklingrosé #murder #mystery #Insta-worthy #hudsonvalley I am looking forward to the continuation of the delightful new series.
shaunt88's review
4.0
I found this book to be a quick and enjoyable read. I thoroughly enjoyed the pop reference quotes throughout which goes hand in hand with the instagrammable location.
It is a fun and light thriller but for me I like my thrillers a little more darker and more suspenseful.
Overall it’s a good book and very easy to read and follow.
It is a fun and light thriller but for me I like my thrillers a little more darker and more suspenseful.
Overall it’s a good book and very easy to read and follow.
antigoniselena's review
AUDIOBOOK
10 minutes into listening to this novel, i absolutely hated it. Who wrote this? No one talks like this... it sounds like a GEN Xer trying to write Millennials or Gen Z.
10 minutes into listening to this novel, i absolutely hated it. Who wrote this? No one talks like this... it sounds like a GEN Xer trying to write Millennials or Gen Z.
dontmissythesereads's review against another edition
3.75
Book #36 read in 2024
This is a promising start to a cozy-mystery series set at a B&B. The B&B setting promises a revolving cast of characters and that is the only thing that made this one less than 5 stars. There were a lot of characters to keep track of and background relationships to learn at the same time. I do love the writing style and Jess is a great character. I'm looking forward to seeing where the series goes.
Thank you to Crooked Lane Books for the complimentary ebook.
This is a promising start to a cozy-mystery series set at a B&B. The B&B setting promises a revolving cast of characters and that is the only thing that made this one less than 5 stars. There were a lot of characters to keep track of and background relationships to learn at the same time. I do love the writing style and Jess is a great character. I'm looking forward to seeing where the series goes.
Thank you to Crooked Lane Books for the complimentary ebook.
essjay's review against another edition
0.75
You know how when you're not enjoying something, small things will fill you with rage? The only reason I finished this book was to see if anyone ever took the husky (a notoriously active breed) for a walk. No one did. The dog slept. The dog went for car rides. The dog slept some more. The dog was taken home, specifically to avoid taking him on a walk. And the only reason I cared so much was bc I thought SURELY the killer couldn't be who I thought it was, and maybe it would end up being someone truly subversive, but no. And then the love interest was confirmed at the end to be one that is an instaquit for me, so I will not be reading any more of this series. Curse my love for pink book covers.
lagadema's review
funny
mysterious
medium-paced
3.75
This was an easy-to-read cozy mystery and also a debut for the author. It is a sweet read that kept my attention until the end. I liked the mix of giggle moments, cozy mystery, and not many blood scenes. The plot was good, characters and dialogues between them were well-written even though in some moments cringy, but that is just the way it is supposed to be to get the attention of the police. All in all, this is a perfect read in between dark thrillers and I enjoyed reading it. Thank you to Sydney Leigh, Crooked Lane Books, NetGalley for my early copy of the book.
stephisbooked's review
funny
lighthearted
fast-paced
Cozy mysteries have the same energy as taking off your bra at the end of a long day (IYKYK). This has a cute plot with some unique characters. I love the line up of suspects - so many people had motives which is always what I want in a cozy. I loved the setting and enjoyed the small town charm. I’ll be excited to see where book two takes Jess & co!
jennthebookworm's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
5.0
While I do my best to ensure my reviews are spoiler-free, I may inadvertently reveal information that could help you connect plot points. So, here’s my TL;DR spoiler-free review: Super cute cozy mystery set at a B&B in New York, reminiscent of a classic whodunnit.
Peril in Pink is the debut novel by Sydney Leigh and the first book in her Hudson Valley B&B series. Best friends Jess and Kat have both left their careers to open The Pearl B&B in their hometown. The Pearl aims to be a destination for influencers and those looking to capture the perfect aesthetic for their Instagram. The girls plan to kick off their opening weekend with an acoustic set from hometown hero Lars, Jess’s ex, who also happens to be a rock megastar now. Her brother Nate and his wife Sarah own the Cool Vibes Cafe on the inn’s property, which has already proven to be the town’s new hotspot. Everything looks amazing, with happy guests checking in and everything going according to plan.
That is until everything starts to unravel. Dead bodies begin to turn up, and all signs seem to point to Lars as the culprit. Even Detective James seems to think Lars is guilty, but Jess is unwavering in her belief that he couldn’t have murdered anyone. Kat and Jess channel their love of murder podcasts and begin working to clear Lars’ name, though Kat is more reluctant than Jess would like.
I love this book on so many levels. It’s a quick, cozy mystery with a whodunnit feel, very similar to the Agatha Christie and Sherlock Holmes types of stories. Jess is loyal to Lars not because she’s still in love with him but because she knows he’s a good person. I did half an eye-roll when a hot rockstar ex-boyfriend showed up, but I rescinded it when I realized he wasn’t the love interest. (Fist pumps!)
There is an amazing cast of side characters, from Jess’s retired school superintendent mom to the momfia, her hippie pot-smoking Aunt Em, a super cute police officer who may or may not be Jess’s love interest, to Jess’s brother Nate and his annoying AF wife Sarah.
Having grown up just north of the Hudson Valley in the Catskill Mountains, seeing a book set close to my hometown always makes me happy. The writing was quick and funny, while the mystery is well-thought-out and paced, with good red herrings and a nice twist at the end. I could have done with a few less hashtag mentions and kitschy sayings, but it was just short of overdone and fit the overall tone of the book. It sounds like there are going to be more books in the series, and I’m interested to see if they continue to focus on Jess and her relationship with Detective James, or if Leigh will branch off into the lives of the other characters. Either way, I’m excited to read what’s coming next. Head to Feed The Bookworm if you’ve already read the book and want to read my spoiler mini tantrum.
Thank you to the author Sydney Leigh, the publisher Crooked Lane Press, and NetGalley for the ARC copy of this book
Peril in Pink is the debut novel by Sydney Leigh and the first book in her Hudson Valley B&B series. Best friends Jess and Kat have both left their careers to open The Pearl B&B in their hometown. The Pearl aims to be a destination for influencers and those looking to capture the perfect aesthetic for their Instagram. The girls plan to kick off their opening weekend with an acoustic set from hometown hero Lars, Jess’s ex, who also happens to be a rock megastar now. Her brother Nate and his wife Sarah own the Cool Vibes Cafe on the inn’s property, which has already proven to be the town’s new hotspot. Everything looks amazing, with happy guests checking in and everything going according to plan.
That is until everything starts to unravel. Dead bodies begin to turn up, and all signs seem to point to Lars as the culprit. Even Detective James seems to think Lars is guilty, but Jess is unwavering in her belief that he couldn’t have murdered anyone. Kat and Jess channel their love of murder podcasts and begin working to clear Lars’ name, though Kat is more reluctant than Jess would like.
I love this book on so many levels. It’s a quick, cozy mystery with a whodunnit feel, very similar to the Agatha Christie and Sherlock Holmes types of stories. Jess is loyal to Lars not because she’s still in love with him but because she knows he’s a good person. I did half an eye-roll when a hot rockstar ex-boyfriend showed up, but I rescinded it when I realized he wasn’t the love interest. (Fist pumps!)
There is an amazing cast of side characters, from Jess’s retired school superintendent mom to the momfia, her hippie pot-smoking Aunt Em, a super cute police officer who may or may not be Jess’s love interest, to Jess’s brother Nate and his annoying AF wife Sarah.
Having grown up just north of the Hudson Valley in the Catskill Mountains, seeing a book set close to my hometown always makes me happy. The writing was quick and funny, while the mystery is well-thought-out and paced, with good red herrings and a nice twist at the end. I could have done with a few less hashtag mentions and kitschy sayings, but it was just short of overdone and fit the overall tone of the book. It sounds like there are going to be more books in the series, and I’m interested to see if they continue to focus on Jess and her relationship with Detective James, or if Leigh will branch off into the lives of the other characters. Either way, I’m excited to read what’s coming next. Head to Feed The Bookworm if you’ve already read the book and want to read my spoiler mini tantrum.
Thank you to the author Sydney Leigh, the publisher Crooked Lane Press, and NetGalley for the ARC copy of this book
piperhath's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Synopsis:
It’s the grand opening of The Pearl B&B in Hudson Valley, and owner Jess Byrne has prepared the ultimate, Insta-worthy welcome, complete with her ex-boyfriend—reality singing sensation Lars Armstrong—performing live. As guests check in and mimosas are poured, Lars arrives with his stepdad-turned-manager Bob in tow. But things go south when Bob is found dead, and Lars is the prime suspect.
After a desperate plea from Lars, and knowing the reputation of her B&B is at stake, Jess agrees to help clear Lars’ name, but the more she digs, the less sure she is that he’s innocent. Especially when he’s found at the scene of another murder.
With the guests under lockdown, the B&B in the press for all the wrong reasons, and a killer on the loose, Jess is in over her head. With the help of her best friend and business partner Kat, Jess is determined to uncover the truth before Lars is put behind bars and The Pearl is permanently cancelled.
My thoughts:
I really enjoyed this cosy, debut thriller from Sydney Leigh! It was so easy to listen to and kept me on the edge of my seat. I found myself dying to know what happened next and wanted to listen to it all the time. The story had the perfect balance of mystery mixed with humour which as a Gen Z, I found just perfect without seeming cringy. The boat load of characters were also easy to follow as they were quite distinct in their own way and wasn't confusing.
While I did predict the killer, it didn't make the story any less enjoyable! I was still very interested how the rest of the story unfolded and if the police found out who did it.
Thank you to Netgalley and Dreamscape Media for sending me a copy of this one to review! It was so easy to binge read, set in a picturesque B&B I would kill to stay in.