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monicasnextchapter 's review for:
Murder on Sex Island: A Luella van Horn Mystery
by Jo Firestone
⭐️ 2/5
Pub Date: June 24, 2025
First person POV, single narrative
Linear timeline
FMC: Luella van Horn
Setting: Remote, Tropical Island
Murder on Sex Island is narrated by the main character Luella van Horn (Marie Jones). The intimate POV gives the novel a strong comedic voice with her internal monologues, self-deprecating humor, and firsthand reactions as she navigates the ridiculous reality tv show setting.
The book has a unique, absurd premise; an amateur PI posing as a contestant on a raunchy reality dating show to solve a murder. However, I didn’t think that the execution fully lived up to the setup. The humor is quirky and the satire of reality TV is spot-on in parts, with plenty of zany characters and over-the-top situations.
Additionally, there’s just too much going on. Between the endless cast of contestants, behind-the-scenes drama, flashbacks, and fake identities, the story starts to feel chaotic. Despite all the moving parts, it lacks real depth and just felt shallow and immature. Character development is shallow, and many subplots are introduced only to fizzle out. The actual mystery takes a backseat, and the reason for the murder, when it’s finally revealed felt weak and super underwhelming.
It’s a silly, campy read that might work if you’re in the mood for something ridiculous and not too serious. But if you’re looking for a clever, tightly plotted mystery, this one might leave you wanting more.
Thank you Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine and Bantam for providing a copy of this book for review consideration via NetGalley.
All opinions expressed are my own.
Pub Date: June 24, 2025
First person POV, single narrative
Linear timeline
FMC: Luella van Horn
Setting: Remote, Tropical Island
Murder on Sex Island is narrated by the main character Luella van Horn (Marie Jones). The intimate POV gives the novel a strong comedic voice with her internal monologues, self-deprecating humor, and firsthand reactions as she navigates the ridiculous reality tv show setting.
The book has a unique, absurd premise; an amateur PI posing as a contestant on a raunchy reality dating show to solve a murder. However, I didn’t think that the execution fully lived up to the setup. The humor is quirky and the satire of reality TV is spot-on in parts, with plenty of zany characters and over-the-top situations.
Additionally, there’s just too much going on. Between the endless cast of contestants, behind-the-scenes drama, flashbacks, and fake identities, the story starts to feel chaotic. Despite all the moving parts, it lacks real depth and just felt shallow and immature. Character development is shallow, and many subplots are introduced only to fizzle out. The actual mystery takes a backseat, and the reason for the murder, when it’s finally revealed felt weak and super underwhelming.
It’s a silly, campy read that might work if you’re in the mood for something ridiculous and not too serious. But if you’re looking for a clever, tightly plotted mystery, this one might leave you wanting more.
Thank you Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine and Bantam for providing a copy of this book for review consideration via NetGalley.
All opinions expressed are my own.