This was a fast paced thriller that had twist and turns that I did not see coming.
I would absolutely recommend this one

I got sucked into I DIDN'T DO IT so fast, I finished reading this book in a day! It is a fast paced murder mystery that happens at a Thriller writer’s convention—is that a real thing? If not, it should be I’d be among the first to get tickets to the convention. Anyway, I DID’NT DO IT has some finger pointings and deducing from the clues which may be predictable for some readers, but they are interesting and clever regardless! Highly recommend if you are looking for a movie-type mystery to read.

Thank you Penzler via Netgalley for the eARC.

Technically I gave this one a 4.5 but rounded up on here. I predicted a lot of the ending. Typically that causes me to knock a book down in rating, but I thought this one was so clever that it didn’t even do that. I didn’t think I would fly through this one like I did, but I couldn’t put it down!

I had fun reading this one, although it is not my favorite book by the author, it was definitely unique and entertaining. I loved that this book was from the perspective of the writer, definitely a fun and unique take from the author. I loved the fact that it takes place at a murder and suspense conference for writers and authors- how fun, and realistic! However, I really disliked all the characters and I felt they were very stereotypical and very one dimensional- which made it hard for me to thoroughly enjoy this one. The premise sounded really good, but I struggled with it.

I made it a little bit into this book and realized it just wasn't for me. I didn't like anyone in the book everything was just so irritating. I just didn't click with the writing style at all so I decided to pass on this one.

Now this was a who dun it and it was a wild ride!

Murderpalooza, is the premier thriller writers conference, which is meant to be an exciting celebration of the genre for its authors! But what happens when the bestselling author tan favorite Kristin Bailey is found dead in her hotel room? The four rival authors―a midlister, an egomaniac, a has-been, and a newbie―also begin getting targeted by an anonymous social media account and they wonder if they’re next.

First, they begin bonding and trying to figure out who’s behind it. As the account teases them, it begins to slowly reveal dark secrets that each of them have connected to Kristin―secrets that make them a suspect in each other’s eyes. Soon, they are turning on each other and silently accusing each as a killer. With time running out until the awards ceremony where the social media account has promised a big reveal, the only thing they know for sure is that no one is better at both creating and solving a mystery than the people who write them for a living.

Murderpalooza, the premier conference for thriller writers, promises an exhilarating celebration of the genre and its distinguished authors. However, the festive atmosphere takes a dark turn when bestselling author Kristin Bailey is discovered dead in her hotel room. Suddenly, four rival authors—a midlister, an egomaniac, a has-been, and a newbie—find themselves targeted by an anonymous social media account, sparking fears that they might be the next victims.

In a twist of fate, the authors, initially at odds, unite to uncover the identity of the sinister force behind the threats. As the mysterious account taunts them, it gradually unveils secrets linking each author to Kristin, turning them into suspects in each other's eyes. A sense of paranoia sets in, leading to accusations and distrust among the once-bonded group. With the looming awards ceremony where the social media account promises a significant revelation, the authors realize that, as creators and solvers of mysteries, their expertise may be the key to unravelling this deadly puzzle.

Jaime Lynn Hendricks crafts a quirky and humorous tale, offering a unique whodunit that caters to those seeking an unconventional mystery. The narrative unfolds through alternating chapters, each focusing on one of the four authors—none of whom are particularly likeable, each possessing their brand of obnoxiousness. While the plot demands occasional suspension of disbelief, the story delivers surprises, with some revelations proving unexpected, while others are more apparent. The ending, however, is a perfect conclusion, making it an ideal beach read for mystery lovers.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for sending a digital ARC in exchange for an honest review.

It sucked me in!

It's time for Murderpalooza! The main thriller conference is for fans to get closer to their idols and for writers to network into their next book deal. The last evening of the conference, it finishes with an award ceremony.

Then, on the first morning of the event, one of the nominees to win the award, Kristin Bailey is found murdered in her hotel room. Kristin was quite famous and successful. She was liked well by other writers. Who would want to hurt her?

Suddenly, a new Twitter account pops up and goes by the handle @MpaloozaNxt2Die. This account is only following four writers, all with connections to Kristin:

Vicky Overton is another nominee. She lives in Florida (yay) with her boyfriend Jim. She is hoping to get her agent/publisher to promote her second book.

Davis Walton is the most famous author despite his novel not being published yet. He already has a movie deal and women are sweet on him.

Mike Brooks is the Has Been. He had a super successful first few years but now his books are not selling. He is working on promoting his newest novel which he co-wrote with a mystery author.

The last one in this quartet is Suzanne Shih. She has signed with an agent for her first novel. She is super excited about the whole event as a fan and a newbie writer. She is also Kristin's stalker.

Did one of them do it or is one of them the next one to die?

My favorite characters were Vicky and Mike. Davis was hateful for the most part and Suzanne needed to be committed.

I was able to guess the main twist but there was a couple that I didn't see coming

I truly enjoyed, Jaime Lynn Hendricks's Finding Tessa, didn't read her sophomore book but I'm glad I read I Didn't Do It.

I can't wait for what she has planned next.

Cliffhanger: No

4/5 Fangs

A complimentary copy was provided by Scarlet via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Fast paced and entertaining. A recommended purchase for collections where crime and thrillers are popular.

"If you're a thriller reader, you sleep with one eye open and trust no one--not your parents, your best friend, your coworkers, and especially not a spouse or lover. They're all fucking crazy murderers."

Oh JLH, I adore you.

I Didn't Do It is set at the premiere thriller writing convention of the year--Murderpalooza. When a prominent thriller writer ends up dead, four other writers end up banding together to try to solve the murder and figure out who might be next.

This was such a fun book that kept me flipping pages. Each of the main characters narrates chapters and I fully enjoyed each pov. Hendricks has established herself as an autobuy author for me and I can't wait to see what her twisty little brain comes up with next!

I have loved all of Jaime Lynn Hendricks' books and I Didn't Do It did not disappoint! The cutthroat business of publishing, the sometimes nice/sometimes snarky authors, and the absolute perfect description of the way social media can make or break anyone, it was so good. And the final twist? Yeah, I was shocked. I loved this book and Hendricks has become an auto-buy author for me from hear on out!

Jaime Lynn Hendricks is always a must read for me. Her ability to write through multiple points of view clearly has always been her forte. It can be difficult to keep characters straight in these types of books. But under Hendricks' capable pen, each point of view felt distinct and rich, which lent itself to keeping the tension and mystery up throughout the story. Definite must read!

DNF @ 29% - This story is probably pretty good (Jaime Lynn Hendricks has never disappointed me in the past), it seems to be your standard murder mystery, based in at a writer's convention. For some reason, I just couldn't get into it. Maybe it was my mood, maybe it was because it was a bit slower paced, maybe (probably) it was because there are 5 characters to keep track of, and the relationships between them all, and I'm just too tired lately to keep up.

I was listening to the audiobook (the narrators are fantastic!), and for whatever reason my phone decided to skip to the end and completely lose my place, so I took it as a sign from the universe that it was time to move on.

3.5⭐
Genre ~ domestic thriller
Publication date ~ May 23, 2023
Page Count ~ 329
Audio length ~ 9 hours 36 minutes
Narrators ~ Emily Sutton-Smith, Catherine Ho, Kyle Burrow
POV ~ multiple 1st
Featuring ~ authors, infidelity, old secrets

Vicky Overton, Davis Walton, Suzanne Shih & Mike Brooks are all at Murderpalooza, a writer's conference, when an actual murder occurs...dun dun dun.

Who killed Kristin? I liked the premise and how there are a few suspects each with their own reasoning of why they could be the killer. Is it the co~author? How about the stalker? Or maybe it has to do with who she was sleeping with.

Overall, I liked this one. It was suspenseful with some predictability, but definitely some things I didn't see coming either. I love that we have multiple POV's that slowly revealed their true self, which made them unlikable and unreliable for sure.

Side note ~ Kristin is the only person dead yet pretty much every time her name was mentioned we got her full name, why??

I was able to listen to an audio copy as well.
Narration notes:
Vicky's narrator was great. Kyle narrated for both Davis and Mike and was okay, a bit robotic sometimes. I could have went for some distinction between the two characters, but since each chapter was titled I wasn't too bothered by it. Suzanne's narrator liked to pause after every sentence. The book probably would have been at least 30 minutes less will all the time she wasted. I definitely preferred my kindle copy.

Thank you to NetGalley, Jaime Lynn Hendricks and Penzler Publishers for the free e-book in exchange for honest review.

This is my first by this author and I found it very enjoyable! A mystery novel about mystery/thriller writers at a convention and murders are happening!? Who isn’t interested. I enjoyed how this turned out and I’ll definitely be reading more from Hendricks.

I Didn’t Do It
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Author: Jamie Lynn Hendricks

I requested a digital advanced readers copy from NetGalley and Penzler Publishers and providing my opinion voluntarily and unbiased.

Synopsis: Murderpalooza, the premier thriller writers conference, is meant to be an exciting celebration of the genre and its preeminent writers. But when bestselling author and industry favorite Kristin Bailey is found dead in her hotel room, four rival authors―a midlister, an egomaniac, a has-been, and a newbie―also get targeted by an anonymous social media account and wonder if they’re next.

First, they find themselves bonding to try to find out who’s behind it. As the account taunts them, it slowly reveals secrets that each of them have connected to Kristin―secrets that make them a suspect in each other’s eyes. Soon, they are turning on each other and silently accusing each as a killer. With time running out until the awards ceremony where the social media account has promised a big reveal, the only thing they know for sure is that no one is better at both creating and solving a mystery than the people who write them for a living.

My Thoughts: Four attendees to Murerpalooza begin to receive cryptic text and social media posts after an attendee is murdered. We have Kristin Bailey, whom was murdered, nominated for award, fan favorite, and established/successful. Davis Walton, highly successful but has some secrets he would take to the grave. Vicky Overton, has published one book that was a success but is struggling to find someone to publish her next novel, also nominated for the award. Next is Mike Brooks, past successful author but his recent booked have flopped, however, he is working on a new project with a secret established author. Lastly, is Suzanne Shih, she has not had a book published yet, is very obsessed with Bailey, at stalker levels, and Bailey even took legal action against her stalker-like activities. We follow these four attendees as they work as to who is threatening them and trying to get to the bottom of Bailey’s murder.

The story is narrated by the attendees, Kristin, Davis, Vicky, Mike, Suzanne, and a mystery narrator. All of the narrators were unreliable and unlikeable. Even though the characters were not likable, the premise of the book kept me hooked. The way Hendricks creates this story in a back door look at the publishing world is truly amazing and it shows the highly competitive nature of trying to get a book published, the cutthroat methods utilized, how quickly your name is forgotten, how quick your success can be obtained and then lost, and the politics and inner workings of it, just fascinating. The plot is delivered in many twisty layers with the ending being unpredictable.

Overall, I throughly enjoyed this story. It was suspenseful, gripping, and twisty. There were some parts that seemed repetitive, but the characters were being built. I have read all of Hendricks’ books and they are all wonderfully twisty and suspenseful. I would highly recommend this one and any of her other works.

A murder mystery at a murder/thriller author fest, yes please! I think this was a great concept. While the characters were all a bit unlikable, the plot kept the story moving and me engaged. I wish that this book would have gone a little darker with this concept and it was a bit predictable, but the story was still enjoyable.

“I’m not a stupid character in a stupid book who turns into a murderer for no reason.”

This was a fun murder mystery told from the perspective of thriller authors. It is also a personal attack on Twitter which I am totally here for.

I say fun not because it’s a ‘cozy’ mystery or because it’s meant to be funny, but because it’s a great concept and format for a thriller novel:

A convention for mystery/thriller authors called Murderpalooza. A nominee for the big award is murdered at the hotel. Several other authors in attendance have a connection to the victim and all have a secret. Except someone else knows their secrets and is exposing them on Twitter.

They work together, even as they’re suspicious of each other and willing to throw each other under the bus, to solve the murder mystery story they are living, clear their names, and survive another day.

“If anyone can solve Kristin’s murder, it’s going to be thriller writers, especially once everyone finds out she had secrets. This is what we do for a living. We take something horrible happening to someone normal and create a dense backstory rife with mystery. As readers, we pick apart every breadcrumb left by the author, and nine times out of ten, we figure out the ending.”

It’s one of those stories where you feel like any of them— or none of them— could be the killer and it’s hard to feel too confident that you have it figured out!

I really liked the ending and thought this was a well-written book!

The story is told through multiple POVs by this cast of characters/suspects:

Kristin: nominee and writer from Iowa (woop woop… unfortunately Heimer, Iowa is fiction) who is stabbed at the convention; she was the secret co-author to Mike, secret lover to Vicky’s boyfriend, stalked by Suzanne, and was part of Davis’ former Midwest writing group of which another member died in a car accident

Her chapters are labeled ‘night before’ or ‘morning of the murder’ to give us more clues as to what was going on around that time.

Davis: the most talked about and sought after writer at the convention with his new bestselling, money-making book that’s sure to win the award the next year
"All I can think about are the promises Kristin and I made to each other. Does this mean I don’t have to deliver anymore?”
"Narcissism is a disease, I swear. I’m the poster boy. Although is it really narcissism if I know I have it?”

Mike: old-news author who is hoping to revamp his career with his new book he’s writing with a secret co-author (Kristin)
"The manuscript… I’m totally screwed once someone else reads it. The storyline is a little close to home… This isn’t just career suicide. This can be evidence, and evidence that does not paint me in a flattering light.”
"No one has hit on me for half a decade. That comes with being a has-been. There was that one…”

Vicky: nominee and author trying to get her agent to do more for her instead of focusing only on Davis; also has a penchant for ‘deleting’ crutch words from her thought narrative
"Now, my boyfriend’s girlfriend— also my competition— is dead, and it doesn’t look good for me.”
“Thank goodness her cell phone rings and stops the absolute rage I’m about to expel out of my wine hole.”

Suzanne: new author trying to make a name for herself and is looking forward to using her ‘friendship’ (aka obsession) with Kristin to get it
"Please don’t let this be about me and what happened this morning.”
"It’s a bad habit of mine, talking to strangers. I’m the one who becomes Instagram friends with my Uber drivers.”

The “Twitter Murder Stalker Person” (which is an amazing name for the nameless person) has all the dirt on all of them and one by one feeds the Twitter mob their confidential information turning the spotlight on them. Not to mention TMSP is threatening that one of them might be next!

How will they survive the next few days— physically and professionally?!

It was a fun and interesting world to be part of for awhile! We read all the thrillers, but who are these writers behind the books? I’m not sure how accurate it all is, but it’s interesting to get a taste of the author-world and what it might take to get a bestseller!

I was entertained by these comments, most of which are author/writing-related:

“writers have a commonly used phrase that only translates on paper: he smiled, but it didn’t reach his eyes. No one thinks that or says it out loud. Ever.”

“Everyone likes the splishy-splashy friend-with-a-past-secret-wrecking-everyone’s-life novel.”

“Ah. Romance. Self-publishing. The death knell in Thriller World, according to me— it’s like assuming you’re going to win an Oscar when you’re a soap opera star.”

I don’t know if this is a real sentiment of the author or not. I hope to publish a memoir someday but self-publishing may be my only option unless a publisher gives me a chance so hopefully I won’t be despised by the author community…

“His audience—older readers who like slow-burn political detective stories— is being replaced with the fast-paced beach read with a hundred twists and turns.”

Which one am I?!

“Authors ran on caffeine and self-doubt.”

“Only authors and avid readers would be able to recognize an author by face.”

I can’t recognize everyone’s face, but I could recognize James Patterson because his face looks the exact same on the back of every single one of his books. It cracks me up and I will never forget it.

The not-so-subtle jabs at Twitter were some of my favorite parts of this book! Personally, I’m not on Twitter, but I’m aware of its dangers and its mob. And this book was a good reminder of how Twitter— and social media in general— can ruin people’s lives pretty easily even, or especially, with comments that are not true. Do the work and stop believing everything you read and hear without fact-checking it first!

“Twitter. The bane of every author’s existence.”

“You know the Twitter mob, their narrative is the gold standard until enough of them jump on something else. Short memories.”

“I don’t read Book Twitter; it’s ridiculous. It’s a bunch of people puffed up on their own opinions who literally bully people into thinking like them and cancel everyone who doesn’t, instantly. They complain about people bullying others, yet don’t see the hypocrisy.”

“These people think admitting they were wrong about what they vehemently retweeted is worse than actually being wrong. So they leave it up. And they repeat it. And then it’s reality.”

“where Twitter itself proves it’s the cesspool of life. The worse of the worst go and hide behind their avatars, or whatever they’re called, and just gang up on people.”

A couple other random quotes I felt compelled to share:

Vicky has “a short-sleeved black dress— with pockets. The female holy grail.”—I couldn’t agree more with this description.

“Illinois winters are no joke, and for the first decade of my life, horrific clanking noises came from the basement whenever it snowed or the wind got out of control… everything made creepy sounds… and I was always terrified to investigate.” —- If this isn’t paying homage to Home Alone, I don’t know what is.

Recommendation

I really want to recommend this book to everyone, but my big qualm with it is that it had a lot of swearing and some crude language by a couple of the characters. If it weren’t for that, it would for sure be a must-read!

If you can get past the language, I think you’ll find you really enjoy this one!

It’s not a hard-hitting thriller, but it’s got a lot of good components: creative concept, diverse characters, red herrings, mystery, suspense, twists, some humor, a Twitter-trashing, and a good ending. It’s not going to keep you up at night but I think you’ll come away thinking- ‘That was fun to read!’

[Content Advisory: 61 f-words, 81 s-words; no sexual content but some innuendo and crude talk by a couple characters]

**Received an ARC via NetGalley**

I really liked the concept of this novel but it's execution just fell short for me. None of the POVs were interesting beside they were all unlikable. There was a plot point that I felt gave away the ending too early and I only kept reading hoping that I was wrong and the author could surprise me. I was not surprised and that left me feeling disappointed.

What a fun behind-the-scenes look at Thrillerfest! Are these authors really as cliquey and judgmental as the author portrays? I'll certainly never go now!