When a ghostwriter is hired to write the memoir of Former Senator Dorothy Gibson, the last thing she expected was to be mixed up in a murder investigation. Setting her own work aside, she teams up with America’s most loved/hated woman (after losing the latest presidential election) to find the truth.

As Donovan is the podcast host of All About Agatha, it is not surprising that he would take inspiration from the Queen of Crime. I was also pleased to see a reference to Brides in the Bath, a true crime case that the Shedunnit Show podcast dedicated an entire episode to! While some reviewers didn’t find the sleuthing duo realistic, I did find myself enjoying their banter and investigative teamwork. And the reveal was dramatic…and kind of glorious in its melodrama.

With that said, some of the character depictions kept taking me out of the story and frustrated me, leaving a sour taste in my mouth. Fatphobia is present as is the sexual objectification of men, and these elements definitely brought my rating down.

Without the problematic content: 4⭐️
With the problematic content: 2⭐️
Original Pub Date: 23 Jan 2024
Reading Format: print + audio

Thank you NetGalley and Kensington Books for this ARC of THE BUSY BODY by Kemper Donovan in exchange for this honest review!

"The Busy Body" by Kemper Donovan introduces a clever blend of political intrigue and murder mystery set in present-day America. Former Senator Dorothy Gibson, now a controversial figure after a failed presidential bid, retreats to her Maine home where she enlists a ghostwriter to assist in penning her memoir. What starts as a routine writing assignment quickly evolves into a thrilling investigation when a neighbor's suspicious death prompts Dorothy to launch her own inquiry. With wit, intelligence, and a knack for uncovering secrets, Dorothy and her ghostwriter partner delve into a web of motives and suspects, challenging local authorities and uncovering unexpected truths along the way. Donovan's novel promises a delightful fusion of Golden Age mystery charm and contemporary political drama, making it a must-read for fans of Agatha Christie and modern literary thrillers alike.

Thank you to NetGalley and RB Media | Recorded Books for this ALC! "The Busy Body" by Kemper Donovan is an engaging and entertaining mystery that captivates readers with its clever plot and quirky characters. The story follows a group of eclectic characters in Los Angeles who are drawn into a puzzling murder mystery when a prominent producer is found dead. Donovan's writing is witty and sharp, with a keen eye for detail that brings the Hollywood setting to life. The characters are well-crafted, each bringing their unique flair to the unfolding mystery. The pacing is brisk, keeping readers hooked from start to finish with twists and turns that are both surprising and satisfying. Overall, "The Busy Body" is a delightful read for fans of contemporary mysteries and anyone looking for a fun, page-turning adventure.

I really enjoyed this book! It's not a life changing read by any means and there were some aspects of the mystery I definitely saw coming, but it was super fun and I loved listening to Dorothy and the unnamed narrator as they worked together to solve this murder mystery.

3.5/5

Thank you Netgalley for providing a digital ARC.

I love a great snarky character and the narrator of this story is one of the best. I listened to the audiobook, voiced by the fabulous Eva Kaminsky, and loved it! I'm fascinated by ghostwriting as a profession and following Dorothy Gibson gives our narrator a lot of interesting tidbits to work with. Cleverly written this mystery is fun from start to finish and I can't wait for book two!

The summary of The Busy Body intrigued me, but I didn't expect to love it as much as I did! I thought this one was so well done. The premise of this book was awesome, and I loved the ghostwriter. The witty responses, the allure of someone commenting on human nature, and the stellar pop culture references had me hooked. I thought the mystery was so satisfying! I loved trying to puzzle together who the murderer was. I highly recommend. I hope that this is a series!


Thank you to NetGalley and to the publisher for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Very unique read. I had a hard time connecting with the ghost writer. They didn’t have a name! It’s fine I guess tho. I wasn’t expecting the romance but it was an interesting sleuth type of story. Was fun but just kind of an ok read.

The storyline in this book was good. The pacing was pretty good. It had a lot of potential. The voices seemed off, however. The character development was lacking. Overall, it was kind of a let down for me. The idea wasn't bad, but the execution faltered.

A huge presidential election has just been held and to everyone's shock, the "odious" man has won, and the female candidate, Dorothy Gibson has retreated to her estate in Maine. A female ghostwriter is invited to move in with Dorothy in order to interview her and get ready to write an autobiography. Soon after arriving, the two women are at a local liquor store when they are accosted by a woman. This happens quite frequently, so Dorothy is happy to chat with the woman. It turns out she is living in a neighboring property and is a big supporter of Dorothy's political aspirations. Before leaving, she asks for a selfie, which Dorothy happily poses for. The next day, this neighbor, is found dead in her home. At first, it looks like a tragic accidental drowning in the bath, but when an employee of the dead woman's husband presses Dorothy to help speed up a cause of death, it soon transpires that the death was suspicious. With no political activities on the horizon and since she had a brief connection to the victim (which the national newspapers have picked up due to the selfie being posted online), Dorothy decides to find out what happened to the woman. She runs across an old-school, no-nonsense local cop who warns her repeatedly to stay out of the matter, but of course she takes no notice. As Dorothy goes around questioning possible suspects (and more often than not, having the ghostwriter tag along), it doesn't take long for another death to stir things up even more.

I liked the larger-than-life character of Dorothy, who was obviously based on a recent unsuccessful female presidential candidate (or so it seemed to me). She is confident and intelligent and doesn't let anything stop her search for the truth. I wasn't too excited for the ghostwriter who narrated the story. She seemed to have a murky past that I never felt was really explored. I enjoyed the narration and felt that the reader did a wonderful job of making the various characters distinct from one another.

A ghostwriter is hired to write a memoir for former senator Dorothy Gibson. This is a cosy mystery, which is not a genre I would normally read.

This ghostwriter was never given a name, so it was hard to connect with her. She’s a ghostwriter who doesn’t write! I found that interesting. She was snarky in a way that came across as obnoxious. I did not connect with Dorothy either. She’s a former senator turned wannabe detective. That aspect of the story seemed outlandish. While fans of Agatha Christie might enjoy this one, it sadly didn’t work for me. I could not connect at all.

Thank you to NetGalley and RB Media for this ALC in exchange for my honest review.

Ok so I really did enjoy this book and the narrator was wonderful. I will admit that the self awareness of the narrator at the beginning and end where she's talking about writing her story wasn't my cup of tea but everything in between was great. I understood the concept of what was being made but I feel like this story is created perfectly to become a series of a ghost writer and ex politician team up and solve crime. That option however was taken away by the ending. Overall a fun read with a great narrator

This story is told by a ghostwriter who is hired to help with an autobiography of a failed presidential candidate and former senator. The female senator is a delightful character who will tackle any obstacle and not take "no" for an answer! I found myself wishing she were a real person who was actually running for president--I'd vote for her! While the ghostwriter is getting to know the senator by staying at her home, they become aware of the death of a neighbor, whom they'd just met the day before. The senator jumps in to investigate, with the ghostwriter as her sidekick.
Loved the senator character! The other characters were decent supporting ones, but not particularly of interest. But, the story line was definitely interesting enough to hold my interest. The narration was well done. I'd definitely recommend this mystery to anyone who wants a good listen! You'll enjoy it.

Thanks to RB Media and NetGalley for providing an advance review copy of this audiobook. My opinions are my own.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for this eARC.

The ghost writer for Former Senator Dorothy Gibson (a losing Presidential candidate) begin a mystery adventure when a neighbor they just met ends up dead.

Highly entertaining, I knocked one star off this excellent book merely because it is a bit crazy to believe that everyone would readily tell two strangers secrets they won't tell the police. It just pulls the threads of believability a bit too taut,

However I did enjoy the writing, and the audiobook narrator? A perfect choice for this book., truly excellent 👌!

Also, as a single person by choice, I also LOVED the RARE ending in so many ways.

Thank you to NetGalley, RB Media & Kemper Donovan for an audio galley of The Busy Body in exchange for an honest review.

I'll be honest, I requested this book during a short-lived lull in my reading & I needed an audiobook to listen to. I am not familiar with the author, but the synopsis sounded right up my alley so I gave it a go.

This was a quirky book. It is definitely not going to win any awards or be on any "Best of" lists, but it wasn't horrible. I've had some bad luck lately with horrible books and that may be why I'm not going to be as harsh on this one. Compared to some of the others I've read recently, this was a masterpiece!

The ghostwriter (can we get her name, please??!!!??!!) takes on the dream job writing for former Senator Dorothy Gibson who also just ran, and lost, the race of U.S. President. Dorothy was an extremely unique and quirky character. I feel like the author did a great job writing her character. She was 100% the star of the show. After a neighbor dies under questionable circumstances, Dorothy & the ghostwriter begin to investigate hoping they can figure out what really happened. The investigation that ensues had many LOL moments, particularly Dorothy's complete disregard for the local police and their adamant instructions that she stay out of the investigation. Obviously, once you get a feel for Dorothy's character, you know she isn't going to stay out of it.

This was a quick, light read. While it was a mystery, it didn't require much work on the brain muscles. I enjoyed it for a one-time read and may possibly pick up this author again in the future. Maybe.

My rating is 3.5 stars, but I'm rounding up to 4 stars.

I was lucky to receive this audiobook from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. This was such an entertaining novel, especially the audio version. The narrator is a ghost writer who is hired to write the memoir of former senator Dorothy Gibson. Gibson ran for the presidency, but was narrowly defeated in the election. When the narrator is offered the job, she gladly accepts and moves in with Dorothy. The two hit it off right away, and besides working on the novel, they find themselves in the middle of a murder investigation. A neighbor is found dead in the bathtub and Dorothy is set on solving the case. (To the dismay of the local authorities) I love the banter between the characters, especially the narrator and Dorothy as well as the narrator and the bodyguard Denny. This story plays out in the same fashion as an Agatha Christie novel with a great deal of sleuthing and a huge final reveal with all the characters present. I’m really looking forward to the next novel in the “Ghostwriter” series.

"The Busy Body" by Kemper Donovan is a delightful blend of present-day mystery and Golden Age charm. As a ghostwriter collaborates with former Senator Dorothy Gibson on her memoir, the narrative unfolds into a murder investigation in rural Maine.

I rated this book 4 stars as Donovan injects the story with wit, clever plotting, and a nod to the classic Agatha Christie mysteries. The dynamic between the sharp-witted Dorothy and the astute ghostwriter adds layers of intrigue, and the Maine setting enhances the atmospheric charm. The novel seamlessly combines political intrigue, murder mystery, and a touch of romance, keeping readers engaged from start to finish. Donovan's writing is both smart and entertaining, making "The Busy Body" a captivating read for those who appreciate a modern twist on the classic whodunit genre.

Missed the mark.

I really wanted to like this book, especially because the premise differs from anything I've read.

The story begins with the introduction of a ghostwriter who has been offered the job of writing a memoir of presidential candidate, Dorothy Gibson. For context, Dorothy lost the election and lives in rural Maine. The Ghostwriter is invited to stay with Dorothy and her team to get to know her and write the memoir. Now it wouldn't be a mystery if someone didn't end up dead and that's what happened to a neighbour we meet when the ghostwriter arrives. Following the memorial service, Dorothy and the ghostwriter are suddenly in the middle of a murder mystery where they are both attempting to and succeding in finding out what happened.

Unfortunately, the story did fall flat, and I hated the "romance" that was thrown in all willy-nilly. The idea itself was great, and I'm interested to see what comes next for the author.

Thank You to Kemper Donovan and RB Media, Recorded Books, for the audio-digital ARC provided through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review!

2.5 Honestly, I was expecting to like this book much more than I did. I loved Agatha Christie, and especially love the Miss Marple series, so the premise of the book really intrigued me. I have to say that I really did enjoy the Senator’s character a lot. I know there are definitely people out there that would enjoy it because the mystery part of it was good, but based on what didn't work for me, I really wasn’t the right person for this one.

Now onto the stuff I didn’t enjoy. Unfortunately, the MC just didn’t do it for me. They were slotted into the classic bumbling sidekick role, yet the entire time were constantly told that the MC is really smart and super into true crime, but the author doesn’t show us any ingenuity on their part at all.

I really struggled with the tone/voice of the MC a lot because many of the character descriptions were fatphobic. For me it feels like lazy writing to make me dislike a person based on how nastily you describe their appearance. The way someone looks is morally neutral and doesn’t determine what kind of person they are.

This next part really hurts me to say since I am leftist and agree with the ideas the characters bring up, but something about the way it was written made it seem like the AUTHOR was trying so hard to show how progressive THEY the writer is, but instead it came off just a bit heavy handed and inauthentic/white-knighting for my tastes. I got the vibe that the author really needed the reader to know that they are “a good liberal.”

And the romance aspect felt out of place and over the top. The objectification of the body guard felt really out of left field.

Overall the whole thing was tedious and a bit smug.
***Thank you to RB Media, Recorded Books for providing me with the Audiobook for free via NetGalley in exchange for an unbiased review.

An unnamed ghostwriter finds herself requested to write the memoir of presidential candidate, Dorothy Gibson. Dorothy lost the election and now resides in her personal residence in rural Maine. Ghostwriter is invited to stay at Dorothy's residence while writing the memoir. During a trip to town they meet an overly enthusiastic neighbor who winds up dead a couple of days later. After attending the memorial service where their suspicions are aroused, suddenly Dorothy and ghostwriter are in the middle of a murder mystery doing a better job sleuthing than any of the local police officers.

I struggled to find much comedy in the ghostwriter's snarky inner dialogue and comments. It wasn't for me. As a mystery, it did keep me guessing until the end and I do like a cozy mystery with a handful of suspects to choose from.

I did read via audio book and the narration kept my attention. I think I may have enjoyed this more without the audio.

Thank you to RB Media, Recorded Books and NetGalley for the advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.

I wanted so much to enjoy this tale and in some ways I did, but in others it definitely fell flat for me. First and foremost I must say that I deeply enjoyed the narrator choosen for this audiobook. She reminded me of Rachel Hollis, who is someone I can listen to speak for hours. The way the main character is wrote on top of a wonderful voicing job made this tale sound as if I was truly listening to a friend talk. I think they nailed this job. Voicing aside, The Busy Body started off very strong. We meet our main character right before she is off to ghost write for a proud, sophisticated, powerful, almost female president. Upon arriving to her job our MC and friendly politician are quickly wound up into an unsuspected murder. This is where the story lost steam for me. The next 100+ pages are blurbs of random information that holds the suspense and mystery at an almost standstill. The conclusion of the novel is basically 4 chapters of the would have been president explaining to us how she figured out the killer. A plot twist us readers couldn't have possibly picked up on during our first read/listen. It makes the ending a long slosh of "I've already heard this" vs a genuine "AHA" moment. Forget the general pleasure of guessing the solution/being tricked by the authors quirky words, because up until the twist was announced all of the "clues" were lost in translation. This left a very big desire to move to my next book, instead of awarding me with a book hangover. I'd call this a cozy mystery, but it's a rather long read for such a minor payoff. Oh and I'd be lying if I didn't add that the interaction between our MC and the one guard was pitiful at best. Could have done without that entire plotline.