Happy pub week to The Self-Made Widow!!

The Self-Made Widow is the follow-up novel to Suburban Dicks (reviewed late last year) and continues following Andie and Ken, as they navigate life, work, parenting, crime, and suburban living.

This was an incredible second novel for the series! I was very excited to learn more about Andie and Ken and was not disappointed.

I loved how this novel focused on the “how” and “why” of a recent murder, not the “who”. Which is pretty unique for crime fiction. I also loved Andie’s ever-growing independence and soul searching; she’s finally realized what she wants and is ready to go over after it! The last line of the book 💯 I also love her parenting style and can totally relate 😅

I enjoyed the humor, irony, and sarcasm sprinkled throughout the novel. The author has an impactful way of weaving satire and social commentary throughout, while also focusing on the main characters solving a murder.

I seriously cannot wait to read what happens next in this series!

Thank you @putnambooks and @netgalley for the gifted copy!

This one comes out tomorrow and as I am reading the first few chapters this one grabs you right at the beginning. Also I mean the title makes you curious right lol.

This is set after the Suburban Dicks with the same cast of characters except now there is another murder which appears to be natural causes cause they had a heart condition but they are only 40, cue terror for me in my early 40's, but it doesn't seem quite right.

I just love, as a mom, how Andrea, the former FBI profiler now very close to PI, takes her kids with her to investigate matters. Life doesn't stop when you become a mom and they are very helpful in buttering people up or making them uncomfortable, lol.

I love a good mystery and how some people are so good at covering their tracks. But all it takes is one weak link or a loose thread and everything unravels right when they thought they were about to get away with it.

Btw I love all the people that were blaming Andrea for ruining their lives cause she uncovered the truth. Um sorry you have to actually accept the consequences of your actions. She did not make you do any of those things. Listening to how belligerent people are irl I can totally see people doing this.

Tip of the day from Andrea Stern:  Remember to cut out those toxic people out of your life albeit by handcuffs or a heart to heart. 

Thank you putnambooks and netgalley for the e-ARC for my honest and voluntary review.

(ARC from NetGalley) Honestly, biggest issue I had was that I had no idea this was a sequel . It didn’t really affect the plot, but I missed some character connections. I think you’d like this is you’re a fan or Finlay Donovan (aka suburban crime). Genuinely funny while tackling some harder issues about classism.

Welcome back to West Windsor, New Jersey location of Fabian Niccueza's delightful Suburban Dicks. In this sequel, we are reunited with Suburban Mom/former profiler Andie Stern and reporter Kenny Lee.

Our murder victim is Derek Goode, his wife Molly is a friend of Andie's, part of her mom group. Molly is not acting like a grieving widow. Our two characters once again join forces to solve the crime.

The author writes great dialog, and delves into relationships between friends and spouses. This can be read as a stand alone, but to truly appreciate Andie and Kenny as characters I would recommend reading the first book. I look forward to the next book.

Thank you to NetGalley for an ARC. The review is my own.

The delightful suburban comedy/mystery The Self-Made Widow begins with Part One “Only The Goode Dies Young” in which lawyer Derek Goode, husband and father, dies in his sleep. Did he die of a preexisting heart condition? Or was he helped by his wife, the beautiful, stylishly dressed and compulsively organized Molly whom Derek thinks of as “cold as ice, but hot as hell”?

Andrea Stern suspects he was helped. Andrea’s career track as an FBI profiler was derailed by the birth of her oldest daughter. Now somewhat unhappily married to Jeff and mother to five children under 11, she is both frustrated and bored with life outside of Queens. She turns her laser focus (somewhat limited by child rearing constraints) to what she considers to be a murder. Helped by a reporter for the local weekly, Kenny Lee, whose once high flying newspaper career has crashed and burned, Andrea uncovers a complicated, twisted plot that hits uncomfortably close to home.

Fabian Nicieza showcases his skills as a graphic novelist (X-Men) and screenwriter (Deadpool) in The Self-Made Widow. This mystery reads like someone turned a switch on in your head and you see the characters and locations live and in color. Please make this a series! Netflix, are you listening? The Self-Made Widow concludes with so many ideas for the next in the series. And true confession: as as soon as I finished this ARC, I bought Suburban Dicks, the first Andrea Stern mystery. It’s just as good! 5 stars.

Thank you to NetGalley, PENGUIN GROUP Putnam and Fabian Nicieza for this ARC.

I didn't realize this was book two in a series until I started reading it, but I quickly found out that any missing background information was provided through enough context that I didn't feel lost.

This was a fast-moving, plot driven comedic mystery/thriller centering around mother of five Andie Stern. Molly Goode's husband unexpectedly dies in the opening scenes, and his death is written off as natural causes, but Andie isn't so sure, especially after a journalist friend of hers gets an alarming phone call.

This book had plenty of twists and turns, but all the details easily fell into place to create an enjoyable read. I liked it enough to seek out book one!

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for this early read. THE SELF-MADE WIDOW will publish June 21, 2022.

I loved Fabian Nicieza's Suburban Dicks in which Andie Stern made her first appearance, and I'm thrilled to say that Andie's second appearance here in The Self-Made Widow is even better-- one of my Best Reads of 2022 better.

The Self-Made Widow is a many-layered how of a mystery. We all know Andie Stern is right-- Molly Goode did indeed kill her husband. The question is, how she did it, and the sheer joy is sitting back, turning the pages, and watching Andie strut her stuff (usually with a baby on her hip). I loved the humor-laced-with-sarcasm of the first book, but here-- although there's still plenty of humor-- it's a bit gentler and has been toned back. Since sarcasm isn't to everyone's taste, readers may find The Self-Made Widow more palatable. That's for them to discover for themselves, and I certainly hope they do.

If some of the focus is off the humor, what does the spotlight shine on here? It shines on the wonderfully plotted mystery, and it delves more deeply into the personalities and motivations of Andie and Kenny. Andie gets high marks for her parenting-while-sleuthing skills, and Nicieza never puts her or any of her children in danger, in case you're wondering. And speaking of those five children, each one of them has his or her own personality, something which would be difficult for many writers to pull off. In particular, I really enjoyed how Andie's oldest daughter, Ruth, is brought into the story, and how her perception of her mother has changed.

Other cast members shine as well. Andie's new BFF Sathwika Duvvuri. The new chief of police Preet Anand. And Kenny's crew and his girlfriend who are working on the Netflix series based on his book about the case he and Andie solved the previous year. Who knows? If Andie and Kenny finally figure out how Molly killed her husband, Kenny may have another book and another series in the works, and he does love that fame and fortune.

This is a banquet of a book. Wit and humor. Developing characters. A splendid howdunit. I don't know what Fabian Nicieza has up his sleeve next, but I can't wait to find out!

Thank you to Penguin Group Putnam and NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review!

When I saw that the cocreator of Deadpool had a new book coming out, I knew that I had to add it to my TBR list right away! The Self-Made Widow by Fabian Nicieza revolves around Andie, who is a mother and former FBI profiler, and Kenny, a journalist. When the husband of one of Andie's group of mom-friends is found dead, it's up to her Andie and Kenny to solve the case. Did Andie's friend kill her husband? Or was it someone else?

Here is an interesting excerpt from Chapter 1:

"DEREK Goode rarely had pleasant dreams anymore. Between stress at work, stress at home, and stress about stress, he had been very stressed. His partnership track at the firm had been derailed. Even though his side project had generated much more revenue than he’d expected, now he was worried it would all blow up on him. Molly had been mad at him all summer, but he’d been too afraid to ask why. Henry hadn’t made the premier soccer team, and Brett had started to display blatantly effeminate inclinations. For Derek, surprisingly, that had become a source of tremendous pride, though for Molly, unsurprisingly, a source of tremendous anxiety.
All things considered, when Derek went to sleep that night, it was understandable that his subconscious would be working overtime. His dream started off in quite a pleasant manner. It was a perfectly crisp summer day. No kids in the house. He wondered if it was even his house, since there were empty glasses left on the kitchen island and one couch pillow seemed slightly askew, which Molly would never allow."

Overall, The Self-Made Widow is a comedy-mystery that will have you laughing and serious at different times. One highlight of this book is the humor, which wasn't quite as risque as Deadpool but is still funny. I took off 1 star, because the book read a bit like a movie script. I took off another star, because I didn't connect to any of the characters. If you're intrigued by the excerpt above, or if you're a fan of comedy-mysteries, you can check out this book when it comes out in June!

So, full disclaimer, I’ve been a huge fan of Fabian Nicieza since the 1990s, when he wrote multiple X-Men titles for Marvel Comics. When I heard that he had moved into writing novels, I was ecstatic. Mortifyingly, I have not yet had time to pick up the first book in the Suburban Dicks series but was so thrilled to finally get my hands on this follow-up, The Self-Made Widow.

And what a read! One can absolutely expect irreverent humor from the co-creator of Deadpool, and I already knew from my enthusiastic reading of Mr Nicieza’s work in comics that he has the chops to write twisty, thrilling mysteries with compelling characters. I was completely unprepared, however, for his keen insight into the chaos of suburban life and marriage. The way that he entwines both outright villainy with subtle, but no less cutting, social slights is just exquisite, as here where Molly Goode, the suspected self-made widow of the book’s title, lets our heroine, consulting detective Andrea Stern, know that Molly is in every way her superior:

QUOTE
But it was one look in particular that caught Andrea’s attention. Molly had turned from her conversation to watch an embarrassed Andrea wrestle with JoJo. A look in her eyes hit Andrea like a punch to the stomach. Not annoyance or frustration, not surprise or concern, not sympathy or support.

A look of…victory.

It was a look that combined judgment and gloating at the same time. A superior sympathy that the winners of a game always gave to the losers.
END QUOTE

JoJo is Andrea’s youngest child, and at least one fifth of the reason that Andrea, once a promising FBI candidate, is stuck in suburbia instead. At thirty-four, Andrea has five children, a husband she barely has any patience for, and a near-terminal case of boredom. When she had the opportunity the previous year to solve a murder, involving herself in a friendly capacity with law enforcement once more, she felt like she was finally back in her element. And while the entire effort brought her greater notoriety than she’d bargained for, she was more than ready to continue offering her services to any cops and federal agents who might want her discerning eye on their most difficult cases.

But even her biggest supporters look at her askance when she posits that the local queen bee of the suburban mom circuit is guilty of murder. Andrea wasn’t suspicious of Molly at first, not even when Molly asked whether she could use her contacts to bypass an autopsy after Molly’s husband Derek died in his sleep. Almost everyone knew that Derek had had heart trouble, and Molly didn’t like the idea of having him cut up for no reason. But that weird gloating look causes Andrea’s crime-fighting senses to tingle, exacerbated afterwards by Molly’s odd behavior in scrubbing every trace of Derek’s existence from her life.

Did Molly really kill her husband or is Andrea merely looking for trouble where none exists? She tries to explain her thinking to a police detective friend:

QUOTE
“What if the leads we’ve chased were part of a plan she had put in place–including asking me to get you to bypass the autopsy–because she knew it would lead to the moment you just had with her? Walking out of the police station, forever absolved of his murder because of what his death cost her?”

“So, you have no evidence that she killed him, but you plan to prove that she did it by showing she planted evidence to prove that she didn’t kill him, all as a way of covering up that she actually did kill him?” Rossi asked.

“That’s exactly right,” she said.

“And that’s exactly crazy,” he replied.
END QUOTE

I was really impressed not only by the construction and execution of this terrific mystery, but also by the way the characters dealt with external doubt and internal insecurities. Andrea is both aided in her investigations and joined in her anxieties by her childhood friend Kenny Lee, an ambitious journalist who won a Pulitzer in his teens, flamed out, and is slowly rebuilding his career, one Netflix investigative special at a time. They’re each trying to sort out the fallouts from their respective childhoods, as well as the complexities of their personal lives. I loved so much how easy they were to root for. For all that they were occasionally shallow and petty and obnoxious, their flaws were highly relatable, even as they pursued personal fulfillment and, most importantly, justice for those unable to find it for themselves. I can’t wait to read more of their exploits, and am so glad that this author’s excellent work in comics has translated so enthrallingly to a more mainstream print medium.

Andrea is a suburban mom of five. She has a group of female friends including perfectionist Molly, talkative Crystal, and triplet wrangler Brianne. In The Self-Made Widow, Andrea has a problem. She thinks widowed Molly killed her husband but has no proof or motive. Enter Andrea’s new female friend, the brilliant Sathwika, and old investigative helper, former reporter Kenny. They and a ragtag bunch of others work to uncover the real Molly under her slick facade.

I enjoyed everything about this book. From the characters to the plot to the writing style, there is nothing I would change about The Self-Made Widow. And that mobius twist in the middle was amazing! But I can’t describe it because I don’t want to spoil the surprise. I also loved the diversity of the characters and the snarky comments by Andrea.

I read this book without reading the first book in the series. It is fine as a stand-alone but now I need to read the first one, Suburban Dicks, too.

Overall, The Self-Made Widow rates 5 stars and is a favorite!

Thanks to G.P. Putnam’s Sons and NetGalley for a digital review copy of the book.

So before you read this book you should know that it is a sequel. I did not know that before reading this book. I did not read the first book. If you read this book you will only be missing a few small details from the first book. But you do not need to read the first book before reading this one. Overall I liked this one. I thought the plot was entertaining. I enjoyed the overall characters. So yeah I think I would suggest this one.

Ding, Ding, Ding! We have a winner. This book is part of a series and I have not read the previous book.
The author did an excellent job of writing this as a stand alone thriller. I've fallen in love with Andrea Stern, the main character, so I will definitely read every book in this series.
If you enjoy original, well thought out mysteries without too many characters to keep up with -then you will love this book. The crime was not depicted in gory detail and the characters were given just the right amount of back stories. I loved this book!

Thank you to Net Galley and Penguin Group Putnam for my copy of The Self Made Widow.
In this story we follow Andrea a suburban housewife and Kenny a reporter tries to uncover the death of Andrea's frenemy's husband. When they receive an anonymous tip that his death was anything but natural.
First, I picked up this read without knowing that it is a sequel, but I felt there was enough of information to clear up some things. I will read the first book in the future and pick up the next in the series.
This was a nice read for me and I read it so fast. There were a lot of things that I enjoyed the biggest thing is the characters and their interactions and their self-thoughts and insights. The book fell flat for me in the crime and mystery area I was waiting for some grand twist and turn but it felt a little straight forward and force. The shining star for me was the side stories that hope will be picked up and talked more in the next book fingers crossed.

Suburban housewife and freelance investigative ace Andrea Stern and journalist and documentarian Kenny Lee return for their second soft-boiled case in The Self-Made Widow, a follow-up to the Edgar Award-nominated Suburban Dicks. This time around, the case lands even closer to home after the husband of one of Andrea's friends drops dead of heart failure. The only problem is, despite all evidence to the contrary, Andrea is convinced that Molly murdered her hubby, but all she has to go on is a hunch. At least until Kenny Lee re-enters her life, having received an anonymous phone call informing him that Molly did indeed kill Derek.

That Molly is guilty won't come as much surprise to anyone who's read past the title, or at least noted the numerous incongruities in the events that open chapter one and Molly's explanation of events (i.e. lies, lies, lies!) to the first responders. Readers will find themselves right on the same page as Andrea, with Molly suspect numero uno. The recently-widowed Goode's guilt is never in doubt, and The Self-Made Widow is less a whodunit than a howdunit and a whydunit.

Author Fabian Nicieza takes us through the investigation step-by-step, as Stern and Lee interrogate Stern's friends, the rich housewives of her suburban New Jersey community that she mockingly refers to as the Cellulitists (a mash-up of celluite and elitists), and dig into Molly and Derek's past, slowly peeling back the very many layers of conspiracy and murder. As a writer best known in comic book circles for co-creating Marvel's wiseass mutant Deadpool, Nicieza shines here with his witty banter, sarcastic dialogue, and wry observations on suburban existence.

The prose is crisp, but it's the character interactions that really keep the reader invested, at least aside from the intriguing murder investigation. If Andrea is a suburban housewife take on Sherlock Holmes, then Molly Goode is, without a doubt, her Moriarty. A detail-oriented perfectionist, Molly is smart and tack-sharp, having meticulously accounted for every facet of an investigation against her, including Andrea's involvement. Nicieza writes a really fun cat-and-mouse hunt, making the stakes incredibly personal as the investigation draws Andrea's own family deeper into Stern's quest for justice.

Although I generally prefer my mysteries more hard-boiled and violent, the soft-boiled Suburban Dicks became a fast favorite for me thanks to its wit and charm. The Self-Made Widow solidifies Nicieza as an author to watch for, and welcomingly fills the gap left by Veronica Mars' absence (God, I miss Veronica...). It's clear he intends on returning to Andrea Stern and Kenny Lee for at least one more case (hopefully more!), as he sets-up some changes in Andrea's dynamic to her community, friends, and family, which lay an interesting foundation for Nicieza to build upon in Book Three. Mark me down for more slain suburbanites, true believers!

Another absolutely stunning book by Fabian Nicieza. This book is unputdownable, as was it’s predecessor. Personally I was beyond thrilled with the last line, as that particular character it was directed towards had worked my very last nerve. I hope there are more adventures of Andie and company to come.

I am grateful to the author, Penguin Group Putnam, and NetGalley for access to an advanced digital copy of this novel.

This was a tough book after the great fun of “Suburban Dicks” Mr. Nicieza’s debut novel. I lived for several years in West Windsor, NJ and the background was such a hoot. The story line was dark and troubling, but the characters were so unique and quirky and often hilarious. I was a huge fan and anticipated this volume with great glee.

Well, if the debut was the first Star Wars movie, this installment was The Empire Strikes Back. We go dark and obsessive. Andrea and Kenny are far less sympathetic. The supporting characters are deeply flawed, dishonest and incredibly selfish. Keeping the pace in succeeding books is tough, and this one didn’t grab me around the throat the way the first one did. I wanted to holler at Andie to stop and think about the consequences of her actions on her family and friends. I loved the building of her relationship with Sathwika as they followed the clues. She’s about the only friend she has left. That’s too bad.

The murder inquiry isn’t as compelling here, our suspect pretty much taunts the detectives. The complexity is intriguing in parts, and I guess that most of the people just behave in their nature. That includes Jeff as well as Molly. Everyone is bored and unhappy and tired of the ratrace. I was hoping for a happier ending, but I guess this is real life and there aren’t many of those.

Hey, maybe Sathwika’s little boy is fine, just enjoying being an infant. I love Ruth in this story, and JoJo is great to watch. Kenny will never ever ever ever grow up.

4 stars wishing it were 5

Thank you NetGalley and Penguin Group Putnam for the ARC of The Self-Made Widow. I’m sharing my review voluntarily.

This is a sequel and I didn’t realize that until I felt like I was missing a lot of background. I liked that there wasn’t a ton of revisiting the first novel, as an avid series reader, I find that tedious. I need to read the first book to fully enjoy this story which is fun and creative. It reads like a hallmark mystery movie but with grit and humor.

I recommend reading the series in order and picking this up!

4.5 stars

The sequel to his debut novel Suburban Dicks, Fabian Nicieza brings us back to the town of West Windsor with our dysfunctional duo Andrea Stern and Kenny Lee. Only this time around, the mystery they are attempting to solve might dig up secrets that hit a bit too close to home.

Nicieza has a keen eye for character and a wonderful sense of humor that is such so compulsively readable. Andrea Stern and Kenny Lee are such interesting characters and seeing how they are forced to really confront their own demons in this book was such a treat. I personally am not the biggest fan of the mystery where they have a suspect from the get-go and are being forced to find the evidence of the crime, but there is enough suburban mom drama and sassy one-liners sprinkled throughout to make up for it.

I really feel like I am hitting my contemporary crime novel stride thanks to Nicieza and I look forward to seeing where he takes these characters next.

Thank you to NetGalley and G.P. Putnam's Sons for an ARC of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review!

The first book in the series was a revelation, and this sophomore effort is a solid entry into what I hope will be a long-running series. New Jersey has never seemed more toxic, in the best possible way.

Thank you Netgalley and Publisher for this Arc!

I didn't realize this book was a sequel. However, as I read, the story contains plenty of information about the MC and her past plus what has led up to this book that I was able to fully understand pretty much everything. And, one thing is for sure, I loved this read!

This author has created some incredibly interesting characters in Andrea and in the person that helped in solving this mystery, Kenny. I never knew exactly what to expect from either of them. This story takes place in a suburban setting in New Jersey where Andrea lives. It seems she was just starting to fit in with the other suburbanites until one of their husband's die and Andrea begins to suspect murder.

I loved how this had a balance between representing both healthy and unhealthy relationships in friendship and marriage. And, I also love how the author didn't sugarcoat the ugly side of situations like this from any angle. Overall, I really liked this book and definitely recommend this as a thrilling, fast-paced murder/mystery!

Out June 21st!