3.5/5 rounded up

Thank you Minotaur Books for the advanced reading copy!

Alice and Joe have had a whirlwind of a romance, resulting in them unexpectedly expecting a baby and moving from the bustling city to the quiet village of Penton. While they're working hard at adjusting, things aren't quite falling into place like they had hoped. When a dead body turns up at their prenatal class, Alice and her pregnant friends decide to take matters into their own hands and unravel the long-seeded secrets Penton has to offer.

This book was so cute and clever, but, overall, fell a little bit flat for me! While I loved the main character and her pals, there were SO many characters to keep track of! With that long list of characters came an even longer list of red herrings, and I couldn't even begin to guess where this was going (for better AND for worse). I have seen this book compared to FINLAY DONOVAN series and while I agree that this book is also super cute and clever, it falls short in that comparison by far.

Overall, I enjoyed this book! The book was a bit too long for me and I lost interest in the middle, but the story rounded out nicely and, like I said, I loved the characters and they kept me going til the end. I'm intrigued for more in this series, if that's where we're headed!

When Alice and Joe moved to Penton, they thought it’d be simpler, cozier, and cheaper than the life they left in London. The couple knew they were crazy for moving so close to the birth of their first child together, but they didn’t expect the move to be the least crazy thing happening in their lives. Now Alice has a murder mystery on her hands, a moody partner who is hiding something, and a group of new friends who may or may not even like her. At least it’s keeping Alice busy because she’s been bored out of her mind since she started her maternity leave!

When I picked up this book, I was not expecting it to fill the void that Maddy Hunter left when she retired from publishing. I’ve been missing her Passport to Peril series for sometime and Kat’s writing reminds me of that series. We’ve got Alice, who is interested in investigating not only because she was questioned as a potential suspect, but also because she’s bored and missing the friends she left behind in London. Then there’s several interesting to odd characters, a bunch of off the wall shenanigans, and a group of pregnant women putting two and two together only to find they were totally off the mark. It’s a hilarious book from start to finish and I love that the characters are funny and the investigating isn’t the best, which I find realistic.

I appreciate the focus on how daunting and even difficult it can be to make new friends as an adult. Alice and Joe just moved to a new city and they don’t know anyone there. While it was funny to see how their different attempts at making friends went, it was really nice to see characters who didn’t instantly befriend everyone they met. Speaking of new friends, I really liked Poppy and Ailsa, though I’m not sure I would say Ailsa is a friend of Alice’s yet. That said, they are excellent characters, so I’m looking forward to seeing a lot more of them in the next book. I really liked Ailsa’s grandma as well, and I hope we see more of her, especially since it seemed like the bare bones of a future book was set up when we met her.

If you’re looking for a hilarious laugh out loud read, then this is the book for you! I found myself laughing so many times while reading the majority of the chapters. I love Alice’s dog, Helen, who is one of those dogs that gets into anything and everything. She’s a sweet doggy, and I guess she accidentally did a little of her own investigating along the way and was thankfully safe after all was said and done!

Book 034 of 300 ~ 2024

🌟🌟🌟🌟

So I hit the jackpot with this. I entered a goodreads giveaway and won the physical copy - my first win. While entering that giveaway, I applied for review copies for both the audiobook and ebook - hoping to score one but won all.

I juggled between the three. Sometimes I read either the book or ebook while listening to the audiobook, most times I interchanged platforms.

I enjoyed the narrator. She did an excellent job.

For the story, how clever to have pregnant women as sleuths. I thought that was rather imaginative.

Plot was good and I kept reading.

I'd be open to a possible series or at least a second book as the sleuths as new moms, maybe.

I received complimentary copies of the physical, ebook, and audiobook. Opinions shared in this review are completely my own.

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This was such a fun debut mystery and I'm honestly surprised more people aren't talking about it. Alice and her partner Joe are having their first baby so they decide to move out of the city and into a small village where they can raise their child. Alice narrates the story and her sense of humor and perspectives on pregnancy had me laughing out loud. Add into the mix her dog Helen (who was equally hilarious to read about) and I was well and truly hooked. I'm going to be honest, I was more here for the characters that I was the mystery. It wasn't that I didn't enjoy the mystery because I did - but these four expectant women really stole the show for me. I loved the developing friendship between them all. I especially loved Alice's sense of humor and reading about the trouble that she would find herself in. It just made for such a fun read overall and I'm so excited to continue on with this series!

Readers who enjoy mysteries, fans of the Finlay Donovan series (I actually think I liked this book more), and those who just want a fun, light mystery should give this book a try. I will say that if you are struggling with infertility then this book probably isn't the one to pick up. But for me - it was a really solid start to this new mystery series and four stars overall.

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for my copy of this book. Honest thoughts are my own.

A cute story about a woman and her boyfriend moving to the country to raise their baby. But they find out that moving to the country isn’t as peaceful as I thought it would be since they find a dead shop owner at their prenatal class. Now the group of women are determined to find out who killed Mr.Crispin and unlock secrets along the way.

The story was boring. There was nothing to really keep my attention. I think part of it had to do with me listening to it on audio and the narrator just wasn't doing the story justice. And the other part was just the writing of the story. It just wasn't for me. I need more stakes in my mystery books.

What do you think of when you hear mom-to-be? I doubt a group of soon to be moms banding together to solve crimes crosses your mind. But that's exactly what happens in this humorous, cozy mystery. I loved the humor that helped keep this book light and fun, spurred on by the rambunctious pooch known as Helen. What a riot! The characters were fun as well, and I loved the realistic female friendships that developed. The ending didn't quite land for me, as it seemed the author didn't quite know how to wrap things up so instead she wrote in a bunch of convenient circumstances strung together. It just made things seem a little far fetched, pun not intended. But still, definitely worth the read!

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press/Minotaur Books for this ARC. I am leaving this review voluntarily and all views expressed are my own.

The Expectant Detectives is a fun, entertaining, mysterious, and hilarious debut novel. Soon-to-be moms turned into amateur detectives? Loved it. The cast of characters were great, which kept me on my toes.

It did take me a bit to get into the story however, once I did, I finished 75% of the book in one sitting. I stayed up late to finish and instantly started the second. It's more so on the cozy mystery vibe which I didn't think would be my thing, but it definitely was.


Thank you St. Martin's Press, Mintotaur Books and Netgalley for this ARC.

Alice and Joe move from London to a smaller town. While at a class for pregnant women, one woman goes into labor and a man is found dead. Along with the newly found friends, Alice tries to figure out who killed the man and finds some interesting ties along the way.
Opinion
This book kept the plot rolling. I love the fact that Helen (Alice's dog) kept getting into trouble and breaking up tense scenes. The way that Alice would jump to conclusions with one of her "suspects" was downright funny. I look forward to book two in this series.
Many thanks to Net Galley and to St. Martin's Press for providing me with an ARC of this book.

This was a cute, fun, entertaining story. I enjoyed all of the characters especially the dog! I love books like these because they don't take themselves too seriously. If you're a fan of Finlay Donovan then I would highly recommend you check these ones out!

Thank you so much to the author and publisher for my gifted copy. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

"𝗗𝗼𝗻'𝘁 𝗯𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗛𝗲𝗹𝗲𝗻."

I really enjoyed this funny cozy mystery. It felt a little like Finlay Donovan / Thursday Murder Club + a bunch of pregnant woman and a silly dog. So add this one to your list if you're a fan of either of those series. This is book #1 and #2 is expected to publish this June.

Alice and Joe didn't plan for a baby yet, but are excited to be expecting and preparing for a quieter life by moving out of the city. They move to the small town of Penton, but the quaint village isn't all it seems to be after a body is found during their first prenatal meeting. Suddenly all the ladies and partners in attendance are all possible witnesses and suspects in a murder investigation. The new-found friends turn pregnant amateur detectives in order to clear their names and solve the mystery 🔎
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Thank you to NetGalley and Minotaur Books for providing me a digital reviewer copy in exchange for my honest thoughts.

Cute storyline and a good comedic story for readers that enjoy light hearted mysteries. It wasn't a memorable story but I feel would be a good recommendation for all types of readers.

This was cute, a bit silly, and for some reason not as fast a read as you'd expect. Loved the Cotswold setting and Helen the dog was a trip.

Unfortunately, I DNF'd this book.

I found the writing to be jarring at times, and the story was moving so slowly for me. It felt contrived and forced. The FMC was annoying and her partner seemed like a lazy, disinterested fellow.

I put it down and tried coming back to it but just couldn't get into it.

I know others who loved it, so it's likely just a personal preference.

Thanks to Minotaur Books for the eARC; all opinions are my own.

This was a cute read. It was definitely a quirky one, and one that I would recommend to those that enjoyed Vera Wong's Unsolicited Advice for Murderers. A cozy mystery with a few laughs tossed in, as well as some great twists. Definitely one worth reading, and the sequel will be out this summer!

I took a chance on a mystery with a cute title and had so much fun reading it! Joe and Alice decide to leave London for the small town of Penton in the Cotswolds. The fact that Alice undertakes this move to the country at approximately 38 weeks pregnant, with a handful of a dog named Helen, isn't the strangest thing that takes place. The area has a very hippie vibe--with lots of tie dye, natural cure shops and even a local commune. The bodily fluids flow when new friend Hen's water breaks during the first prenatal class and by the time the paramedics arrive, they wonder who exactly they are there for--a possible baby or the dead guy in the shop below the classroom. It has a bit of an edge, and a bit dark but as the story moves along, the characters really mesh together and all kinds of mysteries and red herrings are revealed in this small town.

Funny enough, the moment I thought to myself that this book was going too slowly because the mystery hadn’t happened yet, Mr. Oliver was dead. Unfortunate perfect timing. That being said, this book is a little slow, but not boring. I was very invested in the characters and the setting (more so than the mystery itself which felt underdeveloped in comparison, but it was interesting to see it all play out). Alice and her girlies were so much fun and I can’t wait to read more of their adventures in the next book!

<I>Thank you, Netgalley and St. Martin’s Press & Minotaur Books for the ARC! </i>

4.5/5

I had no idea what exactly to expect from the debut novel The Expectant Detectives by Kat Ailes, but it ended up being everything I could have ever hoped for! I love cozy mysteries, and this unlikely (to some extent) group of friends that link up after Alice and her husband move to a small village, really went for it with their sleuthing. It was quite humorous following a group of expectant mothers as they armchair detective their way through a murder, and there are even some other surprises along the way. The story itself is very funny, and I laughed out loud throughout the entire thing. Alice might just make her way into the list of my favorite characters of all time, and I adored silly little Helen the dog.

The audio is just as fun as the book is and I loved the narrator Kitty Kelly SO MUCH. I really hope she continues as the narrator for the series because I can't think of anyone better for Alice and just the whole vibe of the book in general. Listening to her was a dream, and I loved every minute of it. I will definitely have to grab a copy of The Expectant Detectives for my shelf, and I thoroughly enjoyed the witty, lightheartedness of it all. This was an easy read that kept me guessing, and I think if you are a fan of cozy mysteries that make you laugh, you won't find it hard to love this book.

The Expectant Detectives follow the story of Alice and Joe as they move to the countryside to raise their baby boy. When a man is killed while a woman gives birth in their antenatal class, things get a bit messy. Will they be able to solve who did it?

This story was just fun. No way around it. Alice was so relatable and so real. The humor surrounding pregnancy was so real and funny that there were times where I laughed out loud. It helped me to feel seen for how I felt alot of the time when I was pregnant. The mystery itself was very good as well. I did call who did it at one point but I was never confident and that helped me to love the book even more. I am so excited to read the next in the series when it comes out!

Loved this funny and charming debut mystery! All the stars for this one
A small group of expectant moms, each from a different background, team up to solve a murder investigation in their small, sleepy little British town.
Loved the setting, loved the lively characters and their sense of individuality.
And of course, loved Alice’s lack of a filter and her bougie yet chaotic dog Helen.
This was a fun cozy mystery, and I look forward to future installments in the series. I’d like to hear more from the other moms’ perspectives.

Thank you @minotaur_books for providing me with this physical copy & @Netgalley widget in exchange for my honest review.