Standalone, but you should read the first book to know all the characters and backgrounds. It's been a year from the happenings in the first book, everyone has their babies all turning one year old and the chronic exhaustion and sleep deprivation is at its most obvious. The moms and babies decide to go on a picnic to celebrate the year in a peaceful meadow. Naked protesters show up and get our moms involved in a peaceful protest to save the old trees. Doesn't sound too involved, until one of the protesters is murdered while everyone is chained together around the trees. So many questions as to how this happened with so many people around, who could have done it and who was the victim really. Alice really shined the most this time, even as she tries to stay out of the whole mess she is taking in clues and having conversations with the suspects. The best is when she admits to one that she's just nosy so they actually give her information she wouldn't have gotten otherwise. The mysteries keep piling up, laugh out loud moments, all while feeling the exhaustion of new parents. Fun read and looking forward to a third in this series.. A thanks to the publishers and NetGalley for an advanced read for an honest opinion.

Dead Tired does bring back memories of times of babies, pets and family life that are
simply nice. And the British are so absolutely delightful in their descriptions of life.
Books with amateur sleuthing are pretty commonplace and what sets this apart is
that women are pretty much driving the story. Our fearless leader, Alice, mom of
one baby boy, one husband and a seriously crazy dog, and while she was new to
The Village of Penton, she hit the ground running and its business as usual with the
second crime spree, this one over environmental issues.
The story is lightweight, moves well and is easy to follow. I look forward to the next
round of babies and murders.
My thanks to St Martin’s Press via NetGalley for the download copy of this
story for review purposes.

Not enough Helen!

This was a cute little book and very quick read. Like the previous one, the murder doesn't get resolved until the absolute end so you're going to need to read to the last page.

I wish we got more Ailsa and Hen together so we could understand that dynamic. I'd also love a story from the other ladies perspective at some point. I'm also confused by the words Alice doesn't know.

Cozy village murder mystery with the mom detectives.

A handful of new mothers agreed to be shackled to 500 year old trees as part of an environmental protest. Their target was a wind farm company, Aether. Reports state that the impact on the environment would be minimal. The morning after spending the night still chained and in extreme discomfort, screams awakened them, amid shouts of “She’s dead!”
Alice and her group of three friends first bonded during a prenatal class a year ago. The transition from wife to mom left them constantly exhausted. To escape the daily struggle, the moms packed their five babies and three dogs for a day out to celebrate the class’s first anniversary.
A picnic in a meadow with wildflowers and sunlight seemed perfect. The twins tried to touch the monarch butterflies. The dogs kidnapped another dog, with the owner chasing behind them. Two naked environmentalists approached to solicit them to join their organization. They weren’t truly naked, if you count the body paint. After some discussion and light interest, three of the mothers agreed to attend a clothing optional conference. Although they were too harried to join, they got little involved to fill their time. They agreed to be chained to the trees overnight when they realized it might be their only chance for many years to be away from the kids overnight. So they agreed, with some misgivings, to being unable to get unchained for eight hours—even to use the port-a-potty. Do you think they get a good night’s sleep?
I especially enjoyed the laughter, the casual view of the chaos, misplaced toys, and babies. Kat Ailes, the author, has the gift of showing the sometimes difficult and overwhelming process of keeping little ones safe, clean, and healthy in an amusing and realistic way. Ailes masterfully transformed her main characters from enthusiastic young moms to dedicated adults, intent on bringing justice to Leila, who was murdered at the conference. I felt like part of the group.
I’ve thought about what bothered me about this book. Nothing. It’s an excellent book. Distraught moms, an assortment of babies and dogs that kept me up too late, a bizarre murder, and surprises in twists and turns: What could be wrong?
“Dead Tired” is a cozy murder mystery novel with great humor, dogs, and amateur detectives who work together to hunt down a murderer. I recommend it to readers seeking a gentler, more humorous, creative murder mystery. It is the second in a two book series called the Expectant Detectives Mysteries. My thanks to NetGalley and Minotaur Books for sending me an uncorrected digital galley. This review is my genuine opinion and is submitted willingly.

I know I'm probably in the minority, but I didn't connect with the characters (I'm not a mom?) and didn't relate very well to the chaining of folks to the trees (to avoid bulldozing). I know this is a light hearted comedy, but couldn't it be just as light hearted and fun without the 4 letter words? I love that she included dogs and I wish Helen was MY doggie, but the rest just didn't pan out.
Sometimes a great book just doesn't click with me so don't take my review too seriously.

Kat Ailes has done it again. Great fun read. Loved the first book in this series and I love the second book equally. The story picks up with these wonderful characters from the last book. Wonderful storyline and characters. Wonderful who-dun-it. Spot on with the dogs and babies added into the mix make this a humorous read. I was given an advanced reader copy by NetGalley and I am freely sharing my review.

Great follow up book. Cozy and enjoyable story. Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC. I want even more with these characters. Great writing!

This is a light hearted cozy mystery. Alice is such a delightful, funny and charming main character.

I was invited by the publisher to read this book, since I had read the first, and the second installment in this series did not disappoint at all! We pick up with Alice well into a year of motherhood, and looking for some relaxation. She decides to give that to herself in the form of joining an ecological protest, where she and her other mom friends find themselves in the middle of another murder to solve. I loved coming back to these relatable characters, and really appreciated the real-life issues of motherhood that were incorporated into this book. Plus, the mystery kept me guessing until the very end of the book!

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press/Minotaur Books for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Alice and her friends are back with another murder to solve. I love this group! The mysteries are fun, but this book also gives us an honest look at motherhood and all the complicated feelings that come with it. I think it’s great to see! Good book!

I received an early copy through Netgalley, but all opinions are my own.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. It's the second in the series. The mystery is standalone so you could read it without reading the first but I'd recommend reading book one as it's fun and it gives you insight into our band of characters.

I did not figure out whodunnit and thought it was a neat resolution.

There's a lot about motherhood in this book as our detectives are all new moms. I don't have kids but still enjoyed reading all the mommy stuff and I think if you had kids it would be even more of a hoot.

Helen and Ronnie furever! LOL.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from Minotaur Books through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. Thank you, Minotaur Books.

The team of first time moms is back after they stumble upon another murder in their quiet village in the Cotswolds. As they try to navigate parenting one year olds and figure out who they are in this new stage of life, they find some purpose in putting on their sleuthing hats to solve the mystery of who killed a protestor.

Dead Tired by Kat Ailes perfectly captures the rollercoaster ride of early motherhood with humor and authenticity. As a mom to small children myself, I found myself nodding along to every sleep-deprived struggle Alice faces. Ailes beautifully portrays the love for her child alongside the longing for a glimpse of her pre-baby life.

There's a little ambiguity surrounding the Alice's intelligence that I just can't figure out... and I think detective Jane feels the same way. The mystery itself was interesting and outside of some of the things I normally choose to read (protests, etc) but it was done well.

I loved that they built up the dynamic between Alice and her best friend Maya, who fearlessly embraces her true self without apology.

And let's not forget Helen, the mischievous yet lovable dog, adding an extra layer of charm to the story. :)

Overall, Dead Tired is a delightful and relatable read that will resonate with any exhausted parent trying to navigate the chaos of parenthood -- even if you haven't yet read the first book in the series (although I think you should for the character development!).

I liked the first book in this series, and this second book was even better. Now that we know the characters and setting, the mystery takes up more of the novel to unravel. As someone who is currently wrangling an almost toddler, the mom group of detectives was very relatable. The humour and friendships made for an engaging, British cozy mystery. I hope this series continues because I'd like to see what these amateur detectives do when they are back-to-work moms.

Thank you, Minotaur Books, for this ARC.

In Kat Ailes' captivating cozy mystery, "Dead Tired," Alice, a sleep-deprived new mother, finds herself entangled in another murder investigation, this time amidst an eco-protest. With her friends by her side, Alice embarks on a quest to uncover the truth behind the strangulation of a fellow protester. The story unfolds in a charming English countryside village, where Alice and her friends, now proud mothers, seek a much-needed break from their mommy duties. They seize the opportunity to join an eco-protest, chaining themselves to trees as a means of peaceful demonstration. However, their hopes for a restful respite are shattered when one of the protesters is found strangled, leaving the group in shock and fear. Undeterred by the danger, Alice and her friends, the accidental amateur sleuths, plunge into the investigation, determined to solve the mystery. Their pursuit of clues leads them into a tangled web of intrigue involving rogue artists, a mysterious local entrepreneur, and the controversial practice of nude protesting. As Alice pieces together the evidence, she uncovers secrets and motives that run deep within the seemingly idyllic village. With her keen observation skills and unwavering determination, she navigates through red herrings and false leads, gradually closing in on the truth. Kat Ailes' writing shines in "Dead Tired." Her characters are relatable and authentic, their struggles and triumphs mirroring those of modern-day parents. The mystery is cleverly crafted, keeping the reader guessing until the very end. The author's witty humor and insightful commentary on contemporary issues add depth and charm to the narrative. "Dead Tired" is a delightful and entertaining cozy mystery that will appeal to fans of the genre. Alice's tenacity, her friends' unwavering support, and the backdrop of the English countryside make for an engaging and heartwarming read. Kat Ailes has crafted a captivating tale that celebrates friendship, community, and the indomitable spirit of women who refuse to let motherhood define them.

Being the mother of a young child is exhausting at times. So Alice and the friend she made in her prenatal class are ready for some downtime. The only thing they can find is to participate in an eco-protest. They change themselves to trees and settle in for some down time. But it turns out to be anything but downtime when one of the protesters is founded in the morning.

Alice and her gang find them themselves, sleuthing yet again rather than having some quiet time to relax and rest. What is the group lucky the first time, or will they be able to solve a second mystery?

This is such a fun and engaging British cozy mystery. I love the entire gang, but most of all the big, fluffy puppy always brings my heart to a melting puddle. This book is a great example of why I love British cozy mysteries so much.

Book 2 in a charming mystery series starring first pregnant women and now new moms.

Being a new mom is murder.

Alice and her friends are reeling from new motherhood, it is certainly not glamorous but they still find time for one another after they bonded following their mystery solving days during prenatal class. They plan a relaxing picnic but are interrupted by two protestors who introduce them to an ecogroup. Before she knows it, Alice is chained to a tree with her friends and enjoying a bit of time away from her one year old Jack. But when a leader of the group is murdered the moms find themselves quickly involved in a twisted mystery with plenty of culprits and few clues.

Join Alice and her absolutely hilarious look on life. You won't regret it! Ailes has created a great mystery that could stand on it's own but it is so much bigger and brighter with Alice and her friends (and horrid Helen the dog) navigating it!
Stmartinspress #deadtired #katailes

This book was so good. I loved the continued Ustinov of characters from the first book in series but found this one had better and quicker flow to it. I like how the author includes little realistic details like struggles that parenthood brings into your life as a mother and your relationship. Th whodunnit portion had me shocked by the result as I was assuming several other scenarios.

withholding review due to the SMP boycott. will not post about this anywhere either until this is resolved. thank you.

At this point, I think I'm more invested in the dog than any of the other characters. I think I also preferred the first novel to this one, however, the mystery was interesting.. it was just that these characters are falling flat for me. I don't really feel like there was that much character growth from our main character Alice whose child has been born. I love a good cozy mystery series, but perhaps I need to accept that this one just isn't for me.

If you want to do a spin off series where the dog solves mysteries instead, I am interested!

She’s back! Helen, the Legally Blonde of dogdom, has her own series! Well, so does her delightful, no longer pregnant, fur-parent Alice. And Helen has a little face that she can lick peanut butter off — one year old Jack. This is the second “Expectant Detectives” novel, the first taking place while Alice was 38 weeks pregnant as a murder occurred while she and her fellow mums were in a childbirth class. The mums, Ailsa, Poppy, Hen and Alice, banded together to solve the murder mystery. It’s now a year later and everyone is burdened by an intense year of first time parenting.

During a picnic in a Cotswold meadow, the young mums meet a pair of naked environmentalists, who are protesting the wind farm that will destroy the meadow, along with a 500 year old copse of chestnut trees. Hen doesn’t say much, since she’s the PA to the CEO of the corporation responsible. Alice is initially confused, asking “aren’t wind farms good for the environment?” but the two nude people insist it’s “greenwashing” — something that promises more environmental benefits that it delivers. Without Hen (who needs her job), the other three decide to attend an Earth Force meeting out of curiosity. Alice, Poppy and Ailsa go a step further: agreeing to be chained to the ancient trees to prevent their plowing down. It’s quite uncomfortable, made more uncomfortable by the fact that one of the chained up tree huggers (an original nude person) is murdered overnight.

Alice is such a delightful, funny and charming main character. She’s a reluctant detective, too — having to deal with a laughing baby at a funeral or Helen becoming a swamp creature makes her adorably different from other cozy sleuths. Her friends are also experiencing the same challenges, although Ailsa has it doubled with twins and only Hen is not on maternity leave. The author has constructed another wonderful mystery with a great cast of characters. 5 stars! Definitely waiting for the toddler installment next!

Literary Pet Peeve Checklist:
Green Eyes (only 2% of the real world, yet it seems like 90% of all fictional females): NO No eye colors are mentioned at all.
Horticultural Faux Pas (plants out of season or growing zones, like daffodils in autumn or bougainvillea in Alaska): NO A meadow and a copse of chestnut trees are part of the plot.

Thank you to St. Martin's Press/Minotaur and NetGalley for a free advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review!