Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an electronic copy to read in exchange for an honest review.

This is the second book in the Expectant Detective series and it is soooooo good. For anyone in a pare ting role you will relate to Alice and her friends. They are sleep deprived, exhausted, looking for anything to break up the monotony of taking care of children. This is definitely my new favorite cozy series!

Thank you to Minotaur Books for the advanced reader copy and to Macmillan Audio for the complimentary audiobook. These opinions are my own.

Dead Tired is the second book in a cozy mystery series that started with Expectant Detectives. We again follow Alice in her new home in the English countryside. But now, she and her friends from the prenatal care classes all have infants. And somehow they manage to stumble across a dead body.

It took me a bit to remember who was who. I should have reviewed the characters from the first book before beginning to listen to this second one. But I was immediately captured again by the great deadpan humor. The first person POV is perfection. I had an easier time deciding who I trusted, and I enjoyed all the strange adventures Alice and her friends went on as they worked again to solve a crime. And of course, Alice's dog Helen continues to steal all the scenes she is in.

I was especially impressed by the absolutely amazing audio performance by Kitty Kelly. She had a fantastic feel for Alice's POV and her level of sarcasm and humor.

I am so glad this is a series and look forward to more to come. Both the mysteries and the comfort of bonding with other new parents are so well done.

"𝗕𝗲𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗮 𝗻𝗲𝘄 𝗺𝗼𝗺 𝗶𝘀 𝗺𝘂𝗿𝗱𝗲𝗿."

𝘿𝙚𝙖𝙙 𝙏𝙞𝙧𝙚𝙙 is book 2 in 𝙏𝙝𝙚 𝙀𝙭𝙥𝙚𝙘𝙩𝙖𝙣𝙩 𝘿𝙚𝙩𝙚𝙘𝙩𝙞𝙫𝙚𝙨 mystery series. Last book we followed Alice and her pregnant group of friends trying to solve the murder of a man that occurred during a prenatal class. The ladies are back and adjusting to motherhood. They're finding they don't get out much these days and when the opportunity to participate in an eco-protest arises, they sign up. The friends finally get a chance to get some baby-free sleep, even if it's while chained to a tree. Unfortunately the protest ends when a fellow participant is found strangled. Alice and the group put their amateur detective hats back on and start their investigation!

The aspects I enjoyed most about 𝙏𝙝𝙚 𝙀𝙭𝙥𝙚𝙘𝙩𝙖𝙣𝙩 𝘿𝙚𝙩𝙚𝙘𝙩𝙞𝙫𝙚𝙨 were the banter between the new friends, the mischief they got up to, and silly Helen the dog. While all these things were present in book 2, it also felt like something was lacking. I also got a little confused with so many new side characters. But overall it was still an enjoyable mystery and I would definitely read book 3 should the series continue. While this could be read as a standalone, I think it would best be enjoyed after reading book 1.

I am glad that the first installment has turned itself into a series. I’m not sure how many murders this small town can sustain but I’m really to suspend belief if they want to stretch it out. Bc these first two have been enjoyable. I guess they’d be in the cozy mystery genre but the fun kind.

I’ll be looking forward to more.

I tried to give this book a try with both the ebook and audio book. Unfortunately, despite it being slapsticky, the characters never grabbed me. I was hoping for a very easy read, and it is. But as far as the characters go, I felt it lacking. I felt same with the first book so it may be that the author's style is just not for me.

Before becoming proud new moms, Alice and her friends bonded more than a group of prenatal moms usually would, becoming accidental amateur sleuths and solving a crime together. Alice's son Jack is now already a year old, and Alice is keen to catch up on some sleep. When the opportunity presents itself to participate in an eco-protest, Alice and her friends chain themselves to trees and settle in for some overdue rest. The next morning, one of their fellow protestors is found strangled, leaving Alice and her friends entangled in a new crime that they can't help but want to get to the bottom of.

DEAD TIRED hits just the right spot. I ended up liking this one more than its predecessor, THE EXPECTANT DETECTIVES. I had so much fun revisiting the cozy town of Penton, as well as Alice, her group of friends, and their dogs. Honestly, Helen and the other dogs steal the show yet again, but I think that's to be expected. Helen is always up to no good and getting herself into some sticky messes. Alice is still a hot mess, although seemingly amplified in her postpartum state. She's still getting things done though, so I'd call that a win.

I really enjoyed the complex mystery with its many moving parts in DEAD TIRED. I had absolutely no clue who could be responsible for this whodunnit and ended up being quite surprised by the ending! Lastly, I love Ailes' writing style and sense of humour; I can't wait to see what's next for Alice and her friends.

I would like to thank Netgalley and the publisher, Minotaur Books, of this advanced digital copy for the opportunity to read this novel in exchange for an honest review! All opinions shared are my own.

Sequel to The Expectant Detectives. The women have all had their babies, who are now around a year old, and they find themselves in the midst of another murder investigation when a new acquaintance is murdered at a protest while chained to a tree. This is on par with the first book in the series, with Helen the dog getting into things and Alice and her friends getting into other things. Now we also have the added bonus of all the jokes about how tired new parents are, which gets old fairly quickly. 3 stars.

The Expectant Detectives are back! Dead Tired is the second book in this mystery series about a group of new moms in the Cotswolds who investigate crimes they just happen to stumble into. The moms met at a prenatal class in the first book, and this one picks up when the babies are all about a year old. The moms, babies, and dogs are enjoying a picnic when they encounter two eco protestors. Next thing you know, Alice and company are chaining themselves to trees as part of an overnight protest to protect the meadow from becoming a wind farm. The next morning, one of the protestors is dead. But never fear – the moms are on the case and about to get down to “detectoring”!

This clever cozy mystery is so much fun! It’s light but twisty, with no shortage of potential suspects and motives. Fans of cozy mysteries will be charmed by this quirky cast of characters. Alice is hilariously endearing; she’s cute and chatty, sarcastic and completely socially awkward, and the way she stumbles through new motherhood is so relatable! Alice’s unruly dog Helen is such a hoot too, constantly getting herself and Alice into embarrassing scrapes. I am loving this series and am thrilled that the author is leaving the door open for future installments!

The audiobook version makes this story even more enjoyable. Narrator Kitty Kelly is perfect as Alice! Her delivery is wry and humorous, and her British accent really makes you feel like you’re in the English countryside.

Another fun book in what is now a favorite series of mine! This unexpected but seriously close friend group, who are willing to jump out of their comfort zone so easily for each other and to try new things is such a delight to read about. I feel like the MC is even more comfortable in this book so there are less gaffes and more genuine laughs. The fact that Alice and her new friends love to snoop and don't pretend otherwise is refreshing in a cozy mystery like this one and I totally understand them trying to find meaning and purpose for their lives outside of motherhood (which is of course miraculous and important, but also important for mom to find her own purpose as a singular person). As a newish mom I totally felt so many of the motherhood portions and wish I had such a close friend group, who would drop everything to help you and your new babe. The mystery had me all twisted up and very shocked by all the reveals at the end!

Dead Tired is a perfect choice for those in search of a cozy mystery with a large dose of humor. Mothers especially will relate to the zombie days of early motherhood. When Alice and her fellow maternity friends stumble upon two nude protestors, they soon find themselves chained to a tree to stop the development of a wind farm. They certainly didn't expect one of the other protestors to end up murdered. Naturally, they feel compelled to put their amateur sleuthing skills to work. It's pretty hard to conduct a discreet search for clues when they are accompanied by curious one-year old children and very naughty dogs. Even though this is the second book of a series, it reads fine as a stand-alone. Thanks to NetGalley, St. Martin's Press/Minootaur Books and the author for a copy to read and review.

DNF at 20%. I liked the first book in the series but this one was not for me. I couldn't get into the story and the characters fell flat.

Alice and her prenatal group friends are back! They have all had their babies and are navigating the first year with their babies. Maternity leave, play groups, and surviving on little sleep has become their everyday norm. Even with the changes that new motherhood has brought, the group is still hilarious and still wind up getting involved in a murder investigation.

I highly recommend this book and series if you are looking for a funny and lighthearted murder mystery story.

Thank you @minotaur_books for allowing me to read this book in exchange for my honest review.

(This same review was shared on the Barnes & Noble website)

They’re back! Those nosey, bored expectant moms are now mom’s of one year olds, and even though they are “dead tired” from parenting, they jump at the chance to do some “detectoring”. While this seems extremely irresponsible, no children or dogs are ever put in danger’s way!

All the characters return, and their friendship is stronger than ever. While picnicking in a local meadow, the women come across a couple of nude protestors on a photo shoot for their upcoming protest.From there the ladies get deeply involved with the protestors especially after one of the protestors is murdered during a sit in. I enjoyed revisiting this motley crew of friends in small town Cotswold, and I was again disappointed that the men in their lives were just mentioned, not much explored.

The laughs are primarily about parenting and unruly dogs. Some of the narrative felt like unnecessary filler - especially the multiple descriptors about junk food and purses filled with unhealthy snacks. Alice, the narrator of the story, is portrayed as the most out of control/ill-equipped for parenthood, yet, this former copy writer, brilliantly solves another murder in her new small town.

This cozy mystery read is fun and more frivolous than mysterious, but the characters are easy to identify with and highly likable. Dead Tired is a good summer vacation read-pool side, on the beach or on a plane.

4 stars. So I must admit, that I didn't read book 1. And because of that, the first chapter was a bit (aka a huge) info dump of characters and names, etc. And to be fair, names are not my strong suite... so I had a bit of a hard time in the beginning trying to sort through who everyone was. But once I did, Dead Tired was a really fun cozy mystery mom com. I loved Ailes's sense of humor as an author and even though the book is about murder, I found myself reading the entire thing with a smile on my face. I'm not a mom, but I could see how relatable these books would be to moms, especially new moms. Found family is one of my favorite tropes in a book, and I really appreciated the friendships of this new mom group! I loved the banter, loved the hijinks, and loved the zany. All in all, I had a fun time with this... yes... MURDER... mystery book. And I can easily see myself cycling back to book 1. Thanks so much to Ailes, Minotaur, and Netgalley for hooking me up with this one!

Second in series with a group of Moms who get involve in a few murders that they try to solve.
A good mystery with a few suspects and twists.
A fun easy read.
Voluntarily reviewed.

This is the second book in the series, which I don’t think I knew about lol. I definitely would like to read the first one, since it started with them getting ready to have babies, and now we’ve got 1 year olds lol. This was fun and humorous, with a side of murder that keeps you going till the end. Definitely want to check out the first book

Another fun cozy mystery! This one solidified the fact that this series reminds me a bit of the Finlay Donovan series which I loved. The found family vibe in these women is great and their friendship is so comical. Plus the addition of the dogs makes me heart happy. Helen being the worst dog in this one made me laugh so many times. Some how I think the ladies were even better investigators in this one lol

I am so happy that Alice and her friends have returned to investigate another murders. Alice's son Jack is a year old and Ailes does an outstanding job of describing the challenges of being a parent to an infant. The original cast has returned with the addition of the babies and some new acquaintances. Alice and her friends get enmeshed in a protest and that's where their investigation begins. I found this mystery easier to follow than Ailes' first novel, The Expectant Detectives. I love the writing and the characters and am looking forward to the next installment

Dead Tired is a fabulous sequel in the Expectant Detective series. I thoroughly enjoy the characters, especially the relatable hot mess mama, Alice. I am out of the exhausting and mind-numbing days of having babies/toddlers and nursing round the clock but I remember it all too well. The humor that Kat Ailes brings to motherhood and the social awkwardness of making friends as an adult are so entertaining. The cringe worthy antics of Helen make me smile despite wanting to shout at the book “don’t bring Helen”!

The mystery in this book was full of twists and turns. It truly managed to surprise me. I enjoy the amateur sleuth aspect of the crime solving and the humor that comes with it.

I can’t wait to see what adventure is in store for Alice and her motley crew (even Helen).

I have posted this review on Amazon, Goodreads

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/6243804882

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The Expectant Detectives are back! Dead Tired is the second book in this mystery series about a group of new moms in the Cotswolds who investigate crimes they just happen to stumble into. The moms met at a prenatal class in the first book, and this one picks up when the babies are all about a year old. The moms, babies, and dogs are enjoying a picnic when they encounter two naked eco protestors. Next thing you know, Alice and company are chaining themselves to trees as part of an overnight protest to protect the meadow from becoming a wind farm. The next morning, one of the protestors is dead. But never fear – the moms are on the case and about to get down to “detectoring”!

This clever cozy mystery is so much fun! It’s light but twisty, with no shortage of potential suspects and motives. Fans of cozy mysteries will be charmed by this quirky cast of characters. Alice is hilariously endearing; she’s cute and chatty, sarcastic and completely socially awkward, and the way she stumbles through new motherhood is so relatable! Alice’s unruly dog Helen is such a hoot too, constantly getting herself and Alice into embarrassing scrapes. I am loving this series and am thrilled that the author is leaving the door open for future installments!

This series is perfect for fans of Finlay Donovan and Dial A for Aunties. Many thanks to NetGalley and Minotaur Books for providing me an advance copy of this book.