Kat Ailes’s debut mystery, The Expectant Detectives, was one of my favorite mysteries I read in the last year. British cozy mysteries hit that sweet spot of light, fun reads that aren’t fluffy and deliver a great mystery. In the first book, we were introduced to a group of expecting mothers who found themselves involved in a murder investigation after an eventful antenatal class. In the follow up, Dead Tired, the new mums have another mystery on their hands.

Where did The Expectant Detectives leave off? (no spoilers)

Alice and her partner Joe had moved from busy London to the sleepy countryside village of Penton when they discovered Alice is pregnant. They are adjusting to country life, and their dog Helen is quite content. Alice met a group of women at her antenatal class who form a close friendship. Poppy is laidback (her partner Lynn is definitely not), Hen is beautiful and uptight, and Alisa is a hippie-ish free spirit. When someone is murdered during their antenatal class, the four expecting mothers decide to play detective. What else do they have to do? A murder is solved, babies are born, and life in Penton calms down…for now.

What is Dead Tired about?

Alice didn’t think maternity leave would involve so much, well, murder. Nearly one year after having their babies, the new mums are trying to enjoy their maternity leave. On a picturesque picnic (which honestly doesn’t live up to the hype), their lunch is disrupted by a very beautiful and very naked couple having a photoshoot done. The pair are protesting the desecration of the meadow to build a wind farm. Even more awkward than the public nudity, it turns out Hen works for Aether, the green energy company they are protesting.

Hen doesn’t mention her affiliation with Aether, and Leila and Raven (the nude couple) invite the four to a planning meeting about the protest (Hen obviously refuses to attend). One thing leads to another and Alice, Poppy, and Alisa find themselves chained to trees alongside the Earth Force members. When Leila is murdered the night of the protest, the four friends can’t help but get involved. Afterall, they have a 100% solve rate for murders (exactly 1 out of 1).

What did I think?

Ailes’s writing and the Expectant Detective mystery series as a whole is such a delight to read. The mysteries are compelling and the reader can follow the clues right alongside the amateur detectives. Alice is a fantastic leading character and narrator. Not only is her commentary hilarious, but the British banter among the friends makes the books have a light and fun feel, despite the murder.

As with the first book in the series, the audiobook is narrated by Kitty Kelly and she perfectly captures Alice’s unique voice. Her cadence delivering Alice’s one-liners is flawless and she brings her character to life. A shout out to one of my favorite small moments in the book, right after Alice learns that nude Raven’s brother is named Sam, she comments on how it is a bit strange their parents would name one Raven and the other Sam. He responds that ‘Raven’ is his chosen name. Later he mentions that Helen is a weird name for a dog, and Alice deadpans “it’s her chosen name”. I laughed out loud!

Alice’s boyfriend Joe takes a backseat for this book, which didn’t detract at all. Alice and the other mums are close friends now, and there was more than enough content surrounding them. As a bonus, Alice’s best friend from London, Maya, makes a strong appearance. And we may be seeing a lot more of Maya, depending on how things play out!

Poppy and Alice’s friendship is one of my favorite parts of the series. As the new book opens, Alice has noticed Poppy seems withdrawn. Hen and Alisa have gotten closer, relying on one another now that both are single moms. All four women have unique personalities, but they work well as a friend group. I was excited to hear there was a second book after loving the first book so much, and it didn’t disappoint. Except when it ended, because I was sad it was over!

I didn’t guess the ending at all, and it was cleverly constructed. In mysteries, it’s nice when the reader can look back and notice that the clues were there all along, we just needed to fit them together. Alice’s superpower is that people underestimate her. She’s funny and kind, but she’s sharp as a tack behind her friendly exterior. The last line has me hoping that there is a third book in the works!

I liked Dead Tired as much as the first book, The Expectant Detectives, which is a high bar! If you haven’t read this series yet, I can’t recommend it enough.

Thank you to Minotaur Books and Macmillan Audio for my copy. Opinions are my own.

Dead Tired by Kat Ailes is the second installment in the Expectant Detectives series. In this book, Alice and her group of new mum friends find themselves in another mystery with multiple dead people as they are trying to help a local environmental group protest a wind farm.

Similar to the first book in the series, this cozy mystery was a fun read with down to earth characters that most everyone can relate to. This would make a perfect summer beach read while relaxing on vacation!

The second Expectant Detectives mystery finds Alice and her friends with babies now and somehow involved in a eco-protest. When one of the other protesters is murdered, they set out to find the culprit.

I’m enjoying this series a lot! I did think the mystery part was a little slow here, but there were tons of laugh out loud moments, especially with Helen (the true hero)! I’m interested to see where this series will go next since Alice will be done with maternity leave.

I received my copy from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Happy Pub Day on Tuesday (I’m tardy) to @k.ailes (Kat Ailes) and DEAD TIRED, the second installment of The Expectant Detectives series. When I was invited to read and listen to The Expectant Detectives, I was expecting a fun and light read and it exceeded my expectations. See my post from January for the review.

Dead Tired was just as funny. Alice and her friends have had their babies but that doesn’t stop them from stumbling upon murders and doing their own “detectoring.” They get themselves caught up once again in a murder investigation and really can’t help themselves getting more and more involved. So many laugh out loud moments. Alice and her dog are my favorites, and I could laugh at their antics all day. I’m already excited for another book!

I very much enjoyed the narrator, Kitty Kelly, in the audiobook and preferred the audio over the text copy only because she really brings Alice’s character to life.

The Girls Are Back now with babies!!!
Now that all the babies have been born this group of friends are trying their best to raise the one year olds who aren't letting these poor moms sleep. While each friend is dealing with their own new mom crisis they still find theirselves right smack in the middle of another murder. Will they be able to stay awake long enough to solve this one?

Alice and her mom friends, Hen, Ailsa and Poppy, have survived their first year of motherhood which involved solving a murder that happened during a birthing class. They are enjoying a country picnic with their toddlers and dogs when two naked people walk out of a small wooded area. They are protestors and as soon as they describe the wind farm that will take the place of ancient trees and destroy the ecosystem, Alice and friends have signed up for a night protest. After arranging child care, they join others and chain themselves to the trees to stop the bulldozers. Being “dead tired” young mothers, they fall asleep and don’t wake up until a dead protestor is discovered. Of course, they will help find the murderer but not before there is another victim.

Although this is the second in a series, it can be read as a standalone. Dead Tired is delightfully funny, full of laugh out loud situations. I did not know that you need to wear an adult diaper while chained to a tree. And the description of the elevator boxes at Aether, the wind farm company, made me want to choose stairs forever. I’m looking forward to the next in this enjoyable series. 5 stars.

Thank you to NetGalley, St. Martin's Press and Kat Ailes for this ARC.

*rounded up to 2.5/5 stars* I hate that I’m doing this, but honestly I found this second book in the series hard to finish. It felt dragged on for too long; I thoroughly enjoyed the first of The Expectant Detectives series and was so excited to get this ARC from Minotaur Books… but it was too long and had too many characters for me to fully stay immersed and captivated in my opinion. I still love our main characters with Alice, Helen obviously, Hen, Ailsa, Poppy, etc. but there being so many new characters on top of the existing amount felt overwhelming to me. It was an interesting focus this time with the environmental company and it really made me think, so I’ll give it that! Overall, it just wasn’t working for me which is super unfortunate!!!

Thank you NetGalley and Minotaur Books for the eARC copy of Dead Tired by Kat Ailes!

The second book in the Expectant Detective series follows the previously expectant mothers (now moms to one year olds) as they try to find a way to catch some sleep. They do this by attending an eco protest and chaining themselves to trees. Of course they are all sleeping when a murder occurs amongst them, and they wake up to find one of their follow protesters has been strangled.

This book was a fun read similar to book one of the series. I enjoyed watching the mothers struggle to learn how to parent while still trying to get their own lives back in order. I really love Alice’s voice as a character, and I love how these books focus on female friendship. I think Ailes presents a fresh idea in the mystery genre, and I think it’s a definite must read!

Dead Tired is book 2 in The Expectant Detectives mystery series. If you like momcoms, cozy mysteries, and books with strong female leads and friendships then I highly recommend this series. First and foremost, it’s relatable to all moms EVERYWHERE. If you have a funny “new mom” story, then I’m sure there’s a scene in this book you can relate to. Plus, it takes into account how important being a mom is while also showing that it’s okay to cut yourself some slack and not be perfect all the time. I loved this aspect! Secondly, the author turns a murder mystery into a LOL funny novel. Of course, murders aren’t funny, but these books are written for full enjoyment no matter what is happening. So, if you’re able to suspend belief I highly recommend this book and the first in the series.

𝗠𝗬 𝗥𝗔𝗧𝗜𝗡𝗚: ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐

Alice and her mom friends are pretty much just surviving the chaos of having babies and filling their days with soft play, diaper changes, and keeping the dog from licking tiny faces. When a day in a meadow introduces them to some painted nude protestors, it catches their attention. Chain themselves to a tree to help save this field from a wind farm? If it gives a break from new motherhood, sure, why not? But when a murder occurs during their protest this mom group turns their attention to solving this case themselves.

This was a fun and humorous combination of parenthood and cozy mystery. I can definitely relate to a lot of what Alice is going through in her sleep deprived postpartum fog, and how crazy it is to keep multiple babies and a dog healthy and alive. There is a wide cast of characters who were fun to follow, especially within the mom group itself. The mystery was great and kept me guessing until the end. It was a tad annoying that key pieces of evidence were withheld from the reader until a big "whodunnit" reveal. It's definitely more fun to be given the same information as the MC so that we have a chance of figuring it out on our own. There were also a few times Alice's inattention, or lack of awareness, was a bit off-putting. She often sets the babies down and lets them wander off into trouble, and the dog is usually off leash to find something to eat or destroy. There were many instances in this book I would have just left the dog, Helen, at home.

Overall, this was a fun read. It was nice to get a version of motherhood that's not polished, it's very realistic in many ways. I would recommend this book to those who enjoy a fun mystery where it's more about the ride rather then the destination. This is the second book in the series. I did not read the first book and it was easy to jump right into these character's lives. I would definitely read another book, especially if there's another murder with tiny toddlers running around collecting (or destroying!) evidence. I received this book through NetGalley as an eARC for my opinions.

3.5 rounded up to 4

The Expectant Detectives series is back with book two, Dead Tired! After not particularly loving the first book, Kat Ailes has redeemed herself with this follow-up!

Alice and the gang are back, and since I can now appreciate her spunkiness and charm, this was a fun cozy mystery! With their one-year olds in tow, I was especially impressed that Ailes didn't just cast these young toddlers aside for ease of storytelling; they were part of the day-to-day amateur sleuthing, and the characters' lives adapted to accommodate their children (how true to life)! Truths about motherhood were ever-present, and I enjoyed how honest and real Alice was in her journey as a mother! Although being a parent makes this story even more relatable, this mystery is universally appealing!

I still don't know how I'm supposed to feel about Joe, Alice’s partner, but I am beginning to understand his sarcastic remarks!

Continuity throughout a series is huge to me, and I was delighted that Kitty Kelly was again back to narrate these antics! I just love how she portrayed Alice and her emotions!

Bonus points for the mention of the old TV show CatDog!

I can't wait to continue on with this series and see what happens next!

Thank you NetGalley, St. Martin's Press, Minotaur Books and Macmillan Audio for the complimentary copies to read and review.

I absolutely loved this book!! I couldn’t put it down.
I just loved all the characters. I highly recommend this book.

Alice is now a (thoroughly exhausted) new mother, and no longer an amateur detective. But when she attends a peaceful protest where a fellow protestor ends up dead, Alice and her new parent friends spring back into action ...

Brilliant read! Alice is completely relatable and this cozy mystery is so much fun. The twists were good, but honestly the highlight of this book were the characters.

I received a copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review

I adore this cozy mystery series! When I finished the first one, I eagerly awaited this one and I figured Alice's life would get even more chaotic with the addition of her son Jack on top of Helen, and yes, the crazy factor skyrocketed.

Of course, where their group is, there is murder. Alice and her group of mummy friends just can't resist diving into the detective work to try to figure out another murder in their midst. The real detective in town is not a fan of Alice having her fingerprints all over every piece of evidence.

Kat Ailes artfully brings each character to life! The female friendships are endearing and their antics had me laughing out loud at times. The mystery was well written and kept me intrigued. I do hope that we get more books in this series.

Thank you #Netgalley and #MinotaurBooks #StMartinsPress for the ARC of this book

This second in series cozy mystery was published practically on the heels of the first book, at least in the US market (published January 9, 2024, in US; first published June 8, 2023). The sequel didn't quite reach the level of its predecessor for me, but it didn't fall far short. I was definitely entertained. I perceived that it had less personality than the first, though, in all fairness, that perception might be colored by the fact that it's hard to come up with truly fresh baby and dog antics, upon which so much of the humor of the first book relied. Those parts aside, the new mystery stands well on its own, fitting thoroughly into the world created in the first book, with interesting layers and interconnections, and having a decent twist at the end.

The first book is alluded to often, but on a very basic level. I recommend reading these books in order, even though it's a fresh and separate story, at least to get to know the main characters and how they became friends.

The end leaves an opening for third installment, which I will surely read if it comes to fruition.

This unbiased review is based on an ARC supplied by the publisher—St. Martin's Press/Minotaur Books. Publication is expected June 4. [3.5⭐]

The Expectant Detectives #2
Dead Tired by Kat Ailes

All the soon to be babies from the first book have been born and and Alice and her friends (they are her friends aren't they, sometimes Alice isn't sure) are dealing with one year olds who keep any of them from sleeping at night. At least Alice has her partner to help out with baby Jack. One of her friends is single, with twins, another of her friends seems to be down since the birth of her baby, and Hen, perfect, perfect Hen, is now working for an eco friendly local company that wants to do something very un eco friendly. While Hen works, the others watch over her baby for her. Alice is very shady in the way she makes Hen's baby look pristine at the end of the work day...Alice has a LOT of shortcuts in life although they don't always take her where she meant to go.

I will admit that I was less interested in the actual mystery than in laughing at Alice and company attempt to get through early motherhood. Add to Alice's motherhood woes the fact that she's yet to have mastered pethood with her unruly dog, Helen, and it seems Alice is pretty much a mess all the time. I mean, a literal mess, along with her mess of a kid and mess of a dog. Her house is a mess, her beat up car is a mess, nothing about Alice is clean or well put together. Never having had kids and knowing if I had ever had a kid it would have been enclosed in bubble wrap until its twenty fifth birthday, Alice makes motherhood seem both very unsanitary (surely I'm not telling parents anything they didn't know), exhausting (ditto), and possibly not at all like books, TV, and your friends make it look. Or it could just be Alice...I don't know.

So when Alice and her eco minded friends do a wee bit of eco protesting, jumping in feet (or torso first) by getting chained to trees, they end up being present for a murder! Everyone is uncomfortably asleep when the murder happens so no one saw the murder but it is certainly causing a ruckus in this tiny Cotswold community. So of course, Alice and company are going to solve this murder despite the fact that Alice's partner put a nix on her ever solving murders again. What to do, what to do...guess what Alice does! Jam and whatever else stained baby, Jack, unruly Helen, and totally unorganized Alice have been bamboozled by her eco friends to do a lot of the dirty work in this murder solving caper. For me the fun is in the little things, the justification of McDonalds more often than is healthy or eco friendly, and Alice being shocked when the most militant of her eco friends turns to disposable diapers. What is the world coming to?!??!

Thank you to St. Martin's Press | Minotaur Books and NetGalley for this ARC.

"Dead Tired" is the second book in the hilarious "Expectant Detectives" mystery series from Kat Ailes. I wasn't sure how this book would stack up to the first in the series, but it did not disappoint. This book was such a fun, lighthearted, and cozy mystery full of twists and surprises. Alice and her friends were hilarious, and I loved that this book took on real-life issues that we face as parents. I wasn't sure about the eco-protest storyline at first, but it ended up being a compelling mystery. I had many guesses and suspects in mind, and I was pleasantly surprised by the ending. “The Expectant Detectives” is quickly becoming a new favorite series. Fingers crossed for book #3!
 
Thank you to NetGalley and Minotaur Books for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Another highly entertaining mystery featuring a bumbling but brilliant new mom just trying to juggle a baby, some friends and a couple of inconvenient murders.

I love Alice’s spunky demeanor and dry humor and find myself laughing out loud at some of her observations. She’s also a clever investigator, even covered in vomit and dog poo. I think you’ll love the friendships, the humor and the cozy sensibilities!

Thank you to NetGalley and St Martins Press for my copy. These opinions are my own.

Bring on fun summer reading! Dead Tired is book #2 in the Expectant Detectives series. It can definitely be read as a stand alone. There are many references to #1 that made me very curious to check that one out.

This book follows a group of new moms that are innocently at a scene of a crime. The banter between the characters is hilarious. Alice in particular is very funny. They decide to participate in a protest to keep a copse (not corpse, ha!) of trees from developers. This involves chaining themselves to the trees for an undetermined amount of time and while chained, one of the protesters is murdered. They go into action to uncover the identity of the murderer. It's a murky endeavor and a great time to the conclusion. I recommend adding this fun cozy to your summer reading list!

Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press/Minotaur Books for early access.

Part two in this wonderful series enjoyed as much as the first.The new moms had me laughing out loud.Can be read as a stand alone but the first is too much fun to miss.#netgalley #minator