What starts out as a lighthearted book about a mysterious death turns into dark comedy of errors and ends as a heartbreaking introspective story about life, family, and loneliness.

Twists and turns that keep you guessing throughout. 3.5 ⭐️

Thank you NetGalley for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

David Alvarez takes a date home one night and wakes up to find him dead in his bed. Thus begins the dark comedy thriller, I Might Be in Trouble. David is a writer who is stuck writing his follow-up novel after the first was a big hit. Between that and breaking up with his ex-boyfriend, David is both bankrupt, emotionally and financially. Along with Stacy, his literary agent, David must figure out what to do with the body, while simultaneously realizing that this was a great story idea for his next book.
Primarily, this novel is about David’s loneliness and neuroses that he is just not good enough for his ex or the fame of being a popular author. The book is fun as a quick romp while the two move the body around New York City and the following repercussions. The reader does feel for David’s despair. And the satirical take on the publishing world is worth the read.
There was to my mind too much of the book devoted to David’s inner struggle with self-worth, but the laugh out loud moments somewhat balanced out those slow sections. Of course, the mystery is obvious throughout so do not expect a true thriller in that regard. I found the story predictable, but it is a fast and fun read. Daniel Aleman has written other books, but in the YA genre, so that might explain some of the less than realistic moments. Overall, I Might Be in Trouble begins and ends strong, but the middle drags with over-sharing of the narrator’s emotional journey.
My rating: 3 of 5
This ARC title was provided by Netgalley.com at no cost, and I am providing an unbiased review. I Might Be in Trouble was published on Dec. 3, 2024.

This was hilarious and silly and so unique but so emotional! Finding someone dead in your bed after your first meeting is WILD. This book was really well done.

I cackled WAY too much while reading this. Absolutely brilliant. Loved the tongue-in-cheek sense of humor combined with a suspenseful premise.

Best selling author David, is failing. His first book is a hit, his second, a failure, and now his third, his publisher won’t even touch. Then there’s his love life, a Jeremy he can’t seem to forget about. His financial troubles; and the family he can’t quite feel a part of anymore. Oh, and that obnoxious dead body in his bed.

I FLEW through this novel. I can’t decide if it was because it was good. Or because it was written so simple. The main character is charming, if a bit overdramatic. The storyline of this was a bit laughable, like what we want to do with the body, choosing not such good options. But if they had taken the better solution, probably wouldn’t have made for much of a story. So suspend your reality and don’t overthink it.

Man, I had no idea the lengths a literary agent will go for their author. This gave me vibes of the Flight Attendant meets Weekend at Bernie’s idea with a lighter tales from the Crypt episode. The humor wasn’t laugh out loud funny but the author took a darker subject and was able to spin it into a lighter tone. It was a fun read but I can tell it’s not one I would pick up again or stuck with me. If you’re looking for an easy mystery read, this could be a good pick.

My Selling Pitch:
Ew, David.

On my do not read list.

Pre-reading:
Say it with me kids, I love a pink cover! Also, tell me that's not Jonathan Bailey and Gillian Anderson on the cover. (Like it's not, but like if you squint-)

(obviously potential spoilers from here on)
Thick of it:
The dedication? I smell a banger. (I don’t have a sense of smell.)

That seems like a play on the author’s own name. Is this a self-insert? (Hard yes.)

You’re going on a date with stained khakis?

You’re willingly going on a first date to a place called the gloryhole.

Ew, David.

So we’re actually all suffering the same dating hell and all have the same desire to have that storybook connection. But also, he’s got a J name. Get a grip.

I have never been so glad I didn’t start a book at work. The audiobook for this was wi-hild. Oh no. 😂

Hating on doggy style? My dude, we are not the same.

That’s a shit opener.

I don’t like the hate that’s going on for Sheila. You’re mad that she’s a curvy blonde? That’s ridiculous. You’re mad that she has hobbies? That’s ridiculous. You’re mad that she went into labor on the day you moved into college? She literally couldn’t help that.

OK, when does this pick up? We’re 12% in. Let’s get it going. (Never. It never picks up.)

me when I’m feeling self-destructive and bored 😂
no, the little voice is literally always correct.

I’m kind of bored. I feel like this is the guy that’s gonna wake up dead so the plot might pick up after this, but it’s really slow so far.

I don’t think you can call it the best sex of your life if you don’t come. (And if you can, that’s fuckin’ miserable.)

I don’t know if that emptiness is something you say you love. That’s kind of a really, really sad part about modern dating. That’s kind of toxic masculinity at its finest. That’s kind of they don’t view you as a person, and that’s really fucking sad.

See, I’m not built for this kind of life because I would be like No. I don’t know your last name. We are, in fact, still strangers. I need to know more about you, buddy.

Ayyy Mass

Boy, you met this man not even an hour ago. Pump the brakes.

Bet on it, bet on it🎶

I'm bored.

Dude, how many drinks have you had? Also, how are you upright if you’ve had that many?

I think finance is probably one of the easier industries to be in. It’s all dudes.

OK, I’m not a Taylor Swift girly and even I feel like this book keeps dropping her lyrics.

We got a body on the floor- er bed, and I’m still bored.

There’s a lot wrong morally with that. Why can’t you just take responsibility for your actions? The whole beginning of this book was how he’s refusing to do that and now he’s just continuing to refuse to do that.

I mean, like fuck the justice system always, but also you genuinely could’ve killed this man. I don’t think he did. I’m sure that’s part of the plot and there’s some conspiracy thing going on because he’s in financing. Sean was in tech sales and maybe there’s some overlap there?
I also wanna know why her clients are jumping ship. I’m sure that has to be a thing. (LMAO the way I thought this book would have even a single twist.)

A Capricorn in finance? Groundbreaking.

At least he’s a short king so they have a chance in hell of lifting his dead body. People are heavy.

I haven’t seen it, but I don’t think you can Weekend at Bernie’s it through New York City.

Dead bodies piss and shit themselves though. Like shouldn’t they have had to deal with that? Where was that in the book?

Also, women can do anything, but telling me she’s carrying a dead body up flights of stairs in a suit and heels is a little beyond. (It’s extremely written by a man behavior.)

That’s not a partner. That’s a caretaker. Like this is so annoying.

It reminds me of The Pairing. (Just in the disaster queer character element.)

It’s like a reward. (My brain is a hellscape.)

Does it disturb anyone else that he would throw drugs in a public fountain because I’m just like the poor little animals that are unknowingly gonna drink that and then die?

The audiobook narrator is good though.

This would make a funny TV show. (You know if there was any plot or stakes to it.)

But like it’s not Jeremy’s job to fix you???

But like any good coroner is gonna be able to show that the body was dead long before the phone timestamps.

But like they’re gonna have a phone record of you calling the Hilton and if they discover a dead body in that they’re definitely gonna remember that and pull the phone records for his room?

Pizza delivery? But there’d be a credit card and phone record and security cameras with a timestamp that wouldn’t match the time of death and-

This is really boring and slow.

I haven’t seen/read either, but I assume this is a lot like Only Murders in the Building and Yellowface.

So far it’s just reading as a masturbatory self-insert.

The latter. Def the latter.

How is begging your ex for money a better option than a sugar daddy?

More than halfway, still bored. Would dnf. I don’t see this book getting any better.

Maybe don’t fuck the rando who was rude to you, was bad at sex, and gave you an std?

Literally just say no.

So stable that he’s married to someone who’s cheating on him and doing drugs. OK.

Is the stranger the investigative journalist Jeremy is seeing? (Sigh.)

I think Sean broke in.

Fuck off, Sheila. OK, nothing he described at the beginning was worthy of hating on Sheila, but now she is being a cunt.

Look what you made me do 🎶 I don’t think I’m crazy anymore. I think he’s legitimately dropping Taylor Swift lyrics. Or like he made a playlist from like current songs and it included these Taylor songs and that “he knows” viral TikTok sound.

It was stupid the first time around.

What’s the point of making it ~almost~ this book cover? Just do the actual cover or do something different. This is just silly.

It’s almost a little boy mom coded where you’re just like oh her precious baby should be able to get away with anything and everything and never take responsibility for his actions! I’m like you refused to report a dead body and carried it around the city and kept it from someone so you hurt his parents and all his loved ones like that’s absolute shit.

Wow, that was BAD.

Holy loose ends, Batman!

Post-reading:
Omg ew, David.

You crack this book open and immediately get slapped in the face with this is a self-insert. And then you get to the end and learn it’s the book’s whole schtick.

And that had the opportunity to be campy and fun. It worked for Taylor Adam’s bookish thriller. But this book doesn’t work. Like at all. It’s full of plotholes and loose ends. There’s no stakes. There’s no suspense. There’s fundamental dead body logistics omitted that you’d find in even a cursory Google.

The romance and family drama subplots are half-baked at best and feel more like a microwave nuking that leaves the insides still ice cold. I don’t think this author understands what real love is. Your partner should be a partner, not a caretaker. They are not an ATM and free therapist.

There’s having flawed characters and then there’s identifying as a victim so you don’t have to take responsibility for your own actions. And David doesn’t grow the fuck up all book.

There was just nothing here for me, and I will not be picking up the author again.

Who should read this:
Queer thriller fans
Good for her fans (but it’s like good for him, and it’s not actually good for him because he’s a whiny bitch)

Ideal reading time:
Anytime

Do I want to reread this:
Nope. Wouldn’t pick the author up again either.

Would I buy this:
Fuck no, and that’s really saying something because I would love to have this cover on my shelves.

Similar books:
* Less by Andrew Sean Greer-queer lit fic bookish romance, coming of age but it’s a midlife crisis
* The Secret Life of Albert Entwistle by Matt Cain-queer romance, character study, coming of age but it’s a midlife crisis
* None of This Is True by Lisa Jewell-domestic suspense, redemption arc for characters that don’t deserve to be redeemed
* No Home for Killers by E. A. Aymar-family drama, revenge thriller
* No One Knows Us Here by Rebecca Kelley-generic revenge thriller
* The Last Word by Taylor Adams-bookish thriller
* Wrong Place Wrong Time by Gillian McAllister-boy mom apologist, revenge thriller, time travel
* Verity by Colleen Hoover-bookish revenge thriller
* The Silent Patient by Alex Michaelides-generic revenge thriller
* The Thursday Murder Club by Richard Osman-cozy mystery, older protagonists

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

In a Nutshell: A dark, almost satirical comedy about a writer who finds himself “in trouble”, a clue of which is present in the cover art. Humorous, serious, bizarre, suspenseful, entertaining! Though this wasn’t exactly my cup of tea, and some of the content was way too forward for me, I still liked this ride. Recommended, but not to all. Works better if you go in prepared for a whole load of absurdities and with your logic kept aside.

Plot Preview:
Until a couple of years ago, David Alvarez was a success in every way. He had an acclaimed debut novel, a loving partner in Jeremy, and a fabulous book deal for his next writing attempt. But times do change, and now, Alvarez is all alone, with a poorly-received second book, no feasible plot idea for his third manuscript, and on the verge of financial bankruptcy. Stressed out, he often uses an online dating app to relieve his mental and sexual tension.
After one such helluva night with a hot stranger, who could potentially be the next love of his life, David wakes up with a huge hangover, no memory of the previous night, and his date dead next to him in bed. He has no idea what happened, and worse, if he himself might have killed his date somehow. Horrified, David calls up the only person who has always rooted for him: his literary agent Stacey. Can Stacey help David sort out the mess, and maybe even figure out a potential story idea along the way?
The story comes to us in David’s first-person perspective.


Just as any satirical dark comedy, this gets quite absurd and unbelievable. But I went in promising myself not to overanalyse any situation nor to evaluate the morality and ethics of the actions. Thus, I yeeted all disbelief while reading and just relaxed through this wild ride. This worked well for both the book and me.

Bookish Yays:
📕 The dark comedy elements: wacky yet hilarious.
📕 Stacey – deserves a separate yay. What a woman! Loved the connection between David and her.
📕 The characters other than David and Stacey: Mostly cookie-cutter, but they are exactly what the book required.
📕 The depiction of the uncertainties of author life, including the struggles of a writing block. Very well handled.
📕 The use of the location and the people: I’m not sure if the depiction of New York was geographically accurate, but it felt believable – a crowded metropolis where people are so busy that they don’t even notice a dead body among them!
📕 The tempo is somewhat fluid, going high and low as per the need of the story. But even when slow, it never slackens. I enjoyed the dynamic pacing.
📕 Though comic in a horrifying kind of way, the story also offers some food for thought. Most important lesson – lies always beget more lies.
📕 Love the cover – perfect for the book.

Bookish Mixed Bags:
🖋️ The prologue – A great start to the book, but also details David’s quandary about waking up with a dead body in the room. This doesn’t occur until many chapters ahead, but as both the blurb and the prologue reveal that David’s date ends up dead, it takes away some of the suspense.
🖋️ David. A master of getting himself into trouble by taking one self-centred and self-destructive decision after another, he also tends to be a bit self-pitying. As such, though twenty-eight, David sounds YA-ish in tone, especially as he loves to play the poor-ol’-me victim card often. But hey, likeable characters have no place in dark comedy, and if you keep this in mind, David suits the bill quite well.
🖋️ The ending. It is good but somehow, it isn’t satisfying. I felt like it brushes away a lot of the responsibility of some characters’ misdeeds. But as the story is from David’s first-person perspective and it is supposed to be somewhat ironic, the choice of ending does make some sense.

Bookish Nays:
☠️ The main reason for the dip in my rating is this feedback point: I found it ridiculous that the first thing David did on seeing the dead body was to call up his agent. Moreover, even when she turned up, her decision was not what a typical character would do. I know this is what made the book a comedy but even comedies have to be partially convincing. This scene felt more preposterous than farcical.
☠️ The handling of Jeremy’s arc, especially at the end – a tad too forced. I wish there had been more punch to this relationship. Even a literal punch would have been welcome than this bland depiction.
☠️ Personal preference: The adult content was way too high for my comfort level. Granted, the book deals with darker situations, but did we really need the extended anatomical descriptions?

All in all, the story is certainly unusual but its handling is even more so. It can be a fun ride if you read it sheerly for entertainment than for moral analyses.

Recommended to those looking for an atypical adult comedy. Not for those who want their characters to get their just desserts, and not for those who want their lead characters to be sensible or likeable.

3.75 stars.

My thanks to Grand Central Publishing for providing the DRC of “I Might Be in Trouble” via NetGalley. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
I MIGHT BE IN TROUBLE

Synopsis: a writer who is reeling after the end of a relationship and an an unsuccessful second book tries his hand at hook up culture but quickly finds himself in a rather “stiff” situation when the perfect stranger he spent a perfect night with is dead in the bed next to him. The story develops into one of finding yourself, trusting your instincts and realizing that putting your own growth and stability first is always the best choice- no matter how hard the process might feel.

I really liked the idea that even though the things you thought would work out didn’t, and try as you might won’t go back to that, you could still get in tune with yourself and figure out what you want in life, professional, emotional sexual etc. this book was more about placing a bet on yourself and trusting that you will be the best choice in the end. Even if the world around you may not believe it. My only note was that the peak resolved a bit too quickly and easily? I thought there’d be more tension in the end. But either way really enjoyed it! Out now!

Take a silly/serious/stressful situation. Add in a dead body, an anxious writer, and an efficient publisher and you have a great read. So much of this book was fun and heartbreaking at the same time. Highly recommended.

Thank you to NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Looking for a fun winter read? I MIGHT BE IN TROUBLE has quite the premise: David wakes up after a fun night out, feeling lucky and reminding himself that it was not a dream... Except then he realizes there's a dead body beside him.

With such a madcap premise, this book could have quickly gone off the rails, but I felt author Daniel Aleman had the writing chops to deliver a good story. Main character David Alvarez is a writer himself, which added to the fun for me.

This book explores questions of identity and finding one's way, especially in the wake of a painful breakup and not having grown up with a strong support system. Blurbed by Jesse Q. Sutanto, Jeff Zentner, Helene Tursten, Grant Ginder, and Mia P. Manansala, I feel like this one's worth a shot if you've enjoyed any of those authors' work.

I Might Be In Trouble is a dark comedic suspense about a struggling writer who wakes up to find his date from the night before dead. He must then decide how far he’s willing to go to spin the misadventure into his next big book.

My favorite part of the book was the relationship between David and Stacey. Stacey is the ride or die literary agent/best friend because the fact that she actually helped David move a dead body around New York was straight shenanigans! But hey, anything to get a story right?

Overall, I really enjoyed the writing and I was thoroughly entertained with the plot. I look forward to reading more from this author.

3.75/5

Why should gay men be kept out of the mystery/thriller genre? Why shouldn't we have a good chat and mouse mystery in which the main character is in the LGBTQ community, who has a great community and comedy of errors? Daniel Aleman's book is a fun, normal-person-finds-themselves-in-a-crazy-situation dark comedy. David Alvarez is knd of desperate, he misses "the one that got away," he can't get an idea to write about that will be as good as his previous work, and the world is closing in on him. He only finds solace from his loneliness in matching with other gay men in NYC on Grindr, with mixed results. And then things get a lot worse. He meets a seemingly great silver fox and has an amazing night, only to wake up and find him dead next to him in bed.

But does he alert the authorities? No, he tells his agent Stacey, and they decide to haul the corpse all around Manhattan in a "Weekend at Bernie's" type fantasy that has twists and turns and they figure out who this body used to be.

It is a crazy premise and this is kind of the definition of "dark comedy." The dead body is just unlikable enough for us to not care that much that he is dead. We are more worried about David and Stacey and will they be able to get out of this unscathed. We shake our heads at them but we want them to solve the mystery (is it a mystery, really? or more of an identity crisis?)

This is probably unlike anything else you have read this year. Kooky and fun. Thanks to Netgalley and Grand Central Publishing for the ARC in exchange for an honest review. Book is available now where books are sold.

I love Daniel Aleman and his books, like I will always be the lifelong supporter and honestly, when I read the sneak peek from the magazine that published an excerpt, I was like YESSS

I love how you can't help but root for David despite his flaws, questionable choices and the way he does all this thinking of finding his place to belong and the imposter's syndrome, it was like a balm for my heart and pretty funny with the sort of humor that I like, adding a bit of morbid humor along with his literary agent as his partner in crime to hide the murder of David's date RIP LOL

Thank you to NetGalley and Grand Central Publishing for the eARC! (And sorry for the late review. Finals week is a busy time for college students!)

This was a four-star read for me! It was a lot of fun, especially since I didn't anticipate the book going where it would in the second half. I love books that are a little bit goofy and show writers being writers, publishing being publishing, and accidental murder. While there were certain scenes I wasn't a big fan of (c'mon, did we need Shane as a character? I dreaded him), this still had it's thrilling and surprisingly deep moments. Aleman really hits the nail on the head with what it feels like to be a writer and to be lonely—two things I theorize go hand in hand.

A delightful comic thriller with one of the most lo lovable protagonists you’ll ever meet.

The concept behind this was excellent, drawing on thriller and mystery tropes but very much its own unique story.

I absolutely loved the first half of this book, which is riotously funny and essentially a spin on Weekend at Bernie’s. The second half has some plot issues and some character actions that feel a bit tough to swallow, but it remains a good story, and our protagonist and his hilarious and loyal editor are just utterly lovable that it hardly matters when weighed against the opportunity to spend time with them.

I loved the themes here too, and the idea that the slow creep of loneliness is both devastating and difficult to reverse once life takes a few wrong terms. So too the idea of writing as a sort of companion, to the point where it almost becomes a sentient being, and how that can trap us alone with our own thoughts.

An absolute masterpiece! This book effortlessly blends humor, heart, and suspense into an unforgettable reading experience. David and Stacey are so brilliantly written that they felt like old friends by the end.

If you’re looking for a book that will entertain, surprise, and move you, “I Might Be in Trouble” is a must-read. I can’t recommend it enough! This is storytelling at its finest.

"I Might Be in Trouble" by Daniel Aleman is a truly fun and engaging read, with a heartfelt narrative that pulls you in from the start. The protagonist, with his relatable struggles and witty voice, brings a refreshing energy to the book. Aleman does a great job balancing humor with more serious themes, like family dynamics and personal growth, which made the main character feel well-rounded and authentic. However, I would have also liked to learn more about his literary agent, Stacey, and her mysterious past with multiple husbands.

While the book is enjoyable overall, the second half lacked any major twists or surprises, which made the ending feel a little flat for me. The story builds up nicely, but the resolution felt a bit predictable and didn't carry the same punch I was hoping for. Despite that, it's still a very enjoyable journey, and I’d definitely recommend it for anyone looking for a fun, entertaining read.

Absolutely hilarious and nerve-wracking queer thriller. I had a blast with this one and read it in one sitting.
While this was so silly at times it also would sink you into some deeper meaningful themes of loss and breakups.
With this being fast-paced I was never bored and all the characters were so well fleshed out that I couldn't hate a single one! The relationship between David and his literary agent, Stacey, was so wholesome and it's been a while since I've read a great friendship like the one they have. I mean who would you call if you woke up next to a dead body one morning?
I adored the hopeful ending and how David took that chance to speak for himself and not for what others want of him. I thought this was a marvelous story and one that I will pick up the physical copy of because I loved it that much!

Author David had a runaway hit debut book, but since then his life has taken several downward turns.
His sophomore book was much less well received, and option for a third was rejected by his publisher
The funds from his first books have run out
Moving past his ex isn’t going well, and his current dating life is in the dumps.

Just when he thinks he’s at rock bottom, things look up when he has the date of his life
…and wakes up to the guy completely UNalive in his bed
New rock bottom achieved

Now he’s weekend at Bernie’s-ing him back to his hotel with his agent, and finding out he is not who he seemed

This story gets more unhinged by the chapter. Several times it felt like watching a wreck, whispering ‘noooo’ at the MC as he gets deeper and deeper in the mess.
There’s dark comedy, second hand sadness, and tension as all potential consequences of David’s decisions start to pile up
The pace slowed down towards the middle, but I needed to know see how things played out so I stuck with it. I’m glad I did, because I really liked how it left off!

Thanks to NetGalley and grand central for the arc

I had a strong feeling this book was going to be a hit—and boy, was I right! Daniel does an incredible job of capturing that simmering dread, the gnawing fear of doing something you know you shouldn’t, and constantly wondering if the consequences are just waiting to happen. I thoroughly enjoyed this read and can't wait to dive into more of the author’s work!