I really thought I was going to love this a lot, but it just fell flat for me. I don't really know why but I just didn't really connect with Kate or Jake. I did like the setting a lot because I love the PNW. I might reread at a later date to see if it was just a case of wrong timing for me.

She Doesn’t Have a Clue

A Novel

By: Jenny Elder Moke

Publish Date: January 21, 2025

Publisher: St. Martin’s Press/Minotaur Books

Mystery and Thriller/Romance

200 Book ReviewsProfessional Reader

I would like to thank both NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press/Minotaur Books for allowing me to read and review this book.

Book Review:

I ended up giving this book 4 stars. It did have a slow beginning and a format I had to get use to but once I finally figured it out the book was pretty good. If you are really paying attention to the clues, you will be able to figure who did fairly early on like I did. With that being said it was still a good read.

This story is mainly about Kate. There are a few other characters that are involved in the story, and you learn about them also. Kate is a writer, and she is struggling with her latest book and hasn’t turned in any chapters to her editor which are way pass due. She is invited to her editor’s wedding, but she hasn’t RSVP because of not her manual script. With a personal invite from the head of the household she ends up going to the wedding. Oh, the editor happens to be her ex-fiancé. Things are a little crazy there because it is on an island where you have to take a boat to get too. She almost misses the boat because an expected guest arrives. This person happens to be an old-time friend that departed from her life when she came onto him. Things go wrong form the beginning and she is trying to figure things out as the weekend goes on. An attempted murder happens on the night of the rehearsal dinner and people are accusing her because it is right out of one her books. She wants to solve this to clear her name. A lot of things are happening on the island that can’t be explained, and she is trying to figure this out. She also needs to figure out her personal life because it is a mess also. Along the way her friend is beside her most of the way even though she gets under his skin, and they fight a lot. Can she figure out who did it and does she figure out life? Will she end up with a new romance or will she be alone? You will have to read the book to find out.

Unfortunately, this book was a dnf for me.
I had a hard time getting into the book no matter how much I tried. The characters fell flat and the story wasn't intriguing for me.
I will still rate as 3 stars to no effect the authors ratings.

Thanks to the publisher and netgalley for the opportunity to read a complimentary copy of this book. All thought are my own.

This was a really enjoyable romcom/mystery mashup! I enjoyed both the romantic buildup and backstory and the mystery. I really like this genre combination and am glad to see that more books are being published like this. (I made the mistake of reading it at the same time as The Most Wonderful Crime of the Year which is very similar and I got confused a few times, but I thoroughly enjoyed them both!)

This was such a FUN read! Murder mystery author, Kate, is invited to her ex-fiancé's wedding (who is also her current boss). When she shows up, she's accidentally roomed with her Australian friend, who she may or may not have a massive crush on. If that's not enough to make for a crazy weekend, the bride to be is poisoned and then Kate stumbles across a dead body.

I loved that that the FMC Kate was totally imperfect. She fumbled, made mistakes, got her words twisted but slowly allowed herself to be okay & learn to accept who she was. She was supported by a hilarious cast - the Australian adventurer, her ex and the woman who stole him, other authors and family members who make this story entertaining & fun.

It totally felt like an updated version of CLUE with people running all around trying to solve a murder and general craziness occurring! A definite must read!

Thank you to NetGalley & Minotaur Books for the advanced digital copy, all opinions are my own.

Thank you for the early access to this fun and lighthearted mystery. I loved the characters and how they grew together from a previous misunderstanding.

Mystery and romance? Yes please. This was such a fun little read! Definitely one you can sit and read in a setting. I cannot recommend enough.

While I really tried, I just didn’t find myself engaged in this story. I think it just wasn’t for me, but I think many will enjoy.

What a fun cozy mystery with a little romance thrown in. Who doesn’t love a closed door mystery? She Doesn’t Have a Clue had me laughing out loud and wondering who really did it.

Kate Valentine, the renowned author of a captivating Mystery series featuring the intriguing Loretta Wilding, a bartender and amateur sleuth, finds herself in a whirlwind of intrigue when she receives an unexpected invitation to her ex-fiancé’s and current editor’s wedding on a secluded private island. Naturally, murder is not far behind, setting the stage for an exhilarating quest to unravel the mystery. With the help of the elusive Jake Hawkins, the man who slipped away from her life, Kate embarks on a journey that promises to be both thrilling and unexpected.

One of the standout aspects of this novel is its diverse and eccentric cast of characters, each with their own motives and secrets. The potential suspects are numerous, and Kate’s ability to navigate through this web of intrigue is truly impressive. However, I must admit that there was a minor issue that I found somewhat distracting. A few steamy scenes seemed to be lingering in the pages, disrupting the flow of the unfolding mystery. Despite this minor flaw, the overall narrative remains engaging and enjoyable. I received an arc of this book from NetGalley for my honest review.

I really enjoyed this romantic mystery novel that follows mystery author Kate Valentine to her ex-fiancé’s wedding. Her plus one is Jake Hawkins, the Hotstralian one who got away. As the wedding festivities progress, Kate keeps finding dead bodies, making her a prime suspect, especially when one of the targeted people is her ex-fiancé’s bride.

Not only was this a fun, locked room mystery but there was some great romantic sizzle here as well. I really like Kate and Jake as a pair and as sleuths. I’m unsure if the author plans to make this a series, but I would love it if she did.

This was an interesting mystery with subplots of romance! I think personally I would have like more background on the main characters, because I felt a little lost for a part of the book, but overall it added to the intrigue. With that, I think it was a solid adult debut, and I want to learn more about the characters. I found some of the transitions from mystery to romance a little forced or rushed, but it very possible I missed context clues that the author provided. Overall, this was entertaining!

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the ARC!

This book started out slow for the first one-third of the book. I did not figure out who the killer was. It was on okay book. I don’t know if I will read anymore by this author or not.
I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

She Doesn’t Have a Clue by Jenny Elder Moke
Narrator: Sarah Mollo-Christensen
Rating: 4 stars
Pub date: 1/21

Thank you so much to SMP for my advanced copy and to Macmillan Audio for my complimentary audiobook.

Kate Valentine is a bestselling mystery author who reluctantly agrees to attend her ex-fiancé’s wedding. Things take a wild turn when the bride is poisoned, a dead body shows up, and Kate finds herself living out a plot straight from her own books. Teaming up with her biggest "what-if," Jake Hawkins, she dives into a maze of grudges, secrets, and lies to uncover the truth.

This is the perfect mix of a rom-com and a locked-door mystery. It’s a fun ride with quirky characters and lots of twists and turns. There are plenty of red herrings and “wait, what?!” moments that make it hard to put down.

Kate is a bit of a mess at the start and it’s great watching her find her confidence again. The romance between her and Jake is slow-burn perfection—just the right mix of tension and sweet moments. While the pacing dips a little in the middle, once the story picks up, it’s a total page-turner until the end.

With murder, drama, and some swoon-worthy romance, this one really has it all. I loved the audio version with Sarah Mollo-Christensen really bringing all the characters to life!

If you love mysteries with a side of romance and lots of juicy secrets, you’ve got to check this one out!

This book opened on an absurd, fun note that set a great tone for the rest of the story. The meet cute (or meet again?) was ridiculous, in the best way possible. Books about writers/publishing are always a bit hit or miss for me, but I found Kate’s job as an author to add a fun element to the story and the narrative through which we see the story unfold. I think the cross-genre of mystery and romantic comedy can be tough but this was pulled off really well — there was a good balance of locked room mystery that was genuinely twisty, a funny narrative voice, and romance with plenty of chemistry.

Fun read.

Love the mystery-rom “genre”. Unfortunately, for me, it was quite obv who the killer was from the start. However, I did enjoy the slow unraveling of the characters and their relationships. It wasn’t as fleshed out as I hoped but was still a fun and quick read.

3.75 ⭐️

This was a fun, fast paced read that’s a clever mash up of the cozy, locked room mystery and romance generes.

Kate is a mystery author suffering from writer’s block as she finds herself attending her former fiancé’s (and current publisher) wedding. Throw in hunky Australian Jake as her plus one and several attempts, seemingly pulled from her books, on the bride’s life and Kate’s in for a wild weekend. Spurred on by the detective from her hit series, Kate tries to figure whodunnit before it’s too late.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the advance copy.

This book was such a pleasant surprise – perfect for reading on a winter snow day. It was a juxtaposition of multiple genres – including a romance, mystery, and comedy. But, taken together, they all worked perfectly and resulted in an entertaining read that featured great character development and detail by the author. Even more interesting, there was a parallel to the main character’s fictional mystery series and the plots within the same, as well as real-life drama with her publishers. While the first part of the book was a little slow (detail and character building), the rest of the book flew by – especially when the drama started to unfold! Overall, a nice ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ read.

🥂Book Review🥂
She Doesn't Have a Clue by Jenny Elder Moke
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫
Spice:🌶️
Publication Date: 01/21/2025

Kate Valentine, author of a cozy mystery series, decides to attend her ex-fiance's wedding on a remote island in the Pacific Northwest, and she literally runs into her former friend (and crush) Jake Hawkins on the trip to the island. Once on the island, trouble and mystery abound.
This was an... interesting read. I enjoyed the plot and setting with its Agatha Christie vibes (hello remote island in the ocean and murder occurs). It was a little difficult to follow the story with it bouncing between the actual story and the story the female sleuth Kate Valentine was writing in her head. Some of the characters were hilarious, and others made me want to throttle them (I'm looking at you bridesmaids!). The banter between Jake and Kate was great, but the misunderstandings had my eyes rolling.
Overall, it was a great read, and I would probably bump up my rating with a re-read in the future.

Thank you to @minotaur_books and @netgalley for the eARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are mine.

🏷️: #ARCreview #ARCRead #SheDoesntHaveAClue #bookstagram #cozymystery #romcom #romance #spice #NetGalleyReview #MinotaurBooks #StMartinsPress #NetGalley

She Doesn't Have a Clue by Jenny Elder Moke was an entertaining book, and I enjoyed the mystery aspect of the novel. The characters were fun and kept me engaged, especially the FMC. She’s a bestselling crime thriller author who draws inspiration from the heroine in her books when things get overwhelming.

The twist ending kept me guessing, and the setting of a historic mansion on a private island off the coast of Seattle added an atmospheric touch that elevated the story. The secluded location, combined with the stormy weather and opulent wedding backdrop, created the perfect setting for a mystery.

Our FMC, Kate Valentine, is a bestselling mystery author who ends up at her ex-fiancé’s wedding—a lavish affair on a remote island. She plans to fake smiles, sip champagne, and finish her latest manuscript, but things take a deadly turn when the bride is poisoned and a body turns up. Suddenly, Kate finds herself caught in a real-life mystery that mirrors her fictional plots. With a storm trapping everyone on the island and tensions running high, Kate must figure out who the killer is—and the only person willing to help her is Jake Hawkins, her biggest romantic regret.

This was an entertaining read with a mix of mystery and romance. While it didn’t leave a lasting impression, it was a fun ride from start to finish. I’d recommend it as a quick, light read or a palette cleanser between heavier books.

Thank you, NetGalley, Macmillan Audio, St. Martin's Press, and Minotaur Books, for the ARC & ALC of this novel.