Thank you Minotaur Books for the free copy of this book.

Rav, a gay British NYPD cop, is assigned a high profile murder case centering around rock band, The New Knickerbockers. Upon meeting frontman Jack Vale, Rav finds himself battling his career and his heart, as he starts falling for his prime suspect.

He’s to Die For was so fun and cute! I loved Rav and Jack’s dynamic, their banter was top notch and their chemistry was steamy. The murder mystery elements were fascinating too, full of twists and turns that had my head spinning. It definitely highlights the darker and dangerous sides of fame, but wrapped up in a warm gay hug.

A super fun read, highly recommend adding this to your summer reads!

This was delightfully unexpected.

POV: you think you've figured out the culprit, based on one clue from the very beginning. Are justified later on. Only to see there's still 50% of the book to go. This did a fantastic job keeping me on my toes.
I loved Rav. He's not only the youngest detective in his squad, but he's also the son of a well-known British figure and an openly gay man. He's not shy to unsolicited critiques, but he handles it with style and grace. He shouldn't have to hold his head high against the things said about him, especially since he earned his place, but unfortunately that's how the world is these days.
We see a lot of character development from both Jack and Rav. Rav feels with his insecurities of not being enough. And we get to see some amazing strength from Jack as the story goes on.
Really enjoyed this and the way it gets you to forget that hey they're together because of a homicide. Their lives are quite literally on the line!

Okay, I absolutely loved how this book sounded when I was reading the description but actually reading it? Not it. I'm disappointed that there were so many pop culture references, many of which I had to stop and look up because there was no other description for characters for me to go off of.

Also, im just not here for 3rd person writing. I really struggle to get into books that read from that perspective.

He's to Die For
By Erin Dunn

I loved this book!!
I honestly thought this was going to be only a LGBTQ romance (which would have been enough), but this was so much more. In terms of the romance, I found both main characters engaging and I enjoyed the ups and down's of their romance (including a very good representation of mental health/anxiety and panic attacks).
What I didn't expect was good police procedural mystery. Well plotted and structured well. Both the romance and the mystery fit seamlessly and I would say the book wasn't leaning too heavily in either direction.
I also enjoyed the side characters...hopefully we'll see more of everyone in this book!
5 stars!

This book started as a mystery, went to romance in the middle, then back to mystery, and ended with romance. I'm still not sure how I feel about the mixing of the genres. I did enjoy the romance aspect of the book but thought the mystery could have played out a little more suspenseful, and it would have made it even more enjoyable. Overall, I would recommend, I loved the character choices for Jack and Rav. I thought the author did a fabulous job building their characters, and I really fell in love with both of them. Thanks to the author and publisher for the ARC of this book.

Detective Rav Trivedi is a bit of an outlier--he's a gay, British, man of color who, at 29, is the youngest detective in the NYPD. Although he isn't without friends or supporters on the force, some of the old school cops begrudge his attitude and are jealous of his closure rate (and probably his flashy suits). When Rav and his partner are assigned to lead a high profile murder investigation into a big wig music producer, it's a chance to really prove himself. He can't get distracted by the media or celebrities. But it's easier said than done when the top suspect is a gorgeous and talented musician.

I absolutely adored this book. I am a huge fan of both mystery and romance and love them even more when mashed up together. This book gave me gay male Finlay Donovan or Stephanie Plum vibes--the perfect mix of intrigue and sexiness to keep you following along. Throw in a dash of celebrity, and it gets even better! I thought the crime was fascinating, and there were just enough twists and turns to keep me entertained. The ending is a bit outlandish, but I didn't hate it, and although I don't see how this could turn into a series plot-wise, I would certainly read it if it did. I hope to see more from Erin Dunn!

Thanks to Minotaur Books for my ARC! All thoughts and opinions are my own.

5 stars -10/10

The romance between the characters was everything. We see the MMCs both struggle with different insecurities and how they somehow find comfort in each other. The representation of panic attacks was wonderful, and it was nice to see a character who understood what someone experiencing one needed.

This one was just fun to read/listen to. I started reading it and switched to the audiobook and really enjoyed that more. Rav is assigned the lead on a high-profile case because he will not succumb to the paparazzi or any of the other distractions. When he falls for the lead suspect will he lose his way or will he find the culprit. This one was good and there were humorous times and even a romance.

3.5/5 STARS
Rav Trivedi is a detective with the NYPD. He's daring, he's smug, and he's about to take on his toughest case yet! Why? He's just made a love connection with the same man who is suspected of murder! Even more interesting? The suspect is a celebrity rockstar, which makes this case one that could make or break Rav's career for good!

I felt like I was watching the TV show "Brooklyn 99"! It was funny, fast-paced, with a setting in present day New York City that made me feel like I was part of the action. I enjoyed the slow burn between our gentlemen. The spice was tastefully done. I enjoy the "musician hero" trope, so of course I was dying to read this book. Mystery is so "in" right now, and this procedural didn't disappoint!

Speaking of procedurals, I don't tend to read them, probably for this reason: they can be hard to follow (for me). 🤣 LOTS of names and places, and I frequently failed at attempting to keep them all straight. At times I wasn't a huge fan of our heroes. There were exciting moments in the story for sure, but I often found my mind wandering for some reason. 🤷🏻

Trigger warnings: character faces anxiety attacks, violence, death

I'd like to thank St. Martin's Press and Netgalley for the eARC of this book. All opinions expressed are my own.

This book is the perfect blend of mystery and romance. It introduces Detective Rav Trivedi, an NYPD homicide detective who is investigating the murder of a high-profile record exec. His main suspect, Jack, is poised to also be his love interest.

This was a fun, fast-paced queer romance/mystery and I was there for it! I would love for these characters to be part of a series. What do you think, Erin Dunn? Everyone, run out and grab this one!

This was fantastic!

He's to Die For is billed as a "romantic mystery", and it completely fits that bill. The romance between Rav, the poshest, most British NYPD detective, and Jack, the somewhat reluctant rock star, is tentative and tender and precious. The mystery is twisty and interesting without falling into cliches. And the two are perfectly balanced, you never feel like you're spending too long on either side. I was sucked into the story immediately and had a hard time putting it down. I was thoroughly charmed, and I can't wait to see what we get from Dunn next.

This was a DNF (for now) for me. I really wanted to love it since the premise seemed really up my alley. Unfortunately, it just didn't grab my attention enough and with a never ending TBR I had to let this one go. The writing was good and the characters were fun so I might be back to finish another time.

Thanks to NetGalley and Minotaur Books for the free eARC.

4.5 stars.

A detective who falls in love with the prime suspect of a murder. What an alluring premise!

I really loved Rav and Jack. They're similar yet so different in various aspects of their so nicely developed personalities. They have huge chemistry and their slow-burn/Forbidden romance is believable. On the other hand, the side characters are perfectly structured, giving more shine to the plot. My only complaint is that the book is written in third person and we can only get Rav's POV. I need Jack's perspective on this story!

A cleverly written book with an excellent comedy timing (the banter is great!) and compelling scenarios that you will enjoy. This is my first book from this author and I want to read more from her because she knows how to tell a story!

ARC given by St. Martin's Press via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. Thanks for your trust.

🔍Thank you so much to Erin Dunn, St. Martin's Press (Minotaur Books) and NetGalley for the privilege of being able to read He's to Die For! I will share my review to retail sites and Instagram upon release.

🔍Genres: blend of detective mystery, romcom, and drama

🔍The MMCs, Rav and Jack, are a detective and his prime suspect in a murder investigation, respectively. Jack is also a rock star, and the chemistry between them was such a fun slow-burn sizzle. The spice is fairly low, but the banter is top notch. Their forbidden romance feels realistic, even though the idea itself seems outlandish.

🔍I immediately was interested based on the cover, because I love a M/M romcom. I had expected something a little lighter than I got - and I was pleasantly surprised. The thriller/mystery aspects had me super invested! The two genres mashed together made for something so fun and intriguing that I couldn't put it down at a lot of points.

🔍There were other moments that felt a *tad* slow, and I think could've been shortened up a bit (especially towards the middle). I was loving Rav's humor and charm. He is going down as one of my favorite MMCs ever! I think this would make for a great movie, as there's enough variety of elements to keep a wide audience interested, and just enough depth to give the characters meaning.

You will love this one if you're a fan of:

Boyfriend Material - Alexis Hall (British humor & M/M)
The Charm Offensive - Alison Cochrun
Dexter Series by Jeff Lindsay
Psych (TV show)
Brooklyn 99 (TV Series)

Major Tropes & Themes:

🔍 detective/suspect forbidden romance
🕵️‍♂️ mystery, suspense
❤️‍🩹 mental health
😘 will they, won't they?
😏 witty humor

4.2 out of 5 stars!

Thank you to NetGalley, St. Martin's Press & Erin Dunn for the chance to read this book in exchange for my honest opinion.

I really enjoyed this achillean romance novel that was the perfect blend of humor, romance and mystery! The high stakes and tension was the enjoyable kind and I would definitely love to read more from this author!

I must say- most of our romance novels that involve a celebrity require us to suspend our belief in regards to either the meet cute or just the infatuation in general. But with this one- it requires no suspension of belief at all. The meeting is believable and the should we/shouldn't we of it all is so much more than "I'm a celebrity, he's not.."... it's "I'm a potential murder suspect and he's the detective investiagting me!" It works SO well.

Thank you to Netgalley and St Martin’s Press for the arc, this was a really fun read. 3.5 stars rounded to 4. I would have liked to see more depth to the issues the characters explored, but it’s a solid and cute overall experience. I am not generally a fan of celebrity romances but this one worked well, you have it suspend your disbelief in terms of the career outcome, but it didn’t detract from my enjoyment. What did was the surface-level portrayal of anxiety. To me, the panic attacks felt like a plot device without being a fully realized and explored part of his character. That’s also how I felt about Ravi’s parents, I wanted more depth from the backstories that I didn’t get. That said, I do recommend this as a fun romantic mystery.

This peaked my attention when I read the blurb, and I’m glad I jumped in. A new author, a story that has romance & mystery, drama & humor (things I love to submerse myself in) it’s all things that make this an enjoyable read! Will definitely keep this author on my radar

This was so cute! I loved that it was pretty equal parts romance and mystery, because it I really felt invested in both aspects of the story. I also personally love a celebrity romance, so the fact that our love interest is a rock star was a major plus. I definitely felt the connection between these two, and the conflicts and reasons for not being able to be together totally made sense.

I also thought that the mystery was really fun. I appreciated that it was a murder mystery, but it stayed pretty light, so it never felt like it was too jarring to switch between the romance and the mystery. Plus, I felt like the mystery itself was well=developed and kept me guessing and not trusting anyone the whole time.

Overall I really enjoyed this one and can't wait to see what this author comes out with next!

First off - I was so excited by the idea of this plot that I had to read it and let me say, it did not disappoint. It was cute, it was sappy, it was suspenseful. A hot shot detective investigating a rockstar for murder? And they fall in love? Perfect. I believe this is the author’s debut novel and I would for sure read another book by them.

Going in I assumed this would be a silly goofy romance(positive connotation) but the mystery aspect had me gripped! I loved the main characters and found myself giggling in between the more intense scenes. I also loved the anxiety rep and how it was handled by our main character. Would love to read more from this author!