Thank you to @netgalley and @stmartinspress for a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. And thank you to @macmillan.audio for a free download of the audiobook.

★★★★☆

He’s to Die For is a clever, fast-paced romantic mystery that blends the charm of a rom-com with the intrigue of a whodunit. Erin Dunn delivers a sparkling debut that’s equal parts swoony and suspenseful, with a cast of characters that feel fresh and fun.

The audiobook narration by Sid Sagar is a standout. He brings Detective Rav Trivedi to life with charisma and nuance, capturing both the sharp wit and emotional vulnerability of a character caught between duty and desire. Sagar’s performance adds depth to the story, especially as Rav navigates the tension of falling for his prime suspect in a high-profile murder case.

The chemistry between Rav and the ridiculously attractive rock star suspect is undeniable, and the banter is top-tier. The mystery itself is engaging, with just enough twists to keep you guessing without overshadowing the romance.

If you’re a fan of Brooklyn Nine-Nine or The Charm Offensive, this audiobook is a perfect blend of humor, heart, and homicide. Sid Sagar’s narration makes it even more enjoyable—definitely worth a listen!

#books #bookishlife #booklover #readingisfun #iowabookstagrammers #iowabookstagram #netgalley #stmartinspress #macmillanaudio #macaudio2025 #hestodiefor #erindunn #sidsagar

I usually enjoy a good police procedural in writing and on tv shows, but for some reason I could not get into this book. I ended up DNFing it.

Even though this was not my typical mystery with having more of a romance feel to it, that is what honestly made this book for me. I loved the feel of how everything came about and the celeb-cop falling for each other. Trying to figure out if they would end up together with all the issues of did this person really kill someone and did, I just risk my entire career for it?
Without this there were just some parts that after the first or second little twists I was thinking how much more could go on in the next 80 pages if it is not a love story. So, this really got bumped up to about a 3.5 star with the romance aspect to it.

This is a different kind of mystery, more of a romance than I was expecting. I began to feel really uncomfortable when the romance became prominent. I have enjoyed romantic mysteries before but not of this style. And I prefer any romance to happen after the mystery is solved, not while the investigation is ongoing. I am always a bit leery when an author writes a main character of the opposite gender. Rav seemed almost too female at times, but then, I am not familiar with the type of character he represents. I do wish there had been more mystery and less romance.

I received a complimentary egalley of this book from the publisher. My comments are an independent review.

Thank you to NetGAlley and the publisher for allowing me to review this book.

I thought this was a cute book! It was fun to read and kept me engaged the entire time.

Brooklyn 99 is one of my favorite comedies, so seeing the comp made me excited about the opportunity to read this book.

I enjoyed this book, but I’m not really seeing the comparison, beyond Rav being a Brooklyn cop. Rav is very good at his job and a bit of a maverick, but he’s not a class clown type. In any event, he is the sole point-of-view character, so it’s advantageous that he’s personable. Normally, I like dual points of view, but given that Jack is a murder suspect, depriving the reader of his perspective keeps the mystery going.

Speaking of which, I found the mystery to be satisfying and very well-crafted. It was much more fleshed out than the romance, which was essentially just insta-love. That being said, Rav and Jack did have good chemistry and the serious cop vs bad boy rock star set up a nice opposites attract dynamic.

I would recommend He’s To Die For. This was a fun book with a nice mix of romance and mystery. This is a great debut and I’m looking forward to more from Dunn in the future.


I received a digital ARC of this book from St. Martin’s/NetGalley.

Erin Dunn’s debut novel was released in early June and I don’t know why I waited so long to finally pick up my review copy of He’s to Die For. (I mean, life, a towering TBR, take your pick.) I kicked myself once I finished it because, my goodness, was it ever enjoyable! It was a really great story that balanced a mystery and a romance so well and I think other readers will love it, too!

Here’s the book’s description:

At 29, Detective Rav Trivedi is the youngest member of the NYPD’s homicide squad, and his future looks bright. He may be a bit of an outsider in the department – an ivy-league educated gay Brit with a weakness for designer suits – but his meteoric rise and solve rate prove he belongs.

So when his CO assigns him lead on the high-profile murder of a record executive, Rav is ready for action. He won’t be distracted by TV crews, tabloids, or what’s trending on social media, nor by the ridiculously hot rock star with a clear motive and no alibi.

This is it, his shot, and he is not going to screw it up—certainly not by falling in love with his number one suspect…

I loved that the mystery in this book kept me guessing. Dunn added the best red herrings into the story and I wasn’t entirely sure how it was going to wrap up. That guessing and the unknown, paired with knowing I’d get a romantic HEA too, made for a deliciously satisfying ending.

I have to admit that I often pause when a female-presenting author writes a M/M romance and when one of the MCs is a person of colour and the author isn’t (or doesn’t present as such). Romance is predominantly written by women so it follows that a woman is going to write most M/M stories but I’d still like to see the queer space open up. I know fiction authors are always writing about something they don’t know about personally but when they’re writing from perspectives that are historically marginalized…I’d like authors from those backgrounds to be given a chance. The system is starting to get better but I guess I just want more and I want it faster.

The above aside - having a gay detective of colour be one of the main characters was a really interesting perspective. And this was a normal/celebrity romance that was done well. I mean, obviously it’s still unrealistic but it was so much fun to suspend belief for a bit and consider what it would be like to date a celebrity. I did see one review that mentions the personalities of Rav and Jack were overshadowed by secondary characters and I suppose I can see what they mean but I think part of what I enjoyed about the pair were their understated personalities. Yes, the British detective who loves to dress impeccably and the rock star have understated personalities. I didn’t need or want showy from either of them.

He’s to Die For was a really satisfying mystery romance. As much as I wish I had read Erin Dunn’s debut novel earlier, I think I actually read it at just the right time - a time I needed something fun but mysterious with a Happily Ever After. If you’re a mystery and a romance fan, consider picking this one up!

*An egalley of this novel was provided by the publisher, Minotaur, via NetGalley in exchange for review consideration. All opinions are honest and my own.*

Spice Level: 2/5 a couple of scenes, very light description. More emotion than action describing.

I'm such a sucker for two lonely, broken people find each other.

This was a . . fun? . . read. There is a lot of tragedy throughout the story, and a murder mystery happening as these two guys sort out their feelings about themselves and each other. But through the trauma there's some hilarious lines, and a lot of relatable situations.

I enjoyed the inside look of band drama, and on the flip side a detective unit. The author did a great job at giving these two places their own vibes, that made them feel real life.

Rav has a lot of past trauma, and a family that just wants him to be something he isn't. He's trying to make a name for himself, but also figure out who he actually is outside of his parents shadow. I like that he is painted as naturally talented at being a detective, growing up with narcissist parents would have made him more in tune to reading people. He would be great at saying exactly the right thing to prevent an outburst, which would transition well to interrogating people, and getting witnesses to open up.

Jack is reserved, and hasn't been able to truly be himself and trust someone in a long time. He has his own baggage that unfolds throughout the book. It wasn't a surprise that Rav was able to make him feel comfortable from the start. Knowing people that can get people to open up like this in real life, made this read all that more real for me.

I was on edge for whether or not they would actually make it work, this back and forth with their not compatible lives plus the case spiraling into something bigger than I ever predicted made this book a not put down.

You're going to love this read if you enjoy people from different lives having a meet cute moment of love at first sight, mixed with the fun buddy cop feel of your favorite police procedural.

50/100 or 2.5 stars

This started off well and I did have a decent time until around the 50% mark. It lost my interest, but I wanted to keep reading to see if it got better, but the ending was nothing new or of note. I also kept reading since I got an arc copy and I want to avoid not finishing them as much as possible. This was fine, but if you have read romances, LGBTQIA+ or not, it was not memorable.

This was a fun one! A unique plot that blends murder mystery with slow-burn queer romance. Detective Rav Trivedi is investigating a murder when he connects with rock star (and main suspect) Jack Vale. They have great chemistry with clever dialogue, and the unique plot is very engaging.

Sincere thanks to NetGalley and St Martins Press for an advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review.

I really enjoyed this M/M novel combining the mystery and romance genres. Rav is a NYPD homicide detective and Jack is a rock star lead singer who is initially one of the prime suspects. Despite their two very different worlds, the two have immediate chemistry, although the mystery needs to be solved to clear the way for romance. Recommended.

Thank you, netgalley, for an arc of He's to Die For!

First off, love, love, LOVE Rav and Jack!!! The chemistry between these two was perfect! I loved the fact the love story was portrayed as easy, every day love and not just a "gay love story." The world in this book is how the world should be in real life...love is love, and we shouldn't bat an eye on whether it's m/f, m/m, f/m, or any other form of people loving each other!

I did get a little lost with the detective side of the story, losing interest in not-so-key characters and found myself wanting to get back to what Rav and Jack were up to.

I'm excited to see more from this author!

Thank you to Netgalley and St. Martin's Press | Minotaur Books for an early copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. I enjoyed the storyline and the characters in this book. I thought the characters had great growth. I did read this book in one day. I would definitely recommend this book.

I would like to start off by thanking netgalley for the arc of this book.

I knew I needed to read this book once I read the description, because it is everything I love in a book., a love story, new York city as a character, and of course a rock star and nypd detective. I have always loved when an author can seamlessly blend two worlds together and Dunn does such a brilliant job of bringing Detective Rav Trivedi and the rockstar Jack together. If you love an opposite attracts this one is for you! Rav is posh, work oriented and definitely not focused on love, whereas Jack is a rockstar, quiet, a little grunge and most importantly closed off to the world. That is what makes the two of them so perfect for each other.

I especially loved how Dunn was able to seamlessly blend English, Indian, and American vocab with the narration being done by Rav, an Indian man who grew up in both America and England. I am not usually one for the detective being alone trying to solve everything but in this case it did work out. I absolutely loved this book and will be recommending it to everyone!

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Erin Dunn for providing me with a complimentary digital ARC for He's to Die For coming out June 3, 2025. The honest opinions expressed in this review are my own.

This was sent to me directly, so it’s not my usual genre. I don’t go for a lot of contemporary stories, but I do enjoy the Brooklyn 99 comparison. I was thinking there would be more of that dramedy from the show. I enjoy police procedurals. There were some things I wasn’t a fan of. I would check out other books by this author.

3.5 stars. I didn’t quite buy into Rav putting his career on the line for a rockstar. It wasn’t completely far fetched but felt a little out of character from how I pictured Rav. It was still a decent story and I like that the answer to the crime wasn’t as simple as one person did everything.

He’s to Die For by Erin Dunn is a genre mashup in the best way. We get part murder mystery and part romance. My favorite things.

Rav is a detective in NY tasked with finding the killer of a record executive. And he is most definitely not supposed to fall for his top suspect, Jack.

Rav is one of my favorite characters I’ve read so far this year with his wit and charm and fashion sense, of course. And my heart just loved Jack and wanted it all to turn out okay in the end.

This is one of the most creative books I have read in awhile and I thought it was very fun. I really hope this becomes a series because I would read them all!!

This was a cute mystery with a light romance. The romance was a small part of the story, which was fine. Lots of interesting characters introduced. The plot worked out well. Made for an easy and enjoyable read.

"I feel like the waves keep tossing us back into each other. Like the universe won't take no for an answer."

When detective Rav Trivedi jumps in to help after a disturbance at a Nicks concert, little did he know that he was stepping into a story that was bigger than meets the eyes. Two weeks later, when Flashpoint record executive Vanderford is murdered, Trivedi is the detective in charge of solving the murder, and who is prime suspect? Jack Vale, lead singer of The Nicks himself. What could go wrong?

I really enjoyed this one. First we have Rav, the half Indian, posh, New York detective with something to prove, especially when he's handed quite the high profile case. Opposite him, prime suspect and The Nicks lead singer Jack, sweet, beautiful, protective prone to anxiety and panic attacks, full of grief and with so much love to give.

There was something quite special with Rav's POV, the way he cares and feel under his unruffled and efficient exterior. I liked the way he was adamant right from the start that there was something MORE to all of it, that both incident were connected and that there was more than meet the eyes with this sweet, anxious rockstar. Did he once or twice made me go : omg chill you doofus, yes. Did i absolutely love him anyways? Also yes. And JACK. Sweet, loving, protective, beautiful Jack. While he also made me go "ARRRG" a few times, i absolutely loved seeing him go after what he wanted, despite the forbidden aspect of it. I loved that he was pretty vocal about his feelings for Rav as well. This character was more complex to me than i expected and i always love to be surprised.

As for the ending… well i gotta say Im usually pretty good at mysteries, but i did not see that one coming. So that earned some points at all. There was a good balance between the emotional aspect and the suspense that helped the story progress. The romance wasnt only used for the suspense aspect and vice versa. I also really enjoyed the writing style, which kinda reminded me of E.L. Massey (high praise imo). I felt the entire cast of characters was well woven together, and honestly, i would read an entire series where Rav investigate different incident.

I recommend if you like romantic suspense, multiple twists, and swoon worthy moments.
Thanks to NetGalley and St Martins Press for the ARC.

This was a light and easy read for me. I loved Rav’s character for how much of an unstereotypical cop he is. The relationship felt very surface level at times but I did appreciate the forbidden nature of it and of course the mystery solving in the book!