So many turns but it all came together! The story kept me guessing and I love how Jack and Rav found each other!

I really liked the mix of Rom Com and murder mystery in this book. I would read many more books about Detective Rav Trivedi and his exploits!

Rav is such an interesting character - he doesn't have the background you would typically expect from an NYPD detective. I also really enjoyed the murder mystery - I actually didn't guess the ending!

I loved Jack. He was such a sweet soul. I loved the chemistry between Rav and Jack. They were just so lovely together.

I was intrigued by the idea of romance between a police officer and a suspect as I thought it would be a fun forbidden twist. While that was the case, the relationships developed pretty quickly for what the situation was in my opinion. I don't know many people who would be willing to risk a career they have worked for years for to explore a connection with someone they only just met. I think part of the reason I felt that way is that we were told Jack and Rav talked for hours on multiple occasions but didn't read those conversations. It left me with the feeling that we were more being told they were in love than seeing it.

I did enjoy the mystery element of this story. It had some interesting turns I didn't see coming. I am a reader who is always more interested in the relationships than the situations that drive that relationship so a reader more invested in the mystery might have enjoyed this one more.

I would recommend this one if you love a celebrity romance with a mystery and are ok without seeing a deep emotional connection between the main characters.

A twisty mystery and a swoony romance?! Brooklyn 99 meets The Charm Offensive?! Everyone needs to add this to their TBR right now!!

First off, I LOVED Detective Rav Trivedi. I loved all of the characters Dunn introduced us to - they're well developed and funny and self-aware - but Rav just jumped out as one of my favorites for the year.
I also loved the plot - the murder mystery and conspiracy theories had me twisted and it was the perfect balance with the romance of it all. A detective falling for one of his suspects?! And not just any regular suspect, but a very very famous rockstar!
I also appreciated the timeline. There was a lot going on and it would have made the story feel wrong if it was rushed through an investigation and all of it's moving parts, and having the time and space also made the relationship between Rav and Jack feel fully formed. And the ending?! I did not see that coming!!

Safe to say that I loved this one and I hope you will, too! Thank you St. Martin's Press for the eARC!!!

Rav and Jack stole my heart in this book. Ray starts off strong with his wit and funny charms. Bonus points for him being British Indian. He maintains his values through out the book and I loved the solid communication between the two male leads. While this would have a made a great romance book, the mystery components kind of threw it off track. I was really invested in the mystery until about 50% in when I sort of resolved. Then after that, every thing involving the mystery felt way too convoluted for the light heartedness of the book.

Thank you Net Galley and St Martin's Press/Minotour Books for the ARC.

A young New York Detective is assigned his first high profile case when a rock star is accused of murder and when things get out of control, the FBI takes over the case. Things are not as they seem and the detective continues to investigate in the background and finally figures out what really happened but almost loses his life in the process.

I was invited to read this book and received an advance review copy for free and I am leaving this review voluntarily. Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book!

This book is the perfect blend of romance and mystery. Rav is a detective who meets the a suspect in a murder investigation, Jack. He develops a crush on this suspect for better or for worse. The book had a nice balance of physical and emotional relationship, which is something I really liked. The characters both got to know each other on a deeper level in lieu of just pursuing a physical relationship. The murder mystery component was also well done and I found myself very invested in all the twists.

He’s To Die For
4.25 ⭐️

I’m it always scares me when a book is compared to a show I love—but I couldn’t resist this one when it was compared to Brooklyn Nine-Nine! And it definitely did not disappoint. It married the romcom and the mystery/thriller parts so well!

Rav is a detective for the NYPD who gets caught up in a murder investigation with very close ties to a rock band. As the investigation unfolds, so does the romance between him and the lead singer.

This was such a fun read and I stayed engaged the whole time! I think it did well as a one perspective storyline. Fun and unique read if you need a cozy mystery!

Thanks to @netgalley for this arc!

I love this new trend of mystery/romances! (Maybe it’s not new? But they’re getting a fresh take.) "The Most Wonderful Crime of the Year" last December was such a fun time and if you loved that, you need to read "He's to Die For" next.

This is significantly more spicy, if you, too, like some heat in your romance. I’d give it 4 chili peppers. It’s also romantic with a capital R. There's pining, there's swooning, I gasped and put my hand over my heart more than once. Plus, the police procedural part of it was plotted well and the writing was smooth and easy to binge read. It was a delight from start to finish.

A swoony cover for a swoony book!

I highly recommend this for anyone who loves celeb x normal (ish) person, detective x suspect, or lust at first sight!

This book has it all - a mystery (with lots of different twist - I really tried to figure it out, but was’t able to!), a forbidden romance, lots of emotion, fun side character, all the drama - if you like your romance with a side of mystery, definitely ick this one up.

This is definitely a cop-centric book, where the majority of it takes place within the NYPD, so if that’s not your think it might be worth a skip!

Just a fun love story for anyone who believes love is love is love. I just really enjoyed this story and the main characters and their love story. I highly recommend this one to everyone who loves love.

This book was adorable and so satisfying!

As someone who loves romance books AND crime/psychological thriller books, I don’t often come across a book that satisfies both itches. This book does, and it DELIVERS. I was worried it would’ve be able to pull off both elements, but it absolutely did!

The crime/mystery/thrill aspect was pretty well done and not too predictable. And the romance….cur the big heart eyes. It was swoony, had tension and humor, and was just so well pulled off and tied into the overall story. It didn’t feel forced or fan-servicy to me. It all felt pretty natural and wonderful.

Excellent book! I will absolutely be on the lookout for more from this author!!

An enjoyable but forgettable read. "He's to Die For" by Erin Dunn, releasing June 3, 2025, is a lighthearted rom-com mystery that I found to be neither great nor terrible, just a bit in the middle. It’s perfect if you're in the mood for something easy and fun, but it didn’t quite leave a lasting impact. Detective Rav Trivedi, the youngest member of the NYPD’s homicide squad, is assigned to investigate the murder of a record executive. His lead suspect? A rock star with motive and no alibi. Rav is an interesting character, an Ivy League-educated Brit with a bit of an outsider vibe in his department. The romance between Rav and his number one suspect adds some tension, though it doesn’t feel as deep or compelling as it could have been. The book has some charming moments, but the pace can drag, and while the mystery is there, it didn’t grip me as much as I expected. The romance and crime mix is cute, but not particularly thrilling. He's to Die For is an easy read that will entertain for a few hours, but it’s not a story that will stick with you afterward. It’s a decent choice for a light distraction, though it didn’t quite hit the mark for me. Thansk to Netgalley, the author and the publishing house per this arc.

For me, I enjoyed the romance but not the murder mystery. Really hard to combine genres and this one just didn’t do it for me.

When I found out that "He's to Die For" is a queer murder mystery focusing on a police officer and his main suspect, a famous rock star, my interest was piqued. When I then also found out that it was pitched as Brooklyn 99 & The Charm Offensive, I could not stop my excitement.
And oh boy, this book did not disappoint!

An irresistible kind of humor, characters that make you want to root for them, and a mystery with lots of crazy twists and turns are just a few of the properties that make this story so intriguing.

However, there is one quality that deserves to be specially highlighted: the communication in this book is incredible.
Even though they are in a high-profile situation the way Rav and Jack handle communication is insanely well done.
There were multiple times during the story where I had to put my phone down because of the excitement and happiness I felt at all of the avoided drawn-out misunderstandings and issues they solved simply by being honest and making sure they were both comfortable in the situations they found themselves in.
I NEED more books with healthy communication like that.

All in all, an incredible debut book, and I am already looking forward to reading more of Erin Dunn in the future!

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for providing me with this ARC in return for an honest review.

Romance and a murder mystery thriller were two elements I didn’t think would work so well together, but they definitely did in this Brooklyn 99 meets the Charm Offensive queer romance! Despite the heartwarming fluff there’s definitely some deeper scenes here which made it all the more worth the read. I loved the dynamic between Rav and Jack - overall just a fun, immersive read that had me *dying* to keep reading!

This one just fell flat for me. I think that I wanted to root for them because of the chemistry, but I didn't feel like it was a deep enough connection on an emotional level. It was all very surface level. I think that I wanted more, and I was disappointed.

This was so good! A celebrity/detective romance with a murder mystery!!! Just so fun and I had zero idea what the twist was going to end up being, I didn't see it coming at all, which I love that. Rav and Jack are so adorable and I was rooting for them the whole damn time, I just couldn't stop reading it! Thank you to NetGalley and to the publisher for my digital ARC!!

While I see where the plot TRIED to go I just did not click with anyone or the story. It was so slow paced with dialogue when I just wanted to fast forward. I absolutely know this book will be a hit with a different type of reader.

Thank you St. Martin’s Press, Minotaur Books and NetGalley for the eARC of He’s to Die For by Erin Dunn.

Rav Trivedi is a detective investigating the murder of a record producer. The lead suspect? Jack Vale of the popular rock band, The New Knickerbockers. Cue the meet cute… or shall I say, murder cute? 😍 Read if you love the celebrity romance and forbidden love tropes and murder mysteries. I’m a sucker for a MM romance. Loved the combination of romance and a murder investigation. Take a shot every time I say romance and murder, amirite? Anyways, it’s equal parts charming, hilarious and suspenseful. A fun read.