Told in the third person He's to Die For by Erin Dunn is a twisted murder mystery and an adorable romance all bound up in a terrific tale. Rav made my heart melt as he juggles a couple of murders and his growing feelings for rock star Jack Vale. The mystery twists and turns leaving me guessing right up till the end. I thoroughly enjoyed this story.

I have to admit it: I have a prejudice against this book, I thought it would be one of those mm with smut and no plot. But I request it anyway because the cover was cute and I was intriguing by the premises: a detective falls for his major suspect. I mean!
I have to say: this book is not what I was expecting. It is more a m whodunnit than a romance (the romance is cute and funny but it’s more like a subplot) and it’s very well executed. I struggled to find the culprit (and I usually find the culprit very soon in a whodunnit).
The writing is so brilliant, the banters are funny as hell. I really loved this book and I hope this will be a series! I really want to see Rav and Jack solving crimes together!

Thank you Netgalley and St. Martin Press for the arc.

This is an entertaining, well-written, romantic murder mystery novel. It has an intelligent, likable and engaging male protagonist, wit, a touch of humor, sizzling chemistry, a heartwarming romance, an intriguing mystery, twists and turns, and a satisfying conclusion. The song lyrics were lovely, and added a nice touch. Many thanks to St. Martin's Press, Ms. Dunn, and NetGalley, who provided me with an advanced reader copy of this fantastic novel. This is my honest opinion.

This was such a cute story! Rav and Jack were really adorable together. The banter between them was well-executed, but the romance was not the primary focus, with the mystery and Rav's personal growth taking center stage.

The author's writing was fantastic, creating a plot that was both easy to follow and complex, with a natural unfolding of the case's resolution that perfectly complemented the romance.

This story has it all: bespoke suits, sold-out concerts, world travel, murders, conspiracy theories, romance, and plenty of twists and turns.

Thanks to Minotaur Books and NetGalley for this e-ARC!

This was solid but the Brooklyn 99 comparison is unfair. This is upbeat without being comedic and I don’t mean this in a bad way just an observation way.

I enjoyed this but I did struggle. The two prominent female characters were Eloise and Erica (I’m now questioning myself on this name but it was an E name either way). Men had a bunch of M names: Moe, Miller, Manafort, etc. Every time there was a big reveal I’d have to take a long second to remember who that even was.

They were sweet together. I would recommend this one.

He's to Die For is not something I would typically go for, but I was intrigued by the premise of a dective falling for a suspect.

Overall Rav and Jack's story was a good time. It was fun, fast paced, and I was actually into the whole mystery aspect as well.

Rav is the youngest NYPD homicide detective in his department. Jack is the lead singer in a band. There’s trouble in the band going back to a suicide years before. Rav is brought into investigate an attempted murder but instead finds Jack worth more investigation. Rav is the son of a British lord and an ex-model. His work clothing is bespoke suits. Jack is a singer/song writer who is hot. Somehow the two who have little in common become more than friends.

I found this to be an enticing first novel and would definitely recommend. This is not a cozy which is my normal mystery mode. #Netgalley

This is a fun, entertaining read. This book made me laugh and cry and kept me glued to the pages until the very end. I enjoyed the romance and the mystery. Ravi and Jack are fun to spend time with. The secondary characters added to the fabric of the story and my enjoyment. They also brough colour to the story with their quirkiness. The story is easy to read and get into.

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

📚 E-ARC BOOK REVIEW 📚

He's To Die For By Erin Dunn
Publication Date: June 3, 2025
Publisher: St. Martin's Press | Minotaur Books

📚MY RATING: ⭐⭐⭐⭐✨
(Rounded Up To 5⭐)

Thank you to St. Martin's Press, Minotaur Books, and NetGalley for this #gifted e-ARC in exchange for my honest review!

📚MY REVIEW:

Oh my gosh, did I love this book!! He's To Die For was SUCH a fun mixed- genre read! A romantic murder mystery?! Say no more, I'm here for it.

NYPD Detective Rav is the youngest detective in the unit and already a bit of an outlier with his posh British heritage, impeccable fashion sense, and tendency to work cases like a man without a team. So when he's assigned lead on a huge new murder case that's sure to be in the headlines, he knows this is finally his chance to prove himself. And then he goes to interview their lead suspect Jack, the gorgeous lead singer of an insanely popular band. There's instant electricity between Rav and Jack -- but there's no way Rav can fall for the lead suspect without jeopardizing his entire career. He can keep things professional... right?

This book had everything: a murder mystery, romance, conspiracy theorists, the NYPD, the FBI, rock and roll, cheeky banter, paparazzi, and a whodunnit mystery with a twist. This book just captivated me with its story and I was cheering so hard for Rav and Jack from the jump. Character development of the main characters was great, I loved the representation of strong and successful gay males being the focus of this book, the dialogue was both witty and endearing, and the police work kept this one feeling like crime fiction around the star-crossed lovers vibe.

You'll love this read if you enjoy mixed-genre reads such as a little rom-com with your murder mystery or a little whodunnit with your romance. If you're looking to read a book with LGBTQIA+ representation, I can't recommend this one enough. I'm loving these mixed genre reads and He's To Die For is an instant favorite for me! Don't miss this one when it publishes June 3rd!

#HesToDieFor #ErinDunn #StMartinsPress #MinotaurBooks #NetGalley #NetGalleyReviews #ARCs #romanticmurdermystery #LGBTQIA #booklover #bookreviews #bookrecs #bookrecommendations

Rav is the son of a Lord and a supermodel and, going against everything his parents wanted for him, he is now an NYPD police detective, trying to make his mark and help people in the process. When a high-powered record executive is found dead, Rav’s captain takes a chance and puts him in charge of the case and Rav is pulled into the world of glitz and glamour when his first suspects are members of an uber popular indie rock band. It isn’t until Rav meets the band’s gorgeous and talented frontman, Jack, that he realizes how difficult his investigation is going to be- not only does Rav have to stay out of the spotlight and solve the murder, he also has to pretend he isn’t head over heels in love with the main suspect.

“Die” is sharp and funny, a modern romance full of mystery and intrigue. Dunn delivers an atypical protagonist in suit-loving, homosexual, posh Brit, Rav, who is delightfully out of place in his white-male-dominated workplace. He makes no excuses and accepts who he is whole-heartedly, which serves to connect readers with him almost immediately.

There are multiple potential suspects in the investigation, due to the number of people involved in the inner workings of rock superstardom, but the twist at the end caught me by surprise. “Die” combines the high-powered world of the music industry with the gritty, taxing world of policing which isn’t supposed to work, but in this case, it really, really does.

Not only do readers want the killer to be caught, but they are also cheering for the relationship between cop and rockstar, and both plotlines are addicting and page-turning and I couldn’t wait to see how it played out. The dynamic between Rav and Jack was endearing and charming, and they provided all the swoon. Combined with the dangerous world of police investigation, and “Die” doesn’t slow down until the final pages.

Dunn is a new author and “Die” was a debut that will appeal to modern readers who are looking for a little murder with their romance.

50% romance and 50% mystery. This was such a fun read. The romance between Rav and Jack is so sweet. Their flirting and banter is a fun relief throughout a murder mystery. I also really enjoyed all of the supporting characters. I think this could easily roll into a series. I got so caught up in the romance of it all I was really thrown off track in the who-dun-it. The twists and turns were unexpected. This was overall a really good read.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

This book had a fun premise, but the execution was very much not for me. It was a lot of telling instead of showing and the telling was a bit haphazard. Thank you to NetGalley and Minotaur Books for the ARC.

I really enjoyed this one! It’s about a homicide detective who unexpectedly falls for the main suspect in the murder case he’s working on. Rav, a young British-born NYPD detective, and Jack, a musician, come from very different worlds, but they end up teaming up to catch the real killer. The mystery kept me hooked, and I found both characters really compelling. Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC—definitely a solid read!

A fun read where the law enforcement officer falls, hard for the main suspect in a murder he's investigating. Rav is a young British born homicide detective for the NYPD and Jack is a musician. Different worlds but they've got the same goal- finding the villain. The mystery is good and I liked the characters. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. A good read.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for inviting me to read this book. This was a cute story. Definitely better written than some of the romance books I've read lately. And I loved that it was also a mystery story as well. I thought the characters were well written and I honestly didn't pick up on the "bad guy" until it was revealed at the end. However I actually don't try to figure the who did it because I like not knowing and trying to figure it out before seems to drive some people crazy. Nice palate cleanser for me between other books.

onestly, Loved this one. I loved the writing and the characters were so funny and chaotic- but in a good way. I loved getting to know Rav and Jack. I did not see the twist, and I LOVE that about books. 9/10 would recommend to anyone looking for a fun, rom com mystery.

I read this book purely because of the blurb. I've never read the author before and requested it on NetGalley.

I highlighted A LOT of quotes from this book as well as a whole song. Here are a few:

"Because we're stronger than hate. Stronger than fear. We live. We love. We rise"
"A cynic is just a brokenhearted romantic."
"Every good story has a romance..."

This is a very good story WITH mystery AND romance AND hot guys.

Easy to read, the mystery aspect wasn't as obvious as to "who dunnit". I read this book over the course of a few days, but if time permitted, I would have read it straight through.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this solid 4 star read.

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC copy of this book. This book had such a great story with well developed characters. Rav starts his story with leading off on a mystery to find the killer, what you dont expect is the twist and turns of the murder, but also the love story in the middle. Rav find his happiness, not only as a detective but with who he thinks as his soulmate, even after accusing him or murder. The whole story is heartwarming and you find yourself cheering for each character to see not only the murderer but for their happiness as well.

He's to Die For pulled me out of a reading slump with how funny, charming, and intriguing it is! An absolute delight of a book!

Listen, sometimes the chemistry is so amazing that what was supposed to be a police interview with a murder suspect turns into a murder-meet-cute lol

It took maybe a handful of pages for me to fall in love with Ravi, the British-Indian, queer, NYC cop who's at the top of his game both job and style-wise. He's funny, charming, and ready to show he can be the lead on a big murder case, impress his bosses (and maybe even his parents), and he's not about to let anything get in his way.

Rav didn't account for Jack Vale though, the lead singer of a famous band who's nowhere near as arrogant and aloof as his status suggests he would be. Instead he's kind, anxious, and intriguing in a way Rav wasn't prepared for. Oh, and he's also the main suspect in a murder. Or two.

Rav and Jack make me want to scream into my pillow with how freaking cute and good they are together, I absolutely adore both characters and their romance!

Besides the fantastic romance aspect that made me positively giddy, He's to Die For also has a great murder mystery plot. Romance and plot are well-balanced and the book had me hooked really fast!

Read He's to Die For for:

-Stylish af British NYC cop/murder suspect rock star
-Crime mystery romance
-Text flirting!
-Amazing chemistry!
-Anxiety rep
-Single POV (3rd person)

4.25 stars! A dapper detective and a romantic rock star brought together by...murder?! This story has everything: bespoke suits, sold-out concerts, world-travels, MURDERS, conspiracy theories, gentle romance, and twists and turns galore!

Detective Rav Trivedi doesn't know when to quit...and thats a good thing for Jack Vale, frontman of The New Knickerbockers and number one suspect in the murder of Scoote---I mean Richard Vanderford. Rav doesn't think Jack did it, but to clear his name the two must keep crossing paths and their chemistry keeps drawing them to each other beyond that!

This was a sweet, hopeful, and romantic story wrapped in a murder mystery/conspiracy theory/stalking case... which doesn't seem like it should work but it absolutely does. Rav is dogged in pursuit of the truth, protective of his heart (both the one in and the one outside his body), and charming as heck!

Thanks so much to Erin Dunn, SMP, and NetGalley for a chance to read this in exchange for an honest review.