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.

This book was not what I expected. In my case, that was a good thing, but if someone comes in expecting what that cartoon cover and those comedic comp titles are putting down, I can see them being disappointed. Me, I prefer it leaning more into its serious side, so I was happy. It's funny in places, but quietly so, and cute in others, but only in the sense that the characters are cute with each other. Mostly, this is a solid procedural mystery centered around a musician and his trauma, investigated by a detective who's drawn to said musician when he probably shouldn't be.

Rav Trivedi, the detective, is reasonable, witty, competent, personable, genuine, only occasionally snobbish. Jack Vale, the musician--and I use this term deliberately instead of "rock star" because the latter has a vibe to it that I think is inaccurate for this book--radiates sensitive artist, but not in a way that feels stereotypical, and I love the contrast of his competence against Rav's. The mystery and investigation are interesting and thoroughly intertwined with the way the two get to know one another and beyond. I appreciated that, even though there are some misunderstanding and challenges, they are ultimately both adults about it all. They felt like people I'd like to be around, and that made me root for them even more. Everything wraps up in a satisfying way with enough of a denouement bow that I was grinning as I turned off my ereader.

Probably more like 4.5 stars, but well worth rounding up.

I received an advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review.

I loved the premise of this story and thought it would be right up my alley, but something just didn't quite connect for me. I did enjoy the two main characters, even though their romance lacked some spark. The murder mystery started out intriguing, but I found myself getting a bit lost in it and the climax was underwhelming. Not for me, but I think many will find it enjoyable enough.

I read the introduction sample for He's to Die For by Erin Dunn which is what caught my eye. I immediately downloaded the book. This is such a witty and fun read so far with a side of murder, all things I love in a story. I immediately like Rav and am intrigued by Vale. I wonder if we will also get any of the story from Vale's POV. This promises to be a super fun read and I need more immediately.

I will update upon finishing this read.

Celebrity romance intertwined with a murder mystery? Count me in! Thank you to Minotaur Books for the ARC of "He's to Die For!" Described as "Brooklyn 99" meets "The Charm Offensive," this story offers a delightful murder meet-cute, where our lead detective is in hot pursuit of his prime suspect. It was such a fun read and incredibly charming. The blend of humor, suspense, and romance was simply perfect. Our main character, Rav, was fantastic, and the side characters were equally amazing. I found myself rooting for the romance throughout the story. I genuinely enjoyed this cozy mystery, and I'm thrilled to have had the opportunity to read this early release. This is honestly a favorite for me, and I am excited to read more by Erin Dunn.

“Murder cute in the first degree” perfectly describes this book! Detective Rav Trivedi is assigned to a high profile case involving a famous rock band and the murder of a record executive that points to the attractive lead singer as the main suspect.

I absolutely loved this one! Once I saw “Brooklyn 99 meets The Charm Offensive” I had no choice but to read it as soon as possible. It leans more toward The Charm Offensive with a Brooklyn 99 setting and some character details. There were a couple of twists I didn’t see coming and the romance was very well balanced with the suspense. I will miss these characters, especially Rav and his high end taste.

Thank you St. Martin’s Press, Minotaur Books, and Netgalley for the ARC!

I thoroughly enjoyed this murder mystery/romance. It was light, fun, and I loved the main characters. One is a half-Indian, half-English gay detective with the NYPD and the other is a celebrity rock star who struggles with anxiety and is surprisingly normal--but might be the murderer.

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for a free e-ARC of this book.

I fell in love with Rav almost immediately. He's the type of main character that it's impossible not to root for as a reader, and I was rooting for him throughout the whole book. As soon as Jack was introduced, I couldn't wait to read the rest of the book and watch their relationship develop.
There were definitely moments where I wished this was a dual-POV novel so that I could see what Jack was thinking, and what his perspective was, but I think that due to the murder mystery aspect of the novel Rav's POV was really necessary. In a way it made me relate to Rav even more, because I didn't have any more information about how Jack was feeling than Rav did.
Overall, I loved this book. It was basically impossible to put down once I started, and it kept me invested start to finish.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review!

This book had me grinning like an idiot and clutching my chest in the same breath. It’s sharp and sexy and somehow tender in all the right ways. The writing is punchy and clever but there’s a softness underneath that hits just right. I loved how it balanced mystery and heat with so much heart. This book knew exactly what it was doing and I felt every bit of it. Smart, swoony, and satisfying from the first line to the last page.

I was hoping having a main character as a cop wouldn’t bother me as much as it did. Alas, here we are.

Thanks to Netgalley & St. Martin's Press for the
E-ARC! Really enjoyed! Cute characters & fun setting. Will read more from this author.

Ooh, now this was fun! I hope it becomes a series. Cop falls for suspect. Add in some drama, limited sex scenes, and a strong supporting cast, it has a little bit of everything. Fast-moving, interesting mystery to solve, tho some of the character history was a little too blurry to really solve this as a reader. Definitely a new author to watch out for.

Thanks to St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for an ARC of He’s to Die For in exchange for an honest review.

Rating: 4/5

This book was a lot of genre-bending cozy fun. The blend between suspense and the romance was cute and an enjoyable read. I loved the interactions between the characters. Highly recommend.

I loved it. I was expecting a rom=com and got something else entirely: a sweet romance woven into a murder investigation. Murder, a glimpse at the rich and famous lifestyle, longing, and dealing with reality, I wish this was a series with Rav and Jack.

This book taught me two things: I can not stand third person present tense narration and that Erin Dunn is a good enough writer that I was able to muscle past it because I was so invested in Jack and Rav and this murder mystery. The romantic tension, the insecurities, the shuffling around what is allowed in a cop suspect relationship. It all worked so well. The cast of characters while large were all believable and it felt as messy as this high profile of a murder would be. I really enjoyed it

3.5 stars

This was a fun little murder mystery with a celebrity romance thrown in! Dare I say it, I may have enjoyed the police procedural drama of this slightly more than the actual romance. The banter and back-and-forth between Rav (our detective) and his partner and their suspect was very reminiscent of early-2000s NCIS (my comfort show, okay?) and I was feeling nostalgic. I also did not guess the killer, but they were plausible once they were revealed, which is always a plus.

The romance was cute and I liked Rav and Jack together, but since this was only told from Rav’s perspective, it felt more like a book about him rather than about their love story.

Thank you to NetGalley for this arc!

The banter, chemistry, and murder mystery in this book are so delightful! It's a quick, fun and romantic read with a twist. It can be a bit predictable at times, but that didn't detract from my enjoyment. I give it 4.25 stars!

This is the first Erin Dunn book I have read, I liked it. I needed a break from other reading materials. When I was offered the opportunity to read this ebook, I took it. What drew me to this story was the description of a romantic mystery with humor.

I found it to be a combination of a swoony rom-com without too much description and a twisty mystery. I enjoyed the character of Detective Rav Trivedi and the surrounding cast. I found it to be one of the top 5 books I’ve read this year. It will definitely be one I recommend and I will be looking for more Erin Dunn books to breakup my mystery selections.

This can be read by all as there aren’t graphic in depth scenes of murder or romance. Just the right amount in both categories to keep me from putting down the book.

Thanks to Netgalley and Minotaur Books for allowing me tyo read for an honest review. These are my opinions.

Thank you, NetGalley & St. Martin's Press, for this audioARC and eARC in exchange for my honest review!

He's to Die For had such a fun premise, and while I immersive read this one, I just wasn’t very hooked. Crime thriller meets rom-com is a unique combo, but I realized this genre blend might not be for me. That said, it could absolutely be a hit for someone else who loves a little murder with their meet-cute. One thing I did love? Sid Sagar's audiobook narration—fantastic performance that brought the story to life!

Had humor and romance but I could not get into the story. A murder mystery to solve was a fun adventure with twists.