I'm not sure what I was thinking when I picked up, He's to Die For. I do love queer romances, and I love a good mystery. However, this kind of fell flat on both fronts. The romance is sweet enough but develops fairly quickly. The mystery definitely had a few twists, but a few aspects felt too convenient. The use of deep fakes in this felt like a weird copout. I also felt like this was marketed incorrectly. It has humor, but it's too emotional and sad for a Brooklyn 99 comp. One of these characters is definitely struggling with grief, a sad detail that comes out of nowhere. Also, I think you can write about a detective without riding this hard for the NYPD. This just wasn't for me, but the cozy mystery element was fine and could work for others.

This book was such a surprise for me—in the best way! I typically don’t read romance, and I really don’t go for books with spicy content. When I requested this from NetGalley, I was drawn in by the synopsis and totally forgot to check for spice warnings... oops! 😅 But honestly? It turned out okay. Yes, there’s spice—but it made sense within the story and wasn’t overwhelming or gratuitous.

What I Liked:
I absolutely loved the main characters, Rav and Jack. Their budding romance was adorable and genuinely enjoyable to read. Both had well-developed backstories and personalities that felt authentic.
The mystery aspect added a fun layer to the story. The author kept me guessing with twists and turns that felt fresh.
Most importantly, the story felt balanced—between romance, spice, and mystery, nothing overpowered the other. It all worked together seamlessly.

A great pick if you’re looking to dip your toes into romance with a little extra intrigue!

Detective Rav Trivedi is romance hero goals. Tall, dark, and handsome. Suave and sophisticated. British accent. Wealthy. And impeccably dressed in designer suits. As a minority gay detective with the NYPD he’s a bit of an unusual cop and has had to fight to be respected. So he’s excited to take the lead for the first time on an investigation. But the first suspect he interviews is rock star Jack Vale who is hot and troubled and way too vulnerable.

Their forbidden romance was both sweet and hot with lots of fun banter via text and some open door but fairly vague scenes. The setting was luxurious. And the murder mystery actually ended up being fairly twisty. The ending caught me by surprise.

Rav and Jack are the cutest and I really enjoyed their romance.

Thank you to @Netgalley @stmartinspress and @minotaur_books for the chance to review this ARC.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the ARC. I had no idea I’d become hooked on a cop/suspect romance mystery, but here I am! Rav is an interesting main character as an out British man in the NYPD trying to make a name for himself. When a music manager is killed, the band’s members become the main suspects and he meets Jack - the lead singer. Their chemistry and banter are fantastic and I couldn’t put this down!

He’s to Die For was a book at the top of my TBR for 2025. I was delighted to receive an ARC of the book and suspected this would be something I’d love. A rockstar love interest? I’m the exact target audience for this book.

I am the biggest fan of queer celebrity romance books and adore anything that features a forbidden romance. However, I’ve never read one like this before. The romance takes a backseat to the murder mystery at the heart of the story. Yet, the relationship between Rav and Jack, and the murder plot, worked so well together. The romantic scenes in Jack’s hotel room or Rav’s flat were my favourite moments of the story. I loved how the relationship developed and how the obstacles in their romance were tied to the murder mystery.

The writing was great, and the characters were charming and unique. I would have loved it if the celebrity aspect of the relationship had been expanded more, but I appreciated that, since the book was from Rav’s perspective, it was more about the mystery. I’ve always adored when authors include different formats throughout the story, like newspaper articles or social media posts, and felt this story was missing some of those elements. It didn’t necessarily take away from the story, and is more of a personal preference.

Jack was my favourite character. He was anxious and struggled with panic attacks, but had a heart of gold. I adored the way that Rav handled Jack’s anxiety.

I’d recommend He’s to Die For to anyone who enjoys contemporary romance or murder mysteries. I’m sure you’ll love it just as much as I did!

Thank you to the publisher and the author for sending an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review!

Rav is lead detective on the murder case of a record executive that's had several disagreements lately with the New Knickerbockers, a rock band with a hot front man, Jack. Rav has to figure out the truth, while also trying not to fall for the main suspect in the case.

This had a lot more twists than I expected. I enjoyed the love story aspect of it, and Rav and Jack's "will they won't they" moments are nice and heated.

This was a lot of fun.

I received an Advanced Reader Copy via NetGalley in return for sharing my thoughts on this book. Thanks to the author and publisher for this opportunity!

𝚁𝚊𝚝𝚒𝚗𝚐: 4.25⭐️
𝙶𝚎𝚗𝚛𝚎: contemporary ringed / mystery 📚

𝙼𝚢 𝚃𝚑𝚘𝚞𝚐𝚑𝚝𝚜:
Such a unique storyline!

𝚁𝚎𝚊𝚍 𝚒𝚏 𝚢𝚘𝚞 𝚕𝚒𝚔𝚎:
Brooklyn 99
Romantic mystery
Queer rom coms
Murder scene meet cutes
Opposites attract
Detective x rockstar
Slow burn romance
Forced proximity
Found family
Moral dilemma

𝚃𝚑𝚒𝚗𝚐𝚜 𝙸 𝚕𝚒𝚔𝚎𝚍:
Unique storyline
Great chemistry

𝚃𝚑𝚒𝚗𝚐𝚜 𝙸 𝚍𝚒𝚍𝚗’𝚝 𝚌𝚊𝚛𝚎 𝚏𝚘𝚛:
Insta love vibes
More romance than mystery
I didn’t love the 3rd person narrative

I enjoyed He's To Die For by Erin Dunn. It creates a reasonably credible police procedural with the lead detective and the original suspect falling in love. Rav is the cop, Jack is the rock star, and they are both quite presentable. I appreciate that the author did not go overboard on the sex scenes, but did make them very credible. She did a good job!

📣 a singer & the police detective who’s trying to solve his case fall in love

Thanks to the publisher & Netgalley for the complimentary ARC. All opinions provided are my own.

📖 what’s one or more of your Wednesday numbers? For me, it’s 1 kid who keeps waking up early this summer 😭, 1 kid who’s going in for a foot check-up today (hoping for the all-clear on his broken foot!), 1 mom getting together with a friend this morning at the splash pad with their kids, & 1 book almost finished (Ladies in Hating!).

Did I confuse Erin Dunn’s He’s to Die For with another upcoming release & think this was a vampire romance? Yes, yes I did. Did I eventually understand no vampire bites would be forthcoming? Also yes 😂.

He’s to Die For is actually a police detective / famous singer combo set in a very real contemporary world. Rav is an openly gay police detective who comes from a privileged family & likes to look like a million bucks when he solves cases. Jack is a talented singer who needs help because someone’s apparently trying to unalive him.

This book has a lot going for it: a lead who is openly aware of his privilege, honest & open communication, solid descriptions of Jack’s musicianship, & a great ending that stuck the landing.

I was a bit bothered by one aspect of the plot, but this is a satisfying read if you’re looking for a seemingly unexpected romance combo with murder mystery vibes.

4 ⭐️, out now.

CWs: murder, attempted murder

[ID: Jess wears a blue floral dress & holds the ebook.]

I feel the best way to describe this book is a cozy mystery - you’re kept on your toes and then surprised by the twist (which I admittedly did not see coming). The romance was sweet and the dash of spice kept things interesting as well. The main characters had great chemistry and I felt their connection was very genuine. I really enjoyed reading this and found myself turning the pages quickly. I would definitely read more of this authors book!

I really liked this mystery romance. The main characters were funny and witty. Each character was well written and developed. the writing was easy to follow and did not have me lost in the dialogue. I was enetertained and looked forward to reading more every day. The twist was really good, I did not see it coming at all. I recommend this to anybody looking for a quick, fun mystery, with a touch of romance and spice.

Erin Dunn's He's to Die For is an enjoyable, cozy romance with a unique blend of mystery and charm. I especially appreciated Detective Rav Trivedi’s character as his perspective within the NYPD added depth, and his thoughtful, grounded personality made him easy to root for. When a high-profile music executive is found murdered, Rav quickly finds himself more entangled in the case than he anticipated.

While the book references Brooklyn Nine-Nine, I wouldn’t describe it as particularly similar aside from the shared detective element and a nod to the show. One element that felt slightly off to me was the inconsistency in Rav’s familiarity with pop culture. Despite numerous references throughout the story, Rav himself didn't recognize the famous band at the heart of his case. It’s a small detail, but it pulled me out of the story at times and made some scenes feel less authentic.

That said, the mystery itself was engaging, and the slow-burn romance between Rav and Jack added a heartfelt layer to the plot. Their chemistry was compelling, and watching Rav navigate both his growing feelings and a complex case made for a compelling read.

Overall, He's to Die For is a charming and enjoyable story that balances romance and intrigue well.

Thank you to Minotaur Books and NetGalley for the advance copy.

I really enjoyed this cozy mystery romance. The dynamic between the two MC's was really well developed. I liked the mystery and did not see the ending twists. The romance was light and the spice level was perfect. I am so glad I got the opportunity to listen to the audiobook. The narrator did a good job and the overall production was well done.

I definitely recommend this and will make sure to pick up more books by Erin Dunn in the future.

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 really enjoyed this book.

Detective Rav Trivedi is assigned to investigate the murder of an influential music mogul the investigation leads Rav to suspect number one: Jack Vale who is the lead singer of The New Knickerbockers . He had a publicized disagreement with the victim. Immediately intrigued by Jack, Rav has to keep his attraction sidelined if he wants to prove Jack's innocence.

The book has some heat along with a great storyline. The characters are well flushed out and I really enjoyed the storyline.

A perfect book to end Pride Month!

Ray is the youngest member of NYPD's homicide squad and has been moving up the ranks at rapid speed. While his tailored suits and British accent may be off-putting for some of the old school cops, he has made a name for himself. And he is ready to continue to prove the doubters wrong when he is assigned the murder case of a high profile record executive.

What he didn't expect was that one of the main suspects would be handsome rockstar Jack.

Y'all know I am in my mystery romance era and this was a great one!! It was such an enjoyable read and I didn't see the twist coming.

Bravo on your debut, Erin Dunn!! What a delight this one was. Big thanks to NetGalley and St Martins Press for the arc!

Such a good read! This is not my typical genre but I'm making myself branch out and try new things and I'm so glad I did with this one!

3.5 stars


This was a fun lighthearted easy read with a little police procedural weaved in. However, I can only give it 3.5 stars because it just did not hook me in like I wanted it to. There were days I struggled to read it.

⚠️CAUTION: You will love this book!⚠️

The description says this is Brooklyn 99 meets The Charm Offensive and if that isn’t the most accurate book description I’ve seen in years then I don’t know what it is.

Brooklyn 99 and The Charm Offensive are two of my love languages and I think this will join those ranks.

I just finished this a few days ago but I already want to read it again to pick up anything I might have missed.

I need this to become a series or at least for @murdercutehq to give Rav’s friends HEAs. Like Will Shepherd and his VW Golf 😉😘

I wanted to love this and was interested at first but the Brooklyn 99 ref on the blurb had me looking for that style of interactions which didn't really deliver aside from the call out to the show itself.