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.

Detective Rav Trivedi is put in charge of an investigation into the murder of a music executive. When Rav interviews Jack Vale, a rockstar with a motive for the murder, the chemistry is immediate.

This book was cute and there were definitely highlights. I loved Rav as a character and thought he was really well thought out. There were some fun moments between Rav and his partner that I really enjoyed. I thought the mystery aspect of it was interesting and made me want to keep reading.

My main issue was with the romance. It just seemed like most of it happened off the page. I wanted more glimpses into their relationship in order to really believe it and root for them. I also felt like we didn't get enough insight into Jack as a character.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the ARC!

This was a stellar who done it and the murderer was one that was least expected. Rav Trivedi was an NYPD detective. Jack Vale was the lead musician for a band called the Knickerbockers. Richard Vanderford was a slain music executive. Rav is given the job to find out who killed Vanderford. Rick was last seen having an argument with Vanderford so he was the number one suspect. Rav and Jack were extremely attractive men and Rav fell head over heels for Jack when he interviewed him He also interviewed several other people affiliated with the band.. Before long, Jack was eliminated as a suspect. There was a non-conformist who was obsessed with Jack and word got out that he was the Killer. Rav was determined to solve the murder but was unable to, so the FBI took over. All while, his relationship with Jack was growing.

So the whole story was about the investigation and Rav and Jack's relationship. And even though they had their suspect, Rav was busy putting pieces together and deciding this person was not the murderer. Even Mo, Jack's bodyguard, was suspected. But eventually, he was ruled out. The person who was their lead suspect had claimed all along that he had been set up, and finally, Rav was able to realize that that was in fact the truth. Rav had been told that he had to stay out of it and let the FBI do their job, but he told his boss that he was going to work on it on his own time. And he finally figured it out.

The author did a fabulous job keeping the true culprit hidden. And all of the people who had been suspected seemed to be the one. She developed her characters beautifully and I had no trouble following the storyline. All in all, I'd say this was a very successful whodunit. I gave it five stars.

Do you ever pick up a book and not realize it's exactly what you were looking for once you read it? This story scratched an itch I didn't even know I had!

Rav Trivedi is the youngest detective at the NYPD homicide squad. He's a bit of an outsider, being gay amongst other things, and really wants to prove himself. He meets Jack Vale (lead singer of the New Kickerbockers) while investigating the murder of a record executive who the band has reason to hate.

The two have an instant connection but Rav knows better then to dry and hit up a possible suspect. After helping Jack and his bodyguard out Rav and Jack start up a flirty friendship via text, that is until Jack is no longer a suspect...

This book gets compared to The Charm Offensive often and I would totally agree. It's got the same lovable but flawed characters. I appreciate the author showing Jack's anxiety. The story takes some twist and turns you don't expect and there's plenty of exciting, romance and a little spice.

This story was a lot of fun, I couldn't put it down! Although Jack and Rav are our main focus there are plenty of side characters who are fleshed out and interesting. And it was nice reading a book that takes place in NYC that doesn't overly romanticize the city.

Highly recommend for anyone that's looking for a fun and often emotional romcon!

Thank you NetGalley and St Martin's Press for the ARC in exchange for an honestly review.

A perfect blend of humor, suspense, and romance. Rav was a great main character and I really enjoyed every side character as well.