The book starts as a murder mystery with a hot young detective being assigned with his partner, giving them a chance for real advancement. Once the investigating begins the story turns into a romantic will they or won't they between the main character and the main suspect, leading to all kinds of problems. The mystery keeps moving along with various other crimes and such but it does take a backseat to the romance. The m/m gets pretty steamy, but isn't the main focus because the case comes back to the forefront. The ending ties everything up, including some things we only glimpsed as fact at the beginning of the story. It was well written, kept me turning pages and kept me up later than I should have but I enjoyed the story. Thanks to NetGalley for an advanced read.

I absolutely adored this book. A romance entertained with elements of mystery and a good bit of drama to boot. The characters were well developed and intriguing. The relationship between Rav and Jack was swoon worthy! Totally loved this book!

ARC REVIEW (6/3/25): I’m late posting, sorry… *fades into background* 🚨 he’s to die for by erin dunn 👀 it's murder cute in the first degree when a detective finds himself falling for the lead suspect in a career-making case.

to start, romantic suspense is my shiiii 👮🏽‍♂️ at the start of he’s to die for, I was interested in investigating the killing of a famous singer. but as time went on, I wasn’t fully invested in the mystery due to the chaotic amount of side characters. I loved following openly gay homicide detective, rav. however, he was the only character I truly cared about.

the narrative is third person and single pov which took me a bit to get used to. just cross the caution tape expecting more crime than romance & more tell than show 🚓 my feelings are falling very much within the hate to love trope.

please know, I'm in the minority with my feelings for this book- not head over heels in love, but I still enjoyed my time with it. if you enjoy mystery, lots of pop culture references and a sweet but lowkey instalovey romance, pick this book up!

thank you st. martin’s press for the early copy 🔍 3 stars!

He’s to Die For is a sizzling, addictive thriller that blends steamy romance with edge-of-your-seat suspense. Erin Dunn crafts characters full of fire and secrets, making this a must-read for fans of passion and danger intertwined.

He's To Die For by Erin Dunn @murdercutehq releases June 3rd @minotaur_books!

| loved this @macmillan.audio ALC narrated by Sid Sager who perfectly captured Detective Rav Trivedi's posh British accent and cheeky wit/humor! Rav is handed a high profile murder case in NYC and ends up crushing hard on his number one suspect. There is fantastic humor, and the mystery component was very flushed out with high stakes. Rav’s love interest, heartthrob frontman of a band, is both a suspect AND is being targeted by fanatics. This read was much more vulnerable and emotional than I anticipated, but that depth is something lacking in ‘mystery romances’ so I was excited to see opportunities for genuine connection, angst, and relationship growth between these main characters.

Fans of murder meet cutes, rock star romance, and a balance between stakes and swoony romance will love this new release!

He's to Die For follows NYPD detective Rav as he takes lead on his first investigation on homicide: the death of a well hated music executive.
The prime suspect?
The lead singer of a group whose music said executive is keeping hostage.
In a mix between romance and thriller, Dunn has us cheering for Jack and Rav to get together from the first chapter. If you're a fan of witty banter and detective mysteries this one is for you.
However, if you're at all interested in accuracy regarding police matters maybe look the other way.
Special shout-out to the author including quibs about the ethicality of private jets and carbon footprints of the rich, it was a really nice touch.

I thoroughly enjoyed this read! It was MM romance between a detective and the rockstar that is suspect number 1 in his case. It was low spice with only a few explicit scenes and some inferred scenes but the plot twist at the end was a delightful journey. Rav is also the youngest detective in his department and openly gay rocking designer suits but successful and a rising star when he's assigned to the case. He wasn't prepared for how attractive Jack is however but he can't risk falling for the same g.uy he's set to investigate.

This was a great read from start to finish. I actually was enjoying it so much I ended up buying a physical copy of the book!

He's to die for is about a Rav Trivedi, a British homicide detective and Jack a rock start.
Rav gets assigned a pretty high profile case and he is ready to show he's meant to do this job despite him being the youngest in his department. However, he is taken about by his attraction to one of the suspects in the case which is Jack!. As the case unfolds, these two discover that there is more to the other than meets the eye and start developing feelings for each other. Through out all this, the mystery unravels and it has you questioning if Jack is guilty or not or who did it?
This was a fantastic mix of romance and mystery where neither the case or the romance over powered the other.
Also, this is supposedly a debut but at no point can you tell because how well the writing and the story flows!

I kept seeing ads for this book, so I knew I had to read it. It was so good! Thanks so much to Minotaur Books and NetGalley for the advance copy.

At age 29, Rav is the youngest detective of NYPD’s Homicide Squad. He’s definitely not your typical New York cop, though; he’s the son of a British lord, a fan of sharply tailored and expensive suits, and he’s gay. He’s also a bit of a narcissist, although he has the skills to back up his ego.

When he gets assigned to be the lead detective on a murder case, he’s ready to shine. But while the murder of a record executive seems straightforward, it turns out to be anything but.

The record exec had a feud with a popular band over ownership of their master recordings, so it makes sense that the band members are prime suspects. But the last thing that Rav is expecting is to feel a connection with Jack, the band’s lead singer.

As Rav tries to make sense of newly discovered evidence and multiple suspects, he’s hoping to clear Jack’s name, since Jack is anything but the egotistical diva Rav was expecting. He’s not counting on becoming an object of fascination on social media—or putting his job and his reputation at risk. Is he falling for a killer?

I enjoyed this so much. Rav is a fantastic protagonist and the supporting characters were great, too. In addition to a twisty mystery, there’s some steam and some exploration of mental health issues. I’d love to see this become a series!

While I loved the characters and the romance between Jack and Rav I had a really hard time staying interested in the mystery. This book follows Rav a cop who was investigating the death of a popular singer and meets one of the other bandmates Jack and sparks begin to fly, while Rav is still unsure if Jack could be responsible for the death. I liked the chemistry between the characters and the banter in this book but the actual mystery felt very complicated and kind of left me confused at times just wanting more day to day scenes between Jack and Rav. The writing was cute and engaging for some reason the mystery was just a struggle for me. For a debut novel I really enjoyed this book and hope to read more from this author in the future.I would like to thank NetGalley and the publishers for a chance to read this book for an honest review.

He’s to Die For by Erin Dunn is a cute LGBTGIA+ cozy mystery. An NYPD detective gets cozy with a rock star suspect and chaos ensues. Cute characters but also solid story line. I enjoyed the witty banter between Detective Rav and the band members and his police colleagues. I would love this to be a series!

This is a fascinating novel that is smart, flirty, and sexy! Rav is a young police detective in New York City when he runs into a building where an armed protester has just left.Two weeks later a man is shot and killed in his apartment. There are great crowd scenes, an internet hacker, social media craziness, and mistaken identities. It's one of those books that keep you on the edge of your seat until the end!
Thanks to NetGalley for this ARC!

A cop with an interesting background and a rockstar with means, motive, and opportunity. It’s a very bad idea but he’s just so darn pretty.

This is both a romance novel and mystery novel. The mystery is bigger and more complicated than I expected. It added to the fun of the romance and intrigue. The main tropes I noticed were the forbidden connection and rock star.

I was dubious about a white woman taking on a MM romance with the protagonist being a person of color. A lot of men who write women well say they just write them as people. That is what I think Dunn did.

I’d put the spice level at 2/5. The door is ajar but the sex on page is vague. Since the author is a woman, I appreciated that. She wasn’t fetishizing these characters. I thought Dunn did a good job writing people, not tropes. This is not my community so take my ¢2 for what it’s worth.

Is it realistic? Miranda Lambert married a member of the NYPD. I’ve met first responders with foreign accents. Lots of former intelligence officers up in private security. It’s not the most implausible plot I’ve seen this year.

It was over the top at times but always made sense. The pacing was even, voices and motivations consistent. I enjoyed this. 4/5

He’s to Die For is a swoon worthy, crime packed love story between a British NYPD cop and his suspect, a broody rock star.

Erin Dunn knocked this out of the park - I couldn’t finish this book quick enough. I absolutely love the tv show Brooklyn 99 - and this story matched that vibe while also giving me Taylor Swift vibes (see song Peace). I am OBSESSED with these characters - from the snobby but lovable Rav, to his quirky hacker friend, to the sexy rock star Jack, everyone has an incredible character arc that leads you rooting for them and finding them incredibly reel and deep. I love that Erin uses Jack’s anxiety as a great example of how strength can be seen in those perceived as weak, and how Rav is able to care for him.

This story does an incredible job of weaving a romance into a well written, engaging crime plot - and I did not see the big reveal coming! SO GOOD.

I cannot wait to see what Erin comes up with next - selfishly, I’m hoping we see Rav and Jack again soon.

Dollycas’s Thoughts

Detective Rav Trivedi, the youngest member of the NYPD’s homicide squad, is just 29. His career is on an upswing when he is assigned to lead the murder investigation of a record executive. This is a high-profile case that will garner extensive media attention. The stylish, gay British Harvard grad knows he needs to stay focused and prove to all the naysayers that he may be young, but he is a strong detective who can handle this case. Then he meets Jack Vale, the steamy lead singer of the New Knickerbockers and the number one suspect with plenty of motive and no alibi. Rav needs to focus, this could be his big break. This is no time to fall for a rockstar suspect.

Rav Trivedi is a fantastic, well-developed character, “Detective McDreamy”. I was immediately invested in the sharp-dressed gay man, who could speak three languages and swear fluidly in all of them, and who was determined to be the best at everything he did. Because he tends to leap before he thinks things through and has a lofty attitude, he is an outsider in the homicide squad. His latest performance evaluation stated, “Prone to obsessive behavior and occasionally smug attitude”. I was all in. I had to see not only how he handled this case, but also the direction he took his life while working that case.

Ms. Dunn has surrounded her protagonist with a compelling and diverse supporting cast. His partner, his lieutenant, a couple of bodyguards, and more, including someone he will be very happy to have in his corner, all bring strength and sometimes humor to the story. Who Rav’s parents are adds some additional drama and fun to the story, too.

The author has plotted out a mystery with quite a slate of suspects and twist after twist. The FBI had a similar case, and they soon assumed jurisdiction of Rav’s case. He doesn’t believe the angle they are taking, though; he believes they are all missing something important. I enjoyed following along with Rav while he navigated through the many clues and untangled the twists while examining the relationship that was building with the handsome lead singer of the Nicks.

For me, Ms. Dunn excelled by setting up many roadblocks in Rav and Jack’s romance rather than making it easy to just fall blissfully in love with all the hearts and flowers. Real relationships are hard in everyday life, but bringing together an NYPD detective with a true celebrity rock star who is a suspect in a murder is way beyond hard and could end Rav’s career.

I tried to hone in on the killer the whole way and kept changing my mind. When Rav put everything together, I was stunned by what was revealed, and that it happened at the absolute worst time. Wow, the takedown had me holding my breath and on the edge of my seat.

He’s to Die For is an entertaining rom-com-mystery that has something for everyone. It is hard to believe this is Erin Dunn’s debut novel. She is an author to watch. Maybe she will bring Detective Rav Trivedi back for round two.



Note: This book contains explicit language.

So sweet (a little spicy) and a bit fantastical with some Action Man thrown in...great side characters and a good mystery too

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ (5/5 stars)

Part murder mystery, part slow-burn queer romance, He’s to Die For is a sharp, stylish, and utterly addictive debut from Erin Dunn. With a dazzling mix of noir tension and emotional vulnerability, this book stands out in all the best ways.

At the center is Detective Rav Trivedi—witty, driven, and beautifully complex. As the NYPD’s youngest homicide detective, Rav has everything to prove. A British expat with Ivy League polish and a flair for high fashion, he’s a bit of a misfit in the gritty world of New York policing, and it makes him a fascinating, layered protagonist. His voice is razor-sharp, equal parts dry humor and quiet heartbreak, and his relentless pursuit of justice never overshadows his humanity.

The case? A glamorous, high-profile murder in the music industry that’s full of red herrings and ulterior motives. And the prime suspect? A gorgeous, brooding rock star with no alibi, plenty of secrets, and chemistry with Rav that crackles off the page. Their dynamic is electric—charged with suspicion, flirtation, and a sense of danger that makes every scene between them sizzle. Dunn balances the romantic tension and procedural intrigue masterfully, with neither overpowering the other.

The writing is crisp and cinematic, with whip-smart dialogue and moody atmosphere. The mystery plot keeps a tight pace, twisting just when you think you’ve figured it out, while the emotional arc sneaks up and leaves a lasting impression. Dunn doesn’t shy away from exploring Rav’s personal struggles—navigating identity, desire, and the pressure of being the best—and that depth gives the book real weight beneath all the sparkle.

Bottom line: He’s to Die For is a standout queer romantic thriller that’s equal parts stylish and sincere. If you love your detectives brilliant and brooding, your suspects dangerously charismatic, and your romances full of longing, this one’s not to be missed. Erin Dunn has crafted a debut that’s as clever as it is captivating.

This book!!! Yes! I loved how the story unfolded, I loved Rav and Jack, I truly loved it all. This was the perfect mix of a cozy mystery plus a romance novel which is now my new favorite format. Such a great read!

This was so cute!! Love love love. The story was so funny, and kept me interest the whole time

Thank you NetGalley/Publisher for the eARC!

This was a lot of fun! I really liked the vibes, and I liked that it still focused on the mystery even with this being kind of more of a romance. Rav and Jack were so sweet together, and I really liked each of them individually. This reminds me of the TV show Psych but gay, which is kind of perfect.
My one issue is that i think it had too many pop culture references, but personally i can ignore them for the most part.
This is a fun and modern take on a procedural cop show, and I really enjoyed it.