Reminiscent of Stephanie Plum or Finlay Donovan, writer Kate Valentine is having issues writing her next book but her life is consumed with what would her character do to solve the mystery. The mystery gets wild when she turns up with a former crush and coworker to her ex-fiancé's wedding on a private island promptly made inaccessible by a huge storm while those at the publishing house harbored rumors of the company going under and the family is outwardly battling over the island and finances.
A few hilarious missteps, a lot of family drama, and a clear attempt to frame Kate for trying to stop the wedding, Kate needs to become her character to unravel the chaos and set everything to rights before she takes the fall for it all.
This book was so good, so satisfying, and while some elements were as predictable as mystery comedies tend to be, there were many elements that really did create the mystery arcs and herrings. Thoroughly enjoyable.


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This was a cute cozy mystery, romance blend. More romance than a normal cozy (a little spice even) but with a great mystery on the side.

Kate and Jake were a great couple and I enjoyed their flirting. The mystery kept my interest and I enjoyed guessing who did it but overall the story was a little slow for my taste.

It would be a good read for lovers of mystery romances!

I really liked this and it kept me intrigued. It was like a cozy murder mystery and had a good amount of romance as well. I listened to the audiobook and the narrator was also really good. I was able to tell which character of the book was speaking. It kept me guessing who did it.

Thank you to St. Martin's Press | Minotaur Books and NetGalley who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All the thoughts and opinions are my own.

When Kate is invited to her ex's wedding, she has every intention of not going. That would be crazy, right? Especially when he's marrying the woman he cheated with. It doesn't help that Kennedy - the bride - is just soo nice. She's tried to make Kate feel welcome at every turn, even inviting her to her bachelorette party.

It isn't until Kate receives another invitation - this one from reclusive millionaire Rebecca Hempstead, owner of the house on the private island where the wedding will be held, and Kennedy's aunt. In the invite, Rebecca claim's she'll make it "worth Kate's while", and the mystery writer can't help being intrigued.

Also in attendance? Her ex-friend (and unrealized crush) Jake Hawkins. Who she used to partner on a series of books called "The Wandering Australian", detailing Jake's adventures across the world.

When a failed poisoning attempt is made on the bride, things are starting to look a lot like the plot of Kate's latest book. And every finger is pointing at her for who the most likely to have made the attempt is. Unfortunately, while trying to find out who really tried to poison Kennedy, Kate stumbles onto the very real body of Rebecca Hempstead.

A cozy, locked-room mystery, following a sometimes clueless mystery author. I will admit to having some difficulty following the cast of characters, I felt they were introduced in very rapid succession, but once things got going I settled into the groove. There's the tangled, bitter family dynamics from Kennedy's relatives. Spencer - her ex who also happens to be her editor - wanting to find closure and also wrangle the latest book from her in the process. Kennedy's close friends who glare daggers and are watching Kate closely, ensuring her that if she ruins things for Kennedy, things will go very, very wrong for her.

I hope this is just the start for Kate, and will keep an eye out for any future books. I did also listen to this one, and I thought the audio was very well done. Great pacing, voices that were easy to follow and well done accents!

Thank you to the publishers through NetGalley for the ARC of this one!

Thanks to MacMillan Audio and NetGalley for an ALC copy.

Love a locked room/remote island mystery and this delivered. Add in a wedding. But not just any wedding, Kate's ex's wedding. Also family drama, an Australian hottie that Kate his history with. And a murder that takes us along on an old fashioned type solving of a murder mystery.

Kate is an author and loves a mystery. She dives deep once the murder occurs, and almost becomes her own book character at times. There were many twist and so many bizarre characters that you really weren't sure which one could possibly be the killer.

The side romance with the hottie from Down Under definitely added some fun to this one and their romance was one of my favorite parts.

Despite being a murder mystery, there was a good bit of humor in this one as well.

Narration by Sarah Mollo-Christenson definitely captured the essence of Kate perfectly.

When the bride is poisoned and Kate stumbles across a dead body, she finds herself in a real-life mystery that eerily echoes the plot of her latest novel. And the only person who seems willing to help Kate catch the killer is Jake Hawkins, aka: the Hostralian; aka: Kate’s biggest romantic regret.

I loved Kate…she and her sleuthing sweater! And Jake is definitely someone that makes her “hot and bothered” in more ways than one! These two characters and their chemistry kept this story moving for me!

This is ALMOST a cozy mystery with a bit of spice. I am sure the author would not take kindly to that description. But, this is truly what I thought as I read this.

It is a good read with a predictable mystery. I did enjoy the crazy house and the good characters but the story was not quite what I expected.

The narrator, Sarah Mollo-Christensen, did a good job! Lots of characters and she had a different voice for each!

Need a mysterious romance…THIS IS IT! Grab your copy today

I received this novel from the publisher for a honest review.

This was such a great read. The banter between the main characters is great. It’s a great who done it mystery with second chance romance. I devoured it.

Unfortunately I was unable to review this book due to the audio file not working. I tried redownloading it, reinstalling the NetGalley app, etc and nothing worked. The status bar would move and the time would change, but no sound would play at all. Thank you for the opportunity and I'm sorry that I was unable to review She Doesn't Have a Clue.

*She Doesn’t Have a Clue* by Jenny Elder Moke is a mystery that follows an author attending the wedding of a family friend, only to find herself tangled up in solving a murder that shocks the celebration. The investigation unfolds from two perspectives: the author’s, as she stumbles her way through amateur sleuthing, and a more seasoned investigator (a fictional character of the author's creation), whose involvement offers a contrasting lens. With secrets unraveling and tensions rising, the story explores how ordinary people react when thrust into extraordinary circumstances.

While the setup is intriguing, the execution left me underwhelmed. The main character was likable at times, but her bumbling efforts often felt more frustrating than endearing. The alternating perspectives between her and the investigator could have added depth, but in the audiobook version, these shifts were confusing and hard to follow. The plot itself relied heavily on clichés and predictable tropes, which made the story feel less engaging than it could have been. The pacing also dragged in places, particularly in the middle, where the momentum faltered.

What I appreciated were the occasional flashes of humor and some clever dialogue, which brought a bit of charm to an otherwise lackluster read. Unfortunately, there wasn’t much to love, as the story never truly found its footing. For a mystery, the twists felt uninspired, and the conclusion was unsatisfying. The book seems geared toward fans of lighthearted mysteries, but it lacks the originality or depth to stand out in the genre.

I wouldn’t necessarily recommend *She Doesn’t Have a Clue*, except to readers looking for an undemanding, casual mystery read—perhaps in print rather than audio, where the narration might be easier to follow. For me, it was a middling experience that I’d rate 2.5 out of 5 stars.

Okay wait I really liked this!! It was a slightly campy blend of cozy mystery and romance. I’d definitely read more from the author and I hope this is the beginning of a series! And the hero kinda gave himbo???

Not to sound elitist but sometimes romances in cozy mysteries can feel surface level or cheesy…but the one here felt like it was written by someone who understands the romance genre. There was a legit sex scene too, and it was hot!

The narrator was great and in my opinion really nailed the Aussie accent?? But also I’m very Minnesotan so who’s to say.


⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5 🌶️🌶️/5

I received a free audiobook from Macmillan Audio. All opinions are honest and my own.

She Doesn’t Have a Clue is a well written and witty cozy mystery by Jenny Elder Moke. Author Kate Valentine has written a series of mysteries featuring her alter ego Loretta Starling. With her next in the series, however, she is at a bit of a standstill with deadlines looming. There is a bright spot for Kate though as she has received a personalized hand written invitation from Rebecca Hempstead to attend the wedding of her niece Kennedy to Spencer Leaman, Kate’s editor and former boyfriend. The wedding is to be held on the mysterious Hempstead Island north of Seattle.

Upon arrival, Kate learns that she has a plus one, adventurer Jake Hawkins, even though the two are barely speaking after their collaboration on his adventure books. And even though one of Kate’s main characters, Blake, is clearly pattered after Jake, she vehemently denies it. When they are assigned to a room in the unusual mansion’s attic sporting a single bed it is just the beginning of the obstacles they will need to overcome.

When there is an attempt on the bride’s life it is Kate that finds her in the wine cellar, but it is Jake whose life support training changes things. In fact, even when Kate thinks she is on her own, Jake, like fictional Blake, has her covered.

This is such a fun mystery with no short supply of suspects, in a decayed and spooky setting, and with more twists and turns than a mountain road. This was the first book by this author that I have read but it will not be the last! I very much enjoyed this book and do recommend it!

(ALC provided by NetGalley) Such a fun, cute, cozy mystery! It kept me on my toes and I really had no idea who the murderer was until the end. Just the right amount of spice, too👌🏼 The main characters were likable and weren’t annoying which is always a positive. The narration was excellent as always. Highly recommend

I was going to say this is cute, and it is, but there is also sex and violence. I love the drama and the mysteries. I love the romance! Kate was so much fun. The narration is perfect. Yes definitely listen to this one.

For me, this title was really a 3. But I'm not a romance reader, so I bumped this up to a 4 because I think romance readers would enjoy it a lot more than I did. It's pitched as half mystery, half romance, and I thought I'd be okay with that since it was half mystery. For me, it feels more like 3/4 romance and 1/4 mystery.

Still. All that said, the writing is clever and funny, and there are some laugh out loud scenes. The mystery part is executed pretty well--I just wanted more of that and less of the romance. Some of the plot problems you can see coming from a mile away, but there are plenty of surprises too.

If you're a fan of mysteries AND of romance, you'll probably enjoy it!

Review copy provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

She Doesn’t Have A Clue: 🏝️🔎🧩⁣
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Thank you @minotaur_books and @macmillan.audio #MacAudio2025 for my gifted copies. ⁣
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This one was a miss for me, but I do know a lot of people have enjoyed this! I did guess correctly the culprit in the first chapter, and it just was a long bit to get there. I do feel like the book had a lot of unnecessary filler on descriptions. It was a lot of talking about what people were wearing instead of what in the world was going on. ⁣
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I thought once we got into the story the banter was in, but Kate girl, you’re a mess. Not like a fun messy but just.. a mess. I liked that we had snark and a cozy with a dollop of romance to even it out. Jake sounded like a dream. I liked Loretta’s passages (she’s Kate’s character in her books) and would have loved to have read that series. It did get a bit confusing in between reality and the passages as to which was which. ⁣
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Audio was great. Sarah Mollo-Christensen really carried the audiobook. I think this would have been a DNF without audio.

She Doesn’t Have a Clue is a fun, quirky mystery with the perfect blend of suspense and romance. Set against the backdrop of a luxurious wedding on a private island, the story pulls you in with its intriguing premise: bestselling author Kate Valentine is forced to attend her ex-fiancé's wedding, only to find herself stumbling into a real-life murder mystery that mirrors her own book’s plot.

Kate is a great protagonist—relatable, witty, and a little bit overwhelmed by the situation she finds herself in. The addition of her ex, Jake, adds some sizzling tension, and their past gives the romance a nice layer of complexity. The supporting characters are colorful and provide plenty of potential suspects, making the mystery aspect fun and unpredictable.

While the plot is a bit predictable in places, the banter between Kate and Jake, combined with the mystery unraveling in real-time, keeps things fresh. There’s just enough humor, suspense, and heart to keep you turning the pages, and the setting makes it feel like a cozy, high-stakes adventure. If you love a good whodunit with a splash of romance and a touch of humor, She Doesn’t Have a Clue is a delightful read.

<b>One Line Review:</b> Who doesn’t enjoy attending your ex’s wedding, especially when everything goes wrong, and you’re suddenly being looked at as a suspect in a murder…

<b>Synopsis:</b> When best-selling mystery author Kate Valentine boards the boat to a private island that is hosting her ex-fiancée’s wedding, the last person she expected to see was Jake. Jake, the guy she worked with and wanted so much more with, but never fully let herself follow that path. All that is pushed to the wayside though, as she quickly begins to realize that someone is trying to recreate the happenings in her whodunnit novels. When the wine seems to have poisoned someone, all eyes are turned to Kate and other authors in attendance that seemed to have been jilted by the bride and grooms’ business decisions.

<b>My Thoughts:</b> Gimme gimme gimme all the spooky mansions, wedding mishaps, family drama, and a little bit of spice/forced proximity with the one who’s timing never seemed quite right… This quick-witted, clever genre mashup had me wondering what could possibly be coming next and I loved every second of it.

<i><b> "Thank you to Net Galley and St. Martin’s Press/Minotaur Books for providing this riveting page-turner in exchange for my honest thoughts."</b></i>

This book has the potential to be an engaging romantic comedy, particularly with its destination wedding theme. I found the audio version somewhat challenging to follow due to the story-within-a-story structure; however, it ultimately presented a compelling storyline.

This was such a fun murder-mystery/romance book—my favorite combination!

Beyond all reason, best-selling mystery author Kate decides to attend her ex-fiance’s wedding on a remote private island in the PNW. Still, she has no idea she’s in for much more than wedding awkwardness. Nor does she have a clue that the one who got away, Jake, was listed as her plus-one. Weirdness and hilarity ensue, and it’s all fun, games, and hostility until murder makes things too real. With a never-ending list of suspects (and many fingers pointing at Kate), Kate finds herself smack in the middle of one of her books, only now it’s real life.

There’s much to love about this book! The cast of characters/list of suspects really makes it fabulous—disgruntled family members who’ve been cut out of the will, angry writers who feel cheated, personal grudges…laugh out loud moments abound. We really get to know all these people by the end, though there are plenty of surprises. Kate and Jake’s chemistry was fantastic and the spicy moments were hot, and often at odd times (which makes it actually more fun for me).

Kate could be a little annoying, and her decisions sometimes cringey, where I found myself yelling, “Nooooo, seriously, what are you doing???” But I think that’s often what makes a murder mystery great. Gotta yell at the main characters, right? Overall, I loved this book and had so much fun with it.

The audio version was terrific too. Sarah Mollo-Christensen did a fantastic job with the voices and inflection.

Fun, Quirky, Well-Paced Cozy Mystery Romance. The cast of characters was vibrant. Get cozy and enjoy this on a stormy night, just as our heroine does!