Good ... but what WAS that ending (spoilers included under protection.)

I don't read a lot of historical fiction but the overall vibe of this early 1960s murder mystery was really fun. The book's main character is Wilhelmina "Billie" McCadie, is an educated woman stuck in a remote small town in Maine. Trained as a linguist, she's unsuccessfully applying for jobs, so is working as a seamstress for the women in town.

One day, a mysterious letter and engagement ring show up in her PO box. Then the glamorous woman to whom the letter is addressed is murdered. Billie, who has been desperately waiting for something to happen to her, is ON the case. I loved that fact that as she investigated, her confidence grew. She, an unglamorous townie, is suddly romanced by a rich and charming man (THAT'S not suspicious at all) and infiltrates the world of the "summer people." She's going to find the killer.

While I give this book a 10/10 for a fun and authentic-feeling 1964 vibe and was loving the spunky Nancy Drew feel of it, things took a VERY strange turn at the end that I just could not get behind. Billie, what?

Thanks to the publisher for providing an advance copy for review!

So much about the description of this book made it sound like a great book for me. I just couldn't get into it. I kept picking up the book and reading several pages, but when I put it down, I didn't feel the urge to pick it up and read more. I'm not exactly sure why I couldn't get into it. I thought the main character was pretty likeable (which is important to me as a reader), but it didn't capture my attention. I ended up not finishing the book because I made it about halfway, and I still wasn't invested.

Ok I need more small town mysteries set in the 60s. I loved this. Billie is one of my favorite FMCs to date. I loved her POV throughout the book.

A slow burn in the beginning but led into a great mystery. Once the lets from Gertrude came..I was invested in the story. I loved the characters (and their names) and the small town setting. The lingo in this made me smile. I love a good time period piece that takes me away from the world of social media and cell phones. I’m recommending this to my mom because I know she will love this since she grew up in this era.

Overall I enjoyed this one and would read more by this author.

Billie was bored and suddenly everything changed. She gets involved in mysterious letters, an engagement ring and murder. It was a bit slow paced but still a fun read.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advance copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Billie, a recent college graduate working temporarily as a seamstress in her hometown, has a run-in with the son of the wealthy “summer” family known in town, and is witness to a murder. Armed with her copy of Amy Vanderbilt’s ‘Complete Book of Etiquette’, Billie thinks she can, and MUST, solve the case.

While I enjoyed the quippy dialogue and appreciated the occasional etymology footnote, the story itself feels like it gets lost in its own attempt to fit neatly into the 1960s setting. Billie, who should be our anchor, remains frustratingly underdeveloped. Small details about her background are tossed in here and there, but never expanded in any meaningful way.

The plot, meanwhile, drags in places yet somehow still feels thin. A large cast of mostly one-dimensional characters only adds to the muddled storytelling. The end result is a book that feels both longwinded and strangely hollow—ambitious in tone, but lacking the depth or cohesion to pull it off.

This novel is a historical fiction set in the 60s, a cozy mystery, and a romance all tied up into one book! And it's set in Maine as well. Billie McCadie lives with her grandparents and lives vicariously through the characters in the books she gets from the library. She loves epic love stories and mysteries. She is confused when she receives a letter addressed to Gertrude asking for her hand in marriage with a diamond ring. She is even more surprised when Gertrude is found dead and Billie is one of the last to see her alive.

Now her boring life becomes much more interesting, especially when she must take it upon herself to find the murderer. Everyone is hiding secrets, bodies are piling, and Billie is receiving concerning phone calls. Is she safe? Is she a suspect?

Why Jackie loves it

These characters are so much fun. They are unique and surprising, which makes this an easy read. I loved the glimpse into the 60s with the yachts and parties and the mystery was well-plotted. I had no idea who murdered Gertrude.

The prose is magnificent, I can't believe this is Healy's debut novel. Beware of bored women in the 60's... I know the theme is different but it kinda reminded me of The Little Friend by Donna Tartt. Perhaps witty female MC trying to solve a mystery in a small town...

“Etiquette for Lovers and Killers” is a historical fiction (set in 1964) mystery by Anna Fitzgerald Healy. I have really mixed feelings about this book. On the one hand - the Maine setting (I’ve been reading a lot of books set in Maine recently) felt rather real - especially set back in the 1960s, when life had a bit of a slower pace and where small towns were more “movie-feeling small town.” But, the pacing dragged - possibly reflecting the slower-paced time period, but I kept wanting to prod it along. I liked Billie’s decision to work at a museum and her interest in linguistics, though after a while some of the footnotes felt like a bit too much. I did like that Billie was smart and resourceful, but at the same time she came across as both naive and mature (if that’s a combo that occurs). In the end, the cover is great and the Maine-feeling was enjoyable, but for me this book was one I pushed through a number of times.

Billie McCadie is a classical linguist and an expert of etiquette. Her manners are impeccable and guide her through all sorts of situations. Her life is dull. It is 1964 and she is stuck in Eastport, Maine where she grew up. It is a town where the social elite "summer". She is not one of the elite. Every day she sends out applications for positions and checks her PO Box. It is usually full of rejection letters until one day. An envelope containing an engagement ring and a love letter addressed to Gertrude have been delivered to her PO Box. How intriguing, Who is Gertrude? Life is suddenly not so dull. Next she meets Avery, one of the summer people, who invites her to a party. Gertrude is at the party. Death, a provocative romance and investigation follow.

As a historical mystery, this is fun. But I did have trouble truly connecting with our main character. The pacing was a little weird as well and I found myself becoming distracted while reading.

This book was fun, and definitely out of a normal read for me. It has a little bit of everything from humor to murder. A good balance and intriguing read. Appreciate the ARC as I’ve never read anything by this author before!

A bit campy but with very unexpected twists, this historical mystery follows a recent college graduate working as a seamstress while she seeks a job as an archival language specialist. Billie is a "townie" in a Maine town where "summer people" with money return every year for lavish parties and decadent lifestyles. When she encounters Bucky, she enters his orbit of parties and yachts, only to become ensnared in a murder mystery, or three, as she falls for him and questions her own place in his life. Seemed a bit longer than necessary and at moments a bit slow, but a fun read with a great setting and time.

This book I could not put down loved it from beginning to end. I would highly recommend!! This isn't like something ie read before.

One afternoon when checking her mail, Billie discovers a love letter that was not meant for her, but for a woman named Gertrude in her PO Box. Included with the love letter is an engagement ring. She’s immediately intrigued.

Billie finds herself entangled at a high society party where she meets none other than the Gertrude, the woman the love letter was addressed to! The party comes to a screeching halt when the dead body of Gertrude is discovered. Billie is determined to discover who really killed Gertrude. Is the murdered who we’d least expect or someone standing right under her nose.

Perfect if you like:
Thriller/Mystery
Small Town Murders
Female Investigator
High Society

I loved Billie as an amateur detective. Her character was sweet but also very witty. Some parts of the book did seem to drag on a little but I felt like it only contributed to the plot. While the ending did feel a little predictable, I really enjoyed the overall story!

Thank you NetGalley and Penguin Group Putman for the arc!

If you enjoy books written in a style reminiscent of Truman Capote, then I think you will love this book. The sarcasm was as thick as peanut butter, and the bantering was like watching a badminton match. This book was written as if it were the 1940s instead of the 1960s. I did enjoy the etiquette sessions, and the definitions were sometimes cute, but most of the time, annoying.

My favorite characters were Billie's (Willhemina) Grandparents!

The main characters were a little hard to define - now we have Billie, the female lead, and the quintessential naif from Down East Maine, and Avery, Mr. Ultra-Rich from the big wide world. Bilie was a bit over the top as far as some of her naivety, but it all comes together as the book progresses.

Avery invites Billie to a cookout at his parents' mansion, and naturally, a murder occurs. Billie being the nosy person she is starts poking around. Oy, there were so many suspects...then another murder and yet another. I was getting confused as to who-maybe-dunnit! I have to tell you that I never did figure it out until the last chapters.

This was a fun read, but I had a few issues with it, mainly the fact that the author tries too hard to emulate Truman Capote and the portrayal of Mainers from that era as imbeciles.

*ARC was supplied by the publisher G.P. Putnam's Sons, the author, and NetGalley.

Once I learned the rhythm of the writing style it was easier to understand. I loved the banter of the main character and the love interest but it was a bit predictable.

When I saw "Etiquette for Lovers and Killers", I thought — this book was made just for me. It had interesting settings, an intriguing plot, a smart heroine, and a pinch of coziness for flavor. But — and I’m very sad to say this — it didn’t work for me. Something was missing, as if the portrait being painted lacked a spirit. I didn’t really connect with the main female character, and the central romance lacked a spark.
I’m truly sorry to feel this way; I know how much work and heart authors put into their writing.
I hope it’s just a case of personal taste, and that many other readers will love the book.

Thank you to the author, publisher and NetGalley for the copy

I enjoyed this quirky mystery. The heroine is very self-centered and self-confident to treat others in the way she does along with believing she alone can solve murder mysteries. She’s unpredictable and eccentric as she works through the clues. A quick, beachy type of read to entertain and to not take too seriously.

Thanks to NetGalley and Penguin Group - Putnam for the opportunity to read this ARC.

Etiquette for Lovers and Killers has a charming 60's vibe that I enjoyed, especially since that era holds personal meaning for me. The cover is gorgeous, but unfortunately, the story didn't pull me in as much as I had hoped. A stylish read, but it lacked the spark I was looking for. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this early release in exchange for my honest review.

Penguin Group Putnam provided an early galley for review.

After reading the opening chapters of this novel, I would have been knocked over with a feather if I had been informed that this was Healy's debut novel (which it is). Through Billie's narration, with vibrant prose and energized dialogue the author brings us into the world of Eastport, Maine. I found the grin on my face broadening with each turn of a phrase she dishes out. This is a kind of writing I very much enjoy. It is fun and comes across as effortless (even though, as a writer, I know it often is not so easy produce).

The story is a bit drawn out with Billie bouncing between her investigation and her love life over the course of a year. One would think the police in a small town with only a single public phone booth would be able to solve a murder faster than that. It almost seems like Billie is the only one even trying to resolve the case. I can see where the author was going with the ending, though I personally did not find it to be fully satisfying. I give the book high marks on style even if the substance could have used a bit more polish.

I do have to nitpick a couple minor references dropped in: "Burt Reynolds mustache" (ch 2) which he did not sport until 1972 after filming Deliverance, a mention of watching Guiding Light (ch 4) and then Candid Camera (ch 5) on the same Saturday when they aired weekdays Monday through Friday and Sunday nights respectively. These might go by most readers' heads, but they stuck out to a pop culture fanatic like myself. As we always say in writing group: if you want to include real world references in fiction with historical foundations, you need to make sure they all are accurately presented.