Make a Killing is a fast-paced, fun mystery with smart dialogue and interesting characters. I liked how Billie and Jeremy, even though they’re rivals, had to work together when things got dangerous. The story mixes humor with suspense really well, and the plot kept me guessing. It’s an easy, entertaining read with a modern vibe.

This is Book 3 of the Billie Levine Mystery Series and was the first one of the series!

The story follows Billie as she goes head to head with her business nemesis Jeremy, after both are hired my a couple... so naturally, things get a bit hairy!

I loved Billie, and it was great to see a fiesty woman taking a leading role in the private investigation world! She was so much fun to read about and follow in the story!

I also loved Gramps, and he certainly has still got the talk when investigating cases!

The story itself was great as I love the conflict between Billie and Jeremy, Gramps and his cleer ways of walking into places to interview people without suspicion and I love the story as a whole with the couple hiring Billie and Jeremy - it keeps you on your toes.

Kimberley also leaves enough crumbs around to get the reader involved in solving the various issues and mysteries that pop up in this complicated case.

While I read Book 3 with ease, I do think I'd have preferred to start at Book 1 and work through so that all the little Easter eggs in Book 3 made sense!

A great crime and mystery good!

Billie is back at it, risking her all for her detective job. With her grandpa’s help she takes on two cases, a possible cheating husband for which she goes undercover as an intern at a fancy clothing company and fishy stuff going on at her old campus.
I really enjoyed book 1&2, and this one didn’t disappoint. The characters are fleshed out well.
The chapters are short and snappy which makes it so easy to finish the book quickly.
I will say the only minus about the book and a running theme in the Billie books, is that she is in her early 20s, but some of her vernacular and references seem more like an elder millennial vs gen Z. Even so I would absolutely read a fourth book if the author decides to write one.

Billie Levine returns in Making a Killing, and what starts as a simple cheating-spouse case quickly unravels into something much darker. When Billie is hired to trail a possibly unfaithful husband, she stumbles into a tangled web of sexual harassment, corporate cover-ups, and workplace abuse. It’s a timely, emotionally charged mystery that feels a little different from the first two books but still very Billie.

This third installment leans more into social commentary than organized crime or black-market dealings, and I thought that shift worked really well. The mystery unfolded at a steady pace, and once again, I had no idea where it was headed. I appreciated that Billie stayed true to herself: scrappy, determined, and just a little reckless. We also see her grappling with the emotional weight of the case in a way that felt very grounded and real.

There’s less of the high-octane chaos we saw in Death of a Dancing Queen, but this story still kept me turning the pages. I liked that we got a bit more of Billie’s day-to-day work life, and how being a P.I. isn’t always glamorous. It’s stakeouts, paperwork, and sometimes walking right into dangerous power dynamics.

Overall, this felt like a more mature, introspective installment, but it didn’t lose the noir vibes or the emotional edge that make this series so enjoyable. I’m still fully on board with Billie’s journey and hope there’s more to come.

Thanks to Datura Books, NetGalley, and Kimberly G. Giarratano for this e-ARC!

Make a Killing by Kimberly G. Giarratano is a witty, fast paced mystery with the intrigue of an old school P.I novel. This is the third book in the Billie Levine series but it can 100% be read as a standalone!!

Billie Levine is finally getting her favorite type of cases, cheating spouses. Usually those jobs are easy money with a sure path to success in her field. But when Billie is called in to investigate one half of a wealthy power couple during a corporate takeover, Billie finds herself face to face with her handsome and confident rival, Jeremy Yang. Their rivalry continues to heat up while on opposite sides of the takeover, but when a series of seemingly unconnected deaths occur, Billie and Jeremy have to put their rivalry to the side and team up in order to stay one step ahead.

I really enjoyed this book! With a fresh take on the P.I mystery theme, Giarratano really stands out especially with her well crafted plot and engaging narrative. I really liked the witty banter and tension that was used between Billie and Jeremy. Billie as our protagonist is determined, ambitious and will not back down for anyone. A highlight for me was how Giarratano added well placed red herrings and twists that had me thrown in a completely different direction. Overall a great continuation of the Billie Levine series that will hook you in from the very beginning and not let go until the satisfying conclusion!!

Thank you to NetGalley, Kimberly Giarratano, and Datura Books for this ARC!! Publication date was June 10th 2025.

My Mae West's style review: "Billie Levine is back, and let’s just say—she ain't here to knit doilies. This one's got layers, laughs, and a bite sharper than a two-bit detective’s wit. She’s got a love/hate thing goin’ with that work rival, Jeremy, but sugar, isn’t that just the spice that keeps things interesting? And her private life? A little sad, a little sweet, but plenty enough to make you wanna tip your hat in sympathy. This ain't just a story—it’s a whirlwind, superbly plotted and downright impossible to put down. It’s the kinda read that’ll have you so lost in the pages, you’ll forget your dinner’s gettin’ cold. I lapped up every bit of it and wouldn’t say no to more. Strongly recommended, darling.
And to Datura for the digital copy—many thanks, sugar, but the opinions? They’re all mine, and I say it’s worth every minute."

(original)
Billie Levine is back and doesn't disappoint—this is another gripping, multilayered, and darkly humorous story.
There's a love/hate relationship between Billie and her work rival, Jeremy. Billie's private life is always a bit sad, evoking empathy for her and her relatives.
It's a hell of a story—superbly plotted, engrossing, and impossible to put down.
A novel that triggers a sort of hyperfocused reading, as you turn pages and lose all sense of time.
I thoroughly enjoyed it and hope there will be many more stories in this series.
Strongly recommended.
Many thanks to Datura for this digital copy—all opinions are mine.

Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this eARC.

This is my first introduction to this author, and Billie Levine is a wonderfully addictive character. I will read the earlier books in this series, but you can definitely start with this one!

Kimberly G. Giarratano’s "Make a Killing" is a sharp, witty, and fast-paced mystery that delivers all the intrigue and tension of a classic private investigator novel with a modern twist.

There is much to love with Billie Levine, a PI navigating the cutthroat world of corporate espionage and marital betrayals.

Billie Levine is finally getting the cases she wants—cheating spouses, easy money, and a straightforward path to success. But her rival, handsome Jeremy Yang, is making things complicated, advertising himself as “the man to get the job done” (cue the eye roll).

Their professional rivalry escalates when they find themselves on opposite sides of a high-stakes corporate takeover, each hired by a different member of a wealthy power couple. When bodies start dropping, Billie and Jeremy must set aside their competitive instincts and work together—at least until the case is solved.

Giarratano’s writing is crisp and engaging, balancing humor with suspense. Billie is a compelling protagonist—smart, resourceful, and refreshingly flawed. The dynamic between Billie and Jeremy adds an extra layer of tension, making their reluctant partnership one of the book’s highlights. The corporate intrigue is well-crafted, offering a fresh setting for a PI mystery while maintaining the genre’s classic appeal.

With its snappy dialogue, layered characters, and unpredictable twists, "Make a Killing" is a must-read for mystery lovers looking for a fresh take on the genre.

Oooh Billie. I love her so much. She is the perfect PI to read about - young, ambitious, not afraid of a challenge and doesn't take anyone's BS, no matter how much they are paying her. This book started out with drama and did not let up. I love how there are two stories and Billie and her grandfather split up to investigate. Watching them work together and seeing the twists that had these stories converging was so clever. There are a lot of characters to hate, thanks to the wonderful writing of the author - I am always impressed the characters are so vibrant that I have a physical reaction to them (cue a LOT of scowling). The writing is witty, slightly sarcastic and irreverent, and had the prefect pacing. I did not want to put this book down and I hope we get to see more of Billie, ESPECIALLY after the ending.

Giarratano has done it again! Billie Levine is back, scrappy, smart and sarcastic as ever.

I’m a huge fan of the Billie Levine Mysteries and the latest, MAKE A KILLING does not disappoint. Billie goes undercover in the glitzy and surprisingly deadly world of high fashion. Hired by a female CEO to catch an unfaithful husband, Billie finds herself in a treacherous world of corporate misdeeds. To her surprise, her biggest rival, Jeremy Yang, is also undercover in the same company, hired by the unfaithful husband. Jeremy refuses to tell Billie why he is there, which only aggravates Billie more. Her investigation quickly heads into dangerous territory, putting her and her young assistant Diego in danger, even as it strains her relationship with her best friend, Nicole.

It’s these relationships, with her friends, enemies and even her Gramps, which add so much texture to a twist-filled plot that left me guessing until the end.

While MAKE A KILLING is part of a series, it can be read as a standalone mystery. But, seriously, why would you? Read the first two in the series, DEATH OF A DANCING QUEEN and DEVIL IN PROFILE. You will be really glad you did.

Thank you to NetGalley and Datura Books for the opportunity to read an advance copy. MAKE A KILLING is out June 10, 2005.

PI Billie Levine has got a couple of cases to work. Billie works with her grandfather, a retired police officer. She has found her niche working cases involving cheating spouses. Katherine Von Holm, CEO of VHG, a company that produces high end travel products hires Billie and offers a lucrative fee. Katherine believes her husband, Heath, is having an affair and wants Billie to go undercover and work in the company to watch him. Coincidentally, Billie's PI rival, Jeremy Yang, has been hired by Heath, to work undercover in the company looking for possible embezzlement. A second case also has Billie's attention, June Tran believes her brother an investigative journalist was murdered. He was riding his bicycle. Although the police ruled it an accident, June feels his death was related to a story he was working on. A death at VHG office ramps up the undercover work for both Billie and Jeremy.

Billie is smart, tenacious, and works hard. She is basically the main financial bread winner in her family of grandfather William and her mother who has dementia. I loved the back and forth between her and Jeremy. The author does a great job of throwing out red herrings and adding twists and turns to the plot. This is the third book in the series and can be read without having read the previous ones. (I somehow missed the second one and am going to read it). I feel that there are more cases for Billie to solve. I can't wait for the next one!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher, Datura Books, for an ARC. The opinions in this review are my own.

I absolutely love the Billie Levine mysteries. They are full of lovable but flawed characters, tense plots, and lots of humor. This was another absolutely incredible book to add to this amazing series!

You might enjoy this most if you've read the earlier book or books in the series and know the story behind Billie Levine, ace PI, her grandfather, and her rival Jeremy Yang. That said, it's a romp that sees Billie and Jeremy on opposites sides of an ugly marital situation with corporate implications. And then there's murder. A bit silly at times but sometimes that's what you need. Thanks to netgalley for the ARC. A good read.

The third in a series, Make A Killing likely wouldn’t work as a standalone (I struggled somewhat just for having not read book 2). But if you’re able to hunt out the first two books prior to this one, I’d highly recommend for fans of PI novels such as Laura Lippman’s Tess Monaghan series.

Another fabulous story about Billie Levine and her PI business that she partners with her grandfather. A suspicious accident resulting in a death brought Billie into the investigation, and almost at the same time she was hired by a high end Avant Garde clothing company CEO regarding her cheating husband. Before long Billie is involved with both cases and their complex and devious actions.
The intricate plotline is an absolute delight to anticipate what could happen. So many unexpected twists and turns had me riveted and reading until hours past midnight! As all of the books by this author, countless details come crashing together for a shocking conclusion. This mesmerizing-captivating-enthralling-extraordinary book is the third in this incredible series.

I absolutely love this series! I’ve read both previous books and so was happy when I got approved for this new one. Brilliant crime books that you need to read

Cheating husbands are common, cycling guy’s getting killed, or college girl’s getting harassed rather less so. For a PI the first are a steady income, which is why Billie Levine focuses on catching men in flagrente. Strictly speaking, Billie isn’t a PI, it’s her Grandfather who has the licence, but there are places that young girls can go that old men can’t. Billie’s latest case is Heath, the husband of Katherine the CEO of Von Holm Gear (VHG)a major, perhaps the major, fashion store in NY. Katherine believes he is having an affair with Nina, a VP at a subsidiary company wholly owned by VHG, and employs Billie to get proof by taking the role of an intern within the company. Unfortunately, Heath has employed another PI, Jeremy Yang, to investigate possible embezzlement, and has placed him in a similar covert intern position. This is unfortunate because, in addition to having to not reveal each other’s real identity, Jeremy and Billie have history, of the love/hate kind. Separately, Billie and her grandfather are investigating a case of possible harassment and assault of a girl at a local college, which the college authorities have dismissed as a minor incident. And also the death of a cyclist, classified as an accident by the police, but which a friend believes must have been a hit and run, because the cyclist wouldn’t have come off his bike in that way. Three minor jobs for a young PI in need of money – until a death at the office leads Billie into a much larger and murkier conspiracy, and the three cases suddenly become part of this bigger picture.
This is the third in a series but can be read as a standalone. It is written in a style reminiscent of a golden age detective story, especially in its use of language, although it is not as hard-bitten as those, or indeed as the earlier books in the series. The use of separate plot lines which eventually come together is quite characteristic of the genre, so the trick is to keep the reader guessing about the nature of the connection, the real criminal basis for the apparently incidental separate investigations, the identification of the murderer and the motive. Since I didn’t spot either of these until late on, I have to rate the murder-mystery as a 5. That’s an over generous score for the book as a whole, but plot usually wins with me.
I would like to thank NetGalley, the publishers and the author for providing me with a draft proof copy for the purpose of this review.

Private Investigator Billie Levine works with her grandfather to solve cases at their PI firm. She is young but determined and has a thorn in her side when it comes to rival PI Jeremy Yang who has been stealing her clients. While Gramps works on the case of a young man whose family believes his death was not accidental like the police insist, Billie ends up on opposing sides Jeremy in the case of a wealthy couple trying to bring each other down.

This one was a rather average detective novel, albeit with a younger than usual detective. It compared itself to Veronica Mars without the charm of Kristin Bell and her hard boiled, seen it all world-weariness. I thought the character of Billie was a little too bland and unfinished. The cases were semi interesting, though I did figure out some of the ending which is always a bit of a let down for me. 3 stars for this run of the mill detective novel.

I received this advance copy from the publisher via NetGalley and am voluntarily leaving a review.

3.75 stars

PI Billie Levine is a great character. This second in a series mystery featuring Billie is a fun read. She is smart, independent, defensive, cynical and caring all at the same time. And tough -- don't forget tough.

Billie is in business with her grandpa, who is a long-retired cop. She and her mother (who is experiencing increasingly severe dementia) and he all live together. She has a brother who is in the mix as well.

Billie is trying to keep her family afloat financially by doing divorce cases and she is good at it because she is inventive and shameless in getting the goods on cheating spouses. Word of mouth brings her a big corporate client who allegedly wants to catch her husband misbehaving.

But the whole corporate setup is strange. This is not a happy workplace and the client is the queen bee who wields a tremendous amount of power and is not telling Billie everything. Meanwhile, another case may or may not be related -- the death of an investigative reporter who was looking into some fraud and also sexual harassment at a college.

To complicate matters, old frenemy Jeremy has been hired by the client's husband -- so both Jeremy and Billie are in disguise at the workplace as they try to find out what's happening. A dead body or two come along and the stakes increase. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

There isn’t enough I could say about how good this book is! I was hooked from page one, and I think my favourite thing was I was guessing up until the end and that is my kinda read! I couldn’t put this one down!

I loved every page I kept saying to myself “one more chapter and I will stop”, well that never happened, I raced through it as I absolutely loved it!

Three words to describe this book suspense-filled, unputdownable and an addictive page- turner with a wild unexpected twist!

You definitely don’t want to miss this one when it comes out! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️stars!