A Beauty Queen’s Guide to Murder and Mayhem is a witty, fast-paced, and refreshingly offbeat mystery that blends Southern charm, small-town secrets, and pageant drama with a sharp-tongued heroine you can’t help but root for. Dakota Green—sarcastic stable hand turned reluctant beauty queen—finds herself juggling gowns, gossip, and a decades-old disappearance, all to fulfill her late mother’s final wish and save her family home.

The story strikes a perfect balance between suspense and humor. Think Miss Congeniality meets Only Murders in the Building—with a little more Southern sass. The quirky cast of characters, from the fiercely loyal Aunt DeeDee to the smirkingly handsome sheriff, adds plenty of personality and misdirection to keep the mystery engaging. I never guessed the ending, which made the reveal all the more satisfying.

Narrator Katie Beudert brings Dakota’s voice to life with energy and ease, making the audiobook both entertaining and easy to follow. This is a fun, clever, and heartfelt cozy mystery with just enough bite to keep you hooked. If you like your murder mysteries served with high heels, hijinks, and a whole lot of heart, this one’s for you.

I loved this book! With charm, chaos, and a twist of danger, Dakota Green is the kind of reluctant heroine you can’t help but root for. Forced into a pageant she wants no part of—thanks to her late mother’s final wish—Dakota juggles sequins, sabotage, and a suspicious string of murders. Smart, funny, and full of heart, this page-turner blends mystery and mayhem with just the right amount of emotional depth. A total standout in the cozy mystery genre! 👑🔍💀

SO, to be completely transparent, I so judged this book by the cover and wanted to read it completely on the title and the cover art. Sometimes that works out great sometimes it does not. I am happy to say this time it worked out really well for me. I am very very pick on my cozy mysteries. Most I find boring and not a lot of depth. I mean I guess that is what makes them a fast read. This one though. Loved it. It was not boring, and it had depth, and it was still a fast read.
I adored the main character, and I fell in love with her right of way. All the characters were just enjoyable to spend half a day with. They all had layers, and they were all flawed but also just loveable.
The mystery was good. It was your standard average person finding a dead body and has to solve the murder with little help from local authorities.... but the setting and the characters are what set it apart. I loved the beauty pageant setting and then also being set in the deep south. LOVED it.

I can't wait to read more of this series.

I loved this book at the start! A fun summer read: a southern beauty pageant murder mystery. I really love the way the story is written in the characters voice… but the problem with this story is the pacing. It felt insanely slow at points. However, it is a really fun summer read. I could see this becoming a movie.

This started off with Miss Congeniality vibes mixed with a dash of Finlay Donovan - two things I love. The narrator was great, but the story fell a bit flat for me. It's a good read if you're looking for something quick and lighthearted, but I felt like it was lacking anything to really get me hooked.

3.5 ⭐️
I liked this book overall - it was enjoyable but not a standout read for me. The idea of solving a murder paired with a beauty pageant was one I was very excited for, and the story did not disappoint in this department. It was a very fresh idea, and a fun one at that. Definitely a funny, cozy mystery.
There were a couple of really good surprises and twists that were written in really well, which was nice and unexpected.

I listened to this as an audiobook, and the narrator was alright. I enjoyed her persona for Dakota, but didn’t enjoy the stronger accents that felt put on for the side characters.

Thank you to NetGalley, the author, and the publisher for a copy of the audiobook in exchange for an honest review.

This little cozy read was so fun! Fun setting, quirky characters and a brilliant FMC. I listened to the book and the narrator was sooo good! Definitely would encourage the audio version!

Thank you NetGalley & Storm Publishing for the ALC.

An absolute blast—sharp, sassy, and suspenseful in all the right ways. Kristen Bird serves up small-town secrets, pageant drama, and twisty whodunits with the kind of flair that keeps you hooked from the very first tiara toss.

The main character? She’s a total knockout—brains, wit, grit, and a closet full of sequins. There’s humor tucked between every suspicious glance and dramatic reveal, but the story never loses its emotional pulse. Underneath the glitz and gossip is a story about reclaiming your power, even when the world keeps underestimating you.

It’s Miss Congeniality meets Only Murders in the Building, with a side of southern charm and a whole lot of “did that really just happen?” If you love fierce women, clever writing, and a little chaos with your crown, this book is your next obsession.

This was a nice little cozy murder mystery set against the fun backdrop of a beauty pageant. It's pretty much exactly what you'd expect - pretty predictable what's going to happen with a few minor surprises thrown in. It's also definitely a little cheesy but that's also to be expected. I thought parts of this dragged just a touch as I figured out what was going to happen more quickly than the characters and was waiting for them to catch up. I didn't love the main character honestly, she had a really annoying "not like other girls" energy from the start that I never like, though it did get slightly better as the book went on. I really liked the narrator of the audiobook. Not sure if her southern accent was real or put on but I thought it was super cute! Added a lot of charm to the story. Overall this was a fun and easy read that I think a lot of people would enjoy.

Thanks NetGalley, Dreamscape Media and the author for the ARC.

Thank you to NetGalley, the author and publisher for an advanced copy to honestly review.

Kristen Bird’s A Beauty Queen’s Guide to Murder and Mayhem is an absolute delight—a cozy mystery that effortlessly blends suspense, humor, and small-town charm. Set in the quirky town of Aubergine, Virginia, the story follows Dakota Green, a stable hand who finds herself thrust into the world of beauty pageants after the passing of her mother. What starts as a simple, albeit reluctant, journey into the competitive world of pageants soon turns into a thrilling adventure filled with secrets, mysteries, and a decades-old disappearance.

Bird's writing is sharp, witty, and filled with warmth. Dakota is a wonderfully relatable protagonist—smart, resourceful, and refreshingly down-to-earth—as she navigates the bizarre world of beauty queens, all while uncovering long-buried truths. The suspense builds steadily, keeping you hooked as Dakota unravels clues and stumbles upon unexpected twists.

The true charm of this book lies in its characters and their interactions. Bird creates a colorful, engaging cast that feels alive, from the eccentric pageant contestants to the fiercely protective townspeople. Each page is infused with a sense of humor that lightens the darker moments, making it the perfect balance of mystery and fun.

For fans of cozy mysteries with a dash of Southern charm, A Beauty Queen’s Guide to Murder and Mayhem is an absolute gem. It’s the kind of book you’ll want to curl up with on a lazy afternoon—gripping, heartwarming, and impossible to put down.

This book was an absolute delight to read! It had everything I look for — engaging writing, memorable characters, and a story that stayed with me long after I turned the last page. The author’s voice is distinct and compelling, making it easy to get lost in the world they created, no matter the genre.

I'm incredibly grateful to the publisher for the early copy. It was such a joy to read this in advance, and I can’t wait for more readers to experience it. Highly recommend!

This was a fun cozy mystery with a bit of a different take than the usual. Dakota's mother left her a series of letters to read following her death, including one announcing that she has entered Dakota in the local beauty pagaent. Dakota is not thrilled to join but needs the prize money to save her family home.

When valuables and then people start going missing during the days of the beauty pageant, Dakota works to prove her aunt's innocence while trying to compete with the professional contestants.

There's nothing groundbreaking here - just a lighthearted cozy mystery with heart and humor. The narration was good as well.

Thank you to #NetGalley and #DreamscapeSelect for a free copy of #ABeautyQueensGuideToMurderAndMayhem by Kristen Bird. All opinions are my own.

Had me on edge till the last page. Such a fun and funny book. I loved every character even the not to nice ones. I can’t wait for the next book!Thanks NetGallery!

A Beauty Queen's Guide to Murder and Mayhem by Kristen Bird is a delightfully quirky and suspenseful audiobook that blends humor, mystery, and a touch of Southern charm. The story follows Dakota Green, a stable hand in the small town of Aubergine, Virginia, who is reluctantly pulled into the world of beauty pageants to fulfill her late mother's final wish. Dakota, who would rather face the Hunger Games than compete in the annual pageant, finds herself trading her muck boots for Jimmy Choos and diving into a world filled with secrets, rivalries, and scandal.

The town of Aubergine, with its picturesque setting and darker-than-expected undercurrents, serves as the perfect backdrop for Dakota’s adventure. Armed with her wit and sarcasm, Dakota navigates the cutthroat beauty queen world, determined to save her family home. However, things take a dramatic turn when the pageant owner vanishes, and Dakota’s beloved Aunt DeeDee becomes the prime suspect. As Dakota investigates, she must deal with the tension between catty contestants, a handsome but exasperating new sheriff, and a decades-old mystery surrounding a missing beauty queen.

Bird’s writing is sharp, witty, and full of snappy dialogue, making the audiobook an engaging and entertaining listen. Dakota is a fantastic protagonist—relatable, sarcastic, and full of heart—and her growth throughout the story keeps the reader rooting for her. The mystery itself is twisty and fun, with plenty of red herrings and surprises to keep listeners hooked.

The narrator’s performance adds an extra layer of charm to the story, bringing the colorful characters of Aubergine to life with distinct voices and perfect pacing. A Beauty Queen's Guide to Murder and Mayhem is a perfect pick for fans of cozy mysteries with a humorous twist, Southern flair, and a touch of suspense. It’s an entertaining ride from start to finish—full of laughs, drama, and just the right amount of intrigue.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an ARC.
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This was a fun, interesting listen. Perfect for fans of mysteries but also Miss Congeniality and Dumplin'.

A Beauty Queen’s Guide to Murder and Mayhem is a fun cozy mystery that delves into the world of pageantry. Blended with familial connections, dark family secrets, feminism, and financial class, this story will keep you intrigued and reading even if you aren’t typically a cozy mystery reader.

I listened to the audiobook version of this story, which was performed well by a single narrator. I listened at 1.75x speed (1.75x is my normal audiobook listening speed).

Thank you NetGalley and Dreamscape Select for this advanced audiobook copy.

Kristen Bird’s *A Beauty Queen’s Guide to Murder and Mayhem* has an intriguing concept—mixing Southern charm, dark secrets, and a touch of true crime—but the execution doesn’t fully live up to its potential. While the book offers moments of wit and suspense, it struggles with pacing and depth, making for an uneven reading experience.

The strongest aspect of the novel is its setting and atmosphere. Bird captures the world of beauty queens and small-town intrigue well, infusing the story with Southern flair. The premise is engaging, blending mystery and social commentary in a way that feels fresh.

However, the pacing can be inconsistent. Some sections drag with too much exposition, while key plot moments feel rushed. The characters, though interesting, sometimes lack the depth needed to make their motivations and actions feel fully believable. There’s also a tendency to rely on telling rather than showing, which can make the narrative feel distant rather than immersive.

Despite these flaws, *A Beauty Queen’s Guide to Murder and Mayhem* still offers a light, entertaining mystery with a unique premise. Readers who enjoy quirky crime fiction with a Southern twist may find it worth a read, but those looking for a tightly plotted, deeply engaging thriller might be left wanting more. ★★★☆☆

Thank you to the author, narrator, publisher and Net Galley for providing a free audio version of this book in exchange for my review.

This is more of a COZY mystery than a true history, in my opinion, but it was a good read. Amateur sleuthing, silly hijinks and little romance made for an enjoyable read.

Readers of light, cozy mysteries will probably enjoy this one.

3 stars.

This was a pretty solid cozy mystery. Dakota was a likeable and compelling character, and I appreciated that while at first glance she was "not like other girls," she really showed a lot of introspection and ended up growing by the end. The friendships between her and the other contestants were heartwarming too.
I think the mystery plot had some room for growth in the way it was paced, but it did throw in a surprise that worked well.

A fun and easy read full of an endearing main character, hilarious and supportive side characters, an intriguing murder mystery, and the glamorous setting of a small-town pageant. This gave me major Miss Congeniality vibes. Readers who love a cozy mystery with an amateur sleuth will be a fan of this!