This is the first book in the Mandy Dyer Mystery series. Story follows Mandy Dyer, a recent divorcee who inherits her uncle's dry cleaning business. Her routine is disrupted when Betty, a local homeless woman, brings in a bloody suit.
The Suit is linked to the murder of a high profile lawyer, one if Mandy's clients. Now as she delves into the mystery, her shop is vandalized and Betty is attacked. With the help of her staff and a detective, Mandy navigated clues to uncover the killer's identity.

This book seemed like a blast from the past. It takes place in the 90s, but feels like a century ago. This book would be the perfect cosy to read/listen to in the winter, as it takes place in December. This book has all the elements of a cozy mystery and I found it interesting. I would definitely recommend others giving it a try.

ok so this was definitely entertaining to listen to.
A very cozy mystery that was very predictable at times.

I was constantly guessing until the end so that’s a win.

the narrator of the audio book was was good.

overall:
would recommend if you want something easy with just a dash of chaos.

Mandy Dyer is the new owner of a Denver dry-cleaning business just trying to mind her business and press some slacks—until a load of bloody clothes turns her entire life into a murder investigation.

Now listen… at first I wasn’t sure where this was going. I was like, “Dry cleaning AND crime scenes? What in the Clorox is happening?” But slowly, the cozy mystery vibes kicked in, and I found myself low-key rooting for Mandy like, “You better sort that evidence, girl!”

The premise is unique, and the writing is light and easy—perfect if you’re in the mood for something that feels more Hallmark than hard-boiled. The concept is fresh, the setting is charming, and I can totally see this being a great comfort read for cozy mystery lovers.

So if you’re in between heavy reads, love small business heroines with a knack for cleaning and clues, give this one a spin. (see what I did there)

This book had a very uncommon setting (a cleaners), a head strong (in all the right ways) FMC, and a mystery to solve! I enjoyed the knowledge of stains, the FMC’s ability to stand up for what she knows and how the story guides you throughout.

(3 stars)
Taken to the Cleaners offers a cozy, enjoyable mystery that fans of light-hearted detective fiction will appreciate. Dolores Johnson creates a likable protagonist with a relatable personality and believable quirks. While the plot itself is entertaining, the pacing occasionally drags, and some supporting characters felt slightly underdeveloped. Overall, it's a pleasant, relaxing read, ideal for an afternoon escape.

Thanks to Brilliance Audio & NetGalley for providing an audio ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This is a cute-enough little mystery, although it's not so great that it needs to be resurrected from the 1997 vault from whence it came. Mandy is an artist who inherited a dry cleaning business from her uncle (along with an ornery cat named Spot), and she runs the business with gusto. One morning, the "bag lady" (this is just one of the outdated things in this mystery) who comes by for coffee and a donut, a tradition begun by Mandy's uncle, brings by a men's suit she found in one of the branded dry cleaning bags used by the business; she found it in a trash can and is angling for a cash reward. Mandy gives her a $20 bill but opens the bag to find that the suit is splattered with blood. Then the cops get involved, specifically the hunky Stan Foster, who enchants Mandy (not that she bothers letting him know this, exactly, and seems almost to dissuade him from his interest at times).

Amateur sleuth Mandy of course goes way too far trying to solve the mystery and protect her homeless buddy from attempts on her life. I try not to solve the crime while reading, but it was practically a neon sign flashing while I listened to the audiobook. The writing is charming enough, and Mandy, while somewhat annoying, is not a terrible character, but the plot needs work (and less repetition). If you want a trip back to life before cell phones, this is a good one for you.

Emily Ellet does a fine job, but someone needed to tell her that Loni Anderson is not pronounced "Loney" (yes, there is a reference to "WKRP in Cincinnati").

2.5 stars rounded up. It was OK, but I'm not going to read another.

This book was confusing to me. I know that it was released in the late 90s but I thought that with the re-release, they would have updated it but that doesn’t seem to be the case and it is very dated – very little computer use, even less car phone use, smoking sections in restaurants, and who brings a jogging suit to a dry cleaner?!!! The mystery itself was OK but not overly different other than the dry cleaner setting. There is so much repetition and the main character can be somewhat annoying at time; the same goes for her best friend and her uncle. Not sure if I will continue with the series or not.

This was cute! I didn’t realize at first that this was written in 1997 but things made a little more sense once I knew that. I liked to cozy mystery aspect but I was still really surprised at the end. Quick read that still kept me guessing

Narration was really great and fit perfectly with the story

Taken to the cleaners has a fun premise, cozy vibes, and a likable main character — but the mystery itself was pretty predictable. I kept hoping for a twist that would throw me off, but it all played out just as expected. Full transparency though, I read alot of mysteries/thrillers so I do find that most new mysteries/thrillers I read are predictable :)

That said, I listened to the audiobook and really enjoyed the narration — it brought the story to life in a charming, easy way. I’ll definitely pick up the next in the series to see where things go!

Read if you like:
🧺 Small-town amateur sleuths
🎧 Light, well-narrated audiobooks
📚 Comforting, low-stakes mysteries

This cosy mystery was such an enjoyable listen. I loved the premise, the fun plot, and the cast of characters. Mandy made a great lead, curious and determined but also really caring, especially when it came to Betty. I liked how she pieced the clues together and took the investigation into her own hands. The mystery kept me guessing the whole way through, and I was pleasantly surprised that I didn’t figure it out, it wasn’t as predictable as some other mysteries I’ve read.

Originally published in 1997, with the audiobook released in 2025, it definitely had a nostalgic feel to it. The narrator was great too, which made it even more enjoyable to listen to.

Taken to the Cleaners
By Dolores Johnson
Narrated by Emily Ellet
Publishes April 15,2025

Dolores Johnson’s Taken to the Cleaners originally written in 1997 was a book filled with nostalgia for me as I am a 1990’s baby. This release is for the audiobook. The audiobook brought this to life, I felt like i was right there beside Mandy Dyer for all that she goes through.

Mandy Dyer ends up owning a dry cleaner in Denver Colorado after the passing off her Uncle. Life was sailing along with no issues until the “Bag LadY” Betty came in with a bag she found from the dry cleaners. Little did Betty know that the bloody suit she found was evidence in a murder. This suit ends up putting Mandy in the center of the murder investigation who happened to be investigated by Detective Foster the hunky detective Mandy finds attractive.

I love this type of cozy mystery, romance action filled book. There were many unexpected twists and turns and it kept me hooked and having to keep listening because I needed to know what happened next. There are plenty of red herrings that allow you to slowly piece together who the murderer was. But overall I enjoyed this book, it was a great pallet cleanser after listening to a few heavy reads. I felt like Mandy was so relatable and I really connected with her, because she’s always trying to piece together the puzzle and notices so many small details. The perfect neighborhood sleuth.

Thank you NetGalley and Brilliance Publishing | Brilliance Audio for the ALC audiobook. All opinions are my own.

Thank you NetGalley and Brilliance Publishing and Audio for access to the aARC in exchange for my honest review.

Taken to the Cleaners (Mandy Dyer Mystery Book 1 by Dolores Johnson, narrated by Emily Ellet. When Mandy Dyer inherits her uncle’s dry cleaners, she knows she’ll be dealing in some pretty grimy business. But when a homeless woman brings in a bloody suit, suddenly Mandy has a foul mess on her hands. Did the suit belong to a murderer—or his victim?

This book was your typical cozy mystery. Because it was originally published in 1997 there were outdated elements in the story, but they didn't take away from the plot/enjoyment of the story.

I found the mystery portion to be lacking in that I figured out the killer very early on, and I was frustrated that Mandy took so long to figure it out.

Emily Ellet's narration was perfectly suited to the pace of the book, but I found her inflection and pausing to be distracting at times.

Overall, I gave this book 3 stars.

This was a completely enjoyable cozy quirky mystery, it didn't bring anything new to that space for me which makes sense cause its a re release of an older title. I did enjoy the mystery and her pestery nature, but I felt that the mystery itself was fairly obvious and easy to spot early on. That being said I will probably listen to the next few just to see what happens with her and the detective, I'm a sucker for a pest/detective slow burn.

First and foremost, thank you to NetGalley and Brilliance Publishing and Audio for access to the aARC in exchange for my honest review.

I’m a sucker for a good cozy mystery and I loved Taken to the Cleaners! This book had the perfect blend of suspense, charm, and quirky characters. The narration was spot-on. A delightful listen for anyone who enjoys a lighthearted yet intriguing mystery!

This was a cute, easy listen and the narration was well done. I had no idea this was a book wrote in the 90s until I looked into more about the author to see other books. This was well done nothing outstanding story wise but nice easy cosy listen. Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for this audio arc.

This was such a good book. I loved the story and the writing so much. The characters were great and the story flowed smoothly. Will definitely read more books by this author in the future.

This book was almost exactly what I expected it to be, knowing it was a re-release from 1997. It lost one star for being period-typical "edgy", which I got tired of faster than I expected, and lost another star for an abortion joke. Pretty sure nobody on either side of that political line would find that joke funny.

Taken to the Cleaners is a cozy and engaging whodunit that kept me entertained. As the first book in the series, it definitely left me excited to explore more. While it has some dated elements, it didn't take away from the charm of Mandy's story and all of the likable characters. I'm looking forward to continuing the series and seeing how the story develops.

Thank you NetGalley and Brilliance Audio for the chance to listen to this book in exchange for my honest review. 3.25

First and foremost, thank you to NetGalley and Brilliance Publishing and Audio for access to the aARC in exchange for my honest review.

Review:
3.75 ⭐s rounded up to 4

Originally published in 1997 with its audio debut hitting in April 2025, Taken to the Cleaners was certainly a nostalgic kick for me as a product of the 90s.

Mandy Dyer owns a dryer cleaner in Denver, CO after the passing of her uncle. Everything in her life is going well, even with the recent edition of Spot the grumpy cat in her studio apartment. Until Betty the local bag lady shows up at the dry cleaner with a bloody suit in one of the cleaner's bags that puts Mandy smack dab in the middle of a murder investigation being headed by 'hunky' Detective Foster.

This was definitely entertaining to listen to. While it was a fairly stereotypical cozy mystery, the character, Betty, gave it something unique and fun. Foster was endearing enough, Mandy was sweet even if she didn't make some of the best decisions. I will admit, this one did definitely keep me guessing.

As for the narrator, I enjoyed her well enough, but every scene with Mack was...a lot. I didn't fully understand the vocal inflections she used for his character and at times, it was annoying.

All in all, it is definitely the product of its time period, but it was fun and lighthearted.