A Captivating Dive into True Crime, With a Few Bumps in the Road

The Carpool Detectives offers an undeniably intriguing premise: a group of true-crime-obsessed moms decide to tackle a baffling cold case, spurred on by the unique circumstances of the pandemic. As someone who enjoys a good real-life mystery, I was immediately drawn into the story of Marissa, Jeannie, Samira, and Nicole. Their transition from full-time careers to full-time parenting, followed by the quietude of lockdown, provides a genuinely clever and relatable backdrop for their amateur sleuthing.

The individual strengths each woman brings to the "Carpool Detectives Club" are well-defined and contribute effectively to the investigation. Marissa's forensic accounting skills, Jeannie's journalistic instincts, Samira's drive, and Nicole's research prowess make them a formidable, if unconventional, team. The detailed exploration of their DIY investigation, from poring over old documents to connecting with witnesses and experts (who suddenly have time on their hands!), is truly the highlight of the book. It's a fascinating look at the nitty-gritty of cold case work from a fresh perspective, and the breakthroughs they achieve are genuinely thrilling.

The narrative excels when it focuses on the women's dedication, their growing bond, and the intricacies of the mystery itself. The sense of "wish fulfillment" for true crime fans is absolutely delivered. However, the story occasionally veers into territory that feels a bit more fictionalized than a "true story" might suggest, particularly as the women find themselves in "real danger" and an Assistant District Attorney almost immediately enlists them in the official investigation. While exciting, these elements sometimes push against the more grounded, "everyday moms" charm that makes the initial premise so appealing.

The book is an engaging and often exhilarating read. It's filled with heart, a compelling mystery, and provides a unique angle on the true crime genre. Fans of amateur sleuths and anyone who's ever thought, "I could solve that!" will find a lot to love here.

From page one…to the last page…moms detecting…bored with their every day lives…excitement…disappearances…children and families…the recipe for suspense…enjoy this mystery by a talented author…this is a good read for an afternoon escape…thanks Netgalley.

I received a copy for review. All opinions are my own. This book is the definition of true crime these days. The 4 women who got together starting during the boring days of the pandemic, and worked on this case is a great example of the good parts of “armchair detectives”. As someone into true crime myself, I thoroughly enjoyed learning about how these ladies got drawn into an old case and worked together on it. I’ve never heard of anything truly like this before so this was a really great read!

During COVID, four mothers work together to try to solve a more than decade old cold case mystery involving the homicide of a business owner and his wife.

Although it reads like a novel, this is a true crime account, with names of all but the “carpool detectives” and some aspects of the story changed. It was interesting to learn the backgrounds of these amateur sleuths and how their histories led to their interest in this case. I get that trying to do this during COVID while caring for one’s family was very difficult, but I thought sometimes the narrative dwelled on that a bit too much.

The author takes time to fully develop the characters involved in the case, and as with any murder, there are red herrings and twists in the investigation. It truly is incredible how much information these four women uncovered, despite being hampered by COVID restrictions and initial reluctance on the part of law enforcement to share details. I thought the ending felt a bit rushed. I would have preferred more time spent on the unraveling of the solution and all the logistics to truly understand it.

This read is a great treat and perhaps a motivator for armchair detectives!

The Carpool Detectives Club is a twisty ride with serious PTA-meets-Dateline energy. The idea of four moms using their pandemic downtime to crack a cold case is undeniably compelling, and parts of the story deliver that sweet spot between true crime and suburban chaos. But while the premise is killer, the pacing drags and the tone sometimes teeters between earnest and over-the-top. I wanted more grit, fewer mommy-blog vibes. Still, the real-life stakes and moments of genuine danger make this worth the read—just go in expecting more wine-sipping sleuths than hardened investigators.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Random House providing me with an eARC of The Carpool Detectives: A True Story of Four Moms, Two Bodies, and One Mysterious Cold Case prior to its publication.

Overall, I enjoyed the book and the premise. I also liked that it felt like I was listening to a true crime podcast or watching a true crime tv show. there was definitely some repetition that I ended up skimming at times. Overall it was an enjoyable read.

Great read by the author of the book that became the movie The Town. 4 moms team up during Covid to dig into a missing-persons-turned-murder case. Super read for your true crime fans, with a twist at the end that I didn't see coming. I was a tad put off by the title - these were professional, educated women who would bristle at being summed up by driving carpool - but the author treated this area well by hitting on the identity issues that ran alongside the investigation.

Thank you, Random House for providing the copy of The Carpool detectives by Chuck Hogan. I used to read lots of True Crime and loved Ann Rules’ books. This one was different because it focused more on the women who tried to solve the murders instead of being about the murders. While it was a good story, I didn’t find it interesting learning about how the women responded to Covid and how they met. I think readers who listen to true crime podcasts and think about solving murders would love this book. It just wasn’t really for me. 3 stars

Thank you NetGalley for an advance copy of this book. It is considered non-fiction and is a true story about a group of women in the LA area who worked to solve an older crime in the midst of the pandemic. I loved the premise of the story and how the author included the details of each of the “detectives” into the narrative.

It is not until the last pages of the book do we learn what happened and a little bit of an unsatisfactory ending for me because even though we have an idea of who did the crime, pushing any other action toward is complicated.

It reads a little like a Dateline episode and I found it repetitive in some parts. However, I love the idea of working moms partnering to solve crime and would join that group in a minute

I was intrigued by the subject matter but it felt repetitive when introducing new characters. I was also not overly interested in figuring out what happened to the couple that was killed and never connected with any of the characters. It also did not feel like a true crime but more like a fictional story.

I absolutely loved THE CARPOOL DETECTIVES by Chuck Hogan. Like many people, I watch and read a lot of true crime. Since my high school days when I took my first psychology elective, I’ve been fascinated by the whole “what makes people tick?” question. That’s probably what led to me studying forensic psychology for my Masters degree. The four women in this book, Marissa, Jeannie, Samira, and Nicole each find themselves kind of questioning what’s next in their lives….married, with children,and in the midst of COVID limiting their social lives, they each feel like a small part of themselves is missing…the piece of them that is just for them. So when Marissa sees a piece of a news clip of an unsolved double homicide, it snags her interest and eventually takes over a big chunk of her life. She enlists the help of the other three women and the join forces determined to solve the cold case.

I was amazed at how hard these women worked. It wasn’t just a half hour here or there in their free time. They committed and worked extremely hard, each bringing their own specific talents to the hunt, and often going out of their comfort zones to follow where the clues took them. They put themselves in actual danger at times. Once they met the daughter of the murdered couple, it was clear that motivated them even more…they so desperately wanted to give her closure.

Their identities had to be hidden/names changed for their protection for this book, which alone shows how much of a risk they took fighting to solve this case with the people they were up against.
The writing style of the book is casual enough to pull me right in from the very first page. I felt like I knew these women, or at least wanted to know them.

If you enjoy true crime, I highly recommend you add this one to your TBR list immediately.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Thank you to the author, publisher and netgalley for the opportunity to read this advanced reader copy in exchange for my honest review.
Release date July 29, 2025

The Carpool Detectives by Chuck Hogan is a mystery novel that brings together the seemingly ordinary world of a suburban carpool with the intrigue of a missing persons case. The story unfolds as a group of parents, who regularly carpool their children to school, find themselves drawn into a real-life mystery when one of their own suddenly disappears.

The characters, initially bound by their shared routine and the common goal of getting their kids to school, must now navigate a world of secrets, suspicion, and danger. As they begin to investigate, they discover that there is far more to their fellow carpoolers—and their seemingly idyllic community—than they ever imagined.

The Carpool Detectives is a compelling mystery that combines suspenseful plotting with rich character development. Chuck Hogan's skill in crafting believable scenarios and exploring the hidden depths of ordinary people makes this a satisfying and thought-provoking read. It will appeal to readers who enjoy mysteries with a strong sense of realism and a focus on the complexities of human relationships.