Thank you to Random house and Netgalley for the free ecopy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This was a compelling story, I loved learning about the women and their search for justice. It was really interesting to learn about the case and the sometimes unconventional ways that they researched and found connections.

However, a major way this fell flat for me is that it seemed like Covid was the main character instead of the women. The constant mentions of isolation, masking, social distancing got very repetitive after a while. I completely understand the intention, the circumstances of quarantine led to the women’s time and interest in the case. But the constant rehashing and commentary about Covid took me out of the story a lot.

My favorite parts were the text messages between the women, their sarcastic quips and morbid jokes with one another. I wish the author focused more on the women and their relationships with one another. I also didn’t feel like we really got to know the women other than Marissa.

The ending was also not very satisfying since the killers were never identified. I would probably recommend fans of true crime to skip this one.

2.5 stars rounded up to 3

3.75 stars

When four moms meet up and, early during COVID, want something more to keep them busy, they find a cold case they want to investigate. Marissa is, in fact, a student hoping to become an investigative journalist, so this isn’t as far-fetched as it might seem.

Joel and Angela Watson had a company that was not doing well. They disappeared in May 2005, and were later found at the bottom of a ravine where their car had gone off a cliff. But it wasn’t long before the police knew it wasn’t an accident. One of their sons and a son-in-law were acting oddly, but nothing came of that in the investigation and the case went cold. In early 2020. Marissa became obsessed with it, and found three mom-friends who joined her in trying to figure out the case.

This is a true story! I saw it in the subtitle but didn’t quite believe it. But there is a picture of the four women at the end and an author’s note. There was much money/financial stuff that kind of lost my interest in the explanations as they investigated, but the rest of the story was interesting to me. I really like how COVID was integrated into the story (but then, it was real-life at the time). There was mention at one point in the story of a true crime podcast I’ve just recently started listening to, so that was fun. I was a bit disappointed in how it ended, though I suppose it had to go that way (and again, true story, so it’s not like it can be changed!).

3.5 stars that I'll round up. Overall I enjoyed this telling about four California moms caught in the Covid lockdown who decide to try and solve a 15 year old cold case. An older couple goes missing and is later discovered dead on a hillside, their car having gone over the side of a cliff. The sketchy son and even sketchier son-in-law promptly do a lot of sketchy stuff that makes them look guilty as hell, but nothing is proven. 15 years ater, enter the soccer moms. How they went about investigating this case is fascinating and worth the price of admission even if identifying details about the crime have all been changed for reasons that are made clear. But I felt totally let down that their "solution" to the case is a, well, definitely possible and reasonably probable, but still no more than an educated guess.

The Carpool Detectives by Chuck Hogan, despite not knowing why they’re called carpool detectives and that the whole book seemed one-sided when it came to discussing the Covid epidemic we all live through. once I got into the story I found it very interesting I really thought Andrew would definitely be part of the answer but the answer turned out to be much more interesting than that. This was such a sad story of a case that caught the attention of Marissa on a whim and although I really wasn’t sure how they all became friends they wind up solving the case through Zoom calls every other night Marissa contacting the detectives and interviewing most of the witnesses and those giving filler to missing parts of the story it was about Joel and Angela and their horrible murders. their SUV went off the side of a cliff in California and they were missing for almost a month but finding them didn’t give all the answers they needed and with the detectives the case went cold but when Marissa and her friends Jeanie, Samira and Nicole not only solved the case but invited the two detectives to explain it all to them and they were totally impressed. this is when the women’s elation turn to fear because the cops explained not only what the implications were for what they uncovered but how far they could take it. I really thought this book was interesting I could’ve done without the life story of each individual woman from the time of their birth until their marriage and children and I think that caused the book to drag but once it got into the nitty-gritty of uncovering the clues and building the story I really found myself intrigued and not wanting to put the book down., I was really impressed by what happened after they solved the Watkins murders especially due to the case they picked which wasn’t going to be helped by the Internet. This is a pretty good book if you could get past the bios on the women which were longer than they needed to be in one I definitely recommend I have read other books by Chuck Hogan and have enjoyed them so if you love true Crime this is a great one to pick up. #NetGalley, #TheBlindReviewer, #MyHonestReview, #ChuckHogan, #TheCarpoolDetectives,#RandomHouse,

Wow, pretty much sums up my thoughts on this book. It is based on an actual event, but the names have been changed to protect the privacy of those involved, outside of the four women who solved the case. This explains why I couldn't find anything in an internet search!

COVID was both a good and a bad thing, but for these women, it provided an opportunity to exercise their brains and discover something for themselves. They came in with fresh eyes to examine all the evidence they could gather and present it to the police and the ADA, along with their findings. These women were determined and, ultimately, successful. 

While this is non-fiction, it does read like fiction at times. Granted, some of the evidence was repeated multiple times, but it helped keep the facts straight in my mind.

This book is perfect for true crime junkies. I wonder what the ladies will work on next?

We give this book 5 paws up.

I loved this harrowing story of four moms who solved a double a murder. It's a true crime book which reads like a thriller. I enjoyed getting to know the four women and finding out how they cracked the case. Incredibly well done!

Four friends find themselves knee deep in a cold case of murder. At the height of the covid pandemic, these ladies balance the children's school work, family matters and anything else that needed to be dealt with. With this being a work of true crime, the names and specifics have been altered, but that does not taked away from what these ladies accomplished. They never gave up on their goals. A very well written perfectly paced story.

Four highly motivated and very privileged women band together during COVID to solve the double murder of a owner of a lighting company and his wife 20 years ago. Some surprising revelations from there determined work and skills.

A departure for Hogan and his terrific fiction crime writing but Hogan the pro that he is nails a fast pace read.

Highly recommended

Truly unputdownable and unique crime story presented in a compelling story mode that could easily be read like a fiction book. The title is very unfitting, as the ladies who try to solve a true crime didn’t meet at school carpool. It also makes the book sound like it will be a cute, silly mystery. It is not. I absolutely loved this one, and thought about it even after reading it.

This was riveting, inspirational, and downright frightening at times!

Four young moms facing the isolation of a pandemic quarantine band together when they stumble upon a 15 year old cold case involving an unsolved double murder. Their unique skill sets make them an effective team to dig for clues and follow leads that will take them into the very heart of darkness.

I don’t want to say too much and I won’t reveal whether they solved this case because that’s all part of the journey. I was glued to these pages and started it by thinking, “I could do this!”. But when it was over, I thought, “Never would I try to attempt something like this now that I know what I know!” I was glued to these pages, rooting for these women to solve this case. And in the end, I just stared at the wall, grieving for the very real people, especially the victims, involved because that’s what this story is really about. This is not fiction and it had a profound effect on my mind and heart.

Thank you Netgalley, Random House Publishing, and the author for this eARC in exchange for my honest review. This book will be available for purchase on July 29, 2025

An interesting look at amateur detectives- real life ones- who solved a very cold case despite a lack of law enforcement experience. Marissa, Jeannie, Samira, and Nicole turned their boredom and frustration into an investigation that surprised everyone. Know that this leans in on the COVID lockdown and let's face it, that was a critical part of all of our lives and it's important to this story. I liked how Hogan follows the paths the group took to get answers and that he allowed each of them to shine. Thanks to netgalley for the ARC. A good read.

This book grabbed my attention on page one and I couldn't put it down. I would recommend this book to library patrons looking for true crime, but also patrons looking for books about strong women. This would be a good entry book for people curious about true crime.

Unfortunately I really thought I'd like this more than I did! I am generally a fan of books with strong women doing cool things. This just fell a bit flat for me sadly. It moved too slowly and dare I say needed a better editor? The ideas were great - loved that it was set during COVID and this was well done and that it was a true story. All were elements that were successful. I found the title of the book a bit misleading and would suggest that be reconsider. This had a lot of potential for a reader like me but unfortunately my review is "just ok". But MAYBE it's for YOU! So give it a try! Thank you to NetGalley, Random House, and Chuck Hogan for the ARC in exchange for a review.

Carpool Detectives is a riveting and inspiring true crime read about four ordinary women who accomplished something extraordinary. With shades of I’ll Be Gone in the Dark, this book highlights how grit, determination, and sheer intelligence led a group of women—brought together by circumstance and bonded during the isolation of COVID lockdowns—to solve a cold case that had haunted a family for fifteen years.

Their story is a fascinating look at what can happen when curiosity meets capability, and it serves as a powerful reminder that justice isn’t always served by the usual suspects. Instead, it can come from a carpool of women who refused to give up.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.

I enjoyed this, a somewhat slow-moving chronicle of a group of moms diving into a cold case during the COVID days. Not surprisingly, COVID plays a major role in the story, one that the author told well.

I was invested in the tale, although it got a little complicated by the end with all the business mis-dealings, and I appreciated seeing the picture of the four courageous women at the end of the book.

All in all, this was interesting, a little slow, but worth the read.

Would I read more from the author? Yes.

I received a complimentary copy of the book from the publisher and NetGalley, and my review is being left freely.

Received an ARC via NetGalley.

I don’t read a lot of true crime and I probably should bc I’m sucker for the research and the how’s of the solve.

I found the story of how they got to the bottom of this really impressive. The women were so thorough and made so many interesting connections.

I really that if the women did keep going that we get more of their stories.

I am a big fan of true crime shows and books. The story of The Carpool Detectives sounded really interesting, especially since I grew up near that area. The main premise kept it going, but I am not a fan of how it was written. It was just too dry for me. I couldn't connect to the moms in the story, and I kept trying to figure out why they were called "Carpool" moms. It wasn't a part of the story.

It was also a little too repetitive for me. I felt like I kept reading the same information over and over at times, and I found myself skimming through it. I didn't enjoy the COVID-19 part being such a big part of the story. I find that I just don't want to read about it and relive it yet. I know it's a true story and adds to how everything went down, but some of the details weren't needed.

Even though this book wasn't for me, other reviewers have loved it. So, don't let my review stop you from reading it. It's the beauty of having different people review books.

Thank you to NetGalley, Random House, and Chuck Hogan for my free copy. This is my honest review.

incredibly interesting and well done true crime, real life based story about people who put in a lot of dedication and solved a tough case. 5 stars. tysm for the arc.

I have mixed feelings about this book. It's an intriguing concept, but the title is misleading. Four moms seeking intellectual stimulation during the pandemic meet and decide to solve a local cold case of a double homicide. Amateur sleuths have been an important part of cold case solutions, but during and post-pandemic, some have become the bane of law enforcement. I cringed when they misrepresented their credentials; I also wondered how they could be so naive, especially as the crime solution increasingly became one fraught with danger for them and their families. Still, their persistence and dogged ingenuity was impressive, and they even managed to get around the primary detective who stonewalled them.. The book grew tedious and repetitive in places, making me skip ahead, but the writing was otherwise competent. I'm certain that the experience these women had collaborating on a case was like many of today's amateur sleuth podcasters. There's excitement and breakthrough and a simplistic belief that it will all shake out for justice in the end. When the solution arrived, the case felt less enticing because it was impersonal.

This is the true story of 4 women who solved the mystery of a couple found dead in an apparent car crash. Overall, the author did a great job of setting up the story of the women and how they researched the cold case. I would love to know if they are continuing to look into cold cases and what else they've uncovered.