he Carpool Detectives: A True Story of Four Moms, Two Bodies, and One Mysterious Cold Case-Chuck Hogan-Publishing July 29th, 2025 by Random House.

Marissa, Jeannie, Samira, and Nicole meet at a Bowling alley and discover a shared interest in true crime. The four women start looking at a cold case from 2005 about a couple in their 60’s who vanish overnight. The couple business has mysteriously closed, and their bodies and car were found at the bottom of a ravine. This starts the women on a cold case journey to see if they could solve what the police never did.

This was an awesome book. Page turned. I could not put this down. Reading this feels like your side by side with these four women trying to solve a cold case.

Deadly book. If you love true crime, you'll love this.

Thanks to @netgalley and @randomhouse @randomhouseca for the ARC.

#nonfiction #books #booksaredeadly #booksbooksbooks #netgalley #chuckhogan #truecrime

The Carpool Detectives by Chuck Hogan follows a group of parents who team up to solve a mystery happening right in their neighborhood, and I found the premise both fun and relatable. What grabbed me was how well the story balanced suspense with everyday life. The characters felt real—flawed, but likable—and their interactions added a lot of heart to the mystery. It wasn’t just about solving a case; it was about the community coming together, which gave the story a warm, grounded feel. The pacing was spot on. It kept me engaged without feeling rushed, and there were enough twists to keep me guessing. Hogan’s writing is easy to follow, which made it a smooth read. If I had one critique, it’s that some parts felt a little familiar if you’ve read a lot of cozy mysteries, but the strong characters and humor kept it fresh for me.

I have finally made it through this book.
It's an interesting story about 4 moms and wives who become obsessed with solving a 15 year old double murder case. They spend every moment of their spare time reading, emailing, cold calling, researching this crime and make a lot of headway. There are times they hit brick walls and have to back up, look over things, then keep going.
They become personally connected to this case when they meet the daughter of the murdered couple, Carrie and her husband and Carrie's Aunt who is the sister of one of the descendants, and promise to solve the case.
One particular time when they are stonewalled by the retired lead detective on the case, Marissa makes a bold move and calls the ADA who is so impressed by the work Marissa, Samira, Jeannie, and Nicole have made he reopens the case and assigns a new detective to it.
As a reader I was very impressed by the work these 4 ladies put in and what they were able to accomplish while also being mothers, wives, etc during covid lockdown.
I was a little surprised and bummed how the book ended but completely, 100% understood why it ended how it did.
I also wasn't a fan of the constant rehashing of the case. I felt like I read the same thing over and over.
All in all it was an interesting read and as I said I was super impressed by these ladies!

This was a fun true crime book which is such an interesting genre! This book was set during the COVID 19 pandemic (which Id love to forget lol)..... but also relatable because we all had so much more time on our hands during that period. This one centers around 4 moms who are trying to solve an old murder case. It really highlights amateur sleuths and the power of persistance. They all found purpose behind their collective mission to figure out the murderer. Its amazing how ordinary people can really make a significant impact on solving crimes. Fascinating read.

The Carpool Detectives
by Chuck Hogan
Pub Date: July 29, 2025
Thanks to the author, Random House, and NetGalley for the ARC of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.
The four women have no connection to the case and no law-enforcement background, but the determined group find themselves in incredible and often dangerous situations–digging for evidence in prohibited ravines, scouring potential crime scenes for blood splatter, and sifting through pages and pages of dense police files. As they get more and more entangled in this complex investigation, they also find themselves in real danger—and with information that could blow the case wide open.
True crime stories are always interesting to me. The process of the investigation is intriguing. While this story did not focus on the gory details of the crime it was still compelling from a number of points. Naturally the mystery surrounding the deaths of two people and the familial response is what compelled these women but I also think the time and place is another story that is captured by this work.

An emotional and often terrifying odyssey through a DIY criminal investigation, The Carpool Detectives is the ultimate wish fulfillment for any true crime fanatic, an absolutely thrilling read for armchair sleuths and mystery fans alike.

Four stay-at-home-moms join forces to try and solve a 15 year old homicide in The Carpool Detectives. An elderly couple is found in their car at the bottom of a deep ravine. The police investigation determines it to be a double homicide, but the investigation stalls and is relegated to the cold case files. One evening, one of the four women, taking a journalism class, sees old film footage of the bodies being recovered, which piques her interest. She soon bonds with three other women over a shared true crime interest, and they begin to investigate the unsolved homicide. The four women, who each has a background that comes in handy, juggle their responsibilities at home with using their respective skills to try and uncover enough info to go to the authorities, all with the Covid pandemic in the background, with astonishing results. Quite frankly, this is one of the best true-crime books I have read in a long time. The author lays out the women’s steps in an easy flowing, concise manner that’s a pleasure to read. As a retired LEO who once investigated cold case homicides, the women’s efforts are nothing less than remarkable, given their lack of access to important documents and evidence, not to mention their relative lack of investigative experience. Against all odds, their perseverance and dedication to this case results in an unbelievable conclusion. This is truly an amazing story, five stars! I received an ARC of this book from the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Aside from not the most accurate title (as there was no actual carpooling) this was a riveting case from the start. I am one who generally likes the details, especially in true crime cases where I'm often questioning out loud--"well, what about this or that?!" Here you will learn even about the backgrounds of the four mom/investigators. And a little of that could have gone a long way. The constant Covid references were understandable at first but became tedious, especially because it seemed so blatantly inserted as to make sure you didn't think they were meeting without proper masking and social distancing. We get it. They were perhaps overly paranoid at first as many were, but they didn't let up for a long time. Perhaps they're still eating on a curb outside the restaurant six feet apart?
Overall I did like how the case unfolded and I felt like it was explained and written in a way that made keeping track of multiple people easier. I was very wary toward the end that we might not actually get any answers but they came, albeit maybe a little rushed and wrapped up quickly.
It looks like the moms may be moving on to solve another crime and if so, I'm here for it.
Thanks to NetGalley and Random House for this ARC. All opinions are mine.

The Carpool Detectives is the compelling and captivating story of four moms who take it upon themselves to solve a cold case that is 15 years old.

Their tenacity, strength and determination is admirable and they certainly would not take no for an answer.

Its COVID and the four moms decide to investigate the murder of an elderly couple who found dead in their car at the bottom of a ravine.

Zoom calls were the order of the day as the ladies navigate and learn throughout the investigaton.

There are twists and turns to the story and it is a fascinating one to read let alone try and solve.

It will have the true crime junky thinking I could do that but I know I never could.

I thoroughly enjoyed The Carpool Detectives and read it one sitting as I just had to know.

Thanks to NetGalley and Random House for the opportunity of reading and reviewing this intriguing book.

The Carpool Detectives tells the fascinating true story of four moms who decide to investigate a cold case. I was intrigued from the beginning by both the details of the case and the way the women came together through what was essentially a “COVID hobby” to actually solve a double murder.

I’m a big true crime fan, and this one worked pretty well for me. While the story was a bit disjointed and confusing at times ( especially keeping all the people and places straight), overall it was interesting and kept me turning the pages way past my bedtime last night.

An inspiring story about 4 moms who tackle an extraordinary feat- solving a cold case. Fascinating crime but the real story is in these women re discovering their identities after becoming mothers.

I just want to say that this book was a great read. If you like non-fiction and crime stories this is a book for you. The four women in this book are an example of people who will not let go of a mystery. . It takes place during the Covid years and it’s very detailed and very much like a crime podcast. I would highly recommend this book and give it five stars.

The Carpool Detectives is part satire, part mystery, and surprisingly heartfelt. When a group of over-involved parents form an amateur sleuthing team after a tragedy rocks their seemingly safe community, what unfolds is less Scooby-Doo, more Big Little Lies meets Rear Window. The tone walks a tightrope — equal parts biting social commentary and genuine suspense.

What makes this book standout isn’t just the mystery (which keeps you guessing), but the character work. Hogan paints each member of the “detectives” with messy humanity: flawed, funny, nosy, and shockingly capable when it counts. There’s a sense of escalation — from innocent curiosity to full-blown obsession — that mirrors the best domestic thrillers.

I’ve read and enjoyed other books by this author, so I went into this one with high expectations. Unfortunately, it didn’t deliver. The core idea—four women collaborating to solve a crime—had real potential. But that intriguing thread got buried under a constant rehashing of pandemic procedures and repeated reminders of how California handled things “better.” It felt more like a lecture than a story at times. I was hoping for a compelling mystery led by smart women, but instead I kept being pulled out of the plot by commentary I didn’t need. Disappointed, especially knowing what this author is capable of.

Four housewives in California are drawn into solving a 15-year-old double murder that has never been solved. With their lives upended by Covid lock downs, the four establish a friendship through zoom meetings and later socially distanced meetings in a local park. Putting their various background expertise to work after becoming stay-at-home moms excites these women and gives them a goal to attain. Getting minimal assistance from the case's retired detective (who cannot share case information) the four are thrilled when he tells them to keep going as they are unearthing information that the police at the time did not have. As motives and suspects start to shape the direction of their investigation the women suddenly realize that they are dealing with not just events from the past, but with a very much alive murderer(s). As their own safety comes into question, they begin to wonder if they should indeed continue with their investigation. Spurred on by a promise they made to the dead couple's daughter to find out the truth about her parents' deaths, the four continue sorting through the evidence and ultimately reach a conclusion that even law enforcement never saw coming.
Based on an actual case, readers will be drawn into the "whodunit" aspect of the investigation and wonder at the bravery and intelligence of these four "housewives."

I didn’t even finish this book. The beginning dragged and droned on and on. I feel like the introduction into the FMC’s life didn’t haven’t to be that long. Like we get it, you’re a stay at home mom looking for more.

Thank you to Random House for the ARC of this book. This is my unbiased review.

True crime stories are always interesting to me. The process of the investigation is intriguing. While this story did not focus on the gory details of the crime it was still compelling from a number of points. Naturally the mystery surrounding the deaths of two people and the familial response is what compelled these women but I also think the time and place is another story that is captured by this work.

The circumstances of the pandemic throw 4 women together as they become intrigued by a decades old mystery. The book does a good job capturing the pandemic and the attending response from the world: social distancing, Zoom calls, school at home so it becomes a reminder of our not so distant past. The steps the women take and the process of investigation mature throughout their investigation. They move from self doubt to empowerment as they learn not to take no moving from girls to gals to ladies. However, you also watch the women finding themselves as they navigate the investigation and a world held in the grip of the pandemic.

The story captures the resilience and tenacity of these women who would not take no for an answer. They solve the crime and grow along the way as do their children. My criticism is the title. I would have come up with something maybe a little less trivial and maybe the first 30 or so pages were a little slow but other than that it was a compelling story.

The Carpool Detectives is an absolutely fascinating true crime story of how four women with forensic investigative and journalism skills, find missed clues to the death of a California business man and his wife. The women are burden by pandemic homeschooling demands and their day jobs, but spend their free time researching the case that was originally labeled a murder suicide, but then changed to homicide. The amateur sleuths are so successful in their work, they are offered potential jobs at the sheriff's office or sheltering in the federal witness protection program. In the end, readers may be surprised the book includes a photograph of the women. Excellent read. Highly recommended,

I received a free copy of, The Carpool Detectives, by Chuck Hogan, from the publisher and Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. Nicole, Jeannie, Samira, and Marissa, are just living their lives until the pandemic happened in 2020 and shut everything down. These four women decided to investigate a crime, murder and money, from years earlier. This was an interesting read.

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.