This was my first murder mystery, and it was such a fun read! Pomona Afton may be a bit extravagant and eager to impress socialites, but when Conrad Phlume is murdered at her very first gala, she’s determined to find the killer. We follow her as she interrogates suspects, uncovers secrets, and forges new friendships, all while untangling the truth behind that night. The story gave me major Clue and Knives Out vibes, and I especially loved the unique touch of each chapter flowing seamlessly from the last. If you enjoy witty murder mysteries, definitely pick up Pomona Afton Can Totally Catch a Killer on April 14, 2026!

This book started off a bit harder to get into for me. It didn’t have the immediate charm as the first one, but the more I read the more I enjoyed it! I rate it between 3 and 3 1/2 stars! I definitely recommend this for anybody who likes cute and funny murder mysteries.

A few things I find myself admiring is the fraught relationship with Pom and her mother. This book isn’t all superficial rich girl solving murders. There are some deep emotional moments also that are handled in a way that remains true to the style of writing. I also appreciate the vulnerability and honesty that Pom shows to Persimmon that takes their relationship from frenemies to friends. With Pom’s relationship with Gabe fairly well established, it was pleasant to see the focus on female friendships. I also liked that Pom realized she didn’t have to give up all the things she used to enjoy in her party stage when transitioning into the New Mature Pom.

It was pretty easy to guess the killer, but I definitely didn’t pick up on how we would get there. I FOR SURE thought Lina would be involved somehow since she was going through the records in the basement and quit so abruptly.

I am hoping there will be another book in this series and that Pom will, once again, accuse her parents of murder.

This was pretty good. I have not read the first book yet so I didn’t have a lot to go off of as far as that. The banter was entertaining, but I did find myself bored.

Somehow this book is even more endearing and fun than the first. A deeper supporting cast and building on what we grew to love in the first book this one hits it out of the park as a mystery, comedy and romance.

When Atria invited me to dive back into Pomona Afton’s world, I was delighted—because let’s be honest, after the fun ride that was Pomona Afton Can So Solve a Murder, I was more than ready for round two.

And Pom is back in all her clueless-yet-stubborn glory. Honestly, she kind of reminds me of Meg Cabot’s Heather Wells: a character who is equal parts chaos and charm, and somehow manages to stumble her way through mystery after mystery with enviable style.

Now, about this second book: I’ll admit, it had a slower start. The whole Gabe proposal arc was a little predictable, and I didn’t feel the character growth from the previous book stuck around this time. But what kept me hooked was Pom’s essence—her messy family dynamics, her over-the-top backstories (the parent's backstory and their reaction? hilarious), and the sheer fun of being inside her world. Bellamy Rose knows how to keep a mystery witty, light, and deliciously dramatic, and that alone makes it worth the read.

Is this one perfect? Not quite. But is it entertaining, stylish, and exactly the kind of cozy mystery romp you’d want to pick up on a weekend? Absolutely. Pomona Afton is still that character you love to roll your eyes at—and secretly root for the whole time.

⭐️⭐️⭐️ — not as strong as her debut, but still such a fun, fabulous follow-up. If you loved the first, you’ll enjoy catching Pomona in action again.

Enjoyed Pomona in the first book, but found her less likable in this sequel due to her snobbiness and restored trust fund persona. Appreciated the light, not-too-serious tone of the book. Disliked Pomona’s relationship with Gabe in this installment. Despite some character issues, the book was a fun and breezy read.

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC.

Thank you to NetGalley and Atria Books for this ARC.

If you’re a crime stan and love Paris Hilton then this one’s for you!

Pomona Afton is an heiress to a hotel conglomerate. Known best for her partying ways and messy paparazzi shots. After solving the murder of her grandma, Pom is set on becoming the best version of herself by attending galas, galleries and starting her very own foundation that grants scholarships to young women. Where does one start? Of course a large gala to bring in the big donors! Little did anyone know that that gala would be the start of Pom’s second murder investigation.

This book was so very cute and a great reminder that we don’t have to change ourselves to gain our village.

This book was so fun! I was pleasantly surprised when reading it; I found myself enjoying every little second of it.

Now, I usually don't reach for a cozy mystery. I don't know why I thought I would find them boring as someone who reads dark thrillers, but again, this pleasantly surprised me.

I didn't read the first book in this series (was unaware it was a series). I just saw the cover and thought it looked interesting, so I requested it. Now, I will admit the first few pages are jarring due to the characterization of Pomona. She's not your typical FMC at all. She's a bit brash, shallow, tone-deaf, etc. She's the embodiment of the "fish out of water" trope where a rich person is ignorant of the lives of those that are not in her social class (which i'm assuming is tackled more heavily in the first book).

Once I realized her character is supposed to be the way that she is, it made the book so much more fun. Like this book is unserious, a rich socialite IT-girl solving murders, but even in the short amount of pages given, there was still some depth to the stories. In addition to Pomona playing detective (just interrogating people), we also see her having to deal with the tone-deaf culture around her (albeit groundly, she's still shallow😅), her navigating her relationship with someone from a different social class and caste from her entirely (as a romance lover; they were great in this novel, made me tear up for them), and as well as discovering that she has people-pleasing tendencies.

Again, this book isn't anything ground-breaking (there are a few spelling and grammar errors that i caught), but if you want something cute, cozy, and fun, then I'd definitely recommend this one. I would totally read the first book in this series.

Thank you, Netgalley, for giving me the opportunity to read this arc!

Spice Rating: 🫑/5 (no spice)

This was ok. I didn't think it was as good as the first. Gabe was one dimensional. Pomona was reverting back to her old self. Murder seemed flimsy.

Pomona Afton caught her grandmother's killer in the first book. Through it all, she fell from social grace and had to live like a poor person. It was funny. In the second book, her social status is restored but she is now dedicated to her new nonprofit organization. What should happen at her first fundraising soiree, but another murder! Pomona and her boyfriend work together to find the killer.

Pomona is unsure where she fits in her restored social strata. I'm not sure the author knows where to put her either. She seems meaner and more entitled and I'm not sure worthy of her normal, nice boyfriend. I felt like the writing was a little disjointed too.

Thank you to the author, the publisher, and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

This book was not for me, and I really wanted it to be! Pomona Afton is just coming off solving another murder in the previous book, and starting her own non profit, when a business colleague of hers is found murdered during her first ever benefit banquet.
I LOVE a good ditzy-with-a-heart-of-gold character which is what I went in thinking Pomona was (important note - I did not read the other books in the series so I went in blind). This was NOT it. No Elle Woods/Alexis Rose vibes at all. They were cute and sweet and genuine and low key quite intelligent (Alexis in her own way). The writing for Pomona was choppy and confusing. And Gabe! I wanted to love him too, have a whole Mr. Darcy vibe, but not. He was so boring.

Honestly, finishing this book felt like a chore and I had to reread previous sentences so often to try and make them make sense that it took me way longer to finish than necessary.

Thank you Atria Books for providing this book for review consideration via NetGalley. All opinions are my own

Super cute! It's like if Joanne Fluke's Hamnah Swenson series and Brittany Murphy's character from Uptown Girls did s collaboration. Cozy mystery with some NYC uptown flair mixed in. Quick and enjoyable read!

Pomona Afton Can Totally Catch a Killer was a sequel that didn’t quite live up to its predecessor.

Mainly, I had a really hard time finding redeemable qualities in Pomona. There was a lot of talk about how much she had changed from the start of the first novel, but some of her inner monologue just felt selfish. She’s very authentic, I’ll give her that, but when a man gets murdered, her main concern is that it’s a bad PR look. I mean I know the guy sucked, but still.

Things I liked about this book:
✔️Gabe (the only sane character)
✔️ The setting of the city & the little farmers market scene
✔️ Pomona’s strong sense of self

Things I didn’t:
❌ The style of interrogation felt very blunt. Pretty much Pomona would ask “did you murder them?” and then promptly move on. I guess she’s a trusting queen.
❌ Lack of character growth
❌ The dialogue at times. Some conversations didn’t feel real. Were used mainly as plot points.

Thank you NetGalley & Atria Books for an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

I loved this one even more than the first. Pomona is at it again. Solving murders because someone has to. I could not put it down. I love Pom, Gabe and Vienna even more. I know this hasn’t officially been released but I can’t wait for a 3rd in the series. I hope there’s a 3rd one.

It's so fun to be back in Pomona Afton's world. This sequel to Pomona Afton Can So Solve a Murder brings back lots of familiar faces and introduces a slew of new ones, keeping you guessing on who the murderer could be this time. While there is a side plot on Pomona's relationship, it's less of a focus than in the last book. This one is more of a cozy mystery. It's a lot of fun and a quick read.

Thanks to Atria Books and NetGalley for the advanced copy!

This book was a disappointing sequel. All of the growth and development Pom displayed in the first book seemed to vanish once she got her money back. Her character became so unlikable, it was hard to focus on the murder plot. It was difficult not to put down.

Pomona Afton is back, and she's throwing a gala to fund her brand new foundation and convince everyone around her that she really is a Serious Person now. When one of her major donors dies AT her gala and her best friend is implicated, her carefully laid plans are thrown out the window. Pomona can totally solve ANOTHER murder, right? This is book two in the Pomona Afton series, and it contains major spoilers for the first book if you read these out of order.

I liked Pom in the first book of this series, but this edition of Pom (restored trust fund and all) just didn't quite work for me. This book doesn't take itself too seriously (and I actually enjoyed that), but snobby Pom comes out a bit too much. I also didn't love her relationship with Gabe in this book. That said, it was an enjoyable, breezy read and I would definitely recommend it to folks who liked the first book!

3/5 stars. Thank you to Netgalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Pomona Afton sure does make investigating a murder FUN! Pomona Afton is trying to change the way people thought of her from “Party Girl” to “Philanthropist” by hosting an amazing Gala but one of her guests had a different idea. In order to clear her name , she and her boyfriend launch into their second murder investigation.

It was fun from start to finish. You get to see how the “rich” behave and live their life throughout this book. Though Pomona’s inner dialogue seemed to drag from time, it was still a humorous read.

I love a good murder investigation and this one was fun. How she busted the guilty party, I didn’t see coming. I enjoyed that this was not predictable and I was shocked in the end.

I hope Pomona and Gabe’s story isn’t over and they keep investigating together.

Thank you to Net Galley and the author for allowing me to read an advance copy of this book. It was fun, quirky, mysterious, and to the point. I was left wanting to try some of the delicious desserts mentioned throughout the whole book. I can’t wait to read more books by Bellamy Rose.

At first, I was a little hesitant since this is the author’s debut, but I’m glad I trusted the process—this turned out to be such a good book! The story pulled me in, and the ending was fantastic. I absolutely loved everything about it.

Thank you so much for the opportunity to read this wonderful book in advance! ❤️

I have to say, I’m a huge fan of stories that mix mystery with humor, and this one truly delivered. From the very first page, I couldn’t put it down the author’s writing style pulls you in completely, making it impossible to stop reading. I loved the constant guessing game of who to trust (and who not to!), and the touch of romance added just the right amount of charm and entertainment.
Overall, it was such a fun, captivating read. I genuinely loved every single part of it.