This was an entertaining read, not to be taken too seriously, but with some VERY serious themes of abuse and misuse of power. It wrote about a world that is alien to me. Fan zones, worship of television series, gossip about celebrities and internet bloggers. Consequently, at times I found it hard to follow, or even particularly care about some of the peaks and troughs of popularity. On the other hand, I was distressed by the human trafficking and misogyny. It’s a cleverly constructed narrative, interspersed with hashtag comments. I enjoyed it, even though it was different from my normal choice of reading.

Sleuths is a fun debut novel that is thoroughly of its time. It focuses on pop culture and super-fandom while introducing a dark and sinister plot possibility involving a celebrity. Incorporating social media posts and articles about fandom throughout the story makes for an interesting and enjoyable read that is certain to appeal to popcorn thriller fans who like to give new authors a try.

Melody is a fangirl: she is obsessed with the star of a British period drama and has created a popular fan social media account that analyzes the on-screen and personal activities of her idol. When he is captured on hidden video at an exclusive and secret night club with an unknown woman, the gossip begins to circulate. The fervor only escalates when the gossip account pulls the video a few hours after posting it. Melody tries to analyze the situation on a live video feed and gets massively misinterpreted, forcing her to close her accounts in the face of being canceled. She and two of her fellow fans embark on an investigation into who their idol's paramour might be, and in the process they uncover what may be evidence of a human trafficking ring. The plot is thickened by Melody's awkward involvement with a journalist whom she meets while trying to gain access to the secret night club.

The story is fast-paced and very entertaining, and while Melody makes some ridiculous choices, she is likable and easy to root for. The examination of the parasocial relationships between fans and celebrities is timely and spot-on, and this social commentary enhances the plot by making the story feel fresh and new. The author did a fantastic job of creating a fictional fandom very similar to the toxic communities that surround real-life productions and celebrities.

Thanks to NetGalley, the publisher, and the author for providing me with a review copy in exchange for my honest opinion.

A great read. Five stars. Thank you to the author, publisher and NetGalley for the opportunity to read an ARC

This book is already compared to Only Murders In The Building, but it really shouldn't be. It is its own witty and dark stands alone story and doesn't need the comparison at all.

That said, let's talk about how 3 fans of a sexy period drama and most importantly of all the handsome leading man stumble upon a very dark secret and set out to save the day.

Mel is floundering at work and in life. She is living the London dream in a tiny flat, eking out an existence, but her fandom page and socials dedicated to Larksholm keep her going and are the centre of her world, that is until one day a grainy video from a night club brings her (virtual) world crashing down and she decides to make it right by finding out the why, where and what for behind the video. Helped (and often hindered) by her fellow fans Aggie and Priya she delves into full detective mode little realising it's going to be taking her to the dark underbelly of London and far away from her beloved regency world.

So I really enjoyed this book, although a lot of the fan stuff passed me by as I have never been a super fan of anything, but the story was captivating enough to keep me hooked. It was witty and dark in equal measure, and I absolutely loved how they just kept coming up with such ludicrous plans that worked.

The only downside for me was the sex scene between Mel and Levi. I just didn't add anything to the book or the plot!

It's not easy running a fan site.

Melody is accused of posting a fake picture, when all she's done is post a picture of actor Griff kissing an unknown woman.

But when Melody and her friends try to prove the photos is real, and Griff is no longer single, they find a missing person's report instead of a girlfriend...

Brilliant

Improved. Investigated. Informed.

I’ll admit it: this book and I did not hit it off at first. The world of online fandoms and celebrity obsession? Not my scene, not my hobby, and not somewhere I’m hoping to vacation anytime soon. For the first few chapters, I was basically side-eyeing everyone.

But then… it clicked.

The writing is genuinely excellent — vivid, sharply observed, and surprisingly funny in places. And Melody, who initially baffled me, slowly shook off the fangirl fog and morphed into a rather determined little sleuth. Once she found her stride, I found mine too.

It ends up being a light, easy read that still manages to orbit around something far darker beneath the surface. And honestly? For a debut, Samantha Moody has done a cracking job.

My thanks to NetGalley and Avon Books UK for the ARC of “Sleuths” by Samantha Moody.

This book was a hoot! I really enjoyed it and read it in one sitting. Melody is brilliant. More please.

This may have been a slow start but the story built and the ending was exciting
An enjoyable read and would recommend

Sleuths is a sharp, funny and surprisingly tense mystery that takes online fandom, celebrity obsession and the chaos of amateur sleuthing and spins it into a story that feels fresh and hugely entertaining. The central hook is brilliant. A fan account admin posts a photo of her favourite actor and suddenly finds herself at the centre of a storm when the woman in the picture turns out to be missing. It is the perfect mix of modern paranoia, internet drama and real danger.

Melody is such a relatable lead. She is adrift in work, clinging to her fandom for comfort, and when everything blows up she throws herself into detective mode with a mixture of panic, stubbornness and charm. Her friendship with Aggie and Priya gives the book a warm, chaotic energy, and I loved the way they bicker, plot and charge headfirst into trouble. Every plan they put together feels just unhinged enough to work and it adds so much personality to the story.

The mystery itself is clever and fast paced. The deeper Melody digs, the stranger and darker things become, and I enjoyed the way the story shifts from lighthearted fandom comedy into something much more unsettling. The London settings, the nightclub scenes and the glimpses into the darker corners of celebrity culture all add to the atmosphere. There are moments of real tension tucked between the laughs, and the balance works beautifully.

Levi is a great addition to the group and brings a nice spark whenever he appears. The dynamic between him and Melody feels natural and believable without taking over the plot. It sits neatly within the story and adds that touch of warmth without distracting from the mystery.

Witty, engaging and far more gripping than I expected, this is a clever and entertaining thriller with heart, humour and a surprisingly dark edge. A great pick if you enjoy modern mysteries with messy characters, internet drama and a storyline that pulls you in from the start.

Read more at The Secret Book Review.

This was definitely an interesting unique read
I enjoyed it the characters were definitely interesting and the story was good

It’s defo a one that is a little slow to start but im glad I carried on! I really enjoyed the concept and thought it was a great read!

This book was a little bit hit and miss at times for me, I enjoyed the friendship between Mel, Aggie and Priya but can’t say I was sold on the whole fandom thing.

In the end I went with 4 stars because it was fun overall despite being totally unbelievable but I think that just added to the story.

This was a great debut and I look forward to reading more in the future.

Perhaps not as funny as it may consider itself to be, Sleuths is still a sharp satire of modern celebrity and stan culture, pitching an uber-fan as the unlikely Miss Marple uncovering her idol's seedy underbelly. Enjoyably prickly at times, Sleuths is 'Bridget Jones has a crack at solving a possible kidnapping' and mostly succeeds on those terms

I enjoyed this book once I got into it. At first it didn’t really grab my attention, but it eventually did. It was somewhat slow moving, and it’s written it British English. But overall, it wasn’t bad!

3.75 stars

I genuienly enjoyed this book. I will say that the beginning took a little bit to get going but once everyone came together and started actually planning things out and putting eachother to work it ramped up and became one of those books that I didn't want to put down. All of the characters felt like they were written very well and felt like they responded in a real way to the things happening around them, however I will never claim to completely understand the hardcore fandom individuals so maybe that isn't really how some of them act. I liked that there was a romantic interest included in the story but that it in no way took a front seat to the event they were trying to solve, it felt like an added bonus that made my heart happy.

Thank you to the publisher for the ARC. A refreshing and interesting read about today's society with some humour along the way. A good debut for the author.

An amazing debut book which I highly recommend
Wishing the author all the best with this book
And thank you for the opportunity to read this book

I had no idea what I was getting myself into when I picked up this book! But I absolutely loved it!
First it has a great mystery sprinkle in some bad guys and a charming love interest with a smirk I’m in!
The story follows a woman and her friends who are part of a community interested in a tv show and its actors and trying to prove an actor has a girlfriend but they stumble upon a shady club with gangsters and trafficking of women! I read this in one setting and truly hope there is a book 2!
#Sleuths #NetGalley.

When I picked up “Sleuths”, I was expecting a light, cosy mystery—something fun, funny, and easy to enjoy. The cover and title definitely hinted at a playful, fandom-centred story, and I was curious to see how the author balanced humour with a modern mystery. What I got was a lot more complex—and a bit confusing at times.
Melody, the protagonist, runs a fan site for Griff Beckett, a TV star from a historical series. When a gossip site posts leaked photos of Griff kissing an unknown woman, Melody jumps right into action, sharing the photos with her followers. But things spiral quickly when the site pulls the photos down, and suddenly, Melody is accused of posting fake news. That’s when the story really kicks off.
I really enjoyed how fast-paced and action-packed the beginning was. Melody’s work situations felt very relatable—her panic, her stubbornness, her chaotic energy. Her friendship with Aggie and Priya adds a lot of warmth and humour; their bickering and misadventures make the story lively and fun. I loved the dynamic between these three, and it gave the book a lively, chaotic vibe that kept me turning pages.
However, what started as a light-hearted fan-fuelled mystery gradually took a darker turn. As Melody digs deeper, things get unsettling—stalking, murder, human trafficking—all brought into the story with some intense scenes and warnings. There’s also a spicy scene that adds some heat, but overall, the tone shifts from comedy to something more serious, which made the book feel a bit uneven.
The central mystery became increasingly dark, and I appreciated how the story examined fandom culture and the dangers of obsession. It made me think about how fans sometimes live vicariously through their idols and forget that celebrities are real people with boundaries. That aspect was really interesting and added depth to the story.
That said, I did find myself questioning some of the methods Melody and her friends used to investigate the case. The in-person sleuthing and certain coincidences stretched believability quite a bit. It felt like some of their actions were a bit too reckless or unlikely for real life, which pulled me out of the story at times.
Pacing was another issue for me. The book started with a bang, but then slowed down significantly after Melody got cancelled, and the initial chaos died down. The latter half felt less urgent, and I wish the momentum had been maintained throughout.
Overall, it’s not quite a cosy mystery, not quite a rom-com, and not quite a thriller—it’s a bit of all three, which can be confusing. If you’re interested in modern fandom, internet sleuthing, and a story that mixes humour with darker themes, you might find it engaging. But if you’re looking for a cosy, predictable mystery, this might not be your best pick.
In the end, I enjoyed the quirky, awkward charm of Melody and the insightful commentary on celebrity obsession. However, the believability issues and uneven pacing kept me from loving it entirely. Still, it’s a unique read that offers a lot of food for thought about fandom culture, online drama, and the unpredictability of amateur sleuthing.

Fast paced, thrilling & full of humour ~ 4✨
Would I recommend? ☑️

• Murder, missing women & a shady secret nightclub…
• A toxic but surprisingly knowledgeable online fandom & a trio of friends who will stop at nothing to get to the truth…
• One infuriatingly charming but arrogant love interest & all the dry wit, sarcasm & dark humour you could hope for… 🟰One heck of a story.

~

Sleuths was the perfect balance of darkness & light. The fast paced gritty mystery had laugh out loud humour, found family vibes & a slow burn romance running throughout. I really enjoyed the inclusion of things like Aggie’s one liners & Priya’s innocent optimism which were always timed to perfection. However, it’s important to note that the hard hitting themes such as kidnapping, exploitation, trafficking & just downright shady behaviour were approached with great care & consideration.

Whilst I enjoyed Levi’s arrogant charm & Amir’s unexpected softer side, the female characters killed it. Mel, Aggie & Priya’s sisterhood was such a great dynamic. Their contrasting personalities made for some extremely entertaining moments but I loved how they all shared the same strong willed, determined, not afraid to jump feet first into the flames kind of nature. Yes ok, at times their behaviour was a little reckless. HOWEVER, it’s important to remember that their actions were always driven by a desire to help others!! Questionable behaviour with a strong motive - we’ve all been there 👀

~

As a huge true crime fan everything about this book jumped out at me. I loved the cover - the bold colours against the dark background instantly drew my eye & the mention of Only Murders in the Building was like a beacon calling me home (If you haven’t watched the show, I cannot recommend it enough. Dark comedy, unlikely friendships, murder mystery & more).
I appreciated how Samantha explored not only the toxic nature that some fan cultures can exhibit but also the community coming together/strength in numbers aspect.

Overall Sleuths was an entertaining, exhilarating read that I would definitely recommend. OH & that open ending?
I’m definitely going to keep an eye out for more of Samantha’s work! > If you enjoy true crime, crazy toxic online fandom’s, mystery & intrigue, strong minded females & a slow burn steamy romance - you should too!

~

❣️A huge thank you to NetGalley, Avon Books UK & Samantha Moody for giving me the opportunity to read this ARC. This is my honest opinion & I’m sharing it voluntarily.

twisty and intense thriller with a strong focus on fan culture. it all worked quite well. 5 stars. tysm for the arc.

This book was good fun, with lots and lots of twists and turns. I love any book that understands the power of fan...NO...STANdom, the most ruthless and investigative people on earth when it comes to the person or show they love. This book was fast paced and funny, and I think it'll be a big hit. Thanks for the chance to read and review this book!

Melody runs a fan account for her favourite actor Griff Becket and when a picture is posted online of him in a tryst with a mystery woman the fandom goes crazy and tasks Melody with finding out the truth and she ends up posting a photo of Griff kissing mystery woman but she gets more than she bargained for. The fandom turns on her accusing her of posting a fake so Melody turns to her internet besties as they use their skills to find out the truth. Sleuths was great fun I enjoyed it a lot. Everybody has done a bit of internet sleuthing in their day so the plot was somewhat relatable and all the extremes and toxicity of the fandoms were brought into focus as Melody sorts out the fake news from reality. It was all very current and topical. Good stuff.

A clever, cosy mystery that kept me guessing. I loved how the Sleuths are a group of unlikely investigators, each with secrets that slowly unravel as the story unfolds. I loved the sharp character dynamics and the way the clues are subtly layered without feeling predictable.

It’s an engaging, character driven whodunnit with a cosy vibe and a slightly darker edge perfect for mystery lovers who enjoy a smart twist.