Don’t Cross Mo Ellery by Birdie Horne is such a chaotic, fun ride.

The book kicks off with Mo’s 29th birthday going spectacularly off the rails—she accidentally exposes her boyfriend on a work Zoom (yes, like that), and somehow ends the day fired, single, and apartment-less. Rock bottom. But then she becomes a school crossing guard purely for the health insurance, which honestly feels very relatable.

From there, things only get weirder. There’s a guy known as Poodle Dude who speeds through her intersection every morning… until he drives straight into a sinkhole and dies. Mo accidentally ends up in charge of his three very high-maintenance poodles, and somehow also gets pulled into a murder investigation because the neighborhood is convinced something shady happened.

The mystery part is fun, but what really makes the book work is Mo. She’s messy, impulsive, newly embracing her bisexuality, and just trying to survive adulthood. The side characters are quirky in a way that feels cartoonish but still grounded enough to work.

Overall, it’s funny, a little absurd, and perfect if you like amateur sleuth stories with strong chaotic energy. It doesn’t take itself too seriously, and that’s kind of the point.

I absolutely adored this book!
Mo was the most fun and chaotically relatable protagonist that I have read in a long time — it was a breath of fresh air!
The pacing of the ‘whodunnit’ story kept me engaged and hooked the entire time. Typically, I can predict the endings of books like these, but genuinely this kept me on my toes.
The way everything was slowly dropped and woven together was EXQUISITE! This is going on my “recommend and reread” list for sure !!

I received a gifted advance copy from William Morrow Books and Birdie Horne, but wrote this review on my my own :)

This book was an absolute delight 😂🔍🐩. Equal parts mystery, comedy, and chaos, it follows Mo Ellery, a lovable hot mess whose life completely implodes on her 29th birthday. After accidentally getting her boyfriend's private parts exposed during a work video call 😳💻, she somehow manages to get fired, dumped, and kicked out of her apartment all in one spectacular disaster.

Looking for a fresh start, Mo takes a job as a school crossing guard, figuring it will at least provide health insurance 🚸✨. What she doesn't expect is to become tangled up in a bizarre murder investigation after her least favorite neighborhood resident, known only as "Poodle Dude," crashes into a sinkhole and dies in spectacular fashion. Even worse? Mo somehow ends up responsible for his three ridiculously spoiled poodles 🐩🐩🐩.

As neighbors start whispering that Poodle Dude may have been murdered, Mo reluctantly gets involved. Between eccentric locals, suspiciously attractive neighbors, a fearless tween tech genius, and three demanding dogs, her amateur sleuthing adventure quickly spirals out of control 😆🔎.

What I liked 💕 was Mo herself. She's funny, messy, relatable, and constantly finding herself in situations that somehow get worse before they get better. I also loved the humor throughout the story. The mystery is engaging, but it's the quirky characters and laugh out loud moments that really make this book shine. And honestly, the poodles practically deserve their own fan club 🐩😂❤️.

Overall, this is a charming, hilarious cozy mystery filled with eccentric characters, ridiculous situations, and plenty of heart 📚✨. If you love amateur sleuths, quirky communities, adorable dogs, and mysteries that don't take themselves too seriously, Don't Cross Mo Ellery is an incredibly fun read 🐩💛🔍😂.