Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the advanced copy of this book in exchange for my honest personal review. This is such an enjoyable series that I was sad to hear it would be the last one, I will miss the crazy adventures of Jaine and her cat Prozac (especially Prozac). This time around Jane is hired to help write a fitness book for a very unlikable gentleman. She boards a train with him and his family and staff for a getaway weekend where wouldn't you know it, a murder occurs. Jaine has extra motive to solve this mystery considering she is the main suspect! Absolutely a great cozy mystery.

Murder Buys a One-Way Ticket is the 20th (and final) light cozy mystery featuring freelance writer Jaine Austen and her saucy cat Prozac written by Laura Levine. Released 25th June 2024 by Kensington, it's 240 pages and is available in hardcover and ebook formats. It's worth noting that the ebook format has a handy interactive table of contents as well as interactive links and references throughout.

This is a very very light, fun, tongue-in-cheek series with a cast of appealingly goofy characters and a high silliness factor. Perfect beach/commute reading material, it's always tongue-in-cheek and occasionally quite silly. The dialogue (and situations) are over-the-top and are more reminiscent of a Scooby Do/I Love Lucy crossover.

This episode sees Jaine agreeing to ghost write an exercise guru's memoir/guide. A closed suspect pool (a private train) and the unlamented death of the larger than life and entirely unlamented fitness personality has Jaine and Prozac (the cat) on one final ride.

Although it's the 20th (and apparently final) episode (may Ms. Levine enjoy her retirement!!), it works perfectly well as a standalone. The returning characters' relationships have developed over the course of the series, though... and there will be some spoilers for earlier books if read out of order.

Four stars. Light, entertaining, happy and fun. It would be a great choice for public library, home use, or for a long buddy/binge read.

Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.

This is a light, fluffy series, and this book fits right in. As long as readers accept it for that, they will enjoy it. Jane and Prozac are great, but Jane's parents are the true stars for me.

Wow the last book! I have read and enjoyed every book in this series. I will not give away the ending but wow! Jaine and Prozac feels like old friends. Thank you Laura for all the wonderful adventures.
#MurderBuysaOneWayTicket #NetGalley

This is the first book I have read in the series. I have read her other books with other authors. It was a lot of fun and exciting to read. Jaine is a real character in this book. I want to try to read the old ones in the series. Well with the the most interesting ending maybe the author will write another book in this series who knows??? Also what an interesting name to use Jaine Auston.

A delightful and witty addition to the Jaine Austen series. The story blends humor, intrigue, and charming characters. The plot is well paced with red herrings and twists and turns and I was kept guessing. I love snarky Prozac!
Many thanks to Kensington and to Netgalley for providing me with a galley in exchange for my honest opinion.

Murder Buys a One'Way Ticket by Laura Levine is the twentieth book in Jaine Austen Mystery series.

It is a quick, silly and enjoyable cozy mystery. It is written for entertainment purposes with a lot of humor thrown in, so it is a bit over the top but readers know what to expect from this series.
Jaine is still her likeable, funny and highly entertianing and amusing self. Prozac is the star of the show as always.
Side characters are bit exaggerated but very graphic.
The book is steady paced and easy to read.
Mystery was well done and nicely explained.
This series is in my opinion best described as humorous cozy mystery and it justifies that title.

This is book 20 in the Jaine Austen series and it looks like the end of a great cozy series. Janie is hired to write the biography of Chip Miller , The Iron Man. She and Prozac are invited to ride on his private rail car with his family for a weekend. It's perfect for starting the book. When he dies she becomes one of the prime suspects but then, everyone on the ride has motive to want hi dead.

Murder Buys a One-Way Ticket by Laura Levine is an exhilarating and cleverly crafted cozy mystery that takes readers on a thrilling ride! The story follows Jaine Austen, a sharp-witted amateur detective, who finds herself entangled in a murder case while on a trip that goes terribly awry. Levine’s writing is sharp and witty, blending humor with suspense seamlessly. The plot is fast-paced and full of unexpected twists, keeping you guessing until the very end. Jaine’s endearing personality and the well-developed characters add depth to the story. If you enjoy cozy mysteries with a touch of humor, a dash of adventure, and a strong, relatable protagonist, Murder Buys a One-Way Ticket is a must-read!

Princess Fuzzypants here: This is a series that never fails to make me laugh. It is not Jaine’s certifiable father nor her long suffering mother. It is not Lance her high maintenance neighbour. It is not even Jaine. Prozac, the kitty, cracks me up and this was no exception. This time Jaine has a writing gig that sounds too good to be true. Ghost write a fitness book and start on a private set of railway cars going first class all the way. What she does not realize going in is the guy is a raging and nasty megalomaniac whose vicious personality is about to be snuffed out.

There is no shortage of people this man has used and abused. They all had opportunity. Now whodunit?

Jaine’s romantic life might have also improved greatly. She discovers someone with who she shares a lot in common who is, by the way, drop dead gorgeous. Even Prozac approves. The only problem is Jaine is not sure if he might be the killer. She learns that identity the hard way and the killer is ready to murder her. The ending is highly satisfying especially for one member of the cast of characters as the epilogue proves. Lots of fun, lots of chortles and a quick and easy read. What more could you ask? Five purrs and two paws up.

While “Murder Buys a One-Way Ticket” by Laura Levine is reportedly the final installment in the Jaine Austen Mystery series, readers new to the series will be happy to know there are 20 books total to enjoy!

In this hilarious, fast-paced mystery, struggling freelance writer Jaine Austen gets what she hopes is a lucky break – she’s hired to ghostwrite a fitness book for Chip Miller, aka Iron Man, a wealthy gym chain owner. While Jaine might enjoy scoops of ice cream more than working out at the gym, she’s happy to have a project with a pretty hefty paycheck. And to kick off this new writing project, Chip invites Jaine to join his family and associates on an exclusive train ride from Los Angeles to Santa Barbara. He even tells Jaine to bring her feisty cat Prozac along, too!

Once on board, Jaine quickly realizes that Chip is an egotistical tyrant, bullying all those around him, and as a result everyone on board seems to despise Chip. Readers won’t be surprised, then, when Chip is found murdered in his train cabin. Being the one to find Chip dead, Jaine becomes the number one suspect in the eyes of the police, so like any good sleuth, she must work to prove her innocence and find the guilty party.

What follows is 228 pages of pure fun, intermingled with a solid mystery. There are asides from Prozac the cat, and Jaine’s entertaining inner monologue that kept me chuckling as I turned the pages. Interspersed throughout the story are emails from Jaine’s parents about their life in their retirement community. I laughed out loud while reading those and wish we could have a story featuring her parents and their community because they sound like a hoot.

Readers looking for mysteries with some entertaining and zaney antics should pick up this latest entry into the series. It was a wild ride for Jaine and I loved being a part of it.

Jaine Austen and her cat Prozac are aboard a luxury train owned by a despised owner of a body builder exercise empire to ghost write his life story when he is murdered and she discovers the body. Everyone aboard has a motive; Jaine was on the hook for $25,000 for damage by her cat to a throw. Jaine needs to find the perpetrator to save herself; of course everything goes off the rails as she careens from suspect to suspect. Totally hilarious and far out. Love the cat. Humorous cozy heaven.

One of my favorite authors! This series is a great mystery/humorous read.
Janie Austin’s escapades with her cat Prozac are always a good read. Her friend Lance and parents all add to the humor.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an advanced copy.

Jaine Austen and her cat make me laugh every time I read another book in this series.
Her parents' emails just elevate the humor to another level.
The latest installment in the series does not disappoint.
Fans of this humorous mystery series will enjoy

According to the authors Facebook page this is the last in the series! Say it isn’t true! I’m sad. I love the wacky situations Jaine gets into. And the emails from her parents are the best.

Murder Buys a One-Way Ticket is the twentieth installment in the A Jaine Austen Mystery series featuring freelance writer Jaine Austen. Jaine finds herself hired to ghostwrite a fitness book for Chip Miller, the owner of the Fitness Factory.

Jaine and Prozac hop on board Chip's private train car for a trip from Los Angles to Santa Barbara. Chip treats his family and staff horribly and it's no wonder he winds up dead during the trip. With her DNA on the murder weapon, Jaine must work to clear her name. All while dealing with the crazy emails from her parents in Florida.

This addition to the series reminds you a little of Murder on the Orient Express, and for me the mystery was a flop with the series seeming to have run its course. The surprise ending wraps up the story of Jaine and Prozac, albeit a little abruptly.

I received an advanced copy of Murder Buys a One-Way Ticket from NetGalley via Kensington Books. While not required to write a review I am happy to offer my honest opinion.

Ok, first it’s a different story than the usual cozy. But I didn’t really like it. I found the constant focus on food to be annoying. Also there’s no real investigating just kind of bumbling around (food). It’s very shallow in the characters and setting. The only thing that felt real is Prozo, the cat. #MurderBuysaOne-WayTicket #NetGalley

Thank you, NetGalley and Kingston Books for this ARC.

Janie and Prozac are back for another adventure and I loved it! And of course, her parents' emails are back with their own adventures. This time her dad is driving her mom crazy because he believes he is related to Elvis!

Janie accepts a job to be a ghostwriter to a fitness guru and ends up regretting it when he is found murdered and she becomes the main suspect. Of course, Janie is going to find out who the real murderer is so that she doesn't end up in an orange jumpsuit and have to end prison food. Janie is such a foodie which can get her in trouble at times especially in this book.

I love it when Janie investigates a murder because she always finds herself in some interesting and funny situations. I laugh way more than I should when I'm reading a book about a murder. Our victim is not someone who is likeable so there are many suspects that Janie has to interview and each one has their own motive. I kept jumping from thinking it was one family member to thinking it was another. This was one dysfunctional family! I will admit that I didn't guess correctly as to who the murderer was, so i was caught off guard when I found out who it was. I kept thinking "how did I not see that?!" But it could be because I was too busy laughing.

This book also has Lance back and he needs Janie's assistance in order to get into an exclusive country club. Janie agrees which leads to a couple more funny situations. I love these two together and their friendship. They both come across as self centered but they really do care about each other. Love their friendship and really could see them in a sitcom together.

I'm not going to say much, but the ending?! I can't believe this book ended the way that it did. It took me by surprise and I love it! I can't wait to read the next one in this series!

UPDATE: I just found out that this one is the last one in the series. Ms. Levin is retiring, a well deserved retirement but her books will be missed.

One more thing, how can this series not be a movie already?! This is one funny series and deserves some screen time. I'd watch it!

Oh, how I will miss this series! I have loved following along as Jaine works to find her big break and her true love. I've enjoyed following along as she solves case after case with determination and humor. This one is no different with the wacky scenarios, the fascinating characters, the never-ending feud between her father and the HOA (the emails are my favorite part), and the lovable Prozac. I am sad to see it end but wish Laura Levine well in her retirement.

Jaine Austin and her cat Prozac are embroiled in a murder aboard a train. The usual highjinks ensue as Jaine tries to solve the murder. This one has a nice surprise ending!