Juliette Winters is used to taking care of business alone. She has no time for petty things like romance, friendships, or emotional commitments. Love is for people who believe in reality TV dating and holding hands in public. She’s too busy dominating the publishing world by single-handedly saving her company from financial ruin with the book deal of the century.
Business magnate Warren Ellingham has guaranteed Juliette exclusive rights to his explosive memoir that promises to expose the secrets of his ultra-exclusive country club, Pacific Pines. But when Warren drops dead of an apparent heart attack and the memoir is stolen, Juliette suspects that someone was willing to resort to murder to keep their secrets from being exposed.
Enlisting the help of Charlie Hawkins, a doctor with a heart of gold and abs of steel, Juliette dives into the glamorous and messy world of Pacific Pines Country Club. As the investigation heats up, so does the tension between Juliette and Charlie. But Juliette can’t afford any distractions because the bodies keep dropping, and Juliette is tee-d up to take the blame. If she doesn’t uncover Warren’s killer soon, the thing that was supposed to secure her future might just be the thing that ends it.
Release Date: Jan 20, 2026
Heat Level: Hot
Publisher: Macmillan
Imprint: Minotaur
Price: $11.99
Cozy mystery with a slice of spice!
This wasn’t my first attempt at reading a mystery, and it won’t be my last, especially one by Moke. This is her second book, venturing into adult fiction. Her first book is also tied to this one, and the character from She Doesn’t Have A Clue does make a big appearance.
I wasn’t sure what I was getting into at first, and this appeared like a straight mystery with a main character, Juliette, who had a vicious bite and a tendency to grate on a person. Then I realized I related to Juliette far too much, by twenty-five percent in, I was invested. Not just with Juliette solving the murder of her billionaire memoir writer and his missing manuscript, but also for Juliette to make a love connection.
Amid crashing funerals, taking illegal photos of autopsy reports, breaking into restaurant offices, and finding dead bodies everywhere she goes, Juliette gains a partner in crime named Charlie. He’s a doctor, a surgeon, and from Australia. Add in the bonus that he has the body of a Greek god, and basically, he’s perfect. Except Charlie can’t seem to say no to anyone, including his evil ex-girlfriend and pompous jerk of a co-worker. I found myself wanting Charlie to say no to everyone else and yes to Juliette. She deserves a happily ever after and to have all her dreams come true.
For me, this one got better as the story progressed. I hit 50% and could not put it down. Juliette is a heroine I would have labeled unlikable in the past, but as I became more familiar with her story, her motivations, and ultimately her goals, I was able to relate with her at a core level. She is the badass boss, the take-charge woman who relies only on herself. It’s lonely at the top, but this way she can never be disappointed. Juliette is a realistic woman on the page, and oftentimes that mirror looking back at us can make a reader want to turn away, but I found myself embracing her.
Overall, if you enjoy mysteries and romance, this is a perfect mix that doesn’t make you work too hard. You don’t need to read anything else prior to enjoying this one. Just curl up on the couch and let yourself get dragged on an adventure.
~ Landra
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