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I Didn't Do It
Murderpalooza, the premier thriller writers conference, is meant to be an exciting celebration of the genre and its preeminent writers. But when bestselling author and industry favorite Kristin Bailey is found dead in her hotel room, four rival authors—a midlister, an egomaniac, a has-been, and a newbie—also get targeted by an anonymous social media account and wonder if they’re next.
First, they find themselves bonding to try to find out who’s behind it. As the account taunts them, it slowly reveals secrets that each of them have connected to Kristin—secrets that make them a suspect in each other’s eyes. Soon, they are turning on each other and silently accusing each as a killer. With time running out until the awards ceremony where the social media account has promised a big reveal, the only thing they know for sure is that no one is better at both creating and solving a mystery than the people who write them for a living.
Jaime Lynn Hendricks gives the reader a thrilling peek into the thriller writing world and those that inhabit it in this gripping suspense novel.
First, they find themselves bonding to try to find out who’s behind it. As the account taunts them, it slowly reveals secrets that each of them have connected to Kristin—secrets that make them a suspect in each other’s eyes. Soon, they are turning on each other and silently accusing each as a killer. With time running out until the awards ceremony where the social media account has promised a big reveal, the only thing they know for sure is that no one is better at both creating and solving a mystery than the people who write them for a living.
Jaime Lynn Hendricks gives the reader a thrilling peek into the thriller writing world and those that inhabit it in this gripping suspense novel.
312 pages, Kindle Edition
First published May 23, 2023
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May 23, 2023
Pop that popcorn 🍿 and get ready to have some fun!!
And, the Murderpalooza Thriller of the Year AWARD goes to…..🏆
But, let’s backtrack….
Murderpalooza is the premier annual thriller writer’s conference which culminates with an awards dinner and the presentation of the equivalent of an Oscar, to one preeminent author.
But, this year’s gathering is tarnished when bestselling author and industry favorite Kristin Bailey is found dead in her hotel room on Friday morning.
And, she may only be the FIRST.
As her body is removed from the hotel, a new tweet is posted on Twitter. @MpaloozaNxt2Die, and the user is only following 4 people:
Davis Walton, a shoe in for next year’s award. His book hasn’t been published yet, but this golden boy already has a lucrative movie deal
Vicky Overton, another writer competing against Kristen for this year’s award, who could probably take the next step, if she could just stop using so many adverbs!
Mike Brooks, was once an industry darling, with four massive slow burn detective crime bestsellers, but his latest books have fizzled, as thrillers with twists you won’t see coming, take center stage and garner all the sales.
and
Suzanne Shih, a newbie to the industry, who is also Kristen’s stalker, and just wants to be famous.
These same four writers each receive a text from an anonymous #, which reveals a SECRET that the sender somehow knows about, and suggests that they might be the next to die.
As the Twitter stalker threatens their lives, everyone shares their opinions-“retweets and going viral-that’s what counts. Not the truth.”
And, these four will bond as they try to uncover that truth, before one of them becomes the next Victim.
Jamie Lynn Hendricks delivered a sneak peek into a writer’s world, tossing around terms we all know and love (like ARCs, Sophomore Slumps, telling vs. showing, and how thriller writers poke fun at self published romance writers) and, she did so in an entertaining, fast paced book which alternates between the POVs of the four authors being threatened, with short, snappy chapters!
Oh, and of course, there is a twist or two!!
I loved her debut “Finding Tessa” but was disappointed by her sophomore effort, “It Could Be Anyone”, but this one returned to form, and I loved every minute of it!
AVAILABLE NOW!
A buddy read with DeAnn! Be sure to watch for her amazing review!
Thank You to Scarlet for the gifted copy provided through NetGalley. It was my pleasure to offer a candid review!
And, the Murderpalooza Thriller of the Year AWARD goes to…..🏆
But, let’s backtrack….
Murderpalooza is the premier annual thriller writer’s conference which culminates with an awards dinner and the presentation of the equivalent of an Oscar, to one preeminent author.
But, this year’s gathering is tarnished when bestselling author and industry favorite Kristin Bailey is found dead in her hotel room on Friday morning.
And, she may only be the FIRST.
As her body is removed from the hotel, a new tweet is posted on Twitter. @MpaloozaNxt2Die, and the user is only following 4 people:
Davis Walton, a shoe in for next year’s award. His book hasn’t been published yet, but this golden boy already has a lucrative movie deal
Vicky Overton, another writer competing against Kristen for this year’s award, who could probably take the next step, if she could just stop using so many adverbs!
Mike Brooks, was once an industry darling, with four massive slow burn detective crime bestsellers, but his latest books have fizzled, as thrillers with twists you won’t see coming, take center stage and garner all the sales.
and
Suzanne Shih, a newbie to the industry, who is also Kristen’s stalker, and just wants to be famous.
These same four writers each receive a text from an anonymous #, which reveals a SECRET that the sender somehow knows about, and suggests that they might be the next to die.
As the Twitter stalker threatens their lives, everyone shares their opinions-“retweets and going viral-that’s what counts. Not the truth.”
And, these four will bond as they try to uncover that truth, before one of them becomes the next Victim.
Jamie Lynn Hendricks delivered a sneak peek into a writer’s world, tossing around terms we all know and love (like ARCs, Sophomore Slumps, telling vs. showing, and how thriller writers poke fun at self published romance writers) and, she did so in an entertaining, fast paced book which alternates between the POVs of the four authors being threatened, with short, snappy chapters!
Oh, and of course, there is a twist or two!!
I loved her debut “Finding Tessa” but was disappointed by her sophomore effort, “It Could Be Anyone”, but this one returned to form, and I loved every minute of it!
AVAILABLE NOW!
A buddy read with DeAnn! Be sure to watch for her amazing review!
Thank You to Scarlet for the gifted copy provided through NetGalley. It was my pleasure to offer a candid review!
July 18, 2023
3.5⭐️
Murderpalooza- the annual conference for thriller writers, being held in New York, is about to become the scene of a real murder mystery. Attended by publishers, writers (established and aspiring), it draws a large crowd for panel discussions, book purchases and of course the coveted M-TOTY (Murderpalooza Thriller of the Year) award. One of the nominees and a crowd favorite is famed author Kristin Bailey. However, when Kristin is discovered stabbed to death in her hotel room, it is suspected that the culprit is someone from inside the venue – staff, guests, or attendees of the conference- who killed Kristin and why?
Four of the attendees begin receiving cryptic text messages, indicating that each of them could be connected to what happened to Kristin and they might be the next victim. Soon after, an anonymous Twitter account begins to post tweets directing attention (and suspicion) toward each of these four individuals – the immensely successful Davis Walton who is minting money from his debut novel but who has a few disturbing secrets he is desperate to hide- secrets that Kristin might have been aware of and Vicky Overton a relatively new author whose first novel was moderately successful but is unable to find a publisher willing to take up her next novel, who represented by the same agent as Kristin. Nominated for the same reward, they were each other’s competition but her trouble with Kristin is more of a personal nature than professional; Mike Brooks, a once bestselling author whose recent books haven’t done so well but who is expecting to taste success once again with his new book written with a yet-to-be-revealed co-author and Suzanne Shih, a yet-to-be-published author who was a fan (of stalker proportions) of Kristin against who Kristin had taken legal action.
Despite the efforts of the hotel staff and the organizers, news of the murder spreads fast and takes the Internet by storm. Social media is rife with speculation about who the murderer might be. As the narrative progresses, we follow these four attendees as they try to get to the bottom of what happened, each suspicious of the others and trying to establish their own innocence.
A thrilling premise, a unique setting, a cast of equally unlikable characters (though I could somewhat sympathize with one, maybe two of them) and an ending that I did not see coming - then why didn’t I enjoy this one more?
Multiple PoVs (read multiple unreliable narrators) and short chapters made for an interesting read. Besides being a suspenseful whodunit, I Didn't Do It by Jamie Lynn Hendricks gives us a glimpse into the cutthroat world of publishing – professional rivalry, success and failure, stellar debuts and fading stars – the politics and the dynamics behind it all. I don’t know whether the author was attempting a satirical take on the world of publishing in this genre but a few of the characters appeared like caricatures, with the self-published romance writers being ridiculed for fun. I will admit that overall it is an interesting read, but I did find it to be repetitive and a tad contrived toward the end. While I did enjoy the suspense and did not predict the ending (which is always a good thing), I’m not completely sold on the final reveal. Yes, it surprised me, but it wasn’t satisfying. On-screen, this would have been a shocking and satisfying ending, but on the written page, the final reveal fell flat for me. (The ending after the final reveal was a shocker, though!)
While I didn’t dislike this novel, I wasn’t quite as taken with it as other readers. But I am an outlier and I would request you to read other reviews before you decide on reading this book.
Many thanks to Penzler Publishers and NetGalley for the digital review copy of this novel. All opinions expressed in this review are my own.
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Murderpalooza- the annual conference for thriller writers, being held in New York, is about to become the scene of a real murder mystery. Attended by publishers, writers (established and aspiring), it draws a large crowd for panel discussions, book purchases and of course the coveted M-TOTY (Murderpalooza Thriller of the Year) award. One of the nominees and a crowd favorite is famed author Kristin Bailey. However, when Kristin is discovered stabbed to death in her hotel room, it is suspected that the culprit is someone from inside the venue – staff, guests, or attendees of the conference- who killed Kristin and why?
Four of the attendees begin receiving cryptic text messages, indicating that each of them could be connected to what happened to Kristin and they might be the next victim. Soon after, an anonymous Twitter account begins to post tweets directing attention (and suspicion) toward each of these four individuals – the immensely successful Davis Walton who is minting money from his debut novel but who has a few disturbing secrets he is desperate to hide- secrets that Kristin might have been aware of and Vicky Overton a relatively new author whose first novel was moderately successful but is unable to find a publisher willing to take up her next novel, who represented by the same agent as Kristin. Nominated for the same reward, they were each other’s competition but her trouble with Kristin is more of a personal nature than professional; Mike Brooks, a once bestselling author whose recent books haven’t done so well but who is expecting to taste success once again with his new book written with a yet-to-be-revealed co-author and Suzanne Shih, a yet-to-be-published author who was a fan (of stalker proportions) of Kristin against who Kristin had taken legal action.
Despite the efforts of the hotel staff and the organizers, news of the murder spreads fast and takes the Internet by storm. Social media is rife with speculation about who the murderer might be. As the narrative progresses, we follow these four attendees as they try to get to the bottom of what happened, each suspicious of the others and trying to establish their own innocence.
A thrilling premise, a unique setting, a cast of equally unlikable characters (though I could somewhat sympathize with one, maybe two of them) and an ending that I did not see coming - then why didn’t I enjoy this one more?
Multiple PoVs (read multiple unreliable narrators) and short chapters made for an interesting read. Besides being a suspenseful whodunit, I Didn't Do It by Jamie Lynn Hendricks gives us a glimpse into the cutthroat world of publishing – professional rivalry, success and failure, stellar debuts and fading stars – the politics and the dynamics behind it all. I don’t know whether the author was attempting a satirical take on the world of publishing in this genre but a few of the characters appeared like caricatures, with the self-published romance writers being ridiculed for fun. I will admit that overall it is an interesting read, but I did find it to be repetitive and a tad contrived toward the end. While I did enjoy the suspense and did not predict the ending (which is always a good thing), I’m not completely sold on the final reveal. Yes, it surprised me, but it wasn’t satisfying. On-screen, this would have been a shocking and satisfying ending, but on the written page, the final reveal fell flat for me. (The ending after the final reveal was a shocker, though!)
While I didn’t dislike this novel, I wasn’t quite as taken with it as other readers. But I am an outlier and I would request you to read other reviews before you decide on reading this book.
Many thanks to Penzler Publishers and NetGalley for the digital review copy of this novel. All opinions expressed in this review are my own.
Connect with me!
My Blog
The StoryGraph
April 8, 2023
Writing thrillers can be deadly!
I feel like I’ve been reading the same thrillers over and over again. Similar themes, similar characters. Read…review…repeat!
Until I stumbled on to this little gem!
Time for a new direction!
All the top thriller writers in America meet in New York for a one-of-a-kind convention and awards gala. Aptly named, Murderpalooza. Top authors and newbies alike, here to rub elbows and network. Now they find themselves smack in the middle of a certifiable mystery of their own!
One of the most popular writers is discovered murdered in her hotel room. And everyone is casting suspicious eyes, in fear of who will be next! Life imitates art.
Does writing thrillers make you paranoid? (Who said that?!)
Four authors are getting cryptic tweets that have them viewing each other in a new light. Is the murderer amongst their group? Or is it some crazed fan who has targeted them.
This was definitely a fun read. Something completely different and out of the box! I had some of the mystery figured out. But with so many layers, I was also treated to plenty of surprises as well.
You will never think of our beloved thriller authors the same way once you finish reading!
This is the second book I’ve read from this author and I’m a true fan! Can’t wait for the next!
Thank you to NetGalley and Penzler Publishers
I feel like I’ve been reading the same thrillers over and over again. Similar themes, similar characters. Read…review…repeat!
Until I stumbled on to this little gem!
Time for a new direction!
All the top thriller writers in America meet in New York for a one-of-a-kind convention and awards gala. Aptly named, Murderpalooza. Top authors and newbies alike, here to rub elbows and network. Now they find themselves smack in the middle of a certifiable mystery of their own!
One of the most popular writers is discovered murdered in her hotel room. And everyone is casting suspicious eyes, in fear of who will be next! Life imitates art.
Does writing thrillers make you paranoid? (Who said that?!)
Four authors are getting cryptic tweets that have them viewing each other in a new light. Is the murderer amongst their group? Or is it some crazed fan who has targeted them.
This was definitely a fun read. Something completely different and out of the box! I had some of the mystery figured out. But with so many layers, I was also treated to plenty of surprises as well.
You will never think of our beloved thriller authors the same way once you finish reading!
This is the second book I’ve read from this author and I’m a true fan! Can’t wait for the next!
Thank you to NetGalley and Penzler Publishers
April 22, 2023
Arghhh! I’m a little disappointed right now! Here comes my 2.5 rounded 3 semi satisfied starred review!
I was so close to give this book two stars! If you ask me why; I hated the entire characters passionately! I differentiate them as worst ones: Stalkanne, douchebag Davis and less awful but still unlikable ones: Vicky, Mike!
They are thriller authors who attended to the thriller writers’ conference called Murderpalooza ( I also found the convention name nonsense) Two female and two male authors are nominated with their last books for the best thriller of the year category.
One of the nominees, the popular bestselling author Kristin Bailey found stabbed in her hotel room and the perpetrator starts targeting four fellow authors by putting blame on them, sending threatening messages by unknown phone account.
Vicky Overton, thirty, one of the other nominees for the awards, joining the convention with her editor boyfriend Jim who might have a secret affair with Kristin. She’s one of the prime suspects because of the affair and her rivalry with Kristin.
Mike Brooks, 48, struggling author who plans his comeback with his very secret co-writer. But unfortunately his co-writer is dead and their book takes place in thriller convention where one of the authors got murdered by her co-writer. Too coincidental right? It means he is also prime suspect.
Davis Walton, in his early thirties, is thriller’s new rockstar, sold his bestselling book’s rights to the movie producers. His unstoppable climbing on career ladders can be stopped by the secrets Kristin knew about him. Could she share those secrets with anyone before she died?
And newbie author, 24 years old Suzanne/ a.k.a. Stalkanne Shih was already warned by Kristin’s lawyers for her extra stalking tendencies! She might be the last person who has seen Kristin alive by forcing herself into her room. Of course she is the one of the suspects!
As suspicious Twitter account keeps sharing their dirty secrets, they turn on each other quickly. Could one of them be killer? Absolutely!
I found all of them one dimensional and dislikable! I didn’t care about Kristin and I didn’t care four of them! I found the big twist a little far fetched but it was still smart! That’s why i still gave the book three stars instead of two!
But the ending made me roll my eyes! Really? I’m always open to any kind batsh*t craziness. But that ending is more absurd than I expected.
I loved the author’s previous two books so much more. I found the entire execution unreliable! Thankfully the pace was fast. I kept wondering how the entire story would be wrapping up! At least I didn’t get bored!
I wish I could enjoy this book a little more! I’m f you still look for fast pacing, popcorn whodunnit thriller, it’s still good choice ( but not great choice)
I’m still looking forward to read the next book of the author. I hope I’ll enjoy it more!
Special thanks to NetGalley and Penzler Publishers/ Scarlet for sharing this digital reviewer copy with me in exchange my honest opinions.
I was so close to give this book two stars! If you ask me why; I hated the entire characters passionately! I differentiate them as worst ones: Stalkanne, douchebag Davis and less awful but still unlikable ones: Vicky, Mike!
They are thriller authors who attended to the thriller writers’ conference called Murderpalooza ( I also found the convention name nonsense) Two female and two male authors are nominated with their last books for the best thriller of the year category.
One of the nominees, the popular bestselling author Kristin Bailey found stabbed in her hotel room and the perpetrator starts targeting four fellow authors by putting blame on them, sending threatening messages by unknown phone account.
Vicky Overton, thirty, one of the other nominees for the awards, joining the convention with her editor boyfriend Jim who might have a secret affair with Kristin. She’s one of the prime suspects because of the affair and her rivalry with Kristin.
Mike Brooks, 48, struggling author who plans his comeback with his very secret co-writer. But unfortunately his co-writer is dead and their book takes place in thriller convention where one of the authors got murdered by her co-writer. Too coincidental right? It means he is also prime suspect.
Davis Walton, in his early thirties, is thriller’s new rockstar, sold his bestselling book’s rights to the movie producers. His unstoppable climbing on career ladders can be stopped by the secrets Kristin knew about him. Could she share those secrets with anyone before she died?
And newbie author, 24 years old Suzanne/ a.k.a. Stalkanne Shih was already warned by Kristin’s lawyers for her extra stalking tendencies! She might be the last person who has seen Kristin alive by forcing herself into her room. Of course she is the one of the suspects!
As suspicious Twitter account keeps sharing their dirty secrets, they turn on each other quickly. Could one of them be killer? Absolutely!
I found all of them one dimensional and dislikable! I didn’t care about Kristin and I didn’t care four of them! I found the big twist a little far fetched but it was still smart! That’s why i still gave the book three stars instead of two!
But the ending made me roll my eyes! Really? I’m always open to any kind batsh*t craziness. But that ending is more absurd than I expected.
I loved the author’s previous two books so much more. I found the entire execution unreliable! Thankfully the pace was fast. I kept wondering how the entire story would be wrapping up! At least I didn’t get bored!
I wish I could enjoy this book a little more! I’m f you still look for fast pacing, popcorn whodunnit thriller, it’s still good choice ( but not great choice)
I’m still looking forward to read the next book of the author. I hope I’ll enjoy it more!
Special thanks to NetGalley and Penzler Publishers/ Scarlet for sharing this digital reviewer copy with me in exchange my honest opinions.
March 8, 2023
Pack your bags 💼 thriller lovers…we are off to Murderpalozza!!! 🥳 I can’t even tell you how excited I was to receive this gifted copy from @scarletsuspense @penzlerpub!! 🥰 Publication date is May 23rd!! 🥳 I absolutely loved loved loved it!!! 👏👏👏 I have read and loved @jaimelynnhendricksauthor other 2 books 📚… and this my friends… is my FAVORITE!!! 😍Why?? Let me tell you…😉
A hotel 🏨 full of thriller writers… SO much drama!! What an array of personalities.😂 When America’s sweetheart thriller writer is found MURDERED in the hotel… 😳… well hell… EVERYONE is a suspect!! I mean have you seen these author’s Google searches??? They are experts! 😂🤭🤫
I loved the snarky inner dialogue!! Totally my type of snark and gets me… every single time!! 👏👏👏 These bad behaving authors… and stalkers…😳 seriously kept me entertained from page one!!! Not to mention .. who the heck killed Kristin… and who is next???!😳
Okay but seriously… the best part.. that ending!! 😦😏🤯🤐🤐🤐 Absolutely brilliant!!! @jaimelynnhendricksauthor BRAVO!! 👏👏👏 Such an original premise and ending!! Excuted perfectly!! 🤩 In fact dare I say… this could really happen?🤔🤔
Absolutely brilliant… FUN… twisted… I did not see that coming!! #blindsided !! 🤯
5 fabulous stars! If you love thrillers… a good mystery… some snark.. and one heck of a twist… you NEED to read this!! 😉 Again huge shoutout to @scarletsuspense for my copy!! I loved it!! OBVIOUSLY 🙄 Out 5/23/23!!
A hotel 🏨 full of thriller writers… SO much drama!! What an array of personalities.😂 When America’s sweetheart thriller writer is found MURDERED in the hotel… 😳… well hell… EVERYONE is a suspect!! I mean have you seen these author’s Google searches??? They are experts! 😂🤭🤫
I loved the snarky inner dialogue!! Totally my type of snark and gets me… every single time!! 👏👏👏 These bad behaving authors… and stalkers…😳 seriously kept me entertained from page one!!! Not to mention .. who the heck killed Kristin… and who is next???!😳
Okay but seriously… the best part.. that ending!! 😦😏🤯🤐🤐🤐 Absolutely brilliant!!! @jaimelynnhendricksauthor BRAVO!! 👏👏👏 Such an original premise and ending!! Excuted perfectly!! 🤩 In fact dare I say… this could really happen?🤔🤔
Absolutely brilliant… FUN… twisted… I did not see that coming!! #blindsided !! 🤯
5 fabulous stars! If you love thrillers… a good mystery… some snark.. and one heck of a twist… you NEED to read this!! 😉 Again huge shoutout to @scarletsuspense for my copy!! I loved it!! OBVIOUSLY 🙄 Out 5/23/23!!
May 22, 2023
I wish I could say that "I Didn't Do It" ... finish this book, that is. I struggled with this book for almost a week and dreaded each and every time I had to pick it up. I stuck with it until the end for two reasons:
1.) I loved Hendricks debut Finding Tessa even though I disliked her sophomore effort, It Could Be Anyone. This book was to be my deciding factor as to whether or not she's an author for me. She's not.
2.) Most of my friends really enjoyed this and I wanted to be able to agree with them. I can't.
A murder at Murderpalooza, a writing conference for thriller and suspense writers, should have been right up my alley or so I thought. Hendricks crafted two of the most unlikable characters I have come across recently. Think obnoxious, not interestingly unlikeable. I would physically recoil whenever either of these two people spoke. I also loathed the entire twitter / tweets that played such an important part to the story. The writing itself came across as juvenile and amateurish. The ending left me utterly dumbfounded. It was so elaborate and unlikely that I kicked myself for not tossing this one aside earlier even though my inner voice told me to many times. I'll never ignore my inner voice again. 1 star!
Thank you to NetGalley and Penzler Publishing for my complimentary copy.
1.) I loved Hendricks debut Finding Tessa even though I disliked her sophomore effort, It Could Be Anyone. This book was to be my deciding factor as to whether or not she's an author for me. She's not.
2.) Most of my friends really enjoyed this and I wanted to be able to agree with them. I can't.
A murder at Murderpalooza, a writing conference for thriller and suspense writers, should have been right up my alley or so I thought. Hendricks crafted two of the most unlikable characters I have come across recently. Think obnoxious, not interestingly unlikeable. I would physically recoil whenever either of these two people spoke. I also loathed the entire twitter / tweets that played such an important part to the story. The writing itself came across as juvenile and amateurish. The ending left me utterly dumbfounded. It was so elaborate and unlikely that I kicked myself for not tossing this one aside earlier even though my inner voice told me to many times. I'll never ignore my inner voice again. 1 star!
Thank you to NetGalley and Penzler Publishing for my complimentary copy.
June 24, 2023
The premise of I Didn’t Do It is so perfect for a murder mystery, I’m surprised it hasn’t been done before (or at least that I haven’t read something similar already). A murder has occurred at “Murderpalooza”, the big crime novel convention. And not just anyone, but one of the premier authors who was up for the big award. Right after the murder, four other authors get ominous texts, spilling secrets no one else should know and declaring they could be next. Twitter plays a big role in this story and the author has a lot to say about gullibility and the lack of civility on the site.
The chapters alternate between the four authors, none of which are exactly likable. In fact, they are each truly obnoxious in their own way. There’s the new hot author, who’s commanded a huge advance and movie deals and has the ego to match; the has-been whose last best seller was ten years ago; a midlister who’s also nominated but whose agent is ignoring her; and the perky newbie who’s starstruck. People magazine called the novel “snarky” and it’s a good description. I enjoyed seeing the mystery from the perspective of each writer. More than once, one of them thinks “if this were a book” or “if I were writing this”. And Hendricks does a good job of showing the mistrust and fear, as each knows they should work together but is also afraid of giving up their secrets. But the plot also requires numerous times of suspending belief. Some of the big reveals were a surprise, while others were fairly obvious. But the ending was perfect! (In fact, if not for the ending, I wouldn’t have rated this four stars.)
In the final analysis, this is entertaining. Nothing close to serious or deep. It’s a perfect beach read for mystery readers.
I listened to this which meant I was occasionally confused as neither narrator did a good job of differentiating the voices very well. So, if I missed the name at the start of the chapter, I’d be disoriented for a sentence or two.
The chapters alternate between the four authors, none of which are exactly likable. In fact, they are each truly obnoxious in their own way. There’s the new hot author, who’s commanded a huge advance and movie deals and has the ego to match; the has-been whose last best seller was ten years ago; a midlister who’s also nominated but whose agent is ignoring her; and the perky newbie who’s starstruck. People magazine called the novel “snarky” and it’s a good description. I enjoyed seeing the mystery from the perspective of each writer. More than once, one of them thinks “if this were a book” or “if I were writing this”. And Hendricks does a good job of showing the mistrust and fear, as each knows they should work together but is also afraid of giving up their secrets. But the plot also requires numerous times of suspending belief. Some of the big reveals were a surprise, while others were fairly obvious. But the ending was perfect! (In fact, if not for the ending, I wouldn’t have rated this four stars.)
In the final analysis, this is entertaining. Nothing close to serious or deep. It’s a perfect beach read for mystery readers.
I listened to this which meant I was occasionally confused as neither narrator did a good job of differentiating the voices very well. So, if I missed the name at the start of the chapter, I’d be disoriented for a sentence or two.
May 25, 2023
Meh
I really wanted to like this one. It has every element that appeals to me in a book: thriller writers, a writing conference, people behaving badly, secrets, and blackmail. Yet in the end, it just took me SO long to get through and I had guessed nearly all of the twists and figured out what was happening long before it was revealed.
The main premise is: a group of writers has gathered for Murderpalooza, a conference for thriller writers. One of the most famous writers, Kristin Bailey, is found dead and four people are pinpointed as possibly responsible. And one of them might be next.
I didn't like any of the characters and didn't think that any of them were particularly well thought out. We had all of their points of view, and that served to muddy the waters because there were just too many people, too many relationships to follow. I lost track of whose agent was whose and how people were connected to each other. I couldn't be bothered to care about any of them, and we didn't even get to know Kristin before she was killed so her death was kind of a non-issue.
I suppose the commentary about Twitter (and social media as a whole, but writers really love Twitter) is interesting and fairly accurate. People are tried and found guilty in the court of public opinion online every day, despite the actual truth being something different. Yet in this book, if this was the overall message it got lost in so many of the other things the author was trying to do.
Lots of people have really enjoyed this book, so don't necessarily take my word for it. Give it a try if it sounds interesting.
I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book, all opinions are my own.
I really wanted to like this one. It has every element that appeals to me in a book: thriller writers, a writing conference, people behaving badly, secrets, and blackmail. Yet in the end, it just took me SO long to get through and I had guessed nearly all of the twists and figured out what was happening long before it was revealed.
The main premise is: a group of writers has gathered for Murderpalooza, a conference for thriller writers. One of the most famous writers, Kristin Bailey, is found dead and four people are pinpointed as possibly responsible. And one of them might be next.
I didn't like any of the characters and didn't think that any of them were particularly well thought out. We had all of their points of view, and that served to muddy the waters because there were just too many people, too many relationships to follow. I lost track of whose agent was whose and how people were connected to each other. I couldn't be bothered to care about any of them, and we didn't even get to know Kristin before she was killed so her death was kind of a non-issue.
I suppose the commentary about Twitter (and social media as a whole, but writers really love Twitter) is interesting and fairly accurate. People are tried and found guilty in the court of public opinion online every day, despite the actual truth being something different. Yet in this book, if this was the overall message it got lost in so many of the other things the author was trying to do.
Lots of people have really enjoyed this book, so don't necessarily take my word for it. Give it a try if it sounds interesting.
I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book, all opinions are my own.
November 15, 2023
It sucked me in!
It's time for Murderpalooza! The main thriller conference is for fans to get closer to their idols and for writers to network into their next book deal. The last evening of the conference, it finishes with an award ceremony.
Then, on the first morning of the event, one of the nominees to win the award, Kristin Bailey is found murdered in her hotel room. Kristin was quite famous and successful. She was liked well by other writers. Who would want to hurt her?
Suddenly, a new Twitter account pops up and goes by the handle @MpaloozaNxt2Die. This account is only following four writers, all with connections to Kristin:
Vicky Overton is another nominee. She lives in Florida (yay) with her boyfriend Jim. She is hoping to get her agent/publisher to promote her second book.
Davis Walton is the most famous author despite his novel not being published yet. He already has a movie deal and women are sweet on him.
Mike Brooks is the Has Been. He had a super successful first few years but now his books are not selling. He is working on promoting his newest novel which he co-wrote with a mystery author.
The last one in this quartet is Suzanne Shih. She has signed with an agent for her first novel. She is super excited about the whole event as a fan and a newbie writer. She is also Kristin's stalker.
Did one of them do it or is one of them the next one to die?
My favorite characters were Vicky and Mike. Davis was hateful for the most part and Suzanne needed to be committed.
I was able to guess the main twist but there was a couple that I didn't see coming
I truly enjoyed, Jaime Lynn Hendricks's Finding Tessa, didn't read her sophomore book but I'm glad I read I Didn't Do It.
I can't wait for what she has planned next.
Cliffhanger: No
4/5 Fangs
A complimentary copy was provided by Scarlet via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
MrsLeif's Two Fangs About It | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram
It's time for Murderpalooza! The main thriller conference is for fans to get closer to their idols and for writers to network into their next book deal. The last evening of the conference, it finishes with an award ceremony.
Then, on the first morning of the event, one of the nominees to win the award, Kristin Bailey is found murdered in her hotel room. Kristin was quite famous and successful. She was liked well by other writers. Who would want to hurt her?
Suddenly, a new Twitter account pops up and goes by the handle @MpaloozaNxt2Die. This account is only following four writers, all with connections to Kristin:
Vicky Overton is another nominee. She lives in Florida (yay) with her boyfriend Jim. She is hoping to get her agent/publisher to promote her second book.
Davis Walton is the most famous author despite his novel not being published yet. He already has a movie deal and women are sweet on him.
Mike Brooks is the Has Been. He had a super successful first few years but now his books are not selling. He is working on promoting his newest novel which he co-wrote with a mystery author.
The last one in this quartet is Suzanne Shih. She has signed with an agent for her first novel. She is super excited about the whole event as a fan and a newbie writer. She is also Kristin's stalker.
Did one of them do it or is one of them the next one to die?
My favorite characters were Vicky and Mike. Davis was hateful for the most part and Suzanne needed to be committed.
I was able to guess the main twist but there was a couple that I didn't see coming
I truly enjoyed, Jaime Lynn Hendricks's Finding Tessa, didn't read her sophomore book but I'm glad I read I Didn't Do It.
I can't wait for what she has planned next.
Cliffhanger: No
4/5 Fangs
A complimentary copy was provided by Scarlet via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
MrsLeif's Two Fangs About It | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram
October 30, 2023
3.5⭐
Genre ~ domestic thriller
Publication date ~ May 23, 2023
Page Count ~ 329
Audio length ~ 9 hours 36 minutes
Narrators ~ Emily Sutton-Smith, Catherine Ho, Kyle Burrow
POV ~ multiple 1st
Featuring ~ authors, infidelity, old secrets
Vicky Overton, Davis Walton, Suzanne Shih & Mike Brooks are all at Murderpalooza, a writer's conference, when an actual murder occurs...dun dun dun.
Who killed Kristin? I liked the premise and how there are a few suspects each with their own reasoning of why they could be the killer. Is it the co~author? How about the stalker? Or maybe it has to do with who she was sleeping with.
Overall, I liked this one. It was suspenseful with some predictability, but definitely some things I didn't see coming either. I love that we have multiple POV's that slowly revealed their true self, which made them unlikable and unreliable for sure.
Side note ~ Kristin is the only person dead yet pretty much every time her name was mentioned we got her full name, why??
I was able to listen to an audio copy as well.
Narration notes:
Vicky's narrator was great. Kyle narrated for both Davis and Mike and was okay, a bit robotic sometimes. I could have went for some distinction between the two characters, but since each chapter was titled I wasn't too bothered by it. Suzanne's narrator liked to pause after every sentence. The book probably would have been at least 30 minutes less will all the time she wasted. I definitely preferred my kindle copy.
*Thanks to the author, Penzler Publishers, Scarlet and NetGalley for the ARC. I am voluntarily leaving my honest review*
Connect with me ➡ Blog ~ Facebook ~ Twitter
Genre ~ domestic thriller
Publication date ~ May 23, 2023
Page Count ~ 329
Audio length ~ 9 hours 36 minutes
Narrators ~ Emily Sutton-Smith, Catherine Ho, Kyle Burrow
POV ~ multiple 1st
Featuring ~ authors, infidelity, old secrets
Vicky Overton, Davis Walton, Suzanne Shih & Mike Brooks are all at Murderpalooza, a writer's conference, when an actual murder occurs...dun dun dun.
Who killed Kristin? I liked the premise and how there are a few suspects each with their own reasoning of why they could be the killer. Is it the co~author? How about the stalker? Or maybe it has to do with who she was sleeping with.
Overall, I liked this one. It was suspenseful with some predictability, but definitely some things I didn't see coming either. I love that we have multiple POV's that slowly revealed their true self, which made them unlikable and unreliable for sure.
Side note ~ Kristin is the only person dead yet pretty much every time her name was mentioned we got her full name, why??
I was able to listen to an audio copy as well.
Narration notes:
Vicky's narrator was great. Kyle narrated for both Davis and Mike and was okay, a bit robotic sometimes. I could have went for some distinction between the two characters, but since each chapter was titled I wasn't too bothered by it. Suzanne's narrator liked to pause after every sentence. The book probably would have been at least 30 minutes less will all the time she wasted. I definitely preferred my kindle copy.
*Thanks to the author, Penzler Publishers, Scarlet and NetGalley for the ARC. I am voluntarily leaving my honest review*
Connect with me ➡ Blog ~ Facebook ~ Twitter
January 30, 2023
I Didn't Do It is a 2023 thriller written by Jaime Lynn Hendricks, a new author I found on NetGalley and decided to read. The premise was intriguing - a group of writers are accused of killing a fellow writer at a conference in NYC. As we get to know each of the characters, it's clear they have secrets and a history with the newly deceased colleague. But what's unclear is who setup the new Twitter account to essentially blackmail each of the possible culprits. Tagging along are significant others, spouses, literary agents and editors, each of whom also has or had a grudge against the dead writer and the still alive ones. Plus, something happened 6 years ago to another author who somehow connects to the current plot. What's really going? Bordering on a comedy (lightly), this is a true pun on the suspense industry and associated awards but in a completely enjoyable way where it's just enough to be soap opera-ish drama and a true thriller with intense twists and a major revelation at the end. All in all, it served well to entice me to the writer's style and voice, and I will read more from her in the future.
January 7, 2023
You are cordially invited to Murderpolooza an exciting celebration of thriller writers!
I could not put this book down! I love books centered on writers and this one is all about thriller writers. The plot twists had me shook as they rolled out one after the next. I love a whodunnit and this is a good one!
Beloved and best selling thriller writer Kristen Bailey is found murdered in her hotel room during Muderpolooza. Three rival authors and one stalker are the prime suspects. They all have connections to Kristen and motives for wanting her out of the way. An anonymous social media account begins sending messages to the group urging them to confess. They decide they need to stick together to figure out who is behind this and why. Who else could solve a mystery better than those who write them?
I Didn’t Do It is available May 23,2023.
Thank you to netgalley and penzelerpublishers for this arc in exchange for my honest review.
I could not put this book down! I love books centered on writers and this one is all about thriller writers. The plot twists had me shook as they rolled out one after the next. I love a whodunnit and this is a good one!
Beloved and best selling thriller writer Kristen Bailey is found murdered in her hotel room during Muderpolooza. Three rival authors and one stalker are the prime suspects. They all have connections to Kristen and motives for wanting her out of the way. An anonymous social media account begins sending messages to the group urging them to confess. They decide they need to stick together to figure out who is behind this and why. Who else could solve a mystery better than those who write them?
I Didn’t Do It is available May 23,2023.
Thank you to netgalley and penzelerpublishers for this arc in exchange for my honest review.
August 7, 2023
Murderpalooza, a renowned conference for writers of the thriller genre, is kicking off its annual festivities when one of their own is quite aptly murdered in her very own hotel room. One of the more successful authors present, Kristin Bailey was found stabbed to death mere hours before an awards ceremony was set to begin. A ceremony where she and four other writers were shortlisted to win the coveted Thriller of the Year award.
Naturally, all eyes go directly to those surviving nominees—a middling writer, a cocky newcomer with a debut hit, a once famous author now reduced to anonymity, and a youngster new to the scene. Things go from bad to worse for them, however, when an anonymous Twitter account begins targeting them with secrets each had with the dearly departed. Secrets that they thought no one else knew anything about.
Determined to get to the bottom of the situation before an already dangerous game unravels even more, they band together in hopes of averting the worst. After all, it’s not just the secrets that mean trouble, for whoever has been leveling threats has also insinuated they each could be next. But as the secrets start to come out, suspicion follows in their wake. Separately, they each begin to wonder—could the killer actually be one of them?
As the awards ceremony creeps closer, the group’s threatening tweeter lays down the gauntlet. That evening, in front of every conference attendee, there is to be an even bigger reveal. So, with the deadline in mind, they get down to business. If there’s one thing thriller writers know, after all, it’s how to puzzle out a mystery. And the only way they’re certain to stay out of harm’s way is to catch the perpetrator once and for all.
Twisted doesn’t even begin to describe I Didn’t Do It! From the get-go, I realized this novel was different from any other suspense/thriller that I had yet to read. Stuffed to the brim with dastardly secrets, constantly compounded lies, and one altogether brilliant plan, my attention was well and truly grabbed from beginning to end.
What I think I loved the most about this one was how fun (and funny) the highly entertaining premise was. With plenty of mild jesting about how thriller authors (and their devoted readers) think, it felt like a rather ingenious play at both throwing shade at the genre while also spinning out quite the inspired storyline. And I, for one, found myself ripping through the pages eagerly anticipating all of the reveals.
As for the specifics about the plot, the truly epic twists had me from hello. One after the other, the direction shifted in first one direction and then the other until the almighty stunning climax. Both jaw-dropping and perfectly timed, it dealt one humdinger of a twist (with several more following in quick succession) that I never saw coming.
The only minor flaw (if you can call it that) was the definite requirement of suspending all disbelief. From the unlikable characters to the cheer-worthy conclusion, however, I didn’t have a problem with setting my BS meter to the side. I mean, this book was the definition of a popcorn thriller and so any lack of authenticity can be expected and thereby ignored.
After turning the last page, I’m not surprised at all with the resounding applause I Didn’t Do It has gotten since publication. Between its short, snappy chapters and engaging multiple POVs, I was delighted by this out-of-the-box peek into the writing world. So if you’re looking for a breather from harder hitting thrillers, this is certainly just what the doctor ordered. Rating of 4.5 stars.
Trigger warning: dementia, stalking, infidelity, mention of: fatal stabbing, blackmail
Naturally, all eyes go directly to those surviving nominees—a middling writer, a cocky newcomer with a debut hit, a once famous author now reduced to anonymity, and a youngster new to the scene. Things go from bad to worse for them, however, when an anonymous Twitter account begins targeting them with secrets each had with the dearly departed. Secrets that they thought no one else knew anything about.
Determined to get to the bottom of the situation before an already dangerous game unravels even more, they band together in hopes of averting the worst. After all, it’s not just the secrets that mean trouble, for whoever has been leveling threats has also insinuated they each could be next. But as the secrets start to come out, suspicion follows in their wake. Separately, they each begin to wonder—could the killer actually be one of them?
As the awards ceremony creeps closer, the group’s threatening tweeter lays down the gauntlet. That evening, in front of every conference attendee, there is to be an even bigger reveal. So, with the deadline in mind, they get down to business. If there’s one thing thriller writers know, after all, it’s how to puzzle out a mystery. And the only way they’re certain to stay out of harm’s way is to catch the perpetrator once and for all.
Twisted doesn’t even begin to describe I Didn’t Do It! From the get-go, I realized this novel was different from any other suspense/thriller that I had yet to read. Stuffed to the brim with dastardly secrets, constantly compounded lies, and one altogether brilliant plan, my attention was well and truly grabbed from beginning to end.
What I think I loved the most about this one was how fun (and funny) the highly entertaining premise was. With plenty of mild jesting about how thriller authors (and their devoted readers) think, it felt like a rather ingenious play at both throwing shade at the genre while also spinning out quite the inspired storyline. And I, for one, found myself ripping through the pages eagerly anticipating all of the reveals.
As for the specifics about the plot, the truly epic twists had me from hello. One after the other, the direction shifted in first one direction and then the other until the almighty stunning climax. Both jaw-dropping and perfectly timed, it dealt one humdinger of a twist (with several more following in quick succession) that I never saw coming.
The only minor flaw (if you can call it that) was the definite requirement of suspending all disbelief. From the unlikable characters to the cheer-worthy conclusion, however, I didn’t have a problem with setting my BS meter to the side. I mean, this book was the definition of a popcorn thriller and so any lack of authenticity can be expected and thereby ignored.
After turning the last page, I’m not surprised at all with the resounding applause I Didn’t Do It has gotten since publication. Between its short, snappy chapters and engaging multiple POVs, I was delighted by this out-of-the-box peek into the writing world. So if you’re looking for a breather from harder hitting thrillers, this is certainly just what the doctor ordered. Rating of 4.5 stars.
Trigger warning: dementia, stalking, infidelity, mention of: fatal stabbing, blackmail
May 23, 2023
Welcome to Murderpalooza, where mystery and suspense writers check in but not all of them check out!
Bestselling author, Kristin Bailey is found murdered in her hotel room. Who would want to kill her? Her rival authors perhaps? The rivals: Vicky Overton is up for an award against Kristin; Davis Walton is a hot shot author with a huge ego; Mike Brooks is hoping for a comeback; and Suzanne Shih, a writer who has stars in her eyes and is looking for her big break.
A social medial account is taunting them to confess as they band together to out the killer. Tensions rise and fingers point as the mystery writers try to use their skills to solve this mystery.
I thought I would love this one, but I didn't. The synopsis was great. I thought this was going to be fun and mysterious. The writing is solid, and the author created unlikeable characters and all could be suspects, but only one can be the killer. Sounds like the making of a killer plot, doesn't it? I enjoyed the mystery in this book but wasn't wowed by it. The ending was good, and I did not see that coming at all, so props to the author for pulling that off.
Others enjoyed this book more than I did, so please read their reviews as well.
Thank you to Penzler Publishers, and NetGalley who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All the thoughts and opinions are my own.
Bestselling author, Kristin Bailey is found murdered in her hotel room. Who would want to kill her? Her rival authors perhaps? The rivals: Vicky Overton is up for an award against Kristin; Davis Walton is a hot shot author with a huge ego; Mike Brooks is hoping for a comeback; and Suzanne Shih, a writer who has stars in her eyes and is looking for her big break.
A social medial account is taunting them to confess as they band together to out the killer. Tensions rise and fingers point as the mystery writers try to use their skills to solve this mystery.
I thought I would love this one, but I didn't. The synopsis was great. I thought this was going to be fun and mysterious. The writing is solid, and the author created unlikeable characters and all could be suspects, but only one can be the killer. Sounds like the making of a killer plot, doesn't it? I enjoyed the mystery in this book but wasn't wowed by it. The ending was good, and I did not see that coming at all, so props to the author for pulling that off.
Others enjoyed this book more than I did, so please read their reviews as well.
Thank you to Penzler Publishers, and NetGalley who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All the thoughts and opinions are my own.
April 21, 2023
Jaime Lynn Hendricks 👏👏👏 Amazing, just amazing. I could not put this twisty, surprising and addictive thriller down. Let me tell you why.
A murder at a thriller writers convention in New York City.. come on! what is not to love about that synopsis. But wait, there is more. The victim is one of the conventions most popular and best selling thriller writers. Not only that, but 4 of her peers have a secret connection to her, and somebody else knows. They are being taunted on Twitter, and told they could be next. Now tell me you are not intrigued.
This book is so much fun to read. What secrets are these authors hiding? Will there be another murder? A who is the killer? So many questions. Let me tell you, there was one author I would have been happy to see the back of. It is a behind the scenes look at thriller writers and what they think of each other and the industry. For a massive thriller reader, this was a no brainer.
A huge thanks to Penzler Publishing and NetGalley for this advanced copy to read. Easy 5 stars. Publishes on May 23rd, get your pre orders in now.
A murder at a thriller writers convention in New York City.. come on! what is not to love about that synopsis. But wait, there is more. The victim is one of the conventions most popular and best selling thriller writers. Not only that, but 4 of her peers have a secret connection to her, and somebody else knows. They are being taunted on Twitter, and told they could be next. Now tell me you are not intrigued.
This book is so much fun to read. What secrets are these authors hiding? Will there be another murder? A who is the killer? So many questions. Let me tell you, there was one author I would have been happy to see the back of. It is a behind the scenes look at thriller writers and what they think of each other and the industry. For a massive thriller reader, this was a no brainer.
A huge thanks to Penzler Publishing and NetGalley for this advanced copy to read. Easy 5 stars. Publishes on May 23rd, get your pre orders in now.
May 6, 2023
This thriller was a super fun story about writers and a thriller convention. While I did see the final reveal coming I still enjoyed the entire ride. The four main characters who come together to tell this story are all at the thriller convention for different reasons. Vicky is up for the grand award and is hoping to win and get her agent to spend more attention on her. Davis is already a hit after his first novel that isn’t even published yet is optioned for a movie. Mike is hoping to get some more buzz since his last few books haven’t been as big as first few. Susanne is hoping to make it big and be a famous author. But all of their goals get slightly forgotten when another author Kristin is found murdered in the hotel and one particular twitter account is focused on the other four pushing them to reveal and figure out what the other three are hiding.
May 1, 2023
I loved, loved, loved this twisty thriller. I couldn’t read it fast enough. Hendricks is a thriller master and her books keep you on your toes! If you can only read one book this year, READ THIS BOOK!
***** Many thanks to Scarlet/Penzler Publishers, Jaime Lynn Hendricks, and NetGalley for the #gifted copy as it was provided to me in turn for my honest opinion.
***** Many thanks to Scarlet/Penzler Publishers, Jaime Lynn Hendricks, and NetGalley for the #gifted copy as it was provided to me in turn for my honest opinion.
February 25, 2023
Thank you to Scarlet and Jaime Lynn Hendricks for my copy of this book. It was about Murderpalooza, a mystery and suspense conference for writers. When one of the popular authors, Kristen, is found dead, the rival authors are looked at as suspects. A weird and threatening twitter account targets four people that may have reason to want Kristen dead. First there is Davis, a hot-shot writer who thinks he is the new best thing. He has a history with Kristen and she is a big rival for him. Next there is Vicky, the only other woman going against Kristen for the writer of the year award. Mike is another suspect, a washed up writer with a mysterious connection to Kristen. Finally there is Suzanne, Kristen’s stalker who just so happens to want to be her.
Thoughts: This book was essentially set at Thrillerfest and was about writers competing in the dog eat dog world of publishing. I think writers would love this book, as there are lots of inside jokes and knowledge about how the publishing industry works. I liked the idea of a thriller conference with a real life murder, but omg this book was not it for me.
First, every character was one dimensional and stereotypical. The plot was extremely unrealistic and offensive to many different tropes. The cheating boyfriend, the girl everyone loves and no one can imagine being killed…yawn. I didn’t care about the character at all, and got to know them within one chapter about them. There was no build on why we should even care about Kristen, so when she was found murdered it was not really relevant.
Then there was the commentary on twitter. I personally don’t have twitter, but this book was essentially about how people on twitter are trash and mindless sheep spreading misinformation. Do I agree? Probably. But this book made it seem like the author had a personal problem with twitter and there was way too much in the book about it. The ending was petty and not very satisfying. I wanted to love this book, but it wasn’t for me. 2-stars.
Thoughts: This book was essentially set at Thrillerfest and was about writers competing in the dog eat dog world of publishing. I think writers would love this book, as there are lots of inside jokes and knowledge about how the publishing industry works. I liked the idea of a thriller conference with a real life murder, but omg this book was not it for me.
First, every character was one dimensional and stereotypical. The plot was extremely unrealistic and offensive to many different tropes. The cheating boyfriend, the girl everyone loves and no one can imagine being killed…yawn. I didn’t care about the character at all, and got to know them within one chapter about them. There was no build on why we should even care about Kristen, so when she was found murdered it was not really relevant.
Then there was the commentary on twitter. I personally don’t have twitter, but this book was essentially about how people on twitter are trash and mindless sheep spreading misinformation. Do I agree? Probably. But this book made it seem like the author had a personal problem with twitter and there was way too much in the book about it. The ending was petty and not very satisfying. I wanted to love this book, but it wasn’t for me. 2-stars.
April 3, 2023
This was a fun and exciting mystery/thriller from page one! This is very meta - a book about a murder at a thriller writers convention. Authors from all over have come to New York City for Murderpalooza, an annual awards show where the best thrillers of the year are recognized. But when famed author, Kristin Bailey, is murdered in her hotel room the morning of the awards ceremony, everyone is left wondering if they are next.
Our main cast of characters is:
Mike Brooks, former bestselling author whose recent books have all been duds. He was working on a novel with Kristin, and this was going to be his big comeback. When she’s murdered, he isn’t sure what will happen to the story they’ve been working on…or what the police will think of the plot line.
Vicky Overton, a writer whose debut had moderate success, but her agent has been blowing her off for bigger names, and she’s worried her second book will never be published. She and Kristin used to be friendly…before Vicky hears that her boyfriend has been having an affair with the famous author.
Davis Walton, the newest breakout king of thriller writing. His debut novel was a huge hit, and every agent wants a piece of him. If his first book is any indicator, he will soon be a bigger name than Kristin Bailey, and that’s exactly his plan. And lastly,
Suzanne Shih, a young, new writer shopping her debut around, but struggling to find an agent. She had a bit of a stalking issue with Kristin in the past, which makes her worried the police will suspect her first.
The book goes through the day at the convention, and the scrambling all of the major characters do to deflect attention from themselves after the police show up. A lot of hashtags are started on Twitter, blaming people left and right. The authors all start getting strange texts, then a new Twitter account starts following only the four of them. This new account begins explaining to the public why each of these writers has a motive to have killed Kristin; now it’s just up for the police and the public to decide.
I usually don’t care for straight mysteries, but this one was quite entertaining and a quick read. The ending was great and something I never would have guessed, and then there was a second ending that I was also quite surprised by. One thing I’ll say is that Vicky’s editor would hate my writing. I really, really use a lot of super filling “crutch words”, and now all I can literally think to myself is DELETE. 🙃
Four stars for a fun book that had me guessing all the way to the end!
(Thank you to Scarlet Publishing, Jaime Lynn Hendricks, and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my review. This book is slated to be released on May 23, 2023.)
Our main cast of characters is:
Mike Brooks, former bestselling author whose recent books have all been duds. He was working on a novel with Kristin, and this was going to be his big comeback. When she’s murdered, he isn’t sure what will happen to the story they’ve been working on…or what the police will think of the plot line.
Vicky Overton, a writer whose debut had moderate success, but her agent has been blowing her off for bigger names, and she’s worried her second book will never be published. She and Kristin used to be friendly…before Vicky hears that her boyfriend has been having an affair with the famous author.
Davis Walton, the newest breakout king of thriller writing. His debut novel was a huge hit, and every agent wants a piece of him. If his first book is any indicator, he will soon be a bigger name than Kristin Bailey, and that’s exactly his plan. And lastly,
Suzanne Shih, a young, new writer shopping her debut around, but struggling to find an agent. She had a bit of a stalking issue with Kristin in the past, which makes her worried the police will suspect her first.
The book goes through the day at the convention, and the scrambling all of the major characters do to deflect attention from themselves after the police show up. A lot of hashtags are started on Twitter, blaming people left and right. The authors all start getting strange texts, then a new Twitter account starts following only the four of them. This new account begins explaining to the public why each of these writers has a motive to have killed Kristin; now it’s just up for the police and the public to decide.
I usually don’t care for straight mysteries, but this one was quite entertaining and a quick read. The ending was great and something I never would have guessed, and then there was a second ending that I was also quite surprised by. One thing I’ll say is that Vicky’s editor would hate my writing. I really, really use a lot of super filling “crutch words”, and now all I can literally think to myself is DELETE. 🙃
Four stars for a fun book that had me guessing all the way to the end!
(Thank you to Scarlet Publishing, Jaime Lynn Hendricks, and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my review. This book is slated to be released on May 23, 2023.)
May 19, 2023
If you know me then you know I live for a book about writers. Set that book at a thriller writer conference…knock off an author…and have a group of fellow thriller writers band together to try to solve the crime and stay alive…
I DIDN’T DO IT by JAIME LYNN HENDRICKS is my reading dream come true!
Welcome to Muderpalooza, the annual thriller writers conference in NYC. Kristin Bailey, one of five nominees for Murderpalooza’s Thriller of the Year, has been stabbed to death in her hotel room. And now four fellow writers - Vicky Overton, Mike Brooks, Davis Walton and Suzanne Shih - find themselves the target of any anonymous texter who taunts them by saying, “Maybe you’re next.”
Twitter handle @MPaloozaNxt2Dieis begins to call out the authors - and reveal their secrets - forcing them to work together to find out who killed Kristin, who who is threatening them and why.
With a setting inspired by Thrillerfest this book took me right back inside the conference and had my head spinning wondering what was going to happen next. Delicious characters. Multiple POVs. Secrets all around.
This was such a fun behind-the-curtain vibe to the writing and publishing life and I just had the best time reading it. And such an interesting look at the power of social media!
I DIDN’T DO IT will officially be out in the world next Tuesday, May 23rd so be sure to grab yourself a copy and be ready to hunker down for the ride! Huge thanks to NetGalley, Scarlet and JAIME LYNN HENDRICKS for the eARC.
I DIDN’T DO IT by JAIME LYNN HENDRICKS is my reading dream come true!
Welcome to Muderpalooza, the annual thriller writers conference in NYC. Kristin Bailey, one of five nominees for Murderpalooza’s Thriller of the Year, has been stabbed to death in her hotel room. And now four fellow writers - Vicky Overton, Mike Brooks, Davis Walton and Suzanne Shih - find themselves the target of any anonymous texter who taunts them by saying, “Maybe you’re next.”
Twitter handle @MPaloozaNxt2Dieis begins to call out the authors - and reveal their secrets - forcing them to work together to find out who killed Kristin, who who is threatening them and why.
With a setting inspired by Thrillerfest this book took me right back inside the conference and had my head spinning wondering what was going to happen next. Delicious characters. Multiple POVs. Secrets all around.
This was such a fun behind-the-curtain vibe to the writing and publishing life and I just had the best time reading it. And such an interesting look at the power of social media!
I DIDN’T DO IT will officially be out in the world next Tuesday, May 23rd so be sure to grab yourself a copy and be ready to hunker down for the ride! Huge thanks to NetGalley, Scarlet and JAIME LYNN HENDRICKS for the eARC.
May 26, 2023
✰ 2.5 stars ✰
“Write what you know. Fuck it, I know a good thriller and suspense story. A great whodunnit too. People with secrets. Things they’ll do to keep them hidden.”
I wasn't expecting I Didn't Do It to be as disappointing a read it was, but...it was.
Firstly, what I liked was that the mystery is set on the stage for only one opening act - the convention, itself, where the murder takes place. We don't venture beyond that day and everything takes place within that time frame. I enjoyed having the POVs from all five key players involved - as we got to see how petty and scathing and how desperate each of them were to prove their innocence and justify their actions - past or present.
Each of them had a different connection to the victim, which we learn about as the story progresses - I also liked that, somehow, inadvertently, there was a shared relationship between them, as well. And while they tried to throw off the scent from their own backs as suspects, a mystery within the crime that involved one of them was also introduced that made it more suspenseful. I appreciated how subtly the attention was diverted to it - how the story steadily led into that direction - it was not only interesting but so casually done - almost as if it was the true intent behind the murder. 🤔
What I didn't like was everything else! It didn't help matters that none of the characters were likable in any way - each of them had a motive to want to hurt Kristin - each of them had their own hidden agenda that they didn't want to bring to light. I just couldn't sympathize with any of them - their actions, their comments irritated me to no end, not to mention the implausibility of everything that irked me and made me highly skeptical of what was going on. 😩 Like c'mon, there were too many things that were happening too conveniently and out of the blue, that made me wonder, why no one was paying attention to them or even bothering to address some points in that matter.
“If anyone can solve Kristin’s murder, it’s going to be thriller writers, especially once everyone finds out she had secrets. This is what we do for a living. We take something horrible happening to someone normal and create a dense backstory rife with mystery.”
As thriller writers, who were guilty of something from their pasts - they failed to properly look at the what was going on in regards to the murder - even I could tell there was something shady about the investigation and how no one was bothering to ask even what was up with that twitter account that was sending out these mysterious and suspicious comments.
As much as this is the day and age, where Twitter comments can either cancel you or celebrate you - it is still as much so to report accounts as well. And the fact, that that subject was never broached once - that no one even bothered to comment on anything said by such stalker made me even doubt the reliability of the attacker. Hence, my intrigue in trying to figure it out who the murderer could be - who would be the eventual next target and how it would all pan out.
“As readers, we pick apart every breadcrumb left by the author, and nine times out of ten, we figure out the ending. The whodunnit. If I can sniff out everything about everyone, I can save the day.”
Ah, if only that could have been true till the end - the story - as annoying as the characters were - had kept my attention and as it is per my nature, I was steadfastly ignoring the desire to flip to the end to find the reveal. And at the 90% mark of the story, there was a very surprising twist - which I liked! 😌 It was so unexpected - so out of the blue - that I was suddenly geared up for a unique spin to the story that might save my disdain for the story in any way.
IT.DID.NOT.
Uff, if I could have captured my reaction to that moment - how I rolled my eyes and kicked my legs in frustration, because how it in fact, became a whole lot worse, spiraling into a plot device that I absolutely abhor! I felt so cheated - so upset - I just wanted to forget I ever read this. 😫 It was already such a conundrum of a mystery, but that ending really took the icing on the cake. Not to mention, the actual ending itself - that neither wrapped up the story or gave any closure to anything. I was happy to give this a 3 star, but I just couldn't with the completely unsatisfactory not to mention less than savory conclusion. My disdain was too palpable and apparent for me to ignore. 😮💨
I also felt that the writing was very abrasive and curt and often times rather juvenile. It's confusing, because I can't tell if this is actually how the author feels on the rather rude take to Twitter media and the reaction that fans have to writers. This book almost read as if it was a personal grudge the author felt to other writers and fans of said writers - or once again maybe I'm reading too much into it. 😔
And yet, strangely enough, I don't recall BookTwT didn't merit a mention in the author's acknowledgments - so maybe there may be some truth behind my theory.... 🧐
I want my time back. 💔
“Write what you know. Fuck it, I know a good thriller and suspense story. A great whodunnit too. People with secrets. Things they’ll do to keep them hidden.”
I wasn't expecting I Didn't Do It to be as disappointing a read it was, but...it was.
Firstly, what I liked was that the mystery is set on the stage for only one opening act - the convention, itself, where the murder takes place. We don't venture beyond that day and everything takes place within that time frame. I enjoyed having the POVs from all five key players involved - as we got to see how petty and scathing and how desperate each of them were to prove their innocence and justify their actions - past or present.
Each of them had a different connection to the victim, which we learn about as the story progresses - I also liked that, somehow, inadvertently, there was a shared relationship between them, as well. And while they tried to throw off the scent from their own backs as suspects, a mystery within the crime that involved one of them was also introduced that made it more suspenseful. I appreciated how subtly the attention was diverted to it - how the story steadily led into that direction - it was not only interesting but so casually done - almost as if it was the true intent behind the murder. 🤔
What I didn't like was everything else! It didn't help matters that none of the characters were likable in any way - each of them had a motive to want to hurt Kristin - each of them had their own hidden agenda that they didn't want to bring to light. I just couldn't sympathize with any of them - their actions, their comments irritated me to no end, not to mention the implausibility of everything that irked me and made me highly skeptical of what was going on. 😩 Like c'mon, there were too many things that were happening too conveniently and out of the blue, that made me wonder, why no one was paying attention to them or even bothering to address some points in that matter.
“If anyone can solve Kristin’s murder, it’s going to be thriller writers, especially once everyone finds out she had secrets. This is what we do for a living. We take something horrible happening to someone normal and create a dense backstory rife with mystery.”
As thriller writers, who were guilty of something from their pasts - they failed to properly look at the what was going on in regards to the murder - even I could tell there was something shady about the investigation and how no one was bothering to ask even what was up with that twitter account that was sending out these mysterious and suspicious comments.
As much as this is the day and age, where Twitter comments can either cancel you or celebrate you - it is still as much so to report accounts as well. And the fact, that that subject was never broached once - that no one even bothered to comment on anything said by such stalker made me even doubt the reliability of the attacker. Hence, my intrigue in trying to figure it out who the murderer could be - who would be the eventual next target and how it would all pan out.
“As readers, we pick apart every breadcrumb left by the author, and nine times out of ten, we figure out the ending. The whodunnit. If I can sniff out everything about everyone, I can save the day.”
Ah, if only that could have been true till the end - the story - as annoying as the characters were - had kept my attention and as it is per my nature, I was steadfastly ignoring the desire to flip to the end to find the reveal. And at the 90% mark of the story, there was a very surprising twist - which I liked! 😌 It was so unexpected - so out of the blue - that I was suddenly geared up for a unique spin to the story that might save my disdain for the story in any way.
IT.DID.NOT.
Uff, if I could have captured my reaction to that moment - how I rolled my eyes and kicked my legs in frustration, because how it in fact, became a whole lot worse, spiraling into a plot device that I absolutely abhor! I felt so cheated - so upset - I just wanted to forget I ever read this. 😫 It was already such a conundrum of a mystery, but that ending really took the icing on the cake. Not to mention, the actual ending itself - that neither wrapped up the story or gave any closure to anything. I was happy to give this a 3 star, but I just couldn't with the completely unsatisfactory not to mention less than savory conclusion. My disdain was too palpable and apparent for me to ignore. 😮💨
I also felt that the writing was very abrasive and curt and often times rather juvenile. It's confusing, because I can't tell if this is actually how the author feels on the rather rude take to Twitter media and the reaction that fans have to writers. This book almost read as if it was a personal grudge the author felt to other writers and fans of said writers - or once again maybe I'm reading too much into it. 😔
And yet, strangely enough, I don't recall BookTwT didn't merit a mention in the author's acknowledgments - so maybe there may be some truth behind my theory.... 🧐
I want my time back. 💔
May 2, 2023
Murderpalooza is the premier annual event for authors of thrillers, and this year is no exception. Five illustrious authors are up for the M-TOTY, the event’s top prize for thriller author of the year, and there is much excitement in the air at the conference. One of the nominees, Kristen Bailey, is found deceased in her room after having been stabbed by an unknown assailant. Four of her fellow writers/rivals are also targeted by an anonymous person on social media, and each one wonders if he/she is next. At first, they try to cooperate with each other to find who is behind the account; but as the anonymous author taunts them with accusations, they discover that each of them has a secret that binds them to Kristin and would have a reason to want her out of the Murderpalooza picture. Davis Walton, ego-driven and conceited, is an author with many prospects, including a movie deal. Vicky Overton, who is considered to be a midlister, is an author whose writing is strong, but not a bestseller. Mike Brooks is the has-been, an author who had his days in the sun and is trying to make a big comeback. Suzanne Shih is the newbie author, a talented writer who has metal health issues, including stalking her favorite author to try to force her be “friends.” Soon, the four authors turn on each other, each accusing another of being the one who left Kristin dead in her hotel room. The anonymous social media account promises a “big reveal” at the awards ceremony, each author has the uneasy feeling they will be next. But then again, who better to solve a murder mystery than a room full of thriller writers?
“I Didn’t Do It” is a brilliant take behind the scenes of thriller writing. The plot and climax are completely absorbing, fast-paced, and exciting; the twists and reveal are stunning! The reader can’t help but consume the pages as quickly as possible to find the person behind the murder of Kristen Bailey, who by all accounts was beloved, and the identity of @MPaloozaNxt2Die, the anonymous author of the threatening social media posts. The scene behind the scenes of the convention is beautifully, skillfully set, and the characters are well-rounded and masterfully created, with their flaws and secrets revealed in time. It is a very telling statement on the misuse of social media, how perception and rumors instantly become facts to those who read them, and how those misconceptions color your future impressions of those falsely portrayed. It also proves how easily one can bully or threaten groups or individuals anonymously while cowardly hiding behind a made-up identity. There is a true mind-blowing climax, and the ending is a bonus to top it all off. I could not have loved this book more! This is my first book by Jaime Lynn Hendricks, and I’m pleased to say I noticed she has written many more into which I look forward to sinking my teeth, hopefully in the near future!
I’d like to thank NetGalley, Jaime Lynn Hendricks, and Scarlet, an imprint of Penzler Publishers for the opportunity to read and review this ARC.
“I Didn’t Do It” is a brilliant take behind the scenes of thriller writing. The plot and climax are completely absorbing, fast-paced, and exciting; the twists and reveal are stunning! The reader can’t help but consume the pages as quickly as possible to find the person behind the murder of Kristen Bailey, who by all accounts was beloved, and the identity of @MPaloozaNxt2Die, the anonymous author of the threatening social media posts. The scene behind the scenes of the convention is beautifully, skillfully set, and the characters are well-rounded and masterfully created, with their flaws and secrets revealed in time. It is a very telling statement on the misuse of social media, how perception and rumors instantly become facts to those who read them, and how those misconceptions color your future impressions of those falsely portrayed. It also proves how easily one can bully or threaten groups or individuals anonymously while cowardly hiding behind a made-up identity. There is a true mind-blowing climax, and the ending is a bonus to top it all off. I could not have loved this book more! This is my first book by Jaime Lynn Hendricks, and I’m pleased to say I noticed she has written many more into which I look forward to sinking my teeth, hopefully in the near future!
I’d like to thank NetGalley, Jaime Lynn Hendricks, and Scarlet, an imprint of Penzler Publishers for the opportunity to read and review this ARC.
June 21, 2023
☆☆☆☆
Jaime Lynn Hendricks wrote a quirky and humorous tale about thriller writers being targeted by a killer. If you’re looking for a unique whodunit, this fits the bill! This is not what I expected but this audiobook is absolutely delightful!
The setting is a murder convention where one of the authors is found murdered. Four other authors alternate narrating as they’re stalked and manipulated by the murderer on Twitter.
Head to the pool with your audiobook for this fun, unique and entertaining whodunit! Kudo to Ms. Hendricks for a clever and refreshing plot!
#IDidntDoIt #JaimeLynnHendricks #libbyapp #backlistthriller #humerousthriller #audiobookreview #honestreview #libraryrental #UniqueThriller #WhoDunit #HighBridge #RecordedBooks #Scarlet #thrillerfriendsunite #mysteryandthrills #thrillerobsessedbookishclub #justfinished #newrelease #igbookreels #thriller #suspense #mystery #lovetoread #bookworms #lovebooks #lovetoreadbooks #fortheloveofbooks #booknerd #bookreviewer
Jaime Lynn Hendricks wrote a quirky and humorous tale about thriller writers being targeted by a killer. If you’re looking for a unique whodunit, this fits the bill! This is not what I expected but this audiobook is absolutely delightful!
The setting is a murder convention where one of the authors is found murdered. Four other authors alternate narrating as they’re stalked and manipulated by the murderer on Twitter.
Head to the pool with your audiobook for this fun, unique and entertaining whodunit! Kudo to Ms. Hendricks for a clever and refreshing plot!
#IDidntDoIt #JaimeLynnHendricks #libbyapp #backlistthriller #humerousthriller #audiobookreview #honestreview #libraryrental #UniqueThriller #WhoDunit #HighBridge #RecordedBooks #Scarlet #thrillerfriendsunite #mysteryandthrills #thrillerobsessedbookishclub #justfinished #newrelease #igbookreels #thriller #suspense #mystery #lovetoread #bookworms #lovebooks #lovetoreadbooks #fortheloveofbooks #booknerd #bookreviewer
May 23, 2023
I had so much fun with this one! although i suspected the ‘big twist’, the whys and hows of it were very well plotted and that FINAL moment got me!
there have been a few thrillers about authors and the book world lately, and i’m really enjoying this theme. Hendricks does a good job putting a fun winkwink-nudgenudge spin on the authors in this world (which is something that can easily go into eyerolling territory). a fun, clever, fast and unique story!
there have been a few thrillers about authors and the book world lately, and i’m really enjoying this theme. Hendricks does a good job putting a fun winkwink-nudgenudge spin on the authors in this world (which is something that can easily go into eyerolling territory). a fun, clever, fast and unique story!
June 3, 2024
This was such a wild ride .Talk about the plots thriller authors use ends up as a reality in their own lives!
Narrated from the perspective of 5 main characters in the story, as a reader I was engaged in finding out their secrets , like gossip girl but murdering kind!
You have, Kristin - Famous author with tons of awards and fan following, aka our murder victim
Davis Walton - Douchbag author, prime of his career with his book turning into onscreen adaptation
Mike Brooks -One time famous author who's trying his way back into being relevant
Vicky Overton - Rising starlet author , who wants to be still connected with her roots and not let her new success overtake her
Suzanne Shih - Wannabe author with no personal boundaries.
The anonymous Twitter account that forces the hands of these 4 to spill out their secrets and taunts them was an interesting touch .
Each of these characters were quirky and the arrow of suspicion kept changing from one to another and the author did a good job of maintaining it until the end with the shocking revelation I did not see coming.
And to top this just when you think it's time to wrap up , she slips in a bigger twist in the last few pages making you drop your jaws !
It's a 4/5 🌟 read for me , if you like a over the top dramatic whodunit , you'll like this one.
Narrated from the perspective of 5 main characters in the story, as a reader I was engaged in finding out their secrets , like gossip girl but murdering kind!
You have, Kristin - Famous author with tons of awards and fan following, aka our murder victim
Davis Walton - Douchbag author, prime of his career with his book turning into onscreen adaptation
Mike Brooks -One time famous author who's trying his way back into being relevant
Vicky Overton - Rising starlet author , who wants to be still connected with her roots and not let her new success overtake her
Suzanne Shih - Wannabe author with no personal boundaries.
The anonymous Twitter account that forces the hands of these 4 to spill out their secrets and taunts them was an interesting touch .
Each of these characters were quirky and the arrow of suspicion kept changing from one to another and the author did a good job of maintaining it until the end with the shocking revelation I did not see coming.
And to top this just when you think it's time to wrap up , she slips in a bigger twist in the last few pages making you drop your jaws !
It's a 4/5 🌟 read for me , if you like a over the top dramatic whodunit , you'll like this one.
January 21, 2023
Murderpalooza is a premier mystery and suspense writer conference. It is a massive event that many top writers of the genre regularly attend. Kristin Bailey is a best seller and it comes as a huge shock when she is found dead in her hotel. Her competition is everywhere so there are plenty of attendees with a motive. But, what better group to try to solve this murder than this group of expert murder book writers.
I really enjoyed I DIDN’T DO IT! The storyline is very clever and bravo to Jamie Lynn Hendricks for executing it perfectly. It reminded me of the Clue and Knives Out movies immediately. I am a big fan of those types of murder mystery movies for sure. This book kept my attention and kept me guessing the whole time. I highly recommend it and will read more from this author in the future.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Scarlet for my ARC in exchange for my honest review.
This review will be posted to my Instagram Blog (@coffee.break.book.reviews) in the near future.
I really enjoyed I DIDN’T DO IT! The storyline is very clever and bravo to Jamie Lynn Hendricks for executing it perfectly. It reminded me of the Clue and Knives Out movies immediately. I am a big fan of those types of murder mystery movies for sure. This book kept my attention and kept me guessing the whole time. I highly recommend it and will read more from this author in the future.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Scarlet for my ARC in exchange for my honest review.
This review will be posted to my Instagram Blog (@coffee.break.book.reviews) in the near future.
May 4, 2023
Man! I flew through this one! We have authors at a writer’s conference, some up for an award. Then one of the nominees are murdered. Someone on twitter starts tweeting about the murder and possible suspects— other authors. This group bands together to try to stay safe and figure out what is going on, because one of them could be next.
I loved the tweets and texts at the end of many of the chapters. There were so many red herrings throughout. This is a top notch thriller! Although I did guess the main twist about 70% in, I still loved this book and was turning pages like crazy to see if I was right! I loved Jaime’s last book, and I loved this one, too! The short chapters….the multiple povs….this book is going to be a hit!
I loved the tweets and texts at the end of many of the chapters. There were so many red herrings throughout. This is a top notch thriller! Although I did guess the main twist about 70% in, I still loved this book and was turning pages like crazy to see if I was right! I loved Jaime’s last book, and I loved this one, too! The short chapters….the multiple povs….this book is going to be a hit!
May 24, 2023
Thank you to NetGalley for an ARC of
I Didn't Do It.
A thriller convention. A dead writer. Four suspects. Who dunnit?
For a story set a a thriller convention, the plot was soooo boring.
A bunch of writers whispering amongst each other, trying to figure out who killed the most popular thriller author amongst their circle, throwing one another under the bus, reading snippets of Twitter, other people trying to figure out what secrets each of them is hiding from each other...there was nothing new here.
Oh. Em. Gee.
The story was pretty lacking (pretty - delete) in suspense until the very end, which was hilariously melodramatic, and hard to suspend disbelief for.
If you're one of those types who can suspend disbelief for, you're going to love this.
The writing isn't great, and there's little to no character development except that each person has something to hide (natch!)
Mike was a decent, affable and relatable character but everyone was unlikable.
I also didn't like the way the characters were written.
They didn't sound like real authors, but how the author imagines authors in this genre and/or position would act.
The frequent POV shifts are distracting so most of the narrative read as filler, rehashing what we heard from the other writers already.
There's very little action or drama (when something does happen, it occurs off the pages), though there are plenty of 'twists' at the end but nothing earth shattering.
I wanted to like this but Oh Em Gee it was too too hard for me to suspend disbelief for.
A thriller convention. A dead writer. Four suspects. Who dunnit?
For a story set a a thriller convention, the plot was soooo boring.
A bunch of writers whispering amongst each other, trying to figure out who killed the most popular thriller author amongst their circle, throwing one another under the bus, reading snippets of Twitter, other people trying to figure out what secrets each of them is hiding from each other...there was nothing new here.
Oh. Em. Gee.
The story was pretty lacking (pretty - delete) in suspense until the very end, which was hilariously melodramatic, and hard to suspend disbelief for.
If you're one of those types who can suspend disbelief for, you're going to love this.
The writing isn't great, and there's little to no character development except that each person has something to hide (natch!)
Mike was a decent, affable and relatable character but everyone was unlikable.
I also didn't like the way the characters were written.
They didn't sound like real authors, but how the author imagines authors in this genre and/or position would act.
The frequent POV shifts are distracting so most of the narrative read as filler, rehashing what we heard from the other writers already.
There's very little action or drama (when something does happen, it occurs off the pages), though there are plenty of 'twists' at the end but nothing earth shattering.
I wanted to like this but Oh Em Gee it was too too hard for me to suspend disbelief for.
April 7, 2023
Another shocking and suspenseful read by Hendricks! This one was a slow burn in all the right ways. I had some suspicions about the twist, but I never would have guessed the extent of it! And just when you think all the twists are done and you have the ending figured out, she hits you with yet another one and you’re left with your mouth hanging open. Her writing style is so easy to read, and I loved that it changed with each different POV. The story is told in multiple POV and that just adds to the suspicion you feel toward each character. This is the second book I read by this author, and I cannot wait to read more in the future! This was a 5-star read for sure.
A huge thank you to NetGalley, Penzler Publishers, and Jaime Lynn Hendricks for providing me with this gifted copy in exchange for my honest review.
A huge thank you to NetGalley, Penzler Publishers, and Jaime Lynn Hendricks for providing me with this gifted copy in exchange for my honest review.
December 15, 2022
Alright if I wore earrings, this is where I would take them out to get comfy and tell y’all about this book. I don’t know why they only let me give 5 stars because that’s NOT ENOUGH for Ms. Jaime’s writing! Let’s get it out of the way that I love the first person perspectives in most chapters. Then we go into before the murder and after the murder… I’m already hooked!!! I’m so obsessed with the way Hendricks writes a whodunit like a freaking professional. I have no idea how she manages to write so many characters’ voices and thoughts!
If there is one book you read this year, let THIS be the book!!!
If there is one book you read this year, let THIS be the book!!!
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