A review by minimicropup
Busybodies: There's A Mystery Around Every Corner by Jesse Q. Sutanto, Emma Rosenblum, Alicia Thompson, Nita Prose, Elle Cosimano, Kellye Garrett

funny lighthearted mysterious fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

2.5

This is a cozy mystery collection with quick, convenient resolutions that didn’t give enough depth or suspense for me. The last two leaned more into romance and were a bit more enjoyable. But the writing isn’t bad so if you’re a fan of cozy mysteries, you might enjoy this collection more than I did.
 
🐕 Howls Interesting concept but most stories felt rushed and hollow. Endings felt too convenient or incomplete. Some stories seemed to end randomly/mid-story. Other felt almost pointless or unsatisfying. 
 
Staged 2
Real estate staging should be for showcasing life, not death.
 
Vacuum tracks in carpet. Mallet. Azalea bushes. BMW. Pink carpet. 
  • Real estate gone wrong
  • Hot landscaper
  • Amateur sleuth sisters
  • Quippy dark comedy
  • Hints of enemies to lovers romance
 
The Reunion Dinner 2.5
A sixty-something main character plans to upstage their sibling’s family holiday dinner when given the chance. 
 
Chinese New Year. Roast pig. Cocktails. Yu sheng. 
  • Cozy holiday
  • Dinner party gone wrong
  • Family celebration and reunions
  • Mother Knows Best
  • Unhinged sabotage
 
Crime of Fashion 2
A missing necklace at a photo shoot. A responsible assistant in the hot seat. 
 
Black dress. Wavy hair. Gems. Handbags. Yellow diamond. 
  • Photoshoot drama
  • Gumshoe sleuthing 
  • Find the thief
  • Job at risk
 
The Nosy Neighbour 3
Snooping while house-sitting for a neighbour.  
 
Hobbies. Bungalow. Picture window. Hydrangeas. 
  • Older adult sleuthing
  • House-sitting for a neighbour
  • Unreliable, unhinged characters
  • Flip the script twists
 
One Lucky Subscriber 4
Hide and seek in a mall for a YouTuber’s competition. 
 
Shopping mall. Numbered contestants. Tesla. Rose wall. Livestream. Stuffed animal.  
  • Content creation hide and seek
  • Attempt to sabotage the game or clumsy host? 
  • Cheating to win attempts
  • Everyone’s a suspect attempted murder mystery
 
A Classic Case 5
A video rental customer worries when a usual customer doesn’t show up at his regular time. 
 
Movie rental. Black-and-white movies. Peanut butter. Flannel.
  • Missing acquaintance
  • Clue hunting with a crush 
  • Quirky main character
  • Meet-cute movie style romance

Content Heads-Up: Blood. Death. Dead body (discovery of). Drugging. Poisoning. Murder. Jealousy. Theft. Potential false accusation. Dementia (implied). Loss of spouse. Parental ambivalence (gave up custody to family). 
 
Rep: American. Chinese. English. Cis. Hetero. Pansexual. Dark, pale, and ambiguous skin tones. Obsessive compulsive disorder. Stutter. 
 
📚 Format: Advance Reader’s Copy from Thomas & Mercer and NetGalley
 
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