Killer Content (A Brooklyn Murder Mystery Book 1) by Olivia Blacke
Publisher: Berkley Publishing Group
Genre: Mystery & Thrillers
Release Date: February 2, 2021

Killer Content is the first book in A Brooklyn Murder Mystery series by Olivia Blacke.

This was such a fun cozy mystery! Set in Brooklyn, we meet Odessa who is from Louisiana and staying at her aunt's apartment to cat-sit. Odessa quickly figured out that nothing is cheap in New York, so she finds herself working at Untapped Books & Café. She is also a true-crimes podcast fan!

Overall, I loved this story! I thought Odessa's determination and drive was incredible! She is such a great character. Her co-workers at the café make up most of the other characters and the diversity made it fun.

I really enjoyed this book. I found it to be funny and exciting! The mystery was great and kept me guessing until the very end! This was fast paced and a a quick read! I loved the social media aspects woven into the story line. It was done very well and fit the theme of the book!

I'm definitely looking forward to the next book in the series, No Memes of Escape, which is slated to release in October 2021.

I'm so grateful to Olivia Blacke, Berkley Publishing Group, and NetGalley for providing me with a free copy of this ARC ebook in exchange for my honest review.

Killer Content by Olivia Blacke is the first A Brooklyn Murder Mystery. Odessa Dean is from Piney Island, Louisiana who finds Brooklyn amazing and overwhelming. She is cat and apartment sitting for her Aunt Melanie who is traveling through Europe. Killer Content is written in the first person allowing us to see things from Odessa’s point-of-view. We learn what she thinks about Brooklyn, the food, the microbrews, the people, etc. Izzy Wilson is a co-worker and Odessa’s friend who ends up living with Odessa when the schoolhouse where she squats is being fumigated. Izzy has a larger personality than Odessa and she could overshadow her. Odessa is an okay character. I just felt she faded into the background at times. She let people take advantage of her (from her boss to Izzy). The contradiction comes with Bethany’s death. Odessa is positive that Bethany was murdered, and she will not stop until she proves it. I felt that the whodunit was not the focus of the story. More time seems devoted to Untapped Books & Café (the people, the food, the brews served). There are a limited number of suspects. Odessa questioned people and dug through trash looking for clues. One piece of information is all that is needed to solve the case. If you are like me and read cozies for the mystery, then you will be disappointed. This is a character driven cozy mystery with the focus on Odessa. I felt there were details that we did not need to know such what Odessa ate for each meal, the weather (it is hot as we are told a few times), the mess Izzy left in the bedroom, the amount of luggage Izzy brought with her). I just felt that some of this minute details were not needed, and they slowed down the progress of the story. There was a repetition of information as well. I believe Killer Content will appeal to those readers in their twenties and thirties (obtain a sample to see if this story suits you). The author did take the time to give needed background information on Odessa as well as the neighborhood (where Odessa lives and works). I liked Rufus Talliwhacker (Aunt Melanie’s cat) plus the bookstore dog. Killer Content is a lighthearted cozy mystery with distasteful trash, flash mob fiasco, nasty neon green, a disobliging detective, a capricious roommate, and mouthwatering microbrews.

Killer Content is completely, absolutely, totally adorable. Odessa Dean is the perfect 20s girl trying to make it in NYC, albeit while apartment and cat sitting in her aunt's upscale apartment. After her co-worker is killed in the middle of a flash mob, Odessa is convinced that it wasn't an accident and that something more nefarious happened. Her investigation includes not only a trip to the NYC trash storage center, but also being arrested after trying to unlock a cell phone that automatically unlocks in a certain location.

Not only is Odessa's inner dialogue quirky and funny, but her relationships with her boss and co-workers is at times laugh-out-loud funny. I highly recommend getting your hands on a copy of Olivia Blacke's debut novel and also watching for whatever she's working on next!

This was a really fun new cozy mystery series. It didn't follow the traditional cozy pathway and while I wasn't completely sold on several of the plot points (such as the main characters motivation for solving a murder of someone she barely knew), I still really enjoyed the story. I loved the setting of Brooklyn and the cafe/bookstore the main character works in. I especially loved the addition of Huckleberry the dog to the store. I also really liked the main character, she has a big heart and really fun quirks. Overall it was a good read and I look forward to the next book in the series.

Although I love a cozy mystery audiobook more than most people, I normally don’t like to read them. However, Killer Content was the exception! While Odessa is cat-sitting for her aunt in Brooklyn, she takes a job waitressing at Untapped Books & Cafe. When a coworker dies, Odessa investigates her murder. I liked Odessa and the quirky characters that are in her circle. I thought the Williamsburg setting was cool too. I did feel like the murder was solved fairly easily out of nowhere right at the end of the book, but its a cozy mystery so that was on brand.

I loved the NYC setting of this. I have always wanted to travel there so reading about it helps me feel like I am actually a part of the city! This was a very interesting story and it was a fun and fast read that had me sucked in from the beginning. I am new to the whole cozy mystery genre but this will definitely not be my last!

I read about 100 pages of this one before I gave up. I know it's on a lot of lists for most anticipated for 2021, but I don't know why. It was quite boring. I couldn't connect with it at all. I would give the author another chance. Sometimes a book just isn't right for you.

2/5 Stars

The story was interesting because did was Odessa the only one to witness this murder; however, I did not understand the reasoning behind our protagonist's motives of going as far as she does as due to her relationship being a stranger. If our protagonist was more developed one way or another it would make sense.

Odessa’s on a grand adventure cat sitting for her aunt in a posh NYC apartment for a summer. But when a viral video shows her coffee shop coworker Bethany falling off a bridge, Odessa gets obsessed. She’s convinced the police aren’t doing enough to solve it. Even though she’s only known Bethany for a few weeks, she visits her roommates, ends up being the one who informs her ex-boyfriend, and even claims her personal possessions from her apartment and hosts her wake.

Pros: This book introduces you to a full cast of quirky New Yorkers. They were the best part of the book.

Cons: I think this book may have been a bit too “cozy” for me. The mystery didn’t keep me as engaged as I’d hoped.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the advance review copy of this book in exchange for an honest review

As a hardcore New Yorker, I was annoyed at all of the stupid NY stereotypes: rude people, fast talkers... I mean c'mon. It's not the 80's and then I was really surprised to find out the author actually lived in NY at one point. I really want to like this book but the Odessa was basically a big doormat. She let Izzy take her bedroom and date the cop which why bother spending the first 40% of the book setting up how cute Odessa thought Detective Castillo was if the author is going to have him hook up with the homeless coworker. Also - not a chance Izzy is a homeless waittress who just happens to have a huge wardrobe and cooks gourmet vegan meals. I mean - does she shop at Whole Foods or does she live in their parking lot - make up your mind. And then at the end, her friend Izzy keeps partying on the rooftop and gives her boyfriend the apartment keys b/c the killer is in the apt with Odessa? Also - why is Odessa so poor? That was way over-exaggerated. She has a free place to live plus her aunt left her spending money and she's in BK, it's not even Manhattan. Seemed to be an annoying detail to invoke sympathy but just made Odessa seem like even more of a loser.

A fun cozy mystery set in hipster Brooklyn. Southern gal Odessa is cat sitting for her aunt and works as a waitress in a cafe, when her coworker dies unexpectedly in a nearby park. Odessa gets herself into a few awkward situations including being stained green all over, picking through garbage and getting caught trespassing. The side characters were just as quirky and rounded out the story well.

Thanks to NetGalley and Berkley Publishing for the arc.

With Williamsburg, Brooklyn as the setting, the author has crafted a fun story with quirky characters. Odessa is from a small town on Louisiana, when she gets the opportunity to apartment sit for her aunt. Waitressing at a local bookstore/cafe, Odessa is asked by a fellow waitress to cover her break. Bethany is murdered, but the police deem it an accident. Odessa is sure they are wrong, and begins to investigate on her own, figuring she knows enough from all of her true crime podcasts. A good first in a new series, I recommend it and thank NetGalley for the ARC.

Killer Content
by Olivia Blacke
Berkley Publishing Group
Berkley
Mystery & Thrillers
Pub Date 02 Feb 2021


I am reviewing a copy of Killer Content through Berkley Publishing Group and Netgalley:



Odessa Dean is a Bayou Transplant who has a lot to learn about life in Brooklyn. She has managed to score an apartment rent free in one or the nicest neighborhoods in the area by cat sitting and she has a new job working at Untapped Books & Café. Hand-selling books and craft beers is easy for Odessa, but making new friends and learning how to ride the subway? Well,



Things turn more sour than an IPA when the death of a fellow waitress goes viral, after it is caught on camera in the background of a couple's flash mob proposal video. There is nothing about Bethany’s death that feels right to Odessa. Bethany’s departure mid-shift nor do the clues that only only Odessa seems to catch. As an upcoming YouTube Star, Bethany had more than one viewer wanting to watch her fall from Grace.



Odessa takes matters into her own hands, determined to to prove there's a killer on the loose. But can she pin down Bethany's killer before they take Odessa offline for good?



I give Killer Content five out of five stars!



Happy Reading!

Killer Content is my first cozy mystery. I was drawn by the colorful cover.
I’m happy to say I really enjoyed it!

Odessa is a small-town Southern girl house sitting her aunt’s Williamsburg apartment and waitressing at a bar/bookstore in the neighborhood. When her coworker Bethany dies suddenly, Odessa isn’t so sure that Bethany’s death was an accident and starts her own investigation.

As someone who is obsessed with true crime podcasts, I could relate to Odessa’s obsession with solving this crime. I also found her to be such a cute character. Her sarcastic personality just spoke to my soul.

This was a quick and fun read and highly recommend it for anyone wanted a good cozy mystery.

Killer Content by Olivia Blacke was a little lackluster for me. I could not relate to this book at all. A little over the top cutesy, the main character seems to be complaining constantly and simply not appealing. Had to skip a lot of the story just to finish.

“There’s kinda a joke, you know, that craft beers are the new pumpkin spice lattes. We have a great selection, if you’d like to try one.”

Odessa Dean, a young southern girl, agrees to house and cat sit for her Aunt in Brooklyn. She gets a job at Untapped Books & Cafe where her southern charm helps her sell books and craft beers, even if her boss is an ass and her coworkers are flaky. When the death of fellow waitress Bethany is caught on camera during a flash mob marriage proposal in a nearby park, Odessa feels compelled to disprove the ME finding of suicide. What could possibly go wrong with a girl from the Bayou inserting herself in an NYPD investigation?

Oh a lot. A lot can go wrong.

In light of the current state of the world, these fun, quirky murder mysteries are giving me life. This book was absolutely adorable and I loved every word of it! It is very on trend with the current societal norms of quaint cafes, books, Twitter feeds, YouTube videos, and ipa’s. I live in New England and it seems that there’s a new brewery popping up every month.

Odessa is such a sweet, likable character. Her southern manners, demeanor and accent are mercilessly teased by the Brooklyn natives. And again, being from New England, this is...accurate 😬🤷🏼‍♀️.

If you love books, cafes, ipa’s, or just want a peek into a millennials life in the big city, read this one! I am so glad that this is the first in a new series because I’m just not ready to say goodbye to Odessa, Brooklyn or the Untapped Books & Cafe.

Happy publication day!! Thank you to Netgalley and Berkley Publishing Group for this arc in exchange for an honest review.

A well-written, character driven mystery in this first book of the Brooklyn Murder Mystery series. Olivia Blacke does an excellent job at scene setting and provides outstanding characterization for this introductory cast. The plot flows smoothly and easily engages readers. Overall, a mild-mannered, fun read with amateur sleuthing. It would be enjoyed by those who prefer stories in which violence/sex take place off stage.

Thank you to #NetGalley and #BerkleyPublishing for the ARC of #KillerContent which was read and reviewed voluntarily.

#readmorebooks #bookstagram #bookedup #bookish #bookclubbish #bookblogs #booktweets #cozymysteries #readnow #readreviewrepeat

Louisiana native Odessa Dean is apartment-sitting and cat-sitting for her aunt, who is spending the summer in Europe. Which means that Odessa gets to spend her summer in Williamsburg, part of hipster Brooklyn. She has taken her waitressing skills from Piney Island’s Crawdad Shack to Untapped Books and Café, where she delivers orders or avocado toast and sandwiches on gluten-free bread along with craft beers brewed locally.

Odessa works the day shift at the café, and when her coworker Bethany asks her to cover for her while she runs out to meet someone at Domino Park, Odessa agrees to cover her tables. But a viral video of a flash mob shows Bethany and her neon green Untapped polo shirt falling from the overhead walkway, Odessa is the only person who believes it wasn’t a freak accident.

Despite the warnings from the very handsome detective who explains that Bethany’s fall was not an act of violence, despite the medical examiner ruling the fall an accident, Odessa keeps investigating anyway. She watches hours of Bethany’s YouTube videos of her soap-making, as well as those of her nemesis Jenny. Odessa goes to her apartment and talks with her roommates. She talks to her boyfriend. But she still can’t figure out who would kill Bethany or why.

Odessa ruins her favorite cowboy boots digging through piles of garbage. She almost gets hit by a food truck. She gets in trouble with her aunt for letting one of her coworkers move in for a few days and then bringing home the shop’s dog for a bath. She almost gets fired. And she almost gets arrested trying to find a way to unlock Bethany’s phone without the password.

But while everyone keeps telling Odessa that she’s not doing herself any favors by playing amateur detective, there is one person who notices what’s she’s doing and keep tabs on her. Because there is a killer, and they have turned their sights on the only person who won’t give up the search.

Killer Content is the first in a new cozy series, set in Brooklyn and starring fish-out-of-water Odessa. Although she shows up in cowboy boots with her Southern drawl, she learns fast and finds herself increasingly charmed by Brooklyn’s artisans and artists.

Likewise, I found myself increasingly charmed by Odessa and her spirit. Killer Content is the first in what I think will continue to be a fun new series. Untapped draws an eclectic collection of employees and customers, and I have a feeling that Odessa is going to stay in town past the summer, hanging out with her new friends and learning more and more about the city (and about solving mysteries). Author Olivia Blacke has imbued this story with warmth and style, and while it’s written with younger cozy fans in mind, I think readers of all ages who enjoy a good story with interesting characters can find something to enjoy in the pages of Killer Content.

Egalleys for Killer Content were provided by Berkley Publishing Group through NetGalley, with many thanks.

Odessa Dean is in Brooklyn, NY, apartment- and cat-sitting for her aunt. As a lifelong resident of Louisiana, New York is a culture shock. The pace is faster, the patience is thinner, and her southern manners don't mean a thing. To keep her busy, and with some spending money, she finds employment as a waitress at a local café. When one of the other waitresses races out of Untapped Books & Café and asks Odessa to cover for her, Odessa chalks it up to an urgent appointment. Unfortunately, as Odessa is watching a flash-mob proposal on social media, she sees the unmistakable shirt of the Café's uniform on a body in the background. Ruled an accident by police, Odessa knows Bethany's death is anything but.

Odessa takes it upon herself to investigate the mysterious demise of Bethany since no one at the police station will listen to her. As Odessa dives further into her own investigation, she ends up with a list of suspects but no real proof. She resorts to hiding evidence from the police, dumpster diving, and porch-surfing in the middle of the night. Not a good way to convince the police they are wrong, and you are right, Odessa!

Killer Content was an interesting and fast read. The cozy concept of a craft being at the forefront of the book didn't really occur in this story and it was refreshing. Sure, Odessa liked to sew but her hobby wasn't front and center. We were able to learn more about Odessa than her favorite patterns and sewing machine settings. Don't get me wrong, I love the themes of cozy mysteries, but the lack of a concrete hobby/craft/artistic lifestyle was a nice change.

Let's talk a little bit about Odessa. She's new to New York and is southern to the bone. She was born of manners and kindness. Those she meets in New York, and who appear in this story, not so much. She gives into rude people, lets people talk down to her, and doesn't defend herself. I found those traits very off-putting about her character. You can be nice, polite, and have manners, and still not let people take advantage of you. As much as I liked Odessa's fierceness with finding out the truth about Bethany, I didn't like her meek and mousiness. I hope her character gets a little stronger in the next book. I liked her despite all that, though.

The author created some strong secondary characters. Izzy, Odessa's friend, is fun and I found her interesting. Parker is a likeable co-worker. Huckleberry, the Untapped Books & Café doggy mascot, is entertaining in his own right. Todd, Odessa's boss, is a strong character but in a very unlikable way. I didn't like him and that's exactly how the author created him. The character development was done well, and I enjoyed the setting for Killer Content. I look forward to the next book.

I was provided a copy of this book read.

I don’t remember the last time I settled in for a murder mystery; I tend to lean more toward domestic thrillers and police procedurals. But “Killer Content” opened my eyes to the genre — if you want a quick, whodunnit read that’s not at all gristly, this is it.

Odessa is a small-town Louisiana girl house sitting her aunt’s eclectic Williamsburg apartment and working at a bar-and-bookstore in the neighborhood. When her coworker Bethany — an up and coming Etsy maker with a big YouTube following — dies suddenly, Odessa isn’t willing to accept that Bethany’s death was an accident and starts her own investigation.

Thank you to @netgalley and @berkleypub for an ARC of “Killer Content.”