This started off strong but dragged on towards the middle and end. The characters are very unlikeable especially Becca, who most of the story is centered around. The story just didn’t progress quickly enough for a thriller/mystery which is why I gave it it 3 stars.

After Becca's husband cheats, he attempts to win her good graces by taking her to a murder mystery weekend at a B&B. But once there, weird things are happening, it becomes hard to tell what is and isn't part of the game.

I really felt like this book gave me all the Clue or Knives Out vibes. I appreciate the storyline and am very much enamored with a game of Clue. But, the pace was slow for me and I lost interest. I was underwhelmed.

All Dressed Up

⭐️⭐️⭐️

All Dressed Up is a closed door murder mystery for any of those who love that trope! It centers around a group of guests who are all going to a hotel for a mystery theater style weekend. Each guest has a part to play as they try to figure out who the murderer is throughout the weekend.

I think the writing style in this would have greatly benefited from making it multiple perspectives. We see everything through Becca’s eyes and it just made it not quite as engaging or mysterious. It centersu on her and Blake’s marriage more than I anticipated but I didn’t mind that part.

Overall a quick mystery if you’re looking for something fun.

"All Dressed Up" was a fun murder mystery inside a murder mystery. Our main character, Becca, and her husband Blake are struggling in the aftermath of Blake's affair, and a hotel's themed murder mystery weekend seems to be the perfect place to put their relationship back on track.
I found Becca's struggle with her husband's betrayal refreshingly real, though her inner monologue sometimes seemed to be in contrast to her outward behavior. This was a pretty light, quick read that I enjoyed throughout as the different mysteries developed.

The premise to this novel sounded intriguing, but it unfortunately fell a bit flat for me. The cover is gorgeous, though.

All Dressed Up opens with Becca and Blake on their way to a getaway weekend participating in a Murder Mystery. Only, it is all a surprise to Becca. She's reeling still from Blake's indiscretion and is unsure if they can continue on. What promises to be an action packed, whodunnit to keep you guessing...it actually falls a little flat.

Becca and Blake are seeking help for their troubled marriage. We see the entire weekend through Becca's perspective. The majority of the time, she is mentally slugging through every negative detail that has occurred in their relationship, and then suddenly, she is embroiled in an actual murder mystery. While trying to figure out just what is going on, she still waxes should she or shouldn't she forgive Blake until the very end.

There are elements that made the read much more interesting such as showcasing the actual dossier from the Murder Mystery event, delving deep into the character of each player in the game. It was a quick read and not terrible; just not exactly what I was expecting.

Thank you to Random House Publishing - Ballantine and NetGalley for the digital ARC. The opinions expressed are my own.

Thank you to Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine and Netgalley for the opportunity for this ARC for my honest review.

All dressed up is coming out on September 6th 2022. I had a good time reading this book! I love the murder mystery and the 1920s theme. I thought the whole premise of the story was exciting. I did have a little trouble following the story to some degree because there was a lot going on. But I still liked it! And I would definitely recommend this book. Thank you.

Becca's husband surprises her with a weekend away and it turns out to be for a murder mystery weekend. When one of the actresses leaves suddenly, Becca is concerned that something happened to her. I felt like what happened to Bethany was pretty easy to see coming. The rest of the book was pretty good, with Becca and her husband dealing with some trust issues after an affair. I was a little surprised by where they left things at the end, but I did like how she became more self-aware of what the problems in the relationship were. 3.5 stars rounded to 4

I really wanted to like this book and unfortunately I don't think it was for me. The murder mystery angle sounded very interesting though.

Becca and Blake have needed marital counseling as Blake had an affair, so his way to try and smooth things over was to book them into a weekend murder mystery which was held in an old hotel. The theme was 1920s and all the guests dressed in costumes for that period and were given their synopsis for the part they were playing. Right away someone gets 'murdered' and it is up to the guests who follow clues, to find the murderer. Then one of the housemaids did not show up the next morning and Becca seems to think that there is more than her just not arriving.
I usually like this type of mystery, but it did get rather confusing as Becca was trying to solve a murder and a missing person.
I thank the author, publisher and Netgalley for my ARC in exchange for my honest review.

A weekend getaway at a hotel that's hosting a 1920s murder mystery theme? Yes, please! Unfortunately, the synopsis was the best part of this book.

The main character Becca was an emotional mess, and being inside her mind throughout much of the book quickly became tedious. The "in and out of character" segments and so much unrelated drama really bogged down the plot.

This one was a miss for me, but I'm intrigued enough by this author's writing style to try another book from her. ALL DRESSED UP will publish September 6 from Bantam/Random House.

The weekend getaway at a gorgeous hotel should have been perfect. But Becca is smarting from her husband Blake’s betrayal and knows that the trip is just an expensive apology attempt. Still, the drinks are strong, and the weekend has an elaborate 1920s murder mystery theme. She decides to get into the spirit and enjoy their stay. Before long, the game is afoot: Famed speakeasy songstress Ida Crooner is found “murdered,” and it’s up to the guests to sniff out the culprit. Playing the role of Miss Debbie Taunte, an ingenue with a dark past, Becca dives into the world of pun-heavy clues, hammy acting, and secret passages, hoping to take her mind off her marital troubles. Then, the morning after they arrive, the actress playing Ida’s maid fails to reappear for her role. Everyone assumes she flaked out on the job, but when snooping for clues as “Debbie,” Becca finds evidence that the young woman may not have left of her own free will.

This is a well written book by a new author to me. I thought her characters were well written and the Murder Mystery Weekend was an interesting concept. The main character's search for the missing maid let to some interesting discoveries and surprise plot twists. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the approval of my request to read this book, and I highly recommend it.

The premise for this story was a really good one. I liked the 1920s themed mystery weekend idea. If the writer would have stuck with the plot and focused on the mystery the book would have been great. But too much, and I mean way, way too much time is spent on Becca's paranoid outlook on her cheating husband. Ok, he cheated, the weekend is meant to be him apologizing, trying to make things better. At that point enough said, should have went on with the mystery, instead we hear over and over Becca's insecurity, her paranoia,m her playing the victim. I got irritated and frustrated listening to her complaints and badgering of Blake very early on, just reading about her outlook on her marriage was painful-if it is that horrible get out, quit beating a dead horse.
Becca ruined the book for me, her whining detracted and drew focus away from the mystery to such a degree I would find myself at a loss as to what was happening and would have to go back and reread pages, this too was annoying. Sorry to say I would not recommend this to anyone, the mystery itself was not that intriguing as to make up for all the other faults throughout the book.
Thank you to Random House Publishing and to Net Galley for the free ARc, I am leaving my honest review in return.

A murder mystery within a murder mystery. Becca is trying to forgive/forget/reconcile with her unfaithful husband and a weekend at a murder mystery mansion is his suggestion as a way to work out their problems. Their cheesy aliases are Miss Debbie Taunte and Mr. Reid A. Daily. A REAL murder occurs and Becca throws herself into solving it during the times she’s not ruminating about Blake’s infidelity and suspecting him of cheating again.

By nature of the plot, with everyone having two names and the desire to solve two mysteries, this was a really hard book to follow. The book should have had more potential, but Becca was so emotionally damaged, she tended to drain all the joy around her. I honestly had to start this book multiple times before I could complete it. 3 stars.

Thank you to Random House Publishing/Ballantine and NetGalley for an advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review.

Literary Pet Peeve Checklist:
Green Eyes (only 2% of the real world, yet it seems like 90% of all fictional females): NO There are a pair of china cats with yellow eyes.
Horticultural Faux Pas (plants out of season or growing zones, like daffodils in autumn or bougainvillea in Alaska): NO An embarrassing early mention of an incident with poison ivy was as horticultural as it gets.

This had a fun premise, but there was too much trying to fit in at once. Yes, our characters needed to have layers, but the infidelity backstory was overly fixated on in a way that took away from the actual plot. The ending dragged a bit too much for me, too. I also hate that while we get a good guess, we never officially know how the game was meant to end!

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I will admit I wasn’t sure if I was going to really get into this book but then a few chapters in, it started to click! I love the writing and the way the characters seem alive on the page.

Overall, I enjoyed the story pretty well. I had a hard time empathizing with Becca...she just seemed to always be picking a fight with her husband. I would have preferred the story to cover more of the mystery instead of Becca's issues.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This one was just ok for me. It is far from original. A historical murder mystery is right up my alley but I felt like the author has some deeply personal trauma with cheating because that is actually what this book was about. The premise was very misleading to me.

This dad so much potential but execution was poorly done. The “twist” was ridiculous and didn’t make sense. The plot moved so slowly, and the characters were all so unlikeable, especially the main characters who narrates the entire story – it made for a poor reading experience

Thanks to NetGalley and publisher for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

This was a very fun to read murder mystery within a murder mystery with an unreliable narrator in an unreliable relationship with unreliable friends. Becca's husband is taking her for a romantic surprise getaway weekend after betraying her in a particularly sensitive way. Becca is unsure about how their relationship is going to fare, but is pleased that he is trying to make up to her by doing things outside his comfort zone. Then a murder happens! Or does it? Then someone disappears? Or do they? Some new friends become awkward acquaintances and old friends start to show their true colors. Lots of twists and turns in this gem. A great read for a weekend when you wished you had a fun vacation but didn't - All Dressed Up will make you glad you stayed safely at home.