I went into this expecting a funny, fluffy mystery. Instead, I was pleasantly surprised that it was a humorous, fully-developed, mystery. The characters were fully developed, the backstory and background/setting was wonderfully thought through, and the dry humor throughout was very appreciated.

I’d recommend this to anyone looking for a female-focused mystery.

PS: don’t bring Helen was one of my favorite parts 🤣

This review was posted on Goodreads on 04.18.24:

I was looking for a light, funny mystery to read and THE EXPECTANT DETECTIVES delivered (pun intended) big time! It is, in a word, hysterical (especially if you've ever experienced the "joys" of pregnancy). I smiled and laughed (often out loud) through the whole novel. The book is upbeat, hilarious, and charming in an irreverent kind of way. I loved it.

The main characters in this story are especially fun. They're warm, supportive, and a little crazy (pregnancy hormones will do that to you). The women all have distinctive personalities and voices that make each of them stand out on the page while also blending together in a way that feels natural, but not boring. Alice is especially down-to-earth, which makes her both relatable and appealing.

As far as the mystery goes, THE EXPECTANT DETECTIVES has a pretty straightforward storyline. There are enough twists to keep the reader engaged, but when revealed, the killer's identity isn't all that surprising. I wouldn't call the plot predictable, exactly; it's just not overly layered or complex.

For me, this novel provides the perfect balance of mystery, humor, and drama for a light, entertaining read. I've seen it defined as a cozy mystery, which it is in that it doesn't take itself too seriously, doesn't have any graphic scenes, and has a cheery vibe overall. Do be advised that it's R-rated for strong language and innuendo, two elements cozy mysteries usually do not include. Cheeky as it is, I thoroughly enjoyed THE EXPECTANT DETECTIVES. I just discovered that it's the first in a planned series, which makes me supremely happy.

I got 15% into this book which was about 1.5 hours into it. I was sooo bored. I know cozy mysteries can take awhile, but I couldn't handle it anymore.

What a great read! I can see my patrons absolutely loving this! I want to share this book with everyone I know that loves a good mystery!

This is a cute cozy mystery about small-town living, fresh beginnings, relationships, and lots of secrets. I enjoyed the characters and the atmosphere! The plot had some nice twists that kept me on my toes, which I appreciated. I am looking forward to the next book!

This is a fun British detective book that includes unlikely detectives. A group of pregnant moms. Helen, the dog, steals the show and this was a fun cozy mystery with humor! I love that each of the characters is so unique and Alice is a bit of a mess but that makes the story funny and enjoyable!

Cute addition for the fans of humor and mystery combinations! Amateur pregnant sleuths solving a murder? I love the premise and the cover is colorful and inviting. If you’re looking to fill a few days with a cozy mystery, this is the book for you. I enjoyed the story but found Alice to be daunting and repetitive at times. She truly was a mess and there was a lot going on with sometimes over the top humor.

This was such a fun story. I just had a baby a few months ago so this book made me laugh out loud in places. It was fast paced and kept my attention. Alice and Joe were such a breath of fresh air, this is a different type of cozy fun mystery.

Thanks so much NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press/ Minotaur books for the eARC.

The Expectant Detectives is a cozy mystery set in the Cotswolds. Alice is eight months pregnant when she's pushed into an unexpected murder mystery. While attending her prenatal classes in her new home of Penton, one of her classmates gives birth. In the chaos of the evening, the proprietor of the business is murdered. Left with nothing to do while on maternity leave, Alice and the rest of the prenatal class mothers set out to solve the murder, setting off on a chaotic search that involves communes, more deaths, far-right politicians, and a shifty soon-to-be father.

Ultimately, the last 50 pages of the book move quickly and it turns out to be an entertaining and surprising end (no spoilers, don't worry), but the book moves slowly up until that point. It is hard to pinpoint what could be improved, however. I think much of that front end is necessary for the story, but maybe could have been edited down to have the plot move more quickly. Regardless, the conclusion did save the book and I look forward to reading more in the series.

* Thank you to Minotaur Books and NetGalley for the eARC in exchange for my honest review! *

This was a really fun book to read and something that would be a good beach type read. It was interesting and kept me enjoying the book and one I would read again

This book was such a joy to read. The comedy was laugh out loud hilarious. There were so many moments that had me cracking up. The mystery plot was also fun. The author did a great job of making the reader think one thing, and then switching it up. I can't wait to see where this series goes next.

This was a fun cozy mystery set in a small England country town about a group of pregnant women who find themselves trying to solve a murder in order to exonerate one of their partners. Being 8 months pregnant myself made this even more fun to listen to because I could completely relate to all of their aches and pains. I also thought the mystery was well done and honestly did not see the suspect coming.

I feel like Alice and I would be really good friends. This book was very entertaining, it's not often I actually burst out laughing at funny parts. Part cozy mystery, part what to actually expect during the final months of pregnancy, and a whole lot of craziness. Can't wait to see what everyone in the town gets up to in the next one.

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC!

I loved this book! I would describe it as a cozy mystery with a bit of a twist.

I felt there were diverse characters, humor and wasn't gory. I think it was a great read!

I'm an American reader and I always enjoy BriLit&learning new sayings! I am now starting Dead Tired, the sequel to The Expectant Detectives!

Thank you again for exposure to a book that was on my TBR!

I love a funny mystery, and this one had all of the components of a book that I should love, but I felt like it should be honed in a little better. I think it was a little long and dragged out at some parts, but it had lovable characters, and a fun plot. I will definitely check out the next one in the series because I feel like that one may be a little more up my alley!

This was a fun book! It was a cute cozy mystery that allowed me to get sucked in and enjoy. I liked the main characters and this popular theme of unlikely detectives. Definitely a series to keep reading!

3.5 stars

This was really cute! I'm not typically a mystery reader so I stepped outside of myself when I requested this and I had a great time with it.

The Expectant Detectives is a charming and cozy murder mystery surrounding a group of soon to be mothers. Alice is our main protagonist whose expecting a child with her boyfriend Joe. These two decide to move from the city to a sleepy little town for a better environment to raise their child.

Lo and behold at their prenatal class a dead body is discovered and they, and every couple in attendance, are now suspects. The group of soon to be moms band together to try and solve the mystery. What was so fun with this story was watching Alice navigate this new life in a new town as she embarks on impending motherhood with women in the same situation. The comradery between them was a nice bonus for the story. Even the dog, Helen, was a fun addition.

I would definitely continue this series and I look forward to seeing what adventures happen in the future.

Thank you to St. Martin's Press, Minotaur Books & NetGalley for the arc!

Ah, the age old question, can an unrelatable, partially unlikable heroine be worth reading?

The publisher invited me to read an advanced reader copy of this book and the premise sounded amusing enough that I gave it a try.

Alice is a person who is a hot mess and has exactly 0 pieces of herself put together. She joins with an unlikely band of super stereotypical preggos to solve a murder. I found the book midly amusing and will read the second book to see if the author's writing improves. It definitely showed itself to be a debut novel.

I was really entertained by this story, it had me laughing out loud numerous times.
I thought Ailes set-up for this story was creative and truly unlike anything l've read before. Alice has a dry, witty sense of humor that worked well for me. She tells it like it is. She's pretty blunt about her pregnancy and the way it is changing/affecting her body.
I also liked that it wasn't just Alice that was pregnant, she had her new friends to share the experience with, as well as to help her do some first-rate investigating. But other than that, I don’t know, it just wasn’t for me. Not a bad book by any means but also not one I’d be itching to read again.

I really enjoyed this book. It was different than anything else I've read recently. I couldn't put it down! I will keep an eye out for this author's future work!