Despite the promising allure of a thrilling cozy mystery set against the vibrant backdrop of a bed and breakfast, Sydney Leigh's "Peril in Pink" leaves much to be desired, and it really missed the mark for me.

The main character Jess often comes across as irrationally irked and judgmental. I couldn't understand why she kept taking issue with such minor details as her sister-in-law practicing yoga or her mother's fashion choices. These grievances become even harder to digest when compared to her seemingly misplaced priorities; she appears more concerned about impressing a certain "hot cop" than unraveling the murder mystery unfolding around her, while simultaneously judging others for not caring enough about the murder that took place.

Repetition is another pitfall, particularly in character descriptions. The frequent references to Kat's "silky smooth perfect jet black hair" quickly become monotonous. I didn’t really understand why only the twins' outfits consistently merit description every single time they showed up. Additionally, several decisions by Jess—such as her strange choice to hide pivotal evidence like Lars’s sweatshirt—undermine the story's credibility. This credibility is further eroded by her approach to B&B guests who are understandably concerned about being around a murderer. Her solution, which amounts to a copious supply of alcohol, reads like the whims of a 21-year-old rather than a mature adult. I mean, I like to party too, but they talk about alcohol at least once every other page, and it gets old really fast.

Ironically, while the protagonist is quick to label a girl showing interest in her brother as "desperate," she herself is depicted thirsting after two guys at once, presenting a glaring inconsistency in character judgment. And with the murder, which should have been the core of the story, relegated to almost an afterthought for Jess, I found my interest waning quickly.

The supporting characters, rather than adding depth, feel flat and indistinct. The portrayal of sibling interactions feels particularly off-kilter, with awkward exchanges peppered with 'bro' and 'sis' that hint at an author unfamiliar with genuine sibling dynamics. Jess's use of dated phrases like "puh-leeze" and "ex-squeeze me" feels contrived, detracting from the story's immersion. The law enforcement angle doesn’t help matters, especially when the detective on the case seems more obsessed with an old football rivalry than actually doing his job.

"Peril in Pink" could have been a compelling mystery. Instead, it gets bogged down by a muddled mix of misplaced priorities, inconsistent character development, and narrative choices that often feel off the mark. Those seeking a deep and gripping mystery might want to look elsewhere.

i was so excited to read this one but it fell flat for me. i still had a lot of questions at the end, i was confused by jess’ involvement with the crime when she should’ve been sorting out her B&B and i felt the reveal didn’t explain much. not my cuppa tea :(

Well, this book definitely made me want to leave my mainstream job and do over.
Peril in Pink was a great refresher to read. It starts with Jess who opens up her B&B and invites her ex-boyfriend to sing on opening night. However a murder puts a jam in the plans and starts shaking things up. The premise and writing of the author was feel good. Although it was a murder investigation, the book had a levity which made it fun to read.

Coming to the characters, the author did a wonderful job introducing each and every one of them. The way each character's backstory unfolded and seamlessly weaved into the larger plot was commendable.

Some of the central characters were entertaining. Like Kat, Nate and even Britt. This felt somewhere inspired by Sweet Magnolias as well. All in all, I enjoyed the book and even the ultimate reveal. That was a bit unexpected.

I'm pulling back one star on my rating because the version sent on Kindle was not aesthetic. For example: The first letter never began with the paragraph and there were a lot of formatting issues. I give this book 4 stars.

I thank NetGalley for this e-arc and I'm leaving my review voluntarily.

I just reviewed Peril in Pink by Sydney Leigh. #PerilinPink #NetGalley

Loved this book! Such a fun and cozy mystery.

Sydney’s writing immerses you well into the story and makes you feel like you’re right there solving the murder with your closest friends.

Just when you think you know who the suspect is, you’re hit with another curve ball and suspicious of someone else. The twists and turns were exciting, the jokes were funny, the pacing was great, and it had so many lovable characters.

A big thank you to NetGalley as well as Crooked Lane Books for the ARC

I loved this book. It was quirky, it was fun and it had the right twist of who-dunnit? Jess Byrne and her best friend/ business partner open up the Pearl B&B. Grand opening weekend is happening and Jess’ ex-boyfriend/ first love is now a star in the rock and roll world. Lars has agreed to be the opening act for her opening insta worthy weekend at Pearl B&B. However, everything changes the next morning when her sister in law Sarah’s screams wake Jess up.

This was a fun book and light reading. Absolutely loved and hope there is a sequel.

Thank you #NetGalley and #CrookedLaneBooks for the advance copy

Such the perfect cozy mystery. The author did a great job setting the scene, the idyllic new B & B on opening weekend when murder strikes. I enjoyed the pacing of the story and getting to know the characters and the location. Jess played the part of amateur sleuth in solving the mystery, and saving her business. Overall, it was a nice quick and easy read, perfect for the end of summer.

Review will be shared on instagram in the coming weeks.

This was a fun read, not the kind of mystery thriller that would keep you on edge but the kind that you'll enjoy reading because it's intriguing and sometimes funny. It's light and modern, worth checking out.

Peril in Pink
Author: Sydney Leigh
Rating:⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Spice: N/A
This was a really cute book and would be the perfect beach read for vacation.
The story follows Jess who opens the perfectly pink, instagrammable B&B however her big opening goes awry when someone is murdered opening night! It really was a good whodunnit and sets up the a number of characters from early on as potential perpetrators. I really was kept guessing for the majority of the book. As murder mysteries go this one give really cozy vibes that I really liked.
Some of the writing was a little 'cringe' like the FMCs love of rose wine and some of the influencer style talk but thats just a personal ick of mine.
Overall it was a really cute read.
Thank you netgally and crookedlanebooks for the ARC in exchange for an honest review

I enjoyed this book . Fun easy read mystery. A great storyline that hooks you in with twists and turns to keep you guessing until the end. I look forward to reading more from this author.

Thank you to Netgalley for the ARC.

Had so much fun reading this one! It was such an enjoyable mystery that I honestly could not guess. 10/10 recommend it for my mystery lovers.

I struggled to like #PerilinPink #NetGalley. I don't think the book was bad, I just couldn't find anything to connect with.
For me, if I'm not captivated by the second or third page, it most likely won't happen.
I'm sure there are others out there who will enjoy this story.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for selecting me to read an advanced copy of the book.

Peril in Pink is a quick and fun "who done it". Although this didn't blow me away, the plot and writing style reminded me a lot of Agatha Christie's mysteries, which I really enjoy and I found the characters to be engaging with an interesting premise. Overall I feel like I wouldn't go out of my way to read a sequel but I do recommend for a fast read.

Peril in Pink has a fun premise, but I didn't connect with the story or the characters. The dialogue and narration felt a bit forced, particularly in how the characters banter. (I recognize this is a very hard thing to pull off, but it didn't work here.) Maybe I would enjoy it more as a beach read, but for now, it's in my DNF pile.

Book Review
Peril in Pink
By: Sydney Leigh
Pub Date: March 19, 2024
Spice Level: 0
Thank you @netgalley and @crookedlanebooks for the advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.
The book opens with the opening weekend of The Pearl, Hudson Valley’s newest B&B. Owners Jess and Kat have worked endlessly decorating and preparing for the weekend. They even have Sing This winner Lars Armstrong performing over the weekend. Lars is not only the latest rock sensation, but he is also Jess’ high school boyfriend. All the guests are arriving and excited to see Lars, but when it comes time for him to perform, he backs out. The next morning, Bob, Lars’ manager (and stepdad) is found dead on the property. Of course, everyone is suspecting Lars of killing Bob they didn’t have the best relationship. Jess has a hard time believing Lars can be the killer. If it’s not Lars, then who could it be?
This book reminded me of the White Lotus in that most of the activity is in and around the hotel. Some characters are likable, and others aren’t. There’re weird things happening behind the scenes as much as in front of everyone. The storyline was great, and I had my suspicions of who the killer was, but I was wrong! The writing flows nicely and it’s a quick read. Nice, neat ending, which is good because I don’t like cliff hangers.
Read if you enjoy : cozy mysteries with a touch of humor, small town feel

This book reminds me of Agatha Christie style murder-mysteries. It was a light and fun read with a plot that wasn't overly complex. Each character is unique to the situation as Jess works her way as an amateur sleuth to figure out "who dun it." Although I found the plot moved fairly fast and this was a quick read for me. I also found myself to dislike Lars a lot and some of his interactions were cringey. Overall I give this book 3.5 stars.

Overall I think that this book was just not for me. It reminded me a lot of Arsenic and Adobo, the same small town returnee murder mystery action. Except Peril in Pink's stakes never felt as real. Lars' reputation never actually taking a hit, there were barely any consequences of the owner running off opening weekend to play detective, Instead of Arsenic and Adobo's cultural lean, Peril in Pink is very heavily focused on aesthetics over substance.

There were some bright moments of intrigue and the plot focused on the mystery was well-crafted. But there were just generally aspects that I didn't like. My biggest gripe was the inorganic dialogue. For example, the siblings calling each other sibling monikers and constantly reminding each other who was the big sister and who was the little brother. It just didn't feel like the kind of dialogue actual siblings would have. Same with the random characters ending their plans by saying hashtags out loud. It's funny when a few people do it as a character quirk, but a LARGE amount of other characters do it as well. Also, a lot of the dialogue came off as very expositional. There were other aspects of the writing here and there that didn't gel with me: the dialogue and narration often did not have a clear stylistic difference, tidbits of internal inconsistency (the main character is a vegetarian, but got really judgy about her SIL wanting to avoid gelatin, a meat byproduct). The main character's friendship with her best friend and business partner didn't come off right to me (why did she mention how Kat looked being what Jess hated most about her), and all the characters acted so juvenile that I often forgot they were in their late 20s.

"Peril in Pink" by Sydney Leigh is a good stand alone, or possible first of a series, book. The mystery did keep me guessing and I honestly can't say I had any one suspect in mind. It was very cozy in content, which is a big plus for me.

I do have to say, I'm not all for the wine scene but it wasn't as over powering a subject as some wine/alcohol themes can go. This was just a bit much at the beginning but was much less of a thing as the mystery got going. So, if you do mind phrases like "rosé all day" and the mindset that goes with that, push past the first few chapters.

‘Peril in Pink’ is a cosy ‘who done it’ mystery. It’s opening weekend of The Pearl B&B, and owner Jess is greeting quirky guests into the B&B; twins, a singing superstar (and ex lover) and his posse, and high school frenemies with their own agendas. After opening night, Bob Strapp, step-father to singing super star, Lars, is found dead. With a wound to the head and found lying near a pond, Jess’ opening weekend is beginning to turn into a disaster. As any ‘True Crime’ podcast enthusiast would do, Jess takes it into her own hands to solve the murder of who done it, in order to save the reputation of The Pearl B&B.
Sydney Leigh’s cosy murder mystery is one that reminds me of ‘Knives Out’ and ‘Only Murders in the Building’. Her writing is fantastic and takes us through many avenues of suspects, as they each have had their own run ins with the murdered. The plot is well paced and includes twists we do not see coming. We are kept guessing throughout the book of who the murderer can be, as we suspect everyone, their motives and coincidental appearances throughout the book.
Thank you NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books for the ARC of this book.
Rating: 4/5 stars

3.5 but I’m giving 4 🌟s because I think the format I read this in threw off the book for me.

This was such a fun and fast paced who did it thriller! I enjoyed most of the characters, although after 60% of the way through all of the names got a little confusing and again maybe the format, but I would really reccomend this book to anyone that would love a who done it book you can pick up and just dive right into.

I’m going to keep my eyes out for more work from this author.

Thank you so much to NetGalley for the ARC of this book

Who sun it at the B&B? Jess takes it into her own hands to figure out who murdered her ex’s stepfather. There were a lot of characters to keep track of though it kept me on my toes. Will definitely recommend this fun read to my friends!