Thank you to NetGalley anchor the publishers for an ARC of this book.

I really enjoyed this book. I liked the expectant mothers and the way their characters worked so well together. Such a good cozy mystery.

Soon as I heard the premise and saw the cover for this book, I was super excited to check it out.

It reads like a cozy, detective novel, but just with pregnant people and a cute dog.

I think maybe I wasn’t this book target audience, as I’m not really into cozy mysteries which is what I feel like this was.

It wasn’t bad or anything like that. I just have a neutral opinion of it. I liked it well enough to finish it but I probably wouldn’t read another book in the series because it really just didn’t grab me. I like faster paced books.

It was cute though. It would be cute to add to a baby shower present to a pregnant reader.

The Expectant Detectives
Kay Ailes
Release Date: January 9, 2024

This story is centered around Alice who moves to Penton with her boyfriend Joe. They unexpectedly had gotten pregnant and wanted to move away from London to raise their baby boy. Little did Alice know her first antenatal class would bring about a murder and three friendships with other expecting mothers.
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This book was such a fun cozy mystery. It reminded me of Finley Donovan because of how far fetched some of the FMCs actions were.

I went in blind on this book and was pleasantly surprised by the story line. I finished this audio in about two days because I enjoyed it so much. I had to know the ending. In the beginning I was a little confused because there were so many characters being introduced and I had problems figuring out who was who.

Alice the main character was, in my eyes, very likable. She was a bit pushy at times but I enjoyed her sleuthing.
I love that Alice made friends with 3 other expectant mothers, all who were very much different.

This book had many laugh aloud moments and just goes to show you can make friends in the oddest of ways.
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Narrator:
Kitty Kelly was the narrator and I very much enjoyed her voice and British accent. At first with the accent and the amount of characters being introduced I was a little bit confused, but turning down the speed helped. I listened at a 1.75 speed most of this book.
Did I mention British accents are my favorite 😍

Thank you Macmillan audio and NetGalley for the advance audio of this book!

Thank you to NetGalley anchor the publishers for an ARC of this book.

I really enjoyed the platonic relationships in this book. The expectant mothers all had such unique personalities and brought their own skills to solving the case. There were a lot of interconnected parts of the story that weaved together well. This was overall a funny and cozy read.

The Expectant Detectives by Kate Ailes started off strong with Joe and Alice moving from London to the countryside before their baby is born. What looks like a quiet small town, actually has a lot of hidden skeletons. Ailes attempts at human hit about 50/50 and the one thing I kept thinking while reading this was it's length. The murder plot, which should have been center stage, was upstaged by a host of characters and side subplots. That isn't to say I didn't enjoy the ending because I thought it was the highlight. Also to say, I didn't hate it, but I was thankful when it was over. I think a lot of it could have been scaled down.

With audiobooks I judge by how fast I can listen without the words becoming unintelligible. For this book it was around 1.75x.

Thank you for the ALC to review!

This was a fun cozy mystery and it kept me and involved during the whole book it was well organized and I found it quite entertaining I would recommend it for anyone he likes cozy Mysteries it had a fun ending and I did enjoy the book very much I would read it a second time

A great cozy mystery with lots of twists and turns. Sweet and funny moments perfectly timed. A lot of characters which is normal for a mystery, but definitely need to pay attention to keep up! Full review on instagram

🤰🏼 The Expectant Detectives - Kat Ailes

3.5 ⭐️- What a fun twist on your typical mystery detective story. Think Finlay Donovan and Workin’ Moms. Anyone watch that show (I love it, highly recommend)? This one had short chapters, hilarious characters, and sneaky smart ladies.

Alice and Joe decide to move out of London and to the countryside before their baby is born. But when a death occurs in the building of their prenatal class, life doesn’t seem so simple anymore. When suspicion looms over the whole group, Alice and her new pregnant friends set out to solve the mystery themselves. However, during their search, more secrets and mysteries around the town and its people are unveiled.

This was so fun. This is a good book for someone who likes a lighter mystery with lots of laughs and a quirky, lovable dog. For a debut, I really liked this one. It has a mystery that kept me engaged, characters that kept me laughing, and short chapters that kept me reading. I am definitely looking forward to book 2 to see how the lives of my new pregnant friends turn out. Look for this one coming out in January!

Thank you Netgalley, St Martin Press, Minotaur Books, and Macmillan Audio for the advanced reader and listener copies!

There were some genuinely funny moments, but also some attempts at humor that fell flat. The plot was a bit Byzantine.


Review copy provided by publisher.

A death, a birth, and lots of herbs, all at the same time. Oh, and let’s not forget Helen.

I picked up this book because of the title and picture of a pregnant woman in a sleuthing cap. It was different. Not a young woman falsely accused. Not an older woman thought to be too old to be taken seriously. I had no idea what to expect because I also have not read this author before. 

The tone was fun and inviting. The diversity of characters was fun as well. I admit not being sure where things were headed but I also didn’t care, I was along for the ride. I LOVED the “and don’t bring Helen”. I almost think all of us needs a Helen, almost.

The mystery was a mystery. I was pretty sure how and when the first death happened. The second was a bit of a surprise and I wasn’t sure how all of the clues would fall into place. Usually, I figure a thing or two out just ahead of the amateur sleuth. This time I was a bit behind, that was fun. 

I learned a few things I am not sure that I ever wanted to know and I came away wishing I had friends like Alice’s. 

Such a brilliant read!  I will look for other works by this author.

Thank you to #NetGalley  for the opportunity to do an early read and share my thoughts on the story.

Happy Reading!

Four women forge an unlikely friendship when a shop owner dies under suspicious circumstances downstairs during their antenatal (prenatal) class. On the surface the women could not be more different, but they form a bond working together as amateur sleuths to solve the case.

This cozy mystery is an absolute blast. From the numerous pregnancy and postnatal quips to Alice and Joe’s awkward adjustment from big city life to quiet village life (and the visit from the big city friend) to the dogs’ antics and the alternative lifestyle experiences, this book had me grinning and giggling. I found Alice to be relatable and endearing and look forward to reading the next installment in this series.

I adored Kitty Kelly’s narration. Her comedic timing is impeccable and enhanced my enjoyment of the story. She also does a fantastic job bringing the various characters to life. I could easily differentiate which character was speaking based on her vocal choices.

I received an advance copy of audiobook from Macmillan Audio and NetGalley. All review opinions are my own.

I really liked this cozy mystery series debut. The characters were wonderful. The plot was well thought out and well-paced. Just enough mystery to keep you wondering until the end. There was a lot of good world building to make a solid foundation for the future of this series. The best part of the book was the humor throughout. The main character, Alice, had a lot of good, funny lines. I think the best one was when another character was delivering her baby unexpectedly and the midwife had her remove her pants and underwear. Alice said the lady "had gone full Winnie the Pooh". I had to stop the audiobook when I heard this one.

This is a great start to this series and I will definitely be keeping future entries on my "to be read" list.

Thank you to Macmillan Audio and NetGalley for an ARC audiobook in exchange for an honest review.

4 stars

If you're looking for a nicely paced and amusing cozy with a hilarious and somewhat sardonic narrator, press play on the fantastic audio version of this start to the Expectant Detectives series.

Alice is...a piece of work. Though she's quite pregnant, she and her partner have recently moved to a new locale filled with strange, small-town features like a can we/can't we trust him apothecary, a commune, and a whole cast of unconventional characters (and their secrets...and babies!). But the greatest resident of this town is Alice's dog, Helen, who has enough personality to carry this novel on her own without ever barking a word. As cozies go, Alice finds herself quite close to a murder very early in the narrative, and then - as the title suggests - she finds herself amateur sleuthing her way through the final parts of her pregnancy.

I am so glad this is the first book in a series. These characters are highly entertaining, the writing is engaging, and I appreciate the general tone: just the right balance of awkwardness, humor, and mystery. It's a guarantee that I'll be in line for the next one.

Thank you so much to Macmillan Audio for the ALC!

I’ll start by saying that the cover and title are absolutely adorable! What doesn’t sound fun about a group of ladies that meet in their pregnancy class and then find a dead body? They would naturally take it into their own hands to solve the murder! I’m all about books with amateur sleuths and cozy mysteries and was so excited for this one!

While some parts were fun and witty, I struggled to really get into the murder mystery plot and wish that it was focused more on that and less on…all of the other stuff…and there was a lot of other stuff.

The ending was redeeming enough and there were a few moments that were very interesting, but overall, I struggled to care what happened to the characters.

I still will give book 2 a chance!

This will be available on Jan 9th!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.
This book was the perfect mix of mystery, fun, humor and seriousness.
Mostly likable characters and a very intertwined mystery that I could not figure out at all.
The humor and frustration of pregnancy and relationships with some murder thrown in, detecting and mystery.
I expected it to be more of a cozy mystery but it was actually a lot better.
And I absolutely LOVE Helen and the humor surrounding her. You have to listen to understand who Helen is and her constant amusement.
Narrator did an amazing job.

This is a fun mystery, solved by a group of rather unprofessional detectives. Alice and her boyfriend Joe move to a small town in the English countryside just before their baby is born. They expect the town to be sleepy and unexciting, but their pre-natal class turns wild as one of their classmates gives birth during the class and a man is murdered downstairs. When Alice and her new, very pregnant, friends realize that they (and their partners) are persons of interest in this murder, they set out to discover what really happened. Their adventures around town are occasionally useful and often hilarious. They make a lot of unsupported accusations and develop unsubstantiated hypotheses, but in the end they put all the pieces together. I liked many of the characters, especially Poppy, although Alice drove me a bit batty as she struggled to prepare for impending motherhood. But, overall I found this a charming and satisfying story and very entertaining on audio. Thanks to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for the opportunity to review this audiobook.

Alice and her partner Joe are expecting a baby and move to a small village where they hope for a simple life. Instead, Alice finds herself embroiled in a murder investigation as she and her new friends from prenatal class pursue the path of amateur sleuths and find themselves biting off more than they can chew.

The premise of this book intrigued me and while I appreciated that the author leaned so hard into the pregnancy theme because readers who have experienced pregnancy and childbirth will find it amusing and relatable, I can also see how it may be off-putting for those who have not. The audiobook narrator did a fine job conveying the many emotions of the characters. Overall, this was a good cozy mystery with a niche focus that will make it stand out in a genre with plenty of recent additions to choose from.

Thank you to Macmillan Audio for gifting me with an ALC to review! All opinions are my own.

Alice and her partner Joe are expecting! Having just moved to the sleepy village of Penton, renting a house sight unseen that is barely habitual, the two are barely ready to dive into parenthood. In an effort to get their life together, the two sign up for a prenatal class. But when a man is found murdered during their prenatal class, they along with the other expecting couples in the class quickly find themselves at the center of the murder investigation and as prime suspects!

This was such a fun story! My son isn’t even two yet, so childbirth is very current in my memory, and Kat Ailes does a great job of capturing everything that comes with having a baby. The pregnancy humor is top notch, and completely relatable! Some of the pregnancy stuff may be a bit much for some people, but it’s pretty accurate and moms everywhere will be able to relate.

As with any cozy mystery, you have to suspend belief in a few areas, and all our main detectives are the nosiest of nosy. With too much ‘free’ time on their hands, Alice along with Hen, Poppy, and Ailsa have decided to take on the task of figuring out who our murderer is. They tend to make wild assumptions and get themselves into a bit of trouble, but it’s all good fun!

As a note though, Helen is the absolute best! I’m a sucker for dog characters and Helen is a hot mess with a loving heart! I seriously loved all of her antics. I couldn’t not mention her because she is just the funniest!

I will say, I found the book to be a tad long but was nonetheless this was such a fun and enjoyable debut. If you love The Finlay Donovan series or The Booking Agents series by Cherie Priest, then you will 1000% love this book. Dead Tired is set to come out in June 2024. I cannot wait to get my hands on the second book in the series.


The Expectant Detectives comes out January 9, 2023. Thank you to St. Martin’s Press and Minotaur Books for my advanced copies in exchange for my review. If you liked this review, please let me know either by commenting below or by visiting my Instagram @speakingof.books.

Much thanks to Kat Ailes, Macmillan Audio, and NetGalley for allowing me to listen to a free eaudio ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I was skeptical of this premise, but boy was I surprised. I loved it. I didn't want to stop listening.

There's a lot of pregnancy---I'd argue it's 50% a mystery and 50% women's fiction about a woman coming to terms with what's about to happen to her body and her life. If you have zero interest in reading about pregnancy and childbirth, this book isn't for you.

I adored Alice. She was SO relatable to me. We would 100% be besties. Laid back but not negligent. Not super social but also not a recluse. Would rather watch a screen than do chores. Isn't perfect, makes mistakes, needs a shot of dopamine via junk food sometimes. She had an airhead moment from time to time, but let's be honest, don't we all? She's a great friend and does her best to be a great girlfriend, and is scared to death that she won't be a great mom. Sure, she could work harder to train Helen, but I also admire her patience and love for the kooky dog.

Every character grew on me, with the exception of Rowan and his dad. They just did not endear me. I didn't like Dot, either, but I respected her enthusiasm and conviction toward her values. Joe took a while, but by the end I felt for him. I even liked Hen and Elsa, as well as the villain. Their story broke my heart.

It was an odd choice not to show Jack's birth. So much of the narrative was building up to that, I feel it was the expected and deserved climax for the characters' arcs as well as the women's fiction part of the plot and pregnancy theme. It was very disappointing and baffling to skip ahead two weeks and find out we'd missed his birth.

One neither here nor there rant: Does it drive anyone else nuts to hear towns described as SO SMALL, then read on the next page that there are multiple stoplights and niche businesses like a holistic or new age shop and gong baths or whatever those were? I'm sure it's a matter of perspective, but as someone who lives in the rural Midwest with the nearest town having a population of less than 1,000, a real small town has no stoplights, only one or two restaurants that serve unimaginative food, and struggles to keep the post office in operation, much less a niche business. End rant.

Overall, I loved this book and look forward to what Kat Ailes does next.

Thank you to NetGalley, Macmillan Audio and Kat Ailes for the prerelease copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

Alice and Joe move to Penton to get away from the hustle and bustle of the city just in time for the birth of their first child. When a dead body is discovered in the same building as the birthing class this small town is filled with mystery and tension. Alice and her newfound pregnant friends decide that they are going to uncover secrets and find out what really happened! Soon they realize they are way over their heads in mysterious happenings!

A fun and hilarious bit of tongue and cheek fun regarding birthing classes and mommy groups. My only complaint was that it seemed a bit longer than necessary….like could have been cut by a third.