I loved this read! It was fun and funny, a quick read, and a great cozy mystery! I hope there might be a series starting here!

It’s a mystery, a light romance, the struggles of parenting and even a little where is my place in life. But mostly it’s a fun, enjoyable caper.

Set in the midst of an elementary school PTA, Mavis is trying to do her part and balance one more thing in her life.

With an array of genres and lots of antics, this gives me feels of the early Stephanie Plum series. While totally different, but Mavis stumbling into the murder and then bumbling along as an amateur sleuth gave me those same vibes. Of course with an updated feel and POC main character.

I felt for Mavis as she balances life and her determination to make a difference at the school. But mostly I just sat back and enjoyed an escapist read that had me both laughing and shaking my head.

It’s the perfect read on relieve the back to school stress.

This wasn't quite what I was expecting and I found myself too annoyed by some of the side characters to enjoy myself.

This was such a fun take on a murder mystery! It was light and fluffy at times but still suspenseful at the same time. I love the concept of the suspects being PTA moms! Overall definitely one I will be recommending for anyone looking to dip their toes into the mystery genre or someone looking for a unique spin on a classic genre!

Thank you @prhaudio for the free audiobook, and Berkley & Netgalley for the eARC. All thoughts are my own.

What a delightful debut! (In my Stefan from SNL voice) This book has everything: PTA drama, a missing person, flirting with the school psychologist, and commentary on DEI curricula in the schools. I loved the mystery element - I was definitely on the edge of my seat listening to the story. It was also extremely hilarious at times and super relatable, especially with the mom-drama and facebook community page posts. I can’t wait to see what else Elise Bryant writes because I am here for it!

Insightful and snarky look at being a mom today as well as the impact of gentrification on an area all mixed up in an excellently plotted mystery.

Thank you to Berkley for the free book. This was so entertaining and funny but also deep and suspenseful at all the right times. I feel this book can appeal across different readers. As a mom I felt so seen about mom guilt but also the dang mom facebook groups and mom group politics. But I don't think you need to be a mom to enjoy this book because of the mystery plot and the splash of romance.

So when the FMC is coerced into joining the PTA she sees the PTA President late one night acting very suspiciously and the next day the principal (who the prez hates) goes missing. Along with the school psychologist they attempt to uncover the truth, all while she has to manage single mom life and her full time job,

I want to spare spoilers but I personally thought the pacing of the mystery was really engaging and I did not see a major twist coming. This is definitely on the side of cozy "fun" mystery. The romance is definitely a side plot and is slow going, just a kiss at the end for inquiring minds (one of the reasons I think this could easily cross demos).

So I ended up getting this book blind and was not sure what kind of book I was getting, but I was very happy with what I ended up with. This is a cute, fun, cozy mystery that couldn't get enough of. Hoping this is a series

Mavis has been spread thin for a long time when she's asked by Trisha, the PTA leader (also a PITA) to head a diversity committee. She ends up doing it--because white people often ask women of color to do the work, and her friend Jasmin confirms it. Trisha aside, Mavis is going to work with Divya, who has some great ideas.
When the principal disappears and another principal is brought in, Mavis finds the time to start investigating the disappearance, as well as balancing time for her daughter, her ex, her dad and about 1,000,000 more things.
I loved the way Elise Bryant wrote this book. And despite Mavis not needing anything else added to her plate, I really hope that there are more novels in this series... because I want to read them. I loved this book so much! Solid 4.
I will say, I figured out the mystery way too soon, but the reason why was a bit different than I expected, and that was a plus.

A very cute cozy mystery ✨️

This was a very good first book for hopefully a series of cozies. It didn't get too deep and had more of a perfect ending than other cozies but also kept to the genre.

I love the new Era of cozies we are getting that have strong mom rep as well as poc mcs because much of the older cozies all followed the same formula and I'm so happy to see it branching out into characters more people can relate to.

Who knew PTA meetings could be so interesting haha.

Thank you to the publisher for an advanced copy!

i went into this book blind, not knowing what to expect and i wasn’t disappointed. truthfully, this would have been five stars if not for the romance. it wasn’t really needed. this was already a great book without it.

Starting positive: the premise is excellent. And there are parts of the story that I liked! The characters were great — funny, relatable, varied. Pearl, Papa, and Jasmine cracked me up, and Trisha is a villain you love to hate. Mavis was a great narrator and central character, though I did question her choices sometimes (but she usually questioned them too!). The mystery(ies) were fun and twisty and I didn’t fully figure them out (but I kinda did). But other parts were kind of all over the place. I think it tried to do too much, with the love interest and the job issues and the parenting stuff… I appreciate a complex character back story in a book like this, but this verged on convoluted with all the things to keep track of. I love a cozy mystery, and I know they have some dark themes sometimes, but I really couldn’t get a grasp on the tone of this one. I honestly couldn’t ever tell if there was going to be an actual nefarious event or if it would all be a misunderstanding. I also thought the stakes didn’t feel high enough when the big conflict came about (though that may have been intentional). Idk, overall it was cute, but not my favorite.

I absolutely loved this book! As a mom of two small kids I definitely get the politics of being a mom with school aged kids and dealing with other parents. I thought the cozy mystery part was so fun but mostly I just loved Mavis:

A humorous mystery, comedic thriller… this book introduced me to the genre of cozy mystery, and I am grateful. The details Bryant is known for translate well to adult topics of mom guilt, parent propaganda, finances, and mental health… to name a few! I was glued to the page until the end. As a teacher-mom, I loved how Bryant used her former education career and motherhood experiences to craft such realistic scenarios and dialogue. All of the characters are so easy to place, it's as if Bryant checked the ring cameras across from the school to spy on MY behavior 🫠

I recommend this for all moms to indulge in before the sprint for Back-To-School ✨

P.S. 🫣 Okay, so I actually can't wait until this is a show 🤞🏾

This was a fun cozy mystery, set in the chaotic life of a single mother who has to juggle work, motherhood, and the PTA of her daughter’s school.
Mavis is one of the few black parents the school has, so the head of the PTA (Trisha) practically forced her to join the DEI committee. She tries to say no because she is already having a hard time keeping up with her job and the rest of her responsibilities as a single mom. Unfortunately, her reluctance is nothing compared to Trisha’s strong will.
As if that wasn’t enough, she has just met this handsome guy who appears to be interested in her. Oh, and the school principal has just disappeared. And apparently, Trisha is behind the disappearance. Also, Trisha may know that Mavis knows, and is covertly threatening her in order to make sure she stays silent.

Mavis is a flawed main character who is just trying to do her best, and I found that very refreshing. I really enjoyed reading this fun cozy mystery. So many twists and turns! 4,5 stars!

It's Elementary by Elise Bryant is a well-written and engaging story that blends humour, mystery, and the challenges of modern parenting. Mavis Miller, juggling a demanding job, a spirited daughter, and the pressures of a multigenerational household, finds herself unexpectedly thrust into the chaos of PTA politics. The book's strength lies in its witty dialogue and sharp observations about elementary school dynamics.

However, one aspect of the story that was frustrating was Mavis's lack of assertiveness in her professional life. While she navigates her personal life confidently, her inability to stand up for herself at work felt incongruent and left me wanting more growth in her character. The situation begged for a turning point, some resolution where she would finally push back, but it never materialized. This left a lingering dissatisfaction as the story wrapped up without addressing this significant aspect of her character. Despite this, the book offers a quick, entertaining read with plenty of twists to keep you engaged.

I was given the opportunity to read this book through an advanced copy from Berkley and through a traveling physical ARC. All thoughts are my own!

This was a bit of a different kind of read for me, but I was intrigued by the concept and enjoyed myself.

Mavis is roped into joining her daughter's elementary school PTA. But after a rather dramatic first meeting, Mavis sees the PTA leader Trisha outside the school and by the next morning, the new principal is suspiciously missing. Needing a distraction from her lackluster job, Mavis teams up with the cute looking school psychologist to get to the bottom of the mystery.

This was a fun whodunit and I definitely wasn't expecting the twist at the end. I wished there was a little more depth with the romance as I didn't feel a lot of chemistry between these two. I laughed quite a bit at the different mom characters in this PTA group.

A solid 4 star read. If you love a good low stakes, cozy mystery, you'll enjoy this one.

Mavis, a single mom and one of the few moms of color at her elementary school, is too busy balancing her job and parenthood to be involved in the PTA. But when the president, Trisha, practically forces her to chair the DEI committee, she can't help but say no. But things go from bad to outright terrifying when the principal disappears and Mavis spots Trisha carting trash bags from the school in the dead of night in rubber gloves. With the help of the handsome school guidance counsel, Mavis begins to look into the disappearance of the principal.

This book was a pleasant surprise! Being the first mystery novel from this established author, I didn't know what to expect. But it ended up being the perfect blend cozy and modern, fun but with a tinge of societal commentary, an intriguing mystery with a dash of romance, and more. Fans of The Expectant Detectives or Adobo and Arsenic will likely enjoy this read, too. I would love to see another mystery from this author, though this book does not seem like a series starter. Would whole-heartedly recommend!

Thanks to Berkley for my eARC! All thoughts and opinions are my own.

5 stars - 9/10

I received a complimentary copy from the publisher and all opinions expressed are mine.

I am a fan of Elise Bryant and a good mystery that's cozy and fast paced so I definitely went in with anticipation. The book follows Mavis who is a mum to a feisty, smart and adorable Pearl among her other duties ( work and running a household). You would think she has a lot on her plate but the ever strong Mavis agrees to join the schools DEI committe. What could possibly go wrong? Except she gets into a fight with the principal and only for dear principal to go missing. Her amateur sleuth hat is activated of course. It's a quick read and I loved how it tackles parenting ,school dynamics and all with a dose of grace.

Actual rating :3.5

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When I heard the description of this book, I sought it out right away! Being a former PTA Mom, I thought this cozy mystery, with a school setting, would be entertaining and fun! If you like a cozy mystery, great characters, diversity, and a touch of romance, with little spice, this is the book!
Mavis is a typical PTA Mom, voluen-told to handle certain issues for the PTA, all while navigating being a single Mom, living with her Dad, dealing with a job that doesn't appreciate her, finding a little romance, but wait, add solving the disappearance of the high school principal to that list! Can't we all relate! Luckily she has a great cast of friends, with a few frienemies and a cute daughter!

The mystery (maybe more than one mystery) is well-paced, and the book is well-written.

Thank you Netgalley for the eARC.

Look forward to more books from this author.