Copied from Goodreads:
2.5⭐️ rounded up
“The Busy Body” is a mystery a la Agatha Christie. Its murder is committed and solved largely without technology, a rarity these days.

The protagonist, an anonymous ghostwriter, quickly heads to Maine for a dream assignment: the memoir of former U.S. Senator Dorothy Gibson. Gibson has recently lost her run for president, losing to a male who is largely derided throughout the book. The election and ghostwriting take a backseat, however, when Sebago, Gibson’s small town, is rocked by a missing person and then murder. The ghostwriter and Gibson traipse throughout the town attempting to solve the mystery largely to distract Gibson from her devastating loss.

The duo are engaging and compatible in their search, but I repeatedly wondered why Gibson ignored her aides, bodyguards, and the local police department. Aside from the ghostwriter and Dorothy Gibson, the characters generally lacked depth, but the plot was engaging.

According to Goodreads, this is the first in a series, which makes the tame plot and large exposition more understandable. I wouldn’t hesitate to read “Ghostwriter 2” but won’t be waiting on the edge of my seat for its publication.

Many thanks Penguin and RB Media, via NetGalley, for this audio ARC given in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you Kensington Books for this ARC audiobook via Netgalley. This book had a great amateur sleuth duo rendered brilliantly by narrator. The cast of characters provided an interesting conundrum as several of them were extremely unlikeable and might very well have done the deed. If there is one thing that I found incredibly jarring are some of the comments about one 'fat' character - the body descriptions - about jiggly arms or a voracious appetite - were meant to induce dislike for the character. Is this fair? I don't know. I'm sure the author has the right portray the people in the book as they see fit, but I find it problematic when being fat becomes associated with being necessarily ugly or less than other people.

That being said, the ending did reserve a few surprises and an unexpected twist. Would I say this is a thrilling read? No, but it does follow in the illustrious vein of other recent cosy mystery writers, like Richard Osman or Nita Prose.

All in all, an enjoyable book. Also, somebody give the cover creator a prize 🏆! This is top-notch for a mystery

This book! Ugh! I am rating this 3.5 stars, it held my attention as far as the plot goes but the characters! What busy bodies, sticking their noses in places they don’t belong! (Pun intended, and I understand this was this point).

Really though this was a fun a read, but the characters drove me nuts.

Eva Kaminsky also did a great job narrating.

Thank you RB Media for allowing me to listen in exchange for my honest review.

“Frankly I think hate is an underrated motivation for lots of things.”

The host of the “All About Agatha” podcast injects the spark and fizz of a Golden Age murder mystery into the present-day, as a ghostwriter is chosen to collaborate on a presidential candidate’s memoir, only to discover just how much trouble a smart woman with time on her hands can get up to . . .

This was a page turning murder mystery with an old school Agatha Christie vibe to it. The Busy Body is book 1 in the new The Ghostwriter series and it’s a solid start! The mystery kept me guessing and I really loved the spunk and fire of presidential candidate Dorothy Gibson. The book does a quick about face early on, going from a setup for the ghostwriter to write a memoir about Dorothy in picturesque Maine to a straight up whodunit. Throw in a hot (and young) security guard and some questionable neighbors and you have yourself the start of a great new series.

The audiobook is narrated by Eva Kaminsky and boy did she do a great job with it. There are a lot of characters and a lot of moving parts and she gives each character their own distinct voice and accent, really helping to differentiate them all while listening. I highly recommend!

“There is nothing more dangerous than a woman who gets stuff done.” 👏🏻👏🏻

Thank you to Netgalley, RB Media, Kensington Books, and the author for the ARC and ALC in exchange for an honest review.

OMG... where to begin????? The audiobook of The Busy Body, by Kemper Donovan, narrated by Eve Kaminsky, is an absolute gem of a novel. Donovan's story is fantastic- sardonic ghostwriter is hired to pen the memoir of a Hilary Clinton-esque character, who has retreated to her woodsy Maine estate to lick her wounds following her loss to the joke of a politician who shall not be named. An irate supporter/neighbor (who does not seem the least suicidal at their chance meeting) commits suicide... or does she? I mean, Donovan's plot is gold (as is the dialogue and the ghostwriters inner monologues-one of the most irreverent characters I've ever met on a page!) Then you add in Kaminsky's voice and I honestly cannot scream about this audiobook any louder. It is smart and funny and fast paced and just so so so so so deliciously good!!!!! ps, if I remember right, the blurb (or maybe other reviewers) compared The Busy Body to Agatha Christy and described it as a cozy mystery. I am not really a fan of either, so I almost didn't request. If AC/cozy mysteries aren't your thing—your will still LOVE this book. It's not at all stodgy like I find AC novels, and there's nothing cozy (in my opinion) about the mystery. It's modern and timely-deliciously escapist entertainment but with a very current edge. Highly recommend!!!!!!!!!!!

The Busy Body is an interesting take fully inspired by Agatha Christie’s writing style.

While this will definitely be enjoyed by many, I was not the biggest fan. I thought the storyline was very ridiculous, a Hillary Clinton-inspired character that decides they want to moonlight as a detective partnering with a self-absorbed ghost writer who is so arrogant and tries to sound interesting but is painfully bland. There’s a lot of heavy dialogue and wannabe ‘witty’ banter that falls flat. Additionally, the big reveal was a little obvious by the time it was “revealed.”

I was honestly kind of bored by the end and not that interested in the drama that the author was trying to drum up between the characters. I also didn’t love the audio narration that seemed like the narrator was trying a little bit too hard, but that is probably a personal preference.

That being said, I can appreciate what the author was trying to do and I do think this could be a fun read for those who enjoy Agatha Christie. All in all, this was a 2.5 ⭐️ read for me, rounded down to 2.

Thank you NetGalley and RB Media for this advanced copy in exchange for my honest review. The Busy Body is available on January 23, 2024.

Kemper Donovan’s The Busy Body is a charming cozy mystery. It has all the right elements, but I didn’t love it. A ghostwriter is invited to help write the biography of a woman presidential hopeful who narrowly lost the election. While on assignment with former Senator Dorothy Gibson the two stumble into a murder investigation. Antics unfold and all is revealed in the final scene.

I am sure this book will find its readers and it will be well received. I didn’t enjoy the main character’s voice and direct to audience approach. I’m not a fan of books that are being written by the main character, so this was just a miss for me.

The Busy Body is about a ghost writer who is hired to write about a recently failed presidential candidate. Right after they meet, they stumble upon a murder and they try to sleuth out the murderer like an old fashioned Agatha Christie detective. There are lots of fun Easter eggs for Agatha Christie fans embedded in the story.

The only negative for me is that I’ve been a listener of Kemper’s All About Agatha podcast (and Patreon sponsor) forever, so my brain kept switching to his voice being the narrator instead of the female narrator of the story. But that’s on me, not him.😂
Great job Kemper!

Special thanks to NetGalley and RB Audio for the advanced audiobook copy in exchange for my honest opinion.

This was fantastic. I read so many mysteries that it's hard for any one of them to seem fresh, but this one was.


Review copy provided by publisher.

The Busy Body is a cozy whodunnit told through the lens of a ghost writer working on a memoir of a failed female presidential candidate.
While some of the “twists” were predictable, I was genuinely surprised by elements throughout the book. A fair amount of plot twists! A lovely, witty, and humorous mystery from start to finish! Narration well done - loved all the nuances of each character. Eva Kaminsky is a favorite of mine. She can morph into so many different characters with her voice range. I always really enjoy her work and think she was a great pick for this story!
Dorothy is a delightful character - wise, humble, strong and very in love with herself.
Strong female leads are where it’s all! I think a lot of women and men would love this story!
Thank you NetGalley and RB Media for the opportunity to listen to this audiobook early.

When I saw that The Busy Body was described as “Veep meets Agatha Christie” and for fans of “Richard Osman, Anthony Horowitz, and Nita Prose”, I KNEW I needed to read this book.

The Busy Body is a cozy whodunnit told through the lens of a ghost writer working on a memoir of a failed presidential candidate. While some of the “twists” were predictable, I was genuinely surprised by elements throughout the book.

The narrator was great but I do think that this is the type of book that would benefit from a full cast recording - I found myself getting a little lost and confused keeping track of all of the side characters.

⭐️⭐️⭐️✨ ~ 3.5 stars rounded down.

This was so fun to read and I would love to see it as a series! A big thank you to NetGalley, RB Media, and the author Kemper Donovan for the advanced copy. US Publication Date: January 23, 2024

Excellent choice of narrator for this title. Great pacing and use of voice to help the story move along. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this audiobook.

The story of an unnamed ghostwriter and a former Senator who end up embroiled in a murder investigation. The ending felt off to me, but it was an interesting story.

The narration was great. I recommend the audiobook.

Fast paced. Cozy, but not too cozy of a mystery. I throughly enjoyed listening to the audio version of this book. Strong female leads were refreshing, real, and honest.

So many plot twists! A lovely, witty, and humorous mystery from start to finish. If you love Agatha Christie novels, this will certainly be your cup of tea. I dearly hope this is a series in the making!

I have very mixed feelings about this book.

The book is about a ghost-writer who is staying with a former senator after a failed presidential campaign so she can write her memoir. While the nameless writer is staying with the former senator, murder happens, and mystery gets solved.

The premise was interesting, and I did enjoy the plot and mystery in the book. I didn't really care for the political narrative, and I think I would have enjoyed the book more if the narrator for the audiobook had a little more depth. She tended to be pretty monotone, and I felt like she left the story feeling flat.

I do like books about books, and I love Agatha Christie, but like I stated at the beginning, I have very mixed feelings about this book.

I want to give a huge thank you to netgalley and RB media for an advanced copy of this audiobook.

A ghostwriter follows a controversial senator, blamed for splitting the vote and helping usher in a terrible president, as she tracks down a murderer in The Busy Body.

I really enjoyed this story! I recognize the series is called "The ghostwriter" but the real star of the book is Dorothy Gibson, the senator that everyone has an opinion on. She's witty and smart, but works very well with her unnamed ghostwriter. Together, under the watchful eye of a protection detail and harried assistants, they try to discreetly investigate a neighbour's suspicious death and end up entangled in a deadly mess and a PR nightmare.

I'm looking forward to the next book in this series! I'll definitely read it!

I received a free audiobook copy from NetGalley in exchange for a fair review.

Thank you NetGalley and Recorded Books for this ALC. If you loved The Seven Husband's of Evelyn Hugo and the Finlay Donovan series, this first installment in The Ghostwriter series is for you!

The novel is such a refreshing, yet thrilling cozy mystery. I was as invested in the characters of this story, as I was in solving the mystery. Smart, witty, and just an utter delight to have listened to this wonderful performance.

I am so excited to read the next installment.

This book was really good, enjoyable and easy to listen to with a nice narrator, I enjoyed the American accent there was a bit of a drawl which I liked. An unusual twisty plot and a fun story.

Hmmm...I have some mixed feelings about this book, but lets start with the pros -

- It was face paced, well plotted, and well thought out. The main elements were accounted for in the end. It had a strong sense of place and overall was a very fun read. I hope there is an audiobook!

Cons:

- I am not a fan of male writers writing female protagonists, and the fact this one was so poor!y developed isn't helping things. This book would have worked just as well with a male MC and would have been even better with a named, developed one at that

- It is SO derivative and I am shocked other reviewers haven't commented on it. This may as well be called "Hillary Clinton Solves a Murder". I like Hillary Clinton so I enjoyed imagining her in this setting, but I don't think all readers will. Writing Dorothy's character clearly took no imagination

- Why was there the romance element? It didn't add anything to the story and felt like a last minute addition that didn't fit in well. If it was a means to an end to reveal the 'secret' tidbit at the end, Leila, Dorothy, Sarah, or Locust could have done the same thing

- Why didn't the ghostwriter write Dorothy's book?

- There are a lot of characters and it was a little hard to keep them all straight. I think Peter and Denny could be completely removed from the book without changing anything

- How many times does an author need to use " pulchritude" in one book?