Cozy mysteries have the same energy as taking off your bra at the end of a long day (IYKYK). This has a cute plot with some unique characters. I love the line up of suspects - so many people had motives which is always what I want in a cozy. I loved the setting and enjoyed the small town charm. I’ll be excited to see where book two takes Jess & co!

If you’re a fan of The Finlay Donovan series or the Stephanie Plum books then you’ll want to pour yourself a glass of rose’ and grab this book. This is a cozy mystery that draws you in from the start and has you turning pages until the end. The characters are well-developed. Some are more relatable and likable than others. The detailed descriptions of the setting and the B&B expertly paint a picture in your mind. II was impressed that this is Sydney Leigh’s debut novel. The writing was fantastic and I cannot wait to read more by this author. If you’re looking for your next cozy mystery, add “Peril in Pink” to your list.

Synopsis:

It’s the grand opening of The Pearl B&B in Hudson Valley, and owner Jess Byrne has prepared the ultimate, Insta-worthy welcome, complete with her ex-boyfriend—reality singing sensation Lars Armstrong—performing live. As guests check in and mimosas are poured, Lars arrives with his stepdad-turned-manager Bob in tow. But things go south when Bob is found dead, and Lars is the prime suspect.

After a desperate plea from Lars, and knowing the reputation of her B&B is at stake, Jess agrees to help clear Lars’ name, but the more she digs, the less sure she is that he’s innocent. Especially when he’s found at the scene of another murder.

With the guests under lockdown, the B&B in the press for all the wrong reasons, and a killer on the loose, Jess is in over her head. With the help of her best friend and business partner Kat, Jess is determined to uncover the truth before Lars is put behind bars and The Pearl is permanently cancelled.

My thoughts:

I really enjoyed this cosy, debut thriller from Sydney Leigh! It was so easy to listen to and kept me on the edge of my seat. I found myself dying to know what happened next and wanted to listen to it all the time. The story had the perfect balance of mystery mixed with humour which as a Gen Z, I found just perfect without seeming cringy. The boat load of characters were also easy to follow as they were quite distinct in their own way and wasn't confusing.

While I did predict the killer, it didn't make the story any less enjoyable! I was still very interested how the rest of the story unfolded and if the police found out who did it.

Thank you to Netgalley and Dreamscape Media for sending me a copy of this one to review! It was so easy to binge read, set in a picturesque B&B I would kill to stay in.

This was so cute! A very cozy sweet mystery with Agatha Christie vibes (more Miss Marple than Poirot) Definitely going to check out more by this author..

I thought I had this one in the bag! I was partially right though! 😮
I could not stop listening to this book! 🕵️🕵️🕵️
Sydney Leigh did great with all the different characters!

Publisher's summary
It’s the grand opening of The Pearl B&B in Hudson Valley, and owner Jess Byrne has prepared the ultimate, Insta-worthy welcome, complete with her ex-boyfriend—reality singing sensation Lars Armstrong—performing live. As guests check in and mimosas are poured, Lars arrives with his stepdad-turned-manager Bob in tow. But things go south when Bob is found dead, and Lars is the prime suspect.
After a desperate plea from Lars, and knowing the reputation of her B&B is at stake, Jess agrees to help clear Lars’s name, but the more she digs, the less sure she is that he’s innocent. Especially when he’s found at the scene of another murder. With the guests under lockdown, the B&B in the press for all the wrong reasons, and a killer on the loose, Jess is in over her head.
With the help of her best friend and business partner Kat, Jess is determined to uncover the truth before Lars is put behind bars and The Pearl is permanently cancelled.

Thanks to NetGalley & Dreamscape Media for this ALC!

Peril in Pink
By: Sydney Leigh
Narrated by: Traci Odom
Publisher: Dreamscape Media
Release date: 03-19-24

It’s opening weekend for Jess’s new venture, The Pearl, an all new B&B that is all about rose all day and keeping the good times flowing…until a body turns up.

Jess has pulled out all the stops, there are instagram photo ops at every turn, a fantastic bartender, and even a surprise cameo performance by her ex-boyfriend Lars, who is now a pretty famous musician. Everything has been planned to perfection and then Lars’ stepdad (who is also his manager) is found murdered.

With Lars as a top suspect and other guests on high alert, Jess works to keep everyone calm, clear Lars’ name, & find who actually killed Bob. And then another victim is found and the bets are all placed on Lars. Jess still has her doubts although she is starting to second guess herself. Will she be able to get to the bottom of the mystery before Lars is arrested and her B&B is tainted beyond repair?

Thank you to Sydney & Thriller Book Lovers Promotions for an advance copy of this fun new series.

Cozy mysteries are in my wheelhouse, but not a part of my regular rotation. I’ve read enough that I know what I’m looking for when I read them, and I can say that Peril in Pink hit those spots for me. I also want to say that this was a fantastic debut!

The setting was full of both small town charm and a ‘glam’ modern feel with a variety of characters that amplified different pieces of it, making it appealing for readers who enjoy both styles of story. I was picturing the B&B to be a smaller more chill version of The White Lotus hotels featured in the HBO shows (which is a good thing, 10/10 would book a stay, murder or not).

The story itself contains a full cast of quirky characters that were easy to like and vibe with, a plot that moves quickly, and a twist that I didn't see coming!

There is NO romance in this book (which I actually prefer in my cozies), however since one of the characters is the high school ex of our female main character we do get some banter and good moments from that. There is also something that I can see blossoming into a potential relationship in books to come.

Like I said above, when I initially finished this one I was sitting around the 3.5 star range, but now that it’s been a few days and I’m still thinking back to it and how much I enjoyed it, I definitely think it deserves 4 stars. I will absolutely be looking out for book two and am anticipating returning to The Pearl!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a copy of this audiobook in exchange for an honest review.

This was a very cozy mystery and I loved the location. The location gave the book a very cozy feel. I did not see that ending coming and really enjoyed the characters in this book. I look forward to more mysteries at this bed and breakfast.

I wish I could say that I loved this female-centered mystery, but it felt pretty generic to me. I got bored with the several under-described characters decently early in the story and because of that the mysterious component of the book fell flat. I can’t care about who did it when I don’t even remember the names of who is who.

Despite my complaints, I think this was a perfectly fine book. I can see where the author was trying to develop an interesting mystery with many twists and red herrings, it just didn’t totally work for me and that’s okay. For a debut novel, this one really isn’t bad! I would be interested to read more from Sydney Leigh in the future as her experience molding characters grows even greater!

Peril In Pink follows Jess who has just opened up a Bed and Breakfast with her best friend after moving back to her hometown. It’s opening night and she’s managed to convince her ex-boyfriend, who is now a musician rising to fame to perform so she’s hopeful that everything will go without a hitch. That’s before someone shows up dead and everyone is a suspect.

The concept of this book was fantastic and a fantastic way to debut. This is the first book in what is going to be a series of cozy mysteries.

I would’ve loved for the book to go more into depth about the characters. I feel like I wasn’t able to connect with them the way I was supposed to but that could be a me thing than anything else.

I’m excited to read what is next in store.

Thank you to NetGalley and Dreamscape Media for providing me with this audiobook. I received this audiobook for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

Thank you
@thrillerbookloverspromotions @sydneyleighmystery for my complimentary copy. My thoughts are my own.

This is a fast-paced and quite enjoyable cozy mystery! I loved the colorful characters and the dynamics between them.

When JESS opens a new bed and breakfast inn, she has every detail planned, including having her ex-boyfriend turned rock star, LARS, sing on opening night. However, when Lars’s cringy manager-stepdad is found murdered, Lars is at the top of the suspect list.

Jess finds herself agreeing to help clear Lars’s name and she does a bit of amateur sleuthing. But Lars really looks guilty, especially when there is a second murder!

I enjoyed both the print and audio versions. I will definitely read the next book in the series!

Read (or listen to) this if you enjoy:
*cozy mysteries
*old high school rivalries
*amateur sleuth
*humor that will make you laugh out loud

Rating: 3,5 stars

Thanks to #netgalley and #thrillerloverspromotions for this ALC which is out today.

𝑴𝒚 𝒕𝒉𝒐𝒖𝒈𝒉𝒕𝒔:
This was quite something different from what I usually read so it took me a while to get out of my comfort zone of heinous serial killers and gory crimes.. 🤪 and immerse myself in a cosy mystery story!

But in the end, the exchange of banter between Jess, her business partner Kat and her sophisticated and highly judgmental mother as they try to find the killer on the opening weekend of their new B&B was very entertaining.
Amazing that this is a debut! The writing style is very smooth and the tongue-in-cheek dialogues made me smile!

The narrator did a great job! Definitely recommend the audio!

Peril in Pink is a fun and easy read and is the 1st part of a series. The narrator done really well in this book on not giving away the Mystery.As we are following Jess and her best mate Kate as they are opening up there bed and breakfast which is cocidentaily pink hence the books cover . We then have someone turn up dead upon the opening and ensure some amature sleuting to see who the actual suspect is. A fun small town resident with a ton of pop culture references to make you laugh out loud.

I love a cozy mystery and hit all the main areas- main character who refuses to stand on the side line, a cute love interest, witty best friend, an adorable pet, and a unique setting. I really like the idea of a fun, bright pink destination b&b for the setting and the fact that Jess’s brother own the bar next door. Allows an easy way to interlock and mingle the characters especially when the story takes place over a singular weekend. I was excited to see this will be the first book of a series, I don’t think author dove too deep into the characters enough to make we really love any of them yet BUT we got enough of a glimpse at their backstory relationships I’m interested in continuing on their journeys and am looking forward to which characters will be a part of the sequels. I had an idea who the culprit was but wasn’t exactly sure how it would fit til the big reveal so I was impressed that I was stumped.

One thing that stuck out to me though was that I pictured this group in their early to mid thirties, however, it seemed like everyway was 28/29 years old. I have a hard time believing that at that age they are 1. That burnt out from their corporate jobs and 2. Have enough money to individually own a B&B and a restaurant/ bar at that age. The narrators voice also sound more mature and based on some of the verbiage I just think the ages made sense to be a little older but that’s just me.

I want to thank @thrillerbookloverspromotions and @sydneyleighauthor for this fun ARC!

Peril in Pink was my first #cozymystery , and was exactly what I was looking for in a #mysterythriller ! It will definitely not be my last Sydney Leigh book, or cozy mystery! It is a fun, easy read, with a few good curveballs!

3.5 ⭐️, rounded up! (I went back and forth with the ebook and audiobook, and preferred the audio! Great narration!)

I thoroughly enjoyed this audio! I don't read that many cozy mysteries but after this one I might just have to add more to my TBR. Sydney Leigh tells a fun, immersive, drama filled story about murder in a small town at the grand opening of a new B&B. Best friends Jess and Kat are excited to be opening their B&B together and Jess even called in a favor from her ex Lars, who became a pretty famous singer. They don't expect to see so many familiar faces but when one of those faces turns up dead, all signs point to Jess's ex. While trying to help clear his name and also prevent further damage to the reputation of her brand new B&B, Jess finds herself drawn into the investigation.

Okay so I thought I knew who the killer was but then I was sure I was wrong and I had someone else in mind and honestly I was kind of right but in a way that had me questioning it the entire time. This was so much fun! Traci Odom is the perfect narrator and made it easy to binge this audio in one sitting. Traci's voice was smooth but emotive and I find that with a mystery audiobook, it's extra important to have the right narrator to keep the listeners interested and engaged in the mystery and this one did! The pacing was great, the story wasn't too long or short but felt like a nice length to give depth to the characters and build an investigation. I see on Goodreads that it's listed as book one of the Hudson Valley B&B Mysteries which has me SO excited because I want more of these characters! I love Jess and the drama of her ex and old classmates, plus the hot detective on the case. Her and Kat are so fun but I hope the series goes back and forth with who gets more on page time because I would like to get to know Kat a bit more. The setting is perfect and the list of potential suspects grows with every interaction. I was cracking up with some of the antics but then also nervous for Jess because she just straight up questioned people she thought might be murderers with like no concern for herself but that was also part of the charm. Since she knows most of the people involved, it gives kind of a feeling of immunity for her like who's really going to kill this kind B&B owner they might have known for a long time or even if they didn't what would their motive really be? So that made her the perfect person to investigate, ya know besides the actual detectives.

Each characters felt really well developed. They were all unique in their own ways and I wasn't confused at all even though there were many characters. I also liked the ties everyone had to each other and the links to the past. Having the setting of this mystery be a small town B&B is perfect to give the cozy mystery vibes because everyone knows each other but do they really think any of them could be a murderer? This one flew by for me and I wish I had more because it was really just a fun story with many lovable characters -- and some odious ones -- that will have you putting on your own amateur detective hat to try to solve the murder before the end of the book! I definitely recommend this book to any mystery lovers or really anyone who wants a quick, enjoyable read that's warm and cozy with just a bit of murder.

I voluntarily listened to and reviewed an ALC from Dreamscape Media via NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own!

3.5 stars

A cute cozy murder mystery in a small town.

I received an ARC of this audiobook from Netgalley & the publisher.

This was a cute quick listen if your in the mood for a cozy read. Jess & her bestfriend left their cooperate jobs in order to open a B&B in their small home town, with pink doors and a chill vibe.

Opening weekend seems like it is going to go well until a guest is murdered.

with her ex as the main suspect and a hot cop who has it out for him working the case Jess takes things into her own hands to prove her Ex's innocence and find the real murdered and hopefully save her new business.

The audiobook was good, there was one voice actor that did all character parts.

I’d just like to start by saying that the author reached out to me last year and absolutely made my day. I’m grateful for this opportunity - Thank you to the author (& for helping me with all the technical difficulties i faced), Net Galley and Crooked Lane Books

This was a cozy enjoyable page turner thriller book. It kept me on the edge of my seat because I literally couldn’t guess who it was. Jess took it into her own hands to investigate and go around and ask the questions; she probably was asking the wrong people though. Things felt missing to her AND to me. I had to pause reading to think because of how perplexed I was

I enjoyed the overall feel of the setting, and this was a perfect example of amateur detective work. Even though there was an actual detective on the case and taking suspects to the station for questioning, I loved Jess and Kats’ reactions and them snooping around was so entertaining to read

I didn’t really like Lars to be honest. His character was very immature and the way he kept calling Jess “babe” and “baby” when they weren’t together was so cringy, and he’s very disrespectful. Even though he was the one who hurt her in the past, she’s the one who dodged a bullet

Every character was distinct. Everyone was a suspect and the fact that most of them had their own clandestine, made the book even more mysterious and it made it feel like a book you’d take with you to the beach and read it there! I know some people are saying it’s a cozy autumn read, but it felt very summer-y to me 🫣

If you follow me and read my reviews you know that I love details and descriptions. I loved how the B&B was effortlessly exemplified, I could visually see the whole setting of the book

I didn’t believe that this is Sydney Leigh’s debut novel because the writing was spectacular and the expressions were so funny. The writing was great! It was a really good book for her first published book! I’m telling you there’s something about Canadian authors ❤️‍🩹

It’s opening weekend for The Pearl B&B, and Jess and her business partner, Kat are all set to make their new business a success. But when a guest ends up murdered, it gives their killer vibe a new meaning!

First off, I really want to stay at The Pearl. I wish it was a real B&B that I could visit because it sounds perfect for me! The setting was perfect for this cozy mystery and was a fun aspect for the book.

Jess was a great character and I enjoyed that she was a true crime fan. It helped her with being an amateur detective and solving the crime at her job. There are a lot of characters in this book and for the most part they were all a suspect at one time or another. It was fun trying to figure out who did it, and I didn’t have a hard time keeping track of who was who at all.

It’s nice to take a break from all the darker thrillers I read and pick up a cozy mystery. The light-hearted humor was a nice change of pace and I loved how realistic and relatable the characters were. I listened to the audiobook and liked Traci Odom as the narrator. She brought Jess and all the guests at The Pearl to life and transported me to the Hudson Valley!

If you’re looking for a humorous mystery that will keep you guessing, then this book is for you. I’m excited for the next book in the series to come out. Thank you to the author and Thriller Book Lovers Promotions for the gifted copies in exchange for my honest review.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with this book in exchange for my review! All opinions are my own.

This was an entertaining audiobook, and I thought it was very clever. I don't believe I have listened to many books narrated by Tracey Odom, but she did a very good job. With that being said, some of the book was a little too dark for my taste, but I am kind of a scaredy cat unfortunately. Still, I found the book to be a fun and entertaining listen! I will be definitely on the lookout for more books by Sydney Leigh in the future!



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Peril in Pink was cute, engaging, and bed & breakfast-level cozy. I enjoyed Jess' hunt for the murderer, her relationships with Kat and Auntie M, and how the ending/murderer reveal played out. I found some of the plot points predictable, and one aspect of the end was entirely too obvious for my liking, but overall, the story flowed nicely, and the complete end surprised me.
I am confused about the title. The B&B is called The Pearl, so maybe 'Peril' is a pun? But what does 'Pink' have to do with anything? Perhaps I missed the part where it's explained? The only thing I can connect with the word 'pink' is when they're talking about flamingos at the beginning.
I listened to the audiobook, and the narrator did a great job. She didn't get breathy or inflect the wrong words, which is always appreciated. She embodied Jess well.

Thank you, NetGalley, Dreamscape Media, and Sydney Leigh, for the ALC of this audiobook!
I look forward to the next Hudson Valley B&B Mystery!