As a former victim of a Beautycounter sales pitch, this intrigued me from the jump! This was fast paced and fascinating- I imagine it to be not terribly far off from reality of the MLM world!

A comedic murder mystery about MLMs is very "sign-me-up" territory, and this one mostly delivered. It was a bit silly and predictable at times, but it was a fun book that can be read in a day or two, and it was highly enjoyable.

This book was so hilariously fun. Ever since I stumbled across r/antimlm and other snark pages on Reddit, I've been fascinated by MLMs and pyramid schemes, and how they prey on vulnerable women for the company's profit. Luckily no one I know personally has ever fallen victim to one and I'm too much of a homebody to be approached by MLM members, but they're so interesting to read about.

DEATH IN THE DOWNLINE is both a takedown of MLM culture and a fun cozy mystery. I found that the commentary on MLMs struck the perfect tone: the author is clear that the villains are those at the top of the pyramid. They've cultivated their scummy "networking" tactics to be hard to notice, and those who fall for it aren't stupid. The book is extremely informative but doesn't feel preachy.

I felt for our main character Drew--a desperate, out-of-work journalist--and enjoyed following along with her thought process as she realized that she had joined a pyramid scheme. I also enjoyed the progression of her friendship with Steph, especially how it resolved.

Give this one a read if you want to learn more about MLMs and their tactics while enjoying a fun cozy mystery.

Down on her luck, Drew moves back to her hometown, where she reconnects with her childhood best friend, Steph. As the two rekindle their friendship, Steph offers Drew the opportunity to join LuminUS, a skincare company that allows her to sell products and become her own boss, promising it would help get her back on her feet. Drew has her suspicions about the company, and it only gets worse when one of their sellers ends up dead.

This had a slow start, but once I got into it, it was really fun to follow along and watch as it all unraveled. It's nothing spectacular, but it definitely does its job, and it's an entertaining, quick read with an interesting plot. I do feel like it was a little underwhelming, as it sometimes felt like it was gearing up for something crazy to happen, but it... didn't. And the ending also felt somewhat very rushed, and not satisfying to me. It still was a very enjoyable, easy read, with a cast of interesting, vividly fleshed out characters, that were very fun to follow and try to understand. I appreciated the straightforward critique of MLM culture in general, and their predatory techniques. Overall, even with its flaws, it still was a really good time, and I would definitely recommend it.

Many thanks to Quirk Books & NetGalley for the eARC. All opinions are my own.

This was a very easy read. Perfect for anyone looking for a summer read. I thought it was quite enjoyable. Check it out!

I am the prime audience for this book. MLMs plus murder mystery??? Sign me up! Unfortunately, it didn't come together for me. The characters were flat, which I don't always mind for thrillers/mystery. However, the plot was not compelling or page-turning enough for me to not mind. The writing was alright but not great. Would have loved more humor to be infused into the book. That would have made it work a lot better for me. The reveals were not all that interesting or surprising. Not terrible, just not my favorite!

As someone who hasn't herself fallen victim to an MLM scam but knows people who have (luckily they got out before any significant damage was done), I REALLY enjoyed DEATH IN THE DOWNLINE. It has a lot of fun snark regarding MLM culture while also calling out how incredibly predatory they are, especially towards women in tight financial situations, and has a pretty solid mystery to. boot. I really liked watching Drew slowly piece together the secrets and dangers of LuminUS, and I also really liked her relationship with Steph and all of the earnest connection AND messiness that comes with time apart and a falling out that was never properly addressed. All in all a very enjoyable read and a fun one to start the New Year with!

Death in the Downline is not only an enjoyable read, but it turns a critical eye toward "boss babe" multi-level marketing culture. Would be a great snow day read!

Super easy read; darkly funny about its subject matter. Great summer read for readers looking for a unique spin on crime - and a standalone! Really enjoyed it.

"Death in the Downline" by Maria Abrams is a sharp, witty, and delightfully dark mystery that cleverly dissects the allure and pitfalls of MLM culture. The protagonist, Drew, is relatable and engaging as she navigates the glamorous yet sinister world of LuminUS. Abrams weaves humor and suspense seamlessly, delivering a fast-paced, gripping narrative. Fans of biting social commentary wrapped in a compelling whodunit will find this book both thought-provoking and entertaining. A standout read for those who love mysteries with a satirical edge.

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC!
I was interested in this one because of the MLM aspect. The dialog of the characters was pretty spot on in my experience with MLMs. The book was a fun read. I could recommend it to someone who likes the cozy murder mystery genre. Nothing too shocking and it was a pretty clean read.

Slow to start but once I got into it, I couldn’t put it down. This book doesn’t do anything necessarily ground breaking— no new musings on the terrible system of MLMs and how they prey on women. That being said, it is definitely unique and I haven’t seen this done before, it worked as a tense murder mystery but I wish it had been a bit crazier for how much shit was going down. But it was a satisfying story about friendship, predation, and small towns.

When Drew returns to her small hometown after being laid off from her journalism job at Reddit, she hopes to lay low, avoid her old friends, and figure out her next move. But those plans quickly unravel when her former best friend pulls her back into the fold—along with a growing obsession sweeping the town: LuminUS, a “doctor-recommended” skincare MLM promising empowerment, success, and transformation.

Abrams delivers a razor-sharp exploration of the world of multi-level marketing, blending suspense with emotional depth. Through LuminUS, she gives us an intimate look at the women caught in its web—not just their polished Instagram lives, but their quiet vulnerabilities, relentless hustle, and the dreams that keep them tethered to an impossible promise. Their stories are raw, relatable, and painfully real, adding a deeply human layer to the book’s fast-paced plot.

The glittering illusion of LuminUS shatters when one of its distributors is found dead, and Drew begins to suspect the company is hiding something far darker than overpriced serums and shady sales tactics. As she digs deeper, she uncovers secrets that could destroy not just the women she’s come to care about but the entire LuminUS community.

Death in the Downline is a gripping, thought-provoking thriller that combines sharp social commentary with a richly layered portrayal of community, ambition, and exploitation. With every twist, Abrams pulls you further into the sinister world of LuminUS, making this a must-read for fans of contemporary thrillers and of course anyone wary of MLM pyramid schemes.

#QuirkBooks #DeathInTheDownline #MariaAbrams

This is a fastpaced, straightforward story. At first I was very curious to dive into the world of MLM but it felt like the author could have done so much more with this story. I would have loved a more in depth, undercover type of story. Now it feels a bit like anybody who's even a tiny bit suspicious about LuminUS could have solved this. Which makes for the outcome not to be a surprise.
The fact that the author doesn't hide her critique on the whole MLM / cult world is very interesting. The characters were ok. I was rooting for Drew to succeed and hoping for Steph to find her way out of LuminUS. The rest of the characters were either small roles or a bit insufferable (mostly the girls trying to sell LuminUS).
All in all, it's a quick and fun mystery to read in between.

Death in the Downline is a fast-paced, modern cozy mystery that blends humor and intrigue, enhanced by clever extras like Instagram posts and fake news articles. Its lighthearted tone, creative format, and surprising twists make it a fun, engaging read for fans of dark-edged mysteries.

Death in the Downline was a formulaic mystery that tried to blend social commentary about the real-world predatory effects of MLMs with a whodunit murder, and it missed on both counts. I got more behind-the-scenes information on MLMs from both LuLaRich and Selling the Dream: The Billion-Dollar Industry Bankrupting Americans, so Abrams's info-dumping on how shady and underhanded downlines can be ended up taking up space that should have been devoted to better backstory and character development. I also kept waiting (hoping) for the murder element to go somewhere besides a rather boring Scooby Doo-esque reveal that had little to do with MLMs. Abrams had a chance to make the "I think this product is poisoning people!" plotline to go somewhere conspiracy-adjacent like Megan Giddings in Lakewood or Ira Levin in The Stepford Wives, and I really wish she would have taken it.

Death in the Downline is a cozy mystery with a modern twist that dives into the world of cults—blending humor and intrigue in an engaging way. It’s a fast-paced, short read made even quicker by the inclusion of clever “extras” like Instagram posts and fake news articles, which add both realism and a touch of lighthearted fun. The Instagram posts, in particular, had me laughing and felt like something I’d actually scroll through online.

The story is straightforward but intriguing, keeping you curious about the unfolding mystery. My first guess at the killer was way off (I was sure it was the ambitious blonde character—oops!), which made the final reveal a pleasant surprise.

The humor, creative format, and pacing make it a fun read, even if some parts don’t entirely hold up to scrutiny. Perfect for readers who love a lighthearted, modern mystery with a bit of a dark edge!

If you, like me, love the drama and pettiness associated with MLM culture, than this book is for you.

I personally have a huge interest in MLMs. The ways that the companies prey on women who are down on their luck, the casual alcoholism associated with membership, and the absolutely insane rules they have for every member draws me in like a car crash - don't want to look, can't look away. Last year, I read Hey, Hun by Emily Lynn Paulson (which, if you haven't read that yet, you definitely should) and immediately began grabbing as many MLM/influencer books as I could.

This book takes a different approach than the others. It's much more straightforward with its critique if MLM culture in general, and anyone even passingly familiar with the Hun Handbook will recognize the predatory techniques used to create and keep members. It's definitely true-to-life, and it's clear that a lot of research (or first-hand experience) went into the creation of this book.

The characters in this were also pretty vivid, which I appreciated a lot about this. I wanted Drew to succeed, and I really felt like I could relate to her struggles. I also thought that a lot of her friends and fellow Huns felt like real people - I've met a Steph and a Jenny. I've felt those mean-girl barbs that come out when women are forced to compete with each other. It all felt familiar that I think women will relate to, even if you've never been a part of an MLM.

My one point of critique has to do with the ending. Drew does a lot of sleuthing throughout the book to find out what's going on with LuminUS, which feels authentic. She does a lot of work and her tenacity really starts to pay off as she closes the noose around the killer. So, at the end, I was a little confused when her investigations kind of came to nothing and the killer is only discovered because they openly admit it after the tiniest bit of prodding. The climax is quick and painless, and then the story wraps up. Pretty typical cozy mystery, but it felt like a weak ending compared to how meticulously crafted the mystery is up until that point.

Even though the ending was a touch rushed for me, I still thoroughly enjoyed this book and recommend it to those that enjoy a good mystery with a real-world problem thrown in. If you, like me, live for the next update in the Olive Tree People's nonsense, this book is absolutely for you.

Death in the Downline, by Maria Abrams, is a great choice for readers who enjoy witty, fast-paced mysteries that awaken the darker side of ambition and the pursuit of the American dream, with a dash of humor and a strong, relatable protagonist. I loved the experience of a thriller built within the universe of pyramid scheme companies. Mainly because he explores very well the way in which these people use the vulnerability and desperation of others to get them into the business.

I would say that 90% of the book was a delightful read apart from the ending which was honestly too long. I would without regret remove about 50 pages from the end of the book, which only served as filler after the plot twist was revealed. It seemed to me that either the author was determined to give a happily ever after conclusion for each character or that she had a minimum number of pages to be delivered.

Regardless, it was still an enjoyable read that I would definitely recommend and which I believe will be a huge success upon release. It's a fun book with a very interesting and current agenda, written in a very fluid way.

Recently fired, broken up with, and homeless, Drew has come home to New Jersey to stay with her father in her childhood home. She finds the town is dying, all of the work shut down, but somehow all of the women are blond, healthy, and rich. It's all thanks to LuminUS, a Multi-Level Marketing company. It's a pyramid scheme, obviously, with Drew's best childhood friend near the top of the pyramid. The numbers don't add up, and when LuminUs sellers start turning up sick or dead, Drew decides to use her journalism degree for something other than writing articles about what's selling best on Amazon this week.

Death in the Downline is a fun, modern cozy mystery; a straight-forward and empathetic take on a modern cult that has destroyed many lives and mildly inconvenienced so many others .This was a quick read, both because it's quite short and padded with "found footage" from instagram and fake newspaper articles, and because the story just speeds along. Also the instagram posts throughout are funny and absolutely believable.

I'm not sure I believe that a person like Drew could join LuminUS at all. I mean, plenty of smart people do, just this particular character is cynical and immediately recognizes LuminUS for what it is, so for her to turn around and drink the Flavor Aid that she'd just tossed in her friend's face just didn't make much sense. I guess that's cults for you. I was so wrong about who I thought the killer was. I thought it was the super ambitious blond (lol).

I'm giving this a 3.5, rounded up.