This was such a fun read. I loved the way the author smoothly transitioned between the main character Kate and her alter ego Loretta. The story kept my interest from the beginning. The pairing of rom-com and murder mystery worked really well. I can’t wait to read whatever this author releases next! Thanks to the publisher and to Jenny Elder Moke for the opportunity to read this advance copy..

She Doesn't Have a Clue by Jenny Elder Moke is the first book I've read by this author and it definitely won't be the last. This was a lovely mix of a classic murder mystery and a heartwarming rom com. I loved how this felt like a game of Clue. And it had so many of my favorite aspects in a mystery, including the creepy mansion and endless drama. The romance felt so real. The banter was amazing. And the little bit of spice was pretty nice too. This is a must read for fans of romantic murder mysteries.

Thank you to the publishers and netgalley for this arc in exchange for an honest review.

She Doesn’t Have a Clue is a thoroughly enjoyable mix of mystery and romance that kept me hooked from start to finish! Jenny Elder Moke’s adult debut brings readers into the chaos of a luxurious, secluded island wedding, complete with a murder mystery, old flames, and enough secrets to keep everyone on edge.

The story follows Kate Valentine, a bestselling mystery author, as she reluctantly attends her ex-fiancé’s wedding on a private island off the coast of Seattle. Already uncomfortable, Kate’s weekend takes a dark turn when the bride is poisoned, and she stumbles upon a dead body. With a plot that mirrors her latest novel, Kate finds herself embroiled in a real-life mystery, with her ex and “biggest romantic regret,” Jake, by her side as her reluctant partner in sleuthing. The chemistry between Kate and Jake is palpable, and their banter adds a fun dynamic amidst the suspenseful twists.

The lavish setting, quirky wedding guests, and wine-soaked drama create an atmosphere that feels both glamorous and dangerous, making for a perfect whodunit. With a cast of colorful characters and plenty of surprises, She Doesn’t Have a Clue is a must-read for fans of mysteries with a dash of romance.

Thank you to NetGalley and the Publishers for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This book was the perfect mix of fun and cozy murder mystery rom-com with a story within a story aspect. There were some unrealistic moments, sure, but overall it was an amazing book to pass time.

Being totally honest (also, got an ARC so giving my feedback) it was fine. I did DNF at the 42% mark mostly because I realize it just wasn’t for me.

It’s giving romcom, but like cheesy romcom. Nothing bad with it but it made me feel like it was slightly more YA than what I like to read (not as in I read hardcore R stuff lol more like the way it felt a bit too hallmark)

It’s def a fast paced read so that’s why I’m not giving it 2 stars. It’s a chill book but perhaps not something I’d run to get.

Fun mystery whodunnit with a dash of second-chance romance. The set up of murder mystery at an old manionson on an island. The main character, Kate, is a mystery author invited to her ex-fiancé's wedding. On the boat she meets with an old crush and sparks fly.

When a murder occurs, Kate is on her head a lot thinking what would her fictional detective do, which is a fun perspective. There were so many characters and potential plot points that it was a little hard keeping track of everything. Solid start, but it took me a little while to get through the finish. Everything wraps up at the end.

She Doesn't Have a Clue is a fun, fast read for anyone who likes romcoms and whodunnits. Mix a locked Room Murder with How to Lose a Guy and Murder She Wrote. There's nothing like being trapped on an island at your ex Fiancé’s wedding with the one that got away. Throw in an attempted murder, an actual murder, a bunch of backstabbing writers, and a strike. This just gets crazier and crazier. Sit back and enjoy this celebration of chaos.


Thank you to NetGalley and the Publishers for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This was a fun murder mystery rom-com with Hallmark movie vibes. Is the story realistic, no, did always like the FMC’s choices, also no, but it was still an enjoyable read. I liked the story within a story aspect.

This was really fun! It's a mystery/rom-com that I thought balanced those elements really well. It reminded me, genre-blending wise, of Ally Carter's recently released The Most Wonderful Crime of the Year. Our female main character is Kate Valentine, formerly a successful ghostwriter who is now a very successful mystery author trying to wrap up her most recent Loretta Starling mystery. She gets invited to a wedding on a private island off the coast of Seattle, and the groom happens to be her editor and her ex-boyfriend, who is marrying the marketing director who also works for her publisher. It all feels like it's going to be a bit awkward, but basically everyone who works for and writes for her small, independent publisher is going to be there, so not showing up would be even more awkward. Kate is surprised on the ferry out to the island when she sees Jake Hawkins, the super hot friend she hit on two years ago and hasn't seen since he apparently rejected her. When weird stuff starts to happen at the rehearsal dinner and someone poisons the bride, Kate realizes that someone is trying to set her up by using plot points from her own Loretta Starling books. As a storm rolls in that completely cuts off the island and the matriarch of the wealthy family that owns it turns up dead, Kate tries to clear her name by solving the crime(s) with help from Jake, who remembers things from their last encounter a little differently than Kate does. I really enjoyed the banter between Kate and Jake, and was delighted by the mash-up of various romance tropes - second chance, only one room, friends to lovers, etc. - against the backdrop of a sort of scaled up closed-room murder mystery. A fun read!

She Doesn't Have a Clue is a murder mystery with some romance...

Kate is a murder mystery author who has been invited to her ex-fiance/editor's wedding along with her ex Jake on a remote island. There's a book within a book as the murder mystery going down at the wedding parallels that of one Kate's murder mysteries.

There are way too many characters to keep track of in this one - I found myself feeling lost throughout the piece although I did find many parts to be hilarious and enjoyable it was challenging to keep up with everything. I think the second half of the book is smoother than the first half & I did enjoy the spice and romance that unfolds with Kate and Jake.

Thank you to St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review. I would be interested in reading more from Jenny Elder Moke and encourage a fan of murder mystery rom-coms to give this one a try.

3.5 stars

An entertaining murder mystery with a quirky author main character and a hot Australian love interest, set on a secluded private island in a rickety old manor with hidden caves and secret passageways. There is quite a large cast of characters which I probably never fully got straight, and there are excerpts from the MC’s books scattered throughout which were a little confusing and in my opinion unnecessary. However once I got more into the story it did get easier to follow - I ended up enjoying the mystery and the reveal was a surprise. My favorite part was the second chance romance and I was a fan of Jake the Hotstralian. An overall decent read which you may enjoy if you like mysteries with a side of romance.

Thank you to St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

“She Doesn’t Have a Clue” is a locked-room rom-com mystery by Jenny Elder Moke. This book has all the elements for a fantastic (and fun) mystery - spooky mansion, cast of characters, family inheritance, storm. Toss in writers and an amateur sleuth, you’ve got a book within a book. While the elements were all there - and the writing is playful even in the serious times - I found the cast of characters to be a bit overwhelming. There’s a lot of them. Toss in a fun reference to the main character’s book characters and at times it got a bit too overwhelming (and required some re-reading). This was a fun book, but I think there was too much for me to fully enjoy both the mystery and the story. An enjoyable book, but not quite my cup of tea.

Kate Valentine, a mystery author has been involved to the wedding of her ex fiancée. The wedding is being held on a remote island that can only be accessed by boat. To Kate’s surprise Jake Hawkins, who she wrote a few books with him is also at the wedding as her plus one. After the dinner rehearsal where Spencer read his notes about the bride (which by the way came from one of her books) flees the reception. Kate then finds the bride in the wine cellar with something in her mouth. Just like her novel were her heroine Loretta had solved a murder at a wedding. Now fiction is turning real as Jake and Kate finds another body. It is now up to Kate and Jake solve the murders before she is the one taking the fall. She Doesn’t Have a Clue is a laugh out loud book with just enough murder, romance and mystery wrapped up with unforgettable cast of characters. I would like to think both NetGalley and Minotaur Publishing for letting read an advanced copy of this book.

The view shift was really hard for me to get into from fictional character to author. I think I would like this one more as an audiobook!

I loved the genre mashup of the premise, but I found the story-within-a-story parts far more interesting than the actual plot.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the arc! Opinions are my own.

She Doesn't Have a Clue is a fun closed circle murder mystery that had me laughing out loud, swooning hard, and completely engrossed in the whodunnit of it all. Kate is a popular mystery author who is stuck writing the next installment of her series when she travels to a private island off the coast of Seattle to attend the wedding of two people who work for her publishing house. However, the groom also happens to be her ex-finance and her old crush, Jake, also crashes the wedding which leads to further complications for Kate. But when Kate stumbles on a dead body killed in a manner similar to a death in one of her books, Jake is the only one who can help her clear her name.

Adding to the wonderful zany atmosphere of Kate and Jake trying to find clues to narrow down who is behind everything, there is also a storm that has trapped the guests on the island. The storm was a great addition to the story because it wasn't just used as a plot device to keep the characters stuck. The storm also plays a part in the wedding and further deterioration of the historic house they are staying in.

Moke also did an incredible job creating a truly fascinating group of characters. They all felt flushed out and the banter between everyone led to some very funny scenes and moments. Everyone had their own motivations to possibly wanting the dead person gone and it made for some amusing times watching Jake and Kate knock them off their suspect list.

Speaking of Jake and Kate, their chemistry jumped off the page. I adored the almost second chance romance aspect of the story and seeing them work together. They also got themselves into some very interesting predicaments that are still vivid in my mind.

It also has the pleasing element of Kate daydreaming of different scenes that she could include in her book. Her protagonist felt like another character and I loved how her writing world reflected her reality. It was such a fun way to tell a story and highlighted Moke's firm grip on her characters and storytelling.

Overall, this was a very fun and easy read that would be the perfect book to curl up with a warm drink and cozy blanket. I believe this is Moke's first adult novel and I'm eagerly looking forward to what she comes up with next.

Rating: 4 Stars
Kate is an author known for her murder mystery books, but will she be able to solve this very real murder mystery?
When Kate agreed to go to her ex-fiancés wedding, she assumed showing face was all she had to do, since he is her editor. When the bride gets poisoned and then finds a dead body, the only one she can seem to trust is Jake Hawkins. Her biggest regret. Kate is determined to find who is behind this. She also realizes that someone is planning this based off her books.
I love that the author mentioned Murder She Wrote! It is one of my favorite murder mystery shows. Kate's character brings such a lightheartedness to the story, that you almost forget that there is actual murderer on the loose. Their second chance romance is to die for. I loved the dynamic between them.
I could not put it down. The twists and turns of this book keep you guessing till the very end.
Thank you to St. Martin's Press/ Minotaur Books and Netgally for the best murder mystery romcom I have ever read, in exchange for my honest reviews.

3.5/5

Fun book and a quick read! This was my introduction to rom-com/mystery and I felt some of the scenes heavy in romance and spice were oddly placed and took me out of the story, but I enjoyed the relationship between Kate and Jake. I echo the sentiments of other reviewers with having a lot of characters to keep track of and do wish we focused on less. But I had a good time, I liked the atmosphere and didn’t expect the murderer!

Thank you Minotaur and NetGalley for this ARC!

Seeing that She Doesn't Have a Clue was advertised as a murder mystery/romcom mashup, I just knew that I was going to love it. Unfortunately, in this case, the storyline did not hook me in like I had hoped it would. The way that the sequence of events and characters were presented made it had to keep track of what was going on. Nothing about the plot felt at all realistic or probable, despite the setting of the story. I also found all of the FMCs relationships throughout the book to be extremely awkward. While the FMC was endearingly awkward herself, her interactions with Spencer and Jake made me want to pull my hair out. I am all for a woman knowing her worth and moving on after having been cheated on, but the way that Kate babied Spencer at the expense of Jakes feelings really bothered me. It also frustrated me how hot and cold she was with Jake during their investigations and I'm honestly surprised that he stuck around as long as he did. That being said, Kate's epiphany at the end of the book and the way that she grew following the events of the story made me really happy and I loved that she could acknowledge some difficult things about her personality and make the moves to change them. The ending definitely made me happy I read the story

3.75⭐️ The best way I can describe this book is like if I had a Hallmark Movie Mystery with a splash of spice and incredible banter all wrapped up in a bow. It was cozy, fun, and very entertaining. My only critique/suggestion I have is that the book includes a glossary of all the characters' names and how they are connected to each other. With so many people in this whodunnit, I did tend to loose track of how people were related/connected to the Hempsteads. Overall, I very much enjoyed this book and would recommend it to anyone looking for a cozy murder mystery!

Thank you to NetGalley, Minotaur Books and St. Martin's Press for the opportunity to read this eARC for an honest review. Opinions expressed in this review are solely my own.