This book was overall cute and fun, but the constant flipping between the fictional author writing the Loretta story and the real author writing the main narrative was jarring at times. I wanted to know more about the original relationship build between Kate Valentine and Jake Hawkins. The heat sometimes came out of nowhere. Overall I enjoyed reading it but I'm not sure it will stick with me for the long term.

Jenny Elder Moke’s She Doesn’t Have A Clue offers a fun mix of cozy mystery and romantic comedy, set against the atmospheric backdrop of an isolated private island. While the story has its moments of charm and intrigue, it ultimately didn’t fully land for me.

Kate Valentine, a bestselling mystery author, reluctantly attends her ex-fiancé’s wedding, hoping to survive the awkward weekend with the help of champagne and progress on her latest Loretta Starling novel. But the festivities take a dark turn when the bride is poisoned and a dead body is discovered. Kate soon finds herself tangled in a real-life mystery that eerily mirrors her fictional creations. The tension escalates further with the arrival of Jake Hawkins, Kate’s former flame, adding romantic complexity to the already high-stakes situation.

The premise is intriguing, and Kate’s wit and sarcasm make her an engaging protagonist. The stormy, isolated island setting provides a great backdrop for the mystery, creating a sense of tension and claustrophobia. The supporting cast is lively and quirky, adding humor and drama to the mix.

However, while the plot is packed with red herrings and twists, some felt forced or predictable, detracting from the suspense. Kate’s internal struggles and her romantic tension with Jake added depth but sometimes slowed the pacing of the main storyline. The book felt uneven at times, with moments of brilliance but also stretches where the narrative fell flat.

I’m grateful to St. Martin’s Press for granting me access to this title. While She Doesn’t Have A Clue wasn’t a standout for me, it’s still a fun, lighthearted mystery that might appeal to fans of cozy mysteries and quirky characters. It’s worth a try for readers who enjoy a touch of romance with their whodunits.

This story follows Kate Valentine a bestselling mystery writer who for whatever reason agrees to attend her ex-fiances wedding. Kate decides that her gift to her ex-fiance who is also her editor is the finish the first draft of her latest Loretta Starling novel. But the night before the wedding the bride is poisoned and Kate stumbles across a dead body, she finds herself in a real-life mystery that follows the plot of her latest novel. The only person willing to help her solve the murder is Jake Hawkins, Kate's biggest romantic regret.

There were a lot of characters to keep up with which was at times hard on audio. The first half of the book was a little slow for me, but by the end I was enjoying myself. The mystery was good and the added bonus of romance helped. The humor and banter between the characters was great as well.

Overall this book was good. It wasn't the best book I have read/listened to, but it wasn't the worst.

Read if you like:
-Friends to lovers
-Cozy mystery
-Funny banter
-Plot twists

Thank you St. Martin's Press and Netgalley for the gifted copy.

In She Doesn't Have a Clue, we follow a murder mystery set on a secluded island, as the main character tries to prove she is not at fault.

I thought this book was super atmospheric and I really loved the setting and atmosphere. I thought the premise was interesting as well as the suspects for the murder.

It was frustrating that the murder doesn't actually occur until 25% of the way through the book -- I'd expect it much sooner. While there were some good twists related to the crime, the ending especially just felt far fetched and took me out of the story. I also didn't buy the romance, it felt like it relied on this previous connection that we were not super privy to.

I'd be interested in reading another book from this author, but think it would need some tightening up of the mystery/romance itself.

She Doesn’t Have a Clue is author Jenny Elder Moke’s adult debut novel.

The story takes place on a private island off Washington state over a three-day period. Kate and the others are there for a wedding, and Murphy’s Law is applied—if anything can go wrong, it will. There’s a major storm, a murder, and an attempted murder. There are clues for Kate and her sidekick Jake, who is also her potential love interest, to sort through to figure out the motivation and whodunnit, and it wasn’t who I was expecting. All details are essential and are nicely woven into the story without realizing why. There are twists and turns, red herrings, and plenty of finger-pointing. Along the way, there were revelations by various characters of relationships, family dynamics, inheritances, and more.

There were confusing storylines as the author, Kate, kept getting into her fictional detective’s head. Loretta may have made it in Kate’s mysteries, but not when Kate channeled her. Kate and the others kept referencing her previous books, but they didn’t exist, which I had to remember more than once.

There’s closure and a chance for several happily ever afters. The epilogue tied up some loose ends, steering us in a new direction for Kate, Jake, and others.

She Doesn’t Have a Clue is filled with clues, details, and vivid descriptions. Ensure you’re out of the storm as you sink into this whodunnit.

The review is posted on NovelsAlive.

There is a lot going on in this book with a large list of interesting characters all having a reason to be the killer. The plot is fast moving, ever changing and well done in confusing the reader on who the murderer is.

At times the layout of the house itself confused me. So with that in mind I'd love to take a tour of the house to find all the nooks and crannies described in the book.

What I liked best about the book is the interaction between Kate and Jake it felt real and honest.

Looking for a cozy mystery with a touch of romance? This book is perfect for you!

The story follows Kate, who attends her ex-fiancé’s wedding on a private island. Things take a dark turn when a guest is found dead. Her friend and love interest unexpectedly arrives at the island as her plus one and partner in solving the mystery.

The book is definitely fun and witty, with lots of family drama and endless murder mystery possibilities. While enjoyable, it may not leave a lasting impression.

The romance is spot on.
Plenty of laughs.
The mystery element is perfect.

Thanks to NetGalley and St Marin Press for the ARC copy!

This is a fun rom-com/murder mystery. There are a couple of spicy scenes, and the whole thing is ridiculous. It’s silly, escapist fiction. It’s a good light-hearted read and I enjoyed it enough to willingly read another book by this author.

2.75 rounded up

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review

So I liked the idea of this book. A murder mystery combined with a cute little romance, but overall it was just kind of meh.

Things I didn't love: The characters had zero chemistry and the MMCs personality fell flat for me. He was incredibly boring. The FMC was quirky but almost tried too hard to be funny. The romance just felt forced (spicy scenes at really weird times and locations? Really random third act "breakup"?) and the mystery was easy to figure out because that character just straight up disappeared the entire book. There were also so many characters with their own motives to keep track of that it got convoluted in my head and I couldn't remember who everyone was when they popped back in.

Things I liked: I thought putting the excerpts from the FMC's own books was a fun idea, it really showed how she used it as a crutch for her own personality flaws.

Unfortunately, this book was a bit of a miss for me

3.5⭐ rounded up

I love a good murder mystery! And with some spice mixed in... Love it even more! This was a good read. I enjoyed Kate. She was a great main character. The mystery portion was very good. It was a little hard to keep track of all the characters, but in the end you pretty much got it. I kinda wish the romance portion was executed differently.

The audiobook was produced very nicely. I enjoyed the narrator very much. She gave the perfect voice for Kate and her "Loretta".

*Thank you partners @minotaur_books and @macmillan.audio for the #gifted e-galley and audiobook in exchange for an honest review.*

* I received an e-arc via Netgalley and the publisher. Thank you for the opportunity to review. All thoughts are my own*

3.5 rounded up to 4

This is Jenny Elder Moke’s adult debut, and it was a fast-paced fun read! Its mystery combined with romance and sprinkled with a dash of laughs.

I loved the main character, Kate. She was hilariously funny, clumsy and sometimes awkward and I appreciated that about her. Jake was also a really likeable character and added his own charm to the story.

I buddy read this one, and we both agreed that the inner monologue between Kate and her fictional character Loretta really was distracting and took away from the story. I also felt that the spicy scenes felt a little bit unrealistic considering that the characters were dealing with an actual real live murder.

If you like mysteries and romance, this is a cute one!

She Doesn't Have A Clue is a blend of mystery and romance in this cozy tale about a mystery writer, Kate Valentine, who finds herself in a dangerous situation while attending her ex-fiance's wedding. The decision to go was crazy, but Kate is determined to make the most of it, even if it means plastering on a fake smile and relying on free champagne and cake to get through the festivities Even as she tries to work through her final draft of her latest book, the party soon turns from celebratory to sinister when the bride is poisoned and it is Kate who stumbles upon the body. With the help of her once biggest romantic regret, Jake Hawkins, Kate is determined to solve the murder with hopefully a dash of romance. There are parts of the story that get a bit slow and boring, but the overall story is one of cozy romantic mystery. That alone makes it the perfect choice for cozy mystery lovers who love a mix of intrigue, humor, and a touch of love.

My thanks to NetGalley and Minotaur Books/St. Martin's Publishing for the ARC of "She Doesn't Have a Clue" in exchange for an honest review.
What could possibly go wrong at a destination wedding held on a remote island off the coast of Seattle....smack in the middle of a raging storm that'll leave all the guests stranded there. One of two things, usually.....either murder within a rich family dynasty of relatives at each other's throats, or a red hot second chance romance.
This book throws both tropes into the mix, as well as a 'what-kind-of-person-was-I-meant=to-be' journey for its lead character, mystery author Kate Valentine.
Kate's best selling alter ego Loretta Starling (bartender by day, sleuth by night), is a crime solver extraordinaire. But Kate herself,, unlucky in love and far clumsier than Inspector Clouseau on a bad day, leaves a trail of soured romances and accidentally overturned furniture wherever she goes. Yep, she's a guest at that storm tossed island wedding......where the groom is her ex=fiance and another guest (also another ex) is a Hemsworth-worthy hottie who still makes Kate's temperature rise.
S0 you know it's only a matter of time before a corpse pops up and Loretta's coping with enough suspects to fill up a rush hour train, as well as both the groom and the Hemsworth Hunk vying for her attention. Not to mention the murderer trying to frame her by borrowing episodes from her last Loretta puzzler.
A busy book here, what with Kate's conflicted romances, her attempts to channel her inner Loretta, identify the killer, and stumbling in and out enough secret passageways to even turn Nancy Drew dizzy..
A bit overlong and repetitious (Kate's slapstick moments seem overdone and movie-ready), but I still had a good time with this one. For fans of combo mystery-romcoms, here's one stop shopping for you.

Bestselling mystery author, Kate Valentine, is on her way to a destination wedding on a private island. It’s a very exclusive wedding and Kate would rather be anywhere else. It’s the wedding of her ex-fiancé. She couldn’t say no since he happens to also be her editor and he’s waiting for her final draft of her newest novel. When the bride is poisoned and Kate finds a dead body, all eyes turn towards her as the culprit.

Kate is surrounded by people who would like nothing more than to pin this crime on her, but she’s sure one of them did it. She intends to prove it. After all, she writes books about mysteries based on her sleuth Loretta Starling. How difficult can it be to solve a real-life mystery?

It’s a madcap adventure with a wacky cast of characters. There was one calamity after another. The heroine doesn’t always make the best choices, but she manages to hold herself together through it all. There’s even a handsome fellow author who Kate had a brief relationship in the past and both are interested in pursuing again.

I have to admit, it did take me some time to really get into this book. There were so many characters for me to keep straight. I was halfway through when it all clicked and fell into place for me. The author did keep me guessing who the killer was until the end. I suspected everyone, but not this person.

It’s a combination romance and mystery. I do prefer more mystery than romance in my mystery books, but this one won me over. It just took a little longer than I thought it would. When there’s an old mansion involved, I’m usually there for it. There’s an exciting finale, too. I’m glad I stuck with this one.






FTC Disclosure: I voluntarily reviewed a free Advance Reader Copy of this book from NetGalley and the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review. All opinions expressed are my own.

I struggled with this book. I could not connect with the characters and I found the plot lack luster.

It seemed to jump around without notice and it was hard to understand if they were talking about a past situation or a current situation.

I almost DNF'd it several times... this will be a book for someone, but unfortunately I was not that person.

Kate is a popular writer of the Loretta Starling mysteries. She works for a company called Simon Says and was engaged to her editor, Spencer, until about 6 months ago when he called it off and is now marrying another co-worker Kennedy Hempstead.

Kennedy comes from a prominent family and her aunt, Rebecca Hempstead, is the head of the family and controls all the money.

Kate is invited to the wedding between Spencer and Kennedy at a private island owned by the Hempstead's. She doesn't want to go but needs a change of scenery to start a draft of her new novel. On her way she bumps into her old co-worker, Jake, an adventurous travel person who she used to write for. She clearly has an attraction to Jake but has never acted on it.

When an attempt is made on Kennedy's life and a real dead body shows up, Kate decides she needs to solve the case, partially because the murderer is trying to use her book plots to pin the murder on her and Jake. With the help from Jake, and by channeling her inner Loretta Starling, Kate begins her quest to find the real culprit and uncover all the secrets of the Hempstead family.

With a long list of suspects who all had motives, this is a typical whodunit with a dash of romance on an island with no escape.

Kate was goofy, flighty, and generally seemed like she didn't have a clue. She always had her “mystery writer” brain on and saw every conversation and interaction as a motive for something. She often asked herself “what would Loretta do?” when encountering a situation she couldn't comprehend herself. She went to Loretta's viewpoint/headspace often and It took me a bit to realize that she was now thinking as Loretta or reciting something that happened in a Loretta Sterling book. I found it a little confusing that she had a hard time separating herself from her fictional character. I also felt like this caused the story to come to an abrupt halt when she went into Loretta mode. It made the story jerky and messed up the flow.

Definitely more cozy mystery than thriller. It was cute and kept me engaged but the set-up was pretty predictable. With everyone having a motive, it allowed you to get to know each character and their motives, but also made the book repetitive and procedural at times. I found myself not as invented in the mystery aspect as I was of the interactions between Jake and Kate. This was a mystery with a dash of romance and I wish it was a romance with a dash of mystery.


Huge thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for sharing this book’s digital advanced review copy with me in exchange for an honest review.

I read this book through a digital ARC from NetGalley
Author: Jenny Elder Moke
Genre: Murder Mystery, Mystery Romance
Troupe: Forced Proximity, slow burn, Locked room (island)

She Doesn't Have a Clue had some of the key elements of a cozy mystery that I enjoy, but was possibly trying to do too much. The protagonist, Kate Valentine, is a popular mystery writer and often includes elements of her own life in her books. She finds herself in forced proximity with Jake Hawkins, the focus of her unrequited affection. They are stranded on an island with her ex-fiancee at his upcoming wedding. The mansion that will host the wedding was difficult to imagine in my mind which proved to be a distraction. The final 25% of the book proved to be worth the read and I will probably give her writing another try. There is some fun, spicy romance included.

I really liked the idea of this book. A romance with thriller vibes? Sounds amazing. However I listened to this and had the eArc and I just couldn't get into either. I felt like the pace was too slow and I just couldn't get myself to be present while reading. Unfortunately I did DNF.

This book was not for me. I did not like the characters and the way the story changed from the main plot to the author's previous books and back again was annoying.

Author, Kate Valentine, is headed to a secluded island for her ex-fiancées wedding. What could go wrong?

To start, Kate’s biggest romantic regret, Jake, the bride is poisoned and then Kate finds a dead body! The weekend was supposed to awkwardly fun and Kate hoped to finish her latest novel but she’s knee deep in solving a real life murder mystery! 🕵🏻‍♀️

With everything going on with the wedding and detecting, will Kate finish her novel? Check out She Doesn’t Have A Clue to find out.

There are quite the cast of characters and I felt like they all melded together and I could really remember who was who and what was going on when. The book took me a bit to get into it but by the end I was caught up enough to get myself through.

I love a good mystery and go ahead and throw in a bit of romance and spice! I enjoyed the humor and banter.

This is my first book by this author and her adult novel debut.

Thank you to the author, Jenny Elder Moke, and NetGalley for the opportunity to read these books. I received an epub and am leaving my review voluntarily.

Publication date 1/21/25