🔍✨ Book Review: "One Death at a Time" by Abbi Waxman 🌟🕵️‍♀️

Prepare yourself for an engaging journey through Los Angeles, filled with humor, mystery, and a colorful cast of characters in Abbi Waxman's "One Death at a Time." This dazzling novel shines a spotlight on the quirks and chaos of Hollywood, making it a standout in the mystery genre. 🎭🚗

The story introduces us to Julia Mann, a fiery former actress with a knack for attracting trouble. After finding a dead body in her swimming pool, Julia's past comes back to haunt her. Enter Natasha Mason, a young Gen Z sobriety sponsor who is determined to prove Julia's innocence and keep her on the straight and narrow. Their unlikely partnership sparks a dynamic and witty investigation into the underbelly of Hollywood’s glitz and glamour. 🌟🕵️‍♀️

Waxman masterfully crafts a narrative full of sharp, laugh-out-loud dialogue and engaging character dynamics. Julia and Mason's intergenerational friendship forms the heart of the story, as they challenge each other and uncover unexpected bonds. The supporting cast, featuring showgirls, agents, and a collection of other eccentric allies, add depth and flavor to the unfolding mystery. 👯‍♂️😄

Set against the backdrop of Los Angeles, the novel cleverly explores themes of redemption, self-discovery, and the complexity of second chances. Julia's battle with her past and her determination not to return to prison is both touching and inspiring. Meanwhile, Mason’s journey from drifting millennial to assertive detective brings freshness to the classic detective duo trope. 🌇💡

The engaging plot is a rollercoaster of twists and turns, seamlessly blending cozy mystery elements with fast-paced action. From burlesque clubs to high-end country clubs, the settings are as varied and vibrant as the characters. Waxman's storytelling ensures that readers remain on the edge of their seats, eagerly turning pages to uncover the truth. 🎪🏞️

"One Death at a Time" is not just a mystery; it's an exploration of resilience and friendship set within the glimmering, treacherous world of Hollywood. With its endearing characters, witty banter, and richly layered plot, this novel is a delightful read that leaves you hoping for more adventures with Julia and Mason. 🥂📚

Overall Abbi Waxman has delivered a gem with "One Death at a Time," a novel that blends humor and suspense with effortless charm. Whether you're a fan of cozy mysteries, strong female leads, or just a great story, this book is a must-read. 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟/5

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the arc and to PRH Audio for the alc.

Abbi Waxman is back with another quirky and charming novel! I had a blast reading this book. While I think I enjoyed Christa Comes Out of Her Shell more than this book, I still finished this book in under two days, which is a record for me. One comment I have about the book is that I had a little bit of a hard time keeping all of the characters in the book straight, but I also must admit they were very funny characters and I loved them. It is my personal opinion that this book could've benefited from having more than one narrator, but Patti Murin who was the narrator, did a fantastic job as the solo narrator too. Overall, I enjoyed this book, and I am looking forward to Abbi's next novel!

Many thanks to Berkley Publishing and NetGalley for this complimentary copy.

Abbi Waxman's books are always so much fun! This was an insanely entertaining, fast-paced mystery! The characters were fantastic! Everything about this book was unique and interesting. I sincerely hope it becomes a series.
One Death at a Time was a truly delightful read. It has wonderful, found-family vibes, and I loved the Hollywood setting. My only gripe is that I would have preferred the book being told from Julia's perspective. She was definitely the more intriguing of the two characters, in my opinion.

This book reminded me a lot of Finlay Donavan. If you love that series, then this book is for you.

Julia Mann and Natasha Mason become unlikely sober buddies after “connecting” at an AA meeting. Julia is no stranger to rehab, the former actress in and out of both jail and the tabloids. Meanwhile the Gen Z Natasha, who mostly goes by Mason, is nonplussed by Mann’s infamous reputation and is eager to help out.

Things get complicated though when Mason not only agrees to sponsor Julia, but to help her solve a murder of Julia’s longtime nemesis-a murder that occurred on Julia’s property. While technically Julia has no real recollection of the night, she’s sure she didn’t do it. Well, mostly. Now it’s up to this detoxing duo to not only find the stone cold killer, but to keep each other stone cold sober while doing so.

Historically I really have enjoyed Abbi Waxman’s writing style, her previous works mostly quirky women’s fiction romances. While One Death At a Time still is on brand with Waxman’s sarcastic wit, it’s a notable departure into cozy mystery territory and truthfully, I’m not sure how I feel about it.

While I loved the setup and their unlikely friendship gave me Hacked vibes, I feel like the murder mystery aspect would work better in a different book. Instead I wish this was a story centered around getting centered and the mystery a separate book entirely. There are also a lot of side characters to keep track of which didn’t add to the whodunnit, but did leave me trying to remember who was who.

It seems like this might be a setup for a new series, so if cozy mysteries with a a side of sass are your thing, maybe you would enjoy this one more than I did.

"A cranky former actress teams up with her Gen Z sobriety sponsor to solve the murder that threatens to send her back to prison in this dazzling new mystery novel from the USA Today bestselling author of The Bookish Life of Nina Hill.

When Julia Mann, a bad-tempered ex-actress and professional thorn in the side of authority, runs into Natasha Mason at an AA meeting, it's anything but a meet-cute. Julia just found a dead body in her swimming pool, and the cops say she did it (she already went to jail for murder once, so now they think she's making a habit of it). Mason is eager to clear Julia's name and help keep her sober, but all Julia wants is for Mason to leave her alone.

As their investigation ranges from the Hollywood Hills to the world of burlesque to the country clubs of Palm Springs, this unconventional team realizes their shared love of sarcasm and poor life choices are proving to be a powerful combination. Will secrets from their past trip them up, or will their team of showgirls, cat burglars, and Hollywood agents help them stay one step ahead? Are dead piranhas, false noses, and a giant martini glass important clues or simply your typical day in Los Angeles? And will they manage to solve the crime before they kill each other, or worse, fall off the wagon? Trying to keep it simple and take it easy is one thing - trying to find a murderer before they kill again is a whole other program."

Here for sarcasm and poof life choices!

One Death at a Time is a fun cozy mystery and if you liked Thursday Murder Club you will enjoy this book, I was glad to read it thru NetGalley and enjoyed the chemistry between the 2 main characters. If did find it a little long and confusing from time to time with too many characters showing up thru the novel. I can absolutely see a sequel coming too

I really do love a good cozy mystery. One of my favorite things to read in the fall.
This book did have a lot going on which did make it hard to sometimes follow the plot.
I saw another review that this might make for a better audiobook with an engaging narrator or a cast.
I did have some fun but I don't know if this will be something I stop thinking about.

Thanks to Berkley Publishing and NetGalley for the ARC.

I truly enjoy reading anything Abbi Waxman writes. I know it’s either going to be a very emotional read or just a chaotic yet funny read. She took a take in writing a sassy yet cozy mystery read, One Death at a Time. I got to say that I was not disappointed at all. I literally laughed so many times as well as being interested in who did it.

There are a lot of suspects, including Natasha's new boss, Julia, who may be involved with the murder. Natasha Mason didn’t think that her new sponsee, Julia, would hire her on day one. Natasha just wanted to make sure Julia was doing okay and may be a bit interested in Julia's so-called crime. Natasha also didn’t think that she would be solving the murder while maintaining her sobriety as well as Julia too.

An aging and cynical former actress, wrongly accused of murder, teams up with her young sobriety sponsor to solve the crime. Together, they navigate a world of Hollywood secrets, burlesque dancers, and questionable life choices. Their investigation is as chaotic as their personalities, threatening both their sobriety and their sanity.

This riotous book is fun if hard to follow sometimes. I love the characters, especially Julia. I hope the book becomes a series.

Thanks, NetGalley, for the ARC I received. This is my honest and voluntary review.

ONE DEATH AT A TIME is an engaging mystery filled with intriguing characters. The centerpiece is Julia Mann who is a former Oscar-winning actress, convicted murderer who spent fifteen years in prison, and lawyer determined to fight for the underdog.

Natasha Mason is a Gen Z drifting through life. She's smart-mouthed and has poor impulse control.

The two women meet at an AA meeting. Mason decides that she will be Julia's sponsor despite Julia's interest in having a sponsor. Mason has been sober for about three years, Julia for only a few days. And the police are looking at Julia again as a suspected murderer since the shot body of one of the people she worked with back when she was acting has been found dead in her swimming pool with only Julia's fingerprints on the gun. Julia was drunk and doesn't remember what happened when Tony Eckenridge showed up at her home.

Julia and Mason along with some others in Julia's entourage begin investigating to find out who murdered Tony and why. Julia has also taken a young woman named Becky as a client. She's the daughter of one of Julia's prison mates who died in prison. Becky is convinced that someone murdered her girlfriend. The police are more invested in the idea that it was a murder/suicide with Becky as the failed suicide.

Their investigations of both crimes take that all over Los Angeles and even to Palm Springs. Julia knows everyone and frequently sends Mason to talk to people at strip clubs and movie studios and many placed in between.

I loved the dynamic between Julia and Mason. I also enjoyed the side characters from Julia's housekeeper to Julia's research assistant to the lawyer who is substituting for Julia's agent after his heart attack.

This was a fun story. I look forward to more adventures.

What an absolutely fantastic novel this was. A delightful LA romp through the glitzy side and the seedy side of both modern and old(er) Los Angeles featuring a delightful found family...all in orbit around a former starlet/ex-con/lawyer. There's a fun mystery wrapped up in all of this, but the delightfulness is entirely around the varied cast of characters, especially the juxtaposed Julia and Mason. Plenty of wisecracks, fast cars, glitz and glamour...and the politics (sexual and otherwise) of both old and modern Hollywood. This was my first Abbi Waxman novel and I'm not afraid to say that it will not by my last. Just a tour-de-force in all the right ways. 5 unreserved stars. HIGHLY recommended. Please, Ms. Waxman...I know you may go back to writing other books...but the world needs more of Julia and Mason.

Big thank-you to NetGalley and Berkley for a chance to read an advance copy of One Death at a Time in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own and are uncompensated. You can preorder One Death at a Time now...and it is out April 15, 2025!

This is the saddest review ever to write. I could not get through this book. I just found myself not really caring about the characters or what happened and I eventually DNF'd.

Traditional format 📕 (digital). Release date April 15,2025

As a fan of Abbi Waxman’s previous works I was excited to give her latest book a read. This cozy mystery book was very different in style than her previous books but not in a good way in my opinion.

I didn’t love this one. There was way too much going on with far too many characters to keep track of and I lost interest in the outcome of this book because of this. It was a struggle to make it to the end. I am wondering if this might read better in audio format with a great narrator??

There were some funny moments and situations that I enjoyed but overall for me this book was a miss and just an average read at best. I give this one a 3/5.

Thank you to Berkley Publishing Group | Berkley and Net Galley for a digital ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

TY Berkley for the gifted copy and PRH Audio for the audiobook. I loved it!

One Death At A Time is probably technically a cozy mystery — there’s very little on-page violence and the detecting is done by amateur sleuths. But I really dislike that term because it calls to mind cheesy plots, punny titles (usually involving dogs or baking), and predictable storylines. This one though is a solid mystery with great character development and actual humor (rather than cheese).

I absolutely ADORED the quirky cast of characters, especially the intergenerational friendship between our two main characters Mason and Julia. Both of them think they’re taking care of the other… and they are. Heart melting. The Hollywood setting adds a fun twist compared to the small town feel found in cozies. I don’t think this author has written a series before, but I’m desperately hoping this is the start of one — these characters are too delightful to leave behind!

Audio: Narrated by the legendary Patti Murin, the audiobook is equally fantastic. There are characters of all generations, and Patti’s voice effortlessly shifts between Boomers and Gen-Z-ers… seriously impressive!!

Let me start by saying I absolutely LOVE Abbi Waxman. I have enjoyed every book she has written. For some reason I had a hard time connecting with these characters. As a big positive, as always, Abbi writes women so well. He characters are mult-faceted, strong, vunerable and funny! If you haven't read any of her books I would defintely recommend this author. Thank you to NetGalley and Berkley Publishing for providing me with an ARC of this book.

What a great mystery! Mason is a very smart 20-something, recovering alcoholic and somewhat adrift in LA. And being booted out of Yale law school While attending an addiction meeting (like AA), Mason meets Julia Mann and becomes her sobriety sponsor. Julia is a 60-something former movie star who served 15 years for being wrongly convicted of killing her husband, attained a law degree while in prison and came out to become the legal avenging angel for the downtrodden and falsely accused. Mason kinda falls into being Julia’s personal assistant which means she helps investigate crimes that clients are accused of, steam Julia’s vintage designer clothes and drive Julia around in her many classic cars. Julia’s current problem is that the police are pretty sure that she’s guilty of killing the director found shot and dead floating in her pool. Unfortunately, Julia was blackout drunk when she comes to and sees the body and remembers nothing. There are too many twists and curves in this story but the oddly charming and witty cast of characters who help and hinder Mason and Julia as they search for whoever really killed the director and save Julia from, once again, being falsely accused and convicted of another murder. The dialogue is sharp and often laugh-out-loud funny. I very much hope this group has further adventures.

Abbi Waxman brings her delightful humor and heart to a boisterously suspenseful mystery. I could hardly believe how many things were happening at once, and how many complications were brought to play as Mason and Julia tore their way through the machinations of the Hollywood movie-making machine. With so much going on, you'd think you'd get confused, but Waxman has a deft hand and clear goals, and even though some of it is utterly unbelievable, it makes sense and fits perfectly in the world she's created. I fell in love with Julia and her strong moral compass, and with Mason, trying to maintain her boundaries while also breaking out of the shell she'd built for herself. Serious subplots and character development brought depth and breadth to what could have been just a romp. I really enjoyed it.

I had read about half of Abbi Waxman's previous works so I was excited to get an ARC of her newest release. I was intrigued though to see the description because I felt like it was a departure from her previous style of writing.

A former actress who has done time in prison who now is accused of a second murder. Not only is Julia Mann accused of the murder, the victim was found in her swimming pool with the weapon, and she ran from the scene and the police.

Julia is court ordered to attend AA meetings where she meets a twenty-something year old Natasha Mann. Mann offers to be Julia's temporary sponsor much to Julia's protesting. Mann then finds herself working as Julia's assistant and helping try to solve the murder.

Waxman has formed a great cast of well-developed characters that the readers cannot help but root for and love.

I laughed out loud multiple times and was moved by several other parts of the book. Great job Waxman at bringing out all the emotions.

I am hopeful that Waxman will continue to write this genre of cozy mysteries. She did a fabulous job. I loved this book even more than I was expecting. A great piece of entertainment that left me wondering whodunit.

5 stars. I did struggle a bit keeping the wide array of characters straight in my mind. This was my only criticism but not enough to lower the rating.

I received an ARC of this book from Netgalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

I still adore Abbi Waxman, even if I didn’t totally adore this book!

I loved The Bookish Life of Nina Hill and liked Adult Assembly Required, both of which were romance/women’s fiction, which she’s SO good at! I was excited to see her try her hand at a cozy mystery. It was decent - it just didn’t work as well for me as her efforts in her usual genres.

I won’t rehash the entire plot - there are plenty of reviews or the blurb for that. I’ll only say that aging alcoholic actress Julia Mann has been accused of murdering an old professional nemesis - the second time she’s been arrested for a murder, and she joins forces with her twenty-something AA sponsor/personal assistant (Natasha) Mason to solve the mystery.

For me, this was too long with too many characters to keep track of, the story was chaotic at times, and I struggled to find a single character I liked or cared about - especially the two aforementioned leads. Julia is bossy and has a mouth like a sailor and Mason is just downright obnoxious most of the time. While some might find them funny - the humor wasn’t landing for me.

On the good side, the mystery was solid and despite the dreaded villain monologue, I did find the explanation believable and surprisingly thought-provoking. The insights into Hollywood and the machinations of the film industry were fascinating! I also respect the insights Waxman provided into alcoholism and addiction, which was a major issue for both leads. If you have a family member with the disease, you may find all the talk about it triggering. I did. 🙋🏻

It’s a decent mystery which seems to hint at a possible sequel or series. The many four and five star reviews on this one shows there’s an audience for it. I just hope Waxman doesn’t completely leave her romance roots behind!

I was excited for the opportunity to review Abby Waxman’s next novel. I’ve enjoyed her others!
This was full of witty remarks, snarky comebacks, and hilariously awkward interactions. She wrote them with great detail, I found myself cackling often.
There were quite a few characters I had to remember and found myself writing them down to remember who was who. The plot line was interesting but didn’t necessarily have me chomping at the bit to get back and keep reading. That said, it held my interest enough as I needed to know how it ended.
Worth a read if you’ve liked Abbi’s other works.