Book: He’s to Die For
Author: Erin Dunn
Rating: 3.75/5 stars (Rounded to 4)

I wasn’t quite sure what to expect going into He’s to Die For - but I was pleasantly surprised with a fun and romantic mystery story.
It was a light read that followed the main character, Detective Rat Trivedi, who is a gay British detective and who is also the youngest member of the NYPD’s homicide squad. He is a bit of an outsider, with his designer clothes and strong accent. He is also always trying to prove himself to his superiors, and he sees a new case that his CO assigns him to lead to be the perfect opportunity to do so. 
The case involves investigating a popular band after a high-profile music executive rival of theirs ends up murdered. The only problem? Once Rav learns more about the leader of the band, Jack Vale, he begins to fall for him. What follows is a story that contains elements of both romantic and mysterious suspense told from Rav’s POV.

I enjoyed the banter throughout the story between Rav and Jack, as well as between Rav and his coworkers and friends. All of the characters helped Rev in different ways throughout the story. Two of these characters were Rav’s fellow detectives, Will Shepard and Ana. The scenes with Rav and these characters were nice behind-the-scenes touches that added further realistic elements to the book.
Overall, Rav is unapologetic for his behaviour and is strong in who he is as a person. I found that he was written in a way that was entertaining, as he did not have too strong of an ego and was still very human.
I also felt for him throughout the investigation when he hit different roadblocks, but his perseverance and his ability to stay true to himself and who he is were what ended up being his great benefits to him in the end.

Throughout the book, I found myself questioning once or twice who the real murderer was. There were lots of twists and turns that kept me on my toes. I was happily surprised by the fact that the crime wasn’t straightforward and that I had to do some thinking about who was involved and how. The story also included more mysterious elements than romantic ones, but there were still a few scenes with minor descriptions.
I enjoy mysteries that make you think and have a cast of characters that is not overshadowed by the mystery at hand. I thought that He’s to Die For had both of these things.

The only thing that I did not enjoy was the fact that the story slowed down for a little bit after the 50% mark.
It picked up steam again towards the end, and the slower scenes were necessary to build on what was occurring, including building up Rav and Jack’s relationship, but there were times that the action or mystery was not as captivating as it was in the beginning of the book.

Overall, I thought that He’s to Die For was a book that both mystery fans and those who like a little bit of romance in their suspenseful novels would enjoy. This was Erin Dunn’s debut novel - and I will be keeping an eye out for her future books.
Thank you to St. Martin’s Press (Minotaur Books) and NetGalley for the chance to read an eARC of He’s to Die For.

This book has such a great premise! The representation is also truly wonderful. Unfortunately, I just really could not connect with this one. I fear this may be my own fault, as I really do not enjoy cop/detective stories or characters, and that was, of course, a big portion of this story. However, I couldn’t resist giving it a try with such a unique setup! My main issue was that I simply could not connect to the characters, and since this is a romance, I just didn’t care too much about the story as a whole. I also did not really get along with the writing style. I wanted to try something new, but unfortunately, this just was not a hit for me. Though I definitely believe this book has an audience that will love it!

I went into this book completely blind, I think I requested it based on the cover.

However, I ended up really enjoying it. Well written, good characters, and a interesting plot. Recommend to readers who enjoy both rom-coms and murder mysteries!

Thank you to Netgalley and St. Martins for providing me with an eARC of this book to read and review.

He's to Die For by Erin Dunn was an action and adventure-laced romance with high stakes. The relationship between "Officer McDreamy" and the brooding musician had to overcome plenty of hurdles to reach their HEA.

I wanted to like the book better! The romance just fell a tiny bit flat for me and I much preferred the mystery aspect!!

Still a good book however! I enjoyed it immensely.

Ahhhh, what an absolutely cute gay romcom! I was so obsessed with the pining and romance in this forbidden romance. Lighter on the spice than some of our romcoms, which I loved because it just pulled in the longing stares from these two even more. I mean, who doesn’t want to fall for a NY copy (with a British accent) or a drop-dead gorgeous rockstar? Looking forward to more books by this author in the future!!

Thank you to St. Martin’s Press | Minotaur Books and NetGalley for an E-ARC copy of this book.

Detective Rav finds himself on a high-profile murder of a record executive but things might derail if he ends up falling for his top suspect. This was such a fun pairing -- posh detective meets rockstar / potential suspect in a slow burn relationship. Both characters had distinct personalities and it was so cute seeing them awkwardly interact! I appreciated the anxiety rep and didn’t expect some of the twists or chemistry. Overall, a gripping romance murder mystery.

Thanks Netgalley, St Martins Press, and Minotaur Books for the copy!

I was excited for this book because it was nice to have a mystery within my MM romance but this just fell flat for me.

It's been a long time since a I enjoyed a romance and a book that's made me crack up. I enjoyed every aspect of this book, the banter, the mystery, the romance or was all amazing. Truly recommend if you are in a slump.

I went in expecting an over-the-top, jokey tone à la “Brooklyn Nine-Nine,” but this book actually feels more like a Rockstar romance. Detective Rav has the posh swagger of Lucifer in “Lucifer” mixed with the earnestness of “The Rookie.” His sincere charm feels out of place in NYC—and his colleagues never let him forget it. But when a music exec is brutally murdered, it’s Rav’s personal touch that opens the doors for him to the secret world of The New Knicks, the hottest alt-rock band. He just needs to remember that every member is a suspect.

Even though the case drives the plot, the investigation often takes a backseat to his romance with frontman Jack. As an alt-rock fan, I loved Jack’s wounded, emo persona—equal parts soft and suspicious. Their romance takes center stage, with all the chaos of paparazzi, deepfakes, death threats, and rotating bodyguards keeping the tension high.

For adult content, the attraction and foreplay are written with plenty of intensity, but the story skips over “the act” itself—so it lands hotter than a closed-door romance without fully depicting the scenes. On the other hand, readers should be aware there’s frequent gun use throughout, involving police, security, and stalkers.

The writing is witty and immersive. My one gripe: Rav is supposedly clueless about celebrity culture, yet constantly narrates in pop-culture metaphors (think Cannes compared to “Emily in Paris”). I personally love pop culture humor but the contradiction was distracting. Still the banter, tenderness, and a satisfying villain make this a fun, engaging read.

Rating: 3.5
Highly recommended if you're specifically looking for MM romance with cozy relationship and MM rockstars.

This book was a fun story following a detective and his somewhat forbidden romance with a leading man in a band who happens to be the primary suspect in his newest murder case. I liked the set up and the characters of this book. However, I think the book was spread a little too thin in terms of trying to be different genres and so both aspects, the mystery and the romance, fell a little flat and were not fully developed. I think this book could have benefitted from choosing one genre to really focus on and then having the other as more of a background element. It would constantly jump back and forth between mystery and romance and it was a little disjointed. I did like our main character and his growth throughout the course of the book. I would like to read another book from this author in the future!

So cute! I couldn't put it down - really, I stayed up to finish this one! I really appreciated that neither MC were in their coming-out phase, but were both comfortable expressing who they are around those they cared about. I like a coming-out story, and am all for discovering your truth, I was just glad this wasn't one of them. Both Rav and Jake are comfortable with who they are, and want to shout their feelings from the rooftop. The plot moves well, the relationship feels natural, and the characters have depth. If you are a fan of queer romances, this one's for you.


Thanks for the advance copy!

I had high hopes for this one - don’t comp to Brooklyn 99 unless you really mean it! It was fine and fun but I never really got hooked by it. The characters fell a little flat, though I thought the tension built nicely and kept me turning pages.

This mystery romance was an easy read.
I do not think the relationship was very believable. It was missing some depth.

Loved this book! The characters were great and i loved the anxiety rep. I'm not normally into stories involving cops but really enjoyed this one. 5 stars!

⭐⭐⭐⭐
🌶️🌶️

I normally wouldn't love to read a cop romance, but this was so fun. Rav is an NYPD detective, and Jack is a famous rockstar. A bigtime record executive is murdered, and Jack becomes a person of interest in the case, which is how our two heroes meet. It's a bit of a taboo romance situation, with the detective/suspect aspect, but this is no dark romance.

This was a more upbeat change of pace from the last two books I read, which centered on characters working through struggles connected to their queer identities. In contrast, this story was a romance where both main characters happened to be men, but the conflicts they faced came from the mystery and their circumstances, not from their sexuality.

He's to Die For is sharp, funny, and full of twists. The story follows a woman whose boyfriend may or may not be a murderer and the tension builds with every chapter. There is a perfect mix of dark humor and suspense and the main character’s voice feels fresh and real. It is fast paced and impossible to put down. If you love messy characters, true crime vibes, and a thriller that doesn’t take itself too seriously, this one is worth reading.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book! Solid mystery with relatable characters, music, life, action, and a smidgen of romance. With the title, I was expecting a thriller but I got a very readable piece of fiction whose characters will stick with me. I sincerely hope I’ll see more of Rav and his NYPD crew in future books.

Unfortunately, I really couldn't get into this one. I tried reading it off and on for about 2 months and nothing drew me to it - it was fine, just not special and nothing enticed me to keep picking it up. I might try this again when it's out/on audio.

Detective Rav Trivedi is the youngest member of the NYPD's homicide squad. Rav is a bit of an outsider with his designer clothes and his British accent, but his work ethic and solve rate have made him a rising star in the department. When he becomes the lead detective for a high-profile murder of a record executive, Rav knows that this is his one chance to make an impression on his CO. But when Rav questions members of the band the executive was representing, Rav meets the lead singer, Jack. There is an instant connection between the two. Can Rav solve the case without falling for a suspect?

He’s to Die For is a great combination of romance and murder mystery. I loved the different dynamics between Ravi and Jack. I found myself rooting for them but also questioning if Jack could be the murderer. There were enough twists and turns in the murder investigation that I was left guessing on who was behind the murder and whether Ravi and Jack could survive this case. If you are a fan of both romances and murder mysteries, I would highly recommend this book.

Thank you to NetGalley, St. Martin’s Press, and MacMillan Audio for the opportunity to review He’s to Die For. All thoughts and opinions are my own.