I enjoyed He's To Die For by Erin Dunn. It creates a reasonably credible police procedural with the lead detective and the original suspect falling in love. Rav is the cop, Jack is the rock star, and they are both quite presentable. I appreciate that the author did not go overboard on the sex scenes, but did make them very credible. She did a good job!

📣 a singer & the police detective who’s trying to solve his case fall in love

Thanks to the publisher & Netgalley for the complimentary ARC. All opinions provided are my own.

📖 what’s one or more of your Wednesday numbers? For me, it’s 1 kid who keeps waking up early this summer 😭, 1 kid who’s going in for a foot check-up today (hoping for the all-clear on his broken foot!), 1 mom getting together with a friend this morning at the splash pad with their kids, & 1 book almost finished (Ladies in Hating!).

Did I confuse Erin Dunn’s He’s to Die For with another upcoming release & think this was a vampire romance? Yes, yes I did. Did I eventually understand no vampire bites would be forthcoming? Also yes 😂.

He’s to Die For is actually a police detective / famous singer combo set in a very real contemporary world. Rav is an openly gay police detective who comes from a privileged family & likes to look like a million bucks when he solves cases. Jack is a talented singer who needs help because someone’s apparently trying to unalive him.

This book has a lot going for it: a lead who is openly aware of his privilege, honest & open communication, solid descriptions of Jack’s musicianship, & a great ending that stuck the landing.

I was a bit bothered by one aspect of the plot, but this is a satisfying read if you’re looking for a seemingly unexpected romance combo with murder mystery vibes.

4 ⭐️, out now.

CWs: murder, attempted murder

[ID: Jess wears a blue floral dress & holds the ebook.]

I feel the best way to describe this book is a cozy mystery - you’re kept on your toes and then surprised by the twist (which I admittedly did not see coming). The romance was sweet and the dash of spice kept things interesting as well. The main characters had great chemistry and I felt their connection was very genuine. I really enjoyed reading this and found myself turning the pages quickly. I would definitely read more of this authors book!

I really liked this mystery romance. The main characters were funny and witty. Each character was well written and developed. the writing was easy to follow and did not have me lost in the dialogue. I was enetertained and looked forward to reading more every day. The twist was really good, I did not see it coming at all. I recommend this to anybody looking for a quick, fun mystery, with a touch of romance and spice.

Erin Dunn's He's to Die For is an enjoyable, cozy romance with a unique blend of mystery and charm. I especially appreciated Detective Rav Trivedi’s character as his perspective within the NYPD added depth, and his thoughtful, grounded personality made him easy to root for. When a high-profile music executive is found murdered, Rav quickly finds himself more entangled in the case than he anticipated.

While the book references Brooklyn Nine-Nine, I wouldn’t describe it as particularly similar aside from the shared detective element and a nod to the show. One element that felt slightly off to me was the inconsistency in Rav’s familiarity with pop culture. Despite numerous references throughout the story, Rav himself didn't recognize the famous band at the heart of his case. It’s a small detail, but it pulled me out of the story at times and made some scenes feel less authentic.

That said, the mystery itself was engaging, and the slow-burn romance between Rav and Jack added a heartfelt layer to the plot. Their chemistry was compelling, and watching Rav navigate both his growing feelings and a complex case made for a compelling read.

Overall, He's to Die For is a charming and enjoyable story that balances romance and intrigue well.

Thank you to Minotaur Books and NetGalley for the advance copy.

I really enjoyed this cozy mystery romance. The dynamic between the two MC's was really well developed. I liked the mystery and did not see the ending twists. The romance was light and the spice level was perfect. I am so glad I got the opportunity to listen to the audiobook. The narrator did a good job and the overall production was well done.

I definitely recommend this and will make sure to pick up more books by Erin Dunn in the future.

At 29, Detective Rav Trivedi is the youngest member of the NYPD’s homicide squad, and his future looks bright. He may be a bit of an outsider in the department—an ivy-league educated gay Brit with a weakness for designer suits—but his meteoric rise and solve rate prove he belongs.

So when his CO assigns him lead on the high-profile murder of a record executive, Rav is ready for action. He won’t be distracted by TV crews, tabloids, or what’s trending on social media, nor by the ridiculously hot rock star with a clear motive and no alibi.

This is it, his shot, and he is not going to screw it up—certainly not by falling in love with his number one suspect…

I really enjoyed this book.

Detective Rav Trivedi is assigned to investigate the murder of an influential music mogul the investigation leads Rav to suspect number one: Jack Vale who is the lead singer of The New Knickerbockers . He had a publicized disagreement with the victim. Immediately intrigued by Jack, Rav has to keep his attraction sidelined if he wants to prove Jack's innocence.

The book has some heat along with a great storyline. The characters are well flushed out and I really enjoyed the storyline.

A perfect book to end Pride Month!

Ray is the youngest member of NYPD's homicide squad and has been moving up the ranks at rapid speed. While his tailored suits and British accent may be off-putting for some of the old school cops, he has made a name for himself. And he is ready to continue to prove the doubters wrong when he is assigned the murder case of a high profile record executive.

What he didn't expect was that one of the main suspects would be handsome rockstar Jack.

Y'all know I am in my mystery romance era and this was a great one!! It was such an enjoyable read and I didn't see the twist coming.

Bravo on your debut, Erin Dunn!! What a delight this one was. Big thanks to NetGalley and St Martins Press for the arc!

Such a good read! This is not my typical genre but I'm making myself branch out and try new things and I'm so glad I did with this one!

3.5 stars


This was a fun lighthearted easy read with a little police procedural weaved in. However, I can only give it 3.5 stars because it just did not hook me in like I wanted it to. There were days I struggled to read it.

⚠️CAUTION: You will love this book!⚠️

The description says this is Brooklyn 99 meets The Charm Offensive and if that isn’t the most accurate book description I’ve seen in years then I don’t know what it is.

Brooklyn 99 and The Charm Offensive are two of my love languages and I think this will join those ranks.

I just finished this a few days ago but I already want to read it again to pick up anything I might have missed.

I need this to become a series or at least for @murdercutehq to give Rav’s friends HEAs. Like Will Shepherd and his VW Golf 😉😘

I wanted to love this and was interested at first but the Brooklyn 99 ref on the blurb had me looking for that style of interactions which didn't really deliver aside from the call out to the show itself.

*3.5 Stars*

Rav Trivedi is a detective
And British
And a trust fund baby
All of these things combine to make a perfectionist, narcissistic, and obsessive person.
It’s great to solve cases…
Until it isn’t.
Rav is looking to the case of the murder of a celebrity record executive, and by that he meets the hit celebrity and pop star Jack. He feels instant connection but knows he can’t do anything about it in the name of professionalism.
But Jack is the main suspect of the case and Rav just KNOWS he didn’t do it.
Right?
“He’s to die for” is a romantic mystery thriller about an obsessive detective and a popstar who is picking up the pieces of his life.
————-
My thoughts

Overall, this was a decent novel. I enjoyed the writing and characters however wanted more. We get information about Rav’s parents and his dad being a lord(ship?) and I wish we had gotten more of that dynamic in the story. While they don’t have a close bond, Rav consistently being in the news would have sure shown up to his father and he doesn’t even call? The same lord who was obsessed with Rav’s image? It just felt like something was missing.

In terms of plot, I have to admit I guessed the murderer/plot twist about halfway in. That didn’t make it less enjoyable per say, but this is definitely more of a romance mystery than a mystery romance, and because of that the twists are predictable.

In terms of the romance, I would say it was mediocre. I can feel the chemistry between the characters but I didn’t really care enough about either of them to be devoted or hooked into their relationship. Rav as a character is interesting, however I don’t love the whole Cop thing and how it’s addressed in this novel. Rav talks about reforming the police department and “fixing the system” yet this standpoint feels very privileged from both the character, as he was raised wealthy and privileged, but also the author for making a lackluster attempt at a political standpoint. The police system cannot be reformed, it needs to be completely redone.
My other complaint is minor, however important to me. In this novel J.K. Rowling’s “Harry Potter” is mentioned and seeing as this is a queer book, I do not think this is appropriate. J.K. Rowling is a homophobe and overall bad person and for a 2025 release, I don’t think mentioning her works is relevant or adds anything to the story. This reference should have been taken out of the book just like the one in “Red, White, and Royal Blue” By: Casey McQuinston. While this is a small part of the novel, it stuck with me even after its small mention and I believe both authors and editors need to realize the impact of mentioning people who are against the entire premise of the story. Support authors who support Human Rights.

While there were several things I enjoyed in this novel and I consider it an overall decent book, it was nothing special. I’m sure most people will enjoy this and I would recommend it to a general audience.

I loved this book. As much murder mystery as a gay romance. I was totally sucked in and didn't figure out who did it. A very sweet rivals to lovers romance with interesting characters from varied backgrounds. I liked it so much I had to go to the bookstore and buy a physical copy for my collection. I can definitely see rereading this book in the future.

I loved this book! It’s a romantic suspense and done perfectly. I was kept guessing until the end. The characters were relatable and I was rooting for Rav and Jack from the beginning. I’ll definitely be buying this authors next book.

What happens when a detective falls in love with his prime suspect? Rav is a brooding, deeply thoughtful, I belligerent detective on a big case. Creatively co strutted. A wonderful novel with an unique set of lead characters. Loved it.

I feel like this was the perfect blend of romance & mystery with a little bit of thrill also mixed in with it.

This is a fast-paced & interesting mystery to solve (if you CAN solve it, lol), except some of the characters didn't really have all that much information to give the reader in order to actually solve the mystery. Rav is an NYPD detective, who is originally from the UK, (swoon if you love accents!!), who gets handed a high profile case and his prime suspect is Jack! Who is a wonderful tatted rockstar 🎸⭐️😍
I feel like Rav is the picture-esque detective. He is very cool and calm, which is rare to find in a detective, even though that is how it should be! Anyway, and of course Jack is your typical rockstar dude who does have anxiety and panic attacks (oh hi, It's me, I can relate to this SO WELL!!!!)
He's To Die For will absolutely satisfy both genres of murder mystery fans and/or romance lovers!! (I love both, so this hit the nail on the head for me!!!!!) I think that the extra characters in this also added a bit of a different dynamic to this book that I haven't seen/read in awhile & I enjoyed this so incredibly much. It got me out of my book slump, which also says a lot for me!

The only downside (and it's a personal opinion), was that it was not a dual POV, which I looooove, especially whenever it comes to romances.

Tropes Included:
Cop 🚔 x Suspect
Slow Burn 🔥
Open Door Romance (not explicit) 🤍
MMC x 2 👬

HUGE thanks to NetGalley, the publisher, and of course the author, Erin Dunn for my copy of this digital ARC in exchange for my honest opinions.

I enjoyed the mix of romance and mystery in this book! I felt that the chemistry and pace of the relationship between Jack and Rav was well done, and the interspersed bits of the investigation in between was great. Both Jack and Rav were well written characters, and the author really makes you love both of them. The mystery side of things had a lot of twists and turns and it took me a while admittedly to figure out who the culprit was. However, it did feel like it was a big dragged out in the end and that it could have been shortened a bit. Sometimes it felt like the mystery was extended more and more just so we could have more time for the relationship to develop between Jack and Rav.

Thank you to St. Martin's Press and Netgalley for the ARC!

3.5⭐️

Such a fun murder meet cute with between Rav and Jack. Interesting mystery intertwined in the story, and enjoyed getting to know the backstories of the two main characters.