Delia Pitts’ Death of an Ex is a mystery that pulls you in with its twists, emotions, and complex characters. PI Vandy Myrick heads back to her hometown of Queenstown, New Jersey, and walks right into the murder of her ex-husband, Phil Bolden.

Phil was successful, charming, and knew how to get what he wanted….
but he also had a habit of using people and treating them like they were beneath him, including his own son. Plenty of people had a reason to want him dead, but Vandy has her own baggage to deal with too. She’s still coming to terms with her daughters death & drowning in the grief over it. It’s something she hasn’t been able to move past….. understandably!

What I really loved about this book is how it mixes mystery with raw emotion. Pitts doesn’t just focus on who killed Phil, but why, peeling back the layers of Queenstown and its people. The setting feels alive, and the supporting characters ~ like Phil’s son and wife ~ make the story even richer. There were some moments that made me cringe and others that genuinely shocked me!

Death of an Ex is an addictive, character-driven mystery that kept me hooked, and Vandy Myrick is a protagonist I won’t forget anytime soon.

Thank you to NetGalley & St. Martin's Press for a eArc of this story.

Vandy Myrick is a Black Private Investigator with a ton of emotional baggage. Returning to her hometown in New Jersey is both good and horrible for her at the same time. Still reeling from her daughter's senseless death, she is now aware that the child's absentee father has been murdered. She wants to know who and why. Good investigation with lots of twists and more. Riveting.
I requested and received a temporary copyrighted digital galley from St. Martin's Press/Minotaur Books via NetGalley. Avail Jul 15, 2025 ****review
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Running into her ex was not expected but when his murder hits a bit too close to home, Vandy is determined to find out who killed Phil and why. This drama builds from a slow boil to cascading bubbles that does not disappoint, quickly becoming a page-turner as I had to know what happens next. The author did a great job with the visually descriptive narrative and engaging dialogue that made me see Queenstown through Vandy’s eyes. The mystery was nicely executed with a potential list of suspects, all who have been betrayed by Phil. I like how this was staged where the few twists and turns added to the suspense and intrigue of what was going on. The more Vandy digs into their motive, the more she uncovers, and it is by her persistent nature and to soothe her emotional soul, she discovers the one clue that puts a notch in the identity of the killer. This book is an excellent and grippingly enticing read and I can’t wait for the next book in the series.

Vandy Myrick is back with another mystery on her hands, only this time it’s very personal to her. Phil Bolden was her ex and father of her daughter. When he is murdered after leaving her house, Vandy is determined to find out who killed him. However, in the process she is about to find out more about Phil, his wife and son, and her community than she realizes was hiding beneath the surface.

This is the second book, I’ve read from Delia Pitts and both times I’ve very much enjoyed the characters, the interactions, the mystery, it’s all a neatly woven story with threads coming from every direction so the reader isn’t sure which thread will lead to a possible motive or even the killer. The author has the ability to take the story from each angle and allow the reader to figure out the mystery while adding suspense, misdirection, motive and heartache dance all together until the killer is revealed. Well done once again!

Another excellent book by Delia Pitts. I love the characters and the way the mystery unfolds. Well done!

Phil Bolden had a lot of charm and charisma, which made him successful with the ladies and successful in business. However, the way he took advantage of others to advance his own interests, and his condescending manner towards some people (including his son), meant there were numerous individuals with a motive for wanting him dead. Especially with her personal connection to the case, as Phil was her ex-husband, although the marriage ended years ago, Vandy Myrick will have a challenge figuring out who killed Phil. The story has plenty of twists and turns.

I really enjoyed this and flew through it. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read this ARC!

I had never heard of Delia Pitts, but apparently, she's written several books which I hope to read in the future. Death of an Ex is the second book in a series, but no worries, it's definitely a standalone. Vandy Myrick is a private detective in Queenstown, NJ. Her only child, Monique, passed away recently and she is still dealing with the grief. She encounters her ex-husband and realizes he still has a place in her heart. Shortly after this encounter, he is murdered, and she is determined to find the killer. Death of an Ex is more than a mystery. It deals with the topics of race, class, politics, dealing with grief, loss, a parent with dementia. I enjoyed it and highly recommend it. Thanks to NetGalley and Minotaur Books for the ARC.

This was a hard read with all the typos and stuff. Honestly Im confused and not even sure what I read. At some points it made no sense starting at the being. I couldn’t tell from page one if she was taking about her daughter or mother.

Delia Pitts’ *Death of an Ex* is a gripping mystery that mixes an intense investigation with some serious emotional moments. The story revolves around Vandy Myrick, a private investigator who heads back to her hometown of Queenstown, New Jersey, and finds herself dealing with the murder of her ex-husband, Phil Bolden.

What really makes this book stand out is how it focuses on Vandy’s personal struggles as she grapples with grief and complicated relationships while digging into the secrets of her community. Pitts does a great job exploring not just who killed Phil, but why, as Vandy uncovers the hidden layers of the town and the people in it.

Queenstown is vividly described, adding depth to Vandy’s emotional journey, and the other characters, like Phil’s son and wife, bring even more to the story. *Death of an Ex* is an engaging, character-driven mystery that’ll stick with readers, showcasing Vandy Myrick as a determined and multifaceted protagonist.

Vandy is a private investigator. She is back on her old stomping grounds. Her daughter has died and Vandy can't get past it. Her ex husband is a rich man and never a part of his daughter's life. The story has several story lines that drew me in and kept me reading. I cringed when Vandy still had feelings for her ex. I gasp when the warehouse catches fire and I was shocked at who was responsible. Lots to like in the book

Thank you, NetGalley and St. Martin's Press | Minotaur Books for this ARC for review. This is the 2nd book is the Vandy Myrick series. I was introduced to Vandy Trouble in Queens and really enjoyed learning about this character, the only Black woman PI, and living and working in Queenstown, NJ. This 2nd book gives us more to the character and her story and I loved it even more than the first as we really get to know more about Vandy and her past.

The second in the Vandy Myrick Mystery series, excellent read! I dearly love Vandy! She's had a rough life but is still kicking. Solving mysteries that keep you guessing til the end,

Thanks to the publisher and NetGallery for the advanced copy in return for an honest review! Looking forward to the next!

I was invited by the publisher to review this book. This book follows Vandy, a female, black investigator. She returns to her hometown in New Jersey, and people have taken notice because of the job field she is in. Vandy keeps herself to the grind of her job in order to deal with her grief after the loss of her child, but then her ex-husband, Phil, comes back into the picture and then winds up murdered. So, Vandy must do what is right - solve that case. She unravels the various ways in which people knew Phil, and must determine what persona got Phil killed.

This was an intriguing read; I liked the idea of having one person that we may know, but that person being someone "different" to other people based on their role in other people's lives - a very smart way to dissect a character. Vandy also was very well-written as a multi-dimensional character.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press/Minotaur Books for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I loved book 1 and I love book 2! Vandy may have her shortcomings, but I can find reason in why she does what she does! I love the growth of her character in this one, even as an adult, she’s still growing and it’s so great to watch!

I was supposed to be packing to go on holiday… I could read when we arrived at our hotel.
NOPE. I could not put this down. The story begins with backgrounds and maybe some
questionable choices and some interesting backdrops with solid characters.
So, obviously, there will be a murder, and Conte and Myrick are going to work on
the case in a surprisingly cooperative fashion. I did not make the suspect at all~
not until Tariq actually made me wonder ~ could it be him? But that seemed far
to obviously simple. Maybe it was his his Mom…this did not feel right either, so I
chose to just read and enjoy the story and wait for the answer. And, yep, there
is an absolutely answer that makes perfect sense and I do like the way the
story ended. I look forward to the next installment of the Vandy Myrick Mysteries.
and I am glad to have read book to be ready for the next book. It’s already
got me thinking of at least one character and her journey…
My thanks to Minotaur Books for the download copy of this book for review purposes.