Dru’s Short Musing:
When Lila becomes the prime suspect in her neighbor’s murder, this after looking into an old murder that took place years ago, she will do everything possible to clear her name, protect her daughter with help from friends to find the person responsible for both crimes.

This was a cleverly and well-written whodunit that I could not put down until all was said and done. The writing was crisp and the tone comfortable making it easy to follow along with what the author intended. The mystery was nicely executed with a building full of suspects, and I enjoyed how Lila, Bea, Jasper, and Evelyn uncovered information that and pieced them together to narrow down their list of suspects. Boasting an eclectic cast of characters, engaging dialogue, and non-stop action, this was a terrific read and I hope there are more adventures with Lila and her friends.

Genre: Cozy Mystery
Release: March 3, 2026
Format: Print, Digital, Audio
Purchase Link

Book Synopsis:
Witty, endearing, and wildly entertaining, this Southern cozy mystery is a little bit Gilmore Girls, a little bit Finlay Donovan, with a big helping of Only Murders in the Building.

Lila Shaw stopped trusting anyone the minute her husband went to jail for white-collar crime, taking their country club lifestyle with him. Now Lila is broke, friendless, and losing her house—and to make things worse, her true-crime-obsessed daughter, Bea, was just expelled from fourth grade. Desperate for a fresh start, Lila agrees to temporarily move in and clean out an abandoned junk-filled apartment in Richmond’s palatial Primrose building. The luxurious Virginia landmark is filled with retirees who start their days early drinking bourbon and gossiping, in that order.

Soon after Lila’s arrival, the Primrose is thrown into chaos. The owner of the building’s splendid penthouse has died and in his final days he set up a two-million-dollar reward for any resident who helps to solve the 21-year-old murder of his granddaughter at the Primrose. A fan of all detective stories and true-crime podcasts, Bea is inspired to investigate. They really could use the reward money, so Lila reluctantly agrees, in a questionable attempt at family bonding. She’s certain the killer is long-gone after all these years anyway. That is, until another resident is murdered… and Lila becomes the prime suspect.

Now Lila needs to solve both murders to avoid jail, and even worse, losing her daughter to her snobby in-laws. To catch a killer and clear Lila’s name, she and Bea must rely on their elderly neighbors—Jasper, a shy former detective, and Evelyn, an opinionated socialite—along with Nate, a good-looking reporter who keeps appearing at the most inconvenient moments. As the amateur sleuths expose the truth about the Primrose, Lila hopes she can also unravel the trickiest parts of her own life and start fresh.

FTC Full Disclosure – I received a digital ARC of this book from the publisher via NetGalley.