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Thanks to the author and Netgalley for the arc of this book.
This books starts really good, i was very into the plot of this crime story, sadly i never got feel connected with the characters maybe because we never get to really know them.
I feel like this book is totally for someone who is into music/orchestra given how much of this topic is talked thru the book.
I would love if the final reveal was more shocking.

Gracias al autor y a Netgalley por la copia avanzada del libro.
Este libro comienza muy bien, la trama me parecía muy interesante con el tema del crimen, lamentablemente nunca pude conectar con los personajes, siento que no llegamos a conocerlos realmente.
El libro es para alguien que está muy interesado en la música/orquesta dado a lo mucho que se ve el tema durante el libro.
Me hubiera encantado que la revelación final tuviera un mayor impacto.

Overall: ⭐⭐⭐ / 5
Spice: 0.🌶️ / 5

For fans of plot-driven character studies of flawed, realistic humans. Foul Play is a sapphic romance wrapped in a mystery subplot. It follows the experiences of symphony librarian Kirsten Lindquist and is told entirely from her point of view. And there’s no need to worry–if you have no idea what a librarian does for a symphony, or how a symphony otherwise runs, you’ll find plenty of detail to keep you informed. This style of storytelling reminded me of Dick Francis, who explores topics in depth and makes the extent of his research clear on the page.

Kaste’s writing is deeply introspective and personal, which also means it can, at times, be difficult to follow. And, for a story in which so much happened, it moved slowly. There were humorous moments in Kirsten’s relatable awkwardness and aversion to people, heartfelt ones when she was vulnerable, and smile-inducing ones when she found something to be happy about. The emotional exploration of her relationships to those around her was profound in spots, particularly when she got out of her head enough to be in the moment.

This story isn’t a pure romance (and it’s very much closed door, though there are mentions of salacious deeds), but it’s also not a pure mystery. And, though I am very much a mystery/thriller lover, I found that plot line to be a bit predictable and unsatisfying in its conclusion. Though fully resolved by the end of the story, it felt anticlimactic overall.

Overall, Foul Play is thoughtfully and carefully written. I’d recommend it for those who enjoy a mix of romance with their mystery, and who prefer explorations of character and emotional development.

📚 Fast facts📚
✨ Mental health rep
✨ Slow-paced
✨ Emotional
✨ Romantic mystery
✨ Single
✨ First person
✨ Past tense
✨ Sapphic
✨ Closed door

I am grateful to Erin Kaste, Bold Strokes Books, and NetGalley to have received an ARC of this story. This is my honest and unbiased review.

My first book by Erin Kaste had me on the edge of my seat with this romantic suspense.
This has a little bit of a love triangle, fade to black love scenes, and a touch of angst midway through the book. I appreciated how the resolution was done. The MCs were butch/femme, told in the first POV. The mystery kept me intrigued until the end.
The off the page MChas bi-polar untreated, the way the author addressed it was done well. It wasn't sugarcoated.
The cast of characters was a fun mix. It was a wonderful look into the symphony.
I will continue to follow this author and look forward to more books in the future.

Erin Kaste’s Foul Play presents itself as a murder mystery but leans heavily into romance, making it a mixed experience for mystery purists. While the central crime provides an intriguing backdrop, much of the narrative focuses on relationships, flirtations, and romantic entanglements rather than a gripping investigative journey.

The novel follows the protagonist as they navigate both danger and desire, often prioritizing personal connections over unraveling the crime. That being said, Kaste ensures that the murder plot remains present throughout, eventually bringing the story back to the mystery and its resolution. The pacing might feel uneven for readers expecting a tightly woven whodunit, but those who enjoy a blend of suspense and romance may find the novel engaging.

Overall, Foul Play offers a light mystery with a strong romantic subplot. While it may not satisfy die-hard fans of the genre, it succeeds in creating tension, intrigue, and emotional depth. Readers looking for a balance between crime and romance will likely appreciate its unique approach.

Kirsten Lindquist is an orchestral music librarian. I’ve never read a book about a character with that job before. The story focuses on the musicians and workers at a local orchestra. When accidents start happening to some musicians and more then one ends up dead, Kristen wants to figure out why. Helpful to her is Tonya the tv reporter she recently broke up with, Shay the womanizer who always hits on Kirsten and Stephanie who is the manager of the orchestra.

There are a lot of twists in the plot and a lot of characters introduced in the beginning. But it is easy to quickly sort them out. I found I wasn’t invested much in the romance between Shay and Kirsten. I did like Shay’s backstory and was glad to see her get some happiness. I did like the orchestra setting but it was very detailed and may be too much for some.

I had high hopes for a suspenseful, music-infused crime story, but this book moved too slowly for my taste. The excessive detail about the orchestra felt dull, and the romance between Kristin and Shay was underdeveloped. Unfortunately, I never connected with Kristin as a main character, making it hard to stay engaged. I ended up skimming through much of it, hoping for more intrigue and chemistry. If you're deeply interested in the orchestra world, this might work for you, but it wasn’t the right fit for me.

First book by this author and it didn't hit the mark for me. It was very slow paced for what I was expecting to be more suspenseful. Tons of detail about the orchestra which was boring in my opinion and not near enough romance between Kristin and Shay. I wish i has more to say, but barely finished this and ended up skimming through most of it.

I wanted to like this book, but I didn't. I received an ARC from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review,

I wanted to like a book about musicians and a crime store linked. However, I never got into the story, way to many details about the orchestra world and way to little romance. Unfortunately the MC Kristen was never someone I rooted for. The story is in fact quite slow.

Kristen is overwhelmed with her job as orchestral music librarian even though she loves it. She somewhat gets involved with Shay who is known for her womanizer ways while she gets to know Stephanie who is the manger but this takes a turn when musicians starts to died from mysterious accidents. Kristen Stephanie and Shay team up to found what going on while also dealing with their own problems but will they be able to find the murderer without becoming the next victim. I enjoy this read love mystery and twists and turns and characters development was on point.


I received an ARC copy of this book from the Publisher via Netgalley and voluntarily leaving my review.

A romance thriller at his best.

The twists, caracters was amazing. I was definitely hooked from the start.

Thank you NetGalley and Publisher for allowing me to read and review this book.

I very much enjoyed this book. The writing was great and the characters were well developed. I hope to read more from this author in the future.