I had high hopes for this as I started off into Billie's world. She's living with her grandparents and working as a seamstress in Eastport, Maine-a small life-so she's more than a little surprised to have a love letter in her PO Box (a letter clearly not to her) and that she's attracted the attention of Avery, one of the wealthy summer people. And then she find's Gertrude's body during a party at his home. Who was Gertrude and who murdered her? Billie sets out to find answers in a town that doesn't want them. This is best when Healy turns a sharp eye on the town and its residents but less so when she focuses on the romance. There's a lot going on. And it needed another edit to make sure it wasn't inconsistent with the period (rose gold in the mid-60s and a Burt Reynold mustache comes immediately to mind). I liked the attitude and the setting and I liked Billie but I eventually found the plot frustrating. Thanks to the publisher for the ARC. Over to others.

Gosh I loved Billie. This was such a fun murder mystery, set in 1960s Maine. I like to be able to have a laugh when I am reading about murder and Billie and her antics gave me so much to giggle at. It is always interesting to read something set in the past, the way life has changed, how the way people think and act has changed.. thank goodness 😅

Billie is a woman in her 20s, single, living with her grandparents and she is bored. Nothing exciting ever happens. She immerses herself in her books, so she is definitely a character to love! after being invited to a summer party by one of the rich summer residents, she finds herself in the midst of a murder investigation. Unable to help herself, she does some digging of her own with some hilarious results. The ending was perfect!

A murder mystery with a romance and some laughs, this book will appeal to a wide audience.

Thanks so much to Little, Brown Group UK on NetGalley for my advanced copy to read. Publishes on August 7th.

Small town murder mystery with added zest. this was such an enjoyable read that pulled me in and bought such brightness to the setting and the description all set the scene perfectly for me.
the humour and wit that this novel has is such a bonus and i cant not believe that Anna isn't a funny woman as she just had it, that timing and tone.
Billie our main character is one you just want to sit and enjoy time with. shes great and i just found myself smiling as she tries to solve this small town mystery. the twists fit this kind of story so well. you are delighted with each as they come.
it sometimes still sounds weird to me with these genres to say a murder mystery is fun or smiley. but they just are, and when done well they truly can be something wonderful to get stuck in to. this book was that for me.
there was such energy buzzing through the layers and pages of this book and Anna with her writing had it so well timed, told and handed over to us like a little present.
a fab book and will be looking for more from this author please!?

Billie McCadie is bored, bored, bored in Eastport, Maine. It is 1964 and she hasn’t got much to look forward to, considering life outside her novels is decidedly less exciting. But then she meets Avery – handsome, charming, and a little different from the other holiday rich crowd. And then there’s the letter, a ring, a man in a fedora and, well, a body. This isn’t just a single murder, however, the body count will rise and Billie is in the thick of it, glad to be able to feel something in her stultifying town.

Thanks to Netgallery and Little, Brown Book Group UK for this ARC.

This was such a engrossing and surprisingly read, I love a good mystery and this is good and I love the MC she was such a intriguing character, as she does some seriously shady things to get what she wants in investigating the murder of a woman she didn't really know and only met once before she was killed. Honestly this book kept me guessing who done the crime and was surprised by the ending. Definitely would but this and read more from this author.

Set in the 1960s, this novel explores events in a tiny town seen from the viewpoint of a protagonist who has bigger dreams. Bored as she is, Billie has no idea just how exciting life is about to get for her!

But murder has a way of spicing things up, and Billy soon finds herself caught up in a most intriguing mystery - that too, in the unlikely role of detective...

Witty, eventful and with a charmingly relatable protagonist, this is a slice of nostalgia served with a side of small town Americana. A tasty dish indeed! It gets 3.5 stars.

I loved the cover of this book and the story is quite unique too.

It has humour and drama and is really fun to read and discover the who's and why's

Indeed.. “What are the chances of receiving a love letter, engagement ring, and phone call for a stranger, only to see her murdered the next day?” this is what makes this an interesting and amazing tale.
It also has some etiquette rules that we may learn

It is set in 1960s Maine and the main character is great to get to know . I loved how this book unfolded and I really liked the authors writing style ..

well worth a days reading

This was such a unique and interesting book different from my usual genre but so fun notheless. It’s a ladylike caper full of adventure. I loved that it had plane, intrigue, mystery, and suspense. It shows you could be both ladylike and a sleuth. It would make a great book club selection or get you out of a reading slump