Firstly, thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for early access to this book.

I'm not usually a murder mystery reader, but when I saw the cover of this book and read the blurb, I was instantly drawn in.

From reading this book, it is hard to believe this is a debut novel. The writing is incredible and well detailed throughout the entire book and was probably my favourite thing about it. I did also enjoy the points and lessons about etiquette in each chapter, and I did not suspect the ending at any point. Everything led to a different character being the murderer, and I was shocked at the twist.

However. I struggled to connect with the characters, and also struggled with the pacing of the book. It felt like a lot was happening, but that nothing was happening all at once? Every important part seemed to be rushed over, whilst the other parts of the book were dragged out slightly.

Overall, I would recommend this if you are a murder mystery lover, but it's not a book that I will pick up again.

A DNF for me. Whilst I found the concept intriguing, the writing really got under my skin and I found I couldn't particularly tolerate the main character. There was no subtly to the prose on the page - everything was dialled up to 100. Interestingly, reading some reviews, I also noticed that there was some historical inaccuracies, which really took me out of the novel. It was almost as though it didn't quite have a sense of its own place and that took me out of the reading experience. Not for me.

I liked the setting for Etiquette for Lovers and Killers, 1960s coastal Maine with plenty of lobsters and parties with rich summer visitors, but I found the protagonist Billie rather confusing. She had a degree in linguistics but somehow was working a job as a seamstress. She was a “poor” townie, but had enough money to travel to the big city and attend swanky parties. She was naive and living with her grandparents but she was also 26 years old and sassy. She drove her grandfather’s car to a party, yet accepted a lift home instead of saying no thank you I have a car. I could never really get a handle on her or understand why the dreamboat leading man had an obsession with her.

A flawed but interesting three stars from me. I’d like to know where this author goes next.

Thank you so much to NetGalley, Fleet and Anna Fitzgerald Healy for this eARC in exchange for an honest review!

I requested this book as it sounded really interesting - a murder mystery setting in 1960s America? Sign me up. I did an American crime fiction module years ago at university and thoroughly enjoyed it, so I anticipated liking this one too.

I firstly have to compliment Healy on her stunning descriptive language. This author really knows how to set the scene and I highlighted so many passages that were very reflective of the setting or scenario and did so very eloquently.

The plot and characters were a bit of a rollercoaster ride of opinions and emotions for me. This is a very slow paced book, so if this is something that you enjoy then this is definitely one for you. I was very pleased that it started to pick up around 50% of the way through, as it then became quite a gripping read. Despite it taking a while to get going, it was worth reading once I got past that bump in the road. Chapter 13 was a particular highlight for me.

I would describe the main character as a very naive, curious girl that got mixed up in a world that she didn’t belong in, but wanted to insert herself into. I wouldn’t say that she was unlikable, and the ending did redeem her qualities slightly - but I don’t feel that she really knew how to act in a world of social etiquette, when she didn’t necessarily want to be a ‘lady’ through and through. This feminist element was a highlight. I did enjoy her detective streak as she tried to solve the crime, but this did end up placing her into sticky scenarios.

There were a lot of male characters in this book and until about halfway I kept mixing them all up with each other as they were very similar.

I did also really enjoy the relationship between Avery and Billie. The dynamic there was very interesting and it provided a thread of romantic tension throughout.

Overall, I did enjoy this book, but for me personally there was just something lacking in the way that it was structured. Perhaps the front section needed to be edited differently?

I would recommend this book for readers that enjoy the feel of a Hollywood crime/mystery, as whilst it was set in a small town, it did provide that touch of glamour alongside the espionage. There are also a lot of literary references that were lovely to see - particularly that of Jane Austen. Good twists, beautiful writing and a unique story.

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