Title: One Death at a Time Author: Abbie Waxman
Publisher: Berkley
Genre: Romance; Women’s Fiction
Date of Publication: April 15, 2025
My Rating: 4 Stars
DESCRIPTION:
“Abbi Waxman is both irreverent and thoughtful.”—#1 New York Timesbestselling author Emily Giffin
A cranky former actress teams up with her Gen Z sobriety sponsor to solve the murder that threatens to send her back to prison in this dazzling new mystery novel from the USA Today bestselling author of The Bookish Life of Nina Hill.
When Julia Mann, a bad-tempered ex-actress and professional thorn in the side of authority, runs into Natasha Mason at an AA meeting, it’s anything but a meet-cute. Julia just found a dead body in her swimming pool, and the cops say she did it (she already went to jail for murder once, so now they think she’s making a habit of it). Mason is eager to clear Julia’s name and help keep her sober, but all Julia wants is for Mason to leave her alone.
As their investigation ranges from the Hollywood Hills to the world of burlesque to the country clubs of Palm Springs, this unconventional team realizes their shared love of sarcasm and poor life choices are proving to be a powerful combination. Will secrets from their past trip them up, or will their team of showgirls, cat burglars, and Hollywood agents help them stay one step ahead? Are dead piranhas, false noses, and a giant martini glass important clues or simply your typical day in Los Angeles? And will they manage to solve the crime before they kill each other, or worse, fall off the wagon? Trying to keep it simple and take it easy is one thing—trying to find a murderer before they kill again is a whole other program.
MY THOUGHTS:
Staying out of prison isn’t such a bad idea for former actress Julia Mann, but it just might be unavoidable for her. As an ex-con, teaming up with her AA sponsor Natasha might not be the smartest thing that Julia has done, but having found a dead body in her swimming pool, what else is she to do? Julia already has one murder conviction, and that is plenty.
Just like oil and water, Julia and Natasha have more than their share of friction. But there it is. The pair working together to prove Julia’s innocence, and to find the murderer. With Hollywood as the backdrop for this cozy mystery, the setting and supporting characters are right there for Julia and Natasha.
Both Julia and Natasha are recovering alcoholics, so that part of the story that deals with addiction gives the story more substance. But, there is also more than a bit of levity in this story, making this an enjoyable read.
Many thanks to Berkley and to NetGalley for this ARC for review. This is my honest opinion.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Abbi Waxman was born in England in 1970, the oldest child of two copywriters who never should have been together in the first place. Once her father ran off to buy cigarettes and never came back, her mother began a successful career writing crime fiction. Naturally lazy and disinclined to dress up, Abbi went into advertising, working as a copywriter and then a creative director at various advertising agencies in London and New York. Eventually she quit advertising, had three kids and started writing books, mostly in order to get a moment’s peace.
Abbi lives in Los Angeles with her husband, three kids, three dogs, three cats, a gecko, a snake, five pigeons, four chickens, and two guinea pigs. Every one of these additions made sense at the time, it’s only in retrospect that it seems foolhardy.
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