Kelly Mullen

Mix one old flame with a splash of suspicion for the perfect...murder. In the seaside haven of Carmel-by-the-Sea, Willa Keane’s marriage is in a rut. As a retired interior-designer-turned-influencer, she’s sure life begins at fifty-five, whereas her husband, Marty, is more interested in watching his beloved birds. So when Willa is invited to the opening of the chicest new cocktail bar in town, she hopes the evening will rekindle their flame. But arriving at the party, Willa is shaken to discover it’s being hosted by her charming ex-husband, Paul. The night is thrown into even deeper chaos when the bar’s enigmatic owner is found dead on the rocks below. A suicide message suggests there’s no foul play, but Willa’s heightened senses aren’t so sure. Now she must solve the mystery together with her husband…and her ex-husband. Can they find the killer before another victim is served their last cocktail?

‘Miss Marple meets Only Murders in the Building’ Jennie GodfreyFIVE-STAR READER REVIEWS:‘Such a fun read!’ ‘My favourite book this year’‘Fantastically done’77-year-old Mimi is giving up her usual evening crossword and Gibson martini to attend her neighbour Jane Ireland’s extravagant auction party. None of the other guests know that Mimi has been blackmailed into attending, which is why she ropes her granddaughter, Addie, into accompanying her. As Addie spots celebrities in the halls of Jane’s grand old mansion and Mimi wonders how to confess the real reason for their presence, a scream pierces the air. Jane is dead. And when the second body turns up, Mimi and Addie soon become the unlikeliest of sleuths as they race to narrow down the suspects. In a house whose labyrinthine rooms are brimming withsecrets, it’s going to take more than a Gibson to survive the night . . . PRAISE FOR THIS IS NOT A GAME . . . ‘Fabulous, over-the-top fun’ The Guardian‘A delightful game of twists’ Chris Chibnall‘Slick and witty’ Daily Mail'Agatha Christie brought bang up to date' Clare Mackintosh'Deliciously twisty' Lucy Clarke'A thriller with a twist!' Cosmopolitan'A quirky variation on Golden Age locked room mysteries with a modern zest of eccentricity and humour' Crime Time'This locked room mystery delivers classic whodunnit drama along with a sprinkle of joy' i Paper‘A grand finale reveal Poirot would be proud of’ Woman & Home'A wonderfully vibrant take on the classic whodunit!' Kristen Perrin'Crackles with wit and cosy crime goodness' Vaseem Khan