I had such a fun time reading The Expectant Detectives. This mystery is hilarious and entertaining. It doesn’t take itself too seriously and also balances an exploration of soon to be parenthood. Keep reading this book review of The Expectant Detectives for my full thoughts.
Summary
For Alice and her partner Joe, moving to the sleepy village of Penton is a chance to embrace country life and prepare for the birth of their first child. He can take up woodwork; maybe she’ll learn to make jam? But the rural idyll they’d hoped for doesn’t quite pan out when a dead body is discovered at their local prenatal class, and they find themselves suspects in a murder investigation.
With a cloud of suspicion hanging over the heads of the whole group, Alice and her new-found pregnant friends set out to solve the mystery and clear their names, with the help of her troublesome dog, Helen. However, there are more secrets and tensions in the heart of Penton than first meet the eye. Between the discovery of a shady commune up in the woods, the unearthing of a mysterious death years earlier, and the near-tragic poisoning of Helen, Alice is soon in way over her head.
Review
(Disclaimer: I received this book from the publisher. This has not impacted my review which is unbiased and honest.)
Let’s just get it out of the way. I enjoyed the mystery in The Expectant Detectives. It balances a sense of mystery and suspects with some hilarity and a series of accidents. There’s a genuine sense that these characters might not be the best detectives, but we have faith their heart is in the right place. I enjoyed watching the pieces fall into place. But that wasn’t my favorite element. I really enjoyed the ways The Expectant Detectives explores upcoming parenthood. It echoes conversations and thoughts I’ve had myself. Don’t even come at me with all the ways the fears spoke to something deep within me.
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And Kitty Kelly does a great job narrating these fears. It’s about being on the precipice of such a monumental change where you really aren’t sure what to expect. Everyone has an opinion, but how we feel is so individually our own. For this theme alone, I’m considering picking up the sequel on my vacation! The Expectant Detectives also explores community and friendship. We can feel so unmoored in these large changes to our lives. But Alice has to figure out that she can make new friends, she can find a new sense of home. Find The Expectant Detectives on Goodreads, Storygraph, Amazon, Bookshop. org, Blackwells, & Libro. fm.