Book Review: Etiquette for Lovers and Killers by Anna Fitzgerald Healy

“Set in 1960s Maine, a witty, twisty murder mystery following a young woman who just wishes something interesting would happen . . . until she stumbles across a crime of passion.”

Goodreads blurb for Etiquette for Lovers and Killers

Review:

A seaside town in the 1960s is perhaps the perfect place for a murder. For Billie, a murder mystery is an exciting change of pace in her humdrum life. But that change of pace puts her in a precarious predicament. 

If you’re looking for a taste of 60s pop culture, this book is for you. Unfortunately, for me, the references were overwhelming, and it felt like more time was spent setting up the atmosphere, and there was little room for an actual story. I love this era, so I do love a good reference to shows I watch, celebrities I’m more familiar with, and so on, but not so much that I want it to be the majority of a novel, especially when they’re not cohesive references and read more as though they’re there for the sake of fitting as many nods as possible. 

I did love the chapter titles/blurbs. That was a cute touch. I would flip through this book again for those alone. It was a unique setting for this era, showing a more prim and proper lifestyle than historical fiction authors typically take in the 1960s, so that was fun as well. 

Thanks to Penguin Group Putnam and NetGalley for inviting me to read a free digital ARC of the book. 

Likes & Dislikes:

What I liked:

• Great time and setting.
• The ‘etiquette lessons’ at the beginning of each chapter.

What I didn’t like:

• More pop-culture references than not. I found this distracted greatly from the plot and took the place of time that could be better spent on the mystery.
• Not enough character development.

Afterthoughts:

I feel like over-saturated pop culture references in books have been becoming more and more prevalent. I’d love to start seeing a happy medium.

Where to buy the book: