Dead tired A mystery

Review by Booklist Review

Alice (last seen in The Expectant Detectives, 2024) and her new-mom friends are enjoying a summer picnic when two naked people show up. A green-energy company wants to set up a wind farm in that meadow, and they are protesting. Curious, the moms attend a meeting of Earth Force, and before you can say "reusable nappies," they are protesting, too, chained to a tree overnight. In the morning, they discover one of the (formerly naked) protesters has been strangled. Though she promises her partner, Joe, that she'll stay out of it, Alice can't help but get caught up in the investigation, with son, Jack, and ill-behaved dog, Helen, in tow. Corporate malfeasance, political infighting, and affairs of the heart are all possible motives, and Alice and her friends need to sort it out before it's too late. Ailes deftly injects an old-school British cozy mystery with a modern twist in the appealing voice of Alice, who is deceptively competent despite perpetual feelings of inadequacy. Give Ailes' funny and charming Expectant Detective series to fans of Elle Cosimano and Catherine Mack.

From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.

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Review by Publisher's Weekly Review

Ailes follows up The Expectant Detectives with another spirited cozy that finds new mother Alice and her friends investigating a climate protestor's murder. One afternoon, Alice and her fellow postnatal sleuths Hen, Alisa, and Poppy are picnicking in a Cotswolds meadow when two naked environmentalists approach. The activists inform the women that a nearby thicket of 500-year-old chestnut is set to be razed to make room for a wind farm sponsored by the green energy company Aether. Each of the friends--except Hen, who's recently begun working as a personal assistant for Aether's CEO--readily agree to chain themselves to the chestnut trees in protest. The next day, Alice returns to the meadow and discovers one of the protesters strangled to death, with her arms still chained to the tree she was protecting. The friends agree to rejoin forces and launch an investigation. Soon, they turn up a web of deadly rivalries that places suspicion on activists, artists, and executives alike. Ailes once again marries quick wit, surprising reveals, and charming antics from Alice's dog, Helen. This series has all the ingredients for a long and satisfying run. (June)

(c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved

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Review by Library Journal Review

Alice and her new mom friends are back in Ailes's series sequel (following The Expectant Detectives). One year after solving two murders in their usually sleepy town, the moms get pulled into an environmental protest while out on a picnic with the babies in their favorite meadow. In support of the group's cause, to protect the forest surrounding the meadow from being cut down, Alice and her friends join the protesters in chaining themselves to the trees overnight, only to wake up the next day to a nasty surprise: one of the protesters has been murdered. The exhausted sleuths take a much-needed break from new motherhood to follow leads, track down clues, and get involved in silly hijinks that will have readers laughing out loud. The novel's rich cast of characters, including environmental activists, urban artists, and members of the wealthy elite, provide for an entertaining array of suspects. However, while fans of cozy mysteries, witty banter, and Ailes's characters will enjoy this story, new readers may be put off by a lackluster ending. VERDICT Funny and engaging. Here's hoping Ailes will return to the twisty, character-driven storytelling showcased in the first installment of this series.--Katy Duperry

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