Louisiana native Odessa Dean is apartment-sitting and cat-sitting for her aunt, who is spending the summer in Europe. Which means that Odessa gets to spend her summer in Williamsburg, part of hipster Brooklyn. She has taken her waitressing skills from Piney Island’s Crawdad Shack to Untapped Books and Café, where she delivers orders or avocado toast and sandwiches on gluten-free bread along with craft beers brewed locally.
Odessa works the day shift at the café, and when her coworker Bethany asks her to cover for her while she runs out to meet someone at Domino Park, Odessa agrees to cover her tables. But a viral video of a flash mob shows Bethany and her neon green Untapped polo shirt falling from the overhead walkway, Odessa is the only person who believes it wasn’t a freak accident.
Despite the warnings from the very handsome detective who explains that Bethany’s fall was not an act of violence, despite the medical examiner ruling the fall an accident, Odessa keeps investigating anyway. She watches hours of Bethany’s YouTube videos of her soap-making, as well as those of her nemesis Jenny. Odessa goes to her apartment and talks with her roommates. She talks to her boyfriend. But she still can’t figure out who would kill Bethany or why.
Odessa ruins her favorite cowboy boots digging through piles of garbage. She almost gets hit by a food truck. She gets in trouble with her aunt for letting one of her coworkers move in for a few days and then bringing home the shop’s dog for a bath. She almost gets fired. And she almost gets arrested trying to find a way to unlock Bethany’s phone without the password.
But while everyone keeps telling Odessa that she’s not doing herself any favors by playing amateur detective, there is one person who notices what’s she’s doing and keep tabs on her. Because there is a killer, and they have turned their sights on the only person who won’t give up the search.
Killer Content is the first in a new cozy series, set in Brooklyn and starring fish-out-of-water Odessa. Although she shows up in cowboy boots with her Southern drawl, she learns fast and finds herself increasingly charmed by Brooklyn’s artisans and artists.
Likewise, I found myself increasingly charmed by Odessa and her spirit. Killer Content is the first in what I think will continue to be a fun new series. Untapped draws an eclectic collection of employees and customers, and I have a feeling that Odessa is going to stay in town past the summer, hanging out with her new friends and learning more and more about the city (and about solving mysteries). Author Olivia Blacke has imbued this story with warmth and style, and while it’s written with younger cozy fans in mind, I think readers of all ages who enjoy a good story with interesting characters can find something to enjoy in the pages of Killer Content.
Egalleys for Killer Content were provided by Berkley Publishing Group through NetGalley, with many thanks.
