My stop on the One Death at a Time Blog tour

Many thanks to Berkley for the invitation to this blog tour. I was very excited to receive an early copy of this novel.

Introduction:

This spring, beloved USA Today bestselling author Abbi Waxman pulls back the veneer of Hollywood’s glitz and glamour in her dazzling pivot to feel-good mystery, ONE DEATH AT A TIME (Berkley Trade Original; on sale April 15, 2025). With her signature indelible dry wit, and knack for writing hilarious and relatable heroines, Waxman delivers her first twisty mystery, starring a pair of misfit amateur sleuths alongside an eccentric cast of characters, that tackles the subject of sobriety with care.

In ONE DEATH AT A TIME, Waxman continues to deliver the wry humor and quirky protagonists that have made her novels widely adored by readers. Waxman’s previous novels The Bookish Life of Nina Hill (2019), Adult Assembly Required (2022), and Christa Comes Out of Her Shell (2024) all center unforgettable heroines who could easily be readers’ best friends as they are grappling with real issues like isolation, connection, mental health, and complex family ties.

More about the book:

The sleuthing duo at the center of ONE DEATH AT A TIME are no different: two recovering alcoholics battling the daily challenges that come with sobriety as they also happen to be solving a murder.

Let’s set the scene: Los Angeles, California.

Enter: Julia Mann—bad-tempered ex-actress, professional thorn in the side of authority, and recovering alcoholic. Julia just found a dead body in her swimming pool, and the cops say she is responsible (she already went to jail for murder once, so now they think she’s making a habit of it).

Enter: Natasha Mason—college dropout, Gen Z gig-economy worker, and recovering alcoholic. When Julia runs into Mason at an Alcoholics Anonymous meeting, Mason is eager to clear Julia’s name and help keep her sober. But all Julia wants is for Mason to leave her alone.

As their investigation ranges from the Hollywood Hills to the world of burlesque on Sunset Boulevard to the country clubs of Palm Springs, this unconventional team realizes their shared love of sarcasm and poor life choices are proving to be a powerful combination. Will secrets from their past trip them up, or will their team of showgirls, cat burglars, and Hollywood agents help them stay one step ahead? Are dead piranhas, false noses, and a giant martini glass important clues or simply your typical day in Los Angeles? And will they manage to solve the crime before they kill each other, or worse, fall off the wagon?

Perfect for fans of feel-good mysteries, and readers of The Thursday Murder Club and Killers of a Certain Age, loyal Waxman fans and new readers will adore ONE DEATH AT A TIME’s unlikely sleuthing duo, clever dialogue, and slew of incredible pop culture references.

Mystery & Thrillers

396 pages

About the author:

Abbi Waxman is a chocolate-loving, dog-loving woman, who lives in Los Angeles and lies down as much as possible. She worked in advertising for many years, which is how she learned to write fiction. She has three daughters, two dogs, three cats, and sundry other animals.

From the Publisher

Editorial Reviews

Review

“Abbi Waxman is both irreverent and thoughtful.”—#1 New York Times bestselling author Emily Giffin

“Waxman’s mystery is a sly female bonding manifesto: It’s Thelma & Louise without booze or Brad Pitt.”—Oprah Daily

“[A] fun, clever tale.” —AARP

“An absolute rollercoaster ride of a mystery! Loaded with hilarity and heart, it is impossible not to get attached to this snarky dynamic duo and their shenanigans. A must read for mystery lovers and fans of Hacks, there is something in this fabulous multi-generational journey for every reader.”—Jenn McKinlay, New York Times bestselling author of A Merry Little Murder Plot

“Hold on to your non-alco drinks because a new detective dream team has arrived. Meet Julia and Mason: recovering, rebellious, and gloriously sarcastic. I ugly-snorted too many times to count. A fabulous mystery, characters with depth, and a total hoot too. More please!”—Alison Goodman, New York Times bestselling author of The Benevolent Society of Ill-Mannered Ladies

“Abbi Waxman has done it again. This book has everything you could want: a cast of funny, flawed, feisty characters, a deliciously irreverent, hilariously high-octane murder mystery plot, and a huge amount of heart. I absolutely loved it.”—Freya Sampson, USA Today bestselling author of Nosy Neighbors

“Sparkling prose, quirky, well-drawn characters, laugh-out-loud dialogue, and a murderous ‘curse.’ This is a total winner with a satisfying ending.”—Kathleen West, author of Are We There Yet?

“Full of the witty banter and laugh-out-loud scenarios readers have come to expect from Waxman, this raucous romp around Tinseltown with an odd couple of sleuths will delight readers.”—Library Journal

“Sharp and clever!”—Kirkus Reviews

“Delivers a caffeinated Hollywood whodunit full of fast-talking characters… Waxman stuffs the narrative with colorful side characters and witty repartee…movie buffs and fans of comical mysteries will enjoy themselves.”—Publishers Weekly

“The joy of this book is both its breadth and depth…. It’s a marvelous portrait of 30 years in Hollywood, the conflict between the generations, and how humor can almost conquer all.”—First Clue

My thoughts:

This was the first book that I have read by Abbi Waxman but it will not be the last. I hope that she will write more funny, snarky, mystery/thrillers that have interesting characters (including a recovering alcoholic, jailed for murder previously protagonist), and a plot that will take readers for an interesting ride.

Follow Julia and Mason as they get to know each other, go all over the place meeting with a variety of California characters. Will they emerge unscathed?

Take a look at this title to find out.

Again, many thanks to Berkley for this opportunity and to NetGalley as well.