The Not So Average Life of Average Jane by Marissa Malson (The Average Jane PI Series Book #1)

Jane Smith used to hate being average. With her mousy hair and watery brown eyes, she blends into the background, easily forgotten.

But that’s exactly what makes her a successful private investigator. While others stand out, Jane goes unnoticed, gathering valuable information along the way.

Her mother, on the other hand, is the complete opposite. She’s the nosy busybody of the neighborhood and always wants Jane to investigate something. This time, it’s their new neighbors who have caught her attention. Despite numerous attempts to meet them, they seem to be hiding something. And according to her mother, anyone who rejects her invitations and welcome cookies has something to hide.

But when Jane investigates the suspicious death of a local man, she realizes the mysterious house next door may hold the answers she’s been searching for. Little does she know, the web she’s about to unravel will also reveal secrets of those closest to her.

With a blend of suspense, intrigue, and wit, this cozy mystery will keep readers on the edge of their seats until the shocking truth is revealed.

My Review

I loved this so much, but it’s totally bonkers. It starts off quite ordinary, and then it goes into the realms of the far-fetched. But who cares, it’s brilliant and hilarious, with our main character Jane and the situations she finds herself in.

Because Jane is our intrepid hero. She’s very forgettable, which means she can hide in plain sight and no-one recognises her or remembers her afterwards. Her mum Carole (also known as Gladys Kravitz, the nosy neighbour – I had no idea who that is), is also quite ordinary. Carole is obsessed with the new neighbours, she is convinced they are up to something illegal, so she tries to draw them out with cookies shaped like footballs, and invitations to dinner.

Jane is currently working for the wife of a man called Keith who was killed in a car accident, but his wife thinks he was murdered. She also believes he was having an affair with a colleague twenty years his junior.

In the meantime Jane meets Max at the convenience store, an old school classmate of her older brother Cam. They hated each other. Regardless, Jane invites Max to a football party at her mum’s house and it all kicks off – literally.

At this point it goes from the sublime to the ridiculous and I just couldn’t stop reading. It’s going to be part of a series with Jane as the main character and I’ll definitely be reading Book 2.

Many thanks to @Novel.Tours for inviting me to be part of this #blogtour.

About the Author

Marissa Malson is a marketer turned author. She is the owner of Just A Good Book Publishing, which provides editing, book marketing, cover design, and publication plans for fellow independent authors. The Not So Average Life of Average Jane is her first book. But it won’t be her last.

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Follow Marissa on Instagram at @marissamalsonauthor to keep up with her latest releases!