A Zoom with a View: A Mystery

by Jess Cannon

A fiction debut filled with heart and humor, A Zoom with a View will make you want to move to Blue Oak—if only the annual Fourth of July festivities didn't end with a dead body.

Leo can't believe she's back in Blue Oak. Her small, quirky Texas hometown feels suffocating after trying to make it big as an English professor in New York—especially due to her strained relationship with her overly hair-sprayed mother, Karina. But with Leo’s career in academia in shambles, at least she's able to work as a photographer for her godmother's real estate business. And her best friend, Emily, is around to help her navigate through the mess—and maybe force her to reconnect with her old high school boyfriend, Mack.

But while at work, Leo makes a grisly discovery at one of her godmother's properties: the dead body of rival real estate agent and social media influencer Chaz. Even worse, Leo and Emily have been secretly running a snarky Reddit page making fun of Chaz’s cringe-inducing advice and duck-faced selfies. When someone she loves is accused of the murder, Leo finds herself flung headfirst into a dangerous investigation, teaming up with a local detective who is a lot more attractive than she remembered when they were both teenagers. Meanwhile, Karina has been acting stranger and stranger, as if all her hair hides a big secret. . . .

Genres: Mystery, Adult, Fiction, Cozy Mystery, Romance, Cozy

384 pages, Hardcover

Expected publication May 5, 2026

Reviews

[Norma (I'm here just have assignments to do now)]

ೄྀ࿐ ˊˎ- 𝒫𝓇𝑒-𝓇𝑒𝒶𝒹

Well I got the arc y'all. So excited to read this!!!

Thank you to Netgalley and Dutton for the arc

. . . . . ╰──╮╭──╯ . . . . .. . . . . ╰──╮╭──╯ . . . . .. . . . . ╰──╮╭──╯ . . . . .

[Brooke Hester · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received a copy of A Zoom with a View prior to publication from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review || 3.5 stars rounded up to 4. Definitely a cozy murder mystery in many ways. While it took a little while to get into the story, the journey was a lot of fun along the way. The ending is definitely a cliffhanger but I’m excited to read the next book in the series.

[Lola · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a well-written murder mystery that I’d recommend, but the ending really threw me off. It felt like a cliffhanger, and I’m left wondering if a sequel is planned because so many threads weren’t fully resolved. I appreciated the diverse cast and queer representation, especially in a small-town setting. The subreddit thread was also a fun touch.

That said, some key questions were never answered, which was frustrating for a mystery novel, and I noticed a couple of minor typos. I wish Beth had appeared on the page instead of just being discussed. Overall, the murder was solved yaaaay, but the ending didn’t feel fully satisfying.

Thanks to Netgallery for the ARC copy

[zahh]

Shout out to NetGalley and Dutton for the eArc in exchange of an honest review🫶🏻

Dnfed at 30%
Unfortunately this book did not do it for me, I love the premise of it but the writing wasn’t smooth and made me zone out.
I was really intrigued by the main characters dynamic but not enough to finish the book.
It’s not for me but if you’re into crime/ romance then this book is for you!!!

[Nicole Austin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you NetGalley and Dutton for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!

With sharp humor, small-town chaos, and a mystery rooted in influencer culture, “A Zoom with a View” is a cozy whodunit that delivers plenty of charm. Cannon’s debut brings the “returning-home-after-life-falls-apart” trope to Texas and gives it a contemporary spin involving Reddit threads, real estate listings, and a corpse inconveniently discovered during a photography gig.

Leo’s academic career has fizzled out, so she’s back in Blue Oak, trying to rebuild her life while dodging small-town gossip and her mother’s aerosol hair products. When Chaz who is the town’s former golden boy turned fitness influencer is found dead in a house Leo is photographing, she finds herself at the center of the investigation. The twist? She and her best friend are moderators of a snarky subreddit dedicated to roasting Chaz. Suddenly, Leo’s internet alter ego, her past relationships, and her complicated family dynamics all become potential motives or liabilities.

Cannon keeps the tone lively with multiple POVs that add texture to the mystery without overwhelming it. The third-person narration is refreshing for a cozy mystery, giving you access to several perspectives instead of being trapped inside one head. This structure also deepens the small-town vibe: everyone’s history with Chaz and with each other feels tangled, messy, and deeply believable. The cast is diverse, with meaningful queer representation that feels especially notable in a rural setting, and supporting character Macy is a standout presence.

Mixed into the mystery is a lightly chaotic love triangle, simmering with tension but never overshadowing the investigation. The romance elements add an extra layer of fun, especially as Leo tries to decide whether the charming detective is a love interest, a threat, or both. Between her misfires with family, her reliance on sarcasm and iced coffee, and her quietly sincere attempts to get her life back on track, Leo makes an easy protagonist to root for.

Where the story falters a bit is in its resolution. While the murder is solved, several key threads feel unresolved, enough that the ending reads like the setup for a sequel rather than a full closing of the case. I was left with several important questions regarding the mystery and all of its components. These lingering questions don’t undo the book’s strengths, but they may leave you craving tighter closure.

Still, Cannon’s playful voice, layered characters, and clever integration of online culture make “A Zoom with a View” a standout contemporary cozy. Even with a few loose threads, the ride is entertaining, heartfelt, and distinctly modern.

Overall, “A Zoom with a View” is a witty and engaging small-town mystery with heart, humor, and a dash of romance. It’s perfect for readers who love messy families, internet drama, and cozy mysteries with a contemporary flair. Just be prepared to reach the end wishing for a second book to tie up the rest.

[Brea · Rating 4 out of 5]

A Zoom with a View by Jess Cannon
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (4 stars)
This book is the literary equivalent of showing up to your hometown for a “temporary reset” and immediately being handed chaos with a side of unresolved feelings. It’s warm, witty, and genuinely comforting—like a romcom wrapped inside a murder mystery that knows exactly how ridiculous life can be and leans into it with confidence.
What really works here is the writing. Cannon has a sharp, modern voice that makes even small moments entertaining. The humor comes from awkward conversations, bad timing, and people behaving exactly like people do when they’re stressed, defensive, or pretending they totally have their life together (they do not). The pacing strikes a nice balance—fast enough to stay fun, but patient enough to let emotional beats land without rushing everyone into feelings just because the plot demands it.
Leo is an easy protagonist to root for: smart, sarcastic, quietly spiraling, and trying to figure out who she is now that her Big Career Plan has face-planted. Her return to her Texas hometown is full of small-town energy—everyone knows everyone, everyone has opinions, and everyone is absolutely sure they’re right. The mystery kicks things into high gear quickly, and while the murder is the hook, the real joy is watching Leo navigate messy family dynamics, old relationships, and a town that hasn’t changed nearly as much as she hoped.
The cast is a standout. Even secondary characters feel fully formed, not just filler bodies wandering around to advance the plot. The multiple POVs add texture and humor, especially when you realize how wildly different people’s interpretations of the same events can be. No one feels cartoonish—even when they’re wrong, they’re wrong in a way that makes sense to them, which is oddly refreshing.
If I had one complaint, it’s that the ending leaves a few threads dangling just enough to make me suspicious this might be the start of a series. I wanted a little more closure in a couple of places, because the setup and characters could absolutely support it. Still, I was having such a good time that I mostly just felt greedy for more.
Overall, this is a funny, cozy, modern mystery with heart, charm, and a strong sense of voice. Come for the murder, stay for the writing, the humor, and the deeply relatable experience of trying to rebuild your life while everything around you insists on being inconvenient.
Thank you to Jess Cannon, NetGalley, and Dutton for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

[Sylthrina · Rating 4 out of 5]

After trying - and failing - to start a career in academia, Leo moves back home for a photography job. Just for the summer, of course, there'll be other opportunities next autumn.. Right? But then the guy, she's now spent years making fun of on social media for being a wannabe influencer, gets murdered.. In the very house Leo is doing her first photography job in. As the local wannabe influencer specialist, Leo of course gets to join the investigation.. Even though her own mother really does not want her anywhere near that.

I'm going to be honest, this book is difficult to get into - you start off by meeting basically all of the characters at the same time without even really knowing the main ones and it's overwhelming. There's Leo and her best friend Emily, Emily's partner and three kids, their mothers, the wannabe influencer, his girlfriend, the ex, the random people in her old town, ... But once you know who is who, this story becomes a lot of fun.

It feels very much like a small town take on desperate housewives, especially with the way the story is told - while you mainly follow Leo, you also get literally everyone else's point of view as well. And they're all fun! Even if it's the biased old police officer who obviously gets everything wrong, he's fun to follow along because what he does makes sense to him, he's no 2-dimensional character who doesn't think, he's doing what he truly thinks is right. Even if you know he's wrong, he's not just on one side because someone has to be.. And I loved that! Feels so refreshing when even the characters you disagree with aren't just there to force a story along, they are well rounded, thought through characters.

The plot was really fun to read too - I really enjoyed how it was set up and later slowly finding out why things happened and why people thought the way they did and how everything made sense. The one thing I wasn't the biggest fan of is Karina's story. Yes, I know it potentially sets up a part 2 maybe, but.. This kind of thing isn't my favourite. Plus the ending was a little hard to believe.. Everything was set up so well and then the perpetrator goes down like that? I also didn't like the whole romance plot.

One more thing to add though is how well that small town was set up - by the end of the book, it felt like an actually real place. Especially after that step into the book and having to familiarize yourself with all the characters etc, you just get a feeling for the place and everyone is so familiar, their actions just make sense for who they are. I really enjoyed that part, it was so well done!

Overall, I had a lot of fun with this book, I really enjoyed the read and while it's currently winter here, I felt like I took a trip to the south and somehow met everyone in this little small town. While I didn't love the ending, I already went checking for more books by this author because this was just such a good time.

Thank you Dutton for providing this book for review consideration via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

[Leona · Rating 3 out of 5]

Firstly, thank you to netgalley for kindly gifting me a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. A Zoom with a View is a cosy mystery book. I wanted to love this one but unfortunately it fell a little flat for me, however, it did pick up in the second half of the book. The beginning of the book I felt dragged a little with the author trying to set the scene, the family dynamics, explain the town and everyone's relationships which I felt could have been a little shorter. However, the book does have fun and quirky elements as well as the book showcasing messy family dynamics especially after grief.

The book is set in a fictionalized town called Blue Oak. Our main character Leo, can't believe she's back in her small town after failing to make it big as an English professor in New York. Blue Oak is no ordinary town and full of quirkiness. Leo has a strained relationship with her mother Karina especially after the death of her father so that makes the move even harder. With her career in shambles she returns to Blue Oak to help her godmother's real estate business by being a photographer of the homes. While at work Leo makes a haunting discovery, a dead body in one of the homes she's shooting. The dead body is the local influencer, loved by some, hated by others. Together with the cops, Leo helps to uncover the truth.

This book will be right up your street if you enjoy small town cosy mysterys. This small town is also deeply rooted in influencer culture and that element along with a subreddit page about the murdered Chaz made the book quite unique and interesting. I loved the subreddit side of things where the characters are gossiping about Chaz prior to his death and then also trying to figure out why he was murdered. The book also has a great range of diverse characters in this small town setting. There are also multiple POVs to keep the story interesting and a love triangle in the mix. I did enjoy the twists throughout, but a lot remained unsaid by the end and I didn't love the cliffhanger ending. It definitely setup for a sequel book.

Overall, an easy read with humour, romance, messy families and murder at the core.

#AZoomWithAView #NetGalley #bookblogger #bookreview #mysterybook

[Devi · Rating 4 out of 5]

📱📖 Read on Kobo
📃 384 pages | ⏱️ ~4 hours
🏷️ Publisher: Dutton
📅 Release Date: May 5, 2026
✨ ARC provided by NetGalley

The concept behind A Zoom with a View is genuinely strong and exactly the kind of setup that cozy mystery readers tend to gravitate toward. A small-town bully turned influencer, a murder tied to real estate rivalries, and a found-family circle rallying together to protect one of their own makes for an engaging foundation. Once the mystery kicked in, I found myself flying through the pages and easily finishing the book in record time.

One element that didn’t quite land for me was the heavy emphasis on Leo being a photographer without that skill ever truly impacting the investigation. Given the title, I expected photography to play a more meaningful role, whether through clues, images, or perspective, but it mostly remained background detail rather than a storytelling tool. The mother’s big secret also overstayed its welcome. While I understand the intention to build suspense, by the time the reveal came (literally in the final pages), the reaction didn't fully ring true for me emotionally. The final stretch of the book dragged a bit, and the cliffhanger ending may divide readers depending on their tolerance for unresolved threads.

Still, Cannon’s voice sparkles. Her sense of humor, her pacing once the plot kicks in, and her small-town details all sing with potential. For a debut, this one is full of promise, and I’ll absolutely be keeping an eye out for what she writes next. I mean, there's a cliffhanger I need to find resolution for!

Would I recommend it?
A cozy mystery with small-town drama, witty banter, and a murder to untangle. While the pacing and some unresolved elements didn’t fully work for me, the core idea and writing style show a lot of promise. For a debut novel, this is a confident start, and I’d absolutely be interested in picking up the next book to see where the story goes.

[Susan · Rating 4 out of 5]

A ZOOM WITH A VIEW is the first book in a fun new cozy series. It features a quirky Southern town filled with quirky Southern folks dealing with quirky Southern doin's that lead to a shocking murder. As sleuths, both professional and amateur, look into the mystery, secrets old and new are brought to glaring light. Clearly, there's more to the quaint town of Blue Oak than meets the eye.

The book has an appealing setup that leads to an entertaining story. Our heroine, Leo, is an adorkable fish-out-of-water whose bookishness has never been understood by the local folks. She's relatable and mostly likable, although her role as the co-administrator of a mean-spirited Reddit group made me like her a lot less. It just seems like a really immature and petty hobby for a serious-minded, 33-year-old academic. Other than that, I enjoyed spending time with her and her friends. I would like the two men in her love triangle to have more personality as they're both pretty bland, or better yet for there not to be a love triangle at all (I HATE those), but, alas...

As far as plot goes, the tale is pretty implausible and predictable, which is par for the course for a cozy. I definitely would have liked more twists to keep me guessing. That doesn't mean the story's not engrossing, though. It kept me turning pages, even though I was not even a little surprised by the killer's identity.

While I for sure have some issues with the novel, A ZOOM WITH A VIEW did keep me entertained. It's upbeat, funny, silly in some ways, and diverting. I enjoyed it for the most part and will for sure pick up the next book when it comes out.

If I could, I would give this book 3 1/2 stars; since I can't, I'm rounding up.

If this were a movie, it would be rated: PG-13 for language (no F-bombs), innuendo, crude humor, and violence

[Anushree · Rating 3 out of 5]

Okay. So this was a well written book and I'd recommend it to anyone who likes murder mysteries. However, what was that END????? Are we getting a sequel?
Was that why the end was drafted like a cliffhanger?
And the author mentions in the acknowledgments that she is aware which character we are rooting for in this love triangle? So....will we get a proper conclusion or....not?
I did like the diversity of the characters.There was queer representation in the book too. And that too, in a small town? Kudos. I liked that aspect. Small town which is not small in their way of thinking.

I do have a few lingering questions and that's never good for a murder mystery. How did Melody know the details of the murder? That was never answered. Karina never got to know why was Leo so important to the police investigation. I also found two slight typos - one where it is typed as "murders Chaz's" instead of "murders Chaz" another where a space between two words is missing. I hope the author rectifies the above before the book is finally available to buy and read for all.

I liked Macy as the best supporting character. And I wish we had met Beth on the pages instead of her only being discussed and talked about. I did like the third person narration. It was a refreshing change from all the first person POVs that we have in many books now. Also, Leo did not narrate every chapter. We got snapshots from every important character and that added to the mystery element. The subreddit thread was super interesting to read about.

I did want a concrete end....the murder was solved but I still felt bereft??
Like....all the ends were not tied neatly.


Thank you to NetGalley and Dutton Publications for approving my ARC request.

[Kiaran · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wow, this book kept me guessing until the end. But, there had better be a sequel because it ended on quite a cliffhanger. Leo (Leanora) has had many post-doc, non-tenured academic jobs in many different university English departments. Nothing sticks and she’s a tourist in her own lfe. Her father died and, since then, she’s had a cool relationship with her mother and rarely returns to her small home town outside of Austin TX. After her most recent academic engagement ends, she reluctantly returns home to her mother, her best friend. Emily and her wide and kids, her old HS boyfriend (who still looks great) and all the town’s people who she knows like the back of her hand. She cannot wait to get outa town again. Despite being a hi-brow, PhD academician, Leo and Emily secretly started a hilariously snarky sub-Reddit about Chaz (aka Charlie) . He was a HS football home town hero who’s ridiculous, self-centered, oblivious and love the internet spotlight. Soon after Leo returns home, there a murder and she ends up partnering with Det. Jake. She was best HS friends with Jakes sister and didn’t really think much about him as an underclassman. Now, Jake is chiseled, articulate and seems to be interested. Between her difficult mom, the Texas heat and humidity and the murder, Leo should be ready to bolt…..but she’ll stick around just a little bit longer. Thanks to #netgalley for the ARC of this book.

[Kate Underwood · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love the “going back to your small hometown” trope, and this novel does it so well. Jess Cannon weaves an intriguing mystery with numerous suspects into a small town where everyone knows everyone else’s business.

There’s a subreddit dedicated to mocking Chaz, the irritating former football darling of Leo’s hometown, now a fitness influencer and rival real estate agent to her mom’s best friend. And Leo and her best friend are the moderators, making them key witnesses with lots of potential evidence to share when Chaz shows up dead in a house listed for sale.

The multiple POVs allow the reader to get a fuller understanding of what’s happened and who might be responsible, and I loved following the clues dropped along the way (so much I had to stay up to finish the book in one night). There is so much juiciness about influencer and fitness culture, small-town rivalries, former love interests, and the realization that you might not know your hometown and its people as well as you once thought. The author builds a fun romance into the story (actually almost a love triangle) as well, making this an unique and exciting read! Thanks to Dutton and NetGalley for the early reading opportunity!

[Virginia · Rating 3 out of 5]

There is definitely no such thing as the perfect murder, especially when it takes place under the watchful eye of everyone who lives in a town like Blue Oak.
Jess Cannon takes us into the life of Leo, a book lover in search of her own story. He returns to his hometown after many years to find old acquaintances and a crime that leaves no one above suspicion.
The narrative is entertaining and quite comical, though it takes a while to reach the main part of the plot. Each subplot and path to the truth becomes more enjoyable as the pages turn, making you want to be part of Leo and Jake's investigation.

More deeply, leaving aside its comical and lighthearted side, which zooms into Leo's personal life, his relationship with his mother leaves us with a longing and sentimentality that clings to each of us, reminding us that we can all go through similar situations (leaving aside the crime).

It has been a very enjoyable read to start 2026, and for those looking not only for charismatic characters but also for stories everyone can relate to. This book is for all of you.

Thank you, Netgalley and Dutton, for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.st review.

[☆Laura☆]

Leo Holloway regresa a Blue Oak con la sensación de haber perdido más que un trabajo. Su carrera académica se desmoronó y ahora vuelve al lugar del que huyó, obligada a aceptar un empleo como fotógrafa para la inmobiliaria más llamativa y problemática del pueblo. Mientras intenta mantener un perfil bajo, descubre que Blue Oak es un imán para el drama, desde las peleas en redes sociales hasta los influencers locales que convierten cada conversación en un espectáculo.

Su primer día en casa termina convertido en un caos cuando una explosión en pleno desfile pone bajo sospecha a la competencia de la agencia para la que trabajará. De pronto, queda atrapada entre amistades que nunca dejaron atrás su intensidad, un ex amor que reaparece con sonrisa desarmante, un detective que la mira con interés y un influencer que siempre aparece cuando menos se le necesita.



__

Estuvo lo suficientemente entretenido para terminarlo, pero no para leer el siguiente.


Thanks to NetGalley, the publisher and the author for the ARC in exchange for an honest opinion.

[Candy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was invited by the publisher to review this book. Leo returns reluctantly to her small Texas hometown after her New York academic career ends. Her relationship with her image-obsessed mother is not good, but is able to get a job as a real estate photographer, as well as be with her best friend. When she discovers the murdered body of a rival influencer, Leo is drawn into a dangerous investigation. Even worse, she and her friend were running a secret Reddit page snarking on the now-dead influencer. When someone Leo loves accused, she works with a surprisingly charming local detective and get all sorts of answers.

I enjoyed all of the characters in this book, and it was fun to be engaged with such great secondary characters. Everything was set up well, the mystery was intriguing, and there was relevancy in representations. I also loved the Reddit snark page! However, I have to assume there will be a sequel with that ending?

Thank you to NetGalley and Dutton for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

[Ali Bunke · Rating 4 out of 5]

A Zoom With a View by Jess Cannon is a cozy mystery that follows Leo as she returns to her small Texas hometown of Blue Oak after her life takes an unexpected turn. She ends up working as a photographer for her Godmother, a real estate agent. Coming home isn’t all bad as her best friend Emily is still there, and she even reconnects with her old high school boyfriend. Unfortunately, things are complicated by her strained relationship with her mother, Karina. Not long after Leo arrives, a local real estate agent and influencer named Chaz is murdered, and when her Godmother is accused, Leo teams up with a detective to figure out what really happened. The story is entertaining and light without losing the intrigue of a good mystery, and there are plenty of suspects and side characters to keep things interesting. It also feels like the start of a series, especially with the longheld secret her mother has been keeping from her still unresolved.

Thank you NetGalley and Dutton for the advanced reader copy. This is my honest review.

[Maddelyn]

Leo is a thirty something English professor who can't find a job and finally moves back to her home town when she has no where else to go. It's not so bad, though. Her best friend, Emily is there. And she got a job taking pictures of houses for her godmother's real estate business. She and her mother have a strained relationship, but that's nothing new. Then, one of her high school classmates is found dead at a property Leo's supposed to photograph. Several people she cares about are suspects, so Leo decides that she's going to solve this case. Fortunately, her ex classmate was a social media influencer, and her knowledge of his online persona helps the cops. There's also the cute cop and her ex from high school who both seem interested in her. Leo's determined to find the murderer and leave town. A promising debut cozy mystery.

I received an ARC of this book from Netgalley in return for an honest review.

[Ellie Morton · Rating 5 out of 5]

Leo returns to her hometown of Blue Oak and things quickly take a dark turn when a dead body turns up and her best friend’s mom is accused of murder. She works hard to figure out what happened and what secrets people are hiding in what appears to be a charming small town…

A fun, modern cozy mystery novel!! While the plot is a murder mystery, the book sprinkles in small town drama, a love triangle, and a mysterious death from the main characters’ teen years. Loved this and would definitely recommend for fans of cozy mysteries or fans of YA stories like One of Us is Lying, Truly Devious, and A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder.

Thank you to NetGalley and Dutton for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

[Zoe Lipman · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5/5

Love a cozy little spooky little moment.

This was fun and mysterious and had a touch of humor to it. It also reads super fast, I sped through this.

I did think the ending was a bit strange, it almost felt like it was setting up a sequel or something. I definitely wouldn't be opposed to that. I would definitely read that sequel. But if there is no follow-up, I will be a bit confused.

I just love the setting of this book. I love when a mystery is set in a nosey little town. I am always down for that. The same vibes as the new The Burbs show. So if you like that town's vibe, you'd like this one.

Thanks to NetGalley for the e-ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review!

[Daan Jansen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Returning to your small Texas hometown after your academic career implodes? Awkward…
Finding a dead body during your new real estate photography gig? Extremely awkward…

A Zoom with a View is a hilarious, yet heartfelt cozy mystery set in the quirky town of Blue Oak. The typical small town setting where even the Fourth of July parade isn’t safe from drama (or murder)! 👻

Leo is trying to her sanity, fix her relationship with her mother (who definitely owns too many cans of hairspray), and figure out what’s next for her life. Instead, she ends up juggling small-town secrets, an old flame, a suspiciously charming detective (right?!), and a snarky Reddit page that might just get her arrested (and me confused)!

This debut is sharp and full of personality, which is equal parts laugh-out-loud funny and somewhere touching. I think it’s the perfect read for anyone who loves messy families, cozy mysteries, and heroines who cope with caos through sarcasm and iced coffee (I know there’s a bunch of you that could agree).

A special thanks to Jess Cannon, Dutton, and NetGalley for granting me the opportunity to read and review ‘A Zoom with a View’ before its official publication on May 5th, 2026. All opinions expressed are, of course, my own!

[Hannah Virani · Rating 3 out of 5]

thank you for netgalley for a copy of this arc!

this book was kind of difficult to get into. the first few chapters were quite slow but after that, the book started to pick up. i enjoyed the narrative but to be honest, the reveal at the end felt rushed. the love triangle felt a bit unnecessary, considering who she picks at the end. however, i enjoyed the aspects of mystery dotted throughout the book that were then clarified at the end - there were no plot holes and the ending (other than the reveal) felt satisfying.

[Olivia R · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a cozy murder mystery set in a suburb of Austin, TX called Blue Oak. It took me a little bit to get into the story and I was still confused with all of the different POVs and storylines happening throughout the book. But overall the murder played out nicely and I was semi-surprised by who was the actual murderer. This is also the first book in a series? It left me with a lot of questions. So I’m ready for the next book!

Thank you NetGalley for the free advanced reader copy. I am leaving this review voluntarily and with my own opinions.

[Danielle D · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book was all over the place. There were too many competing plotlines and it jumped around from different character’s perspectives in a confusing way. One major thread revolves around a Reddit community devoted entirely to hating a single person and I find that very weird. The book ultimately ends on a dramatic cliffhanger, strongly suggesting it’s intended to launch a new series.

I received an ARC of this ebook from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for my honest review.

[Olivia Adrianna · Rating 3 out of 5]

I’ve been reading so many dark dooms-y thrillers that this cozy mystery was such a welcome treat!
It’s giving Hallmark turns into mystery. Leo lands back in her hometown after not exactly making it in the big city so to speak. She’s a great character - anxious, thoughtful and very likeable to read. Maybe as she was just relatable to me?c

Her family was fun as heck and by fun I mean a chaotic bunch. The alternating perspectives were quite charming. Funny and a good mystery.

[BHK · Rating 4 out of 5]

A Zoom with a View is the perfect mix of small town charm, laugh out loud humor, and a twisty mystery! I instantly loved Leo as she stumbles back into her quirky Texas hometown after her New York dreams fall apart. I loved the blend of cozy mystery vibes with sharp and witty writing and a little romantic tension too. If you love small towns with big secrets this one’s a must read!

[Stephanie Nichols · Rating 4 out of 5]

I thought that this book was so fun! I love the, "My life in the big city (often New York) didn't work out, so I'm headed back to my small town in a place that seems the complete opposite of a big city (Texas!)" trope in mystery stories! I loved Leo, and would definitely recommend this book! It was such a good balance of cozy mystery but make it contemporary!

[Esther · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 ⭐️ A small town murder mystery - but with a Gen Z twist! This was a fun read, and I enjoyed the modern take involving social media being used to solve a murder! The cliff hanger at the end is giving me hope for a second book! This was an overall very fun read, and I can’t wait to watch this author continue to grow and develop their writing style in this genre.

[Jillian · Rating 1 out of 5]

I just did not like this book. This book was advertised for people who like Thursday Murder Club books, which is a series I love. But the characters in TMC are unique and endearing, while the characters in this book were annoying and dramatic. As far as mysteries go, it wasn’t very mysterious.

I received this book as an ARC from NetGalley.

[LibraryLaur · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars rounded up. A promising debut; I assume it's the first in a series as the ending left several threads hanging. I did feel like the pacing was a little slow for a mystery but the premise was unique and I liked Leo's character.

*Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for providing an e-galley in exchange for an honest review.