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!
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!