self-care, school, soccer, and solving a murder

Mavis Miller is ready for her raise. She’s been working at a non-profit, Project Window, for almost eight years, and she is ready for her boss Rose to acknowledge her contributions and compensate her for all she’s done for the organization. When her boss instead makes her sit through a diversity meeting (where Mavis is the only person of color), she loses her cool and quits on the spot. Mavis is embarrassed to have quit her job without having another one in place, but she does have some savings, and taking a break for herself means that she can spend more time with her almost eight-year-old daughter Pearl.

But when the soccer coach drops dead during a game, Mavis can’t help but feel like maybe she should look into who killed him. The drink he’d had right before he fell was brought by her ex-husband, so Mavis feels like she needs to work to clear his name. But the local detectives don’t agree with her on that. Even though she’d helped solve a kidnapping the previous fall, every time she tried to talk about her theories to the detectives on this case aren’t wanting to listen to her.

However, she doesn’t let that stand in her way and keeps asking questions around the school. That is also how she gets roped into being the school parent for the rest of the school year, cutting out Valentine’s Day hearts by the hundreds and supplying a costume of George Washington complete with wig. But she’s also spending her time trying to figure out what self-care means to her. She tries yoga and exercising, journaling, planning a big birthday party for her daughter, and even creating a murder board.

Mavis also spends some time trying to get away from an influencer who wants her to sign up for her wellness program. Bethany used her program to heal herself from cancer, and now she’s signing up women to help spread the word (technically, sign up for her MLM pyramid). Mavis has no interest in joining up, but she does learn that the soccer coach knew some of Bethany’s secrets, so Mavis can’t help but wonder if she is the person who killed him?

With the help of a nosy neighbor and some out-of-control walkie talkies, Mavis learns some secrets herself. But will she be able to convince the detectives to listen to her before it’s too late?

The Game Is Afoot is a fun murder mystery that blends school moms, influencers, true crime podcasters, an ex-husband, and a new romance. Mavis is a smart character who isn’t perfect, but she’s trying really hard. And she is surrounded by a cast of interesting characters who round out the action and add so much texture to the story. I loved spending time with Mavis and her family, and I thought the mystery was well-written. I was sorry to see this one end, but I loved the ending. There is a lot of humor and heart in this story, so it feels like more than a traditional cozy mystery, and I recommend it for anyone looking for a hearty murder mystery this summer.

Egalleys for The Game Is Afoot were provided by Berkley through NetGalley, with many thanks, but the opinions are mine.