Category: 2026 Reviews

Definitely Maybe Not a Detective: A Novel (The Wyatt Investigations Mysteries)
Amateur Sleuth Mystery/Mystery Romance/RomCom Mystery
1st in Series
Setting – New York
Publisher ‏ : ‎ Bantam
Publication date ‏ : ‎ January 6, 2026
Print length ‏ : ‎ 352 pages
Paperback
ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0593984250
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0593984260
Kindle
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0593984260
ASIN ‏ : ‎ B0F3WQPWZV

In this delightfully charming rom-com mystery, a woman becomes accidentally entangled in a murder investigation (and with a handsome stranger) when her fake detective agency is enlisted to solve a real homicide.

Emersyn Gray is definitely not a detective.

Really, she’s an unemployed twenty-eight-year-old raising her beloved niece in the only place she can afford after her ex-boyfriend ran off with her life savings: a run-down, seniors-only apartment complex that was desperate for tenants. But never fear—her wild best friend has the perfect plan to get Emersyn back on her feet and stick it to her thieving ex: scare him into returning her money by hiring a private investigator to prove he stole it. Only, there won’t be an actual detective, just a fabricated business card from Wyatt Investigations . . . and a ridiculously hot stranger, who steps in to play the part—a stranger whose name is, coincidentally, Wyatt.

Emersyn can’t help but notice the real-life Wyatt is capital H-O-T hot, even though she’s wary of his intentions. But her ex does seem flustered, and if she can get her money back and regain control of her life, maybe it’ll finally prove to her parents that she can be a responsible caregiver to her niece.

But the day after they set their plan in motion, the superintendent of Emersyn’s apartment building winds up dead, and her neighbors turn to her fake detective agency for help after finding one of the phony business cards. With so many eyes on them—or maybe just their eyes on each other—Emersyn and Wyatt agree to take on the case. Now the question is, Can they solve the murder without getting tangled up in their own fictions—or each other?

Dollycas’s Thoughts

Emersyn Gray is twenty-eight years old and the guardian for her seven-year-old niece, Livy. She is unemployed, and her ex-boyfriend, Hoffman Fisher, was a real jerk and stole her savings. She and Livy are living in a dilapidated seniors-only apartment building, the Deco Mirage, that was taking any tenants they could get. She was getting stressed out, unable to find a job, when her best friend thinks she has a brilliant idea. They are going to pressure her ex to return her money by informing him that she has retained a private investigator to prove he stole her money. Truthfully, there is no detective, just a fake business card she had created for the fake Wyatt Investigations. When Emersyn goes to deliver the card and news to her ex, the plan takes an epic twist. A handsome hunk of a man named Wyatt walks right up to Hoffman and introduces himself as Wyatt from Wyatt Investigations.

What game is this incredibly hot hunk playing? An incredibly hot hunk, she is totally attracted to. Back to business, she needs to get the money back, and if she has to work with this incredibly hot hunk, she will. She needs to show her parents she can provide for her niece and that she has her life under control. Did I mention he’s incredibly hot?

The next day, an enormous wrench was thrown into their plan. Someone murdered the building super, and one of her favorite people in the building is accused of the crime. The neighbors had found one of the fake private investigation agency’s business cards, and Wyatt and Emersyn couldn’t say no when they asked for help. Can fake detectives solve a real murder? Can they put their steamy romantic electricity on hold while they find out? Or will the passion overtake them?

What a terrific start for this new series!

I love the diversity of the characters Ms. Fox has created for this series.

Emersyn Gray’s life is totally in transition. She lost her steady job as a copywriter due to restructuring, and her career as a restaurant server just crashed and burned. Her ex cleaned out her savings. Her mother is questioning whether she is the right person raise her brother’s daughter. He passed away after battling cancer. She has applied for a variety of jobs, and has received no job offers.

Wyatt, no last name, is a mystery man. Clearly quite wealthy and smokin’ HOT! You can cut the romantic tension with a knife. There is plenty of sizzle there, but after her thieving ex, she has no need for a man in her life. Then there is Bodie Chase, a bartender, also easy on the eyes, and interested in Emersyn. She thinks he is pretty hot, too. Emersyn’s best friend, Jemma Ghosh, is always there for her unless something important pulls her away; then she needs details of everything she missed. Livy just stole my heart. A smart 7-year-old who is an absolute delight. Their neighbor, Mrs. Nagy, has become like an honorary grandmother, watching Livy when Emersyn has to work. Then there is Theo. A handicapped high schooler who doesn’t let her disabilities hold her back, she is a whiz on the computer and a true force when it comes to the fake Wyatt Investigations. Rounding out the cast are the many residents of the Mirage.

Ms. Fox’s unique writing style was so entertaining. Emersyn’s reactions to Wyatt and Bodie gave me true rom-com feels. Some of the senior ladies were particularly drawn to the young men, too, and both took the fawning with a great sense of humor. While there are many characters, she makes each distinct and easy to remember. Some of them are real hoots!

With Only Murders in the Building vibes, anyone in the building could have killed the super, or someone could have easily come into the building. So, there was a long list of suspects for Wyatt Investigations to work through. The evidence pointed directly at one person, so the police thought they had their man. No one believed that person was a murderer. I enjoyed the comedy of Emersyn trying to question the people in the building and how Theo was ready to do anything to get to the truth. Emersyn tried to avoid Wyatt, but the man always turned up wherever she was. It was fun to follow along as they chased down the clues. I appreciated the unique room they found in the Mirage. It gave the story a major twist. The author plotted out this mystery so well. I was surprised when the killer was revealed.  I love it when that happens. It means I escaped fully into the story.

Definitely Maybe Not a Detective kept me totally entertained with a diverse cast of characters, a stirring mystery, an interesting setting, tons of humor, and romantic tension. Lighthearted, mysterious, and fun. This book was a Perfect Escape! I can’t wait for book two!

I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review. Thank you to Bantam and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC.

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About the Author

Sarah Fox, writer of cozy mysteries, was born and raised in Vancouver, British Columbia, where she developed a love for mysteries at a young age. When not writing novels or working as a legal writer, she is often reading her way through a stack of books or spending time outdoors with her English Springer Spaniel. Find out more about Sarah Fox and her books on her website HERE. To sign up for Sarah’s newsletter, click here.

Also Written by Sarah Fox

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