Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Published by: Century Books
Publication Date: 26th March 2026

“Some secrets are better left unstirred…”

I picked up a copy of Kelly’s first book, This is Not a Game at Theakson Crime Writing Festival in Harrogate last year, and still haven’t managed to read it yet! 🤦 But knowing her second book was coming out this month, I just had to read this one first. This is such a brilliantly layered whodunnit, a fun murder mystery that is as gripping as it is entertaining. I so enjoyed it! I am very happy to be sharing my review for A Murder in Eight Cocktails by Kelly Mullen!

About the book

In the seaside haven of Carmel-by-the-Sea, Willa Keane’s marriage is in a rut. As a retired interior-designer-turned-influencer, she’s sure life begins at fifty-five, whereas her husband, Marty, is more interested in watching his beloved birds.

So when Willa is invited to the opening of the chicest new cocktail bar in town, she hopes the evening will rekindle their flame. But arriving at the party, Willa is shaken to discover it’s being hosted by her charming ex-husband, Paul.

The night is thrown into even deeper chaos when the bar’s enigmatic owner is found dead on the rocks below. A suicide message suggests there’s no foul play, but Willa’s heightened senses aren’t so sure. Now she must solve the mystery together with her husband…and her ex-husband.

Can they find the killer before another victim is served their last cocktail?

The beginning

This was my first taste of Kelly Mullen’s writing and I got on so well with it! It was fun, witty and entertaining from the start, and I do like a bit of this in my mysteries. We’re introduced to Willa Keane, an influencer who runs Sips and Whispers, an ASMR YouTube channel. Her niche is cocktails, and she’s been invited to the opening of a brand new cocktail bar, Mysa. It didn’t take long for me to feel like I really knew this woman, and I instantly took a liking to her (which surprised me because I feel fictional influencers can be a little meh in my experience!) We learn her marriage to Marty has turned a bit stale in recent times, yet she’s hoping a nice evening with him at a fancy event with a few cocktails might rekindle something. But then she bumps into her ex-husband, Paul, who runs the bar with the owner, and it’s clear that this night just wasn’t it. Then, the screaming starts. A message sent to the phones of some attendees. Max, owner of Mysa, has plummeted to his death, found on the rocks below. It seemed to be a suicide, but that narrative doesn’t quite convince Willa..

“This isn’t the kind of adventure I was expecting from my evening at Mysa. It’s something entirely different, but I feel a sense of purpose. I take a deep breath and set my jaw in a firm line. I’m going to find out what really happened.”

Along with her ex-husband, Willa decides she wants to investigate, to find out the truth. Because already, there were some suspicious characters from that night. They begin to dig deeper into Max’s life, the people he knew, where he’d come from, and in doing so, we get to know more characters who all have their own quirks. It turns out Willa is a pretty good investigator! I was completely sucked into her little investigation and despite the grim nature of attempting to find out the truth about how Max really died, the author makes it fun and memorable, and I was so invested! Willa and Paul uncover some intriguing clues, some pretty significant too, proving there are some big lies floating around. And I just loved how Willa and Marty’s regular couples book club had been completely transformed into a full on sleuthing session! It’s clear that Marty has an issue with Willa spending more time with her ex-husband, but with Paul being such a crucial person to assist in this whole investigation, I hoped they’d all find a way to work together without holding grudges!

The middle

I loved Willa’s sudden passion and determination for this whole situation. A retired interior designer, to a ASMR YouTuber… maybe an undercover detective would be her next port of call? It did suit her, if she decided she wanted another career change! The detail in her investigation, the lengths she goes to in order to find out everything she can had me feeling like I was right there with her. The police aren’t interested in taking this any further, even when Willa presents them with more evidence than they even found; they’re sticking with the death being a suicide, case closed. However, this just spurs her on even more to do the right thing, to find out the truth. I was in such a nice little bubble reading this. It soon became that murder mystery to take my mind off real life, one I was so focused on and captivated by. The author’s writing really pulls you into the whole seriousness of the mystery, yet had me smiling too. It was a wonderful contrast! But this investigation certainly seems to be testing Willa and Marty’s marriage. He very reluctantly helps her when she needs it though. That’s love!

“Whatever you think you’re doing, stop.

I freeze. My heart begins to race. I blink a couple of times and reread it. Some creep has tracked me down on Sips and Whispers in order to threaten me? Could this really be happening? Then, another comment appears:

You’re next.“

There’s another spine-tingling scream. And, after investigating the source on a very important stakeout, another body is discovered. Another murder. New layers to this whole mystery were appearing, making Willa’s job much more complicated. But would this slow her down? Absolutely not! Even when when, after the police check the crime scene, there is no longer a body… The police think Willa and Marty are just amateur sleuths wanting to play detective and it was so frustrating for them (and me!) that they wouldn’t take them seriously. I loved uncovering the whole mystery, piece by piece, but I also loved how the author focuses a lot on Willa as a person, how she wants more for herself, from her life, instead of slowing down as she gets older. She wants adventures, a new sense of purpose. She wants to live a little more. And she has very confusing feelings about Paul. Does she really have lingering feelings for him, or is it just because he’s here, helping her? Is she just desperate for that spark back with Marty? Marty was probably my favourite character, so I hoped they’d get back on track!

The end

Someone knows Willa and Co. are snooping around, talking to people. There’s a break-in while Willa in still in the house, someone who has helped themselves to two crucial pieces of evidence. Could it be someone they’ve already spoken to, someone they’ve yet to speak to, or someone else entirely? Despite knowing she’s now a target, Willa pushes forward. There were still people she needed to speak to who attended the opening that night, people who could have the information she needs to slot everything together, to find that final piece of the puzzle. The bigger picture slowly builds and it was at this point where we can really see all the working parts of this mystery, all the layers upon layers of clues and evidence. The organisation of everything was truly excellent. It always baffles me how authors create such depth in a mystery and make one thing link to another so effortlessly. This book is such a brilliant example of a complex unravelling mystery that is always hugely satisfying, one you are always keen to pick back up. I couldn’t wait for that ending!

“The marine layer that had settled over my brain for so long is finally starting to lift. Colors are more vivid, and the blurry edges of my life are starting to sharpen into focus.”

When Willa gets her aha moment, I was still clueless! But the build up to her big reveal was written so well, the suspense was glorious. But of course, before we get to learn the truth for ourselves, things turn sour. And Willa is in more danger than she’s been throughout this whole ordeal. The way everything played out felt so satisfying, the way every meticulous step in killing Max was revealed had me super impressed. There were tense moments, moments of dread, moments of accepting fate, but also beautiful moments of happiness and relief that I loved. All these moments really made this such a memorable ending. I could also sense an opening for a sequel with how things were left, perhaps a new opportunity for Willa to investigate another murder from years ago. I would 100% be down for another murder mystery featuring these characters! I closed this book craving another in the same genre, so I will just have to pick another one from the TBR soon. I’m definitely a Kelly Mullen fan after this, and will be keeping an eye out for new books by her in future!

Overall thoughts

A Murder in Eight Cocktails is a fun, twisty, meticulously written murder mystery with heart, and I will now read anything Kelly Mullen writes in a heartbeat! As well as such a beautifully layered, complex mystery to unravel, I loved the quirky, memorable characters in this, and just how there is such a big focus on relationships and personal development. It was truly wonderful! Retired interior-designer-turned-influencer, Willa, is invited to the opening of a chic new cocktail bar. With her marriage in a rut, she hopes this night will rekindle something with her husband. Instead, she bumps into her ex-husband, and the owner of the bar ends up dead on the rocks below. Not quite the evening she had envisaged. The death is ruled a suicide, but things don’t add up. So, alongside her husband and ex-husband, she works to solve the mystery, looking for clues along the way and interrogating some very interesting people…

The depth of this mystery was fantastic and I was so drawn into this whole investigation, and of course, the brilliant cocktail theme. It felt fresh and original, and I very easily felt like my own character within this book. I loved sussing out different characters, working out potential motives and ruling them innocent or guilty, with the end reveal so very satisfying! I would love a sequel as I’m just not ready to let Willa go just yet. She has so much potential to solve another mystery! Tightly plotted, wonderfully witty and a true delight. Definitely recommend for lovers of a whodunnit!

Huge thanks to the author, Kelly Mullen, and the wonderful team at Century Books for my gorgeous proof and special cocktail recipe cards! I need to try them all ASAP! 🍸 You can order your copy of A Murder in Eight Cocktails right now on Amazon or wherever you buy your books. Make sure you’re following Kelly on Instagram for more updates!

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