Book Review: Blood and Groom by Jill Edmondson

Title: Blood and Groom
Author: Jill Edmondson
Publisher: Dundurn Press
ISBN: 978-1-55488-430-8
Format: Paperback
254 pages
Genre: Fiction
Source: Review copy provided by author

Blood and Groom is Jill Edmondson's debut novel. Set in Toronto, it's a fun, fast-paced story about a newly qualified private investigator (and former rock band singer) who is hired to investigate a murder.

The author states: think "Nancy Drew" meets "Sex and the City" on her blog - and that is a very apt description indeed!

The protagonist, Sasha Jackson, is feisty, tough-talking, intelligent and very likeable. She uses her sharp street-smarts and intuition plus her new detective skills to help her solve the mystery. Along the way, she gets help from her best friend, Lindsey; a nerdy friend called Victor; and her gambler dad.

The murder victim, Gordon Hanes, was a groom-to-be who had cancelled the wedding four months before the date and Sasha soon discovers a puzzling pattern of other murdered fiancés. She also finds that her list of potential suspects appear to be mixed up in their own secret, corrupt affairs but not necessarily murder. So who did murder Gordon and why? Is there a connection to the other murdered fiancés?

Sasha uses clever subterfuge to gather evidence about what the suspects are hiding and to make sense out of an assortment of clues. As Sasha gets closer to the truth, she refuses to give up even when she reaches a conclusion that may put her own life in danger.

The author has a distinctive style with a flair for snappy, gritty dialogue and lots of humour. The plucky protagonist, Sasha Jackson, with her snarky inner thoughts and witty observations, made me laugh out loud. Her tough-talking banter with an assortment of bizarre characters plus an edgy story with a surprise ending, makes for a very entertaining read indeed. The author also includes vivid descriptions of various places in Toronto (where the author lives).

Blood and Groom is a witty, fast-paced murder mystery with an assortment of down-to-earth (quirky) characters and I'm very grateful to the author for sending me a copy.


Blood and Groom is the first of the Sasha Jackson mystery series. I enjoyed it so much that I've already started reading the next one, Dead Light District.

If you like mysteries and you want a fast, fun read, Blood and Groom is the book for you.