#FollowMe for Murder (Trending Topic Mystery 1), by Sarah E. Burr

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A few months ago, I won both books in Sarah E. Burr's Trending Topic series. I had been saving them to read in the summer. Doesn't the cover of this one give you warm summer vibes? It takes place in April, but it's still perfect for this time of year (or for any time of year you're longing for warm weather).

Coco Cline is a celebrity blogger in her late 20's who has just launched her social media consulting firm. Her new clients are set to open their consignment shop in less than two weeks and Coco has been hired to help promote it online, but things go awry when a dead body is found.  Coco sets out to solve this mystery as soon as possible so that her clients can proceed with the grand opening.

The series is set in Central Shores, Delaware, not far from my home state of Maryland. That alone was enough to draw me in. I was excited to read a cozy set so close to home. It felt like a mini vacation for me, as I took a short trip to meet Coco and her friends.

And what a delightful group of friends they are. I enjoyed getting to know all of them, but Coco's longtime best friend, Jasper, is my favorite. He truly is a good friend to Coco. It is evident how much he cares about her. He also has some of the funniest lines in the book that made me laugh out loud.

There is some romance in this book, but it's quite different than others I've read about in cozies. Coco is already in a long-term relationship with her boyfriend,  Hudson. They have been together for a few years and are living together, sort of. (You'll have to read the book to find out exactly what I mean.) So the dynamics of their relationship are very different than a couple who are just starting to date. It was such a refreshing change to see the challenges they face, while clearly being committed to each other. 

Something else that is different about this book is how much they use technology. It makes it feel very current and true-to-life. Technology is such a significant part of our lives nowadays and I was happy to see it used in intelligent ways in this book. 

I also need to comment on Coco's fashion sense. I found myself, many times, saying, "Wow, that's a great outfit!" I love the way she dresses. It's very chic.

The mystery is good. I had guessed the culprit early on, but then eliminated this person for reasons I can't explain without giving spoilers. In the end, I was shocked how it all unfolded. However it made complete sense and came together nicely. There are clues along the way, which Coco uses, in part, social media to discover. And while sleuthing, she comes across as caring, intelligent, professional, and very likeable through the entire book. 

The only reason I gave it less than five stars is because the first chapter is a little slow. We get a lot of background information on Coco all at once. However, I encourage you to give #FollowMe for Murder, by Sarah E. Burr, a chance. Once it gets to Chapter 2, the story really picks up and never falters after that. It is a definite page-turner that you won't want to put down.

I am really looking forward to reading book two in this series, #TagMe for Murder soon. I'm excited to see how Coco's and Hudson's relationship evolves and I can't wait to hang out with their friend group again. I love that there is room for them to grow together and individually, and hanging out with them is sure to be a good time, minus the murder, of course!