REVIEW of HOT GIRL MURDER CLUB by Ashley Winstead

 

Published: July 14, 2026 

Genre: Crime Fiction
Murder Thrillers, 
Serial Killers, 
Thrillers 

POWER … POWER … WHO’S GOT THE POWER?

That’s the question asked in the excellently written debut novel entitled the HOT GIRL MURDER CLUB, a book where emotions, lust, and fatalities combust to  deliver a slick well-coated mystery. It becomes apparent early on that it won’t be the only one.

The story begins in the present and not in the past. Detective Grey Holloway is called upon to solve an execution-style murder. One glance at the corpse is all it takes for Holloway to see that the victim could be her twin. Since Holloway has no twin, finding out the identity of the murder victim becomes an obsession. She has all sorts of pertinent questions with no answers, but it won’t stay like that forever. 

Ten years ago, a Christmas party thrown by a Hollywood mover and shaker was the perfect venue for young starlets to be noticed. One hopeful named Scout Octavia Sage was praying it would be her. Luckily for Sage, it was another actress who garnered all the attention by winding up dead.

The story moves on from that point, equally splitting the past with the present as it unravels the clever web of connections between characters and the reasons as to how they became enmeshed in homicide. Tracking the journeys, some begin at ‘wanna be’ while others earn the right to be called  ‘rock star’. But it’s the one that comes from clawing one’s way up the ladder of success that exceeds them all: ‘star power.’ It’s been rumored that those that possess it can get away with murder—but did they in this case?  

The story is intriguing, the actions devious, and the method Machiavellian. It needs someone with a depth of understanding  to capture the essence of crime. But never fear, author Ashley Winstead digs deep. Like an LA gossip columnist on a Red Bull full-binge caffeine tear, she gets the vibe of Hollywood and how much appearance and money are treated like two gods. Worshipped, they stand together and relish human sacrifice to keep the years away and the Oscars coming. That ritualistic tingle runs throughout the pages, and no doubt you’ll be tempted to applaud.

Put succinctly, hang on to your calculators! It’s the only way to get an accurate body count. Besides, you’ll soon discover that numbers aren’t everything, especially when trying to discern if the string of carnage is accomplished by the use of the same set of expert hands. It’s where expertise and tidy police work meet—and felons deny everything.

So thank you,  Ashley Winstead, for the terrific read. Also thanks to NetGalley and Minotaur Books for giving me an ARC copy to curl up with. It’ll be 4 stars from me. 

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