Deadly Does It by Abbi Waxman: Book Review

Deadly Does It is the second book in the Mann & Mason series by bestselling author Abbi Waxman. Expected to be released on July 21, 2026, it takes readers back to the Hollywood Hills. This time around, Mason’s AA sponsor has gotten some letters in the mail that have her spooked. She’s not sure who’s behind it, nor is she taking it seriously. Until an event she planned has an unfortunate incident. Who could it be, and why after all these years?

I want to thank Berkley and NetGalley for the opportunity to read an advanced copy of Deadly Does It. However, all opinions expressed here are solely mine.

CW/TW: substance abuse, death

Synopsis from Goodreads

Mason, a Gen Z adrenaline junkie, and Mann, an ex-con, ex-actress, and lawyer turned sleuth, have already solved one murder together. United by their commitment to sarcasm and general disappointment with the human race, they now face a second crime that’s way too close to home. Alexa Rousso keeps having accidents, and no one but her thinks it’s a coincidence. Could her checkered past be coming back to get her? Mason and Mann’s investigation takes them to the Bay Area, to the Central Coast, and – of course – to the hippest spots in Los Angeles. Will the Berkeley boho vibe convert Mann from vintage couture? Will the wine snobs of Ojai drive Mason to drink (or to vinicide, which isn’t even a thing)? More importantly, will they solve the mystery before the murderer’s sights settle on the detectives themselves, or will this new challenge also be their last?

My Opinions

As soon as I saw Deadly Does It was coming out, I had to add it to my TBR. I enjoyed reading book one in the series, One Death at a Time, last year, so it was a no-brainer. And I’m so glad that I got to read it.

Deadly Does It picks up six months after the end of One Death at a Time. As such, the main group of characters is still getting to know each other. The group consists of Hollywood movie-star-turned-lawyer Julia Mann; Mason is Mann’s AA sponsor and the team’s newest member. Then there is Will, the “brains” of the team, who is all about technology and behind-the-scenes research. Archie is Mann’s friend and lawyer and has a thing for Mason. And you can’t forget about Claudia, Mann’s housekeeper and chef. New to the group in this book is Teddy, Claudia’s on-again-off-again boyfriend and a freelance private investigator.

I had my suspicions about who the culprit was behind everything going on in the story. And I was partially right. My suspect was guilty, just not about what I thought they would be guilty of. In the end, there were multiple mysteries in Deadly Does It, and I only solved one before I even knew it was a mystery. For me, that’s a win! I hate reading a mystery and solving it before the end of the book. Throw some red herrings at me; try to confuse me. And that’s what Waxman did!

You could easily read Deadly Does It without having read One Death at a Time, but why would you? You would miss out on the growth of the relationship between Mann and Mason. Why would you want to miss out on that?

Are you looking for some more books to read? Check out my bookish lists, book reviews, and monthly reading wrap-ups.