Definitely Maybe Not A Detective

A Novel

Sarah Fox

$35

Paperback

Forthcoming
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English

Random House Inc
10 February 2026

Crime & Mystery

In this delightfully charming rom-com mystery, a woman becomes accidentally entangled in a murder investigation (and with a handsome stranger) when her fake detective agency is enlisted to solve a real homicide-from the bestselling author of the Pancake House Mysteries.

In this delightfully charming rom-com mystery, a woman becomes accidentally entangled in a murder investigation (and with a handsome stranger) when her fake detective agency is enlisted to solve a real homicide.

Emersyn Gray is definitely not a detective.

Really, she's an unemployed twenty-eight-year-old raising her beloved niece in the only place she can afford after her ex-boyfriend ran off with her life savings- a run-down, seniors-only apartment complex that was desperate for tenants. But never fear-her wild best friend has the perfect plan to get Emersyn back on her feet and stick it to her thieving ex- scare him into returning her money by hiring a private investigator to prove he stole it. Only, there won't be an actual detective, just a fabricated business card from Wyatt Investigations . . . and a ridiculously hot stranger, who steps in to play the part-a stranger whose name is, coincidentally, Wyatt.

Emersyn can't help but notice the real-life Wyatt is capital H-O-T hot, even though she's wary of his intentions. But her ex does seem flustered, and if she can get her money back and regain control of her life, maybe it'll finally prove to her parents that she can be a responsible caregiver to her niece.

But the day after they set their plan in motion, the superintendent of Emersyn's apartment building winds up dead, and her neighbors turn to her fake detective agency for help after finding one of the phony business cards. With so many eyes on them-or maybe just their eyes on each other-Emersyn and Wyatt agree to take on the case. Now the question is, Can they solve the murder without getting tangled up in their own fictions-or each other?

""Fast-paced and quippy.""-Catherine Mack, USA Today bestselling author of Every Time I Go On Vacation, Someone Dies

By: Sarah Fox
Imprint: Random House Inc
Country of Publication: United States [Currently unable to ship to USA: see Shipping Info]
Dimensions: Height: 203mm, Width: 132mm, Spine: 18mm
Weight: 270g
ISBN: 9780593984253
ISBN 10: 0593984250
Pages: 352
Publication Date: 10 February 2026
Audience: General/trade , ELT Advanced
Format: Paperback
Publisher's Status: Forthcoming

Sarah Fox is the author of the USA Today bestselling Pancake House Mysteries, as well as the Music Lover's Mysteries, the Literary Pub Mysteries, the True Confections Mysteries, and the Magical Menagerie Mysteries. She was born and raised in Vancouver, British Columbia, where she developed a love for mysteries at a young age. When not plotting (fictional) murders or doling out sardines to her mini panther (black cat), she is often reading her way through a stack of books or spending time outdoors with her English springer spaniel.

Reviews for Definitely Maybe Not A Detective: A Novel

“Definitely absolutely a wild ride, in the best possible way. If you liked Finlay Donovan, you’ll love Emersyn.”—Carlie Walker, author of Code Word Romance “Who hasn’t thought of solving murders in their spare time if given the chance? Okay, not Emersyn Gray, but when a handsome man, a fake detective agency and a body drop into her life at the same time, what’s a girl to do? Fast-paced and quippy, Definitely Maybe Not a Detective is sure to please fans of the Finlay Donovan series.”—Catherine Mack, USA Today bestselling author of Every Time I Go On Vacation, Someone Dies “Sarah Fox’s Definitely Maybe Not a Detective is a fun, funny, and flirty whodunnit. With a quick-witted cast of characters, the action, mystery, and simmering heat will keep you hooked right to the last page.”—Sophie Sullivan, award winning author of Can't Help Falling in Love and Ten Rules for Faking it