Flirting with Murder - (Castle Claude Mysteries) by Amanda Sellet (Paperback)

About the Book

High schooler Virginia Tillis teams up with her charming rival Felix to solve a real murder at her grandmothers Florida condo community after their theater retirees role-playing game turns deadly.

Book Synopsis

The Agathas meets Thursday Murder Club in Amanda Sellet's next YA novel, a cozy mystery with a splash of romance.

Some people visit Florida for theme parks and beaches. High school junior Virginia Tillis is there for murder. Accidents, electrocution, tainted hand lotion: every victim meets a different end at her grandmother Lainey's rococo pink condo. Such is life (and death) when you roll with a crew of theater retirees who roleplay murder mysteries from the comfort of their own home in a game they fondly call Killing Me Softly.

But this summer, fictional murder has given way to the very real death of the building's beloved owner and his dramatic last testament has the vultures circling, from estranged relatives to sleazy property developers, dead set on getting the most from his will.

Adding to the tension for Virginia is the appearance of Felix, the cute guy she met at the airport who turns out to be the grandson of one of the condo's residents. With his charm and musical theater chops, he's the person Virginia most wants to beat at Killing Me Softly. That is, until the day they discover an actual dead body while playing the game, forcing them to work together to figure out whodunit.

In this comedic mystery about finding the Watson to your Holmes, Virginia and Felix must banter their way from rivals to co-detectives in time to save their eccentric grandparents from a shocking disruption to the community they've always loved.

Review Quotes

Kirkus Reviews's "Hottest Summer Books for Young Readers"
The Nerd Daily's "Anticipated YA Books Releases Of 2026"
Sweety High's "Our Favorite Must-Read Books Releasing in April of 2026"
Criminal Element's "April is Pouring Thrilling and Chilling New Releases"
Pop! Goes the Reader's "Hot Off the Press: April 2026"
Goodreads's "Popular New Young Adult Books to Read Right Now"

"There's a whimsical lyricism to the story's twists. Sellet makes supporting characters part of the fabric of this chosen family, adding a welcome dollop of agency and silliness to this truly enjoyable story . . . A sweet delight."--Kirkus Reviews

"Murder mystery fans will surely enjoy--especially if they like dialogue riddled with quick comebacks, charmingly quirky characters, and rich people not getting their way."--Booklist

"While Sellet is no stranger to writing YA, this first foray into a cozy mystery serves all the whodunit, quirky characters, and amusing banter the genre calls for. Virginia and Felix play off each other perfectly, adding that extra dash of romance . . . A cozy mystery that readers will delight in and devour, with all the vibes of Jesse Q. Sutanto's Dial A for Aunties and Richard Osman's Thursday Murder Club that teens could want."--School Library Journal

"Flirting with Murder is all about wacky combinations--teens and seniors, crime-solving and romance, poolside fun and creepy tension--and they all work together in perfect harmony. Virginia and Felix are both so endearing and sweet, and their playful, flirty and sometimes slightly awkward dynamic makes piecing together the clues along the way even more of a joy."--Sweety High

"With excellent banter, lots of laughs, a wonderful cast of characters, and non-stop intrigue, Sellet cleverly crafts a delightful whodunnit that's just to (perhaps a bit theatrically) die for."--Justine Pucella Winans, award-winning author of Bianca Torre is Afraid of Everything

"Set against the colorful and humid backdrop of a South Florida old-people artists' residence, Flirting with Murder is an absurdly hilarious (and yes, flirty) take on the amateur teen sleuth genre. On vacation, Virginia just wants to hang out by the pool, LARP ridiculous fake murder scenarios with her grandma's kooky friends, and ignore the fact that the only other teen on site, Felix, is inconveniently hot. But when an actual body shows up in a condo common area, and their grandparents and neighbors become suspects, Virginia and Felix use their history playing live-action Clue to reveal a murderer. Virginia and Felix are the perfect geeky-cute Holmes and Watson, eager to save the place and people they love, and maybe finally admit that the old folks aren't imagining their chemistry--it's real, as is my love of Amanda Sellet's dry, snappy wit!"--Sarah Henning, author of The Lies We Conjure

"Flirting with Murder has everything I love in a good mystery romp--rapid-fire banter, zany characters who keep you guessing, a truly unique setting, and one heck of a whodunnit. Sellet is bringing the magic of cozy mystery to the next generation."--Jenny Elder Moke, author of She Doesn't Have a Clue

"If Only Murders in the Building had a meet-cute with a swoony YA romance against a Wes-Anderson-movie-esque backdrop, Flirting with Murder would be the delightful result! I've never laughed so much at a murder-mystery, nor cheered so hard for two amateur detectives to kiss already, and that's the magic of Amanda Sellet's wildly entertaining, genre-bending story. I wish I could spend every summer at Castle Claude!"--Kaitlyn Hill, author of Wild About You

About the Author

AMANDA SELLET writes lighthearted fiction for teens and adults. She is fond of old-fashioned things, including but not limited to the donuts. It is her great good fortune to live in a Midwestern college town with a wonderful bookstore and superlative bakeries.