If Raymond Chandler and Carrie Fisher collaborated on a mystery novel while attending an AA meeting, the result might look something like Abbi Waxman’s One Death at a Time. This mystery, set against the glittering yet grimy backdrop of Los Angeles, introduces us to one of the most entertaining detective duos to hit the page in years: Julia Mann, a sharp-tongued former actress with a prison record, and her reluctant Gen Z sobriety sponsor, Natasha Mason.
Waxman, known for witty contemporary fiction like The Bookish Life of Nina Hill and Other People’s Houses, ventures confidently into mystery territory with this sarcastic, heartfelt romp through Hollywood’s underbelly. The result is a mystery novel that doesn’t take itself too seriously while still delivering genuine emotional depth and a satisfying whodunit.
The Dynamic Duo: Chemistry that Pops Off the Page
The novel’s greatest strength lies in its central pairing. Julia Mann is a force of nature—acerbic, uncompromising, and wielding her age and experience like weapons. A former Oscar-winning actress who did time for allegedly murdering her husband (a crime she still insists she didn’t commit), Julia now works as a lawyer helping the wrongfully convicted. When bodies start dropping around her once again, she recruits (or rather, conscripts) her AA sponsor Mason into helping clear her name.
Mason, all combat boots and poor impulse control, provides the perfect foil to Julia’s Hollywood grande dame persona. Their banter crackles with electricity:
“I didn’t kill him and I wouldn’t be here if I had, would I? I realize everyone seems to think I’m shameless, but there are limits.”
The dialogue throughout is sharp as a stiletto and twice as dangerous. Waxman excels at capturing voices that feel authentic to each character’s generation and background, from Julia’s withering putdowns to Mason’s millennial quips.
Plot: Hollywood Noir with Modern Sensibilities
The mystery unfolds with satisfying complexity. When Tony Eckenridge—Julia’s longtime nemesis and the director of the film that made her famous—ends up dead in Julia’s swimming pool, she becomes the prime suspect. The plot thickens when more bodies pile up, all somehow connected to “The Codex,” the cult film that launched Julia’s career but is now considered cursed.
Waxman navigates between the glamorous and seedy sides of Los Angeles with the confidence of a native, taking readers from burlesque clubs to country clubs, from Hollywood mansions to Palm Springs retreats. The mystery builds with well-timed reveals that keep pages turning, and the final confrontation manages to be both surprising and inevitable—the hallmark of a well-constructed mystery.
Secondary Characters: A Colorful Support System
The novel’s supporting cast adds considerable charm:
- Will Maier: Julia’s legal assistant with an encyclopedic memory and endless factoids about California raptors
- Claudia: The no-nonsense housekeeper with a prison past and the ability to produce gourmet meals in any crisis
- Archie Jacobson: The handsome lawyer who triggers Mason’s romantic interest
- Lorre: Possibly the world’s ugliest dog, who becomes an unexpected plot point
Each character feels fully realized rather than merely functional to the plot, and their interactions create a found-family dynamic that grounds the novel emotionally.
Sobriety as Character Development
What sets One Death at a Time apart from many mysteries is its thoughtful integration of addiction and recovery. Both Julia and Mason are in various stages of sobriety, and their relationship to AA forms a backbone for their evolving partnership. The novel never treats addiction as merely a character quirk but instead explores how recovery shapes their worldviews and decision-making.
When Mason attempts to coax Julia to a meeting after a particularly stressful day, the exchange reveals the complexity of their relationship. These moments add emotional resonance to what might otherwise be a purely comedic relationship, showing how both women are working to rebuild their lives while solving crimes.
Los Angeles: A City Character
Waxman captures Los Angeles in all its contradictory glory—a city of dreams and nightmares, glamour and grit. From Julia’s modernist mansion perched precariously on a canyon to the kitschy neon of Galliano’s burlesque club, the settings feel authentically L.A. without resorting to cliché. The author depicts a city where people come to reinvent themselves but often find their pasts impossible to escape.
Style: Irreverent Wit with Heart
Waxman’s prose strikes a perfect balance between snappy one-liners and moments of genuine emotion. The writing is consistently entertaining without sacrificing depth:
“Mason—in common with many drunks and addicts—was pretty hard to surprise. If you black out a lot, you tend to swim to consciousness at random times, and literally anything could be happening. You could be on the bus. You could be in jail. You could be in Safeway with your hand on a fruit you barely recognize, about to make a purchasing choice you never would sober.”
While the humor is plentiful, Waxman doesn’t shy away from exploring more serious themes, particularly around gender and power in Hollywood. When the killer’s motivation is finally revealed, it speaks to the frustrations of women trying to succeed in a system designed for them to fail.
Areas for Improvement
Despite its many strengths, One Death at a Time occasionally struggles with pacing. The middle section in Palm Springs, while entertaining, feels slightly detached from the main mystery. Some readers might also find the number of supporting characters and subplots occasionally overwhelming—keeping track of who knew whom and how they connect to “The Codex” sometimes requires concentration.
Additionally, while the central mystery is satisfyingly resolved, a secondary plot thread involving Julia’s late husband’s murder feels somewhat underexplored, perhaps setting up a sequel but leaving some readers wanting more resolution in this volume.
Verdict: A Mystery That Doesn’t Take Itself Too Seriously
One Death at a Time delivers exactly what readers want from a modern mystery: compelling characters, a twisty plot, and prose that makes you laugh out loud while turning pages. Waxman has successfully transferred her gift for witty dialogue and relatable characters to a new genre, creating a mystery that feels fresh without reinventing the wheel.
Fans of Waxman’s previous works will recognize her trademark humor and heart, while mystery lovers will appreciate her ability to construct a satisfying whodunit with plenty of red herrings and a climax that genuinely surprises.
For Fans Of…
This book will appeal to readers who enjoy:
- Janet Evanovich’s Stephanie Plum series
- Gretchen McNeil’s “#MurderTrending” series
- Lisa Lutz’s Spellman Files
- Tana French’s Dublin Murder Squad (but with more humor)
- Carl Hiaasen’s Florida capers transplanted to Hollywood
Final Thoughts: A Strong Series Starter
One Death at a Time reads like the promising beginning of a series, with plenty of material left to explore in Julia and Mason’s world. The end of the novel hints at future cases, and the dynamic between the two protagonists has enough complexity to sustain multiple books.
With its perfect balance of sharp wit and genuine emotion, this mystery earns a solid 4 out of 5 stars. Waxman has created a memorable detective duo in Julia and Mason, and readers will eagerly await their next case. The book satisfies as both a compelling mystery and a touching exploration of an unlikely friendship—proving that sometimes the most effective investigators are the ones still figuring out their own lives one day at a time.
One Death at a Time demonstrates Waxman’s versatility as an author, successfully branching out from contemporary fiction while maintaining her distinctive voice. Whether you’re coming for the mystery, the humor, or the heart, this novel delivers on all fronts—a wickedly entertaining read that lingers in your mind long after the case is closed.
