👗 Book Review: Crime of Fashion by Emma Rosenblum (Kindle Edition, Busybodies Collection #3)
A glitzy locked-room whodunit set in the cutthroat world of high fashion—Emma Rosenblum delivers a quick, stylish mystery with sharp character work and a satirical edge.
🧠 Overview
Published on October 15, 2024 as part of Amazon Original Stories’ Busybodies Collection, Crime of Fashion is a 40-page novella that blends a classic mystery setup with the author’s insider knowledge of the magazine industry.
The story unfolds during a high-stakes ELLE magazine cover shoot, where a $3 million Bulgari diamond necklace vanishes without a trace. The suspects? A perfectly dressed rogues’ gallery:
- Charlotte Plepto – Newly minted editor-in-chief with everything to prove
- Pointer – A once-celebrated photographer clawing back from scandal
- Marlee Price – An aging pop star hoping for a comeback
- Farah Freeze – A grandiose fashion director with a chip on her shoulder
At the center is Nellie Otis, a lowly assistant with dreams of becoming a writer, who suddenly finds herself the prime suspect—and the only one motivated to solve the case before she takes the fall.
🔍 Key Themes & Highlights
- 💎 Locked-room mystery: The theft happens in a controlled, high-pressure environment.
- 🪞 Satire of fashion culture: Rosenblum skewers egos, rivalries, and the absurdities of the industry.
- 🕵️ Amateur sleuth: Nellie’s outsider perspective makes her both relatable and unexpectedly resourceful.
- ⚡ Fast pacing: The novella length keeps the tension tight and the banter sharp.
“Some lovely people will do very bad things to stay out of trouble…”
💬 Reader Reception
- ⭐ Goodreads rating: ~3.09/5 from over 2,400 ratings
- 📖 Fans praise the witty character sketches and glamorous setting.
- 🧾 Some reviewers feel the short format leaves less room to fully develop motives or deepen the mystery, but agree it’s a fun, quick diversion.
⚠️ Considerations
- 📄 Short format: Best enjoyed as a stylish snack rather than a full-course mystery.
- 📚 Part of a collection: Works as a standalone, but shares tone with other Busybodies stories.
- 🧠 Character-driven: The personalities and satire are as much the draw as the whodunit itself.
🏁 Final Verdict
Crime of Fashion is a sparkling, bite-sized mystery that pairs the intrigue of a locked-room theft with the drama of the fashion world. Perfect for readers who enjoy quick, witty mysteries with a satirical twist and a dash of couture glamour.
