Meet Kellye

Kellye Garrett for Chicks Founding Member / Chick Emerita

Kellye Garrett’s first novel, Hollywood Homicide, was released by Midnight Ink in August 2017 and was named one of BookBub’s Top 100 Crime Novels of All Time.  In addition to receiving starred reviews from Publishers Weekly and Library Journal, it won the Agatha, Anthony, Lefty and Independent Publisher “IPPY” awards for best first novel. It was also nominated for the Macavity Award for Best First Mystery Novel and Barry award for Best Paperback Original. Hollywood Ending, her second book in the Detective by Day mystery series, was chosen a best mystery of 2018 by Suspense Magazine, Book Riot and CrimeReads, which called it the most fun book of the year. In addition to being featured on the TODAY show’s Best Summer Reads of 2019, it was nominated for an Anthony Award for Best Paperback Original and a Lefty Award for Best Humorous Novel. In addition to writing, she currently serves on the national Board of Directors of Sisters in Crime and was a co-founder of Crime Writers of Color.

Kellye previously spent 8 years working in Hollywood, including a stint writing for the CBS drama Cold Case. People were always surprised to learn what she did for a living—probably because she seemed way too happy to be brainstorming ways to murder people. A former magazine editor, Kellye holds a B.S. in magazine writing from Florida A&M and an MFA in screenwriting from USC’s famed film school. Having moved back to her native New Jersey, she spends her mornings commuting to Manhattan for her job at a leading media company—while still happily brainstorming ways to commit murder.  You can learn more at KellyeGarrett.com.

The Detective by Day Mysteries

Hollywood Homicide (Book 1)
Midnight Ink

Updated CoverActress Dayna Anderson takes on the deadliest role of her life: Homicide Detective

Dayna Anderson doesn’t set out to solve a murder. All the semi-famous, mega-broke black actress wants is to help her parents keep their house. After witnessing a deadly hit-and-run, she figures pursuing the fifteen-grand reward isn’t the craziest thing a Hollywood actress has done for some cash.

But what starts as simply trying to remember a speeding car soon blossoms into a full-on investigation. As Dayna digs deeper into the victim’s life, she wants more than just reward money. She’s determined to find the poor woman’s killer too. When she connects the accident to a notorious Hollywood crime spree, Dayna chases down leads at paparazzi hot spots, celeb homes and movie premieres. She loves every second—until someone tries to kill her.

And there are no second takes in real life.

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Hollywood Ending (Book 2)
Midnight Ink

Hollywood Ending Cover (Final)

Tinseltown’s awards season is in full swing, and everyone is obsessed with dressing up, scoring free swag, and getting invited to the biggest awards shows of the year. But when popular Silver Sphere Awards publicist Lyla Davis is killed during a botched ATM robbery, the celebratory mood comes to an abrupt halt.

Dayna Anderson—an actress turned apprentice private investigator—uncovers the killer almost immediately. Unfortunately, what starts as an open-and-shut case turns out to be anything but. Lyla’s murder was no robbery-gone-wrong. Someone hired the gunman to kill her. Diving back into the investigation, Dayna gets a backstage look at the worlds of gossip blogging, Hollywood royalty, and one of entertainment’s most respected awards shows—all while trying to avoid her own Hollywood ending.

“I’ve been looking forward to this since I finished Hollywood Homicide because I loved the characters so much. I am here for more of this cozy mystery/women’s fiction and look forward to seeing what Dayna Anderson and her friends get into. And it looks like this time around Dayna is a P.I.’s apprentice so I’m excited to see her evolution from amateur sleuth.” – Book Riot

Starred Review “[A] winning first novel and series launch . . . Garrett writes with humor and insight about the Hollywood scene. Readers will look forward to Day’s further adventures.” – Publishers Weekly (starred review)

“Veteran TV writer Garrett uses her Cold Case experience to inform her debut, which sets up more than one charming character and isn’t afraid to go cynical on all things LA.” – Kirkus Reviews

“Funny, lively characters populate this new Detective by Day series . . . this will be an entertaining entry into the amateur sleuth genre.” – RT Book Reviews

“Fun, smart, endearingly flawed and impressively determined, Dayna Anderson is a heroine readers will fall in love with immediately. I relished every unexpected twist and turn of this highly entertaining mystery!” – Kyra Davis, New York Times bestselling author

“Hollywood Homicide is a non-stop fun read with humor sharp as a stiletto heel. Heroine Dayna Anderson . . . is smart, self-deprecating and flat-out hilarious.” – Ellen Byron, Agatha-nominated and USA Today bestselling author of The Cajun Country Mysteries

“Hollywood Homicide has a heart as big as Los Angeles, a plot as twisty as the 110 Freeway and a heroine just as complex as the burger battle between In N Out and Fatburger. Kellye Garrett makes you laugh and then, hits you in the gut—like a great novelist should. Can’t wait for the next adventure with Garrett and Dayna Anderson!” – Rachel Howzell Hall, author of critically-acclaimed LAPD Detective Elouise Norton series

“There’s a spunky new sleuth in town: Dayna Anderson takes readers on a madcap ride through the underbelly of La La Land, laced with high fashion, Twitter feeds, celebrities—and murder!” – Lucy Burdette, author of the bestselling Key West Food Critic Mysteries

“Buckle up for a fun, fast-paced joyride through the streets of Los Angeles. Hollywood Homicide is packed with action and suspense, but it’s Garrett’s fresh voice and sharp dialogue that really sets this book apart. A delight from start to finish!” –Marla Cooper, author of the Destination Wedding Mystery series

“Funny, twist, compelling. Hollywood Homicide is the whole package . . .  Who knew the seedy underbelly of show business could be this much fun?” – Max Wirestone, author of the Dahlia Moss mysteries

“Hollywood Homicide takes readers for an insanely-paced, wisecracking spin through the glitzy streets and clubs of LA, driven by dead-broke-actress-turned-amateur-sleuth Dayna Anderson in the premiere of Kellye Garrett’s dazzling Detective by Day series.” – Lisa Q Mathews, author of The Ladies Smythe & Westin Mysteries

“Garrett’s hilarious new mystery . . . gets Hollywood so right it hurts. Great new series.” – Jerrilyn Farmer, author of the Madeline Bean mysteries

“Toss in a hit and run, a steep reward and more one-liners than a Marx Brothers marathon, and you’ve got Hollywood Homicide. Dayna, Emme and Sienna text, tipple and bicker their way through this twisty mystery and right into our hearts, via the funny bone.” – Catriona McPherson, Agatha Award-winner for The Reek of Red Herrings

“A terrific debut. Fresh, fun, and filled with twists and turns and kept me glued to the page. I’m eagerly awaiting the next Detective by Day mystery!” – Gigi Pandian, USA Today bestselling author.