If you've gobbled up both books in The Maid (Nita Prose) series, you'll love Susan Juby's Helen Thorpe.

Helen Thorpe herself is quite a delight. She's a former Buddhist monk trained as a butler and employed by an ultra wealthy couple. Add to that, a penchant for encountering odd murders and solving them.

In this book, she's loaned out to sort out the daughter of her employers' friend, a young wealthy influencer whose life has gone off the rails. Helen is supposed to help Cartier learn to balance her life and step back from toxic social media friends, but that quest is complicated by a series of murders.

Glam lifestyles, influencer culture and high fashion are held up in stark contrast to Helen's meditative nature, making this an entertaining read.

I haven't read book #1, Mindful of Murder, but had no problem beginning with this novel, which is book #2 in the series, but can be read as a stand-alone. As with all of Juby's novels, this one reads a confection but there are life lessons that will stick with you long after the murder is solved.6 s Amy537

Buddhist butler Helen has a temporary assignment as a life coach to a wannabe influencer. This is the second book in the series - I haven’t read the first but it didn’t impact my enjoyment. A fun to read story with engaging characters. Kindness is a key value at the heart of this novel and it was uplifting. I would have d more focus on the mystery.3 s Yasaman405 15

3.5 stars, rounded up to 4. Having a Buddhist butler as a POV character is honestly about 75% of the charm of this mystery series. Helen doesn't set out to solve these murders, and in fact, doesn't do any investigating, per se. She just observes and listens, and the mystery kind of gets solved around her. Her POV is very refreshing, and as kind and calm as she is, there's still a lot of humor here.

The pacing here got weird in the last quarter of the book; everything came together pretty abruptly, in a way that didn't feel entirely earned. Still a really enjoyable read though, and the mystery takes solid aim at influencer culture without going totally episode of L&O about it, if you know what I mean.2 s Rebecca Bridson47 4

Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC of Susan Juby's 'A Meditation on Murder' in exchange for an honest review.

No plot spoilers!

Butler Helen Thorpe is back and finds herself in unfamiliar territory as she is thrown into the world of online influencers and internet bullying. The calm and clearheaded butler is appointed to help Cartier Hightower, a rich social media influencer whose life is far from straight forward, find some grounding and purpose in life. Cartier is a member of an influencer group called the Deep State, a group who have recently lost a member in a tragic accident which Cartier live-streamed on her channel. Facing mounting abuse and struggling to cope with the negative attention for their so-called fans, Cartier needs a lot of help. Teaming up with the ever loyal Nigel (from Mindful of Murder) Helen must find a way to help Cartier find purpose beyond her social media presence while contending with the antics of the Deep State, the fallout from a second murder, and a sinister plot to pin everything on Cartier.

I d:
- The development of Helen and Nigel's characters and the personality and realness of the supporting characters (mainly Lou Ellen and Wallace)
- The writing style which allows me to vividly picture the scenery and environments in which the characters are interacting (helped by the fact I also live in B.C.).
- I love that this book is set in B.C. Not enough books are set in western Canada or in Canada for that matter.

Contains spoilers for here to the end!!

My thoughts:
I think the ending was a bit rushed after all the build up. This is a problem with a lot of murder mysteries where your are nearing the end and have to wrap everything up in a few pages. After Helen escapes (at the 97% completed mark on my kindle) everything happens so fast. The murderer is caught within 4 pages with no problem. Cartier's dad arrives within those four pages on a helicopter with a bunch of men who don't really serve any purpose and there is some dialogue that seems unnecessary about the helicopter. Cartier is given a puppy, her Dad immediately leaves in the helicopter with her other dog that needs medical treatment. Then you have the wind down where Helen explains to the others why the murderer did what they did. As Nigel says "What was the point of doing all those things?" And that is the question I am left with. None of it really seemed necessary because the motive wasn't built up enough. The introduction of Sweet Connections happened too late in the book and felt too much a plot device.

To end on a positive note. I love the character of Helen Thorpe and it is refreshing to read a murder mystery with such an unly 'detective' character. She is, to use the word again, refreshingly kind and I find it very enjoyable to follow Helen through the story as she navigates an environment she is not familiar with such grace and professionalism. Helen makes everyone around her feel calm and happy, including her readers. I very much hope Susan Juby has more adventures in mind for Helen. If you haven't yet I strongly recommend reading 'Mindful of Murder' as your introduction to Helen. It is one of the best debut novels I have had the pleasure of reading.2 s Robin LeflerAuthor 4 books82

I'm such a huge fan of Susan Juby and this series is *chef's kiss*. Helen is a complex character and I found it so interesting to see some of my own concerns and emotions reflected in the way other characters saw/thought about her.
Cartier, an influencer more popular for being unpopular, really grew on me and I ended up very invested in her (and those little dogs!).
A Meditation on Murder is a fun, twisty journey. I can't wait for the next one!2 s Sarah80

I found the premise of internet influencers with secrets and tragedies and trolls very intriguing as it is something I don't know a lot about. While I know negative comments can be devastating, it's interesting to see how influencers might handle it. And, how about when they get "unplugged"?
I digress.
While this is a second Helen Thorpe mystery, I did not read the first. It was alluded to several times in this book but I don't think lack of knowledge of book 1 affected my enjoyment of this one.
Cartier Hightower belongs to an influencer collective called "Deep State" in which members post items individually with their own "gimic" but they also collaborate for group projects. Cartier's PA dies in kiteboarding accident which Cartier films in its entirety. The public are outraged that she didn't stop filming. She claims she was in shock. Later, a member of the collective falls to her death. Cartier is having difficulty coping and the Levine's lend their butler, Helen, to Cartier. Helen's job is to help her become more aware of many things so she can one day take over her father's business. Helen is "offline" and doesn't really understand the influencer way of life. Most of this story was interesting and I read it rather quickly.
I found the reference to cowboys oddly placed. There is a warning about bears but no bears show up. A lot happens in a short period of time at the end as though the author ran out of time.
I still give it 4 stars as it was well written for the most part. I was able to envision the scenes. I love how Helen is able to breathe, remain calm and works to stay in the moment. Good advice!

I just reviewed A Meditation on Murder by Susan Juby. #AMeditationonMurder #NetGalley
I received an advanced copy (ARC) for free and give this review voluntarilynetgalley-arc1 Linda Rowe22

I did not read the first book by Susan Juby where Butler Helen Thorpe is introduced.
While I d her quirky character and her assistant Nigel, I could not garner any interest in the characters that she was trying to help out in this novel. I also found the story to evolve slowly and the ending to come to a conclusion quite quickly with a silliness to it that was a little over the top.
I will go back, however, and read the debut of Helen's character and will look forward to reading any new instalments.

Thank you to NetGalley and Harper Collins through the Killer Crime Club for the ARC of Susan Juby's 'A Meditation on Murder' in exchange for an honest review.1 Rebecca Bridson47 4

Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC of Susan Juby's 'A Meditation on Murder' in exchange for an honest review.

No plot spoilers!

Butler Helen Thorpe is back and finds herself in unfamiliar territory as she is thrown into the world of online influencers and internet bullying. The calm and clearheaded butler is appointed to help Cartier Hightower, a rich social media influencer whose life is far from straight forward, find some grounding and purpose in life. Cartier is a member of an influencer group called the Deep State, a group who have recently lost a member in a tragic accident which Cartier live-streamed on her channel. Facing mounting abuse and struggling to cope with the negative attention for their so-called fans, Cartier needs a lot of help. Teaming up with the ever loyal Nigel (from Mindful of Murder) Helen must find a way to help Cartier find purpose beyond her social media presence while contending with the antics of the Deep State, the fallout from a second murder, and a sinister plot to pin everything on Cartier.

I d:
- The development of Helen and Nigel's characters and the personality and realness of the supporting characters (mainly Lou Ellen and Wallace)
- The writing style which allows me to vividly picture the scenery and environments in which the characters are interacting (helped by the fact I also live in B.C.).
- I love that this book is set in B.C. Not enough books are set in western Canada or in Canada for that matter.

Contains spoilers for here to the end!!

My thoughts:
I think the ending was a bit rushed after all the build up. This is a problem with a lot of murder mysteries where your are nearing the end and have to wrap everything up in a few pages. After Helen escapes (at the 97% completed mark on my kindle) everything happens so fast. The murderer is caught within 4 pages with no problem. Cartier's dad arrives within those four pages on a helicopter with a bunch of men who don't really serve any purpose and there is some dialogue that seems unnecessary about the helicopter. Cartier is given a puppy, her Dad immediately leaves in the helicopter with her other dog that needs medical treatment. Then you have the wind down where Helen explains to the others why the murderer did what they did. As Nigel says "What was the point of doing all those things?" And that is the question I am left with. None of it really seemed necessary because the motive wasn't built up enough. The introduction of Sweet Connections happened too late in the book and felt too much a plot device.

To end on a positive note. I love the character of Helen Thorpe and it is refreshing to read a murder mystery with such an unly 'detective' character. She is, to use the word again, refreshingly kind and I find it very enjoyable to follow Helen through the story as she navigates an environment she is not familiar with such grace and professionalism. Helen makes everyone around her feel calm and happy, including her readers. I very much hope Susan Juby has more adventures in mind for Helen. If you haven't yet I strongly recommend reading 'Mindful of Murder' as your introduction to Helen. It is one of the best debut novels I have had the pleasure of reading. AnnAuthor 3 books23

Absolutely entertaining!

Helen Thorpe, former Buddhist nun, current butler is back in action! It is a few years since she solved her last murder and she has secured a wonderful position working for a couple she admires. But, then her employers feel bad for their friend's daughter and lend her Helen's services for a month.

The butler guidebook had not prepared Helen for this eventuality. While she suffers a moment of panic, she quickly grounds herself and plans to be of service. Cartier Hightower, Helen's new charge, is one of a group of social media content creators known as the Deep State. Two members of this group have recently died in mysterious circumstances.

Helen finds herself in a whirlwind of activities filmed for social media. How is she to help Cartier who rarely looks up from her phone?

There is little time to meditate here, but there is non-stop action and tongue-in-cheek humour to propel the story to its startling conclusion. Vontel2,302 10

Highly recommend this book. I'm looking forward to a third volume in this series, if Juby is contemplating a longer series. I've read & enjoyed Juby's "Woefield Farm/Poultry Collective" books in the past. It's not necessary to read the first book in this series ("Mindful of Murder") featuring Helen Thorpe, a former Buddhist nun and now certified butler, who features in "Meditation on Murder". However, it would be helpful, since it's the backstory to this new book, and snippets come up in this book. There are a number of significant events & plot details in the first book (Mindful of Murder), which aren't brought forward in the 2nd book, and it's useful to have that information. When I read the first book I had already read the second book, so knew some of the characters and general themes, but not the history & detail in the first book. I wasn't aware of a first book in the series until I finished this current 2nd book, and read it after. Deborah Duncan155

I am so glad that Susan Juby has a three book contract for this series. Book 2 finds our Buddhist butler Helen loaned to the daughter of a business associate of her new employers. Cartier Hightower is a little rich girl mess and has fallen in with suspicious influencers. Her wealthy father reacts to everything with unhelpful rage and Helen feels out of her depth with these self-absorbed poseurs. Juby has a lot to say about the vacuous influencer life in general as Helen tries, mindfully, to tempt Cartier into a more meaningful life. I was glad to see that Helen asks for the help of young Nigel from Book 1 to dog sit Cartier's untrained Pomeranians. Things get serious quickly, two fellow influencers in the group die suspiciously and Helen takes Cartier to a healthy ranch in the BC interior. This book has a lot of the humour of the first book with a side helping of dark internet. Helen is a wonderful creation and I look forward to Book 3. mystery1 Vicki75 5

A butler/nun is lent to a friend of her employer's.

The butler is to help ground and develop life skills for the daughter where the mother died and the father is verbally abusing to their staff while they both grieve.

Both are rich families where money is not a problem. The daughter is working as an influencer with her friends doing wild stunts. However, one of the friends dies in a freak accident, which adds more grief, and the daughter is blamed online by trolls.

The butler/ nun is not online much, so she learns about how the young group is living online. The story is more about what kind of things influencers do to gain more popularity online, the impacts, the downsides, the violence, and how quick things change.

Dogs, an online-detox farm, and murders are all included in the many twists in this story. Marjorie402 1 follower

This is a fast moving story that kept me completely engaged. "Who done it?" It seems everyone was a suspect except Helen! Helen is the butler who was asked by her employers to help a young woman get centred, learn social skills, spend less time on the net, etc. The young woman had become mixed up with a group of influencer's. However someone is murdering the members of the group and it could be anyone in the group. The story takes you to waterfalls, nigh clubs, tropical islands, high end stores on shopping sprees and finally to a ranch in the Caribou. The character's in this story are well drawn, they come alive on the page. There is the mystery to be solved but while that is happening you learn if you didn't already know how these trolls on the internet draw young people in and how hard it is, if not impossible for them to escape these predators. Lorraine1,125 23

A much lighter version of Robert Galbraith's novel, The Ink Black Heart, in which both books deal with social media influencers and the vitriol that follows. This book is mercifully shorter than the other (a tome!) and less sadistic, though both have dark elements. The characters here are easier to , though the guilty party is pretty easy to pick out in this story.
The spoiled girl is a lot more normal than the spoiled kids I've met, so not too realistic there (she gives in way easier than most) but no matter. There's something lovely about the writing that pulls one in, even if it's light and reasonably fluffy. Candy for the brain.2024 american meditation ...more Michael KerrAuthor 1 book9

3.5 stars. Buddhist butler, Helen Thorpe, gets loaned out by her employer to self-focused 'influencer,' Cartier Hightower, whose entire life is mediated through social apps. It's an almost sitcom setup as the clash of worldviews plays out. Of course there are some unexplained deaths, and the 'friends' of Cartier are shallower than a puddle, but all that is kind of beside the point. Spending time with the ever-calm Helen makes the book a bit of a cozy delight. This is the second title in the series (the first is Mindful of Murder,) but this one can easily be read as a standalone. Its British Columbia setting with lots of recognizable places and attitudes, adds to the fun.fiction mystery-thriller spiritual Marie Barr365 16

I admit, I have not read the first book with this character. I did enjoy this second instalment and did not feel I missed anything not having read the first book, though I may have d it more. Quirky mystery, this was more of a slow burn, which doesn’t hold my attention as well as a faster paced mystery. Did the conclusion, overall 3 stars. Thanks to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for the arc in exchange for my honest review. Will have to read Butler Helen Thorpe in the first book. Kristine Walker248 Read

Helen is back! This time she’s not on a Gulf Island, but in Vancouver. She’s sent by her employer to look after a troubled, spoiled and extremely rich young woman named Cartier. Cartier is an influencer who ‘works’ with some odd characters, two of whom recently died under strange circumstances. Is Cartier involved? How about the weird, cell phone addicted influencers she surrounds herself with? Soon Helen takes Cartier to a ranch to unplug. Things turns strange there as Cartier is forced to adjust to life without the internet. Margaret224 1 follower

This is a sequel to “Mindful of Murder“, a cozy mystery series that features a woman, Helen, who had previously been a Buddhist nun and is now a butler to wealthy families. Is this book, she has been 'loaned' to a wealthy man to help get his social media obsessed daughter back on track. When several of the young woman's influencer friends die under mysterious circumstances, Helen steps into the fray. The story gives a glimpse into the lives of the super rich and deals with the interesting world of social media and it's effects on the young. It is a easy and fun read. 3.5/5 Anjali1,757 14

I d the first Helen Thorpe book much more than this one. In this second installment, Helen's employers "loan" her out to an acquaintance to help with his social-media obsessed daughter, Cartier. Helen is not as enjoyable in this setting, and the influencer group Cartier is part of is vapid, shallow, and mean. I probably should have looked closer at the synopsis before picking this up, as I don't tend to enjoy any books that focus on the world of influencers and social media. 1 Dennis479

A moderately interesting novel revolving around the lives of hugely successful internet influencers. All is as chaotic as you'd expect, but then some of them start dying - seemingly by accident whilst being filmed doing daring stunts.

Frustratingly, there are several grammatical errors sprinkled throughout the book which are distracting - in particular as the acknowledgements by the author mention: early readers, proof readers, and editors. Disappointing. Donna Bishop3

I absolutely loved ‘ Meditation on Murder,’ and heartily request “more please?” This is book two in what I’m hoping is a series (and maybe even a Netflix series!
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