ATLANTA, GA –“Here’s what you need to know about Kentucky girls – they’re all princesses.” Brimming with quick wit and juicy gossip, the latest novel from Brandi Bradley, “Pretty Girls Get Away With Murder,” reveals the hidden dark side of picture-perfect Southern charm.
When a young entrepreneur is killed, everyone in town points fingers at his New Age, neo-hippie, miracle-manifesting, smokeshow of an ex-girlfriend, Gabbi – including the victim’s best friend, Jenna. As detective Lindy D’Arnaud and her partner Boggs search for a motive, they begin to wonder if this is a case of jealous violence or shady business dealings gone sour.
In Lindy’s personal life, things aren’t much clearer. When Lindy’s wife’s ex-boyfriend–and sperm donor to their baby–decides to move back to town, she finds herself competing for her wife’s affection. Can they be postmodern in Western Kentucky where living as a queer person is tenuous enough already?
Told through the shifting perspectives of Lindy, Gabbi, and Jenna, “Pretty Girls Get Away With Murder” is a twisty page-turner for fans of Southern noir and NBC’s “Dateline.”
“Pretty Girls Get Away With Murder”
Brandi Bradley | March 14, 2025 | Rumor Mill Press | Mystery, Crime Fiction
Paperback | ISBN: 979-8-9872612-2-4 | $16.99
Brandi Bradley is an indie author and educator who lives in the great city of Atlanta, Georgia. She writes short stories and novels about crime, family drama, flea markets, cowboys, rowdy girls, and gossip. She has had short stories and essays published in Juked, Louisiana Literature, Carve, and Nashville Review. She teaches writing at Kennesaw State University. “Mothers of the Missing Mermaid” (2023) is her debut novel of secrets by the sea in Destin, Florida. Bradley’s second book, “Pretty Girls Get Away With Murder” will be released in March 2025. Learn more about her life and work at: www.brandibradley.com
Follow Brandi Bradley on social media:
Facebook: @brandibradleysboots | Twitter: @bebebradley | Instagram: @thebrandibradley | TikTok: @thebrandibradley
In an interview, Brandi Bradley can discuss:
- The rise of “Southern noir” and why she sets her mysteries in the Southern states
- How the three female protagonists each face preconceived notions and prejudice in very different ways
- How writing after work or in the margins of your life can be rewarding rather than stressful
- Her experience with indie publishing
- Her creative process and tips to help anyone flourish with creativity
- The importance of libraries and the value they bring to communities
An Interview with Brandi Bradley
1. What inspired “Pretty Girls Get Away With Murder”?
I often write stories that would make good gossip fodder. And for a while when I would research, I would be drawn to stories about dangerous women: femme fatales, crazy ex-girlfriends, ball busters, etc. This perception of danger because of how a woman looks is pervasive, and it’s not just pretty women, but also women who are considered strong, or in command, or smart. People love to talk about a dangerous woman.
2. Who do you want to reach with your books?
I want to reach people who are interested in a really juicy story. That’s what so many people – including me – love about a good episode of Dateline. It’s juicy. It’s about lies, scandals, heartbreak, betrayal, and people who are a little ridiculous for thinking they could get away with something. I want to tell those kinds of stories for people who secretly love drama, but don’t actually want drama in their life.
3. Who are your top 3 favorite authors and why?
Janet Finch – I keep a copy of Paint it Black on my desk when I write. It’s not a crime story, but it’s definitely a family drama that is dark and vicious, everyone stewing in the grief of losing someone unexpectedly.
Julia Heaberlin – We’re All the Same in the Dark is one of those books that made me think, Damn, I wish I had written that! I also loved Paper Ghosts. She writes these amazing crime novels rooted in community and place.
Megan Abbott – This is my noir queen. I love all her books, particularly how all the female characters in her books are physical beings in more ways than just sexual beings. They run, jump, leap, and fall. In her books, ballet is bloody, science is scandalous, and gymnastics is brutal.
4. What has been your experience with indie publishing? How do you manage your writing time?
As an indie author, I am in charge of all the decisions about what I publish: I pick the editors, the artwork, the release dates, the promotions, as well as attend writing conferences and meet up with other authors. I have to be mindful of what gets my time and attention. I’m a parent, so often I am writing around kid obligations like football practice, packing for camp, driving tests, and making birthday cakes.
5. Tell us about your creative process. What advice do you have for aspiring writers to help them harness their creativity?
Because I often have to carve out time to write, it feels more like I “get” to write more than I “have” to write. It’s like being a kid who can close their bedroom door and play. When I make the time to write, I put on a playlist that inspires me (I make one for every book I write) and I will either sketch out ideas onto a legal pad or I type up the scenes I sketched the day before.
My advice for aspiring writers is to give yourself permission. Give yourself permission to make that playlist that reminds you of what your characters would listen to. Give yourself permission to spend hours at the library or bookstore just looking around. Give yourself permission to turn your phone on Do Not Disturb for fifteen minutes to write down that poem that’s been rolling around your head all morning.
A former award-winning journalist with national exposure, Marissa now oversees the day-to-day operation of the Books Forward author branding and book marketing firm, along with our indie publishing support sister company Books Fluent.
Born and bred in Louisiana, currently living in New Orleans, she has lived and developed a strong base for our company and authors in Chicago and Nashville. Her journalism work has appeared in USA Today, National Geographic and other major publications. She is now interviewed by media on best practices for book marketing.
