“Unicorns Can Be Deadly” by Charlotte Stuart

Unicorns Can Be Deadly

Charlotte Stuart
Amphorae Publishing Group (2025)
ISBN: 978-1940442518
Reviewed by Demetria Head for Reader Views (01/2026)

Charlotte Stuart’s Unicorns Can Be Deadly is book five in the Discount Detective Mystery series. As the story begins, there is already urgency and tension at a shopping mall where Private Investigator Cameron Chandler notices a teen boy running and obviously in panic mode. Impulsively, she pulls him inside a women’s restroom and hides him in a stall away from the men pursuing him. Her split-second decision has no exit plan, but it definitely sets the tone for the events that follow.

This story really pulled me in from the time Cole, the teen boy that Cameron rescued, went into survival mode, insisting he wasn’t a client. My chest just tightened at the words because it felt like this kid was used to everything coming with a price tag, so he doesn’t believe he qualifies. But when P.W. approved the case, it was a relief to see adults acting like adults and seeing the child first. There were heavier moments, too, like when Stella realizes what’s at stake here and that we’re dealing with a kid who witnessed something that he now must pay the piper for. I love that Stuart wasn’t trying to make her a hero but just allowing her to be honest about the situation.

The scenes at the encampment were touching, and it made me feel like the story was asking me to take a long look at the people whom the world usually chooses to ignore. You can imagine the stark contrast between the homes up the hill and the camp just below. This really stayed with me.

In my opinion, the strongest element of the story is how the case intersects with Cameron’s personal life. She provides a temporary home for Cole with her family, which allows readers to imagine the domestic scenes and feel the pacing slow down for a minute. Readers get to experience these moments with the characters: cooking fudge, borrowing clothes, and feeling safe. But we also get to discover Cole’s scars from foster care abuse, and this deepens the emotional stakes.

The main characters are relatable and interesting. Cameron is observant and shows her strength through judgment as opposed to bravado. She listens attentively and pays attention to details, and she also accepts that everything doesn’t come with an easy solution. This realism will resonate with readers. Then there is Cole, who is clearly traumatized and comes from learned conditioning, such as not trusting adults and his fear of the police. Yuri seems like the balance to Cole. He’s empathetic but naïve and impulsive at times. But his humanity is highlighted this way when he loses $20 because of a misstep. P.W. projects authority but also distance. That’s why it was surprising that she approved Cameron taking on Cole’s case. Stella, Cameron’s mom, represents the uncomfortable middle ground. She’s concerned about things like safety and hygiene, and this will be recognized by a lot of readers.

The investigation really begins to unfold once danger crosses over into Cameron’s personal space. Also, the way Cameron and her partner Yuri operate is ethical, but there is constant friction once law enforcement, like Connolly, enters the picture. I felt uneasy, especially with how the quiet tension during Connolly’s interrogation-style conversation took place. But the chapter that slowed me down was when I got to read how Bess’s sister, Elinor, described her.

With Bess missing from the homeless camp and Cole as the witness to her kidnapping, everything felt emotional and painful. But my jaw really dropped when Elinor made another revelation about herself and Bess, and I think readers are going to be just as shocked as I was.

But more than that, by the time the detectives realize that more people are being “taken” from the camps and never returning, it just expands the mystery even further and beyond just a single person. It also turns the investigation into an obligation.

Unicorns Can Be Deadly is a thoughtful mystery with a compelling premise. It stands out because it won’t allow its victims to disappear unnoticed. It’s a socially conscious mystery that also blends investigative methods with commentary on mental health, homelessness, and a decrepit social system. Fans who enjoy mystery series similar to Still Life by Louise Penny will be equally satisfied with what Stuart has done in Unicorns Can Be Deadly.