I’m sharing another instalment of my Mini Review Mondays, the most recent of which was last week. In case you haven’t seen any of my previous posts, I do ‘mini’ reviews of books that I’ve previously read and am now ready to share my full thoughts about.
First up, I’d like to talk about The Kill List by Nadine Matheson. Thank you to HQ for sending me an eARC in exchange for an honest review.
Twenty-five years ago, DCI Harry Rhimes arrested Andrew Streeter for the brutal murders of five young people. Streeter’s ‘kill list’ of victims was found in his home, and he was convicted of all five crimes.
Now, Streeter’s convictions are being overturned, as new evidence implies the original investigation was corrupt. No one is more shocked that DI Henley. Because this case is personal; Rhimes was her old boss, and he’s no longer alive to defend himself. But when the killings start up again, Henley must face the truth: Rhimes got it wrong twenty-five years ago.
Henley and her team reopen the original murder cases, but they must put their personal feelings to one side. Because the real killer is still out there, and he’s working his way through a new kill list …
Publication Date: 9th May
TW: murder, death, rape, sexual assault, corruption, police brutality, torture
My Thoughts:
The Kill List is a riveting read – excellently plotted with some shocks in store. Anjelica Henley remains one of my favourite police detective protagonists at the moment.
I am a fan of Nadine Matheson’s work, particularly having enjoyed the previous instalments in Anjelica Henley’s story: The Jigsaw Man and The Binding Room. They are just so well executed in terms of characterisation, plot and atmosphere. The Kill List continues this trend, while also delving further back into the history of the Serial Crime Unit and threatening to expose corruption in a previous case. It is once more balancing the personal aspects of the case with the investigation, bringing in some politicial elements as well with the spotlight firmly on the Serial Crime Unit. As to be expected from Matheson’s writing, it is excellently plotted with plenty of gnarly surprises in store. Some of those twists caught me completely off guard.
Anjelica herself continues to develop throughout the series, with her connections to other characters evolving and changing. In particular, we see her struggle with the case due to her personal ties. It adds another level of distress, with psychological effects that torment her. Also wrapped up in this is her relationship with her mentor – DCI Harry Rhimes. She has to contend with potentially moving him from an idolised status to one of distrust and manipulation. I really enjoyed following this plot line and Matheson dangles just enough to keep you clued in, but always wanting more. It all builds to a fantastic finale, though there is a great set-up for the next book. Rest assured, I will be getting my hands on that!
The Kill List continued the superb streak of Anjelica Henley thrillers. As long as Matheson keeps writing them, I will continue reading them. This is another read that sent shivers down my spine and kept me glued to the pages until the early hours.
Next up, I’d like to talk about A Crane Among Wolves by June Hur. Thank you to Headline for sending me an eARC in exchange for an honest review.
1506, Joseon. The people suffer under the cruel reign of the tyrant King Yeonsan, powerless to stop him from commandeering their land for his recreational use, banning and burning books, and kidnapping and horrifically abusing women and girls as his personal playthings.
Seventeen-year-old Iseul has lived a sheltered, privileged life despite the kingdom’s turmoil. When her older sister, Suyeon, becomes the king’s latest prey, Iseul leaves the relative safety of her village, traveling through forbidden territory to reach the capital in hopes of stealing her sister back. But she soon discovers the king’s power is absolute, and to challenge his rule is to court certain death.
Prince Daehyun has lived his whole life in the terrifying shadow of his despicable half-brother, the king. Forced to watch King Yeonsan flaunt his predation through executions and rampant abuse of the common folk, Daehyun aches to find a way to dethrone his half-brother once and for all. When staging a coup, failure is fatal, and he’ll need help to pull it off-but there’s no way to know who he can trust.
When Iseul’s and Daehyun’s fates collide, their contempt for each other is transcended only by their mutual hate for the king. Armed with Iseul’s family connections and Daehyun’s royal access, they reluctantly join forces to launch the riskiest gamble the kingdom has ever seen:
Save her sister. Free the people. Destroy a tyrant.
Publication Date: 14th May
TW: rape, sexual assault, sexual abuse, misogyny, trafficking, kidnapping, incest, violence, murder, animal cruelty, suicide, infanticide, panic attacks, psychological trauma (taken from the start of the book)
My Thoughts:
A Crane Among Wolves was absolutely fantastic, as is now my expected standard for June Hur books. I sped through the pages, gripped by the feeling of the oncoming storm as death and despair reigned.
June Hur’s historical mysteries always hit such a sweet spot for me. Her books are underrated gems for me and I’m so glad she’s found a home for them in the UK now. They just have exquisite plotting and a political throughline that is fascinating and exposes the flaws of power. This fits perfectly with that categorisation with excellent characterisation, atmosphere and a seething thread of anger. This is inspired by a true story from Korean history and that makes it all the more devastating. The scenes of cruelty and violence are sickening, reducing human life to a casual sport and the claiming of women’s bodies as possessions. Violence is everywhere and you get caught up in some murky waters of morality as vengeance and justice come into question. Hur packs the pages with some devastating twists and turns. The writing is sharp and unafraid to delve into the bloody mess of it all. It is dark, ominous and all-consuming.
At its heart, we follow Isuel and Daehyun. Isuel is a fantastic protagonist: loyal, passionate, kind and caring. Driven by wanting to save her sister, she gets caught up in a political web of upheavel and unrest. Daehyun has been forced into complicity and blamed for acts of bloodshed he did not commit. They come together to solve the trail of broken bodies and maybe topple a tyrant. I really enjoyed Hur’s commentary about power structures and how they are unlikely to change without a drastic rebalancing of the odds. In particular, patriarchal power is on full display here with women as objects and commodity. The sexist attitudes diminish them and ignore their suffering in the pursuit of ever more power. It is clear the sexual assault here is all about control and an abuse of power.
A Crane Among Wolves is a dark and intense read, shedding light on a horrific period of history.
Finally, I’d like to delve into Girls by Kirsty Capes. Thank you to Orion for sending me an eARC in exchange for an honest review.
Everyone has heard of Girls. But what happened to the women they became?
At the time of her death, the press wrote many things about Ingrid Olssen:
She was a brilliant artist. She was a terrible mother to her girls, Mattie and Nora. And that her legacy would live on forever.
Even so, it’s unlikely the world will ever see another Ingrid Olssen exhibition – her last request to her daughters was to throw her ashes in the canyon and her paintings in the sea.
But as Mattie and Nora reluctantly embark on an all-or-nothing trip to fulfil her wishes, they start to unpick the painful scars of their past.
And soon they begin to realise that the ties that bound them, might also break them…
Publication Date: 16th May
TW: emotional abuse, abandonment, neglect, depression, suicidal ideation, self-harm, suicide, death, grief
My Thoughts:
Girls was my first read from Kirsty Capes but it certainly will not be my last.
This is an incredible, blistering read that really sits with the question of legacy and artistic value. It re-examines the tortured artist trope in such an interesting and thought provoking way, asking what price should art exact on the artist, the subject and the viewer. Each role comes into play within the narrative as we focus on two of the most famous subjects in the art world, Mattie and Nora, who were painted by their mother Ingrid Olssen. Art has informed each of their lives differently and the trauma of their childhoods has also fundamentally shaped them. This road trip allows them to confront aspects of the past, shown to us through narrative flashback chapters and excerpts from There is a lot to unpack here about voyuerism and the way the public has claimed their lives, wanting to understand the artist and fascinated with her exploits. Everything becomes public property and exploited for the views of the masses.
At the same time, Capes contrasts this with a devastating portrait of two sisters whose lives divulge forever and the cracks that form in their relationship. Caught up in a halestrom of fame and abuse, everything becomes an unstoppable whirlwind. Their choices have long reaching consequences that are beginning to be faced in the van. The grief from their mother’s death amplifies this as they try to unpick their own messy relationship with her, but also with her art and her use of them as subjects. It was such a poignant look at sisterhood, survival and the destructive capabilities of creativity. At points, it really hit home, especially the last few chapters. Make sure to bring tissues for reading.
With Girls, Kirsty Capes snuck into my life and broke my heart. This was devastating and raw in its emotional vulnerability.
A Short Book Lover 
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