I’m sharing my first Mini Review Monday of April and previously my 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 A Degree of Murder by Maz Evans. Thank you to Headline for sending me a digital copy in exchange for an honest review.
When murder strikes at Bathory College’s 25-year reunion, the clues to the killing can be found a quarter of a century ago on Graduation Day 2000. As the secrets, tragedies and betrayals from twenty-five years before played out at the reunion, someone from the Class of 2000 was taught a deadly lesson.
Twelve witnesses – or are they suspects? – from the Bathory students and staff recount events in the years 2000 and 2025 while the murder trial unfolds before us. But who is the victim? Who is accused of being the killer? And is the right person even on trial? The truth will be uncovered… but only by degrees.
Publication Date: 9th April
CW: murder, death, violence, sexism, gaslighting, injury, blackmail, addiction, car accident
My Thoughts:
A Degree of Murder is a twisted, tantilising and terribly entertaining read.
Maz Evans’ work always lands for me. She has a wonderfully wicked sense of dark humour that is infused into her adult work and it just sticks with you. Here it is transposed into the world of university reunions as lives come back together, secrets are revealed and lies come into play. We get to flip between then and now as Evans carefully constructs these intersecting timelines with the events of 25 years ago, the reunion and the trial. It is so well-balanced and intricately plotted. The story in each is compelling, leaving you with plenty of questions and a myriad of surprises to uncover. It is a twisty story that will trip you up. Some of the reveals are staggering and you want to immediately re-read to catch everything you missed the first time around.
And yet, even as difficult and hard-hitting some aspects are, there is a sense of a wry smirk throughout. Evans just captures the essence of these types, which you can recognise from your own life, and skewers them brilliantly. There is a rich sense of humour throughout but also a nuance afforded to these people. Their lives were irrevocably changed by being part of the same cohort and the fallout that ensues is catastrophic. I liked how lunlikeable and spikey these characters were at times. You definitely loved to hate them at times but Evans ensured that they retained a glimmer of humanity and something that made you understand why they did what they chose to do, even as you may not agree with their decisions. Every choice has consequences and it is great fun to see those reveberate through the timelines. It is immensely satisfying when all the puzzle pieces slot together and you get that oh that’s why X happened earlier feel. You can trust that Evans will deliver a solid story and let yourself be pulled on the ride.
A Degree of Murder is a compact and compelling story that bursts the bubble of this cohort and revels in their deceptions, lies and secrets finally being brought to light.
Next up, I’d like to talk about I Think We Should Kill Other People by L. M. Chilton. Thank you to Aries for sending me an eARC in exchange for an honest review.
Hazel and Marc were paired together on revolutionary new reality TV show Love Synced, in which AI matches hopeful lovers based on its perceptive algorithms.
But when it came time to say I Do on camera, Hazel couldn’t go through with it, leaving her perfect match at the altar, his family furious and the whole TV production in jeopardy.
Now all she wants to do is fly home. Instead, she’s trapped in an isolated airport that’s been ground to a halt by a snow storm… with her ex and his obnoxiously rich family. But when they start turning up dead, a jilted lover is the least of Hazel’s worries – there’s a serial killer to catch first.
The AI algorithm failed to find Hazel her soulmate… But could it help find the murderer instead?
Publication Date: 9th April
CW: murder, death, violence, gore, sexism, cheating, infidelity, sexual assault, rape
My Thoughts:
I Think We Should Kill Other People is an unputdownable read.
Speaking of darkly humourous and twisted stories, L. M. Chilton has quickly become a must-read author for me. Like Evans, they occupy this distinctive space within a crowded genre and continually deliver compelling and comedic stories that are an exhilarating thrill to read. This latest outing has an irresistible hook, think Married at First Sight meets The Bachelor but with murder. There’s a dash of the pitch black comedy of Everyone in My Family Has Killed Someone but married with this peek behind the curtain of reality TV. We’re aware of the nightmarish stories that have come from these scripted reality shows, particularly those centring around dating. There are well-explored issues around bigotry in many forms within these shows, both on and off camera. Chilton tackles this square on here with a story that strips away the glitz and glamour and exposes the achingly vulnerable heart at its core. It is a layered story with unexpected twists and turns along the way.
I enjoyed the way it is both a romance and a murder mystery at the same time. Chilton takes the time to develop these characters and make you care about their relationship through these different timelines. In the present day, it is a classic locked-room (well locked-airport) mystery as they are caught up in this extreme weather. It is a nightmare come to life before the bodies start to pile up.
There is that tension captured right from the start, which only just ramps up as the book continues to unfold. We all have family members that may not be our particular choice of company and Hazel is stuck with what would have been her in-laws and her ex. Then you start to add in the gory and yet creative deaths and everything hits the proverbial. Chilton is not messing around, this is a book with bloody hands and it is a wild ride. The mystery is well-crafted and addictive, making those pages fly by as you speed through to discover the truth.
I Think We Should Kill Other People is a book that makes the most of its wonderful concept with a tight and twisty story.
Finally, I’d like to delve into The Secret Lives of Murderers’ Wives by Elizabeth Arnott. Thank you to Penguin for gifting ARCs at Harrogate Crime Festival.
It’s a baking hot summer in 1960s California and three women have formed an unlikely friendship. From the outside, Beverley, Elsie and Margot lead idyllic lives, but behind the false smiles and glittering pools lies the truth: their husbands are some of the country’s most notorious convicted killers.
Amidst neighbourhood gossip and pointed fingers, the women are fighting to forge new paths for themselves. Wide-eyed Beverley is raising two young children under the long shadow of their father’s crimes. Bookish Elsie is determined to make a name for herself in the patriarchal newsroom, while Hollywood party-girl Margot has a penchant for an early morning margarita – anything to quieten the shame of her ex-husband’s deceit.
But when a string of local killings hits the news, the women – underestimated and overlooked – are hurled into an investigation of their own. After all, who better to catch a killer than those who have shared their lives with one?
Publication Date: 9th April
CW: death, murder, violence, gore, blood, domestic abuse, sexism, misogyny, abusive relationships, stalking, child abuse
My Thoughts:
The Secret Lives of Murderers’ Wives takes a tantilising hook and spins it into an intense and enthralling read with plenty of heart.
This is the type of book that gets under your skin and will not leave your mind. It asks what happens to the women caught up in the storm of a vicious serial killer and interrogates the way we consider these women as victims, both in the court of public opinion and the justice system itself. Arnott has a lot to say about the way the media distort and influence how someone is viewed and the historical settings makes the modern day parallels land with that much more impact. You can easily draw lines between these three women and plenty of examples across history and today. These topics are nuanced and I liked how Arnott showed their evolving dynamics. There are tough topics explored here and Arnott is careful not to romanticse this, with depth and respect given to the victims and their families. It is a searing portrayal of domestic abuse, control and the way patriarchy still squashes women into recognisable boxes. Anyone that steps outside of those prescribed roles is seen as a threat to be demolished, which comes into play in various ways throughout the book.
Though this is a story of victimhood, guilt, grief and a desperation to change things we cannot control, Arnott is careful to give these women additional layers to their characters. While the actions of their husbands will define them forever in some ways, they are not solely defined by them. Their storylines are rich and layered with thought-provoking shifts and twists along the way. Beverley, Elsie and Margot are all fantastic protagonists and I enjoyed hearing from each of them. They’re all so distinctive with their own takes on their stories and those around them. These voices will stay with me for a long time. Arnott brings them together in a believable and bloody pursuit that is well-paced and packed with surprises along the way.
The Secret Lives of Murderers’ Wives is a book that will stay with you long after the final page. Arnott builds on a phenomenal premise to deliver a knockout debut.
A Short Book Lover 