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 One of Your Number by L. J. Shepherd. Thank you to Pushkin Press for sending me ae ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Leonie is one of twelve jurors chosen to decide the fate of a nurse accused of murder. But just as deliberations begin, an usher bursts in with news that changes everything. Britain is under chemical attack, and the courthouse is locked down.
Ordered to stay put for their own safety, the jurors soon realise that the real danger lies inside the building. The accused has escaped his cell and is on the loose. He’s playing twisted games with the group. And Leonie is his next target.
Because he knows something about her. She isn’t on the jury by chance- and her reasons for being there are far more personal than anyone suspects. As trust fractures, how far will Leonie go to tip the scales of justice in her favour?
Publication Date: 9th April
CW: murder, death, violence, manipulation, blackmail, gore, injury, suicide
My Thoughts:
One of Your Number is a treacherous trickster of a book. The story shapeshifts and trips you along the way with great twists and use of a wonderful concept.
Leonie is a great and complex character to follow. Her intentions for being on this trial are complicated and there is a lot to unpack with her. Shepherd keeps you on your toes as you move between timelines to put together the pieces of this jigsaw. You are constantly questioning who can trust, mimicking the increasingly tense atmosphere amongst the jurors. The personality clashes that were already brewing threaten to boil over as they are locked down in an unprecedented chemical attack on Britain. I loved the way this was woven into the background of the action, rearing its head when needed but also allowing you to zoom in on this group of people. It’s a really powerful story about what truth and justice look like and that thin line between vengeance and justice. There is a lot to delve into around the manipulation of the narrative and Shepherd plays with this in clever and meta ways.
This is a book you’ll find it difficult to tear yourself away from once you start reading. It builds on a brilliant premise to deliver that thick tension you could scarcely cut with a knife. These people have been brought together by a case and now are faced with more than they could have ever imagined. You feel trapped in the pages as you race through, desperately needing to know the truth at the heart of it all. Shepherd leads you down various rabbit holes and splashes of blood that unsettle you every time you may think you have everything worked out. Right until the final page, you cannot fully trust what is unfolding in front of you. There are so many layers to this story and Shepherd ensures that there are plenty of devious twists and turns in store.
One of Your Number is a book that plunges you into that paranoia alongside the characters as this trial turns deadly in more than one way.
Next up, I’d like to talk about Fruit Fly by Josh Silver. Thank you to One World Publications for sending me an eARC in exchange for an honest review.
It’s been seven years since Mallory shot to fame as a literary sensation. But after years of struggling with writer’s block, she’s desperate to resurrect her career before it spirals into obscurity. She needs inspiration to strike – and fast.
Enter Leo – a young struggling addict sleeping under bridges and trading sex for survival. He’s vulnerable. He’s enigmatic. He’s exactly what Mallory has been looking for.
Mallory needs Leo if she wants another bestseller. Authenticity sells, and there’s nothing more authentic than real life. She’s the perfect person to tell Leo’s story. Gay, sad, dark – just what the world needs right now. But as secrets threaten to unravel more than just her career, Mallory must decide: just how far will she go to pen the perfect story?
Publication Date: 23rd April
CW: violence, addiction, homophobia, stalking, manipulation, blackmail
My Thoughts:
Fruit Fly is like lightning in a bottle. It has this electricity that threatens to spark an inferno if you’re not careful.
This is a brilliant and incisive look at the way queer tragedy can often be co-opted and exploited. It is such a clever way of exploring the way queer narratives are often centered around tragedy and commandeered by those outside of the community. The publishing industry is very much in the sightlines here but it extends to the general media landscape and society as a whole. It has this darkly humorous core but there is a bite to the satire. Silver delivers that delicate balance of humour and heart, though my resounding impression of this book was a deep-seated anger. You laugh with a bitterness to the sound because it rings so true. It is taken to extreme lengths but the conversations are recognisable and leave a icky feeling in your stomach.
Mallory and Leo are deeply messed-up people and it’s a thrill to be in their headspace even as it unnerves and terrifies you. Mallory is deeply afraid of being stuck in obscurity, feeling weighed down by the blazing success of her debut and unable to create something quite as good for her next book. Leo is caught up in a spiral of addiction and incredibly dangerous situations. The advice for Mallory to go sad, go dark and go gay turns into this intoxicating cat and mouse dynamic of manipulation, secrets and lies. This toxic relationship threatens to destroy everything in its wake. They are both pretty horrible people in different ways but Silver ensures to give them complexity and nuance. Their circumstances are not necessarily as they first seem and you will be on tenterhooks until the final page to see what will ultimately transpire.
Fruit Fly is a slick, sharp and sensational literary satire that deserves your attention and I am desperate to discuss with other readers.
Finally, I’d like to delve into How to Cheat Your Own Death by Kristen Perrin. Thank you to Quercus for sending me an eARC in exchange for an honest review.
When Annie Adams heads to London to visit her mother, Laura, the last thing she expects to find is a dead body. Least of all for it to be Fliss, the budding artist Laura had just taken under her wing.
Annie is no stranger to murder – after all, she’s solved a few cases already. And something about the way Fliss died feels familiar. She’s seen a case like this before. Or read about it, rather, in the journals of her dead Great Aunt Frances, whose close friend was killed in the 1960s in the exact same way: with her heart surgically removed from her chest.
As threats pile up on Laura’s doorstep, it soon becomes clear that she’s next, and that she’s hiding something . . . With her mother’s life on the line, can Annie find the killer before it’s too late?
Publication Date: 28th April
CW: murder, death, violence, gore, sexual harassment, manipulation, blackmail
My Thoughts:
How to Cheat Your Own Death continues a compelling cosy crime series that I am thoroughly enjoying. With every book, Perrin adds new and intriguing layers to the central story and yet you have even more questions that allow your mind to linger in this world.
I loved being back with Annie Adams and seeing just how much she’s grown since How to Solve Your Own Murder. She’s far more headstrong and willing to follow her own instincts, even as they may clash with those she loves. You can really see this in the way her relationship with her mum has evolved. Their conversations as the book progresses are excellent and speak to that character growth. Annie has had a complicated life even before the murders started to appear. Her bravery and determination to find the truth at all costs has always served her well, even though they may have huge personal ramifications.
I liked that this story took us out of Castle Knoll and into the streets of London. As usual, we move between the past and present with plenty to unpack in both timelines. It is so satisfying to see all of the pieces eventually come together and how the two timelines intersect. The series-long arcs in both are also pretty great with one development in the present bringing a glow to my heart (we need the full payoff in the next book though).
How to Cheat Your Own Death delivers a fascinating story peeking into the world of art and adds new layers to the characters you have come to love.
A Short Book Lover 