*I received a free copy of this book, with thanks to the author and Anne Cater of Random Things Blog Tours. The decision to review and my opinions are my own.*
Blurb: BE CAREFUL WHAT YOU WISH FOR
In a prestigious Edinburgh apartment building, gym receptionist Evie whiles away long hours doodling the deaths of residents who've annoyed her.
On her birthday of all days, a man slumps off the exercise bike — dead. She tries to get help, but someone has locked the doors and the phones are out of reach.
When another resident collapses inexplicably, Evie realises the deaths resemble those she drew … and her sketchbook is missing.
Was she framed...
... or is she next?
KILLER BODIES: Old-school 'impossible crimes' scattered over suspenseful, darkly humorous and visually surprising pages in this modern locked room thriller that will leave you wondering not just WHO killed all these people and WHY, but also HOW.
The last paragraph of the blurb was what made me want to read this locked room mystery thriller and I can confirm that it doesn't disappoint on a single word!
I was hooked in from the very first chapter - we start with a 'flash forward' to the aftermath of the crime, before going back to find out what happened. Main character and gym receptionist Evie was immediately engaging, with her painful history and very relatable reactions to events that occur - I thoroughly believed in her, no matter how unusual her circumstances became.
Evie's manga-style murder drawings scattered throughout the book also added to the quirky feel of the events and characters, and I loved seeing how they related to the plot that was unfolding.
The murders were outlandish and entertaining, and I really enjoyed that not only could I not guess who or why, but I was genuinely kept guessing as to how the residents were being killed. I kept thinking I had it all figured out, then the characters would reach the same conclusions as me, then be proved wrong, and I would be as baffled as before right along with them. Basically, the author was able to lead me around by the nose and I fell for it every time - it was so clever and great fun.
I know it's a cliche to say that you 'couldn't put a book down', but it was true in this case... I had to keep reading to find out what was going on and see if anyone would make it out of the 'locked room' alive. Always clever, often funny and occasionally touching, this mystery thriller had everything I would look for in the genre, along with a fresh, unique style and I will definitely be looking out for more from this author in the future.
'Miss Stirling, I appreciate you will be in shock after today's events. I'm quite happy to let you go home to recover. You can give your statement at the station tomorrow. But can I ask you one thing?'
'Uhuh.'
'Do you have any idea who killed all these people?'
'No,' Evie lied.
And if pressed, she would lie again.
- Heleen Kist, Killer Bodies
About the author
Heleen Kist is a Dutch, formerly globetrotting career woman who fell in love with a Scotsman and his country, and now writes about its (sometimes scary) people from her garden office in Glasgow. 'Killer Bodies' is her fourth novel, inspired by her hatred of exercise.
She was chosen as an up-and-coming new author at Bloody Scotland 2018. Her novels have been finalists in a variety of awards, both in the UK and USA, and she years to some day 'be the bride'.
Heleen hopes you enjoy her writing, and would love to hear from you on Twitter (@hkist), Facebook (@heleenkistauthor) or Goodreads. You can also sign up to her newsletter on www.heleenkist.com.
Don't forget to check out the other blog stops on the tour for more great reviews and content (see the poster below for details)!
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