Basically, this book is murder heists.
As I finally sit down to start typing this review, I still haven’t decided if I’m going to round up or down from my 4.5 star rating, so I guess we’ll see what I talk myself into by the end of these several paragraphs.
Rupert Holmes, of “Piña Colada Song” fame, has given mystery lovers a real treat. Especially if you like mysteries that play with genre and format, which this very much does. Something I didn’t know going in is that this is also historical fiction, taking place in the years just after the second world war, so it’s more like Agatha Christie levels of technology here, which does affect the type of mysteries you get. We follow three characters as they make their way to the McMasters Conservatory, a school whose sole goal is to teach its students how to commit their perfect murder on an appropriate target. (I enjoyed that it is explained to us that certain types of murders are not allowed, only the killing of targets whose absence from the world would make it better are approved.)
The three main characters have very different goals and different types of people they want to murder, as well as different motives, but it’s very understandable why they want what they want, even from the beginning. It’s perhaps a bit grim, but it also has a cheeky attitude that I really responded to, as well as playing around in a bit of a grey area, morally speaking.
But I had so much fun and I read it so fast.
I’m purposely leaving out almost all plot details because it’s way more fun to go into this one knowing almost nothing and just let the book happen to you. (I’m sure it would also be fun to try and figure out what’s going to happen, but I’m not that kind of reader.)
I’m not sure how this could possibly turn into a series of books, but I’d be down for it if the author wants to give them to us.
[4.5 stars, rounded down]
Chipping Away at Mt. TBR, Spooky Season Edition — Book 10/31