Reviews with content warning for Murder - My Murder

My Murder is set in a world very similar to our own bar a few technological differences, including the ability to bring people back from the dead. Lou was a young mother when she became the 5th victim of a serial killer. She has been brought back from the dead and is now reintegrating back into her life, including attending support meetings with the killer’s other victims who have also been replicated. Lou can’t remember her attack and, wanting to learn more, arranges to visit the killer in prison. She is stunned when he denies having killed her but readily admits his role in the other murders. Other people tell her they’ve always suspected that he wasn’t her killer. Of course Lou can’t rest until she finds out exactly what happened to her.

If you are looking for world building and are keen to learn about the technology behind replication this is not the book for you. What it is is a whodunnit with a twist unlike anything I’ve seen in either genre (speculative fiction and mystery/thriller) before. I particularly liked its exploration of new motherhood, the struggles that entails and the toll it can take on a woman and her sense of identity. I also thought the book had some smart things to say about the privilege of wealth, corruption, society’s obsession with true crime and the pros and cons of social media, gaming and online communities. I was intrigued by Lou’s job - therapeutic holding - and what it says about the impact of technology and virtual reality on basic human needs. A quick and enjoyable read but not one that will have a lasting impact on me.

Content Warnings

aliciavalenski's review against another edition

Go to review page

dark funny mysterious tense fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? No
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

Content Warnings

katbrookhart's review against another edition

Go to review page

dark mysterious medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.0

Content Warnings

cc_shelflove's review against another edition

Go to review page

mysterious reflective fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

What if the murder you had to solve was your own? After falling victim to a local serial killer, Lou is cloned by a government commission. She attempts to return to her old life; you know, the one before she died. In the words of Harry Styles, you know it's not the same as it was... Is her daughter really her daughter if she didn't birth her herself? Is she still the same person to her loving, devoted husband? She is a clone, after all. This book combines so many different genres. If I were to rate this book solely based on how much I enjoyed the writing, plot, and overall "twist," I think I am sitting at a 3.5. Nothing much at all happened until about the halfway mark. However, I had to give the author a bit more credit for her originality. My thoughts summed up in one word: WEIRD! If you are expecting your typical murder mystery novel, you may not enjoy it. Open your mind!

Content Warnings

tigger89's review against another edition

Go to review page

dark mysterious fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.5

I don't typically read domestic thrillers, in part because I have a distaste for some of the tropes common in recent years. I picked this one up because of the sci-fi twist, but I wasn't sure how well I'd like it. I'm happy to say that I really enjoyed it! The front half of the novel is a medium-pace set up, introducing the characters, the world — it's futuristic, but in an everyday sort of way — and the crime; the second half is a page-turner, accelerating through the mystery as the stakes get higher.

What I loved the most is how the story examines victimhood in our society, questioning the fairness of people — especially women — being expected to conform to a narrow range of acceptable recovery behaviors. I also appreciated the parts dealing with true crime voyeurism, explored both traditionally through an amateur detective society and experimentally through a virtual reality game allowing you to step into the shoes of the victim.

All in all, I think this is very readable for both people who don't typically read domestic thrillers — though it might not hit the same way if you're not familiar with common tropes — and for people who don't read speculative fiction.

Content Warnings

scifi_rat's review against another edition

Go to review page

-the most obnoxious prose. ex: describing her baby's gums as a wet pink secret
-i spoiled myself and the ending is wack af
-characters are annoying
-the pace is really slow for something advertised as thriller

Content Warnings

More...