serendipitysbooks's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
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.
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
Graphic: Violence, Mental illness, and Murder
Moderate: Abandonment
cc_shelflove's review against another edition
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
Graphic: Blood, Mental illness, Murder, and Abandonment
lindsayerin's review against another edition
dark
funny
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Abandonment, Death, Murder, and Violence
Minor: Pregnancy
ninajean's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
2.0
I thought the premise of the story was really interesting. The story follows Lou as she is dealing with being murdered by a local serial killer and is brought back to life through a government project. I think I would’ve liked the book better if it was promoted differently since it’s not actually a mystery/thriller. The main topics were exploration of identity, the challenges and relationship dynamics of motherhood, and slight discussion of fascination with serial killers. I struggled staying engaged with the writing and execution of the plot. I also didn’t like the ending and was a bit confused by it.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence, Death, and Murder
Moderate: Mental illness, Abandonment, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Rape and Pregnancy
cshcolson's review
emotional
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Abandonment
jennabeck13's review against another edition
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? N/A
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
MY 100TH BOOK OF THE YEAR 🥳
My Murder by Katie Williams
⭐️⭐️⭐️ (3/5)
Genre: Mystery
About 290 pages
Lou was murdered and now she’s alive again. How? She was chosen to be cloned and brought back. Now Lou spends her days trying to understand her murder. Some things just don’t add up and Lou can’t help but wonder who and what she can really trust. As it turns out, her suspicions are right and not everything is as it seems….
Conceptually, this was a fun premise and I did like it… Williams’ writing style made it easy to fly through this book. However, it just didn’t hit the way I thought it would? At times, I was a bit confused about what was going on, and the ending didn’t feel properly fleshed out. The sci-fi element definitely added to my confusion and mixed feelings on this one.
Favorite Quote: “Maybe it’s best for us just to say, I had my reasons. Even if I don’t know what they are, they must exist, because I did what I did.”
Content Warnings
Moderate: Murder, Death, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Abandonment
amandaviljanen's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Murder
Moderate: Mental illness and Abandonment
sarahholliday's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
It's not many books that manage to truly surprise me—but I didn't see the plot twist coming in this one! Even better, it didn't feel like a trick when it happened. It felt like I could finally see all the pieces of the story falling into place.
Williams does an excellent job with pacing, carefully balancing the domestic suspense plot lines with deft sci-fi world-building. Nothing about the book feels heavy handed, and yet you're fully aware that you're reading a story about the commodification of violence against women; the pervasiveness of technology in our lives; and the nature of identity.
This will likely turn out to be one of my favorites of the year, and now I've got a new author whose backlist I can't wait to check out!
Williams does an excellent job with pacing, carefully balancing the domestic suspense plot lines with deft sci-fi world-building. Nothing about the book feels heavy handed, and yet you're fully aware that you're reading a story about the commodification of violence against women; the pervasiveness of technology in our lives; and the nature of identity.
This will likely turn out to be one of my favorites of the year, and now I've got a new author whose backlist I can't wait to check out!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence, Murder, and Abandonment
gummifrog's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
I had the wrong expectations for it. By the summary, I thought it might be more of a sci-fi thriller pageturner. Instead, it's a very literary, thoughtful, and internal novel with very little thriller or mystery content. Any semblance of a mystery is only brought up halfway through the book, and the most intense suspense only lasts a few pages.
So if you're looking for a thoughtful, literary read about serial killer culture, post-partum depression, and coming to terms with your sense of self, this book may be a good read for you! The touch of mystery was interesting and compelling, although there wasn't enough of it. I really liked this near-future earth, where everyone games in VR and people can be cloned to come back to life. There was some fun commentary on capitalism and marketing distraction from the sins of certain big-name companies. There was also somewhat of an ensemble cast element, with five women in total having been murdered and meeting up regularly in a support group. Their relationships were really fun, and I would have actually liked to see more of them talking as a group and working together as a team.
The prose is a bit detached and clinical, although we follow the protagonist, Louise, through much of her childhood and her conflicted feelings about her murder, partner, and child. The idea of being cloned and having another body that is fully *you* rotting somewhere in the ground is really chilling. I think the author captured that element of horror really well.
Still, it wasn't quite the book I was looking for at this moment! I think maybe I read this book at the wrong time, or I should have looked deeper into it first.
So if you're looking for a thoughtful, literary read about serial killer culture, post-partum depression, and coming to terms with your sense of self, this book may be a good read for you! The touch of mystery was interesting and compelling, although there wasn't enough of it. I really liked this near-future earth, where everyone games in VR and people can be cloned to come back to life. There was some fun commentary on capitalism and marketing distraction from the sins of certain big-name companies. There was also somewhat of an ensemble cast element, with five women in total having been murdered and meeting up regularly in a support group. Their relationships were really fun, and I would have actually liked to see more of them talking as a group and working together as a team.
The prose is a bit detached and clinical, although we follow the protagonist, Louise, through much of her childhood and her conflicted feelings about her murder, partner, and child. The idea of being cloned and having another body that is fully *you* rotting somewhere in the ground is really chilling. I think the author captured that element of horror really well.
Still, it wasn't quite the book I was looking for at this moment! I think maybe I read this book at the wrong time, or I should have looked deeper into it first.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Dysphoria, Murder, and Mental illness
Moderate: Body horror, Violence, Abandonment, and Blood
Minor: Sexual violence, Alcohol, and Medical content
auntchristine's review
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Murder and Violence
Moderate: Abandonment