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eldritchreader's review
2.0
A story that dives head-first into issues of true-crime media and how issues such as gender identity and victim blaming, Double Lives is an ambitious book about controversial topics. Following in the footsteps of other fictional crime such as Sadie and A Good Girl's Guide to Murder, McCaffrey seems to be writing for the fans of true crime podcasting and investigative journalism, media that is undoubtedly in the spotlight in modern culture.
Overall, Double Lives is well-paced and engaging. The narrative switches between podcast transcripts and the journey of lead journalist, Amy Rhinehart, as she develops her investigative podcast series. A central topic of Double Lives is that the murder victim is a trans woman, something that is heavily discussed and considered throughout the story. While McCaffrey stated in an interview she spoke with transgender people as part of her research and employed a sensitivity reader, it should be noted that this is a book with incredibly tough discussions from a cisgender perspective. The transgender discussion appeared mindful, however, no concrete opinion will be given on how it was handled in this review. Please seek out reviews from transgender reviewers. Overall this is a book that strikes the heart of interest in modern media and is a quick read for those who enjoy fictional stories about podcasting and "true" crime.
Note: Review copy received from publicist. This does not impact opinions within this review.
becandbooks.com ‧ trigger warning database ‧ book depository ‧ more links
Overall, Double Lives is well-paced and engaging. The narrative switches between podcast transcripts and the journey of lead journalist, Amy Rhinehart, as she develops her investigative podcast series. A central topic of Double Lives is that the murder victim is a trans woman, something that is heavily discussed and considered throughout the story. While McCaffrey stated in an interview she spoke with transgender people as part of her research and employed a sensitivity reader, it should be noted that this is a book with incredibly tough discussions from a cisgender perspective. The transgender discussion appeared mindful, however, no concrete opinion will be given on how it was handled in this review. Please seek out reviews from transgender reviewers. Overall this is a book that strikes the heart of interest in modern media and is a quick read for those who enjoy fictional stories about podcasting and "true" crime.
→ trigger warnings: murder, death of mother mentioned, transmisia discussed, transmisic language, & slurs, misgendering, dead naming, homomisia, queermisisa, religious bigotry, suicide mentioned, self injury (specifically cutting) mentioned
Note: Review copy received from publicist. This does not impact opinions within this review.
becandbooks.com ‧ trigger warning database ‧ book depository ‧ more links
kcfromaustcrime's review
5.0
Harrowing and insightful, DOUBLE LIVES by Kate McCaffrey is a very topical exploration of issues around gender, identity, acceptance and truth.
Full Review at: https://www.austcrimefiction.org/review/double-lives-kate-mccaffrey
Full Review at: https://www.austcrimefiction.org/review/double-lives-kate-mccaffrey
cardica's review
4.0
Double Lives is a harrowing, insightful look into the parasociality of crime-media, of both the true and fictional varieties. With a delightfully simple and thoroughly explored core theme, the hybrid prose and audio-transcript style creates an immersive investigation of what it means to 'enjoy' crime stories.
When the war council at Perth Radio Western is summoned, to produce a ratings-winning serial for the drive-time slot, Amy Rhinehart's 'Strange Crime' is the chosen warrior. What sets this serial apart is the catch - the investigation is ongoing, and listeners can participate and contribute week after week. The chosen case for season 1 reconstructs the all-too-tidy murder of a trans woman. Her boyfriend confessed immediately, and didn't take an easy legal loophole that would have turned his life-sentence to almost nothing. It echoes a case decades past, putting Amy and her team of producers on the prowl for what the official investigation - or lack thereof, missed.
We've all read the story of the open-and-shut case by the police, we know how this one plays out. There's a secret alternate explanation they don't want you to know! The thing Amy can't quite understand, is why nobody is speaking up. The detectives, the lawyers, even the alleged culprit all agree it's that simple, but surely that's too good to be true. Careful wishes, and all that.
Exploring touchy subjects of drugs, sexuality, transgenderism, religion, and the implicit relationship in crime-media, Kate's writing deftly controls the switches between standard prose and transcripts of the program. I should warn - if you don't find the transcript style appealing, I don't think the book does much to persuade you otherwise. Transcripts inherently turn some of the evocative flavour of prose into slightly blunt descriptors, but as someone buried in transcripts all the time for work, I felt right at home with the composed way Kate writes them. The characters, especially Amy, have a candid credibility in how they respond to the evolving narrative of 'Strange Crime' in both writing formats, and there's a few zinger lines that I bet at least one podcast-hosting reader is going to wish they could steal (it couldn't be me).
It's always delightful when a novel poses you a concept and then spends the next two-hundred some pages changing your mind about it, especially when they do it without you even realising it, and that was my experience with Double Lives. Even as the host of a radio-crime-fiction program, this book, (almost) speaking about my profession, had something enjoyably new and noteworthy to say about it. That said, I do think Amy Rhinehart should be committed to a ward for agreeing to produce a show this thoroughly researched and legally ambiguous on a weekly basis.
For our program, I read this alongside [a:Margery Allingham|30748|Margery Allingham|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1364808928p2/30748.jpg]'s [b:Cargo of Eagles|383187|Cargo of Eagles (Albert Campion Mystery, #19)|Margery Allingham|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1295948023l/383187._SY75_.jpg|74134], and I really enjoyed their companion themes of the courier venturing to the outside of a community buried in secret misdeeds, and how both question their protagonists' connection to their case, a case, of course, of Double Lives.
Thank you to Echo Publishing via DMCPR for the ARC.
When the war council at Perth Radio Western is summoned, to produce a ratings-winning serial for the drive-time slot, Amy Rhinehart's 'Strange Crime' is the chosen warrior. What sets this serial apart is the catch - the investigation is ongoing, and listeners can participate and contribute week after week. The chosen case for season 1 reconstructs the all-too-tidy murder of a trans woman. Her boyfriend confessed immediately, and didn't take an easy legal loophole that would have turned his life-sentence to almost nothing. It echoes a case decades past, putting Amy and her team of producers on the prowl for what the official investigation - or lack thereof, missed.
We've all read the story of the open-and-shut case by the police, we know how this one plays out. There's a secret alternate explanation they don't want you to know! The thing Amy can't quite understand, is why nobody is speaking up. The detectives, the lawyers, even the alleged culprit all agree it's that simple, but surely that's too good to be true. Careful wishes, and all that.
Exploring touchy subjects of drugs, sexuality, transgenderism, religion, and the implicit relationship in crime-media, Kate's writing deftly controls the switches between standard prose and transcripts of the program. I should warn - if you don't find the transcript style appealing, I don't think the book does much to persuade you otherwise. Transcripts inherently turn some of the evocative flavour of prose into slightly blunt descriptors, but as someone buried in transcripts all the time for work, I felt right at home with the composed way Kate writes them. The characters, especially Amy, have a candid credibility in how they respond to the evolving narrative of 'Strange Crime' in both writing formats, and there's a few zinger lines that I bet at least one podcast-hosting reader is going to wish they could steal (it couldn't be me).
It's always delightful when a novel poses you a concept and then spends the next two-hundred some pages changing your mind about it, especially when they do it without you even realising it, and that was my experience with Double Lives. Even as the host of a radio-crime-fiction program, this book, (almost) speaking about my profession, had something enjoyably new and noteworthy to say about it. That said, I do think Amy Rhinehart should be committed to a ward for agreeing to produce a show this thoroughly researched and legally ambiguous on a weekly basis.
For our program, I read this alongside [a:Margery Allingham|30748|Margery Allingham|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1364808928p2/30748.jpg]'s [b:Cargo of Eagles|383187|Cargo of Eagles (Albert Campion Mystery, #19)|Margery Allingham|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1295948023l/383187._SY75_.jpg|74134], and I really enjoyed their companion themes of the courier venturing to the outside of a community buried in secret misdeeds, and how both question their protagonists' connection to their case, a case, of course, of Double Lives.
Thank you to Echo Publishing via DMCPR for the ARC.
molrey's review
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
tense
fast-paced
3.5
Telling of the story through a podcast format in written form - interesting approach but probably not for everyone.
Lots of questions unanswered about smaller details as a result but overall an in-depth story despite a challenging concept to portray and dark ending.
Lots of questions unanswered about smaller details as a result but overall an in-depth story despite a challenging concept to portray and dark ending.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Transphobia, Violence, and Religious bigotry
henrymarlene's review
4.0
This book. I’ve not read anything like it before. The whole idea of a double life in this book was applied in several ways, and I think that was a pivotal element in this book by Kate McCaffrey. Amy Rhinehart wants to be the next big thing in radio. Upon her return to Western Australia, she pitches an idea for a podcast on the murder of a transgender woman, Casey Williams, by Jonah Scott, currently serving life in prison after admitting guilt immediately to the crime. Amy thinks there’s more to the case and uses this for her climb to the top. At the same time, the story exposes a world of gender and identity, drugs, a religious cult and Amy’s own double life experience.
The majority of the book is the narration of the episodes of the podcast created by Amy and her assistant, Sarah. We have the story of the crime that was committed, the back stories of Jonah and Casey, and women intent we see Amy’s life story emerge, from why she returned to Western Australia and her own personal relationship that inspired her interest in this case (you’ll need to read the book to find out what it is). As the podcast is researched by Amy and Sarah, their questions become the reader’s questions: why confess to a crime so easily? Are there other elements we don’t understand about Jonah? Was something else influencing what had happened? Who was Casey and how did she come to be who she was? What was it about both Jonah’s and Casey’s identifies that were skewed in their portrayal by the press, by those that knew them ,and the podcast itself? Were the social stereotypes about Casey and Jonah based on bias and ignorance? What is the power of a podcast over books?
A relatively short book, but it captured a lot of detail and things to think about.
Thank you to Echo Publishing for my gifted copy
The majority of the book is the narration of the episodes of the podcast created by Amy and her assistant, Sarah. We have the story of the crime that was committed, the back stories of Jonah and Casey, and women intent we see Amy’s life story emerge, from why she returned to Western Australia and her own personal relationship that inspired her interest in this case (you’ll need to read the book to find out what it is). As the podcast is researched by Amy and Sarah, their questions become the reader’s questions: why confess to a crime so easily? Are there other elements we don’t understand about Jonah? Was something else influencing what had happened? Who was Casey and how did she come to be who she was? What was it about both Jonah’s and Casey’s identifies that were skewed in their portrayal by the press, by those that knew them ,and the podcast itself? Were the social stereotypes about Casey and Jonah based on bias and ignorance? What is the power of a podcast over books?
A relatively short book, but it captured a lot of detail and things to think about.
Thank you to Echo Publishing for my gifted copy
shaanll's review against another edition
challenging
dark
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
megb64's review
challenging
dark
mysterious
reflective
sad
fast-paced
3.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death, Confinement, Deadnaming, Death, Hate crime, Transphobia, Violence, Grief, and Dysphoria
becandbooks's review
2.0
A story that dives head-first into issues of true-crime media and how issues such as gender identity and victim blaming, Double Lives is an ambitious book about controversial topics. Following in the footsteps of other fictional crime such as Sadie and A Good Girl's Guide to Murder, McCaffrey seems to be writing for the fans of true crime podcasting and investigative journalism, media that is undoubtedly in the spotlight in modern culture.
Overall, Double Lives is well-paced and engaging. The narrative switches between podcast transcripts and the journey of lead journalist, Amy Rhinehart, as she develops her investigative podcast series. A central topic of Double Lives is that the murder victim is a trans woman, something that is heavily discussed and considered throughout the story. While McCaffrey stated in an interview she spoke with transgender people as part of her research and employed a sensitivity reader, it should be noted that this is a book with incredibly tough discussions from a cisgender perspective. The transgender discussion appeared mindful, however, no concrete opinion will be given on how it was handled in this review. Please seek out reviews from transgender reviewers. Overall this is a book that strikes the heart of interest in modern media and is a quick read for those who enjoy fictional stories about podcasting and "true" crime.
Note: Review copy received from publicist. This does not impact opinions within this review.
becandbooks.com ‧ trigger warning database ‧ book depository ‧ more links
Overall, Double Lives is well-paced and engaging. The narrative switches between podcast transcripts and the journey of lead journalist, Amy Rhinehart, as she develops her investigative podcast series. A central topic of Double Lives is that the murder victim is a trans woman, something that is heavily discussed and considered throughout the story. While McCaffrey stated in an interview she spoke with transgender people as part of her research and employed a sensitivity reader, it should be noted that this is a book with incredibly tough discussions from a cisgender perspective. The transgender discussion appeared mindful, however, no concrete opinion will be given on how it was handled in this review. Please seek out reviews from transgender reviewers. Overall this is a book that strikes the heart of interest in modern media and is a quick read for those who enjoy fictional stories about podcasting and "true" crime.
→ trigger warnings: murder, death of mother mentioned, transmisia discussed, transmisic language, & slurs, misgendering, dead naming, homomisia, queermisisa, religious bigotry, suicide mentioned, self injury (specifically cutting) mentioned
Note: Review copy received from publicist. This does not impact opinions within this review.
becandbooks.com ‧ trigger warning database ‧ book depository ‧ more links
hollymollyc's review against another edition
emotional
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.75