A review by readingwithhippos
He Will Be My Ruin by K.A. Tucker
3.0
A perfectly serviceable mystery, with a side of steamy for those who like a little romance with their thrills. Narrator Maggie's childhood friend Celine is found dead in her apartment, the police ruling it a suicide. And—brace yourself for the shock—Maggie doesn't believe Celine would do such a thing, especially after she finds a risque photo with a cryptic note on the back in her dead friend's handwriting. As any plucky protagonist would in her situation, Maggie decides to do a little investigating while she's in town wrapping up the estate.
As you can guess from the setup, the book is perhaps a smidge predictable. I found myself rolling my eyes at the way Maggie narrowed her focus, treating her prime suspect with a constant abundance of caution while welcoming literally everyone else she met into her investigation, describing in detail all the clues she'd found and conclusions she'd drawn to anyone who expressed a passing interest. It rang false that she would overshare so much when her friend's death was still very much unsolved. (Although I loved elderly neighbor Ruby, and looked forward to the scenes when she would show up with homemade shortbread and tea.)
With regards to Atria Books and NetGalley for the advance copy. On sale now!
More book recommendations by me at www.readingwithhippos.com
As you can guess from the setup, the book is perhaps a smidge predictable. I found myself rolling my eyes at the way Maggie narrowed her focus, treating her prime suspect with a constant abundance of caution while welcoming literally everyone else she met into her investigation, describing in detail all the clues she'd found and conclusions she'd drawn to anyone who expressed a passing interest. It rang false that she would overshare so much when her friend's death was still very much unsolved. (Although I loved elderly neighbor Ruby, and looked forward to the scenes when she would show up with homemade shortbread and tea.)
With regards to Atria Books and NetGalley for the advance copy. On sale now!
More book recommendations by me at www.readingwithhippos.com