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A review by taaya
Publishable By Death by ACF Bookens
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.5
First of all this doesn't feel like Cozy Crime. Okay, maybe, as a fantasy reader, I just don't get what Cozy means to the crime community. But there's so much past trauma and highlighting the racist past of the United States that it feels more like a normal, even somewhat sociocritical crime and not like being wrapped in a soft blanket with warm drink (what cozy, to me, should feel like).
I like that I never knew where the story would end up. I had actually thought perhaps the love interest would be the murderer, because we read him get the security code. Also, he's too perfect to be likeable, so I WANTED him to be the murderer. But there had also been the possibility of Marcus' mum perhaps being the first victim's half-sister and that being the reason for the victim's hatred towards her and that perhaps Marcus avenged his mother? I was a little sad that the actual revelation was a lot less meaningful than everything my brain could come up. But I did NOT guess the murderer and motif, guess for crime people that's a plus.
And like the revelation, it's also a bit ... off that everyone's life seems to suddenly revolve around the protagonist. Okay, that one helps the new neighbour a bit, granted. But the best friend gives up her job and seems to pay for everything, other friends jet across a continent to visit her, and everyone is constantly around her and doing things for her, mostly for free? Not to mention that there are WAY too many people to remember who is who. This is almost a George RR Martin-size cast. And they're strangely immature for people over 40. This could've been a YA novel, too.
My final negative point: What the hell is going on with the police? Yeah, the Sheriff is nice as a person. But from a German point of view entirely incompetent. Like ... why the hell didn't he close down the shop and call forensics to comb through EVERYTHING? And the protagonist should get a hefty fine for hindering the police (holding back knowledge as well as evidence).
And I'm not sure what to think about the black history part of the book. I like that it's not glossed over that the US were (and are) racist. I like learning about the Green Book, never had heard of it before. But the way it works potentially retraumatising topics (in-depth) into the story, ... It would have at least needed Content Notes. (It was also a bit too on the nose, a bit too trauma p*rn-y. I hope the author has a personal connection to the trauma involved, because as an otherwise marginalised person, it would be a bit icky to talk about a trauma that isn't one's own in that particular way. But since I don't know the author I can't tell and don't know how to feel about that bit of the story.)
All in all ... The crime part with me not being able to guess the murderer was executed (no pun intended) well and the novel doesn't shy away from darker chapters of history. But there were too many things bugging me to give it more than 2.5 stars.
I like that I never knew where the story would end up.
And like the revelation, it's also a bit ... off that everyone's life seems to suddenly revolve around the protagonist. Okay, that one helps the new neighbour a bit, granted. But the best friend gives up her job and seems to pay for everything, other friends jet across a continent to visit her, and everyone is constantly around her and doing things for her, mostly for free? Not to mention that there are WAY too many people to remember who is who. This is almost a George RR Martin-size cast. And they're strangely immature for people over 40. This could've been a YA novel, too.
My final negative point: What the hell is going on with the police? Yeah, the Sheriff is nice as a person. But from a German point of view entirely incompetent. Like ... why the hell didn't he close down the shop and call forensics to comb through EVERYTHING? And the protagonist should get a hefty fine for hindering the police (holding back knowledge as well as evidence).
And I'm not sure what to think about the black history part of the book. I like that it's not glossed over that the US were (and are) racist. I like learning about the Green Book, never had heard of it before. But the way it works potentially retraumatising topics (in-depth) into the story, ... It would have at least needed Content Notes. (It was also a bit too on the nose, a bit too trauma p*rn-y. I hope the author has a personal connection to the trauma involved, because as an otherwise marginalised person, it would be a bit icky to talk about a trauma that isn't one's own in that particular way. But since I don't know the author I can't tell and don't know how to feel about that bit of the story.)
All in all ... The crime part with me not being able to guess the murderer was executed (no pun intended) well and the novel doesn't shy away from darker chapters of history. But there were too many things bugging me to give it more than 2.5 stars.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racism and Murder