My Five Word TL:DR :  A Book About Second Chances

My Murder was intriguing and unique.  It maybe took me a little while to really find my feet but then I was quite compelled by what was going on.

Think of a setting not too far removed from our own time. One in which technology and scientific developments have really moved forward.  A world in which people use virtual chat rooms to undertake therapy and cloning is a very real possibility.

Our main character, Lou, was the victim of a serial killer. A killer now in custody who’s terrible crimes captured the sympathy of the people for the women he murdered.  As a result, the murder victims were cloned. A second chance not just for the victims but for their families.  However, each of the women involved, not only share a hideous death but also a gap in their memories. On top of that for each of these women, although they no longer recall what actually happened they’re still dealing with it.  In Lou’s case, she has a devoted husband and a baby girl, she struggles to connect with either, it feels almost like she’s a fish in a bowl, everyone watching for her reactions.  And, then, Lou, has an overall feeling that something isn’t quite as it seems.  Which sets her off on an investigation of her own – one that could ultimately prove dangerous.

I enjoyed this, it was very easy to read and although it’s not a murder mystery in the typical sense of the word it really does pull you in.  And, yes, as the story progresses there is a mystery to be solved, one where you start to jump a little at potential suspects from Lou’s former life.

I liked the writing and the pacing was good.  It did take me a little spell, as I mentioned above, to really figure out where this was going, after all, we have the cloned women, we know their stories and terrible endings and indeed we already have the killer behind bars.  So, you’ll just have to hold your horses a little, the author takes a little time to set the scene, to give us the emotional trauma that Lou is going through, she worries if she’s a good mum or a good wife and underlying this are these little ‘niggling’ concerns.  Which is when things take a different turn.

Speculative murder mystery, this one had no trouble stirring my imagination.  From the Victim’s Survivor Group to the friendship that Lou strikes up with another of the victims.  Not to mention a particular virtual reality game that was a shocker.

It kept me guessing and I didn’t second guess the ending at all.

Overall, this was a compelling read set in a near future that is very believable.

I received a copy through Netgalley, courtesy of the publisher, for which my thanks.  The above is my own opinion.

My rating 3.5 of 5 stars