Katherine Cole was found fleeing the scene of an exclusive private club after four powerful men were poisoned. She's on trial for their murders. But did she do it?
We follow five men in Katherine's life - her childhood friend, her lover, her father, a journalist, and her lawyer - as we investigate what really happened that evening. And what we learn is that no one knows the true Katherine.
I think this is a clever twist on how women are silenced in this world. This story could have been told from her perspective or her mother's perspective, but Cloke made the decision to use men as the device for framing Katherine's life. And it's an interesting way to do it, to be honest. They all have their own biases and frames about what happened and how she would act.
It's super fast-paced and each of the POVs was distinct, so it was easy to switch from one voice to the next.
I'd love to discuss the ending with people, too!
4.5/5 stars - A good, interesting mystery if you're into the more psychological side of things than the detective looking for clues.
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Line of note:
It was a superpower you had, choosing what to worry about. It felt like most of the time, you chose nothing. Worries came for me instead, dug themselves into my brain. (page 195)
Things I looked up:
"Great 8" animals of the Great Barrier Reef (page 12) - Giant clam, manta ray, Maori wrasse, clownfish, sharks, whales, turtles, potato cod
cockscomb plant whose flowers looked like brains (page 12) - Cockscomb cultivars have coral or brain-looking blooms that are often large and heavy so they must often be staked. They grow between 12 and 36 inches tall.
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| Celosia King Coral. Photo credit: Burpee |
Hat mentions (why hats?):
tinfoil hat brigade
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Have you ever read a book by Nicci Cloke or her pseudonym Phoebe Locke? Do you like a good psychological thriller?
I do like a psychological thriller! I think I heard about this one from Sarah as well, but haven't read anything by this author. Maybe I'll put it on my TBR- it does sound good.
ReplyDeleteIt really was a page turner. I think the underlying message is sort of important, so it made me put it up a bit more than I normally would. I think you'd like it!
DeleteI love a good psychological thriller! This one sounds right in my wheelhouse.
ReplyDeleteI'm hoping people read it based on my rec because I want to talk about the ending.
Delete4.5 out of 5 stars makes me want to give this one a try. I don’t always love a murder mystery with a detective, so this might be just my thing.
ReplyDeleteThere's no detective! Yay! The journalist is the closest to that type of character.
DeleteI've not read a book by this author. It does sound good. I'm blown away - that flower DOES look like brains. Who knew?
ReplyDeleteI had no idea about the brain flower. It was a shock to see a photo of it!
DeleteI like a good psychological thriller - I go in and out on what I think constitutes a good one.
ReplyDeleteThat brain flower is freaky. I looked at a potato cod and I think it might be my spirit animal.
Oh, I don't read a lot of psychological thrillers (and that makes me an easy mark when I read them - I always think they're all good), so I want to read you go on and on about what makes a good one!
DeleteOops, that was Allison
ReplyDelete