I was lucky enough to be sent this ARC from Hodder and Stoughton, Alice Slater's debut novel Death of a Bookseller. Let me start by saying it is really impressive that this is Slater's first release, and I really enjoyed her writing style. It was typical of how I like my thrillers, with short chapters that move the story along with a quick pace and with dual POV.
The characters in this book are so unlikeable yet relatable and I assure you that you know a person just like Roach or Laura in real life. Roach is a classic reprobate, disgusting and depraved, yet so fascinating I found myself enjoying her POV the most. Laura on the other hand was obnoxious, with her obsessive relationship with Eli very irritating. The other bookshop characters were also well-developed.
This book also centres around the impact of True Crime as a genre, which I hadn't previously given a lot of thought to. I enjoyed reading the two highly contrasting perspectives; consuming it as a reader for entertainment versus witnessing it from a victims' perspective, which highlighted that the genre profits off violence and abuse, particularly towards women.
This was a superb fast-paced thriller and I found it hard to put this book down. I found the ending to be a little rushed, perhaps I was disappointed to bid farewell to the odd group of booksellers so soon.
Thank you to NetGalley, Hodder and Stoughton UK and Alice Slater for sending me this digital review copy.
4/5⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️