Another solid entry to the ‘meta murder mystery’ sub-sub-genre, West Heart Kill follows the footsteps of titles such as Everyone in My Family Has Killed Someone and The 7 1/2 Death of Evelyn Hardcastle, where the narrative overtly examines and deconstructs its own tropes, much like the Scream film franchise does for slasher films. West Heart Kill might be the most ‘academic’ and fourth-wall breaking one I’ve read thus far, providing readers with an abundance of historical facts about the development of the genre, as well as a philosophical analysis on why we find comfort in reading about killing people.

At times this commentary layer can be a bit over-powering, especially towards its finale; it felt like I was reading an academic essay. While I admired the direction of its ending, which completely subverted convention, it couldn't hide the fact while it was conceptually compelling (and supported the 'thesis' that was set up), it didn't make for a satisfying closing (I'm too hardwired for murder mystery to end a certain way!).

Whether someone will enjoy West Heart Kill largely depends on their familiarity with the genre; for seasoned readers, the historical facts and breakdown would be a welcoming addition, but I can also see by discussing the tricks under the hood, it can be too scholarly for those who just want a straight murder mystery. Not a wide recommendation, but there is undoubtedly an audience who will enjoy this.

**This ARC was provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Much appreciated!**