A Book A Week

My profound love for reading has always been closely linked to my affection for mystery novels. As a kid, I was captivated by characters like Nate the Great and Encyclopedia Brown. This love for mysteries has remained a constant throughout my life. Even now, I relish the excitement of solving a case before the book reveals its secrets, and I'm particularly delighted when the revelation catches me off guard. When I had the opportunity to read author Dann McDorman's debut novel, West Heart Kill, I eagerly embraced it. The book promised a modern take on the classic murder mystery, a premise that was too intriguing to ignore.

The novel begins with a setup reminiscent of an Agatha Christie mystery. Private Detective Adam McAnnis reunites with an old college friend for a weekend at the exclusive West Heart Club in upstate New York. This isolated lodge is a retreat for the wealthy elite, a place where they can escape their busy lives. As the story unfolds, it becomes clear that these seemingly friendly strangers have their own secrets and disregard for the rules of the normal world. McAnnis begins to hear whispers of financial troubles and the potential sale of the club.

The plot takes a dramatic twist when the lifeless body of one of the club members is discovered on the shore of the lake. Is this a tragic suicide stemming from desperation, or are there more sinister forces at play? As tension mounts, a fierce storm descends upon the area, plunging the property into darkness and cutting off all access. Before McAnnis can even embark on a proper investigation, yet another body is unearthed, all but confirming the presence of a cunning murderer among them. As suspicions intensify and paranoia spreads among the club members, McAnnis faces the daunting task of restoring order to the chaos and unveiling the true identity of this malevolent killer.

At first glance, West Heart Kill appears to follow the conventions of a typical whodunit. McDorman skillfully sets the stage for a classic locked-room mystery, complete with a cast of deceitful characters, an isolated setting, and a young detective who harbors suspicions about everyone in his midst. It doesn't take long, however, for the narrative's contemporary twist to become apparent. The story unfolds through the lens of a fourth-wall-breaking narrator who acknowledges that we, the readers, are seasoned experts in the mystery genre, well-versed in its classic tropes. This narrative approach breathes fresh life into the traditional framework, offering a unique perspective that keeps readers questioning the unfolding events and the reliability of the characters. As the story introduces new revelations and red herrings, the narrator is there to provide insight and encourage readers to scrutinize it all.

A mystery's ultimate success, though, hinges on its resolution, and this is where West Heart Kill will divide readers. While the story weaves an intricate web of mystery and reaches a shocking twist in its third act, it is the explanation of this twist that will be divisive. McDorman's narrator provides historical context to justify this turn of events, but it leaves this seasoned mystery reader feeling unsatisfied. West Heart Kill undoubtedly showcases a promising debut from an author with a fresh perspective on the genre. Still, the absence of a truly satisfying conclusion detracts from an otherwise engaging narrative.

For more information, visit Amazon and Goodreads. 

(2023, 69)

I've always turned to short stories to get me through a reading slump, or to intersperse between my other reading. One benefit of the form is that it allows readers to start and stop at will. I've been working through Katherine Heiny's latest collection Games and Rituals for the last couple of weeks, turning to a story here and there when I needed a break from the longer sci-fi work I was trudging through. Heiny is an author I'd heard of but had never read, so I was excited to be offered a copy of this work from her publisher. It was filled with heartfelt and witty stories that worked well in the bite-sized format of short stories. 

The book comprises eleven stories, each of which has something to do with relationships. Heiny peeks into the lives of these characters as they face a kind of turning point in their life. The opening story Chicken-Flavored and Lemon-Scented sets things off on the right foot as it imagines the lives of DMV employees and the people they encounter during their driving tests. Office relationships come to a head when professional and personal lines are crossed. Several of the stories explore romantic relationships in their various stages. 561, one of the stronger entries in the collection, imagines a woman called to help her husband move his ex-wife out of their family home. 

Like most short collections, some of the stories in Games and Rituals are stronger than others. What is apparent throughout, though, is that Katherine Heiny has a penchant for digging deep into characters and conjuring relatable situations to place them in. Heiny's dry wit permeates the pages, adding humor to even serious moments. I easily breezed through the collection. The slice-of-life approach really works here, giving us just enough insight into the lives of these characters to latch onto them. Games and Rituals is a solid collection that has me interested in exploring more of Katherine Heiny's writing. 

For more information visit the author's website, Amazon, and Goodreads. 

(2023, 29)