This is an interesting concept for a novel. As the blurb identifies, once the 'murder' has been committed, the scene changes and extra characters are introduced as though they have always been there. Even though I knew this was going to happen, when it did, it was still incredibly confusing and it took me a long time to get back into the world of the book as a result.
The characters are an interesting bunch and seeing each one from other people's perspectives was a nice touch as it rounded them out more. I also liked the little nods to Agatha Christie with the inclusion of the names Westmacott and Mallowan and this tied in with the overall feel of the book, which was that of a deconstructed crime novel. The detective consistently refers back to the famous rules of crime fiction and the fourth wall is broken over and over again. Whilst I don't mind this as a narrative device, it can take something away from the feeling of being completely immersed in the plot.
The author borrows heavily from the Poirot-style of detecting towards the end of the book, where the detective takes each person in turn and explains why they might have committed the 'murder' (I use inverted commas because the police are not convinced it is, so the reader has to keep an open mind.). Some of these were more convincing than others and successfully muddied the waters in identifying the true culprit.
The style reminded me a little of books like 'Cloud Atlas' and 'If On A Winter's Night A Traveller'. All three are incredibly clever books and I admire the skill of the writer, but as a reader I find them quite frustrating. I deliberated over what rating to give the book because whilst it's not one I would necessarily recommend personally, I can definitely see why other people would enjoy it and it is well written, it just wasn't to my personal taste, but that's the beauty of books!
Due to be published April 2025
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