Thanks to the publisher the wonderful Poisoned Pen) and Netgalley for this eARC.

"Rumors of Her Death" by J.M. Donellan is a labyrinthine psychological thriller that takes readers on a dizzying journey through identity, memory, and the elusive nature of truth. The protagonist, known by the alias Archie Leach among countless others, is a man haunted by the suicide of his girlfriend, Sophia. His life, a series of identity changes and courier jobs for dubious employers, is a testament to his desperate attempt to escape the past.

The narrative unfolds in Australia, where Leach wakes up handcuffed to a hospital bed, a stark reminder of the perils of his profession. With a botched delivery job, he finds himself indebted to his underworld boss and his apartment commandeered for purposes as varied as corpse storage to yoga classes. It's a life teetering on the edge of absurdity and despair.

Enter Nisha Mukherjee, the new neighbor with a dog named Dante, who manages to penetrate Leach's hardened exterior. Her connection to the Orrery, a temple of hedonism, promises a path to answers and possibly redemption. But as Leach is drawn into the Orrery's enigmatic world, he must confront the reality that the truth about Sophia—and himself—might be more fragmented than he ever imagined.

Donellan's writing is sharp and idiosyncratic, imbued with a dark humor that underscores the novel's exploration of loss and the human capacity for self-deception. The plot, with its twists and turns, may leave readers with more questions than answers, mirroring the protagonist's own disorienting experience.

In "Rumors of Her Death," Donellan crafts a story that is as much about the mysteries we harbor within as it is about the ones we try to solve. It's a tale that doesn't shy away from the complexities of the psyche, making it a compelling read for those who are drawn to the shadows where truth and illusion intertwine.

I had to dnf this book. I’m so used to read mystery books and one of the things that I value most is that they engage me from the beginning, which this book didn’t achieve.
I found it predictable and similar to many series. However, I like how the author writes, so I can say that I would like to read more from him.

He tenido que dejar este libro sin terminar. Estoy acostumbrada a leer libros de misterio y una de las cosas que más me gusta es que me enganchen desde el principio, cosa que este libro no ha conseguido. Lo he encontrado predecible y similar a muchas series. Sin embargo, me ha gustado la pluma del autor y estoy deseando darle una segunda oportunidad.

An entertaining and quirky thriller. Fun and witty.
Many thanks to Poisoned Pen Press and to Netgalley for providing me with a galley in exchange for my honest opinion.

I really enjoyed this book. It was interesting to see the main character sort through all of the events within

The opening was full of excitement and promise but then story got stagnant with a lot of writing but not much forward motion of the plot. Overall, this was a MEH for me.

Rumors of Her Death by J M Donellan
Poisoned Pen Press
Available Now
3 stars


A thriller mixed in with humor definitely makes for an interesting story. I was drawn in from the first page because it's from right then you find out the main character, Archie, has secrets. The development of the plot was entertaining, but it became a bit of muddled at certain points. Also, there are times when Archie is referencing an incident in the past, which the central plot line is based on, and you want to know more each time you hear a piece of the story. The only thing I did not like about it is when it's referenced during in the middle of a present moment/ conservation. It didn't flow well for me. As for the ending, I thought it was okay, there were parts I really enjoyed and others I didn’t care for. Overall, this made for an interesting read. Thank you, Netgalley and Poisoned Pen Press, for providing me with this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Rumors of Her Death is a psychological thriller focusing on "Archie Leach." Archie is a man with a rather unique talent, he can shift in and out of personalities at will. As such, he inhabits multiple, complex identities that he utilizes as part of his crime spree. But his life soon gets complicated as he not only loses a valuable package, causing him to be millions in debt to a the leader of an organized criminal syndicate, but he keeps seeing the ghost of his dead girlfriend. Soon, Archie's life is spiraling out of control. The reader is left wondering is our antihero will ever get his redemption arc, or if his past will catch up to him first.


This novel starts as a regular thriller but quickly includes multiple psychological elements, such as Archie's shifting identities, the ghostly girlfriend sightings, and flashbacks. The characters are complex and fun, with Nisha being my favorite. This novel incorporates several very original concepts, such as the elusive club The Orrery. I also liked the comedic elements and of course the dog! Ultimately, if you want a mind bending thriller, this is the book for you.

Thank you to NetGalley and Poisoned Pen Press for this ARC. I am leaving this review voluntarily and and views expressed are my own.

A truly satisfying read from beginning to end. To day more might be to say too much. {ay careful attention and don’t believe everything you read. That should suit you fine.

This one took me a little while to figure out exactly what I was reading. I had to start over and pay closer attention. Then it clicked. A different kind of physcological thriller where the characters are all a little bad but some of them have a little good too. This is definitely NOT a light read, you need to keep track of where they are going and who is chasing them. But, in the end, the story delivered a satisfying read.

I was really excited to read this book. I love a good thriller. The fact the main character was a little shady, was a happy twist. All that being said I did not enjoy this book. I am not sure if I was not in the right head space for it or if the novel was just out in left field. There was a lot of over description through the book that I needed to stop and ponder the meaning of. These descriptions were reminiscent of someone in a drug induced, dream like state that made very little sense, but probably would make great sense if you were stoned. I found these incredibly disruptive and they ultimately impacted my enjoyment of the novel. I would like to thank Net Galley for an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.

Unfortunelly this book was not for me. For most of the time I was really engaged with what was going on and the author has a sense of humor that I like, but i just couldn't care enough about the characters and the plot. Although, i wanna try another book from the author eventually.

You gotta give some credit to a man using Cary Grant's true name as his alias. Archie Leach, known as Leachy to his criminal element friends, escaped to Australia to hide after his love Sophia committed suicide in front of him. He's not well, however, and he keeps seeing her. Then he meets Nisha, his neighbor who introduces him to the Orrey. a building of sensory experiences. I struggled a bit to visualize this but it's a unique addition to this thriller. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. A fast read.

This novel was engaging and terrifying at times, in a good way. The clues were all there but not obvious. The name tells you something important, but we all know that from the get go. The characters brilliant, creepy, amoral and fascinating. Leach is definitely in hiding and working for a very dangerous gang. His new neighbor, Nisha, befriends him and -- out of character for Leach -- he connects with her over time. But he is in constant danger, she is a strange person with a bizarre way of making a living and hidden trauma and someone is very directly bringing up Leach's past. And he is dead set against that and yearning for it at the same time. Nisha draws him out to try things he doesn't usually do. The plot kept me going, until it didn't. At some point, it felt like this fabulous book I was excited to review reached a crescendo too soon and then. FLOP. And I'm not sure why. I'm glad I read it. The journey was great. The parts near and at the end... not so much. It seems as though it should have stopped a tad sooner or wrapped up more completely or created the solution in a more interesting way. So, I want to recommend it but I just don't feel satisfied. Some books drop off for a reason. This just felt odd near and at the end. Like there was no particular point to it. Yet the story screams at me, "Here's the point! Get it?" Sure, I wanted to know what happened, but it didn't really sell me.. Good concept. Ok but execution but so much weaker than the overall book. Could have reached the same results some other way I think. This just jarred.

This was great. Every time I had to put this down, I found myself thinking about what was going to happen next, and with all the twists and turns I never knew for sure where things were heading.

I think this would make a really good movie or limited series. Specifically, The way the main character switches between his different personas would make for an interesting watch. The Orrery would be nice to see as well, it was described in such a cool way, I think visually it would make for some great scenes.

This was a great read! Fast-paced, action-packed and super compelling, the added twist of a little black humour set it apart from other books in the same genre. Inventive, quirky and ultimately satisfying.

This was such a fun and quirky read! When a thriller or horror book is also in the humor category, it can go one of two ways: cheesy as hell, or quite entertaining. Luckily, this mystery/crime/thriller is in the latter category. Kaleidoscopic is definitely the word for it!

Archie (one of his many personas) is involved in a criminal organization, mainly because a life of legitimacy is out of the question for him. The love of his life, Sophia, killed herself in front of him, and he’s been on the run ever since. The police could think that he was responsible, and that’s a chance he wasn’t going to take. His family believes he is dead, but he’s actually halfway around the world in Australia, hiding in plain sight.

One day he meets his new neighbor, Nisha, and her dog, Dante. He doesn’t want a new friend, he doesn’t want to get to know a new neighbor, but when her father in India is dying, she begs Archie to take care of her dog and a quasi-friendship is formed. How good of a relationship can two friends have when they are both pretending to be something they aren’t?

As the story goes along, the two become closer and Nisha invites Archie to an exclusive club, Orrery. Each of the nine levels has something for everyone, and the elusive ninth floor is supposed to be the pinnacle of life. Few have been there, but these two might have a chance. Archie also starts seeing Sophia everywhere … how is that possible, and what does it mean?

This book was full of action, great characters (Nisha was my favorite!), lots of drugs, and the mystery of Orrery. The main characters were charming in their own way, and the whole story was kind of a trip (pun totally intended). It’s hard to describe, but it’s easy to read. Four stars.

(Thank you to Poisoned Pen Press, J.M. Donellan, and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my review. This book is slated to be released on September 19, 2023.)

A man called Archie is haunted by the memories of the only woman he ever loved. He is on the run, making a shady living, makes an unlikely friend and what transpires is compelling, to say the least.
The writing was intelligent, well thought out, elaborate and engaging. I was warmed by the unlikely friendship between two very broken, shady people. At times, I felt as if *I* had taken drugs! The plot took twists and turns that were alarming and surprising. I never saw the ending coming.

Prepare yourself for a heart-pounding, mind-bending journey through the intricate web of J.M. Donellan's psychological thriller, Rumors of Her Death. In this gripping tale, readers are plunged into the world of a man on the run, skillfully emulating various personas to escape his haunting past. With a compelling narrative and a rollercoaster of twists and turns, Donellan masterfully keeps readers on the edge of their seats, questioning the very identities of the characters they encounter.

The story opens with the enigmatic protagonist, whose past remains shrouded in secrecy. As Archie Leach (his latest persona) awakens in a hospital bed, late for a critical delivery to his biker gang boss, readers are immediately thrust into a world of high-stakes danger. The tension builds relentlessly, and the stakes are raised when he crosses paths with his next-door neighbor, Nisha. The encounter with Nisha forces Anthony, the protagonist's true identity, to confront his past and stop running from the demons that have been chasing him.

Rumors of Her Death is a testament to Donellan’s storytelling prowess. His skillful writing laced with humor weaves a complex tapestry of characters, each adding depth and intrigue to the narrative. The pacing of the novel is nothing short of masterful. The expertly crafted tension-filled scenes keep the reader utterly engrossed and yearning for more, propelling the reader toward an unpredictable ending.

At its core, the novel explores themes of identity, deception, and the consequences of one's past actions. Donellan delves deep into the human psyche, unraveling the complexities of the human mind and the lengths some will go to bury their past.

This psychological thriller offers a tantalizing blend of suspense, mystery, and psychological intrigue. As secrets are revealed, Rumors of Her Death is a page-turner that you won't be able to put down.

The pacing of this thriller kept me entertained, and the storyline kept me interested from page 1. I found myself not overly invested in any of the characters, however, the plot twists did make this a quick, enjoyable read.

Thank you NetGalley for giving me the chance to read this book ahead of time in exchange for a review. It didn't disappoint! Must read!!