A somewhat interesting concept that lead to a rather disappointingly predictable read. I wish it delved more into the dystopian aspects and was a bit more complex in the murder. It was all too predictable to really enjoy.

The Bathwater Conspiracy tackles old ground in a new and much more balanced than usual way. Set in a world where the Y chromosome is no more, Detective Carson “Mac” MacHenry finds herself investigating an unusual murder - one she's been forbidden to look into.

On the surface none of that sounds particularly new, even if it hasn't been combined before, but it's the way it's done that so impressed me. Janet Kellough avoids going either the "ooh no more men, now we have a utopia!" or the "ooh no more men and women are now oppressive and bad in exactly the same ways as men because what is different between the genders really?" route. Instead, we get what really felt like a much more realistic view of a world without men - conflict between zones still exists but is very different, politics is changed but politicians are still politicians. The overall impact of losing roughly half of our population would have wider ranging impacts which aren't left unexplored, but the reader also isn't subjected to info-dumps or overly long segues that take away from the central mystery.

Overall a great book, and a new author for me to get to check out!

The Bathwater Conspiracy is a murder mystery set is a dystopian future where men have become extinct. Given that description I don't think it's too difficult to figure out who the killer is but it's still a fun read. I love the world that the author slowly develops and I would have enjoyed more of the dystopian story rather than the easily solved murder. ⭐⭐⭐

I was provided an ARC of this book by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

The Bathwater Conspiracy is a standalone novel, set in a post-apocalyptic world of sorts where men have been eradicated after the Testosterone Wars and women are the only sex that remains.

A young lady has been murdered and the body mutilated in ways that have not been seen for years. Detective Carson MacHenry jumps straight onto the case and is determined to find out what happened, but has been warned off by the Darmes, a branch of law enforcement that is way above Carson’s pay grade. This in itself is peculiar as why would they not want a horrific murder like this solved? Carson gets lumped with the newbie Nguyen as a partner and sends her on all sorts of wild goose chases so that she can concentrate on what she thinks is best. As she moves deeper and deeper into her own investigation, she stumbles across a sinister genetic experiment that may prove to undo years of advancement. Add to this political intervention and a genuine fear for her own life and you have a fast-paced and thought-provoking look at a dystopian future.

This book was a lot more insightful than it seemed at first. Even though it is explained that the male genes were eradicated I somehow thought for the first half of the book that the principal character was male. It goes to show how clever the writing is and how your brain interprets it. Some books with similar themes have ideas so out there that the reader can just shake their heads and put it aside as a book. This theme, while very controversial, is not impossible with the current changes in gene experimentation. The book shows how emotional manipulation can lead to different outcomes and what happens when one woman will not back down. A very interesting concept and well-written book.

Part speculative fiction, part murder mystery The Bathwater Conspiracy is a fascinating novel.  After a devastating virus leads to the elimination of all men, society has redeveloped, relying on gene banks and artificial insemination.  This is not immediately obvious. It is skillfully revealed bit by bit by the author. Mac MacHenry is a detective normally assigned the tiresome tasks, the hard cases with little glory.  Then comes the death of a young graduate student. The autopsy is cut short and the Darmes’s (government forces) explanation of the cause of death doesn’t match the wounds. With little prodding, Mac begins investigating on the sly,  and what she finds is a secret and a conspiracy that could change life forever.


The story is well done, the world depicted believable - neither a utopia nor a dystopia.  There is the implication that there is far less violence and oppression than there was when men were in control.  On the other hand, limited genetic stores limit population growth. The Bathwater Conspiracy poses a variety of thought provoking questions, encouraging us to reconsider traditional gender roles.  At the same time, the novel is an intriguing mystery/thriller.


5 / 5


I received a copy of The Bathwater Conspiracy from the publisher and Netgalley.com in exchange for an honest review.


— Crittermom

The Bathwater Conspiracy by Janet Kellough. There are secrets, lies, conspiracies, surprises, humor, a bit of romance and some political statements all woven together in unique detective novel with science fiction elements. . Interesting details regarding the mysterious death and this future world and each of the character's backgrounds as the mystery is solved.

Thank you to the publisher, author, and NetGalley for the opportunity to preview the book.