As many of you know, Kendare Blake is one of my all time favourite authors. So I was beyond excited to receive an ARC of All These Bodies. While this book is very different from her Three Dark Crowns series, it still has the amazing writing and ambiance. Everyone that loves a good creepy small town mystery, this book is for you! I loved the true crime vibes from this book. The town and characters all felt so real. I could vividly picture each person and the setting, which made for an even more thrilling read. I have to say that I love our main characters Marie and Michael. While the entire book is told from Michael's perspective, I still learned so much about Marie and got to know her personality very well. I loved the complexity of her mysterious character. The whole time reading I was thinking from every angle, trying to piece this mystery together. Many times I found myself completely sucked into the story, I even put stuff I had to do on hold so I could continue reading 😂. I never could guess what would happen next and I was intrigued at every turn. I wasn't a huge fan of the ending when I first read it but I felt it worked very well with the story. In fact as time goes on, it grows on me more and more. I find myself turning over the story in my mind all the time, it's captured my attention. I had a fantastic time reading it! This book will keep you thinking long after you've finished it.

I was given this ARC by the publisher in exchange for an honest review. Thank you!

Told from the perspective of a local boy, this book follows the case of the Bloodless Murders and Marie Catherine Hale who was found drenched in blood standing over the corpses of the last victims of the Bloodless Murders. A very atmospheric, spooky, and disturbing tale of a serial killer on the loose in the 1950s

This book just wasn’t for me I don’t think. I did not the style of writing, although I do appreciate what the author was trying to do, and write from 1950s boy perspective, but it missed the mark for me. It was not as exciting as I anticipated it to be. I usually love Kendare Blake’s books, but this one just wasn’t it for me.

This is my first time reading a book by Kendare Blake. While reading, I did forget that the timeline was set in the 1950s as there wasn’t much that created that setting. One of the main characters, Michael, seemed to be younger than he was supposed to be.

The story itself is more of a behind-the-scenes journalism project. There wasn’t much to the thriller component of this story. It read quickly and it was a good story but it wasn’t what I anticipated it to be.

Fast-paced and gripping, All These Bodies was a fun read, but as a fan of Kendare Blake, this one missed the mark for me. While the mystery element was strong, the text lacked her well-defined characters and interesting female leads and the ending fell a little flat.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an advanced copy of this book.

I couldn't put down All These Bodies the second that I started it. Going into this book, I had no idea what to expect. I've never been a huge fan of thrillers, but this one sounded too interesting to me to not add to my TBR. And it immediately captured my attention from the second I met the two main characters.

The storyline itself, following Marie and hearing her tell the story was an experience. The author set an atmosphere to this story, that I felt like I was in Michael's shoes and Marie was there before me. All of the mystery captured me and kept me guessing.

However, the ending does fall a bit flat. Not every story that I read has to be wrapped up, but this one left me with a lot of questions that I'm still desperate to have answered. I spent hours invested into these characters only to wonder about what's going on with them, which is a good thing but I would've also liked the option of peace with my feelings on this story.

That being said, this book is PERFECT for Halloween! If you're someone (like me) that doesn't love overly scary things, then this book is for you. It's the perfect amount of spooky and creepy, though there are moments that make you fear if you're being watched.

Thank you to HCC Frenzy for sending me an eARC for an honest review.
5/5 stars
I was very excited to read this book because I really enjoyed all of the author’s other books. This one was very different, and I still loved it.
All These Bodies is a novel that is heavily inspired by the real life crimes of Charlie Starkweather and his young girlfriend, Carli Ann Fugate. The crimes in the novel, the Bloodless Murders, are fiction, as is the character of Marie Catherine Hale. The tone of the novel is more serious because of the nature of the subject matter. I thought the author handled the topics really well.
In the book we follow 17 year old Michael Jensen, the son of the sheriff, and an aspiring journalist. It’s 1958, and the Bloodless Murders have scared the residents of Nebraska, Iowa, Wisconsin, and Minnesota through the summer. With 3 weeks from the last murder, people are starting to think that maybe it’s over. But it’s not. In Black Deer Falls, Minnesota, the Carlson family is found murdered. And something is different about this crime than the others. A young girl is found covered in blood.
Marie Catherine Hale is the only suspect in the Bloodless Murders, but everyone thinks she’s an accomplice. All These Bodies tells Marie’s story as she relates it to Michael. The pacing of the story was slower than I thought it would be, but it didn’t impact my enjoyment. I was hooked by Marie’s story, and I kept flipping the pages to discover answers. Because the murders have already happened, most of the plot is slow building and looking backwards, but there are some things that happen while Marie is in jail that added to the eerie atmosphere of the book. I had chills running along my spine many times while reading the book, and I think the author did an incredible job of conveying that sense of eerie strangeness where you felt like something wasn’t quite right.
Michael was a really good character, and I thought he was easy to relate to especially on an emotional level as he handled being the only person to whom Marie would confess. He was detail-oriented, and the narration provided lots of detail without leaving me feeling overwhelmed. I didn’t connect with Marie’s character very much, but I wanted to believe in the story that she was telling. I understood her anger a lot, and I also wanted to scream at her myself to just give Michael the answers and what they/we wanted to know.
The ending left me feeling lots of emotions, and I don’t want to spoil anything so I won’t say much about it other than I thought it was really fitting. I also liked the supernatural twist that comes up in the book.
CWs: murder (descriptions of how it happened and also of the bodies afterwards), implied child abuse and sexual assault, teenage drinking and driving

All These Bodies by Kendare Blake is a compelling thriller that lingered with me long after I turned the last page. The story depicts a series of murders, with each of the bodies drained of blood, and the main characters are expertly written. I don’t normally gravitate to books about vampires, but I found that the paranormal aspects of this one have a unique angle, and I enjoyed the way the author leaves it to the reader to decide what they believe. A suspenseful and thought-provoking mystery, this is a great read for fans of true crime.

In the summer of 1958, the Carlson family is brutally murdered inside their own home, their bodies drained of blood. At the scene, police find a girl covered in blood, but none of it is hers, and she is completely unharmed. With the entire town reeling with questions–who is Marie? Where did the blood come from?–Marie decides that the only person she will share her story is the sheriff’s son, aspiring journalist Michael. As Michael sits down with Marie in pursuit of the truth and hears a story that seems outrageous, he must decide if he believes her, and find a way to convince the district attorney of Marie’s innocence before she is given the death penalty.

❀ COMPLEX CHARACTERS

This book has such complex characters who I loved getting to know as the story progressed. The story is told through Michael’s point of view, and I enjoyed the angle of an outsider trying to figure out what happened. This creates a lot of suspense, as the shocking details of Marie’s story are slowly revealed. Marie herself is such a mysterious character, and she is difficult to figure out. Is she a murderer, or is she a victim? While Marie isn’t the easiest character to connect with, I enjoyed the thrill of watching her story unfold and the bit of agency she has as she is only willing to tell her story on her own terms.

❀ POWERFUL THEMES

Throughout the book, there are many powerful themes, including what happens to women’s stories in the media and what it means for something to be true. As the story makes clear, it doesn’t really matter what Marie says because everyone–the town, the press, the attorney–have already cemented their own beliefs about her, and nothing she says will change them. This book exposes how there is no such thing as the objective truth since the truth is influenced by our own beliefs, and, accordingly, the ending is left up to the reader’s interpretation. I am not normally a fan of open-ended endings, and I know some readers might not be satisfied with this, but I found that this conclusion drives home the message in a powerful way as it asks the reader what they choose to believe about Marie’s story.

❀ UNIQUE THRILLER

All These Bodies by Kendare Blake is a powerful thriller about the truth and what it takes for a story to be believed. I enjoyed the concept of a journalist trying to uncover the truth about an unbelievable story, and the characters are well-written. As a story about a murder investigation, this one has an interesting perspective on the truth, making it a thought-provoking read. Those looking for a unique thriller this fall will not want to miss this one.

I had high expectations for this book and was kind of underwhelmed. This book was fine. It was readable and interesting enough. But it just didn’t live up to my Kendare Blake high expectations from past books I have read.

It took me a while to actually get into it and then once I did it was a little meh. This book was advertised as a murder trial with vampires and I felt a lot of the vampire elements were missing. I was expecting it to be more thriller-y and spooky but it wasn’t. It kind of fell a bit flat.

Im going to keep this review fairly short because this book was just not for me. I really loved the concept and the fact that the author pulled a lot of inspiration from true stories! I just found the book to drag a bit, it was boring in some spots and it made me not really care for the story. I wish there was more spooky, paranormal moments and less retelling/investigation.
But I really appreciated the spooky moments this book did have, I felt the ending wrapped up the story well even though for me it wasn't very shocking or satisfying.
Overall, if you want a little bit of paranormal and some investigation I would recommend you pick this one up!
Thank you Harper Collins and NetGalley for my ARC.

I decided to read this because of my love for Three Dark Crowns. Although very different, I still adored Blake's writing. Blake has a way with capturing the voice of her lead characters, and this was no different. It felt as if I was hearing the story told to me, rather than reading on the page. The true crime format makes even the supernatural elements feel realistic, urging you on to figure out what happened and why. I recommend to anyone who likes fictionalized stories reminiscent of true crime, slightly spooky stories, or just are big Blake fans.

All These Bodies by Kendare Blake tells the story of Marie, a 15-year-old girl who is brought in for a string of murders across the Midwest labelled by the media the “Vampire murders,” due to the fact that all bodies are found completely devoid of blood. The only blood at the scene soaks Marie from head to toe, and not a drop of it is hers.

The story is told from the point of view of Michael, the sheriff’s son who Marie decides she will confide in. But as the story goes deeper, Michael must decide between truth and fiction. And that’s really at the heart of this story: What is truth? What does it mean to a person who believes something so strongly, it becomes truth to them? Do we believe them, too? And what kind of power does belief give a person?

Blake masterfully weaves a page-turner that has you baffled even at the very last pages. Both of these characters are unreliable narrators at best, but aren’t we all? I still don’t know what to believe, but isn’t that the point of truth? That we just pick a side, and go with it?

Marie is a fantastic character. I couldn’t wait for the pages where I’d get to see more of her, painted through Michael’s lens. The book is gruesome and leaves you wanting more, more, more. Highly recommend.

Thank you to HCCFrenzy and Netgalley for a copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you to NetGalley, Harper Collins and Ms. Blake for the opportunity to read an ARC of this book. An honest review was requested but not required.

This was a really interesting book. It kind of defies genre and description. Around this time of year, I tend to seek out "spooky stories" (thrillers, horror, stuff that will give me a scare); I rarely find anything that truly SCARES me but I always hope for the best. This didn't scare me per se but I definitely felt uneasy a couple of times (that woods scene, particularly) and it DID put me right into that Halloween mood.

The premise is, basically: a teenage girl, Marie Catherine Hale, is found standing amongst completely exsanguinated bodies of an adult couple and their teenage son, while their two year old child cries in the room. The bodies have no blood on them (or in them, as I said) but Marie is absolutely dripping with blood. [The author notes that she was inspired by real-life midwestern serial killer Charles Starkweather and his girlfriend, Caril Ann Fugate, as well as by the murder of Kansas's Clutter family, made famous in Truman Capote's In Cold Blood.]

Local law enforcement takes Marie to the town jail, where she is bathed and incarcerated, and where she subsequently insists she will tell her story to only one person: the teenage son of the town's sheriff. Of course, her story defies belief, both in the reader and in Michael, the teenager in question. The plot is a little slow, as Michael graaaaaadually tries to get Marie's story out of her (she's rather reluctant to divulge details, and Michael isn't exactly an experienced interviewer) although the suspense builds carefully alongside the narrative. The first-person POV (Michael's) makes it hard to really connect with Marie, who is still completely mysterious and remote despite connecting more with Michael than practically anyone save Nancy, the sheriff's secretary.

The ending was more ambiguous than I'd like - I'm a "Basic B" type reader and I like my i's dotted and my t's crossed for me - but it gave me shivers nonetheless. Kendare Blake is a great horror writer (see: Anna Dressed in Blood) and I'm so, so, so happy she's returned to the genre to give us more chills.

I was so thankful to receive an advance copy of this title through NetGalley - and what a reading experience it was!
I am a huge fan of Kendare Blake's Three Dark Crowns series, and though this is an entirely different type of story, she once again shows her talent for atmosphere - creating a story that is at the same time terrifying, shocking, dreamlike, and heartbreaking.
The conversations between Michael and Marie evoke the above emotions, and leave the reader doubting every word while knowing there are kernels of truth hidden in Marie's stories. This is a book that stars two reliable/unreliable narrators - Marie by the information she does and does not reveal; and Michael in his quest for truth that wars with his desire to believe Marie. One of the most striking aspects of the story is that Marie's choices have led her to this point in her life, and while she cannot change them, she is determined to choose her fate and her actions on her own terms

It is always hard for me to give negative review but this one is a big no for me. The book is so plot driven that it was a very dry read for me and one I didn't thoroughly enjoy.

Before I begin my review, if you are considering this book, keep these two things in mind:
- This is very different from the author's popular Three Dark Crowns series.
- Think of this as a true crime read.
I personally had no real expectations going into this book other than the cover and synopsis appealed to me. And from the get-go, the way in which it was written, with matter of fact details and minimal character emotion, made me think of a true crime read (this story while fiction is based on a true story). So given how I approached this book, I think I enjoyed it more than others who have reviewed it - most who had issues with the lack of a connection to the characters.

As a true crime fan, I found the story fascinating. How can a girl be covered in the blood of the victims she stands over, yet claiming to have not committed the killings? That is the story for Marie Catherine Hale to tell. And she chooses only one person to share her story with, Michael Jensen, who at 17, is only 2 years older than herself.

I couldn't quite place Marie and her motives. She was already likely facing a death sentence for her involvement in the murders, so it was a bit maddening that she withheld details about her "partner", the one who actually committed the crimes. Although she does provide some insight into her past with the man behind the killings, I didn't find her to be a very strong or credible witness given how much she withheld. What she does do, and does it well, is form a connection with Michael, to the extent that he became her protector. Not a very wise move given the severity of the crimes committed. So, while I didn't approve of the actions or motives of Marie and Michael, I was still captivated by the story.

My only major gripe was how the story ended. I wanted more. But I will say, the author carried on the creep factor to the very end. Overall, this was an engaging read, perfect for an October read. If you like true crime stories, this one may appeal to you.

I love Kendare Blake but I had difficulty finishing this book. Unfortunately, not the best from this author.

In the Summer of 1958, the Midwest was plagued by a series of mysterious murders. The victims all found drained of blood, but no blood found anywhere at the scenes.

In September 1958 the Carlson family is slaughtered in their farmhouse in a small town in Minnesota. It is the same as the other deaths. The family is found in their home completely drained of blood. Except this time there's a survivor.

Marie Catherine Hale is found alive at the scene covered head to foot in blood. But while she was once thought to be a surviving victim, she moved to suspect when it's found out that none of the blood is hers.

Michael Jensen is the son of the sheriff and a budding journalist. He wants more than anything to get out of his small town. When Marie decides that Michael is the only person she'll tell her story to, he just might be able to make that goal a reality.

Michael is faced with uncovering the truth of that fateful night, and listening to Marie's truth as she knows it.

Kendare Blake was really able to give readers a riveting true crime-esque story, but put her own spin on it as anyone who has read one of her previous books will be able to attest. I really like how she played with fact vs. fiction. How our experiences invariably effect how we see things.

The whole idea of Marie revealing the story behind the murders and questioning the motives and the trustworthiness of this girl caught in the middle. I mean is she another victim? Is she complicit? Does it fall somewhere in the middle?

Kendare Blake really makes the reader think about all these things while the story progresses.

I really liked the idea of the story being told from Michael's point of view. But not just Michael's point of view, it's Michael reiteration of the story, as though he's recounting it to the reader years from when it actually takes place. It's one of the best parts about the book in my opinion and the asides alone make me want to go back a re-read the story looking for hints and clues about Michael's true fate.

Because, yes, the story leaves a lot open for interpretation at the hands of the reader. This would make a great book for book club discussion in that there are so many open avenues to discuss, unfortunately too many spoilers to discuss openly in a review format.

The plot progresses slowly and methodically. I wish there was a little more oomph at times to keep with forward momentum, but I think it lends itself well to the contemplative idea of the book itself. Also, when things do occur that are out of the ordinary it really makes you sit up and notice. Putting emphasis on the moments to either lend weight to or maybe disparage Marie's story.

This book is definitely a good one as we head into the fall season. As I said, I'd love a chance to go back, with open eyes, and see hints and clues of what's to come.

Ok first of all if you are looking for a creepy transitional read into the fall season, look no further because this book was it. The way Blake mixes horror, gothic literature and historical fiction in this book is masterful because I really felt as though I was reading a historical account, or at least a gothic tale. While it takes place in the 1950s really, the story is so unsettling that I felt as though it was happening right now. Marie Catherine Hale is a super interesting antagonist and I loved how we were viewing her from a teenage boys eyes. We did fall in love with Marie and we did believe her - not sure if I would have felt this way were it from any other perspective, but it worked. This book never confirms if vampires are real or not, so if you're looking for a conclusive ending, you will not find it here but I love ambiguous endings so I was so happy with it (also, the last 20 or so pages are SO creepy). If this book was on your radar, I would highly recommend picking it up!

Thank you to the publisher, Quill Tree Books, HCC Frenzy, and NetGalley for providing me with an eARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

In the summer of 1958, there is a trail of mysterious murders across the Midwest where the victims are found completely drained of blood. The Carlson family, who live in a small Minnesota town is the site of the latest murders, but this time, a girl named Marie Catherine Hale is found at the scene covered in blood. Initially assumed to be a survivor, she is taken into custody when it is found that none of the blood is hers, and she has not a single scratch upon her. The hunt begins for her accomplice, because a teenage girl could not have carried out all these murders by herself. Michael Jensen, the sheriff’s teenage son, is an aspiring journalist, and when Marie decides he is the only one she’ll tell her story to, it falls to him to record her confession and sort through her increasingly bizarre account and find the truth about what happened to the Carlsons and how Marie is involved in it all.

Paranormal mysteries are not common on my TBR, but the minute I heard about this book, I knew I had to read it. I don’t know anything about the real-life case this is based on, but the premise sounded really promising and the book did not disappoint. It was very unlike Kendare Blake’s last work, the Three Dark Crowns series, and the writing style was quite different too, but it worked for this type of story. The setting of a small 50s town, with the case of the mysterious murders and Marie’s seemingly impossible story really set the mood for this book and it made for an interesting read. I thought the narrative did a great job at keeping things feeling real even as it strayed into supernatural territory.

All These Bodies is narrated through Michael’s perspective. Where he initially thought that interviewing Marie would be his ticket to a good college and career, he quickly realizes that there is much more going on than what he has signed up for. Marie was a thoroughly puzzling character and I loved that about her because as a reader, it had me second guessing myself constantly about who she truly was and if Michael was just being tricked. To be honest, it was the sense of mystery around Marie that truly drew me into the narrative and held my attention rather than Michael who felt like he was there only as a means of telling the story. That said, I feel that this book needed a little more of the supernatural in it, and perhaps a few POVs from Marie’s angle.

I would say this book was a creepy read, but personally, I felt that the way it was narrated, through Michael’s interviews with Marie made it less scary – but still, maybe check your doors and windows and leave your lights on? This was a fast paced read that will keep you turning the pages and leave you guessing even after the book is over. Yes, it’s one of those books with an inconclusive ending, which I half expected going into it – something about the mood of the book just indicated that we would not really get a concrete finish. There is a lot left up to the reader’s interpretation, so it might not be everyone’s cup of tea, but I enjoyed it all the same and would recommend this book. For all the fans of mysteries and thrillers, this is the perfect addition to your TBR this month to get into the Halloween mood!

I was looking forward to a book by Kendare Blake, because I enjoyed her other books very much. However, this book was not nearly as good. It is slow out the gate and I found myself wanting to skip the long, descriptive paragraphs. I didn't connect with a single character to the point I couldn't even recall their names when describing the book to another person. It is all plot and no character connections, which I don't think is best for YA. For teens, they want to be able to feel like they are reading a story instead of a book report. I won't be recommending this book to my students for this reason.