Oh My Word People! "Real Easy" audiobook by Marie Rutkoski is a thrilling complex roller coaster ride!


Samantha works as a stripper. This is not her dream job, but she needs the money. In her personal life, Samantha lives with her boyfriend Nick and he is sometimes adusive. Nick has a daughter named Rosie, who is Samatha's world. She delights in spending time with Rosie, picking her up from school, and helping her with her homework. One evening Samantha's friend Jolene gets sick at work. Samantha drives her friend home and they are followed. Will they make it home?


"Real Easy" has many characters. At times the reader may feel it is a little bit difficult to figure out, but keep reading/listening. This book is so worth it! Many times we forget that behind a job is real people with real lives. They are just trying to make a living and survive. The author, who has experienced this life tells the human side of the story. It reaches out and grabs the reader.


Warning: This book is not for the faint at heart. It has graphic scenes.


Thank you NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for allowing me to review this thrilling audio. I enjoyed every minute of it! "Real Easy" was published January 18, 2022.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an ALC in exchange for an honest review.

I LOVED THIS BOOK! It was one of my most anticipated releases of 2022, and I loved it! There was so much creep factor to this, but the thing that I loved most was the non-linear writing style. Things start to come together then fall apart again only to come together wonderfully at the end to make a plot twist you think you saw coming but never did! This was FANTASTIC! 5/5 stars!

Another note: this book humanized sex workers and that is always a win in my book.

The Real Easy at it's core is a mystery as to who ran two strippers off the road and then took one of them as his prisoner, told from multiple points of view; victims, cops and the perp The descriptions of the lives of the strippers and their interest in stripping is interesting and eye opening. I liked the gist of the book but I found myself a little disinterested in how it would end. One of the main questions was answered half way through which took away some of the interest.

Marie Rutkoski also added new characters half way through. I found myself wondering who are these people and why do I care? I did listen to the book and each of the strippers had two names, their real and their stage, but I just had to keep asking myself who this person was.

Thanks to NetGalley for the advance copy of the audiobook in exchange for this honest review.

For years, Samantha has danced at the Lovely Lady, but one night in 1999, she does a favor for a new girl and her life is forever changed. The story starts with the joint's star stripper and stepmom to little Rosie and unfolds with an evil maybe serial killer and Gigi, another dancer, unintentionally is tasked with getting to the bottom of this along with two detectives with baggage of their own.

This book was such a dark and twisty ride. I enjoyed it? But like whew what a heavy thriller. Proceed with caution if you don't usually gravitate toward a super dark read.

A packed audiobook! The narrator did a good job with voices and tones. Some parts were thrilling especially near the end when the killer was about to be found out. I liked that there’s a view of the killer. There seemed to be new character introductions every other chapter which I didn’t care for and frankly wane my interest. I don’t mind more details to 3-5 views but there seemed to be as many as 15 views. Maybe I'm exaggerating. I would want to know the killer’s intent every step of the way including his feelings and thoughts during the kill and disposal instead of learning more about additional side characters. I thought Holly’s mystery with her kid repeated a bit often. I enjoyed the interview with the author at the end of the audiobook. I understand her reasons for multiple characters but I would rather have more detailed information of the main characters.


This story started with Samantha (Ruby) as she worked as a dancer at the club. She was working on Rudy to earn a few bucks. Then she went home to her boyfriend Nick and his daughter Rosie, 8. Later she was invited by a client to hang out with him at a casino for extra money. Nick was upset and choked her. Samantha made $1k a night. She noticed the new girl Jolene struggle in this job so she helped showed her the way. Samantha was born with a syndrome where she’s half man and half woman and needed to take hormones pills. One night Jolene was drugged at work and Samantha offered to take her home. A car followed them. The second view was Georgia (Gigi). She also danced at the club. She used her mom’s sickness as her excuse but her mom actually died already. The third view was Detective Victor. The fourth view was Holly. Holly worked with detective Victor. Jolene was left for dead and Samantha was kidnapped. The fifth view was Melody. Her mom Sasha danced at the club. The sixth view was Him. The man called to talk to Rosie. There were many other minor views of different dancers and police officers. The detectives job was to find out where Samantha is after they found Jolene’s body.


Real Easy is a mystery thriller focusing around a strip club and its dancers. Then there were stories of women left for dead and a killer is on the loose. There was an attempt from the killer wanting to do pedophile but there weren’t any physical activities besides a phone call. One dancer fall for someone but it seemed sudden because there weren’t months of longing. There was a hint of family abuse between boyfriend to girlfriend and mother to daughter. There was date rape drugs and imperfect police. I have read two YA fantasy series from the author and loved it so despite not enjoying this mystery thriller as much as the fantasies, I would still read her next book.

Detailed review posted on my blog at www.Howusefulitis.com

Many thanks to Henry Holt, Macmillan Audio, and NetGalley for the opportunity to listen and review. Please be assured that my opinions are honest.

A gripping thriller set in a strip club written by an ex-stripper. (Which I didn't know until after I finished the audiobook and listened to the interview with the author at the end, butI was not surprised, as everything in this story rings perfectly true.) The character development is unusual for a crime thriller, with a diverse group of women sharing their viewpoints and lives.

The main character, Samantha, lives with a jealous, almost-violent boyfriend and his young daughter, whom she loves as if she were her own, which makes her especially happy, as a rare chromosomal condition means she can't have her own and has to take hormones to maintain her feminine qualities. I loved the relationship between the girl and Samantha, authentically movingly portrayed and a refreshing change to have a really good stepmother depicted. Samantha, though she has no children of her own, obviously has a maternal bent, because she soon finds herself behaving in a motherly way toward a new dancer who needs help, as well. There's a killer out there who's been targeting the dancers. The rest you should read for yourself.

I loved the narration of this audiobook, too, which kept me enthralled despite many character changes. Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for giving me this free listen in exchange for my honest review.

Firstly - how STUNNING is this cover?!

This was such a thrilling ride and I loved how it was so much more than just a crime fiction read or typical whodunit. It was also a story about hope and humanity and I thoroughly enjoyed listening to the authors note at the end and learning that used her experience as a former dancer for the inspiration!

This one was gritty, suspenseful and incredibly character driven. I found the cast absolutely fascinating and totally endearing as well.

I definitely recommend this one!

This was my kind of thriller! I thought Marie Rutkoski did such an amazing job with this one. The characters were fantastic, and I loved how she integrated the killer's chapters and future thoughts/feelings of characters throughout the book. So well done! I don't like to give things away in my reviews, so I just have to say if you love twisted thrillers, give this one a try. I listened to it, and I loved the audio.

Trigger Warning: Real Easy contains events involving sexual assault and addiction, so I would not read this book if those topics are disturbing and sensitive to you as a reader.



Samantha is the star at the Lovely Lady strip club and everyone knows it - management, dancers, and patrons. While Samantha has danced for years, it's her personal life which truly matters, and that life revolves around her boyfriend and his daughter, who may as well be her own. Samantha, who goes by the stage name Ruby, typically keeps to herself while at work, but when a new dancer, Jolene/Lady Jade, finds herself in trouble during their shift, Samantha offers to drive her home. As the two head to Jolene's apartment, they are run off the road. When police arrive at the scene the following morning, they only find Jolene's body, but she didn't die in a car accident - Jolene was clearly murdered, so a search for Samantha ensues immediately. As the hunt for Samantha's kidnapper and Jolene's murderer is underway, detectives are quickly rebuffed by the quiet, defensive nature of strip club employees and patrons. Detectives realize they need someone on the inside if they're ever going to catch their mystery criminal. After doing a few sweeps of the club, Detective Holly approaches Georgia, also known as GiGi. Georgia's personal life is unlike the other dancers which makes her the most appropriate choice as an informant. When Holly asks Georgia to be the police's informant, Georgia refuses to help citing the trouble it would cause her if anyone found out. But as the investigation moves slowly and grows increasingly complicated, Georgia realizes she might hold the key to solving this mystery.


Set in 1999, Real Easy is a dark procedural thriller that pushes against contemporary stereotypes surrounding dancers and strip clubs. Taking place in small town Illinois, the book jumps between character perspectives with Samantha/Ruby, Georgia/GiGi, and Detective Holly Meylin carrying a bulk of the story, and let me tell you: You're going to fall in love with each of these characters. Not only are the characters relatable, they all possess a tenacity that makes you want to see them prevail. While this is a procedural book, I didn't find the intricacies of police work to overshadow the thriller/mystery part of Real Easy. In fact, the police investigation brings several credible suspects to light, each of whom adds a layer to the mystery. Real Easy includes social commentary surrounding gender, sexuality, class, and work, all of which are incredibly pertinent in today's society. I think the best part of this book is the author's writing and authenticity; Marie Rutkoski draws on her own experiences as a dancer and, if you have the audiobook, there is an interview at the end where Rutkoski details those experiences. I chose to listen to Real Easy, and I really enjoyed the narrator and pacing, so I would recommend the audiobook if you have the option. Overall, I truly loved Real Easy and think it's a phenomenal book.


5/5

I would suggest reading the physical book as opposed to listening to the audiobook. I thought the plot was interesting, but I struggled to keep track of the multiple characters and their POVs. The author interview at the end was a great touch!

DNF @ 5%, so no rating.

I could tell right away that the writing style wasn't for me, and the main character wasn't very likeable. That's not a deal-breaker for me, but I at least need an intriguing or enjoyable story to go with it.

Real Easy tells the story of the The Lovely Lady strip club in 1999. Samantha has danced there for years, she makes good money, the dancers are mostly cordial to one another, and Dale, the club's owner seems to be a decent boss. Privately she has a boyfriend who doesn't love her job and she is a good mother figure to his daughter Rosie. At the club one evening a new dancer seems to be on drugs, so Samantha offers to drive her home but they never make it their destination. The police find the car abandoned on the side of the road and only one dead body. Where is Samantha? Is she alive? Who took her and why? The remainder of the story is told from multiple POV's of the dancers, cops and the abductor. With Samantha's profession and the people who frequent club there is no shortage of suspects.

Being equal parts plot and character driven I'd say this is more of a mystery than a thriller per se. Mysteries to me are more of a slow burn which is the case here, but I was still invested and wanted to know how everything would turn out. I am not entirely sure what the title means/references.
The audio was well done, but given that there are a lot of POVs/characters to keep track of you definitely need to be paying attention.....it's not one you can passively listen to and still know what's really going on. Be sure to stay tuned after the book is finished because the narrator does a quick interview with Marie Rutkoski and she discusses her experiences as a dancer and the book's inspiration.

Thank you to Macmillan Audio and NetGalley who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All the thoughts and opinions are my own.

Can't say that I had fun while reading this one because of the dark subject matter, but I did enjoy reading it. The characters all felt real and the mystery was intriguing... it was almost like an episode of Criminal Minds. My only grievance is that I found the constantly switching POVs a little confusing and the interchangeable use of the dancer's stage names and their legal names equally so.

Samantha aka Ruby is a stripper in 1999 at the Lovely Lady. She’s such an awesome person. An amazing stepmom, loving girlfriend, adored daughter, and a caring coworker. She also suffers from a medical condition in which she doesn’t have female hormones, so she takes medications to keep her more feminine qualities. We get to know a handful of strippers who all have colorful lives which we get to appreciate through the chapters they narrate. One of the strippers gets killed and another is missing. In the investigation into the murder and disappearance, we also get to know, Detective Holly Meylin, an investigator whose son died when her husband leaves him in a hot car. She’s traumatized but keeps going the best she can. Holly seeks out help from a stripper called Gigi/Georgia. There are so many suspects due to the less-than-moral characters frequenting the strip club. One thing I loved about the book was all the different narrators so we have so many perspectives. While we love Samantha, we also get to know all the different people who are a part of her life. Samantha’s stepdaughter Rosie will have you wrapped around her little finger. Then we know the bouncer, club owner, police officers, etc. when you get to the end, you’ll realize it was “real easy” to understand the characters and even the killer. The characters learn that when you stop, ask questions, and care about others things can be real easy when we help others.

💭What I thought would happen:

I didn’t even know what genre this one felt in. Maybe Lord or the Flies vibes..super wrong.

📖What actually happens:

Dual timelines before and after Lady Jade has been murdered in the most brutal way. Lady Jade is real stage name, she was a new hire stripper before her demise.

Georgia, a dancer as well is shocked by Lady Jade’s death and decides to help with the investigation as an informant desperately trying to find out what and who happened to her friend before she died.

🗯Thoughts:

I’d say this book just didn’t do it for me. It had all the pieces to be captivating but I just could not get into it. Perhaps a bit too dark for my current mood.

I love a twisted thriller, woman trapped in a basement kind of crime novel. I had to keep listening to find out what happened and I was satisfied with how the events throughout the book transpired.

Overall, would say not my favourite but is worth giving it a try!

I’ve loved Marie’s YA fantasy books so I was excited for her foray into adult fiction with this mystery and it was very well done!

Sam, prized stripper at the Lucky Lady, goes missing after trying to help a fellow stripper get home in 1999. Detective Holly and fellow stripper, Gracie try to find her before it's too late. It had so many POVs that I thought it kept it really interesting. There was an author interview at the end and she got the idea from her time working as a stripper and that added even more to the story for me.

It wasn’t scary but it was very intriguing and the mystery kept me hooked. There were so many interesting females and the author does a great job of making each so deep and distinct.

Sorry to say this one was not for me. Although the writing was excellent, I found the marketing description of this book as “surprisingly hopeful” to be dead wrong; most of this book is bleeeeeeak. I was interested in a contemporary feminist take on sex-work in the 90s, but this mostly felt flat to me, too; the sex-worker narrators are too similar, the experiences and insights too pat. And the chronically-underestimated female cop is not breaking any new ground here either (I could make a list of books that have done that trope well, but I am sure if you’re a thriller fan, you could too.)

The most successful aspect for me were the early chapters (before the crime) inside the strip club; I found that setting to be fresh and compelling.

I found the perspective shifts to be a little confusing (audio may have exacerbated this, although the narrator was wonderful) but the characters' voices and backstories, especially of the sex workers, were just not unique enough to easily tell which kid or which boyfriend was which. I am a close listener, but found this frustrating and sometimes had to give up on keeping the names straight without the ability to flip pages to re-read.

I thought the quality of the writing was lovely, way lovelier than the book was overall, but at times a little self-indulgent; I especially disliked the occasional vignette of a character’s past; these felt like writing exercises that only deadened the book’s momentum.

This book really fundamentally did not work for me as a thriller, it simply did not effectively set up stakes or dread in a compelling way. There wasn’t much question from the get-go who the perpetrator was, and, for the most part, it never felt like a cat and mouse game, there basically were no near-misses or close calls or nail-biting will-they-catch-him-in-time that could have served as a more compelling engine for a thriller. (In fact, the main murder of the book happens weirdly off the page, and doesn’t really land very solidly when we learn, in a kind of oblique way, that this obligatory scene has already happened – seems like a real missed opportunity to not set that up more effectively.)

I resented the few gross-out moments (the refrigerated jars, the cuts on the feet of the victims) and tragedy porn (the oh-so-expected dead son of the cop), they didn’t feel earned to me.

In the last ten percent of the book, things got a little more interesting, there were some surprises, but sorry to say that was too little, too late for me. I did actually like the book a lot more after listening to the interview with the author at the end of the audio edition; I had a better understanding of the context of the book and what she was trying to say; unfortunately, I just didn’t find those things on the page.

I think I can sum up what didn’t work for me in this book succinctly: Thomas Harris already wrote Silence of the Lambs (more than 30 years ago!) And this book often felt like it was hewing close to that landmark one, structurally... and what book that invites that comparison can really hold up to it? I don’t know why this book needed a serial killer story at all to be honest; if this had been a literary story centered on the strip club, or a story collection, or even a crime novel that wasn’t centered on a serial killer in a way that countless books have done already, I think I would have enjoyed it more.

Anyway, I am sure this book will have its enthusiasts, it is certainly a well-written addition to a well-trod genre, and I am sorry I was not a bigger fan!

Samantha is a dancer at a club. She has taken one of the newer dancers under her wing. So when the dancer needs a ride home, she helps out... But that is the last time she is seen alive. Her family and the other dancers are left wondering who is responsible. 😳💸🩰

This book is a slower burn, but still entertaining with some great character development. I struggled a bit with keeping all the different characters straight since it alternated between several different points of view. Unlike any other thriller I've read. ⭐⭐⭐

Thank you @henryholtbooks and @netgalley for the gifted ebook in exchange for an honest review.

90s Nostalgia? Check
Scarred Police Officer? Check
Ensamble cast? Feminist perspective? Missing women and a long list of suspects? Dark, moody atmosphere?
Real Easy has all this and more, and I loved reading about all the dancers at the Lovely Lady strip club, their stories, dreams and lives. I wasn't sure what I was expecting when I started the book, but I was quickly drawn into this atmospheric and nuanced book, It had a steady pace for the majority of the time- the tension built steadily, not quite a slow burn and not a rollercoaster ride of a thriller; instead a perfectly smoldering story filled with unexpected twists, complex characters, and lots of things to make you think. I loved the way the author busted the stripper stereotypes often used when sex workers are portrayed.
I really enjoyed the narration of the audiobook and think it's a great format for this story.
Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the advance copy.

I loved this book, and then I realized it was based on the author’s real-life experiences and that just made me love it even more.

Real Easy was unlike anything else I’ve read recently. Sex workers and erotic dancers are often used as the victims in the thrillers and crime procedurals I love, but they’re rarely the main characters. I loved how Real Easy helped to humanize these women, showing them as real people just in need of some money instead of victims who life has chewed up and spit out.

The strip club angle made this thriller feel fresh. I’m always looking for an out-of-the-box thriller. I love this genre, but when I read too many the plots certainly get a little stale. Thank you to MR for bringing me out of my recent thriller rut!

I enjoyed the rapidly changing POVs, although it does take a few chapters to get a hold of the characters and who’s who. The author mentioned that she really tried to give each perspective a purpose: when the POV changes, it’s for a specific reason to advance the plot, not just to give that character some air time. She certainly achieved this, and it made the story fast-paced and captivating.

I do wish we got to know more about Samantha. I really liked her character at the beginning of the book, but she goes missing within the first few pages. The author did a good job of making the reader care about her through other perspectives, though.

I’m so glad I listened to the audio of Real Easy. The narration drew me in and made me feel like I was right in the middle of the story, and it made an afternoon of chores and laundry fly by. I was able to speed the book up a bit–my favorite way to listen–thanks to clear, annunciated narration.