Thanks to MacMillan and NetGalley for providing an audio ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I kept seeing this book in review sources and thinking it sounded interesting, but, honestly, the stripper aspect turned me off. When I saw it was available as an audio ARC, I figured I'd give it a whirl and if it sucked, it was no great loss. But Reader, it did not suck.

In fact, it was overall pretty awesome. The strippers were portrayed as {gasp!} human beings, with dreams, kids, lives. They were relatable and compelling. I am not used to this. Honestly, I would read another book by this author that wasn't a thriller if it was about the lives of strippers - it was that good. It was unputdownable (and I rarely say that).

Eva Kaminsky is my new favorite voice actor. She did a good job of differentiating voices and just has a lot of gravitas. The way she narrated/acted Samantha was especially moving.

I didn't necessarily love the outcome of the book, but it was believable and well-rendered.

There was a little extra bit on the end of the book that was an interview between Kaminsky and the book's author, Marie Rutkowski. Rutkowski revealed that she had stripped when she was younger, which explains her deft touch with these characters. I also think it's pretty ballsy of her to own, but I guess it's also necessary to answer the inevitable question of how she portrays exotic dancers as people.

In short, I loved it; I can't wait for Rutkowski's next work, hopefully also to be narrated by Kaminsky. Brava!

Thank you Netgalley for providing me with an early copy of the audiobook in exchange for an honest review.
Marie Rutkoski has a way of telling stories that keep you captivated.
This book goes well beyond the “stripper with a heart of gold” cliche to deliver a suspenseful, beautifully written story. This story was inspired by the author's days as a dancer in the past.
Of course, there is murder in this book of women, and a huge amount of possible suspects as this is set in a strip club mainly, There are many creepy people that can potentially be 'the killer'.

Overall, keeps you on your toes, and is a great read.

Thank you NetGalley for a free copy in exchange for an honest review. This was good, there were a few things in it that seemed unnecessary, but overall a good solid thriller. I enjoyed the setting, and that it showed a segment of society that one doesn't usually read about, and presented the strippers as people and not just sex objects.

Real Easy was an enjoyable mystery that thrusts readers into the 90s strip club setting and 90s detective scene. Rutkoski creates wonderful, well-rounded characters and thanks to both her writing style and unique perspective manages to avoid any of the characters, especially the women working at the club, from feeling like stereotypes or caricatures. This book is well balanced between being a compelling mystery and heartfelt look into our own humanity and the events that shape it.

This story is told through multiple perspectives. I surprisingly, as a fan of true crime and mysteries, found the investigation storyline to be the least compelling part of this book and I wholly believe that is a testament at how thorough and considerate the author was in the way that she weaves together the story lines.

I believe that the narrator for the audiobook version of Real Easy was a wonderful choice. I really enjoyed the pacing at which the book was read and the overall performance. I do believe that some listeners may find the changes in characters confusing though, so that is something to be mindful of when listening. I also would highly recommend listening to the narrator's interview with the author at the end of the story.

A murder mystery book that was entertaining and good. The characters were unique and also having strippers in the story was new and refreshing. Got tons of different POV of the characters in the story but easy to follow and I enjoyed Samantha's story. Grew fond of her and kept cheering for her until the very end.

When Ichose this book, I knew it would be out of my comfort zone, but it really challenged me. I love thrillers, but this was a little too gritty for my tastes. The writing was solid though and the character clear. It just wasn't for me.

Hello bookstagram. Been in an omicron induced fever dream the last few days so I haven't been posting much. Feeling a bit more on the mend now so I wanted to say Happy Publication Day to Real Easy by @marierutkoski. Thank you to @netgalley and @macmillan.audio for the early audiobook in exchange for an honest review.

This multi-POV mystery thriller set in a Midwest strip club was exactly the kind of thriller I needed right now. It is 1999 and Samantha (Ruby) has plenty on her own plate, but one night a fellow dancer at the Lovely Lady where she has danced for years needs a ride home and on their journey home they are run off the road. Samantha is taken and the other dancer's cold body is found at the scene. Georgia (GIGI), another dancer at the club starts to put things together as she carefully interacts with the police. Tensions are high at the club as the dancers wonder who will be next.

This story is totally character driven and all the characters were well fleshed out, even those that only were briefly present. That alone made me really enjoy this book, but there was so much more there.

Marie Rutkoski writes from her own experiences of being a dancer at a club in a former job which is probably why everything is so real and vivid in the way she describes the setting and characters. You feel like you are in the dressing room and onstage with the dancers as they navigate the rewards and perils of that line of work. Even all the descriptions of odors really brought the story and setting to life.

I actually did end up guessing the perp before it was revealed, but only because of the deliberate breadcrumbs left by the author throughout the book and just before the reveal. I flew through the audio narrated by @evakaminsky1 and will certainly be looking for more titles narrated by her because I enjoyed her cadence and the voices she used for different POV.

I gave this one 🤖🤖🤖🤖🤖/5 and definitely recommend it, especially if you like thrillers and character driven stories. I am still thinking about all these characters. Like, I legit want to call Gigi and see how she is doing after everything that went down.

Happy Publication Day to Marie Rutkoski for Real Easy! Oh boy, book friends. This new release is dark, disturbing, and pretty gritty. The subject matter is not for everyone, so please keep that in mind. If you ever wanted a behind-the-scenes look at what it’s like for dancers working at a strip club, then this is your book. The combination of a possible murder/missing person investigation, a late nineties timeline, and a midwestern setting was very well done, in my opinion. My one and only complaint is that there were WAY too many characters in this novel. I just couldn’t keep track of them all! But I will say that they were all carefully crafted, and very well-developed. Be sure to take the time to read the interview with the author at the end. It provides so much insight on her inspiration for the plot, the characters, and her connection to the nightclub scene. Grab your copy today!

The Real Easy by Marie Rutkoski pulled me in from the very beginning. I loved the point of views from the various characters. Eva Kaminsky really brought them to life with her voice. This book is crime fiction at its best. I could visualize so many details. Thank you NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for letting me review this book early. I loved it!

I LOVED this audiobook! I felt like I was right in the middle of The Lovely Lady club listening to all of the characters interact. This was such a fun, suspenseful thriller to listen to! Eva Kaminsky did an excellent job narrating! I really enjoyed listening to Marie Rutkoski's style of writing. All of her characters were likable and relatable. I felt a connection with each of them. All her descriptions of Freemont, IL, the club, and the characters lives made the whole story feel so real. I HIGHLY recommend this audiobook!! Best one I've listened to this year!

Thank you NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for this advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.

I have posted my review to @thrillersandcoffee on instagram.

A great thriller with a unique premise! I loved being thrown into the immersive world of the Lovely Lady strip club and all of the dark secrets that have gone unspoken there. The characters drew me in and the story kept me turning pages, but I feel as if it could have been just a tad bit shorter overall and still gotten the story across. Regardless, a strong 4 star rating from me and I recommend picking this one up, officially out for purchase today!

I really enjoyed this domestic drama about the life and times of being a stripper. Really interesting insight. Great narrator for the audio book. Lots of secrets and so many twists and turns.
Thank you NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this book

Baby $tripper vet Marie Rutkoski's Real Easy indulges the cliche of the strip club in her new crime novel Real Easy. Dark and twisty, the POVs were overwhelming but I usually understood why the switches happened. I loved the author interview at the end.

Happy Publishing Day Eve to Marie Rutkoski's fantastic new crime novel, "Real Easy." This serial killer thriller kept me reading into the middle of the night last weekend. I love a dark and twisty thriller that I can't put down. "Real Easy" delivers on all fronts.

It's 1999. Samantha works nights dancing at a Midwestern strip club called The Lovely Lady. At night, she's "Ruby." During the day, she's a loving mom to her boyfriend's young daughter, Rosie. She's working hard to bring home cash for her family while dreaming of a better future. Samantha works alongside Jolene, a new dancer at the club who calls herself "Lady Jade." She is young, naive, and needs a friend. In the middle of a shift one night, Samantha is enlisted to drive the new girl home when their boss finds "Lady Jade" out of her mind on drugs. After leaving the club, Samantha notices a dark car following them. And so it begins.

I don't want to spoil anything that happens in this book- it's a wild ride to go on. The Lovely Lady strip club is an electric setting. You can see the neon lights and smell the sweaty leather booths and private champagne rooms. The dancers take turns in the story's spotlight, each with a hardscrabble backstory that resonates. Georgia, especially, stole my heart. "Real Easy" is dark, gritty, R-rated serial killer thriller, sure, but it's also a surprisingly tender and emotional novel about a group of women working hard to make ends meet while struggling to survive the violent nature of the men around them.

4 stars and a kitten heel for good measure.
⭐⭐⭐⭐👠

P.S.
This will *surely* be made into a movie. I could see David Fincher ("Gone Girl," "Panic Room") directing a film version. Imagine the flickering neon signs in pink and red, hazy through smoke, surrounded by muted greys and blues. Chills!

From the way the book finds its name, to how flushed out every character is, Real Easy is a phenomenal read. This one kept me guessing until the end. At one point I was convinced I knew who the killer was, but of course I was wrong. Each of the girls are so well thought out that they could have their own books. The main three women, while being very different from each other, invoked the same sympathy and well-wishing. I absolutely loved the audiobook. Not only did the narrator do a beautiful job of making the story feel real, the interview at the end of the book made me want all books to end with an interview with the author. Hearing the author tell the inspiration and real life experience that led to the story just made it even better. For me, this was a 4.5/5.

If you like characters that leap off the page, multiple suspects, or love female detectives, this is the one for you.

I received a copy of this audiobook free from Netgalley and Macmillan Audio in exchange for an honest review.

Pretty good thriller, though I did guess 'whodunit' fairly early on. Not that that's necessarily a bad thing. I really enjoyed the interview with the author after the book, and it was interesting to learn how the story had grown out of her own personal life experiences.

REAL EASY, which takes place in 1999, brings to justice a serial killer who targets exotic dancers.

The story revolves around three strong women, Samantha, Georgia, and Holly. Each has a robust backstory. Samantha’s unemployed boyfriend is insanely jealous of the men she dances for and is sometimes abusive. Unable to have children, she has become the mother to his young daughter Rosie. Her love for Rosie keeps her tethered to him. Georgia has a complicated relationship with her family. She’s biracial, has never met her father, and her mother’s battle with Alzheimer’s has derailed her dreams of college. Holly, the cop investigating the case, is haunted by the loss of her son.

The biggest strength of the novel is the characterization. Each character is fully developed and their actions are well motivated. Setting the story in 1999 does a nice job of limiting the dissemination of information about the murders and nicely sets up communication barriers. Rutkoski’s experience of working in a strip club ensures a realistic tone and layered setting full of sensory details.

Multiple points of view are given including the killer and a number of side characters. The number of characters as a whole was a bit overwhelming at times. I found the ending to be satisfying and heartfelt. Of the three main characters, I connected more with Samantha and Georgia than I did with Holly, which makes sense given the realistic world and dynamics of the Lovely Lady club.

Eva Kaminsky is a dynamic narrator, using a sultry tone for the stripper’s voices and infusing distinct personality into each character. I plan to seek out more of her work.

An awesome interview of the author by the narrator is included at the end of the book. Hearing The author’s insight into writing the book was fantastic. She shares the reasoning behind some of the choices she made, her background, and her writing process. I particularly liked the rationale behind the title. While Rutkoski has published a number of books for children and young adults, REAL EASY is her first adult novel. I can’t wait for her next one.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Thanks to Macmillan Audio and Henry Holt and Company for providing an Advance Reader Copy via NetGalley.

Real Easy focuses on the dancers at Lovely Lady, a strip club outside of Chicago in 1999. Samantha (or Ruby, as she's known at work), has a steady stream of clients and helps out the newer Lady Jade (Jolene) when she's discovered high during a shift. Samantha volunteers to give her a ride home, but during their trip, the car is run off the road. A body is found on the scene, and the other woman is missing.

I enjoyed the way the mystery was unpacked. There were many POVs which momentarily took me a while to get accustomed to, but soon enough, I got to know these very lifelike characters and looked forward to what they added to the story. The split between the detectives and dancers was also well done.

One thing I critique many thrillers about are the cookie-cutter characters, but each person introduced in the story was entirely unique. There was a lot of heart in between the tragedy, which made this such a satisfying book to read.

This was unlike anything ive read before. Part thriller, part romance, part feminist and part found family. It was so well orchestrated

3/5 stars. When an author known for YA fantasy makes a hard turn into the adult thriller genre, I’m always intrigued by what the results will be. And when the premise is as dramatic as the death and disappearance of two exotic dancers at a strip club as in Marie Rutkoski’s Real Easy, I know I had to pick it up. I have very mixed feelings about this book however, so I think it’s easiest to compartmentalize my thoughts on what did and didn't work for me here.

The good:
- This was written with Marie Rutkoski’s own experience working as an exotic dancer at the forefront of her writing process. Her interview at the end of the audiobook explaining this gave a very heavy sense of realism in two specific events in the book that I would have appreciated more had I known the context as I was reading.
- The representation. This book features both a intersex character and a WLW relationship in the forefront of the story, which I feel is very rare to see in thrillers. The cast of characters here, and the girls at the strip club, were fully realized individuals for the most part.
- The way the author played with the concept of a main character, or a POV character. Rutoski was willing to challenge the reader’s comfortable perception that the woman we first meet at the novel’s start will be the same protagonist that finishes it. Without getting into spoilers, she actually manages to do both.

The not-so-good:
- Disjointed and sometimes superfluous POVs. We very rapidly swap between an enormous cast of characters, and maybe it was a function of me listening to this on audio, but I struggled to keep track of all the miscellaneous plotlines. Some were included just to be red herrings, which was more distracting than actually conducive to the final twist. And while Rutkoski specifically mentioned she included so many POVs with a purpose to illustrate various character interactions, I think this was perhaps an overly ambitious attempt to do so.
- The 90’s setting. Unless one of our characters was talking about a cell phone or casual lack thereof, I completely forgot this book was even set two decades prior. I think if this book was going to be pitched as a 1999 thriller, it needed to embrace this period more - or at least acknowledge it. There’s no mention of major events of the era, or music (beyond the obvious Britney Spears reference), or any other aspect of this decade that is now more relevant than ever.

In the end, I feel that Real Easy was an ambitious thriller that didn’t perfectly hit the mark for my tastes. That being said, I thoroughly enjoyed seeing a familiar author dabble in a genre outside of her usual, and would readily pick up another book in a similar vein. And in general, if you’re a reader that gravitates towards multiple POV stories and can appreciate some underrepresented voices in the thriller genre I would recommend this book.