Book Dynamics✨
2 POV
Slow Burn


The premise of this had me immediately hooked. The conversation around serial killers always pulls my attention. I loved the ebb and flow of light vs dark between Laura and Roach.

A sinister portrayal of obsession and the dark underbelly of being a true crime “fan”. I was uncomfy at times during Roach’s sections. The romanticizing of murder was absolutely needed for the story to develop but hard to digest.

This is a very slow burn. Nothing really happens AND THATS OKAY. Just be aware going in. This is not a book full of twists but it is a very twisted book. See what I did there? 🥁

That being said, I could have done without some of the middle. We could have started wrapping things up sooner and it would have been an easy 5 star for me. It was just a smidge too dragged out for my liking.

Favorite Character: Bleep obvi

Overall: grab if you’re a fan of YOU. I don’t think you will be disappointed

Death of a Bookseller by Alice Slater should be added to everyone TBRs!

I will say this story is not really a mystery, more a light thriller, but still an enjoyable read. I probably would have been able to read this book in one sitting, it’s that addicting, however adult life got in the way.

Roach’s obsession with serial killers and how they were ‘God like’, her growing obsession with Laura, and how she affected Laura’s actions made me want to keep reading!

Thank you so much to NetGalley and the publishers for this ARC!

I didn't hate this mystery but I also didn't hate it either. I just don't know how I feel about it. I don't think it's enough for me to read anymore books by this author.

First off, as always thank you Netgalley and the publisher W.W. Norton and Company for the opportunity to read this ARC. Now let's get into it. This book is a mystery/thriller that follows two women, Roach and Laura, as one of them goes missing. Wow. Well. I was really intrigued by the cover and description of this book when I found it on the Netgalley site (I really enjoy reading thrillers, true crime, mysteries, so this seemed right up my alley) BUT as I went in with a bright outlook, I was highly disappointed. The true crime talk felt romanticized, murder in general seemed to be romanticized in this book and it just left a cringey/uncomfortable feeling with me. Personal space seemed NONEXISTENT as well. I also found it a difficult story to follow as the prologue told future events, the main story was in the "past" and then scenes in the "past" were told further in the future than the prologue? And in the synopsis we are told Roach is a True Crime fanatic but the book makes it her whole personality which makes the character development hard to notice. I cringed at a lot of scenes and was just overall disappointed. This book just wasn't for me. 1 ⭐

What a brilliant, grim, grimey, blackly comic and harshly true to life read. My days as a bookseller were brought back in vivid detail by this novel of obsession, death, and books. Brilliant. I need a good shower, but so glad I read this

This was a dark and disgusting read and I absolutely loved it. The writing is enchanting the characters were well written and compelling and the storyline was so original. A fantastic read.

Meet Roach (real name Brogan), she works in Spines, a bookshop in Walthamstow. She’s a Goth, a loner, dark if not morbid and obsessed with true crime. Oh, let’s not forget the pet snail, yes, that’s right a pet snail! Roach is quite happy (as much as she can be that is) working in the bookshop until Laura joins the staff. Laura seems bright, breezy, as sweet as the roses she smells of and the poetry she writes and looking so perky in her well considered outfits. Is her shiny exterior a veneer? Is she just a bit too well put together? At first Roach thinks she’s a ‘normie’ or a Pumpkin Spice Girl but she grows curious about her, sensing something that intrigues her which then develops into something distinctly uncomfortable. The story is told in short, sharp chapters and alternates between the two of them.

I think it’s absolutely fair to say that neither character is likeable but in this case that’s what makes this debut fascinating. Both perspectives have toe curling moments but it’s especially awkward if not disturbing inside Roach’s head and as for some of her actions - oh boy!! The contrast between them is stark as Laura finds Roach embarrassing from the start and dislike positively oozes from her pores. Roach’s initial derision makes it seem they are polar opposites but as we dig deeper the realisation grows that there are similarities. The rundown bookshop in desperate need of refurbishment is a great backdrop to the developing drama and a good metaphor.

The novel starts slowly but you just have to wait for it to brew from a simmer to a rapid boil and then the venom takes your breath away. This is especially true of some dialogue which has very sharp teeth! It becomes a nightmarish scenario driven by obsession with boundaries distinctly crossed, becoming a twisted fearful tale frequently backlit by the true crime element.

I really like the symmetry of the ending and overall this is an immersive, dark and well written novel which the excellent cover really captures.

With thanks to NetGalley and especially to Penzler Publishers, Scarlet for the much appreciated arc in return for an honest review.

When you open with brixton academy and serial killers, I'm fairly sure I'm going to like this book.
I did, I liked it very much.
Roach is a bit of a pity figure, and as much as I realise that, she really did give me all the creepiest vibes.
Her obsession with Laura ramps up all the way through the book, and it's uncomfortable at times.
So well done.
A bit of light relief with some book talk, and this book has a lot to offer.
For me anyway.
Very enjoyable.

This one had me at Bookseller. Love, love a good bibliomystery. Anything to do with books and people who love them, deal with them, deal in them, etc.
The drawback was a number of negative or lukewarm reviews, but turned out, none of that mattered ¬ I found the book to be an utter delight. A classic mystery at its best. A golden oldie that actually deserved its moniker.
It begins with a death of a bookseller. And, his friend, a policeman, who refuses to leave the case alone. Even when a suspect is arrested. See, the policeman is an amateur bookdealer himself, someone who was just taking his first steps into the world of first editions and printed word trade, when his guide, his new friend, was murdered, and now he simply can’t let it go until justice is properly served.
To this end, on his own time and against his supervisor’s advice, he’ll plunge himself into the murky wheelings and dealings of the booksellers. And yeah, it seems mild, but it can be murder.
There’s also a fun supernatural aspect here you don’t usually encounter in this type of fiction, where the murdered bookseller in life speculated and specialized in the occult and may have dabbled in it too. It seems that a lot of readers didn’t care for it, but for me, as a genre fan, it was the cherry on top.
Farmer had actually worked as a cop and was a book collector, so he brings his first-hand experiences to really flesh out and detail the world he’s writing about. As a result, the book is vivid, engaging, and a pleasure to read.
Plus, his characters are…well, they are really a cast of characters, quirky, off-beat, oddball bunch, plus, a genuinely decent protagonist, a good man, a policeman of good values and good steady manner. Just what one might need to sort through this lot.
Nowhere near as dated as some of the older mysteries and lots of fun to play along with. Especially, I’d imagine, for booklovers. Recommended. Thanks Netgalley.

This book sounded great and made me think of the Netflix series “You.” However, it was boring in parts and I found it difficult to stick with. A good idea but unfortunately not we’ll executed.

Arc from netgalley

This book was a 3 for me. I liked the ending but it did feel like it was dragging a little in the middle. Otherwise enjoyable

This was such a creepy thrilling read!

a story of obsession and book selling! although I did feel like the story dragged at times, I was pretty satisfied by the ending!

This book was sent to me electronically for review. Mystery and intrigue…this novel, while entertains, uses language that does not add to the story. The characters are real to life, but they are not likable. Intrigue and mystery. Captivating plot…red herrings abound…secrets…

Alice Slater did a great job in her debut novel, it had everything that I was hoping for. It worked so well in a mystery genre, I was glad I was able to go through this book and be invested in what was happening. The characters were interesting and I enjoyed every part of them. I look forward to seeing where Alice Slater goes from here and how she grows.

"I smell a rat when six customer orders come through for six tacky true crime books. I shuffle the paperwork with a frown. These names feel familiar; there’s something about them that rings a bell. Atkins. Fromme. Kasabian. Krenwinkel. Van Houten. Watson."

I just CAN'T describe how wonderful this grotty, dank, rancid little story was. Such a gripping and modern story of obsession, work relationships, true crime, bookshops, drinking, problematic attitudes....urgh! I really couldn't put this down.

The characters of Roach and Laura are both unlikable in disparate ways, and their intertwining issues are so dark. The setting and references are so vivid and I found myself able to picture every aspect of this story. I hated how I related so much to both characters, and started worrying that I might have ever been treated like Laura. I can't wait to read more from Alice Slater, she is such a modern and interesting writer.

This was really intense. We are told the story through the perspectives of two booksellers, Roach and Laura. Their lives become entangled in a creepy way!

Deliciously Dark..
Meet Roach - bookseller and true crime aficionado. She also owns a giant snail named Bleep. Roach is settled enough, she has all she needs. When Laura joins the bookshop along with her posse and her secrets, things are about to change and an obsession is about to begin. With a credible and well crafted cast of characters- most of whom are, quite deliberately, wholly unlikeable - and a tantalisingly immersive and compelling narrative, this is quite impossible to put down from the first page onwards. Fabulously and deliciously dark, often bleakly amusing,

From the title and description, I thought this book sounded like something that I would enjoy, so I was pleased to be approved to read and review it.

I read a lot of cosy mysteries, and the title reminded me of M.C. Beaton's Hamish Macbeth series, where all of the titles start with "Death Of". It wasn't a cosy mystery, and was maybe a little darker than I expected, but
I found it entertaining, and at times humorous, in a darker sort of way.

Somehow, I found that I identified with both of the protagonists, in different ways. The characters felt real to me, as though people like them could exist in today's society. I found the book relatable, and it felt relevant and current. It reminded me a little bit of C.J. Cooper's The Book Club, which I read earlier this year and liked.

I would probably recommend this book to my friends who enjoy mysteries and thrillers. Thank you to Netgalley and the publishers for my opportunity to read and review this.