I was totally glued to this one! Starting a book out with a man’s (beheaded) head in the middle of a hotel room was a bold choice. However, it worked for this book! It was so thrilling and I could not see where it was headed. I loved the multiple perspectives of all the different women. I thought that it really added to the story. It was so interesting finding out what each woman’s motive was. My favorite characters were probably Nova and Kaysha. I liked reading their POVs the most. The book was fast paced from the very beginning and kept me hooked throughout the story. If you’re looking for a fast paced book, this is it! However, there are LOTS of trigger warnings, so tread carefully!

Thank you, NetGalley and St. Martins Press for the eARC of this book.

Overall, I liked it, but didn’t love it. I felt there were way too many main characters involved, and the back stories were a little confusing at first. Everything does get explained nicely throughout the book, and you eventually get to learn all of the back stories to the main characters and they’re involvement with Jamie.

I guessed a bit of the ending, but definitely thought it was going to be a bigger twist. I did enjoy the story and whodunnit aspect- but I think I was just hoping for more of a twist in the ending.

Special thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for a free, electronic ARC of this novel received in exchange for an honest review.
Expected publication date: June 13, 2023
Seven women stand in a hotel room, the severed head of a man they all knew (and hated) lies between them. Every one of the women had a reason to kill him- his wife, the teenager he had an affair with, the journalist he raped, the woman who raised him, his best friend and business partner who got screwed over and his ex-lover, and until the truth comes out, the women must band together to protect the unknown murderer.
“Speak of the Devil” by Rose Wilding is a modern, haunting, revenge story where every character is a suspect and the twists don’t stop until the final page. Wilding’s debut novel will captivate audiences from the get-go, leaving readers speculating about, and cheering for, the scorned women.
Each character narrates a portion of the story, and although most of it is told in the modern day, there are some snippets of the past told by the women who knew Jamie Spellman the longest. Of course, there is a police officer investigating, who has her own personal connections to one of the women involved, and she narrates her own segments as well.
Although there is a plethora of characters, Wilding manages to make each woman easy to differentiate, developing their own personalities so that they are distinct from their counterparts and it is not difficult to tell each one from the other.
Jamie (the murder victim) is an absolute monster with no redeeming qualities at all. This makes it exceptionally easy to cheer for the woman who killed him, even when we don’t yet know who it is. I loved how Wilding adds accents and slang to the conversations, bringing the Scottish brogues out in the supporting characters without making the language hard to understand.
The ending itself, how the murderer is revealed, was a little weak but I did enjoy that, for the most part, all the questions were answered. Wilding writes a feminist revenge story that will empower, enrage and enthrall readers, and I have no doubt we will be seeing more from this novelist in the future!

Speak of the Devil by Rose Wilding.
This is a story about a group of women all wronged by the same man, over the course of years. From rape to gaslighting to having them give birth then give up a baby to his barren wife. Of course he is the ‘victim’ in the murder mystery. At first it was difficult for me to keep all the characters in mind. But through the course of the book we, the reader, learns their stories. This was a very enjoyable story, quickly gaining tension until the final, may I say satisfactory, end.

Seven women all impacted negatively in some way by their relationship with devastatingly handsome, cruelly manipulative Jamie, decide to exact revenge. Each having gone to the police on their own and each finding no legal satisfaction, Kaysha takes the lead and organizes them into a group that will exact revenge. What sort of revenge will be up to the group but when they are summoned to an unused hotel room late one night, they are shocked to discover that Jamie was not only murdered, but that his dismembered head is sitting on a Bible in the room with them. Detective Nova is on the case, which is complicated by her former /current relationship with Kaysha. Nova must determine who did it and why. Author Wilding introduces us to the various characters and their relationship with Jamie over the years through flashback chapters. It does get a bit confusing with so many minor characters being introduced in each woman's story that including a relationship map of the characters would certainly be helpful, especially if you're not reading this straight through. The ending is abrupt and readers expecting a chapter that winds the story up will not find it satisfactory. If you;re looking for less of a detective drama and more of a women's power novel, then this is right for you.

Drew me in and shook me senseless and wouldn't let me go. It was enthralling in its epicness. It's a masterpiece.

Awesome. Hooked me from the first chapter. Great plot, characters, storyline, everything. So so good. Highly recommend. Thank you NetGalley for this ARC

Thank you Minotaur Books/St. Martin's Press (that's right folks) and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review. IYKYK, my reviews are ALWAYS honest.

<i> 3.5 rounded down </i>

<b> Writing: 3.5/5 | Plot: 3.5/5 | Ending: woah nelly/5 </b>

<b> SYNOPSIS </b>

What events could possibly bring seven woman to one hotel room to check out a decapitated man's head? Find tf out!

<b> MY OPINION </b>

STOP THE PRESSES!!!!! I actually LIKED at book from St. Martin's Press. Ok, ok, it's from Minotaur Books, but close enough 😂 I didn't check the ratings before I accepted the widget, so when I did I was like oh ffs here we go again but now I actually have to read it. I'm glad I did. This was an interesting lil mystery.

Seven women PLUS a detective can be a lot of POVs to juggle, but somehow this worked. It's written all third person POV, which I personally enjoy. It's come to my attention that people really don't fk with 3rd person? Tbh I can't stand first person most of the time because inner monologues oftentimes make me hate the characters when you're clearly not supposed to. Judgemental? Me?? Pffshawww!!!

Anyways... this is a short one so you can blitz through it quite quickly. It delves into the stories of each women and their less than pleasant run-ins with our decapitated baddie, Jamie. Plus you got a lil lesbian romance on the side too. I liked the diversity of the cast and their backstories were interesting, although some were more fleshed out than others.

I didn't really understand WHAT Jamie did to Maureen that was so bad... seemed like she resented his existence and treated him like garbagio from the jump? Also, like another review mentioned, there was no explanation as to why Jamie shacked up with all this different women who had nothing in common. Usually an abuser goes after a specific type, but Jamie said, nah but narcissistic manipulation is rated E for everyone... teens, old ladies... anyone can get it! I was also confused about his actions toward Ana... like dude you already stole her research did you really have to kick her while she's down?

My other question is why did the author choose to set this between 1964-2000? Other than briefly alluding to Magdalene Laundries and the use of landlines there were no important events of this time period mentioned in the book, soooo ??? This could've been a modern day mystery tbh. I would've liked more historical significance given the time period.

The ending will give you whiplash and is a lil abrupt. There were also no breadcrumbs so thumbs down to that. I like my twists foreshadowed, but at least this wasn't totally implausible. All in all, an entertaining lil read but if you skip it, you won't be missing out on much.

<b> PROS AND CONS </b>

Pros: interesting concept, diverse cast, easy read

Cons: some character backstories were more flushed out than others, didn't understand why the book was set during this time period – no historical significance whatsoever, ending was very abrupt

On the eve of the millennium, seven women gather in a decrepit room and in the middle is a severed head. Who is the man? Why did each of these women want him dead? And who actually killed him?

Speak of the Devil is a layered and emotional read as you learn the back story for each of the women. Less a story about the mystery behind the murder and more an exploration of the horrors women face.

Seven women are interconnected through strained solidarity and trauma, both past and present. It is said that hell hath no fury like a woman scorned . . . but which one of these seven aching souls took the ultimate revenge upon their evil tormentor?

I can’t say that this novel was always exciting or that it grabbed me from page one . . . it was, however, well-written and quite compelling for the most part. I especially enjoyed the unique vernacular of some of the characters. I found the story's ending to be a bit abrupt, and yet, also satisfying.

Learning the details of how a man could end up without a head, following a murder investigation, and a slow stroll through a complex and sordid past. Overall, an entertaining way to spend a day or two.

I'd like to thank NetGalley for an advanced copy of Speak of the Devil for my unbiased evaluation.  3.5 stars

I received a free copy of, Speak of the Devil, by Rose Wilding, from the publisher and Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. Seven women, one man, not the best odds though, but who killed him? Ana, Nova, Sarah, Kaysha, Olive, Josie, Sadia, which one is the murderer. This book kept me guessing until the end, a true nail biter.

Heart pounding thriller that left me on the edge of my seat. I thoroughly enjoyed reading this one. Definitely one of the best books this year.

7 women are gathered around a severed head of a man they all knew and they all hated. Each have a motive for wanting him dead. But the bigger question is which one of them did it?⁣
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From the beginning the book starts off with a bang and I really loved that. But it slowly started to go flat for me. I found it hard to differentiate from the 7 different P.O.Vs. Also, the jumping back and forth between timelines got really confusing.⁣
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Speak Of The Devil definitely has an interesting premise but this one was just not for me.

Seven women. A sketchy hotel room with a man’s head sitting in the middle of the floor. Every one of them had a good reason to want him dead. But no one is admitting to it. And they all have a lot to lose.

While they all suspect each other, they band together to find out who did the deed before the police think it’s one of them. But oh my, do these ladies have some secrets, and they will all be revealed soon.

This was rather dark. It’s a good look at women and how they are talked about in relation to the monstrous men around them and how they chose to not stay quiet about it.

NetGalley/ June 13, 2023, St. Martin’s Press

There was too much going on here - love the premise, wish it had been with 4/5 women instead of 7. It would have flowed better/been more bingeable

This was a strange but interesting story. Everyone has their reasons but only some are known. Along with their reasons are secrets, whose are worth killing over?

Dive into the lives of these women and discover what their pasts and presents have to do with the one man that bonds them all together.

You keep reading because you just know you’ve got it all figured out but then you don’t. I definitely recommend this story for anyone who likes a good mystery.

Excellent read! I liked getting to know all seven women and couldnt wait to see how this was going to play out. Highly recommend! What a great debut! Will definitely read more by this author.

thank you to net galley for the ARC. All opinions are my own.

This book was a fun read, if a little far-fetched. One murder, seven suspects and a plot that intertwines them, and the investigating detective, in clever ways. The narrative bounces around among each of the women with a possible motive to want the victim dead, how they came to know the victim, and how they all pulled together to share their experiences. Initially I thought the setting of the turn of the millennium would have a deeper meaning, but, if everyone had a cell phone some of the plot wouldn't work, so I think that's why it's set when cell phones weren't ubiquitous. Even so, it's a good read, and the final reveal is a surprise even when several of the suspects have been ruled out. Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for an advance copy in exchange for an honest review.

Fast paced and full of suspense, Speak of the Devil was a great read. Seven women are all linked together by their hatred of one man, Jamie, whom one of them has killed. All have motive, but which one killed him?
I loved the character development of all these women and how by the end, I detested this man so much that I really didn't care who had done it and hoped they'd get away with it. A really good whodunit. Very well written.

Debut author Rose Wilding has constructed an amazing story that’s compulsive, unsettling, disturbing and un-put-downable! Set in Northeast England, the tale begins on New Year’s Eve 1999 in the top floor of a hotel as seven women surround a head without a body, which will later be found on a stack of bibles, the top one opened to Leviticus 24:19 about “eye for an eye”.

Seven separate POVs plus the detective out to solve the case at first seems daunting. I admit I started a notepad as I learned all their names and tried to match them with the publicity materials that say The Wife. The Widow. The Ex. The Journalist. The Teenager. The Mother Figure.The Friend. Some were obvious and I eventually concluded that the wife and the widow were the same person (and never could figure out an easy sobriquet for Olive). The head, however, could be nicknamed The Adulterer. The Kidnapper. The Rapist. The Murderer. The Plagiarist. The Animal Torturer. The Pedophile. Deserving of his fate (I went overboard at this point: who cooks for his lover who hates mushrooms, and tells her to just pick them out, and then goes into a snit when she does?); he’s the probable victim of one of the seven who, even though they’ve been meeting in a sort of Jamie’s Victims support group, suspect each other, support each other and acknowledge murder was in each of their hearts.

I admit the 8 POV structure seemed hard to pull off, but Ms. Wilding did it. The uniting POV is the detective’s — we learn as much about her and her ties to some of the victims as she interviews each suspect she discovers. Nova is the best character — someone who understands how women become marginalized even when they seek police help. Nova has been trying to fix the system from the inside for a while, but realizes she’s coming up short. I honestly did not figure out who the murderer was until near the end (overlooking a huge clue in the beginning). Be aware that the ending was abrupt — I would have preferred an epilogue. 4.5 stars! A terrific first novel.

Thank you to St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for a free advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review!

Literary Pet Peeve Checklist:
Green Eyes (only 2% of the real world, yet it seems like 90% of all fictional females): NO One would think with seven women, the odds would be high that someone has green eyes, but this author almost never describes anyone’s eye color (Maureen has blue eyes).
Horticultural Faux Pas (plants out of season or growing zones, like daffodils in autumn or bougainvillea in Alaska): NO And it’s lucky that the pond has koi who keep the waters murky