This book is, in many ways, a love letter to mystery fiction. And not in the way "Knives Out" is a love letter to Agatha Christie - it's a LOT more direct than that. You think you've seen genre-awareness before? You haven't seen it on this level. The author breaks the fourth wall to address the reader's own experiences with the genre, commenting on general things any avid mystery reader has probably learned by now or making allusions to specific mysteries the reader may be familiar with. The narrative is also constantly interrupted so that the author/omniscient narrator can discuss topics tangential to the story, like the origins of the word "mystery" or the interpretation of something Dashiell Hammett wrote in The Maltese Falcon. These interjections are sometimes interesting but often seem to be offering the reader a surplus of knowledge, much like Victor Hugo waxing poetic about the Parisian sewer system in Les Misérables.

Now, as someone with a lifelong love for mystery fiction, I found the tangents and the referential nature of this book mostly entertaining - but I think these attributes could be a serious stumbling block for someone who isn't as deeply entrenched in the genre as I am. There are also a number of jarring structural shifts throughout that could make this a difficult read. To be honest, this book is just more complicated than it needs to be, and that frustrates me because I really did enjoy it. What it lacks is an accessibility factor. This is a great book for a very specific demographic, and it might be a terrible book for everyone else.

But at the end of the day, it does earn those four stars - it would probably earn five from me, if not for the concerns touched on above. McDorman's prose does exactly what it intends to, the characters are well-drawn, and the narrative subverts expectations (in different ways than one expects from a mystery novel). If you're a mystery geek like myself, give this one a chance! You might love it; you might hate it. Just don't ask me how it ends...

3.5 stars

This was fun and unique and a bit outside of the box. I dont think it will be for everyone but I found it to be quite exciting. I felt like I was a part of the story, and I really enjoyed the narrative/narration (I’m reaching for the right word here and coming up wrong, I just know it 🤭).
Anyhow, if you’re looking for something a bit different but a ton of fun with a great mystery this just might be the book for you!

This was definitely an interesting read! It’s a clever mystery that is constantly changing the narrative style. We see a detective investigating and then suddenly it’s in first person, with a narrator pointing our attention to something else. I thought it was a fun read, but I’m not sure I really understood the ending!

I received an advanced copy from Netgalley, but all thoughts are my own.

It's a rare but thrilling find when one well-read in the genre can call a mystery novel, in all honesty, exciting. This is one of them.

Meta and self-referential without being smug — itself a rarity that denotes immense wit and skill in proper hands — West Heart Kill is a unique, original, and utterly delightful ride that knows well the art of stealing to create the something better, something different (integrating the canon and history of its predecessors into the narrative; these are not mere inspirations or winks towards, but fundamental parts of, the narrative). A brilliant experience for lovers of literature in all its forms, this debut novel is a triumph, serving as both a tribute to and marvelous addition to the art of murder and mystery.

That said, while I cannot recommend this enough to avid readers of the genre, I must also temper expectations by saying that this novel absolutely has the capacity to be divisive; readers who dislike the uncanny, are put off by the meta, and believe the fourth wall is a critical part of the experience they seek while reading will want to skip this one. The characters here are all takes on the classics, slightly to the left; the reader is one of these characters. For some, who do not understand what they're in for and would have avoided it if they had, this might be unsettling. While I do believe that fair warning is necessary in helping West Heart Kill find its most appreciative audience, I admit that I'm glad I, personally, went in blind; to me, this was a marvelous surprise. I cannot recall a time when I read the entirety of a novel (though to refer to this as a novel is, perhaps, itself misleading; it plays fast and loose within its written mediums) with a grin on my face. This is, perhaps, the first in a long, long time.

West Heart Kill is a stunning, exceptional, and, critically, thoroughly enjoyable novel which will be devoured by devotees and casual enjoyers of the murder mystery alike. It's not for everyone, but those it's for are in for great fun. A terrific success.

Expected publication 24 Oct 23 ❦ Thank you NetGalley!

This book "takes place over the course of four days during the Bicentennial weekend"--that's a direct quote from an imagined review of this book, in this book (quote taken from the ARC, so it may appear differently in the published version).

As that might imply, this book subverts a lot of novel traditions and is pre-occupied with a sort of navel-gazing meta-approach to writing a murder mystery. While some may love this take on the mystery genre, it felt forced to me, like I was watching someone do their research before writing their own mystery book, and they really, really wanted me to know how much work they had put in.

McDorman clearly has a hearty appreciation for mysteries and wanted to make a unique contribution to the genre, which he has accomplished. Whatever else I may think, the writing was strong and the concept was intriguing and engaging.

Not the usual type of book I read but I found this to be refreshing and different. McDorman is a talented writer and he does his storytelling in an unique way. I thought the book was well done. Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC. Four stars.

I appreciate the uniqueness of this book and what it was trying to accomplish, but it just didn’t quite work for me. It reminded me of Everyone In My Family Has Killed Someone with the narrator talking directly to the reader but this one took it even further and the reader was even more involved. I can see how some readers will like this a lot but it was just a bit too forced quirky for me. It was an entertaining read but I wish it had been toned down just a little.

I loved this meta- detective/mystery story that simulates a Knives Out sort of story at a hunting lodge. It's a murder mystery with all of the accruements - there is intrigue, money problems, romance and jealousy. Big gambling, big debts and big cheating -bring in a great storm and everyone is stuck at the lodge with the murderer!

Dann McDorman takes the well known mystery and turns it inside out, all the while giving us lots of fun facts about mystery history and mystery writers in general. This is a must read for any Agatha Christie fan or fan of serial detective stories. It is guaranteed that Dann will entertain you, stump you and teach you! This is a book I recommend and will read again for all of the Easter eggs, history and layers of clues. If you like detective stories, meta writing and amateur sleuthing, West Heart Kill is for you!
#knopf #Pantheon #WestHeartKill #DannMcDorman

One of my favorite mystery subgenres is that of the meta-mystery, which plays with the whodunit form. Authors like Anthony Horowitz, Elly Griffiths and Peter Swanson have done a great job of subverting the well-worn tropes of the traditional mystery. So when I saw that "West Heart Kill" was being billed as a meta-mystery, I rushed to read it.

"West Heart Kill" gives us all the ingredients of a good old fashioned crime novel, with a bunch of WASPs gathering at their isolated hunting club over the weekend of July 4, 1976. Of course, all of these people, who have mostly known each other their whole lives, and are often second-generation club members, have lots of good reasons to hate each other, but it's all simmering below the surface -- until one member accidentally (?) kills another's dog, and then someone winds up dead. Enter Adam McAnnis, a private eye who was brought to the club to investigate someone or something, but just what he's up to is not immediately clear. Will McAnnis be able to unmask the culprit before there's another victim?

The book's narration careens from third person to first person to second person, digressing into notable points in the history of the genre (Agatha Christie's disappearance, Sherlock Holmes' post-Reichenbach Falls resurrection etc.). When McDorman actually presents the reader with the etymology of the word "murder," I had to applaud his sheer audacity. At least he didn't try giving us, "Webster's defines 'mystery' as..."

The denouement is pretty bonkers, but my main problem with the book is that I felt all of the WASPy men were sort of interchangeable. (The women are far more interesting.) "West Heart Kill" is nothing if not meta, but it didn't quite work for me.

An interesting mystery tale, told from several perspectives. An ending without a solution, at least for this reader, and I don’t have the time to go back and re-read to see what I may have missed.

Our story begins at an upstate New York hunting lodge in 1976. A detective, along with a colorful cast of characters, is there for the 4th of July celebration. Sounds like an ordinary set-up for a murder mystery, huh? Well, buckle up because this is definitely not ordinary.

How to describe this? I went in knowing nothing and I’m glad I did, but for those who need to know more, it could be good to know that this is more of a philosophical treatise on the detective story than a true mystery novel. That doesn’t mean it’s boring, quite the opposite! McDorman uses a unique, experimental structure. For example, several different types of narration are used, including (I think?) first person plural, which I’ve never encountered before. There are numerous literary references and short essays about the history of detective novels, among many other things. It kept me turning pages but I could understand if it is off-putting or exasperating to those who like more typical genre fiction. You’ll probably either have a smile on your face when you’re done, or you will want to throw the book across the room. I was smiling.

I enjoyed it immensely and it kept me captivated. I’ve never read anything quite like it.

I will publish this review on social media closer to publication date.

So many characters…it was difficult keeping them straight. Mystery and intrigue kept the story moving. Realistic characters added to the suspense. This book was sent to me electronically by Netgalley for review. Thanks to the publisher and the author.

It's hard to resist a summation like the one used to market West Heart Kill. It certainly grabbed my attention. When it comes to readers' reactions, they will either love it or hate it. Unfortunately, I fell into the latter category. The narration is incredibly unique and creative, but it didn't pull me in the way I want when I pick up a thriller. In a sense, the voice and structure overpowered the mystery itself.

That said, this is such a standout approach to the genre. For readers who want something fresh, you need to pick up this book.

I’d read any book if it involved a murder mystery, and this certainly didn’t disappoint. Initially, I was intrigued by the cover, and I’m so glad I was granted an ARC because this book was so great. Every time I thought I had it figured out, I was wrong, and I honestly kept guessing until the end. If you love thrillers and mysteries, definitely pick this up!