West Heart Kill
A novel
by Dann McDorman
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Pub Date 24 Oct 2023 | Archive Date 23 Nov 2023
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Description
A unique and irresistible murder mystery set at a remote hunting lodge where everyone is a suspect, including the erratic detective on the scene—a remarkable debut that gleefully upends the rules of the genre.
"A thoroughly original suspense novel that hops across elements of the genre—a diabolical locked-room mystery interspersed with a fascinating primer on the form—while always being tremendous fun to read."—Chris Pavone, best-selling author of Two Nights in Lisbon
An isolated hunt club. A raging storm. Three corpses, discovered within four days. A cast of monied, scheming, unfaithful characters.
When private detective Adam McAnnis joins an old college friend for the Bicentennial weekend at the exclusive West Heart club in upstate New York, he finds himself among a set of not-entirely-friendly strangers. Then the body of one of the members is found at the lake’s edge; hours later, a major storm hits. By the time power is restored on Sunday, two more people will be dead . . .
Available Editions
| EDITION | Other Format |
| ISBN | 9780593537572 |
| PRICE | $28.00 (USD) |
| PAGES | 288 |
Available on NetGalley
Featured Reviews
Stella K, Reviewer
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!
Readers who liked this book also liked:
Margaret Millar; Ed McBain; Chester Himes; Patricia Highsmith
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