Some writers say the characters they create dictate the plots to them. That they figuratively sit on these authors’ shoulders as they type, spelling out what happens next. They can barely type fast enough to keep up.
I am not one of these lucky writers—it’s as hard as giving birth for me—but author Sarah Lotz may be. Her latest book, How to Kill a Crime Writer, features a living, breathing, wisecracking muse who dictates the protagonist’s actions. The kicker? Niamh, the protagonist, is not the muse’s creator. Rather, her mother Annie created hard-bitten PI Leah—and now Leah needs Niamh to prove that Annie didn’t die by falling off a ladder, but was murdered. But is Niamh, a grief-stricken Millennial who failed to launch her own writing career and suffers from an anxiety disorder, up to the task?
Private investigator Leah Rebecca Overton is the best part of the book, even if she’s the figment of Niamh’s imagination. Leah is a combination of all the toughest female PIs, from V.I. Warshawski to Kinsey Millhone to Veronica Mars. Even though Niamh helped Annie create Leah, she still feels inferior to her. Leah is active when Niamh is passive, strong when she’s weak, brave when she’s scared. Leah is the daughter Niamh fears that Annie wished she had. And when she shows up in Annie’s kitchen, Niamh hides in the bathroom for two days.
Eventually, though, Niamh comes out of the bathroom and listens to Leah’s argument about why she thinks Annie was murdered. And since Leah only exists in Niamh’s mind, Niamh is the only one who can investigate and put the clues together. Leah’s prodding forces Niamh out of the house, out of her shell, and into the world. As they get closer to finding out the truth about Annie’s death, Niamh starts to rely on Leah… and realizes the PI might not be as tough as she acts. But when Niamh realizes the killer might be closer than she thought, she has a painful decision to make.
With its supernatural concept and submissive but humorous protagonist, How to Kill a Crime Writer should appeal to fans of Jesse Q. Sutanto’s Auntie series and The Thursday Murder Club by Richard Osman. While the plotting is strong, the pacing is a bit slow, and sometimes it’s hard to keep track of all the different characters.
How to Kill a Crime Writer has much to offer. For fans of cozies, the book takes place in a small English hamlet with the usual collection of wacky British neighbors. For crime readers, there’s a convention like Bouchercon and insider gossip about agents and reviewers. For pet lovers, there are cats. And for anyone dealing with grief, Niamh’s heartbreak over her mother’s loss and reluctance to move forward will ring true. Lotz’s author’s note at the end of the book gives readers a sad insight into her motivations here.
Lotz may have written her as a parody of fictional series detectives, but I’d love a book starring Leah Overton. In the meantime, is Veronica Mars streaming anywhere?
Thanks to Berkley for the book in exchange for an honest review.Enjoyed this post? Never miss out on future posts by following us.
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