Are you on a date that doesn’t feel right? Can’t shake that creepy guy at the bar? Worried you’re being followed home? Message M.
After one too many terrifying encounters, Millie Masters sets up a hotline for women who feel unsafe walking home alone at night: Message M.
But very quickly she realises that there’s much more to be done to help the women who call in. Because the men just do it again the next night, and the next, and the next…
And when her own sister is assaulted on a night out, the temptation to take the law into her own hands becomes too much to resist.
Because M can also stand for murder…
"A drunk, a mother and a serial killer walk into a bar, and the barman says, 'What can I get you ladies?' And they all sit down to discuss the fourth member of the group, the grieving lawyer."
A sharply dark story about one women’s journey of revenge after her sisters assault and an imagination of what would happen if we gave into the feminine rage we all feel at times.
Millie was a complicated character — not exactly likeable, definitely unhinged and violent, but there was something about her morbid humour and casual cynicism I liked and I found her intense awareness of her continuing a cycle of violence completely intriguing. But despite moments I did feel for her I just found the narration very jarring and jumping, her voice switching between a readable, friendly casual tone and overly formal which was a little baffling to read.
I really wanted the hotline to feature more, but it was a good plot point and way to make the point that, and honestly I was really hoping for something based on the homage it’s named after - so don’t expect any fun references to How To Lose a Guy in Ten Days. I loved the concept but the things I thought would made this stand out weren’t there so it felt remarkably similar to the other women killer stories out there, especially with the potential police love interest.
Although there were some things that didn’t do it for me, I still thought this was a gripping and bloody revenge tale with a fair bit of excitement and it had a painfully authentic portrayal of the havoc caused by rapists and abusers, highlighting not only the loss but the anger and the fear in a very insightful and honest way.
If you were obsessed with Bad Men or How To Kill Your Family and you’re looking for your next fix of feminine rage and murder - give this a try.
- How To Kill a Guy in Ten Ways is available from March 28th with Avon Books. I was gifted an advanced reviewers copy of this title in return for an honest review.
- This title contains subjects that may be upsetting including sexual assault, death and violence.
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