A cross between Bridgett Jones and American Psycho
This was the line that attracted me to Sweetpea by C.J. Skuse. And unlike most Wednesdays, today I am reviewing a book. So get over it, because this is a book you need to read if you enjoy dark thrillers with a light side.
Amazon Blurb
I haven’t killed anyone for three years and I thought that when it happened again I’d feel bad. Like an alcholic [sic] taking a sip of whisky. But no. Nothing. I had a blissful night’s sleep. Didn’t wake up at all. And for once, no bad dream either. This morning I feel balanced. Almost sane, for once.
Rhiannon is your average girl next door, settled with her boyfriend and little dog…but she’s got a killer secret.
Although her childhood was haunted by a famous crime, Rhinannon’s life is normal now that her celebrity has dwindled. By day her job as an editorial assistant is demeaning and unsatisfying. By evening she dutifully listens to her friend’s plans for marriage and babies whilst secretly making a list.
A kill list.
From the man on the Lidl checkout who always mishandles her apples, to the driver who cuts her off on her way to work, to the people who have got it coming, Rhiannon’s ready to get her revenge.
Because the girl everyone overlooks might be able to get away with murder…
**There may be Sweetpea spoilers ahead**
This is a book I did not want to put down, and I definitely didn’t want it to end where it did. But end it did and I’m left wondering what to read next. What book can satisfyingly follow a story about a woman going about her every day life, buying donuts, walking her dog, taking care of her parents home until it sells, working at the paper reporting on the serial killer she is becoming.
It’s got to be hard to balance all that stuff. And she just can’t catch a break, I mean seriously, all she wants is a proper role at the paper. A byline of her own. She has ambitions just like everyone else. Of course, she also has a few obsessions. One or two pesky thoughts. And a smile that slips once in a while.
Sweetpea Review Conclusion
I’ll probably read it again & buy any sequels (please let there be sequels) – I really enjoyed it. I haven’t read a whole book in ages and this one got hold and didn’t let go. There were even points where I spoke out loud to the book – luckily I was at home and no one heard me. This is not a book to read whilst commuting, at the hairdressers, or to give to your Gran for Christmas. This is the book you buy for yourself, wrap, put under the tree, sign from Santa (so you can mutter about how he’s the only one who understands you), and read in those moments you find to escape from the Christmas gathering.
4.5 Stars
What are you waiting for? GO! Now! Buy the book. You need this.
Horror and Fantasy Author – Also writing as K.T. McQueen. Love Western Horror, cowboy boots, my cactus Collin, & my Demon Cat.
Moths – I hate moths, the way they flutter at your face!
