Content warnings: murder, brief discussion of childhood sexual molestation, drug use, alcoholism, discussion of suicide and suicidal ideation
Summary [courtesy of Goodreads]: Years ago, bookseller and mystery aficionado Malcolm Kershaw compiled a list of the genre’s most unsolvable murders, those that are almost impossible to crack—which he titled “Eight Perfect Murders”—chosen from among the best of the best including Agatha Christie’s A. B. C. Murders, Patricia Highsmith’s Strangers on a Train, Ira Levin’s Death Trap, A. A. Milne’s Red House Mystery, Anthony Berkeley Cox’s Malice Aforethought, James M. Cain’s Double Indemnity, John D. Macdonald’s The Drowner, and Donna Tartt’s A Secret History. But no one is more surprised than Mal, now the owner of the Old Devils Bookstore in Boston, when an FBI agent comes knocking on his door one snowy day in February. She’s looking for information about a series of unsolved murders that look eerily similar to the killings on Mal’s old list. And the FBI agent isn’t the only one interested in this bookseller who spends almost every night at home reading. The killer is out there, watching his every move—a diabolical threat who knows way too much about Mal’s personal history, especially the secrets he’s never told anyone, even his recently deceased wife. To protect himself, Mal begins looking into possible suspects . . . and sees a killer in everyone around him. But Mal doesn’t count on the investigation leaving a trail of death in its wake. Suddenly, a series of shocking twists leaves more victims dead—and the noose around Mal’s neck grows so tight he might never escape.
LOLOLOL
This book was incredibly corny.
I feel like Swanson was like…’how can I cut corners and write my next bestseller as quickly and with as little effort as possible? Devote at least 25% of it to discussing OTHER mysteries!’
I mean, props for minimizing work–I’m always for low effort–but it did feel pretty hollow.
It’s a breezy read, though, so there’s that. ALSO, Swanson sticks to his seeming M.O. that men are untrustworthy, and cops are incredibly untrustworthy. Good times.
Also we stan Nero, the orange fluffy bookstore cat. Gotta love Nero and protect him at all costs. (Because his sense of self-preservation is…not so good. But rest assured that he is FINE and never in any danger, which I had to make sure of via Goodreads halfway through the book.)
(Speaking of fluffy orange cats, Midnight particularly likes this one because he ADORES his baby brother Budbear. He used to be terrified of him, when they were both weirdo outside cats, but now they snuggle up together in the winter and romp almost every night.)
Copaganda rating: Idk? The ex-cop is not the best person (to say the least), and the FBI is…weird, but they do figure some things out.