[REVIEW] Killed It

by Lulu Smith

When I tell you that I was hooked from the very first page, I need you to believe me.

I found this book in a small bookstore that had a section dedicated to local authors. Since I read only Indie/Self Published books, I find this is a great way to support small writers/businesses and not have to purchase through Amazon.

Why did I choose this book? The cover. I know, I know. You’re not supposed to judge a book by its cover, but… look at it! How could anyone NOT want to read it? Not just that, but I read the synopsis on the back, which sounded interesting. But it was the first page… the first paragraph, really… that sealed the deal.

Sure, it’s classified as a Legal Thriller, Vigilante Justice Thriller, and General Humorous Fiction which is sort of a wacky mixture, too, but the way the author began the story grabbed my attention, set the tone, and made me not want to put it down.

Three things I can only hope my own books could do.

So, what was that first paragraph? You can see a preview on Amazon here so I feel that it’s safe to show you:

Here I am, picturing myself (because aren’t we always the main character?) in a coffee shop, wondering what sort of First World problems she could possibly have meant, and WHAMMO! Murder.

Now, that was unexpected, but I don’t think that’s entirely what drew me in. This paragraph - and the rest of the book, really - has this whimsical tone that mirrors my own in “real life.”

SYNOPSIS

The main character, Ally Brown is from West Virginia and had moved to NYC in the hopes of becoming a comedian. She has a quick wit and snarky sense of humor. She also tends to make TV and movie references that many people don’t get - especially her live-in boyfriend, Drew’s, parents.

As the story begins, we find out that she had a bad moment on stage a few weeks before and feels like she’s lost her creative voice. She hasn’t been on stage since and is hiding her failure from everyone.

Drew is in law school and got Ally a day job as a legal assistant at his father’s law firm which she is not particularly good at and also hates.

”When Elise Newman, the attorney she works with, disappears without a trace, an already bad day escalates into a violent encounter with a man in the park.” This incident gives her a false sense of control which Ally channels into further acts of vigilantism. When someone discovers her secret, they use that information to try to blackmail her for their own gain.

After Elise’s disappearance, Ally’s new boss tasks her with transcribing a series of notebooks Elise left behind with cryptic, indecipherable writing. In doing so, she finally discovers the truth behind Elise’s disappearance and needs to find a way to use it to her advantage against her blackmailer.

VERDICT

I don’t even know where to start with this book. It is one of the most clever things I’ve read in a long time. Not only does the author have an “easy” writing style and voice, she also has created a character that has my kind of sense of humor.

Ally’s personality is completely relatable. Her inner dialogue is so “real.” Within a few pages she’s standing in line at a coffee shop irritated by people in front of her that act like they’ve “never been to a Starbucks and stare dumbfounded at the menu trying to decide what to order.” She goes one step further to suggest there should be a special line for those “dumb asses.” I’ve thought those exact things and spent many moments nodding my head in agreement with a lot of Ally’s observations.

Another reason I love the writing and depiction of Ally is that she references TV and movies that I geek out about. Any book that can weave the TV show Firefly into so many conversations, AND the movie, Heathers into a vigilante scenario, gets five stars in my eyes.

And, finally, the storyline unique. Sure, there are a lot of “this bad thing happened to me and I’m going to find a way to make them pay” narratives, but for some reason this one hits differently. The chaos of Ally’s life puts her into situations that seem impossible to get out of and yet she somehow seems to always come out able to turn it around. Until the next time. And the time after that. At one point I was holding my breath right along with her, worried about her getting caught, sighing “Oh no” when someone says something that may cause even more drama in her life.

There were no slow points and I literally read the last 200 pages in one night. I just HAD to know how she might get out of her many predicaments.

If you are a fan of quirky, Soap-Opera-esque havoc, with a sprinkle of Lucy Ricardo shenanigans, you need to read this book. And, when you do, be prepared to clear your schedule so you can devour it all at once. It’s worth it.

Lulu Smith website