Book Review: The Murder Club by Nikki Crutchley

Yes, yes, yes! I absolutely loved this book and I can’t wait to share my thoughts with you.

Goodreads Blurb

The Murder Club by Nikki Crutchley

A dead body. An anonymous letter. This is only the beginning.

‘Not all evil, on the surface, is ugly and menacing. It doesn’t always lurk in city centres after dark. It mows your lawns, frequents your local pub, takes its kids to school and contributes to communities.’

When the first letter arrives saying that ‘tonight it begins’, journalist Miller Hatcher ignores it. But then the body of a murdered woman is discovered, strangled, a scarf around her neck.

Cassie Hughes has always vowed to find the man who murdered her mother. Cassie knows he’s out there and wants him to pay, and Miller agrees to bring the cold case back into the public’s eye.

Logan Dodds has been obsessed with true crime ever since his sister was murdered thirty years ago. He has turned his obsession into a career and has created the True Crime Enthusiasts Club and his newest venture, True Crime Tours.

The lives of Miller, Cassie and Logan – all affected differently by murder – become entwined as The Scarf Killer, desperate for infamy, and Miller’s attention, makes his mark on the small town of Lentford.

Review

You know what? I think I loved everything about this book. That hasn’t happened in a long time. First, let me do my usual and address the fact that The Murder Club is part of a serious. This is one of the rare cases where you don’t have to read a series in order to enjoy a fantastic read. In fact, the author was very clever here. Instead of alluding to a previous book in a way that makes me feel like I’m missing out on key information regarding the book I’m reading, it’s more like “hey, you are reading this really amazing book but I want to let you know that I’ve also written another really amazing book with these characters and I’m going to drop some hints about it to make you want to check it out.” Safe to say it worked and I’m going to pick myself up a copy of book one.

I realised reading The Murder Club that a thriller will get five stars for me if it is told from the perspective of everyday people and is less police procedural. While I love reading how police crack the case, sometimes it can be a bit too much and can take away from character development, which I enjoy so much more. The story is told primarily by Miller and Cassie, two strong females that are struggling not only with what is happening regarding the murders, but also with personal problems of their own. I feel that by telling the story through their eyes, the reader gets a lot more suspense and a plotline that is more tightly woven.

Even the minor characters in The Murder Club were great, with each playing their own part in neatly wrapping up the story at the end. It goes without saying that Logan is by far the most interesting of these characters. It was enjoyable learning more about his character and I found his scenes to be a good reflection on our obsession with murders on a whole as a society.

The Murder Club has been one of my highlights of the last month and I totally urge anyone who enjoyed my review to go out and pick themselves up a copy.

I was sent a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.