Lack of plot & unlikeable characters
As a bibliophile and true crime fan I was excited to read 'Death of a Bookseller', which seemed to be right up my street.
As is sadly usually the case with titles I'm excited for, this one fell really flat for me for a few reasons including unlikeable main characters and lack of interesting plot. The narrative alternates between Roach, a creepy, true crime obsessed loner who fixates on the other character - Laura who seems to have an organised life on the surface but whose mother was killed by a serial killer when she was younger. Both characters are annoying, creepy and unlikeable. Roach's chapters in particular were very hard to read as she lies and stalks Laura, even going as far as to frequently break into her home. I did like that the book shows the other side of the true crime genre by showing both sides and really shines a light on how damaging a true crime obsession can be for victims and their families.
The plot is very slow-moving and not much particularly happens throughout the book. Laura's chapters mainly focus on her being annoyed at Roach at work, going out drinking and trying to sleep with her co-worker. Roach's chapters are about her obsession with Laura but also focus on her work and going out. This makes for a bit of a tedious read and it felt very repetitive in places, particularly as I was expecting an actual murder from the title! The ending is also really unsatisfying - I would say that it's more of a slow burn psychological obsession than a thriller.
Overall, Death of a Bookseller fell flat for me - with a lack of plot, repetitive chapters and unlikable characters. Thank you to NetGalley & Hodder & Stoughton for the chance to read the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
