How to Kill a Crime Writer by Sarah Lotz

Hello readers! I recently had the chance to read the new release How to Kill a Crime Writer by Sarah Lotz. I think if you enjoyed The Alphabet Sleuths or The Forty Year Grudge, you’ll really enjoy this new mystery book.

It’s an interesting story because it centers on Niamh, who has recently lost her mother, who is a very popular crime fiction author. But when her mother’s main character comes to life and starts bossing her around, things get very interesting.

Keep reading for my full review of How to Kill a Crime Writer by Sarah Lots. And if you’re looking for other mystery recommendations, click here.

What is How to Kill A Crime Writer by Sarah Lotz About?

After the untimely death of her bestselling crime novelist mother, a young woman teams up with the fictional “ghost” of the heroine from her mother’s series in order to solve her mother’s murder.

After the tragic death of bestselling crime writer Annie Morrisey, her daughter, Niamh, moves into her mother’s country cottage to take care of her mother’s estate. Shut away from the world, Niamh doesn’t actually have to deal with the grief of her mother’s untimely passing. Until the day that two things happen: the advance copy of her mother’s final book lands on the doorstep and Leah Rebecca Overton appears in the kitchen.

Having a stranger show up in your house would be concerning at the best of times, but Leah isn’t a stranger—she’s the ultra-competent sleuth heroine from Annie’s novels. The antithesis of Niamh in every way, she’s lived in the fictitious character’s shadow for years. But why (and how) has Leah turned up now? And why can only Niamh see her? Leah is the last thing Niamh wants in her house or in her head, but she can’t ignore the sleuth…especially when Leah suspects there may have been more to Annie’s death than first suspected. (from Amazon.com)

The Plot

I love to read books about writers, so this story was right up my alley! Not only is Annie Morrissey a successful crime writer, but her daughter Niamh is also a screenwriter. Their family clearly had a lot of creativity.

The idea of having her mother’s character come to life and help her solve her mom’s murder was very unique. I liked how Leah and Niamh were such opposites. It made for some very humorous situations as the two of them tried to work together to solve the case of how Annie really died.

The Mystery

I was surprised by the direction of the mystery, because to me, it didn’t seem like there was any reason to suspect foul play in Annie’s death. But I think that’s what made the mystery so fun! With the help of Leah, Niamh was able to start thinking like a detective and question everything.

I enjoyed the scenes where Niamh was out investigating and talking to people, and Leah was coaxing her along, trying to get her to ask the right questions. They make a good investigative team, even if they did get off to a rocky start.

This Mystery Book also Has Some Humor

As I mentioned earlier, Niamh and Leah are pretty different from each other. And while Niamh is nice and introspective, she also isn’t a seasoned detective. Leah is used to taking charge and getting shit done, so she is a little forceful with Niamh in the beginning. It was funny how brash she was with Niamh in the beginning because once they got to know each other better, they really softened up.

I Adored the Setting

Annie lives in the countryside, and her cottage sounds very quaint. When the story opens, Niamh has moved there to take care of her mother’s estate, as well as look after her cat, Brian.

It sounds like a really lovely place to live (even if the neighbors are questionable). I loved hearing about the attic that she converted to her writing office.

The Writing Life Aspect

As I mentioned earlier, I love stories about writers. Later on in the book, Niamh decides to go undercover at a writer’s conference to try to investigate some suspects. I thought that was a really fun plot point and an interesting addition to the story. It was even funnier how Leah was always lurking around and making her salty comments.

My Final Thoughts

I enjoyed this book so much! It went in a different direction than I expected, which was fun. I could definitely see this being the first book in a series, so I hope Sarah Lotz writes more. I’d love to see what kind of trouble Niamh and Leah get into in the future. Here’s hoping that there are more books coming our way!

In Conclusion

Thank you so much for checking out today’s blog post! I hope you enjoyed hearing my thoughts on How to Kill a Crime Writer by Sarah Lotz.

It’s a neat story that had a lot of humor along with the mystery. If you enjoy mystery books, I think this is definitely one to check out.