Death of a Bookseller is slow burn thriller, focusing on two main characters who are booksellers and their fraught relationship. It deals with the themes of obsession and jealousy, while also tackling with a somewhat satirical tone on the true crime fanaticism.

I read this in one day which is testament to how invested I was, the story and it’s characters get under your skin, you want to find out what is going to happen and yet at the same time, you want to distance yourself from the oppressive and intense relationship that is unfurling.

The characterisation is particularly strong, even the minor characters I felt like I knew them, like I was also working with them in the bookshop. The duality of the two characters, Laura and Roach and each chapter alternating their POV was clever and adds to the feelings of unease. Roach was a repulsive character to read from and yet so compelling. Laura, although sympathetic was not perfect and I felt frustrated at her decisions. All of which added to the tension and suspense of the book which builds gradually. You get a sense of an approaching doom the more the plot unravels. It is a clever thriller, subtle and terrifying in its reality.

I know the area of London that the story is set in very well so that was an enjoyable extra detail that I loved. I shall happily read whatever Alice Slater writes next.

A big thank you to Net Galley and Hodder & Stoughton for providing a proof in exchange of a review.

An excellent debut from Alice Slater with wonderful observational detail on every page. It was creepy, dark, sad, funny and highly original. Written from the perspectives of Laura with her sad and dark past and from Roach, a misfit and true crime enthusiast. Roach was dirty and quite disgusting and her smell almost eminated from the pages. She alienated most people and was subsequently a lonely figure who became quite obsessed with the life of Laura. Anger at being ignored fuelled her obsession and she began to overstep the mark of acceptability. Laura had her own demons and while outwardly being bright and bubbly held a dark secret within. A perfectly paced and detailed build to the finale of this book that may have me looking a little closer at my local booksellers. My only criticism is that the staff drank far too much and I wondered constantly how much it was costing them. Drinks in London, night after night on a bookseller’s wages didn’t ring true but I understand how it was quite important to the storyline. I loved the beautifully descriptive writing of Alice Slater even if it was a little too graphic at times. The sights, sounds and smells were never in doubt and formed perfect pictures in my mind even if they weren’t always pleasant. Alice is obviously a very talented writer and I very much look forward to her next novel.

Laura and Roach are two very different booksellers, both working at the same bookshop in London. Roach loves true crime and becomes obsessed with getting to know Laura, believing that they are kindred spirits at heart. Roach persists despite Laura's objections and things soon begin to spiral out of control.

A completely addictive story that will get under your skin.

I enjoyed the fast pace and how the plot felt entirely unpredictable, even up to the very last page! I have never read a book like this before, it was so original and unique.

The story is told from both Laura and Roach's perspectives, and Alice Slater seamlessly switches between the the two characters. I found myself completely repulsed by Roach's obsession with Laura but I couldn't tear my eyes away. For me Roach was one of those characters that you simply love to hate.

A truly unforgettable debut novel not to be missed if you love books with a dark theme.

Thank you NetGalley and Hodder & Stoughton for sending this book for review consideration. All opinions are my own.

Death of a Bookseller was my first read from the author and i am sure not become my last. She absolutely successful delivered quirky story with interesting plot with this one.
Following two booksellers POV with opposite personalities, the story grabbed my attention since early pages.

I adore a branch of Spines Bookstore as setting. The pace going slowly at beginning and feel repetitive but I enjoyed saw the routine of daily activities and unravelling darker drama slowly in the process. The writing are done well and easy to follow. The plotline is intriguing with twist and turn. Personally I found my personal surprise saw the author mentioned my country name twice even take one our famous serial killer as example.

Thank you Netgalley and Hodder & Stoughton for provided my copy. My thoughts and opinions always become my own.

This was a deliciously dark creepy read that drew me in instantly and kept me reading late into the night.
Two booksellers,, Roach a loner who prefers the company of her pet snail to people a true crime fan- the grimmer the better;. Laura is vivacious , literary fiction fan, coordinated, popular and bright. Roach makes Laura uncomfortable but Roach senses a darkness in Laura and believes they have a lot in common and so the flickers of obsession are ignited and grow steadily as they work together selling books.

I really liked how this was written, its an excellent character study, an examination of the cult of true crime and a dark slow burn that builds the tension masterfully. Slater balances the darkness with humour, commentary, book references and a cast of well drawn secondary characters. An engrossing read and impressive debut, will be looking forward to whatever she writes next.

3.5 rounded up for sheer bonkersness.
So... Brogan, commonly known as Roach works in a bookshop in Walthamstow. She has worked there for years, since she left school, a great place to nurture and feed her obsession with true crime. She is a bit overworked as her boss is off sick, combine that with bookshops not doing well in general (don't get me started) so she is relieved when she finds out that head office is sending a crack team to help out. She is more excited when she takes a bit of a shine to one of the new assistants she will be working with - Laura, specialising in children's books. A shine that is most definitely NOT welcomed or reciprocated.
And so begins a bit of a bonkers story of obsession which I will leave you to discover as the author intends for maximum impact! It's creepy and car-crash tv, dark and dangerous. As well as being uplifting and very funny in places. The whole gamut of emotions. And Roach, well, she's not quite all there, especially when we witness her alter ego, bless her, but she loves her pet snail.. yes, snail... I also found the ending to be a bit on the open side, but then not everything in life can be as neat as maybe we want it to be...
So.. as I always do when I find a new-to-me author. I go check out their back catalogue and... well... amazingly enough this is a debut! Another reason for my rounding up the half star. This makes me excited to see what the author will serve up for her second course... My thanks go to the Publisher and Netgalley for the chance to read this book.

"By Christmas Laura Bunting was gone. And it was my fault."

Death of a Bookseller is dark, thrilling and right up my street. I admit to having participated in the True Crime obession at times but this book provides a new perspective on this gruesome trend.

Roach is a long-term member of staff in a bookshop called Spines. She is obsessed with serial killers and true crime podcasts and has collated her own library on this theme in the bookshop.

Laura is a new bookseller send with a team of people to try and increase footfall to the shop. She takes an instant dislike to Roach and finds the whole true crime thing to be a fad proffiting off the grief of others.

"Vulnerable women, right? " Sarah said with cold authority. "Women who'd been let down by society and by the state, and then they were let down by the cops who didn't give enough of a shit about their death to investigate them properly. They were let down by every single institution that was meant to lift them up."

Roach is an outsider and clearly very lonely. She is desperate to become friends with Laura and goes to extreme lengths to get her to like her.

"Laura Bunting. Her name was garden parties, and Wimbledon, and royal weddings. It was chintzy tea rooms, Blitz spirit, and bric-a-brac for sale in bright church halls. It was coconut shies and bake sales and guess-the-weight-of-the-fucking cake."

I loved the contrast between the two protagonists and obviously the fact that it was set in a bookshop helped.

A very creepy read.

This was an assured debut in a genre that isn't really a fave of mine. The writing was good and I felt like this was an inventive and well-executed psychological thriller. Both viewpoint characters had a different worldview and the changing povs were used to good effect. The tension ratcheted up slowly and while I didn't love the ending I did enjoy the ride.

This does come with the usual caveat that if they just stopped drinking then there might not be a story. I think this is a pitfall of the genre though.

The snails felt like a little nod to Highsmith, but can't say with certainty.

I would read more from this author. My thanks to netgalley and the publisher for a copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

This story pulled me in from the first page. Laura - everyone's friend, loved by all, friendly with everyone - except Roach - chalk and cheese. Roach is under the misapprehension that they have so much in common; Roach lives in a fantasy existence. The story is character driven and set in a world of books. What is not to like.
BUT as the story progresses it gets darker, more tense and more uncomfortable. I could not put it down. Compulsive, creepy five-star read!
Many thanks to Netgalley/Alice Slater/Hodder & Stoughton for a digital copy of this title. All opinions expressed are my own.

Death of a Bookseller is a dark read, cleverly told from both Roach and Laura’s point of view. They are poles apart - Roach (moody and dark) is obsessed with serial killers and Laura (sunshine and roses) writes poetry focusing on the victims. However, following a poetry reading given by Laura, Roach firmly believes they're destined to be BFFs and becomes obsessed with her colleague and attempts to force her way in to Laura's life.
Its creepy, it’s twisty, it’s brilliant, it’s destined to be a bestseller
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

This is a unique, unusual book; captivating from start to finish. Set in a large bookshop, with strong personalities and vibrant descriptions. The tension gradually gathers pace, with an unexpected ending. I definitely recommend this book!

*I received a free review copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for honest feedback. All thoughts and opinions are my own.*

I knew from the first chapter that I was going to love this book and I wasn’t wrong. Death of a Bookseller follows Roach and Laura, who both work in the same bookshop. When Roach meets Laura she becomes obsessed with her - an obsession which quickly becomes dangerous.

This was such an addictive read that I ended up putting all my other books aside and reading the whole novel in a day. It was dark and disturbing, focusing on true crime and serial killers and how these topics have become popular in modern media. The character voices were so distinct and well-crafted that it made it really easy to distinguish between the two of them, and made the plot even more engaging. The switch between Roach and Laura’s perspectives made this such an intense read and definitely heightened the suspense.

If you’re looking for a tense and intriguing book about book lovers, true crime, writing and obsession I’d definitely recommend picking this up!

Meet Roach: A Bookseller from London who is obsessed with True Crime and all things to do with serial killers. When Roach meets Laura, another bookseller, she is sure there is something dark in her too and that they're destined to be great friends. Unfortunately, Laura definitely does not agree.
What follows is an obsessive tale as Roach tries to force her way in to Laura's life whilst Laura does everything she can to stay clear or Roach.

This book hits the creepy scale for me with it's 'You' vibes as Roach continues to invade Laura's private life in an attempt to find something to bring them closer. It's a deep and disturbing look at how obsession can start with the tinest comment and grow into a twisted need to be connected to someone else. Even the slugs finding their way in to Laura's flat set the feeling of something sinister.

The story is cleverly told from both characters point of view so you can get a real sense of the delusions Roach has and the paranoia it creates for Laura as her life spirals out of control.

My only criticism is that perhaps the climax of the book was all over a bit too quickly and could have been drawn out a little more with a greater look at the devastation this kind of behaviour can leave behind.

A thoroughly engaging read that I was loathe to put down.

I came to this book via Alice's podcast, What Page Are You On, and thoroughly enjoyed every moment of reading it! Roach was a brilliant character and the story was a very Erin Kelly-esque narrative. I particularly loved the scenes where Roach attempted to ingratiate herself with Laura. A particular favourite was the scene where Laura realises Roach has inadvertently published a mashed up version of her own poems online - the cringe was so well written, I was internally screaming! I would LOVE to see this book as a film or tv show, there were so many excellent moments of tension and suspense. And the ending... I wish it had gone on for another few pages!

The marketing of Death of a Bookseller as a "horrible little book" is confusing to me though, it was not nearly as graphic or disgusting as people are making it out to be, but maybe that just tells me something about my own expectations!

My students are going to LOVE this one! A fast paced dark twisty thriller putting two booksellers against each other in this dark comedy.

The Walthamstow branch of Spines is home to two very different booksellers, you have the beautiful, blonde Laura with her glowing skin and her fun bookish tote bags. Laura writes poetry and loves Patti Smith.

Roach is quiet and on the outsides of conversations and she’s obsessed with true crime. When she’s not reading about serial killers, she’s listening to podcasts about them.

The two women are different in every way but Roach becomes very drawn to Laura in an obsessive way - desperate to befriend her and to become part of her life and she’ll go to any lengths to do so.

It’s told from the POV of both of them as their lives become more and more intertwined.

This is such a great book I can’t believe it’s a debut! As well as being a creepy twisty thriller it is a really interesting look at society’s (and in particular woman’s) obsession with true crime and serial killers.

You won’t watch a true crime documentary in the same way again!

Thank you to the publishers and NetGalley for the ARC of this debut novel! Death of a Bookseller is a gripping, tense and fast-paced story about two booksellers who quickly grow to despise each other. Laura is trying to live a normal, peaceful life after the death of her mother at the hands of a serial killer when she starts a new job at a bookshop, and meets her colleague Roach who is a true crime fanatic. Roach is fascinated by Laura and soon becomes obsessed with her, trying to find out as much as she can about Laura’s past. I devoured this book and found it so well written and compulsive.

I really enjoyed this book, it is so dark but with a little ripple of humour running through it. You really become invested in the characters and the storyline. An excellent book.

Overall, I enjoyed this book.
It was in depth about the characters and very character focused
I did find it a bit slow in parts as there’s no real plot as such but still a good read

Engrossing, unsettling, a perfect story about obsession.

Who knew that working in a bookshop could spiral into a tale of such darkness.

One thing’s for sure, this will be flying off the bookshelves.