Well this was different. I don't like cosy crime books, and was concerned that the title suggested that this book would fall into this category, boy I couldn't have been more wrong ! This was pretty dark, and certainly different, and a good read. Well worth investing your time.

A lonely bookseller who starts to fantasise about a relationship with a blonde poet with a secret, yearning for a relationship with her while simultaneously detesting her. No, this is not Joe Goldberg, but Brogan Roach. An emo 'pick-me' girl whose internal dialogue is variations of her criticising 'normies' for every minute choice they make, living in Roach's head is both hilarious and disturbing.

The book is written in short chapters alternating between Laura and Roach's point of view, which provides an interesting perspective and makes the book feel fast-paced. It also provides a critical analysis on the morbid fascination so many people have with true crime. Often the victims of these crimes are anonymous numbers in the story of the infamous serial killer, while authors and filmmakers alike profit off of the misery of others.

The only criticism I have of the book is I wish the ending didn't feel as rushed. I would have loved it to have been expanded on more.

This book is truly a book for book lovers, bookworms, and booksellers alike. The story is full of literary works and niche bookshop references that only those of us who spend too long hanging around our local 'Spines' bookshop can appreciate. This book is truly a must-read.

This book gave me the creeps and set my teeth on edge from the start. On one hand Roach is obsessed with serial killers and on the other we have Laura who writes poetry to give voice to the victims. They are chalk and cheese, which makes it interesting. The dynamic flows throughout the plot and creates pockets of tension. As a reader I never quite knew where I stood with either of them but this added to it rather than being a distraction. A good thriller, and an impressive debut.

A somewhat slow but irresistible story about two women who represent the black and white (or the good and bad maybe?) of people.
Bogdan/Brodie Roach, who grew up in a pub where her mother has more interest in the punters than in her daughter, is clingy, moody, dark and generally unhappy. She starts working as a bookseller when she’s only sixteen and there is no other path, let alone a whole world, for her. She’s completely focussed on true-crime, especially on serial killers.
Laura Bunting, she with the festive family name, is the woman who is very dedicated to her work, only wears colour-coordinated clothing and doesn’t realize she has more in common with Roach than she thinks. Laura’s mother was murdered by a serial killer, a fact that she mostly wants to keep a secret. But keeping secrets for Roach is difficult, because Roach is always snooping.
We read their story from both POV’s, and the similarity between their stories becomes gradually known. Another similarity is the fact that they both drink. A lot. An awful lot. Why in heavens’ name would you spend almost every evening after work getting drunk with your colleagues? Every character in this story – because there are more people working in Spines, the store where the story is set – is on his/her way to become a full fledged alcoholic. If you cannot call them that already.
Everything that happens in this story is set off by booze, booze and more booze. It seems none of the people who work in Spines is having one original thought without getting very drunk first. Which is a pity because there is a lot going on here. We get to know Roach and Laura pretty well and although they are both not very nice persons, you cannot help but feel for them sometimes.
I think I’m not the only reviewer here who loves bookstores but it’s not always fun working in one. It’s not so much about the books, it’s about selling books and making a profit. I liked the parts where Laura and her colleagues moan about the customers and all the hard work that has to be done to keep the store running. Although I’ve never heard of a bookstore where you have to work during the night to get it stocked. Certainly not where I come from.
It's a creepy story in places and the end is fitting. I loved the writing but sometimes I got a bit nauseous from reading about the huge amounts of alcohol that’s consumed.

Thanks to Netgalley and Hodder & Stoughton for this review copy.

This book had me hooked between the two main characters….Laura and Roach. Both booksellers at the same bookshop. With Roach having an obsession with true crime and Laura holding a secret involving true crime, Roach becomes obsessed with Laura. The story has a slow pace but this benefits getting to know the characters very well. It’s a dark story but lightened somewhat with the humour used throughout the book. A very interesting read.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an ARC in return for an honest review.

Well, that was unexpected! We meet Roach, who has worked for eight years in a bookshop in Walthamstow, as a new manager and several trusted members of her staff from another branch arrive for the Christmas rush. We then shift back and forth from the PoV of the true crime-obsessed, antisocial loner Roach, and the new bubbly, fun bookseller Laura, whom, it turns out, has her own demons to deal with.

Neither character are particularly likeable, but the sparring between them throughout the book is uncomfortably entertaining. Both act in bizarre – often completely foolhardy – ways at times, and their interactions with each other, as well as other characters in the book, had me cringing at times and shaking my head at others.

Far from the “cosy crime” work I was expecting from this title, this is a rather intense read. It is quite a slow burner as a thriller, but kept me interested throughout.

My thanks to the author, NetGalley, and – the publisher for the arc to review.

This book is a dark and creepy page-turner that is also funny and I loved it!

The story follows Roach and Laura, two booksellers who work at the same bookshop but couldn't be more different. Roach is brooding & loves true crime and serial killers, while Laura is wholesome & friendly or is she? . You can imagine the tension between them-Roach is invested in Laura When they uncover her traumatic family history, where Laura is repulsed by Roach.

The book is filled with tension that builds up slowly but surely, keeping you on the edge of your seat. I adore books that create tension - anxiety inducing tension that draws you in and this book did this so masterfully! I loved this so much that I have even requested the audiobook version- because I want someone to read this story to me .

The characters, Roach and Laura, are both complex and flawed, but you can't help but love them, I definitely didn't like them but as characters they are sublime. The dark humour and relatable themes (yes I said relatable!) make this book perfect for true crime fans, especially those who might have a slight obsession with it like Roach.

Can we talk about the cover for a second because it's stunning! The snails bless them, and I preordered to get the gorgeous naked cover.

Death of a Bookseller is a fantastic debut novel that I highly recommend. Alice Slater's writing style is wonderful, and the book spoke to me on many different levels some that are making me question if I am indeed ok. I would struggle to say anything I would change about this book, I'm really excited to read what Alice Slater writes next.

Brogan Roach, known by her surname throughout the book is a true crime fanatic - devouring dark books, podcasts and articles. The more horrific the better for Roach. She’s rough, grimly, at times utterly disgusting and easy to visualise. Laura Bunting is a polar opposite is a polar opposite of Roach. Practically perfect in every way. Laura joins the staff at Roach’s place of work to reinvigorate the flagging bookstore. After having a nosey in Laura’s personal items, Roach finds a true crime book and her imagination runs wild with her anticipating they will become best of friends, bonding over their shared passion. But Laura’s interest stems from her mum being murdered by a serial killer, and she releases her thoughts by writing poetry inspired from true crimes.

The characters -they’re intriguing, but neither of them are at all likeable. Each chapter changes perspective from Laura to Roach so we get a real insight into what is going on in each of their worlds.

This book was unsettling to read - AND I LOVED IT! I honestly love when a book provokes such a reaction. It took a while for me to get into, but I’m glad I stuck with it.

Great story, interesting characters, fantastic slow-burning plot - it was a great read! I loved the Epilogues!

4⭐️

All book lovers are drawn to stories set in bookshops, right? So you’re going to love Death of a Bookseller. It’s a fast-paced, dry-toned, witty psychological thriller that centres around two booksellers with very different personalities. Oh, and there’s a serial killer twist thrown into the mix too. Intrigued?

So yes, the aforementioned booksellers are Roach and Laura. They both live in Walthamstow, where this story is set. Roach lives above a pub with her landlady mum – very Eastenders vibes – and Laura lives on her own in a flat.

They meet at work, where Laura is brought in to help sales increase in the bookshop. As a long-time staff member, Roach doesn’t take to this situation very well. She doesn’t take to much very well actually, Roach is an unusual lead character in the sense that she is distinctly unlikeable.

Yet she is not an all-out villain. She is flawed and blinkered and due to the fact you’re not meant to necessarily like her, you’re never quite sure what she’s going to do next, which makes her very intriguing and readable.

Roach is obsessed with serial killers. She loves the Murder Girls podcast where they dissect old cases and she is particularly interested in a local killer: The Stow Strangler.

Random side note: She drinks so much Strongbow Dark Fruits (an even sweeter version of the already sweet cider) that my teeth were actually starting to ache in sympathy while reading.

I imagined this whole situation being retold on a podcast. The Murder Girls would find the story both chilling and amusing in equal measure. That thought gave me the strength to continue.

Laura also has a serial killer link, but for very different reasons to Roach. She writes poetry about the lives of the women who are senselessly killed. She doesn’t revel in the macabre nature of the crimes, her focus is the victims.

For this reason she is never going to see eye-to-eye with Roach and when Roach takes an unhealthy interest in Laura and her life, it’s not long before things take a sinister turn…

I whizzed through Death of a Bookseller and even though the ending didn’t quite take it to the place I thought it was going to (I would have loved to have seen it push the story even further) I still very much enjoyed this clever psychological thriller with its serial killer twist.

Death of a Bookseller is definitely a page turner, will keep you on the edge of your seat for sure. Dual perspectives help keep the reader informed as Laura and Roach's narratives are interwoven to create a brilliantly formed suspense novel.

Laura and Roach both work at Spines, a bookstore in Walthamstow. Laura at first seems outgoing and friendly, the kind of narrator a reader forms an easy rapport with and roots for. As the novel goes on, though, her facade starts to slip and we see a different side of her.

Roach is a bit of a loner, but desperate to impress the elusive Laura who seems so distant with Roach despite her easygoing nature around everyone else. As Roach's desire to be Laura's friend spirals into something more sinister, Slater cleverly portrays the slow descent into obsession- in more ways than one.

I was slightly disappointed by the ending to be honest, it felt a little predictable and could have packed more punch. But I thought the story was very well told and Slater has done a brilliant job of combining two unreliable narrators telling two halves of a story, to create a bigger picture which is easy to follow and allows the reader to piece together the truth from two very jumbled accounts.

I'd definitely recommend this to any lover of suspense novels and I loved the way Slater pays homage to many popular, modern day classics. Definitely will be recommending to my audience, and thanks to Netgalley for the early access!

Death of a Bookseller is a phenomenal thriller from start to finish. The characters are incredibly well-written. The plot is fast-paced and captivating. If you're looking for your next favorite thriller, this is the one for you. Be sure to check out Death of a Bookseller today. Highly recommended!

This was such an eerie and unsettling read in the best possible way. If you want to read a book where neither POV you trust or like, this is the book for you!

It follows two booksellers: unalike in almost every way possible, but united by the overarching branch of true crime. While Laura seems to be doing her best to avoid the topic as much as she can, Roach is obsessed with the genre and embodies it entirely.

The POVs of this book are where it truly shines: Slater manages to encapsulate both personalities to the point where even the writing style feels slightly different. Both perspectives are written brilliantly: we get to see what makes both Laura and Roach unique, but thought has gone into how each of their actions and thoughts might even be different. I couldn't stop cringing and wincing while reading Roach's POV in fear of what would come next and Laura's POV had me consistently questioning whether she was nice or not. In terms of the plot line as well, Slater does an excellent job at always keeping you on your toes and guessing what was coming up next - once hooked, I couldn't put it down.

The role of the bookseller plays into the plot really well - you can almost imagine both characters roaming around your local bookstore and I loved the attention given to how the store runs and how it affects both characters' moods.

While reading the entire thing, I loved how much it made me question whether any of the characters were truly in the right, while also offering some slithers of sympathy for everyone involved at different times. The only reason I didn't give it 5 stars was the ending: it ended a little too quickly through the epilogues for my liking, we didn't spend enough time on that aspect of the closure!

Overall though, this was a brilliant book and I fully expect to see it gain in popularity very quickly... Personally, I now can't wait to see how the real booksellers in stores sell this book to customers!

Thanks to NetGalley and Hodder & Staughton for early access to this book!

3.5 stars
When I tell you that I have seen this book all over social media, I mean I have seen it ALL over social media. It has been hard to escape the hype for this, what with the bright green cover and related merch, if I were giving the publicity team a rating it would be 5 stars. Because of all that, this became one of my most anticipated reads of the year.
A bookshop, true crime case, obsession? Say less. Sign me up. Take me money now.
So did this live up to the hype? Yes and no.
First off let me say that I couldn't STAND the character of Laura. I found her to be very judgemental, very nasty and not a nice person at all.
The character of Roach however, I loved and was fully on her side throughout.
As a life long metal head, I have experienced first hand the judgement from others over dress sense, hairstyle, music tastes etc. Maybe because of this I really liked Roach. I enjoyed the references to metal musicians, (in particular my favourite Ville Valo.)
I was enjoying this book when I started it and was picking up 5 star vibes, but as it went on my feelings changed.
This definitely felt like a character study, and I would have liked some dark humour thrown in.
I found the chapters from Laura's perspective to be a bit repetitive. (work, get drunk, work, get drunk) and not a lot really seemed to happen. It also felt a little too long.
Overall, there were parts I did like but this didn't completely click for me.

Wonderfully dark and modern. Obsessive and probing looking at today’s obsession with real crime. Loved the bookshop setting and will definitely recommend. Thanks NetGalley!

Brogan Roach has been a bookseller since she was sixteen. She works in Spines, a rundown store in Walthamstow. Obsessed with true crime, Roach does not make friends easily. Awkward, prone to obsessive behaviours and not keen to change she is a hard character to like.
As part of a move to try and overhaul the fortune of an ailing store, a team of booksellers are drafted in. Amongst them is Laura Bunting, professional and full of positivity. She writes poetry and seems to have everyone wrapped around her little finger. But she does not like Roach.
The rejection sends Roach into a dangerously obsessive spiral. This is made worse when Roach learns that Laura’s mother was murdered by a serial killer. Determined to get closer to Laura, Roach takes increasingly dangerous steps to try and force a friendship.
Told in alternating viewpoints we see very different perspectives on the fascination with true crime. Neither character endears themselves to us, and there were a number of moments where I wondered quite where this would end up. It didn’t take quite the dark turn I feared it might, but there’s plenty to find unsettling. I liked the setting of the bookstore and some of the discussions around reading behaviours. The ending was interesting, and it certainly offered an unusual way for each to resolve their issues.
Thanks to NetGalley for giving me opportunity to read and review this in exchange for offering my honest thoughts.

A unique dark book based around obsession and envy. This is good, entertaining and will be enjoyed by many on its release. Thank you to NetGalley, the author and the publisher for the advance review copy.

I loved this book! True crime, book shop, murder podcasts, so many great parts to this book!
The plot is incredible and keeps drawing you in to read more. Highly recommend!

I was kindly sent this ARC from NetGalley for which I am extremely grateful.

The book is well written and you come to not like one of the main characters. Story is lacking (for which I won't spoil)

Well, that was one of the most rich, dark and delightful books I've ever read. This book came with a lot of expectations as EVERYONE has been talking about it and it did not disappoint. You very swiftly become embroiled in Laura and Roach's lives and relationship. Also as an ex London bookseller, it was a true blast from the past. Alice Slater writes modern London so accurately, so vivid that it feels like I'm walking the streets as I read it.

From the moment I started reading Death of a Bookseller, I was absolutely lost to the story – sucked down into it so completely I couldn’t think about anything else. Alice Slater has written a novel that sinks in its teeth and refuses to let go; I buzzed for days after finishing it.

Roach has worked at a beleaguered branch of Spines, a chain of bookshops, since she was a teenager. Solitary and obsessed with true crime (specifically the killers rather than the victims, whose stories she generally finds boring), Roach scoffs at ‘normies’ and spends much of her time listening to podcasts about famous murders. When a new team are brought in to reverse the shop’s fortunes, she meets a very different type of bookseller: the wholesome, stylish, friendly Laura. Fixating on the fact that Laura also reads about serial killers and writes poetry with dark themes, Roach starts fantasising about a friendship. But the two women’s clashing views about the ethics surrounding true crime turn Laura against her... something Roach is very reluctant to accept.

The narrative switches between the perspectives of the two main characters – a surprise to me, as from the blurb I’d assumed Roach would tell the whole story. At first, I was sceptical: could Laura’s viewpoint possibly be as interesting as Roach’s cynical, scathing voice? Would the story become lopsided? But Laura’s chapters bring a depth and complexity to her character that ultimately unlocks the power of the story.

Sometimes Roach sounds like such an insufferable not-like-other-girls, sometimes Laura sounds like a tryhard London literary type – there are points where both of them will make you roll your eyes. Yet as dark as Roach’s story gets, it’s hard not to extend compassion to her, because the narrative is always extending compassion to her too. It’s the same thing with Laura: she’s often an absolute mess, and we see how her behaviour parallels Roach’s in ways she’d no doubt be reluctant to admit – but we get why. If at first it seems clear that Roach is the dark and Laura the light, somewhere along the line both characters are painted such similar shades of grey that they blend and bleed into each other.

Something I also want to mention, that might easily get lost amid the irresistible momentum of the plot, is the power of the settings. I particularly loved Roach and Laura’s workplace, the bookshop itself. I could truly feel the atmosphere of the place: both cosy and decrepit. The story unfolds in the run-up to Christmas, and the writing absolutely nails the magic and the horror of being wrapped up in non-stop work at that time of year. (It’s also so good on the specifics of working in retail that it unlocked memories I hadn’t thought about for over a decade.)

My literary recipe for Death of a Bookseller would involve: the razor-sharp character studies and themes of obsession and envy in Looker and Kiss Me First; the heady atmosphere of The Poison Tree; the deliciously nasty underbelly of Boy Parts and Eileen; and the spiralling, unstable mood of Animals or Problems – especially as the story reaches its climax and the protagonists seem bound for disaster.

This is, naturally, a bookseller’s book. But it’s also for anyone who considers themselves a reader; likes true crime; anyone who hates it, or is disdainful towards it; anyone who has ever worked in a shop, or in customer service. And it’s also stealthily a book about grief. Like its characters, Death of a Bookseller contains more layers and subtleties you might first assume. This is a thrilling story of obsession with a dark, sticky soul – and it’s also so much more.