I thoroughly enjoyed listening to the audiobook, Death of a Bookseller by Alice Slater.

The thriller centres on two young women who both work as booksellers at Spines, a chain-bookshop in Walthamstow North London.

Roach is a huge fan of true-crime literature and podcasts. She’s a loner and happy with her life-style choice. I would go so far as to say that she has a real contempt of ’normies’, who rule of thumb are everyone but her.

Laura starts working at the bookshop and is everything that Roach is not. She’s popular with staff and customers and loves her job and books. The two women couldn’t be more like chalk and cheese. Everyone seems to fall under Laura’s spell, including Roach. Roach’s fascination with Laura grows into an unhealthy obsession particularly when she learns more about Laura’s family.

The story unfolds alternating chapters between Roach and then Laura’s perspectives. The narrators, Emma Noakes and Victoria Blunt, really bought the book to life and had such different voices reflecting their characters.

I was gripped by the book, and as the book progressed it felt like it was wading into dark and dangerous territory, and at times felt like an intense cat-and-mouse game. I was listening and had no idea what would happen or how far these women would go.

I think this is an exciting debut book and I am really looking forward to see what else Alice Slater writes in the future.

Huge thanks to NetGalley and the publishers, Hodder & Stoughton Audio, for making this audio-ARC available to me in exchange for a fair and honest review.

Loved this. Told from two POVs. Interesting, but very unlikeable, main characters. Roach has an unhealthy obsession with serial killers, which made for a good read. The relationship between the two characters was interpreted very differently by each of them and was equally funny and creepy to read. The descriptions, particularly of the smells, were brilliant - I enjoyed the choice of language and am glad I don’t have a stomach that turns easily! I am off to find out if there are any more books by this author or if I have to wait for the next one!

Thank you to Netgalley and the publishers for the ARC.

Riveting read about serial killers and the interweaving lives of workers of a bookshop.
Character study of different lives and how they interconnect
3/5 stars

Death of a Bookseller is set in London and centres around fictional bookshop, Spines, in particular the Walthamstow branch. We meet Roach, a bookseller who is fascinated by true crime and all things grisly and we are then introduced to Laura. On first glance, Laura seems to be the antithesis of Roach with her stylish clothes and disgust for all things morbid. However, as the book progresses, the two have more in common than we first realised.

The book alternates between Roach and Laura's narrations and I love the stark difference in writing between the two characters. It genuinely feels as though we get a real insight into what is going on in each of their heads. The characterisation of these two is excellent and, whilst we are introduced to other minor characters around them, it really is all about these two.

The setting for the book is just perfect; a drizzly London borough and a failing bookshop.

The book is well written, although I did find it a little slow to start with. It soon picks up pace and I then found that I couldn't finish it quick enough.

My thanks to NetGalley and the Publishers for sending me this ARC in return for an honest review.

3.5 stars

A story with two main characters you cannot like which slowly spirals towards a big cataclysm...
But doesn't quite deliver it?

Death of a Bookseller follows two young women working in a local bookstore. One has taken true crime to be her sole personality trait and the other is the typical popular type. However when Roach finds out that Laura writes poems about murdered women she becomes obsessed with her, desperate to be connected.

As Roach spirals, justifying her increasingly invasive actions as proving her friendship to Laura, Laura's perfect veneer starts to crack.

I don't think these are characters you are meant to like or relate to. Their personal flaws are deeply explored and some of the obsession and other explicit details are quite shocking at points. Where the two women are on this collision cause, the story holds a morbid intrigue, but once it gets to the main event it just kinda fizzles out. It lacked some consequence, or explosive drama.

Overall an interesting debut which I think is going to be really popular largely because of the bookseller angle.

Thank you to NetGalley for the advanced copy.

I loved this dark, quirky thriller focusing on two very different booksellers working in a failing bookstore in Walthamstow, and the story is told from their alternating POVs. It is a slow burning, delicious story of obsession with plenty of dark humour and cultural references. It is very creepy and as the book progressed I could feel a sense of foreboding. Neither of the main characters were likeable, but they were incredibly realistically drawn. I would guess that the author has previously worked in a bookshop because her portrayal of the minutiae of bookshop life was brilliant. And the ending was just perfect.

The two narrators, Emma Noakes and Victoria Blunt did an amazing job with the voices for the characters, and I really enjoyed this audiobook version.

This story really was deliciously dark. I was so excited to start it and the audio experience was excellent - I don’t think that Laura could have had a more perfect voice. This books had me hooked from the very first chapter and kept me there right to the very last.

The evolution of the dynamic between Roach and Laura as the story progressed was just brilliant in the way it genuinely affected my feelings towards each character - I couldn’t believe how differently I felt about each as the story ended, Slater shows such a talent in the way she has developed the characters, both in their darkness and their vulnerability. The toxicity explored at times left me completely aghast and I was so here for it.

For all the storyline follows a theme of darkness it also left me smiling on many an occasion too with its pop culture and bookish references - it really captured what it is to be bookish and working in retail.

An absolute corner of a debut that I thoroughly enjoyed.

Thanks so much to Netgalley and Hodder & Stoughton for my audio copy.

One of the best books I've read in a while. A dark, creepy exploration of two complicated and fascinating characters. Expertly written and brilliantly brought to life by the two excellent audiobook readers. I was consistently torn by wanting to tear through it but not wanting it to end. Ultimately I couldn't stop listening and consumed it within days.

I enjoyed this book, although I will admit to finding the some of the personal habits of both protagonists a bit revolting!

This is the story of Laura, the daughter of a murder, victim and serial killer, groupie Roach, who icircle each other in an uneasy proximity as coworkers in a struggling High Street book chain in Walthamstow.

The details and detritus of their lives are lovingly itemised by the author, and the challenges of millennial/gen Z life shine through. This is all very enjoyable.

The slight issue I have with the book is also part of its strength. As a reader, one sympathy slip and slide between Roach and Laura. Roach is unloved and unlovely when we meet her, and although she finds love, she remains largely pretty gross. The seedy smelly details of her life, are writ large - unwashed, bodies, sheets and clothes abound. Her fascination with serial killers, although strictly of the zeitgeist is too much to hero worship and too concerned with the gory details. Having said this, Laura is vain, smug, and definitely supercilious. So they are both quite offputting, but this part of the joy, the author has dared to write two unappealing damaged young women into her narrative and that is rare and good to see. So although my stomach turned on occasion, I recommend this book for those who like their heroines. A little on the outré side.

Great: The cover, the idea, the level of detail (especially the smells), Bleep, every peripheral character, some wonderful turns of phrase.

Not so great: It’s very difficult to truly enjoy a book when you detest both of the main characters. Neither of them
had a single redeeming quality. It was hard to work out the reasoning behind their motivations because they seemed to dislike one another as much as I disliked them!? But maybe this is the whole point of it all?

Thank you NetGalley for an early copy of this debut!

This was wild! I’m leaning towards a 3/3.5 stars. I listened to the audio so maybe that affected my rating?!

For a start I feel like the book is mis-marketed in many ways especially with the title and description as I was expecting one of the booksellers to be murdered! Go into this blind-don’t read the description or any details about it.

The story follows Roach and Laura (booksellers). Roach absolutely adores true crime and her pet snail. Laura is the new mysterious girl who starts working at the book shop and from the get go Roach become absolutely obsessed with her, wanting to infiltrate her life and become her?!! It seemed Roach’s intentions were just to become best friends with Laura, or were they?!

I listened to this on audio so got only half of a feel for the writing style but the descriptions and the writing of the characters definitely made me feel creeped out and uneasy. I didn’t like the book, then I loved it, vice versa— a WILD ride!

I didn’t feel extremely connected to either Roach or Laura, mostly because I disliked them both so wasn’t rooting for either. The whole time I was waiting for a death or murder of one of them. They were both messy characters, in their lives and personalities not in the sense of how Slater wrote them. I loved Laura’s backstory and the true crime aspect and wish we could have touched more into that. I don’t think I really invested into the book until after the 50% mark but enjoyed it and how Slater wrapped the story up at the end.

Having been turned down for the ebook, I was delighted to be permitted access to the audiobook of this title.

I absolutely loved it. In particular, I liked the way the author introduced topics around the ethics of True Crime as a genre, but did so in a way that was thought-provoking and open, rather than pushing any particular agenda.

The character of Roach is a really interesting one - part victim, part "creepy crawlie" (one of her own favourite phrases), she was surprisingly likeable, even though many of her activities were difficult to condone.

Laura is similarly a mixed bag - on the one hand a sympathetic character, the heavy-drinking daughter of a serial killer's victim, her self-destructive habits make her increasingly difficult to love.

Alice Slater really balanced all the elements of her story incredibly well. I found myself OBSESSED with this book, and will be instagramming my review in the next week or so.

Will definitely be recommending to everyone I know.

Many thanks to Netgalley, Hodder & Stoughton Audio, and the author, for the ALC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I have to say, the narrators are the true stars of this audiobook. Th plot, the prose and the characters were indeed enticing and addictive in a dark, creepy and weird way, but the narrators outshined all of them. I don't think I would have enjoyed this book as much as I did if not for them.

Death of a Bookseller, follows the story of Roach and Laura, two experienced young booksellers who are indeed working in their dreams jobs, but as opposite as they would come. Roach is a loner, true crime addict, all dark colors and a snail lover, while Laura hates snails, is a people person, a poet and likes to be the person who always smells nice and is all bright colors. Roach who dislikes Laura at first sight later becomes obsessed with her as she finds out about her poetry and her past. While Laura on the other hand, had tried to befriend Roach, grows more and more vary and begins to hate her. Things get out of hand when this morbid obsession and hate clash, and boundaries are crossed beyond repair.

This book was creepy as hell. Both the characters were deeply flawed, obnoxious and battling their own demons, one more than the other. Roach's true crime obsession followed by her obsession with Laura was borderline psychotic while Laura's hatred was petty and mean girl type. Their plans for each other and motives could not be anymore different. The way this dynamic grows is fascinating and disturbing at the same time.

You will be hooked to this book and never understand why! that is my conclusion, thrilling, yet with no end, as in, I couldn't for the life of me understand the direction of this story, that has not happened for a very long time! and the ending is worth it.

TW: Death of parent, Mental illness, Stalking, and Murder, serial killers, blood

**Listened to the audio book**

Wow! I really enjoyed this! It's been a long time since a fiction audiobook has gripped me as much as this did.
Firstly, I have to praise the audiobook narrators: Emma Noakes and Victoria Blunt. Both portrayed the two protagonists so well, and difference in their voices really helped with keeping track of the plot.
The plot was completely engrossing and I was hooked.
I have to say, that there really isn't too much plot. 90% of this book is purely build up... however that really did not stop my enjoyment (although that is the reason I couldn't give the book the full 5*)
This book is more about the characters than the plot, and both of the main characters in this book have their flaws, they certainly are not perfect but that's why I loved them both even more.

I worked as a bookseller for a short while as a christmas temp, and even in that short time, I could still relate to a lot of what was going on within this book.

If you want a big twisty, turney, thriller plot -this is not the book for you. But if you want a book that is funny, and excellent at keeping the tension then you will love this book!
I'm so pleased I listened to the audio book as I think this heightened my enjoyment! So definitely recommend the audio version.

Really enjoyed this. Flew through it in 1 day as it was very difficult to put down. It was creepy, weird and suspenseful all in a good way. I won't give the plot away but will say if your looking for a story to get lost in then give this ago.

Thank you so much for this audio arc!

This story is wild! I couldn’t get enough. Both perspectives were amazing and I devoured the whole thing in a day!

a skin crawling book - especially in audiobook format. the dual narrative is impactful and keeps the pacing even and enticing.

*just* enough satire with *just* enough reality to create an awful, brilliant relationship between laura and roach. although i'm an indie bookseller and not part of a chain, the discussions about shelving politics peppered throughout were also very interesting to consider, as well as the general politics of running a bookshop.

one of the audiobook narrators is a bit stilted - they warm up as the book carries on, but it did make it difficult at first. maybe it even helped roach even more uncomfortable as a character...

I received the audiobook from NetGalley for a fair and honesty review

I really enjoyed this audiobook. The duel perspectives having different narrators really brought the characters to life.

Neither Laura or Roach were particularly likeable characters by any means but I feel like we’ve all met someone like them.

This book gave me ‘single white female’ vibes. A girl becoming so obsessed with another girl that the obsession becomes dangerous.

I’m not sure I can give more than 3 stars though. A lot of the chapters blurred into one because of the repetitive nature of them but I suppose it was in an art imitates life sort of way.

This is a very enjoyable debut thriller. The story is told through dual POV. While both characters are inherently unlikeable, they are well written and impossible to forget.
Well paced with plenty of twist and turns to keep you guessing. The ending was unexpected and satisfying. Overall a must read for booksellers and book lovers alike.

I enjoyed the audiobook version of this book too, the narrators were great and different enough to always be clear whose story you were following.

Thanks to the author, Hodder and Stoughton and
Hodder and Stoughton audio as well as NetGalley for the opportunity to read and listen to this unmissable book.

So, this WILDLY exceeded my (already high) expectations!! 📖🔪

📚 'Death of a Bookseller' by Alice Slater is about two women - Laura and Roach - who both work in the same chain bookshop (sounded a bit like a Waterstones). Roach has an obsession with serial killers & Laura disagrees with 'true crime' as a literary genre, which creates tensions which escalate the longer they work together.

🚔 While this book was mainly about the complex relationship between Laura & Roach, it also explores the implications of true crime books & podcasts on real life victims & survivors. I'm quite partial to a true crime podcast & this really made me rethink how I consume this type of media. This theme added depth to the story & made this book really stand out as something a bit different.

⚡ Alice Slater absolutely NAILS the pacing in this. Not so fast that you lose out on the detail & feeling of suspense, but gripping enough that I binge-read the whole thing in a couple of days.

✍️ It's told through a dual point of view, which worked extremely well - it highlighted the contrasting motivations & attitudes of the two narrators, and I felt like I was really inside the characters' heads.

✨ Overall, a very self-aware novel with vivid characters and an interesting take on true crime as a genre - I would highly recommend getting this on your 'to be read' list for next year!

🗓️ Comes out 27th April 2023

Thanks to @netgalley for my advance reader copy!

- Katie