The blurb and title of this book had me intrigued from the start, and I was not disappointed. This novel tells an engrossing tale that hooks the reader in until the very end.

I highly recommend this book.

I chose to read a free eARC of The Six Murders of Daphne St Clair but that has in no way influenced my review.

Daphne St Clair has a new boyfriend. Or she did have, until she killed him. Ninety-year-old Daphne is a resident of the Coconut Grove Care Home in Florida. Her days are full of the same mundane things, so she decides to liven things up by confessing to Warren Ackerman's murder. What's even more surprising is that Warren wasn't the first man Daphne claims to have killed. Or the second. Or the third.... Thrust into the spotlight thanks to her wild claims, Daphne becomes a news sensation. Which brings out the podcasters in droves! Making a bid to broadcast Daphne's story is Ruth Robinson. She's the least experienced, the least polished and that, more than anything else, appeals to Daphne. The listening public is immediately hooked. But as the finale approaches, it becomes clear to both women that neither of them has been one hundred per cent honest with the other...

Why, oh why, oh why would you confess to multiple murder as you approach the end of your life, having gotten away with it for many, many years? That's the question everyone is asking as they listen to Daphne's story unfold. What does she have to gain from her sudden confession? The Six Murders of Daphne St Clair (what a title!) is a highly compulsive, intriguing book. As Daphne starts to relay her story, from her desperate, humble beginnings to her multiple marriages, moving up in society and becoming steadily wealthier, we start to see exactly who Daphne St Clair is. Or do we? Is Daphne trustworthy in what she says?

Would I recommend this book? I would, yes. The Six Murders of Daphne St Clair was an entertaining read from start to finish. I found Daphne a very interesting character. At first, I felt she was killing the men in her life to save her own skin. It was either her or her victim. But over time, that changes and things become a little fuzzy around the edges. Ruth is quite a different person from Daphne, and I liked the dynamic between the two. There is an edge of unease there throughout their discussions. Doubt is sprinkled by both characters, and it was interesting to watch their chats play out. With that in mind, if you're a fan of the unreliable narrator, please give this book a go. I enjoyed the format of the book with the podcast element. Despite this being a fairly common approach in literature these days, it still makes me smile. I enjoyed the humour, the characters (despite many of them being highly unlikeable), the relationship between Daphne and her granddaughter and the overall presentation of the novel. But, of course, it's not all light and little old ladies! There is darkness here, with a particularly unsettling scene near the start of Daphne's story where she suffers abuse at the hands of a man in a position of power. I found this scene, in particular, really affected me. All in all, The Six Murders of Daphne St Clair was an enjoyable, fun read with touches of darkness throughout. Fascinating characters, an intriguing storyline and quite possibly my favourite cover of the year! Recommended.

I chose to read and review a free eARC of The Six Murders of Daphne St Clair. The above review is my own unbiased opinion.

When Daphne an elderly care home resident confesses to killing a number of men in her lifetime, she chooses Ruth an aspiring true crime podcaster to cover her story.
This was an engrossing dark tale. Told as though you are primarily listening to the confession, it frequently is a reflection of Daphne's past. It ws surprisingly gripping and kept me engaged throughout and I particularly liked the twist at the end.

This gripping mystery follows Daphne St. Clair, a glamorous socialite who confesses to a murder—but is she telling the truth? The story unravels through twists and turns as detectives peel back layers of her enigmatic life, revealing five other suspicious deaths tied to her past. With a lush 1950s Hollywood vibe and a cast of intriguing characters, this book kept me guessing until the very end. The vivid descriptions had me hooked, especially the quirky scent details—like the detective noting Daphne’s perfume as a mix of roses and secrets—that had me laughing out loud! Perfect for a cozy night in with a blanket and a cup of tea.

Podcast v 90 year old: who is hiding what? Told from a podcaster bringing Daphne’s story to the airwaves and Daphne herself it is a really brilliant test on the new real life murder podcast books. Adored Daphne who was a bold and real character. As each podcast is released it starts reveal what happened to Daphne as she grew old. I absolutely loved it and will be looking forward to this writer’s new books.

This was a mixed read for me.
I liked the plot, I liked the style of the writing and the way it mixed in different social medias.
That being said, I did find the pacing a bit too slow for my personal tastes at times, I feel the characters weren't always explored that deeply and I ended up wishing I knew more, and towards the end I feel like it got a little bit preachy about the overall message the book was wanting to say.
Which, I can understand why, but that it came out of left field a bit, it really threw off the general pacing. Plus it was left fairly open ended and I, personally, really don't enjoy books all that much when there's not a clear cut ending the majority of the time.
I did enjoy the general plot and I found the storyline engaging but overall, from my points, it just wasn't quite the right book for me.
Favourite Quote - I've always been interesting, even if people didn't fully grasp that until now.
Favourite Character - Harper

I liked the initial premise of this book, a ninety-something year old woman confesses to murdering multiple people over the last 70 years and decides to tell her story.
The Six Murders of Daphne St Clair is written in three different styles. Most of the story is told in an interview between Daphne and Ruth for Ruth's new true crime podcast, and some chapters are told from the point of view of either Daphne or Ruth, and the rest is excerpts from Reddit threads and TikTok videos.
I enjoyed the idea of the story, but just couldn't get on with either main character and the social media sections seemed rather irrelevant. I skipped them all as they didnt add anything to the plot for me and I feel these words could have been better used for more character development. The ending also left me a bit disappointed, being anticlimactic and predictable.

It was the title, "The Six Murders of Daphne St Clair" that drew me in to wanting to read this book. Who doesn't love a serial killer/crime story? Especially when the killer is a glamorous 90 year old care home resident. This twist was definitely a draw for me.

Daphne is sharp, witty and unpredictable, with sass and secrets in equal measure. I was hooked from the first confession and eager to learn her story. Ruth is an aspiring true crime writer who is interviewing Daphne for a podcast. She is driven to find the truth but also has her own motivations for making a podcast about Daphne. I absolutely loved the dynamic between these two women.

I thought the podcast structure works brilliantly. It feels intimate, immersive, and a bit addictive. However I wasn't a fan of the Reddit threads and found them a little distracting and didn't add much to the plot. I would have liked to hear more about the victims to build emotional layers.

I enjoyed the ending and found it satisfying, some of the final revelations were predictable but others were not. So all in all I found this to be a strong debut novel and I'm looking forward to seeing what this author does next.

Thank you to Headline Books for providing an ARC via Netgalley

4.5*

Really enjoyed this story about Daphne St Clair, a murderous nonogenarian who confesses her crimes via a viral podcast. This is as much about family, power and the patriarchy as it is to do with murder. A real page-turner.

The Six Murders of Daphne St Clair was a fun, dark, sarcastic reflection of the life of an octogenarian and why she committed so many murders.

Reminiscing with Daphne, said octogenarian, after she confesses to the police that she killed multiple men over the years, was a pleasantly dark affair. She doesn't suffer fools lightly and more often than not that would include Ruth, the host of a podcast exploring Daphne's murders and what led her down the path of a serial killer. From rags to riches, with an acid tongue, Daphne tells all...or does she? Ruth suspects there is something Daphne is leaving out and wants to encourage her to confess all in her past. Ruth has her own secrets and it takes quite a while for that to be made clear. Hints aplenty abound but as strange events occur, Ruth is keeping it to herself. Also of interest are the posters commenting on the running podcast. Their insight and conversation added an extra level complexity and humour.

Initially I liked the sparky attitude of Daphne and felt sympathy for her. As her story progresses, that feeling wains ever so slightly. I felt neutral toward Ruth with no emotional investment until the end, when I felt we understood her more. By then my empathy for Daphne also comes back online and we see a more human aspect to her closely manufactured persona.

All in all a fun ride. More touching than I expected as most characters undergo some form of transformation that makes them more rounded.

This wasn't quite what I was expecting - it was definitely dark but not necessarily witty or thrilling. Daphne St Clair is a funny and unique character: a very glamorous, smart, blunt and bored ninety-year-old care home resident - and serial killer. But generally the writing wasn't particularly funny and with Daphne simply recounting each of the murders she was committed it wasn't particularly thrilling or mysterious. It was compelling though posing interesting questions on whether she's a feminist avenger or just a ruthless criminal and whether it's better to have a happy life or a moral one? I also enjoyed the (American) social history of Daphne's life from the dustbowl of the thirties, through WW2, the sixties in New York and Florida's retirement culture. So not what I was expecting but a good read nonetheless.

The Six Murders of Daphne St Clair is a novel which makes you question people. In it, we're following Ruth, who is interviewing Daphne (a nonagenarian who has just confessed to a series of murders) for a podcast about the various people she has killed, and why.

At the start of the novel, I wondered if Daphne St Clair was simply a woman pushed to the edge, who decided to take her revenge on some awful men who had wronged her. And that felt more justified - not that it would make killing OK - but definitely more palatable somehow. However, as the story continues, and the murders pile up, I realised that things aren't as clear-cut as they seem regarding Daphne and her thirst for killing!

Ruth chats to Daphne as she records her, posting the podcast episodes as she goes which quickly gain more and more traction. She takes listeners (and readers!) through Daphne's childhood, her various marriages and life in Canada and the US. We're never quite sure if Daphne is telling the whole truth, which adds some mystery to the narrative - and is Ruth hiding something too?

I really enjoyed this fun read. There are some darker parts, which is no surprise given the fact that Daphne has killed so many people, but it's also witty at times too. I always enjoy a mystery, and a novel with unreliable characters, and this book ticks both off!

It's a dark, engrossing novel which is very readable and, despite its dark subject matter, would make a great holiday read!

An enjoyable read with a fabulous premise! Daphne St Clair waits until she is 90 years old to confess to several murders and is immediately surrounded by eager podcasters, vying for the scoop. Daphne chooses Ruth, a seemingly unassuming and bland woman and the story begins to unfold. I don't quite know how I feel about Daphne; she is undeniably a complex character and I felt sadness and sympathy for her at times, while at other points, I loathed her deeply. She certainly kept me on my toes and made me roar with laughter at times as well. I wasn't expecting to discover that Ruth had her own agenda and that added a further dimension to the story.

The writing style is an easy read, which would be perfect for book club discussions and had a similar vibe to "The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo".

4 ⭐️ Thanks to Netgalley, MacKenzie Common and Headline for an ARC of this book.

The Six Murders of Daphne St Clair by MacKenzie Common is a mystery novel that tells the story of an old woman who after getting away with murder all her life decides to confess after committing one last murder.

While a majority of the novel is done as an interview for a podcast this is used to the storytelling advantage as there are a number of occasions that sections of the interview which are shown to the readers would not be in the final version.

This is not the usual ums and ahs that are taken out but little bits of the interview which begins to show that while Daphne may have an ulterior motive for the confession, this may also be the case for the podcaster Ruth,

In addition to the podcast there are a number of extracts from social media comment sections as well as influencers making money out of the podcast. Almost making the novel a criticism of the true crime genre.

The other major sections of the novel is the life beyond the two main characters while Daphne's section is how her life changes once she confesses the murders.

While the owner of the podcast Ruth shows that there may be more than just failure that has stopped her from being a success in her chosen field.

While The Six Murders of Daphne St Clair by MacKenzieis an intriguing read that is both intriguing and well written the ending may leave readers with a lot of questions

Although this is definitely an issue with the novel it is still worth reading for the right reader.

This book just sadly wasn't for me.

I loved the sound of this one and really had high hopes going into it but it just fell flat for me and felt incredibly slow paced that I ended up dnf-ing.

Most of the characters in this book were incredibly unlikable and I just didn't find myself connecting with Ruth at all.

I'm definitely in the minority when it comes to this book and know a lot of people that will enjoy it, it just wasn't for me and I'm gutted

Two stars for the premise alone.

This was a murder story with a real difference. Daphne is a 90 year old grandmother who is living in a top quality care home and is liked by everyone, that is until she kills her boyfriend one of the male residents in the care home. The case would have been closed but Daphne confesses that she killed him and the autopsy agreed with what she said. All the way through the book people are asking why did she confess? Ruth wants to find out information about her father's death and was doing a podcast of interviews with Daphne.
This was a very captivating read with lots of humour and I kept finding excuses to stop whatever I should be doing so that I could continue to read. There are good subplots and the story ends in a very tasteful way. I loved the unusual events that daphne recited but like everyone else you just had to keep asking what was true or what was fiction The setting in a care home with Daphne using a walker and not able to look after herself added to the intrigue of what was really going on.
I loved the book..

When you find a 90 year old female serial killer who lives in a care home endearing, you know you’re on to a winner of a read!
Daphne decides to tell her rags to riches with a few killer moments to a down and out podcaster Ruth. From her early days in Canada to the glam of New York, and the murderous adventures she has on the way makes this an engaging novel to read.
The blurb entices you with a twist, there isn’t really one but this is an entertaining book, great for holidays!

At Coconut Grove, a home for the elderly, death is never a surprise, but when Warren is the next one to be visited by the grim reaper the surprise no one saw coming
was that fellow resident would claim to be the grim reaper, with a string of other murders through out the years.
When ninety year old Daphne confesses to murder she decides she wants to unburden herself of all she has been through and gives journalist, Ruth, exclusive rights to interview and turn her life into a podcast.

I flew through this book and couldn't wait to find out what happens next. With a few twists along the way this unusual story line kept me gripped, filled with tension and mystery.

I would recommend this book to anyone looking for a humorously dark tale or to fans of Bella Mackie and Kate Brent.

Thank you to NetGalley and Headline for offering this ARC in exchange for my personal thoughts.

A 90 year old lady suddenly confesses to having committed numerous murders during her lifetime. Ruth, a journalist, contacts her asking to do a podcast about her life. An unusual storyline with interesting characters. An engaging read

The story of a 90 year old Florida care home resident who confesses to being a serial murderer. Because she has got away with it for so long she hasn't got the recognition she feels she deserves. She agrees to do a podcast with Ruth, a disenchanted, barely solvent, broken hearted crime journalist.
The social history was very interesting as it follows the murders throughout Daphne's life. Most of the characters were unpleasant and although Daphne's a self confessed murderer there is something endearing about her.
The media mix was pointlessly annoying especially that of the stylist so I ended up skipping them but overall I enjoyed this book very much.
My thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for my copy in return for my honest opinion.