I was in Dublin the other day, meeting a friend in a bookstore downtown. While waiting for her I looked at the new titles in the display and with great joy I saw Bret Easton Ellis' The Shards. I had read his previous novels and was kind of sad that apparently he had stopped writing. But no! Here's his latest work, and it is as good as ever, or maybe even better. In this (according to the post-scriptum) purely fictional story, the author sends us back to his juvenile years in California in the early 1980s, to Buckley High School in Los Angeles, where a bunch of really rich 17-year-old kids - including Susan, Debbie, Ryan, Thom ("with an 'h'"), Robert, Matt and Bret himself - try to grapple with school, future plans, lots of fun, lots of drugs (the drugs of the times), sexuality, sexual identity, parental abandonment and neglect, and a serial killer named the "Trawler". "I was, imprisoned in my own world, creating a new narrative for myself, even as I tried to be positive and upbeat", says Bret, the first person narrator, young, bi-sexual, because just being gay was not an option at the time. Bret "also had increasingly not been a part of Buckley and I was resisting the integration of myself into the stream of high-school life." And yet he tries to integrate, be "the tangible participant". It is fascinating to see the world through his eyes, feel his fear - he is (apparently) the only one who realizes that the murderer could be one of them. It is haunting, even. And maybe he is delusional? Or is it the drugs? "Sex and novels and music and movies were the things that made life bearable - not friends, not family, not school not social scenes, not interactions... I had no stakes in the real world- why would I?" Alas, the attempt to maintain the innocent and pleasurable world of youth is, most probably, bound to fail. And there are things - happiness included - that money just can't buy. "I tripped into fear and paranoia and began to understand how the adult world actually operated." No way out, we learn. Unless moving away is a way out. And in the end nothing but shards. A great book that has you change your perspective all the time. A book that does not really help you find out, who is good and who is bad. If it matters at all. Because, it is "purely fictional", isn't it? A book that is pessimistic and optimistic at the same time. A praise of excitement and numbness. A no-thriller with a lot of suspense, a coming of age story that reflects a lot of adulthood. Fiction as documentary of reality. Or is it?

I've been eagerly anticipating this new release from Bret Easton Ellis and it was well worth the long 13 year wait. Set in 1981 LA, this pseudo autobiographical story tells of a group of young, white, waspish 17 year old's and an autumn that turned their lives of sex, drugs and easy living on its head. When news of a serial killer in the area spreads throughout the local area, Bret becomes obsessed with the new guy at his school, Robert Mallory, and what follows is a taut, claustrophobic game of cat and mouse which leads to an all consuming conclusion.

First of all the writing is spectacular, Ellis knows how to wrap me round his little finger and I was begging for more. However, the book is so dense in places that it felt like you were reading a 1000 page book rather than the relatively normal 600 pages. Some of the middle sections were somewhat flabby and editing was seriously needed on those parts. But just when I thought the story was winding down something totally left field would happen and I was back in Ellis' sweaty grip again. The descriptions of the murders and mutilations carried out by The Trawler in the 'true crime' parts of the book left me gasping, they were truly horrific and came as quite a shock in the manner they were told on the page. I really enjoyed all the 80's nostalgia and mentions of Stephen King, the books, movies and music that were popular in 1981 and even though I would usually dislike these type of characters in this instance I was completely intrigued by them.

The end was a fitting crescendo to the slow build up that came before it and showed how easily and quickly lives can change. I often had to check that this was a work of fiction as so much of it sounded like it really happened and that Bret Easton Ellis was a part of it, but that's the beauty of this book. It all seemed like a weird fever dream from beginning to end.

𝐒𝐲𝐧𝐨𝐩𝐬𝐢𝐬: Bret is a senior at an exclusive Los Angeles prep school in the early 1980s. As the city experiences a surge in serial killings, he becomes obsessed with The Trawler, who has abducted and killed several teenage girls. As Robert Mallory, a new transfer student, becomes close with Bret’s circle of friends Bret’s paranoia increases and he desperately tries to make his friends see the connections that he does as the Trawler looms closer.

𝐑𝐞𝐯𝐢𝐞𝐰: This my third Bret Easton Ellis book, and without a doubt, my favorite. The Shards perfectly blends the world of Less Than Zero and American Psycho into a terrifying story that builds into an explosive ending. With shocking acts of violence and an unreliable narrator, the reader is left wondering what was real and what was fiction.
The book is my first experience with auto-fiction. Bret, the main character, is also Bret the author, who is working on Less Than Zero as these events take place. This worked especially well with the story because Bret the character sees the world through a writer’s lens - always embellished, full of hidden meaning. This characteristic leads him to an intense mental unraveling, making this the perfect gothic horror.
I can’t begin to describe the dread I felt reading this; it just builds and builds. I cannot recommend this enough for fans of horror, thrillers, and true crime! Also recommended for anyone looking for LGBTQ+ fiction. Ellis’ description of his sexuality and self-discovery is very compelling. It’s a long one, but totally worth it.

I was curious, yet apprehensive, about tackling this one.

I read Ellis's first two books back in the day but found American Psycho much too gory and disturbing for me.
The Shards is also really long. Less Than Zero was 200 pages. The Shards was over 600 pages.

But the 1980s setting and true crime elements had me intrigued.

Is The Shards a memoir? No, but it playfully tries to make you think that is could be. The book is clearly inspired by Ellis's upbringing in L.A. Both the author and the main character in The Shards are named Bret. Both attended the same high school. Both are working on a novel.

The best way I can describe The Shards is that was the perfect thing to read when I was sick and on a lot of cold medication. The Guardian described it as a "fever dream" and I agree.

The Shards had the nihilism and drifty, rambling style of Less Than Zero combined with the creepiness of American Psycho.

In my opinion, if Bret Easton Ellis has a talent as a writer, it's absorbing the zeitgeist and creating what the kids today call a "vibe." Less Than Zero was a perfect depiction of unstructured Gen X latchkey kid life. Our parents weren't helicopter parents, and we all took advantage of that. In American Psycho, Ellis took the 90s cultural obsession with the "wolves of Wall Street" and made one of them a literal predator.

The Shards felt like an amalgam of the two books. Much of the plot of The Shards is devoted to Bret's mundane, disengaged 1981 teenage life. He goes to his private school. He hangs out with his girlfriend, Debbie, whom he likes but is not really attracted to, as he seems to be gay and conflicted about it.

Bret listens to 80s music. He obsesses about a fellow student named Matt, whom he is deeply attracted to and secretly hooking up with. And the whole time, he is side-eyeing new student Robert Mallory. Bret claims to think that Robert is up to no good, even a killer, but Bret's fascination with Robert almost starts to feel like a romantic obsession.

The entire narrative of The Shards is a fascinating blend of the mundane and the grotesque. Yes, it's long, and it won't be for everyone, but I'm glad I read it.

The Shards Review!

Thank you so much Knopf, Pantheon, Vintage, and Anchor and Netgalley for this gifted arc, in exchange for an honest review! The Shards is out now!

Ellis has been on my radar after reading American Psycho a couple of years back.. That book was one of the most graphic books I have ever read, so I definitely prepared myself a little before reading this one. The Shards was a 2.75/5 ⭐️ for me. I was really hoping for a graphic and gory serial killer story set in the 80s. This, sadly was more so a drug filled haze of rich kid drama. This book was chunky and I felt like a lot of it was unnecessary. Have you ever seen an SNL skit of the Californians? Half the skit is them saying what freeways they drove to get to where they need to go. It literally felt like there were 50 pages in this book on how Bret got to where he was going. 😂 The Californians is no joke I guess. I did enjoy the mystery of this one though, I was kept guessing until the end. It was sort of left open ended, I was hoping for this huge crazy ending. The book just seemed to abruptly end though. 🤷🏼‍♀️

Sex. Drugs. Music. Murder. The Shards follows 17-year old Bret and his friends through their last year of high school in 1981. Teens are going missing and then being found murdered. Pets are disappearing. It feels like someone is watching. Bret is obsessed with the serial killer and believes he knows who did it.

I thought it was a little slow at first, but then I could not stop reading. I flew through it for being over 600 pages, and I loved the amount of detail. It was dark and disturbing, with an unreliable narrator that leaves you feeling paranoid and questioning everything. I definitely plan to pick up his other books after reading this one.

Thank you Netgalley and Knopf for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Holy Hedonism Batman!
Elité meets the Night Stalker in Bret Easton Ellis’ latest foray into privilege, excess and murder. Ellis who graduated from the Los Angeles based Buckley school chooses this as the playground for his spoiled, pill popping hormonal cast of class of characters placing himself in the center of it all. Seventeen and on the cusp of graduating, Ellis and his posse of self involved beautiful white folk hook up, take lots of drugs, and hook up again. But when gorgeous and charming Robert Mallory shows up as a new student that Senior year, the games officially begin. A killer is moving through the San Fernando Valley murdering young girls and disfiguring them in only ways Ellis could dream (or nightmare) up. But Bret it seems is the only one who starts to draw coincidences between the arrival of their new classmate and the increasing deaths. Is he just being paranoid? Are the drugs clouding his vision? Or could they all be on a collision course with a diabolical killer?
I haven’t tore through a six hundred page book this fast in I don’t know how long. Ellis, with painstaking detail captures Los Angeles of the eighties highlighted with his attention to the music of the era with so many great songs it’s no wonder there’s a curated Spotify playlist someone made including all the songs mentioned in the book which I’m including here:
https://open.spotify.com/playlist/2pEYm35mYlL6WKAEYh7jcH

Surprised to say this was the first book I’ve read by Ellis, and although I don’t know if I need to jump back into his twisted mind any time soon with his backlist, I can say I absolutely loved this. I haven’t read something in a long long time that filled me with such increasing dread, including a sequence involving a flashlight that was far more terrifying than any possessed doll could be.
Trigger warnings galore for violence and sex, and my dms are open if you have questions regarding this. Thnx to @aaknopf and @netgalley for the advance copy!

Sex, drugs, rock and roll, and … a serial killer? Dive into 1981 with Bret Easton Ellis and enjoy the ride because let me tell you, it's a wild one.
The stage is set. Young Bret is in his senior year of high school, expecting it to be the best year of his life. A new kid shows up, young women are disappearing, and fingers are being pointed. Throw in a healthy mix of teenage hormones, and plenty of party drugs, and we've got ourselves a story.
At first, I thought this book was moving a bit slow but as I progressed, I realized it was all a part of the bigger picture. The rising tension was so well calculated as the narrator slowly unraveled.
The writing was brilliant - it rolled through my head like a movie. The descriptions were spot on, not long and drawn out but just enough to paint the perfect scene every time. The Wayfarers, the Talking Heads, the polo shirts… it was incredible.
This is only the second Ellis novel I've read and I cannot wait to read the rest.
Thank you to NetGalley and Knopf for the opportunity to read this ARC in exchange for an honest review!

Even if the ending is a bit of a cop-out (imo), this is an incredible and unexpected success by Ellis. I was a fan of his work growing up but IMPERIAL BEDROOMS sort of lost me -- and his antagonistic online presence made me think less of him for a time. But it cannot be denied that he still knows how to spin a tale of disaffectation and coolness, except that this book also has a huge beating heart (until that ending) that is unlike anything else in Ellis's oeuvre. This book will make you think differently about his other work and about him; it genuinely made me cry. Take that as you will -- I can imagine lots of people won't be interested in adjusting their perceptions of the guy who wrote AMERICAN PSYCHO, but there are surprises here if you're open to them.

As a university student in the early nineties, I remember Bret Easton Ellis being constantly referred to as the ‘Enfant terrible’ of modern American fiction. So naturally, I couldn’t wait to get my hands on 'American Psycho’ when it was released and being both appalled and fascinated by the book: it was so distinctive and Ellis had a style all of his own, and then of course there was the violence. This was pre-internet so we weren't as exposed to gore (at least, I wasn’t) so it was shocking, even if sounds twee now to be shaken by a book.

To me the book was both brutal and banal in equal measure. The violence was extreme and gleefully detailed, and Bateman was a vile, vapid misogynistic character. I got that it was methaphor for the empty, morally bankrupt society Ellis felt we were living in. As a music snob, I was also shocked by the detail given to the descriptions of Phil Collins solo output.

And so to ‘the shards,’ the latest from Ellis, which I approached with a little bit of trepidation. I wasn’t sure if I wanted to start my new reading year with descriptions of senseless violence, but I was curious as to what the author was up to now.

Firstly, the main character is Bret Easton Ellis, growing up as a 17-year-old, in his last year at high school and dreaming of escape. He is part of a group of well-off friends in LA and with his parents holidaying overseas, has a spacious mansion all to himself.

His character is always on 'edge' but soothed by valium, which stops him from breaking down completely. He is a 'tangible participant' going through the motions, playing the game of being a dutiful boyfriend and best friend, whilst he’s keeping his sex life a secret.

But something sinister is happening. A serial killer is stalking the community and young women have been going missing before being found brutally murdered. A cult has been breaking into homes, harassing residents and family pets are disappearing. It’s unclear whether these events are connected.

Brett seems more concerned about these grisly occurrences than his friends at the prestigious private school he attends. And he’s increasingly concerned when a new pupil joins the school and becomes part of his tight knit circle of friends. There’s just something ‘off’ about the handsome and charming Robert Mallory. Is he connected to the shocking events taking place in the community?

I have heard this book described as ‘auto fiction’, a mixture of the autobiographical and the fictional. It seems that Ellis did indeed grow up in LA during this period and attended Buckley private school. I couldn’t find a ‘riders of the afterlife’ cult during a quick internet search, but it does seem there was serial killer operating during this time known as 'the trawler,’ though he targeted elderly women.

The Bret Easton Ellis character is also writing a book which will become ‘less than zero’, a book I’d actually forgotten I’d read. Perhaps this was his intention, as I refreshed my memories by reading a recap today and indeed it is about numbness, with a group of wealthy, entitled teenagers drifting through life in a haze of substance abuse and privilege. I really don’t have much recollection of the book, and Ellis describes it as having ’no story….just a drifting numb quality that I was trying to perfect…’ and that he wanted to achieve in less than zero ’numbness as a feeling, numbness as a motivation, numbness as the reason to exist, numbness as ecstasy.’ It’s a quality best exemplified by Susan, one of the characters in the shards.

But where ’the shards’ differs is that the Bret character becomes frustrated by this facade of numbness, and sets out to expose it. He moves from ’tangible participant’ to someone wanting to investigate the crimes that are getting closer to him, whilst becoming frustrated with his friends for not being able to see what’s happening. Though he mollifies his pain with a constant supply of weed, valium and quaaludes.

To me, this is a much better book than ‘American psycho’ and ‘less than zero’. I found it really engaging, a murder mystery mixed up in a coming-of-age story that it’s easy to like and return to. But I would also add that perhaps it’s too long at nearly 600 pages, and there was some ambiguity in the ending that I’m still not sure how I feel about.

But Ellis is having so much fun in the telling of this story. Tension builds up in the character of Bret and his relationships with his friends, and he really cranks it up as it reaches a conclusion. I absolutely loved how completely over the top and mad it was. It reminded me a bit of the end of the computer game ’the last of us.’ Tremendous craic all round.

Another aspect of the book I oddly enjoyed were the descriptions of LA in the eighties. I’m a huge Micheal Connolly and Harry Bosch fan, and I’m almost hypnotised by his descriptions of travelling across the highways and freeways. Ellis is the same here, and even though I’ve never been to LA, there’s something soothing in these languid descriptions. I know some people would probably be annoyed by details such as these but I’m a sucker for them!

I took Avenue of the Stars and would make a left onto Santa Monica and then drive South Beverly Glen until it hit Bel Air Road where I would swing a right onto Bellagio, which would take us to Stone Canyon.


The mansions, clothes, movies and cars are also described in detail. I particularly liked the Santa Ana winds rippling the water in the pools, screaming over the desert and rattling the garage doors.

The music of the time plays such a big part as well, giving the setting an added depth. Someone has naturally created a spotify playlist that I have included below and am enjoying as I type this book review. As a child of the eighties, I was particular pleased when the characters were described listening to songs that I had already thought they would like. Coincidentally, Terry Hall of the specials had just died when ‘ghost town’ was mentioned. There’s a certain icehouse song that give me the chills when it is introduced.


For those of a squeamish disposition, yes, there is a certain amount of violence against both humans and animals. And there are some scenes that I would prefer not to have read but I zipped through them and didn’t dwell. I would say that the violence is sporadic and shocking when it does arrive and it is typically over the top and gruesome. There’s plenty of detailed sex scenes too. Hey, it’s a Bret Easton Ellis novel after all.

It’s also particularly good at describing the longing and lust of the teenage years, the relationships, the hopes for the future and the regrets of love and friendships lost.

I thoroughly enjoyed this, much more so than I imagined I would. It’s certainly my favourite of the three Ellis novels I have read. I found it sharp and inventive, dark and disturbing with a slow, tightening pace that builds to a crescendo. I read so many books that I forget within a few weeks of reading, but I certainly won’t with this. Great stuff.

Thanks to Netgalley and Knopf, Pantheon, Vintage, and Anchor for gifting me with this ARC in exchange for an honest book review.

Another hit from Bret Easton Ellis! This is the second book I've read from him following American Psycho. His writing style is very unique and descriptive, just making you want to turn the page. I'm very intrigued by how much of this might be fact or fiction but that's what made it a book I couldn't put down. I'd definitely recommend this to anyone looking to get into his work

I was so thankful and excited to get this ARC because I have been a Bret Easton Ellis fan for ages. However, I am putting this book down at 40% finished...that is 240 pages! Nothing has happened at all and the writing is driving me nuts! BEE keeps repeating himself and we get it- you were hot in high school, had lots of sex, lived on Mulholland and drove your Beemer around listening to pop. Jeeze, get to the POINT!
I have reserved the Audiobook from my library and may go back and listen to the last 60% (but at 2x speed) but life is too short to keep slogging through this book. I had such high hopes...

A bit repetitive at times and kind of a confusing ending but overall it was very good. LGBT horror at its finest/

In case you haven't noticed, this book is weird. It's a weirdo. It doesn't fit in. And it doesn't want to fit in.

But truly, I just finished it and have been staring at the wall for an hour trying to figure out what I think about it and what to say about it. Bret Easton Ellis writes polarizing stories, and "The Shards"--his first book since "American Psycho"--is no different. You'll either love it or hate it.

This book takes place in 1981 in Los Angeles, and is written as a pseudo-autobiography, mixing true stories from the author's life with embellished details and fictional twists. It's a 600-page inner monologue of a not-as-apathetic-as-he-pretends-to-be 17 year old Bret that is unfortunately relatable. Bret wants to sleep with all his friends, Bret hates all his friends. Bret wants to go parties and have fun, Bret wants to stay home alone and get high. Bret wishes people understood him more, Bret doesn't want anyone to know who he really is.

Bret becomes obsessed with a serial killer that's victimizing high school students in really (REALLY) f-ed up ways, and a new boy in school named Robert. Robert is hot and mysterious--everyone's favorite combo--and Bret can't decide if he's good spicy or bad spicy.

You will learn more about the different roads in LA, the brands of clothing that rich kids in the 80s wore, and specifically which songs they were listening to while having detailed and inane conversations in explicitly stated vehicle models than you ever wanted to know. You will wonder why you need to be told the color and brand of someone's shampoo bottle (brown, Vidal Sassoon), which showings of which movies they saw in which theater that they read about in which newspaper (The Shining, 10 am, Saturday, May 24, 1981, the Village Theater, the Los Angeles Times). And you will especially wonder why you end up caring about all of this despite yourself.

This book is not fast-paced, but extremely vibe-y. Think "Once Upon a Time in Hollywood" and the A-List books meets "American Psycho" (obviously). The escalating paranoia and existential dread really snuck up on me, and there were a few scenes that genuinely freaked me out, which does not happen often, despite the amount of horror I read. If I tried to describe them I don't even think they would sound scary, but when you're immersed in it, trust me, it is.

I'm going to be thinking about this book for a while. If you have almost any triggers you probably should not read this, but I'm happy to give specific warnings to anyone thinking of giving it a shot.

Thank you to #NetGalley, the publishers, and the author for the advance copy in exchange for my honest review of #TheShards.

The Shards by Bret Easton Ellis

I was so excited for this book and it did not disappoint, but it is dense and took me much longer to read than normal.

What I love about Ellis’s books (American Psycho is in my top 10) is the depth at which pop culture is embedded into every story. Does it matter to other what song was playing on the radio when a character pulls into school and stops to talk to a friend? No, but it becomes so important in all of Ellis’s books, every song, movie, famous person mentioned becomes important and sets up the overall nostalgic feeling for his writing.

Bret and his group of friends are on the edge of adulthood, senior year of high school and find themselves in situations way above their head. A serial killer is targeting teens in LA, a new and potentially shady kid starts at their private school, and everything is changing. Relationships are in jeopardy, sexuality is questioned, danger is afoot.

Thanks you so much @netgalley and @aaknopf for this advanced reader!!

The Shards was released last week, Jan. 17. Make sure you check it out!

#BookReview #Bookstagram #BretEastonEllis #The Shards #KnopfPublishing #BookishLife #Reading #Bibliophile #BookPhotography #BookRecommendations #Instabooks #BookNerd #ThrillerBooks #Fiction #Thriller

I want to thank Bret Easton Ellis and Knopf, Pantheon, Vintage, and Anchor.
I’m embarrassed to admit but this is my first book by Ellis but OMG this was amazing and lived up to all the hype and fan fare I have heard over the author and anticipation for this title. The book was fast paced and I practically read it in one sitting. I just could not put it down. Uncomfortable, disturbing and gruesome packed in a story yet it’s hard to look away from the pages. It was everything I had been looking for in a book and I’m so happy I was able to experience this opportunity. I’m going to be in a book hangover from this one….

I have been a fan of Bret Easton Ellis since I was in my late teens. I have read and re-read every single piece of work he’s produced, and I can’t express how excited I was about the Shards when it was announced. The Shards was 100% worth the wait – it took me a while to digest to be able to write a review. True to Bret Ellis’s style, this is another “autobiographical” work where we meet the Author in his teenage years. I was delighted to be thrown back into the atmosphere of the rich, and the famous, and the Numb. However, this was so much more sinister than some of the previous works. Bret Easton Ellis is no stranger to violence in his novels, but in the Shards we get to experience some deeply disturbing and unsettling events that happen to Bret and his friends at school. The writing was so utterly absorbing it gave me chills. True to his style, the author deploys the unreliable narrator threads where we are no longer sure what and whom to believe. Overall, I thought it was a little on the long side but having said that – I didn’t want it to end because it was unputdownable. The whole blend of fact and fiction is masterful, and I take my hat off!

This is the first BEE book I’ve read and I quite enjoyed it. Centred around a group of privileged school friends, a serial killer starts bumping off girls and the protagonist is convinced he knows who it is. His friends think he’s unhealthily obsessed in his quest to prove his point.

Despite the book being very long, I admit to favouring <300 pages, I had to know what happened next.

It was gripping and definitely a thrilling read.

Oh what a wonderful book this was! I devoured it and loved every single minute I spent reading this. Love love love!!

first of all, I wanted to thank Netgalley and Knopf, Pantheon, Vintage, and Anchor for gifting me with this ARC. I was a huge fan of Ellis due to American Psycho and it's actually one of my top books/films so I was super excited about this book and the potential it had! Being able to have an ARC of this was super special and an opportunity I loved. And some things I did love about this novel:

1) writing. I LOVE the writing here. There was tension, there was drama, and there were descriptions. such a good book technical-wise.

2) Immersion. There were some scenes where I genuinely held my breath and it was so so surreal at some parts. I felt like I was IN the world of Ellis experiencing high school. The descriptions were great, especially on some of the gorier scenes I feel like the detail was just up Ellis' lane and it was jaw-droppingly detailed. it was insane.

however, I feel like my experience of this read was not as enjoyable as it could've been. In all honesty, I had to put this book down after about 60% or like 400 pages into reading and I didn't have enough in me to finish it. I feel like this was due to a few reasons:

1) I did not love the self-insert perspectives this story had. It was almost in a way very self-indulgent for Ellis to write but not as entertaining for me to read. I feel like there was a lot of detail of everything (which was good in a materialistic critique like American Psycho) but here it just made some scenes feel claustrophobic/ took me out of the actual novel. Ellis also does this kind of "reflection" thing in this book where there are many quotes that goes like "if I'd known what I know now I wouldn't have done [insert thing]" and it was just disorienting at some points.

2) the pace was a little too slow for me, I was not introduced to Robert Mallory until ~page 60 or so, and that in a way was really off-putting to me. for a novel that was compromised a lot on the murders (more on this later), it was strange to put the main ANTAGONIST in so so late. and a lot of the events were really drawn out for me (e.g. party scene, club scene, floats scene) I understand that this added a lot more dimension and room for Ellis to expand on his memories but some were just too long. I feel like if there were more critical cuts of this book it could've been halfed. By the time I stopped reading which was like 60% through we'd only gotten a few murders... like... c'mon! I felt like this book had more lusty sex than it did actual murders.

3) the characters. I honestly did not love some characters. Most of them seemed very one-dimensional. I feel like some of them did not really need to be there, and there ended up being a bunch of little sub plots which weren't necessary, and I just did not enjoy some of the characters. For example, Debbie's parents and Steven were just not a good add into the story for me.

4) this wasn't really the fault of the book itself, but I looked up Robert Mallory's name on Google while reading trying to find any info related to the book, and the first thing that popped up was a tweet from Ellis himself spoiling the whole book (link https://mobile.twitter.com/BretEastonEllis/status/314654151562915842), and I feel like this was just a miss on either agent or publishing's part in this tweet still existing,

Overall I feel like this was just not the best book for me, I definitely did appreciate a lot of aspects in this novel though and I feel that it is something I may return to in the future.