I'm a fan of traditionally laid out mysteries and West Heart Kill is not that, BUT it certainly is something special. This book follows a protagonist who is at West Heart to do some snooping and ends up investigating multiple murders. The story is told both in a "normal" way but divided up with editorializing from the narrator. I'm not sure how this book would work as an audiobook (as some parts of it are written like a play with stage directions) but as a physical book it kept me hooked until the end.

You’re either going to love or hate this book depending on what you expect going in. In some ways, it’s a traditional cozy mystery. However, it’s also written a unique way that might not appeal to some palettes.

The story is narrated by the private investigator in the first person, and he sort of gives a tutorial on how to investigate and commit a murder. He isn’t afraid to mention great mysteries written by the masters like Agatha Christie, even deconstructing how certain types of mysteries are portrayed, such as the locked room mystery.

Throughout the book, the narrator gives clues that may or may not aid the investigation. Set during the Bicentennial of 1976, Adam is a private detective and is hired to get himself invited to West Heart country club and investigate the goings on. You have to dig deep to get the real story on each of the people he runs across. Adam is experienced and takes it all in, taking nothing at face value.

This book was unusual enough that I wondered what I was getting into, yet after a slow start, really enjoyed the way it was written. And the ending? All the clues were there for the reader to solve the mystery, so if you connect the dots, it shouldn’t be a shock.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from NetGalley and Knopf Books; I am leaving this review voluntarily.

For more reviews, visit www.bargain-sleuth.com

My profound love for reading has always been closely linked to my affection for mystery novels. As a kid, I was captivated by characters like Nate the Great and Encyclopedia Brown. This love for mysteries has remained a constant throughout my life. Even now, I relish the excitement of solving a case before the book reveals its secrets, and I'm particularly delighted when the revelation catches me off guard. When I had the opportunity to read author Dann McDorman's debut novel, West Heart Kill, I eagerly embraced it. The book promised a modern take on the classic murder mystery, a premise that was too intriguing to ignore.

The novel begins with a setup reminiscent of an Agatha Christie mystery. Private Detective Adam McAnnis reunites with an old college friend for a weekend at the exclusive West Heart Club in upstate New York. This isolated lodge is a retreat for the wealthy elite, a place where they can escape their busy lives. As the story unfolds, it becomes clear that these seemingly friendly strangers have their own secrets and disregard for the rules of the normal world. McAnnis begins to hear whispers of financial troubles and the potential sale of the club.

The plot takes a dramatic twist when the lifeless body of one of the club members is discovered on the shore of the lake. Is this a tragic suicide stemming from desperation, or are there more sinister forces at play? As tension mounts, a fierce storm descends upon the area, plunging the property into darkness and cutting off all access. Before McAnnis can even embark on a proper investigation, yet another body is unearthed, all but confirming the presence of a cunning murderer among them. As suspicions intensify and paranoia spreads among the club members, McAnnis faces the daunting task of restoring order to the chaos and unveiling the true identity of this malevolent killer.

At first glance, West Heart Kill appears to follow the conventions of a typical whodunit. McDorman skillfully sets the stage for a classic locked-room mystery, complete with a cast of deceitful characters, an isolated setting, and a young detective who harbors suspicions about everyone in his midst. It doesn't take long, however, for the narrative's contemporary twist to become apparent. The story unfolds through the lens of a fourth-wall-breaking narrator who acknowledges that we, the readers, are seasoned experts in the mystery genre, well-versed in its classic tropes. This narrative approach breathes fresh life into the traditional framework, offering a unique perspective that keeps readers questioning the unfolding events and the reliability of the characters. As the story introduces new revelations and red herrings, the narrator is there to provide insight and encourage readers to scrutinize it all.

A mystery's ultimate success, though, hinges on its resolution, and this is where West Heart Kill will divide readers. While the story weaves an intricate web of mystery and reaches a shocking twist in its third act, it is the explanation of this twist that will be divisive. McDorman's narrator provides historical context to justify this turn of events, but it leaves this seasoned mystery reader feeling unsatisfied. West Heart Kill undoubtedly showcases a promising debut from an author with a fresh perspective on the genre. Still, the absence of a truly satisfying conclusion detracts from an otherwise engaging narrative.

This is a brilliantly done treatise on a murder mystery. We get a wealth of information from the reader, the writer and the participants. A exhaustive look at murder mysteries through the ages.
The writer talks to you, the reader, directly throughout rather than simply narrating. A very refreshing approach for this reader.
The novel has three murders and some twisting of the plot….all which is resolved at the end.
Very much enjoyed this one.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for allowing me this ARC.

Thank you to NetGalley for an advanced digital copy of this book.

It was advertised as an "anything-but-ordinary whodunit" and it is. The author warns the reader early on that this will not be the usual mystery. He also mentions how he hates the practice of revealing the solution at the last minute, using clues that have been sprinkled throughout the story, but that the reader may not have picked up. So, he DOESN'T reveal the solution, but shortly before the end gives a cryptic list of clues.

There is a lot of asides about the history of the mystery genre, how it has changed over the years, and how it hasn't. Some of it is interesting, but I just wanted to get to the story, find out the facts, and try to beat the author to the end. I mention "the author" because, SPOILER ALERT, the detective is the second, or third victim.

An exclusive club outside New York City is hosting their annual 4th of July celebration, with all the "usual suspects" on hand. Also on hand is a detective, a college friend of one of the second-generation members, who finagles an invitation at the last minute. But no one knows he is a detective, at least not at first. And who hired him to be there?

Festivities have to be moved up a day because of an impending storm, so when a female member is found dead, supposedly from suicide, everyone dismisses it as "she has had problems" and continues with the weekend. But then a second body is discovered, the current President of the Club, killed late at night in the Clubhouse during the storm.

Everyone has secrets. Many of the members have known each other most of their lives, and their intertwined lives lead to more secrets. But who DID hire the detective, and who is he investigating.

The lack of a final solution, after wading through a LOT that was unnecessary filler, was the end for me.

3.5 stars / This review will be posted on goodreads.com today.


I usually love mysteries. The intrigue. Trying to figure out whodunit. The psychological analyses. Not this one. Without spoiling, there is a lot of mystery history in between the scenes. A whole heap of undesirable characters. Everyone with a motive.

West Heart is an old hunting compound, founded by several families quite a few generations ago. It is only accessible by two roads, and is maintained by an old caretaker. The cabins are not cabins in the traditional sense. These are grandiose cabins. Homes. Where the elite gather for summer vacations and holidays. There is also a large clubhouse with rooms upstairs for guests or trysts.

It is the decade of the 1970s, post Vietnam War. Not to give away secrets, but there is a suicide. But was it? Adam Macinnis has been invited to spend the 4th of July holiday with his old college friend’s family at the compound. He will be staying in their private home. Their daughter Emma, almost a decade younger, will also be there. As will Emma’s and James’ parents, the good doctor and his wife.

Adam is a private detective. He has been hired by someone to investigate the owners/club members of West Heart. So when the suicide occurs, he hops into interrogator mode. The residents do not appreciate him. He is an outsider. Needless to say, more foul play occurs, everyone is s suspect, no one can leave the island.

This book was a struggle. So much of the interspersed mystery history caused me to lose track of the main story. And the ending was very unsatisfying. Well written and quite informative, it is not your traditional whodunit. It is more esoteric and philosophical. No neat and tidy endings here.

In short: A detective is called to investigate a murder at a hunting lodge only to find himself trapped with the killer when a storm cuts off access to the lodge.

What I liked:
🕵️‍♂️Locked room mystery
🕵️‍♂️Character driven
🕵️‍♂️Narrator breaks the 4th wall to speak directly to the reader often.
🕵️‍♂️Nonfiction tidbits sprinkled throughout. Part case studies on sleuthing, part mystery writing how to.

What I didn’t like:
🤨That ending

Final thoughts: I guarantee this is going to be a book you either like or hate. I personally loved this weird, quirky, love letter to detective stories and being brought in to the conversations. The format was unique, with the actual mystery plot being secondary to all the other parts thrown in and disrupting the story. If you’re looking for a straightforward whodunnit this isn’t it. However if you liked Everyone in My Family Killed Someone or the movies Knives Out and Glass Onion I think you’ll like this.

West heart kill is a unique take on the classic murder mystery that was immortalized with Agatha Christie’s brand of closed-circle country house crimes. In the vein of Anthony Horowitz novels, this is meant to be a homage to the mystery genre, living both inside of it and
Commenting on it at the same time. Adam McGinnis is a PI who is called to a village club where many prominent members of the community belong. The bodies start to fall and McGinnis tries to solve the crime. Interspersed throughout the “plot” are explanations and history of common devices used in these types of mysteries-introducing the convention McGinnis is about to find himself. I love the idea of this book-the execution is somewhat messy. The shifting points of view-trying to follow the characters-shifting from novel-to essay-to play format only serve to disorient and distract from what could be an enjoyable and clever read. While I know those choices were all intentional, they only hindered the experience for me.

Thank you to the publisher for providing the arc via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Kind of like reading Glass Onion, but not as humorous. This book is a puzzle from page one - Detective Adam McAnnis joins the members of the West Heart hunting club, claiming to just be a guest of a college friend but in fact on a case. Severe weather, 3 dead, infidelity, monetary secrets, maybe the mob? This book packs a LOT in. At first I was confused by the format, but I came to really enjoy it - it's almost like reading a play. You, the reader, are seeing the thoughts of McAnnis but also some outside perspective. There's a lot of history with the members of this club, and the tension continues to build, as does a storm that isolates everyone together. The story itself is interspersed with the history of the written mystery.

There was a...convenient twist at the end that left me unsatisfied, but was also unique enough that I couldn't be mad at it. I wouldn't read this again but it was a really interesting take on classic whodunnits.

Thanks so much to the author, Knopf (Knopf, Pantheon, Vintage, and Anchor), and Netgalley for the gifted advanced e-copy of this book in exchange for my honest thoughts. All opinions are entirely my own. { Partner } My reviews can also be found on Instagram @Tackling_TBR and on my blog at tacklingtbr.home.blog.

TW: death, murder, suicide, gun violence, description of gore, heavy drug and alcohol use

This was a very interesting and confusing read for me, but not necessarily in a positive way. More so in a way that most of the time while I was reading, at least up to the halfway-two thirds point of the book, I couldn't tell if I was loving it or hating it.

Unfortunately, by the end I had definitely shifted into the latter.

I love a good murder mystery, and I'm a big Agatha Christie fan, so I was excited for a new country house or closed circle of suspects style murder mystery. And while the book description does specifically say that it will be "AN ANYTHING-BUT-ORDINARY WHODUNIT," I was not prepared for just how all over the place this book would feel.

I will say that I had very few issues with the story, and almost all of my grievances are with the formatting and the way it has been written specifically.

So let's first jump head first into the formatting.
It takes random breaks from the story throughout the book for completely different things - there was a survey for you to fill in who you thought the most likely victim and suspect were, if you believed this person or that was telling the truth, etc.; there were deep dives into the history of the murder mystery genre including (but not limited to) lists of various famous authors of the genre "rules" that they followed in their own novels, transcripts of character interviews, and a multi-page deep dive explaining Agatha Christie's famous real life disappearance; and at about 88% (according to the tracking on my kindle) it completely switched to a play script including lines and stage directions, with absolutely no explanation or reason as to why. And these are only the ones that I specifically remember off the top of my head almost a week after finishing the book.

Now let's look at my issues with the narration and writing.
It is told in 1st person, 2nd person, and 3rd person at different times, again with very little to explain or justify the change. And the author speaks directly to you as the reader (think Lemony Snicket addressing you at the beginning of A Series of Unfortunate Events) throughout the book. I think that this can be done in a fun and interesting way, but I personally don't believe that that is how it was done here. The author spends a lot of time telling you what you should be thinking about in a scene, or what you might have missed while you were "looking" at something else, and in the final portion of the book presented as a play there is a character, READER, meant to represent you but with lines and blocking to become a full part of the drama.

I personally think that with the way it was written this book felt disjointed and confusing at best, and a bit mansplainy at worst. The many breaks to mansplain the murder mystery genre to me (I picked up the book, so it's safe to assume I'm at least familiar with the concept and don't need it explained to me) felt a bit like they may have been added in order to pad a story that was simple enough that it would have only covered about 75-100 pages without, rather than diving in and exploring the characters or things that might have made it interesting.

Overall this felt like the book equivalent of the manic pixie dream girl trope - it was trying so hard to be quirky and "not like other books" that it completely missed the mark of a murder mystery. It was part mystery novel, part history of the genre, part activity book, part play (??), and all mess.

Unfortunately, I don't have anything kind to say about this book. And while all of this is obviously only my opinion, and I'm sure that there are people who will love the abnormal writing, I can't say that I will personally be recommending it to anyone.

WEST HEART KILL by Dann McDorman was a murder mystery with a case study of murder mysteries!

Honestly, I am quite bemused by this book. It is structured in such a way that the author brings the reader into conversations about reading this genre and does somewhat expound upon various tools used.

If you are looking for a straightforward mystery, this may disappoint, but if you enjoy a rather different experience, I invite you to enter West Heart Kill! I absolutely loved the structure at the beginning; feeling it was a fresh approach. I did begin to wonder if it took too much of a pause in the story, which was quite engaging. By the end I have landed on the side of appreciation and fascination! I could see this becoming a huge discussion book, especially with the ending!

Oh yes, the actual mystery is a clever whodunit that I enjoyed through the primary lens of the detective who was brought in to an exclusive lodge where the patrons are anything but proper.

West Heart Kill by Dann McDorman is most definitely something different. Whether or not that difference is a good thing or a bad thing will depend largely on the tastes of the individual reader. It's intended as a sort of immersive meta experience (I think). It didn't work for me.

The author plays with narrative structure - switching randomly between first person, second person, and third person point of view along with the occasional use of an omniscient (unknown) narrator. There are also frequent pauses in the story for lengthy essays on the mystery genre; tropes, sub-genres, notable devices used by specific authors, etc. It really has nothing to do with the ongoing story, coming off as condescending at best and arrogant at worst, and, for me, it simply serves as a distraction.

I have nothing against a little experimenting or trying something new within the given story arc but this was too much for me. I prefer a more cohesive narrative. Something that will let me lose myself in the story, not constantly call attention to the fact that I'm just reading a book.

I have no doubt that many readers will find this to be a work of genius. That may well be true, but I found it tedious.

*Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher/author for providing me with an E-arc of this book. The following is my honest opinion*

This is not my typical genre. I picked this up based on an email recommendation. It is a mystery whodoneit story. Its a very unique story because of the way the author choose to format it. It is a story but at the same time it has a narrator that is guiding the reader's train of thought when reading a mystery book.

Its an interesting take on telling any kind of story. I'm going to be very honest and say that I don't know how I feel about this book. I recommend it to mystery readers that really understand the genre. If you are trying to get into the genre this book might be to much due to the formatting, it can be, maybe, overwhelming. (?)

I’ve been looking forward to this book for quite some time, and though it’s not a bad read, it’s definitely very overhyped.

The mystery itself is adequate if not particularly original, and the cast of characters and setting work fine for the story. The book was angling for something a bit more meta though, and in that regard it doesn’t succeed all that well.

It’s not as though we haven’t seen many detective stories go this route and come at least partway through the proverbial fourth wall before, so I’m not sure why this is being treated as a completely novel concept. There’s no upending the genre here, just another variation of a Mystery trope. And though some of it is amusing and I thought the history lesson aspect of it was quite enjoyable, there is also a good bit that feels like it’s outsmarting itself, and that reads about as well as most cleverness for cleverness’ sake tends to do.

I also could have done without the unnecessary pet death at the beginning of the story, as well as the semi-casual meander into antisemitic character motives, which feels especially inappropriate to this sort of narrative treatment at the moment.

I don’t even know where to start with describing this one! Nominally, it’s a murder mystery, set in the 1970s on a private country estate/club where a select group of families have houses. Private detective Adam McAnnis finagles an invitation to the estate for the 4th of July weekend for an investigation - and then when people start turning up dead, he ends up investigating that as well. But that description doesn’t even begin to describe what this book is really like, because it’s also super weird and meta and experimental in form.

What do I mean by that? Well for starters, sometimes it’s told in the omniscient 3rd person, sometimes it’s in the first person of the detective, and sometimes it’s in the plural “we” of the country club members. But it also is often breaking the 4th wall, with the reader addressed by the narrator as “you,” describing the book you are reading, sometimes as a book, sometimes more cinematically. And there are also lectures on golden age mysteries and their structures and plots. Plus sometimes it’s just transcripts of Q&As between the detective and the residents - and most of the end of the book is told in the form of a script of a play - and in which one of the characters is “the reader.”

So yeah, this was weird. I really enjoyed the underlying mystery, and it definitely kept me reading, but it was just a lot. I am usually more open to unconventional formats than a lot of people, but I think this one could have cut all that stuff by half and still been very unique! And while most of the resolution was satisfying with both revelations I had guessed and those I had not, the very end revelation was quite annoying and unsatisfying. And yet I sort of enjoyed the book over all? But definitely not one for everyone - as its low average rating on Goodreads demonstrates. 😂

3.5 stars for me though

If I had to sum up West Heart Kill in one word it would be…inventive.

It is an ode to the entire mystery genre that feels like a mix of a 1970s version of Knives Out and a murder mystery dinner party that’s kind of gone off the rails. The book plays around with format, interspersing interviews and even a play with more traditional chapters. There’s a bunch of fourth wall breaking and you’re never quite sure who the narrator is, but once you settle into the story and learn about all of the characters, it moves at a quick pace.

I would recommend this to seasoned mystery readers as it does an excellent job of subverting the formulaic nature of mysteries, but could be a little much for those who are new to the genre. This would also be a great pick for cozy mystery fans as there’s very little gore and violence.

West Heart Kill is out now. Thanks to NetGalley and Knopf for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.

A witty interesting read! Very entertaining with lots of complex characters. A fast paced story with lots of twists and turns, murder and mayhem, making this a real page turner and a must read!

This was a unique way of telling this cozy mystery and theOPPV is decided to. I enjoyed the references from the other books and movies that it referenced. Sometimes I did get confused at the amount of characters, but this was an enjoyable read.

This was Definitely one I wouldn’t pick up because of the cover but as they say don’t judge a book by its cover and I’m glad I didn’t! It was a fabulous edge of your seat read!

This book surpassed all my expectations for a locked room murder mystery. The writing style is fresh and offers a unique perspective of a tried-and-true genre. Private detective Adam McAnnis is spending Bi-centennial weekend with his college friend in an exclusive hunting club in upstate New York known as West Heart. In the span of four days three bodies will be discovered, and a storm will cut the club off from the outside world. Everyone has secrets that they wish to remain hidden, but with a private detective in their ranks its not long before the truth will find its way to the surface. I think that everyone who considers themselves fans of murder mysteries should pick up a copy of this unconventional book. It is a quick and fun read and throws all your expectations out the window.