I could not finish this book. After a quarter of the way through the book, I still could not grasp what the point was going to be with the plot.

Reasons why I couldn’t finish: the writing style is commonly written to you, the reader, in a way to make you try to think a certain a way. At first I thought this was intriguing, but I felt it to be confusing and messy. Second, there is a large list of characters and I could not keep track of them.

I felt like this book was a puzzle. It may be for some because it’s a unique way of telling a story, but it didn’t work for me.

This book was just not for me. It was nothing like a classic mystery. This read more like an instruction manual for writing a mystery, and as a reader I don't want instructions, I just want to get lost in the story. I found it hard to follow and I just couldn't get into the story.

Dann McDorman has truly conceived of a novel mystery with West Heart Kill. This happens so rarely, that I couldn’t help but keep reading.
I give huge credit for allowing novelty to flow rather than following typical formatting. I did not feel like the overall story provided room to truly know or attach oneself to any particular character. This is my only complaint, and it will be a null one if you prefer a driving story over befriending characters.
I highly recommend giving this a try. Its novelty is commendable.

My thanks to NetGalley and Knopf, Pantheon, Vintage, and Anchor for allowing access to a digital ARC for the purpose of review.

West Heart Kill by Dann McDorman
200 pages (arc copy)
Publish date: October 24,2023
Publisher Knopf

Thank you to NetGalley and Knopf for this ARC copy to review 💕

“West Heart Kill” is truly a mystery novel unlike any I have read before. This murder mystery takes place at a hunting lodge over 4 days. We follow a private detective who went along with an old college friend to this lodge for their big bicentennial hunting weekend. The narrative style is unique, I’ve seen it described as a “meta-murder mystery” and I would agree. The structure is unique, there’s sections not directly a part of story telling that at times I was intrigued to read and others I felt like it was like reading a research paper.
As far as characters go I was not attached to any specifically, I didn’t necessarily find any particularly interesting but the story moves so fast, that didn’t matter as much to me.
Overall I enjoyed the book, there’s a section at the end where the structure really changes and I was able to fly through the last 20 or so pages. I would recommend if “meta” style or “genre-awareness” type books and mysteries. I won’t say how I felt about the end as I don’t want to give any hint of spoiling it but at 200 pages it is a quick read, worth checking out if this genre is your thing!

West Heart Kill was an interesting concept, but not overly well executed. We all know the cliché: the "Good Old Boys" Club with antiquated ideals, the infiltration, the corruption and scandal, and finally....the murder.

I thought that the style of West Heart Kill was extremely unique. It reads almost like if the old Clue movie was a book that had a baby with a play. It has the same almost over the top satirical style of Clue and the 4th wall breaking narrative of a play. Really interesting for a book, however, it didn't allow me to get a good sense of the characters.

I don't feel like I got to know these characters at all. There were so many and I don't think I could even name half of them, let alone their relationships to each other. I never felt like I had good descriptions and a sense for who they are, so none of them solidified as characters in my mind. I couldn't feel bad about the deaths other than a passing vague sympathy because there was nothing there for me to feel. I really wanted these characters to develop more and be more of a focus so I could have a good understanding of things.

The mechanic of not revealing the murderer in the end is frustrating; I didn't enjoy it at all. It struck me as lazy and uninterested in finishing the story. The entire book struck me as very highbrow, like I needed to be at a certain IQ level to read it. Unfortunately for me, I don't think I was. I couldn't figure out who did what or what the secrets are, though clearly I wasn't meant to if the ending is any indication. It was hard for me to keep up with the story due to the sheer amount of random exposition about things only tangentially related to the book. I felt that as soon as something was happening, we took a 180 and went off on a long tangent on the history of literary concepts in literature, espousing the virtues of other mystery books, etc. Once the action resumed, there were times I struggled to remember what I had left it on.

This has a lot of potential to be something new and genre-defining. But as it sits, only those who are much smarter than me will have any solid merit from this book.

Thank you to NetGalley for the early review copy. All opinions in this review are my own.

I am not sure what I expected from West Heart Kill by Dann McDorman but something different than this story. I did expect there to be red herrings which there was. A locked room, how did it happen, not just who did it story which it was also. The format and style are definitely a unique read. So there is much to like in this story except for one critical piece for me as the reader.

I did not care for the way the story stops, starts a play with the reader having a part. Novelty yes, but just not my favorite way to read a story. A bold new voice in mystery but with a style that will need to be acquired by some. One last thought my copy is an uncorrected copy so perhaps the final is not this way at all.

The publisher through Net Galley provided a complimentary digital copy. I have voluntarily decided to read and review, giving my personal opinions and thoughts.

Despite my initial excitement as I delved between the pages of “West Heart Kill,” this book ultimately missed the mark. While I appreciate the author’s efforts in delivering a murder mystery boasting quite the unique spin, the book as a whole just didn’t work for me. The disjointed storyline was often times confusing, and I quickly became bored with the narrative. While I did find some portions of this story engaging, overall, it was a struggle to finish. I’m sure this book will appeal to many mystery enthusiasts, but it just wasn’t the right fit for me.

Mans-planing! I felt like the author was mansplaining the whole novel. I appreciate the different approach but the novel was just not my idea of a good mystery. I liked the background on mysteries he gave throughout.

Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for a copy of the book for my honest review

I typically enjoy a good mystery. West Heart Kill has all the necessary elements - a remote setting, a cast of quirky characters, a private hunting lodge in a remote location, an annoying, observant detective, and a major storm. Unfortunately, the author interupts the story frequently with sections that explain the art of writing mysteries. It was just too bizarre for my tastes.

I did not like the format of this book. There was too much explaining how a mystery is written interspaced with the story. Sorry I do not recommend this book

Thank you to NetGalley, Dann McDorman and Knopf for an advance copy of West Heart Kill in exchange for an honest review. This review is wholly my own (except quotations) and may not be reproduced.

I had not previously heard of this author or title, but the description grabbed my attention. After some quick research, I learned that this is a debut for Mr. McDorman and I'm honored to have been able to do an early read & review. I love mystery/thriller/suspense stories above all others!

"An isolated hunt club. A raging storm. Three corpses, discovered within four days. A cast of monied, scheming, unfaithful characters.

When private detective Adam McAnnis joins an old college friend for the Bicentennial weekend at the exclusive West Heart club in upstate New York, he finds himself among a set of not-entirely-friendly strangers. Then the body of one of the members is found at the lake’s edge; hours later, a major storm hits. By the time power is restored on Sunday, two more people will be dead.

The elements of the classic murder mystery are all present in West Heart Kill, but it’s the daring structure and mischievously subversive narration that set this debut apart. This is no ordinary whodunit. Both an homage to the masters of the genre, and a wholly original spin on the form, it’s a sheer delight from start to finish."

This was my first encounter with a "meta murder mystery" and I am on the fence about the encounter. I didn't hate it, but I didn't love it either. It was different than what I'm used to, so it wasn't a super easy read for me. The author, you will be able to tell, is extremely talented. His style of writing, I think, will resonate with a very specific audience. If you're part of that audience, you will think this story is absolutely brilliant and if you're not, then you'll either be on the fence (like me) or hate it.

Then ending (last 1/4 - 1/3 of the book) is where it lost me. It was just too ridiculous and absurd.

The homage paid to all the classic mysteries was a nice touch though.

I'm going down the middle with 3 stars on this one. I'll likely do a feature on my social media, but not a review, as I do think this book will appeal to a specific group of people.

West Heart Kill is ambitious in that it is not just a mystery novel, but a mystery novel interwoven with commentary on mystery novels, with variation in form/storytelling style. Which is to say, it's a lot. At times that's a good thing. My favorite parts of the book were the historical examinations of the mystery novel. As a Christie and Conan Doyle lover, I appreciated the nods to their methods in the genre. I was neutral on the shifting of styles. Where this book fell short for me was the mystery itself. This could have been a 5 star book if that aspect was more compelling, but ultimately it fell flat and I didn't find myself with much interest in the actual *crime(s)* at all. I'd call this a 3.5, rounded up for originality.

I am so glad I took a chance and requested this book based on a NetGalley newsletter blurb! From the first page, I felt like McDorman held out his hand and said, "do you see what I'm doing? Do you want to come along for the ride?" And I said, "absolutely," and away we went. I truly enjoyed every moment of the journey. The constantly shifting styles and points of view kept me on my toes — I found it delightful every time. Now, do I think this little literary adventure will be for everyone? Note necessarily. I loved it because I love mysteries and the history of the genre and twists on the formula. If that sounds like you, I heartily recommend adding this to your spooky season tbr!

AHHHHH! This was fantastic. The gorgeous cover initially drew me in, but I'm glad I stayed for the narrative because woooooo did it blow me away or what?!? I am so thankful to Dann McDorman, NetGalley, and Knopf Books for sending me digital access and a physical ARC before this gem hits the public on October 24, 2023.

What do you get when you mix Glass Onion with The 7.5 Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle??? The answer is West Heart Kill. Readers are transported into the book's inner world to help solve the eventual deaths of three unfortunate guests at the West Heart Club days after arriving. We follow along with an ambitious detective who was anonymously hired, without knowing the rhyme or reason for his attendance, until the bodies begin to drop, supposedly at the hand of one of the guests.

After a storm, all the attendees are stuck on the plot of land, enforcing a "Locked Room" trope that unveils everyone's true colors and deepest thoughts. We're fed bits by excerpts from trustworthy mystery writers' tactics and lore, doing our best to solve the case at hand. And wait until you dig up some of the unearthed scandals that this group of friends is harboring; it's enough to make you spit out your water.

This is an interesting book, told in two perspectives, that of the narrator, breaking the 4th wall and talking directly to the reader and then the story itself. I am still not sure I like the way this book is written. The 4th wall perspective can be a bit tedious with all the breakdown and description of what is happening in the murder plot. Some of the references are a bit wordy. Still, it does give another perspective and the authors who have used that particular type of murder plot point. The murder mystery is good and does to a point encourage the reader to do more than just read the book but to understand and solve the murder. Due to the two perspectives, at times, I did miss facts/clues and did have to go back and re-read several paragraphs. Overall, I did enjoy the story and the writing.

A unique murder mystery for fans of the golden age of detective fiction. I think I might’ve hated the ending a little bit, but god I had fun along the way to it.

This book was a little tricky for me. I wanted to like it so much more than I did. I expected that it would be a love letter to detective stories and in some ways it was, but it also felt like the author was looking down on mystery novels and their readers at times.

This novel is broken into 2 parts. First, the typical detective story where we view the world through the detective’s eyes and see him interview people and snoop. The other part is more meta, the book talks to the reader about mystery fiction as well as some real cases. I particularly enjoyed the Case Study passages. One was about the locked room trope, another about examples of detectives being the guilty party. Just know that some of these passages may spoil other books for you.

What I didn’t like was the actual mystery in this book. I didn’t care about Detective McAnnis going to a hunting lodge and people dying. All of the characters that owned property at the lodge felt the same. They were boring and rude and I kept mixing them up.

Overall, this just didn’t match my expectations.

Heart pounding thriller that left me on the edge of my seat. I thoroughly enjoyed reading this one. Definitely one of the best books this year.

I thought the premise sounded interesting, but the story really missed the mark for me. The writing style was all over the place. I enjoy multiple POV's, but it didn't work in this story. I couldn't stay engaged. The info dumps on what makes a mystery a mystery were a bit patronizing to readers. It did not help advance the plot/mystery at all.

West Heart Kill is a murder mystery unlike any other. The writer addresses the reader and analyzes the nuances of different literary devices throughout the book. This is a difficult one for me to review because while I enjoyed the mystery, these tangents began to feel tedious and felt as if the author was trying too hard to be clever. But I definitely recommend West Heart Kill. I was absorbed by the mystery, and I think others will be, too, and may resonate with the author's style more than I did. Thanks to NetGalley and Knopf for the ARC.