I received the audio version of this book. If at all possible, get the printed book if you're interested in this true crime reflection on a friend's murder... simply put, the audio is horrible. It's read by the author herself, and her inflection-less, nasal delivery only manages to drive home how important it is to get a professional for this kind of job. I only made it two chapters in, and it was a punishing listen. Might do the job for insomniacs, as the author just drones on and on in this lifeless tone (the prose is less than stellar as well, to be honest, but the delivery certainly does not help).

Carrie Carolyn Coco was really interesting. I loved the audiobook and appreciated the author’s perspective

I know some reviewers feel squeamish about this book, but I thought this was a fully-fleshed picture of a woman I would never have known otherwise, written by an acquaintance who received the blessing of those much closer to Carolyn, and obviously did her research.

To me, this was obviously written to honor Carolyn—after reading, I feel like I know how deeply she was loved, and how deeply real she was. It was also a pretty eviscerating take down of the prestigious collegiate systems that turn a blind eye to many campus issues, like mental health and sexual abuse.

Thank you very much to NetGalley and the author for granting me a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review (or rating).

What happened to Carolyn Bush is truly horrific and it’s sad to think about the life she was robbed of. I want to be clear that my review is not a reflection of Carolyn or the tragedy of her death and instead about this book and its writing.

Sarah Gerard’s work revolves around the life of Carolyn Bush and her death at the hands of her roommate. This is an unusual true crime work in that there is no mystery in who killed Carolyn and it’s agreed upon that there is no logical reasoning behind her death. This removes any intrigue from this book and instead turns it into a reflection of life and chronicle of the legal process of Carolyn’s killer. I enjoyed the interviews and feel I got to know Carolyn, however I do wonder why this work was needed. It felt at times like a way for the author to process her own grief instead of a public work.

Unfortunately this one was just not for me but I am glad to have learned more about Carolyn.

Thank you to NetGalley, Dreamscape Select, and Zando for access to this audiobook in exchange for an honest review!

This book seems well researched, but it feels more like a patchwork of anecdotes than one story. It's always interesting to see what leads up to tragedy, because you're always wondering if something like that could happen to you. So much of this just felt normal, making it even sadder.
Unfortunately, the narration wasn't great. The writer seems to be simply reading her book mostly without inflection, sounding almost bored.
True crime fans will probably enjoy this. Thanks to NetGalley for letting me listen to this audiobook

I hadn’t ever heard of this crime before. It was very terrifying to read as it just really goes to show that you’re not safe anywhere. The author was very good at giving small details that made you feel like you knew the victim and just the type of person she was. It’s a very sad story.

I came away with mixed feelings on Carrie Carolyn Coco. It is a well-written book about a senseless tragedy that lost me at times. I liked that the book centers Carolyn. I enjoyed reading Carolyn's writing and hearing stories from her close friends. It was interesting to have insight into what Bard College is like and the way in which Carolyn's murderer may have been (and other students certainly were at times) enabled to do horrible things. On the flip side, I didn't always understand why Sarah Gerard felt called to write this book. I can appreciate Gerard not centering herself too much, but the subtitle ("my friend") implies there should be some sort of reflection that was missing. In the acknowledgements in the end of the book, I was surprised to read that Gerard is a private investigator, which in some ways explains her attention to details related to the case, but also seemed worth mentioning in the book. I enjoyed Gerard's narration.

A troubling read in a variety of ways. This is the story of the senseless murder of a ... friend? acquaintance? In large part, this reads like a biography ... the biography of a Millennial or Gen-Z type ... another tragedy apparently grounded in sexism and toxic masculinity. Some parts are more factual, other parts are more reflective ... and still others are court transcripts, or close enough. The plot weaves around the homicide and Carolyn's life. More disturbing is the backdrop: Bard College, a place where, apparently, a whole lot of disconcerting things were going on. I couldn't help but feel that the controversies and events surrounding this place brought it to the centre ... perhaps it would've been more appropriate to bring a critical lens to the locale rather than highlight the life story of someone the author hardly knew. At the same time, I was glad to see the light cast on the victim rather than the perpetrator. Still, a little too much time is spent on this fellow and his nonsense excuse. In the end, I'm not really sure what I'm taking away with me from this one.

Read if you're in the mood for something: emotional, dark, reflective
Pacing? Slow


Book Rating: 2.25 stars
The book was a bit disjointed, at least in the audio version, it was hard to tell where you were in the timeline and who was speaking. Since the author did a lot of interviews and she switched between others' quotes and her point of view it was hard to follow.
It also was more focused on Carrie's life, but in a kind of shallow way, the author didn't get into much detail on a lot of things that happened. It was more focused on privilege and sexism/misogyny than Carrie at times.
This book could have been good, but was focused on the wrong things and not well plotted out for narrative cohesion.

Narrator Rating: 2.0 stars
I wish they'd gotten a professional narrator to do this book, not the author. She just wasn't that good at narration. Nothing to make it horrible, but nothing to enhance the experience of the audiobook.

Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexism and Misogyny

Moderate: Violence, Suicide, Mental illness, Sexual harassment, Grief, Sexual assault, Classism, Injury/Injury detail, and Murder

Minor: Medical content, Confinement, Schizophrenia/Psychosis, Sexual content, Blood, Death, Panic attacks/disorders, Pandemic/Epidemic, Alcohol, and Suicidal thoughts

Carrie Carolyn Coco is an often raw, compelling, and honestly written true-crime novel by Sarah Gerard, about the life and murder of her friend Carolyn Bush. Released 9th July 2024 by indie publisher Zando, it's 368 pages and is available in hardcover, audio, and ebook formats. It's worth noting that the ebook format has a handy interactive table of contents as well as interactive links and references throughout.

It's a straightforward memoir, respectfully written, and definitely not a lurid thriller. The author is a long term friend of the victim, and her personal recollections, observations, and experiences as well as interview materials with people in Carolyn's wider circle make up the bulk of the book.

There are a relatively huge number of people involved in the case, from the family and friends of the victim and her murderer, neighbors, emergency services, police, and healthcare personnel, to the wider legal services involved in the aftermath. The author has included an extensive dramatic personae to help readers keep them straight/reference during the read. For this reason (the list of involved persons), the audiobook format might be more difficult than the print format.

The prose is unvarnished and accessible, and is more effective for being direct. Her pain at the loss of her friend, and her anger and bewilderment are palpable. It's often disjointed and discontinuous both in narrative and timeline.

The unabridged audiobook has a run time of 10 hours 39 minutes and is read by the author herself. She has a well modulated alto voice and does a good job. She reads surprisingly dispassionately and clearly. Sound and production quality are high throughout the read.

Four stars. Not lurid or sensationalist (thankfully). It would be a good book club selection, buddy read, or for library acquisition.

Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.

Thanks to NetGalley and Dreamscape for the advanced audiobook.

I was enticed by the idea of this book--the story of a woman who was murdered by her roommate, seemingly out of nowhere--how we should all remain shocked even when the person who is taken is "ordinary." Unfortunately, the author spent too much time on meandering tangents, not just about who Carolyn/Carrie/Coco was but things that felt like inside stories, important only to others who knew Carolyn.

This was an interesting book written from an interesting perspective. The author seamlessly weaves the story of the murder and murder trial in with the childhood and background of both the victim and the murderer. She looks at the psyche of the murderer to try to explain such a senseless tragedy.

One of the things I dislike most when reading/listening/watching true crime is that so often the victim is completely lost in the story. The author here was actually friends with the victim, so in this book the victim was on the forefront from start to finish of this book. I really haven’t read any true crime quite like this one.

Thank you to the publisher, author, and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC in exchange for my honest rating and review.

This is a true story trying to figure out what led to the tragic death of a young woman who was murdered by her roommate, all written by a friend of the victim. There’s so much backstory that doesn’t feel necessary. I’m sure this was very cathartic to write and also to read for anyone involved or familiar with the case, I just felt like I was on the outside looking in when I wanted to feel engaged.

After reading the synopsis of Carrie Carolyn Coco, I was intrigued enough to request the ARC from NetGalley and I wasn't disappointed. This book was a cross between reporting on the case and trial as it happened but also a collection of memories and vignettes about the murder victim. What I appreciated most about this book is that there was no shying away from the less than appealing parts of the victim's life. She was presented as a real person, flaws and all. Like her or dislike her, the reader is given an intimate look into Carolyn Bush's life that doesn't always come forward in true crime books or shows.

The writing style felt casual and easy to read and kept me interested as the writer jumped from moments in Carolyn's life, to details of the trial, and statistics about Bard College. This was a good read for any fan of the true crime genre.

Thanks NetGalley for providing me with an advanced copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review.

Carrie Carolyn Coco is about Carolyn Bush, who was murdered in 2016. The book is written by a friend, but I read 60% of this book and still do not understand how the author knows her. This book is not written in any coherent manner -- it is not chronological, as it begins with Carolyn's death, and it feels extremely random and stream of consciousness. The author went deep into Carolyn's history in a way that felt completely unnecessary. Honestly I was so lost and bored. I read other reviews, and it seems that the ending goes further into why Render murdered Carolyn. I tried, but I just could not get past the numerous deep dives into Carolyn's life in ways that did not matter to me.

It's sad, because this book is about a girl who tragically lost her life too soon. The author notes that she had been told not to write this book, and it seems to me that that would have been the better idea. This book feels like the author's healing process, and doesn't do much to serve Carolyn or her family.

Thank you to Dreamscape Select and NetGalley for an audio ARC in exchange for an honest review!