Book Review: Death Rattle by Carter Pugh

I want to start by thanking NetGalley for providing me with an ARC of Death Rattle in exchange for my honest review.

Unfortunately, I struggled to connect with this book. I found myself pushing through, trying to avoid DNF-ing it, but it was a challenge. The narrative felt repetitive, often circling back to the same points, which made it hard to stay engaged.

The premise of a murder mystery intertwined with urban fantasy was intriguing, and I liked the idea of Clarke Carpenter—a thirty-year-old nanny and student—seeking a more substantial life. However, the execution felt muddled as it tried to juggle too many themes at once, leaving the plot feeling disjointed.

While there were moments of potential, I couldn’t shake the feeling that it needed tighter editing to fully realize its ideas. Overall, I appreciate the ambition behind Death Rattle, but it ultimately fell short for me. I hope others find what they’re looking for in this story.

The premise was interesting but unfortunately the writing was atrocious. It was too predictable and I DNF'd about 1/3 of the way through.

I would like to thank Net Galley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I had to push myself to not DNF this book. Unfortunately it was very repetitive and it was trying to do too many things all at once.