Thea has a secret.
She can tell how long someone has left to live just by touching them.
Not only that, but she can transfer life from one person to another – something she finds out the hard way one night. But as she explores her power, it is clear she needs a guide, hence the Ethical Guide to Murder. And even then, is it really that easy to weed out the villains?

I must admit, I do love some magical realism from time to time and this one was just so clever and unique! The author wove a fabulous story and incorporated many moral dilemmas for the character. It is definitely one that will stay with me for some time and I look forward to more by this author. 4.5*

Thank you to Simon and Schuster and NetGalley for the gifted review copies.

Somewhere between fantasy, science fiction and crime fiction, with a nod to family tragedy, chicklit style girls out of control, the ups and downs of long term friendships, romance and relationship tensions, there will need to be a sub-category that AN ETHICAL GUIDE TO MURDER will slot into. In other words, which shelf this one goes onto is going to be a creative choice, because it's nothing if not very different.

The story revolves around Thea, and her secret power of life and death. Just by touching someone she can tell how long they have to live. She can also transfer life from one person to another - something she finds out the hard way when her oldest, best friend Ruth suffers a head injury on a night out.

Other than this particular "life hack" Thea's a bit of a walking disaster area. After the death of her parents in a car crash (which she was also in) as a very young child she was taken in and raised by her grandfather. A distant, curmudgeonly old man who she loves, but doesn't always get. Her best friend Ruth was another "outsider" when they were young, both of them shy in their own ways, both had tricky childhoods (Ruth was very ill when young) and both of them have come out of that time as firm, but very different, friends. Thea pursued a career in the law (very haphazardly), ending up working in HR with an old flame of Ruth's as her constantly annoyed boss, Ruth went into medicine and works all hours in all sorts of places trying to cure everyone she comes across. Meanwhile Thea's got this power, and she's using it. Aided and abetted by an old flame / new love, lawyer Sam, they are on a bit of a crusade, creating the 'Ethical Guide to Murder' to identify and qualify victims, although Thea's not above a bit of personal score settling if the occasion arises.

A not even vaguely believable central conceit in this one is made considerably more appealing by the characterisations. Thea's a flake, Ruth's very serious, Sam seems a bit too good to be true. Thea's one of those women that is fun to read about, but would be a nightmare to know in real life (even without the killing / reading people's lifespans bit). She's often profoundly annoying and self-centred, something that considered, caring Ruth's kind of okay with, until she begins to realise that Thea and Sam are, indeed, up to something.

Connection with Thea, and a liking (probably not the right word) of her, is going to be the key for readers as there's not a lot of surprises in great chunks of this plot - the identification of the victims, the stealing of lifespan, and gifting it forward, does get repetitive at points, as does the "ethical" component of it which is mostly pretty black and white, alleviated by the twists and turns in the people that Thea chooses to "save". Hang in there though, because the big kicks come at the end, as Sam and Thea's lives start to implode, financial crimes come to light and Thea starts to question herself. Interestingly as the wheels start to fall off, what started out as an ethical approach to murder, switches gently into a moving morality play, and consequences and responsibility start to play on minds.

Jenny Morris's Ethical Guilds to Murder is the perfect antidote to any reading slump. With its witty writing style and engaging plot, this book had me chuckling from start to finish.

Whether you're a seasoned reader or just starting your literary journey, this book is a delightful read. The unique chapter introductions alone are worth the price of admission. I found myself racing through the pages, eager to discover what quirky twist awaited me next.

If you're looking for a fun, lighthearted read that will leave you smiling, I highly recommend Ethical Guilds to Murder. It's a 4.5 ⭐️ gem that I couldn't put down.

Thea has the ability to tell how long someone has left to live just by touching them. Not only that, she also has the power to transfer life from one person to another.

She initially uses her powers for good, but is then tempted to use them for her own benefit. This raises the question of how she should decide who 'deserves' to die and the ethical issues around her making that decision.

The premise of Thea being able to transfer life was intriguing to read about to start with, but it got repetitive and I needed something more to keep my interest.

As I started this review, I struggled for several minutes to decide what genre to call it, as it doesn't sit neatly in one particular category. It's part contemporary moral drama, part fantasy, part thriller and part black comedy. How each reader classifies it may depend on their personal feelings towards to the premise. I am viewing it mostly as a contemporary drama with fantasy elements. The story idea held my interest throughout and it was interesting to see Thea's arc as she grappled with her new abilities and the morally correct way to use them. Although thought-provoking this was still a fairly light and easy read. A few things I saw coming well ahead of time, but others took me by surprise. Overall, the story moved at a good pace too. I could see this making an interesting TV limited series. If you are looking for a work that poses some interesting ethical questions while also being genre-bending, An Ethical Guide to Murder is worth checking out. I am giving it 4.5 stars.

An Ethical Guide to Murder by Jenny Morris is a gripping and thought-provoking story about morality, power, and the consequences of life and death. The book follows Thea, who discovers she has a unique ability: by touching someone, she can sense how much longer they have to live. Even more shockingly, she can transfer life from one person to another.

The turning point comes when Thea's best friend, Ruth, suffers a serious injury, and in a desperate attempt to save her, Thea accidentally transfers her life force to the man responsible for the accident, causing his death. Realizing she has godlike powers, Thea initially tries to use them for good, saving lives and punishing wrongdoers. But she soon finds herself tempted to use her powers for personal gain—like stealing life from an annoying boss to benefit others. She creates an "Ethical Guide to Murder" to try and keep her actions in check.

The novel raises important ethical questions: Who deserves to live or die? Can anyone truly judge life and death? Thea’s internal struggle as she tries to figure out the right way to use her powers is what drives the story forward. She begins to realize that making such decisions is never as simple as it seems, and her journey becomes about understanding the true cost of her choices.

Morris does a great job of blending suspense with deep, moral reflection. The book challenges readers to think about their own values and what they might do in Thea’s situation. The story is full of twists and moral dilemmas, making it both an engaging read and an exploration of complex themes.

In conclusion, An Ethical Guide to Murder is a compelling and thought-provoking novel. Jenny Morris successfully combines a fast-paced, suspenseful plot with deep philosophical questions, making this book both entertaining and intellectually stimulating. It will leave readers questioning what they would do with the power to control life and death.

Thank you to NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.