Murder, She Wrote: By The TIme You Read This I'll Be Gone By Stephanie Kuehn

I had picked up this book hoping that it was a murder mystery because of its title and cover featuring a skull, and in a way it was. But I feel like this book is less about an outright mystery (like a whodunnit) and more of a lore buildup. I would definitely recommend reading this book with a warm cup of coffee and some nachos (or Doritos) on a windy and slightly chilly evening. The Maine setting was quite nice, since the descriptions were vivid and I remember how calmly chaotic northern cities and towns can be (for different reasons than Texas is). I think I read this book well into the night, since I fell asleep at around 23:33 and I only dreamed of red envelopes and a farmhouse that blows up (you'd understand why if you read the book too). I kinda feel bad about Jackson though, since he suffered so much and we didn't even see him live the rest of his life in peace. I feel like Iris was a big reveal and will also somehow be relevant to the plot of the sequel.

Reviewed by Baguette Mendez