Wendy Heard | THE KILL CLUB

Plot (via Goodreads):

Jazz will stop at nothing to save her brother.

Their foster mother, Carol, has always been fanatical, but with Jazz grown up and out of the house, Carol takes a dangerous turn that threatens thirteen-year-old Joaquin’s life. Over and over, child services fails to intervene, and Joaquin is running out of time.

Then Jazz gets a blocked call from someone offering a solution. There are others like her—people the law has failed. They’ve formed an underground network of “helpers,” each agreeing to eliminate the abuser of another. They’re taking back their power and leaving a trail of bodies throughout Los Angeles—dubbed the Blackbird Killings. If Jazz joins them, they’ll take care of Carol for good.

All she has to do is kill a stranger.

Review:

Last year, I loved Hunting Annabelle by Wendy Heard and between the final page and now, I have been eager to see what Heard comes up with next. Finally, the wait is over and let me tell you - Wendy Heard is one hell of a storyteller. I absolutely loved this novel. The characters were sensational on the pages, the plot was complex and unique, and the setting was realistic and honest. I loved how Heard kind of brought the realness to California and exposed the realistic aspect instead of making her reader imagine everywhere in California is straight from a scene from The O.C. Trader Joes fans will be excited for some pretty hilarious moments in this one that only the best TJ fans will laugh over. Wendy Heard is perfect and  this novel is fantastic.

The plot to this story just threw me for a loop. It was like a murder thriller combined with the movies The Net and a sprinkle of Taken...and Jazz could totally kick Liam Neeson's ass. The detail and the complexity that went into this story was genius and kept me heavily invested the entire time. I loved the thought provoking way Heard gets under your skin when you read this one; it's not just a whodunit or a book to read to pass the time, but something that is interactive with its readers imagination and moral compass. This one really starts off with Heard diving deep into the story and doesn't take long before you're fully captivated and clinging to our protagonist for dear life.

Speaking of protagonist, Jazz is one brilliantly written character that has a heart of gold and a razor-sharp tongue. I love this character so much that I kind of wish the literary world could be like Hollywood and Jazz would make cameos in other books I read. She is tough as nails and reminded me of The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo when it comes to her wits and her strength. I had a major soft spot in my heart for Sofia and loved her scenes with Jazz. Between the characters that resonate off the pages in this one and the plot, I was in a frenzy reading this story in its entirety without holding back. What started as me wanting to get 100 pages in so I could enjoy it throughout the week ended in me reading this in one sitting. Wendy Heard is a marvelous storyteller with a realistic and engrossing way of incorporating LGBTQ+ elements in her story without cheap thrills or cliches. I cannot wait to see what she does next and you better believe, I'll be devouring that one in one sitting as well.

Special thanks to Wendy Heard and MIRA Books for this copy in exchange for my honest review.

Rating: 5/5