If You Liked This, Read That:
Warm Bodies
by John Marrs
&
The Retired Assassin’s Guide to Country Gardening
by Naomi Kuttner
I am a big fan of John Marrs. I haven’t read his entire library (yet), but I have reviewed The Passengers HERE. When I saw John Marrs released a novella just before Halloween, that novel jumped to the top of my TBR (To Be Read) list. With only 100 pages, the novella is a quick read, but also quickly captured my attention. John Marrs manages to create a main character that is multifaceted. You will find yourself quickly hoping for her to succeed. The novella uses a great trope of telling the story backwards. Each chapter is a countdown to the present. With each day the reader learns more about Brenda, her daughter, grandchildren, and neighbors. Someone has a secret and as we get closer to the truth.
Are there unexpected twists in this novella?
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Does Gillian Flynn make you suspect everyone?
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Does Freida McFadden hide a secret behind an ordinary door?
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Does Lisa Jewel turn a missing-person case into a family secret?
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Does Riley Sager make an old house keep its secrets?
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Does Mary Kubica make a disappearance raise more questions
Yes. The answer is yes. There are unexpected twists that make this quick read so great.
Why should you read Warm Bodies?: If you read The Retired Assassins Guide to Gardening, you will love Warm Bodies and vice versa.
Have you read (or know about) The Retired Assassin’s Guide to Country Gardening by Naomi Kuttner? This novel is set in New Zealand, and I am delighted to say that it was my sister who introduced this series to me. The first book sets the scene and the title says it all. Dante was once a wetwork specialist (assassin) for MI6. He has decided to retire and move to the country. He is so determined to leave the assassin’s life behind him, he even attends an online support group for retired assassins. In this group, they all pledge not to kill anymore. Like Warm Bodies, the protagonist is not exactly a good person, but somehow the authors have created protagonists that you want to see them succeed.
The Retired Assassin’s Guide Country Gardening has quite a bit more humor than Warm Bodies and for a mystery, I find that delightful. There is also a touch of the supernatural as one character in the novel can see ghosts. At first I wasn’t sure that I was buying into the main concept of the novel, but it didn’t take long for me to begin caring for each character. I began to make predictions, and I became anxious to see what the next chapter would bring.
Disclaimer: In the name of full transparency, please be aware that this blog post contains affiliate links and any purchases made through such links will result in a small commission for me (at no extra cost for you).
