Let me start off by saying, this book was not at all what I was expecting. Reviews for this one have been all over the place. People seem to either love or hate this one with very few readers falling in the middle of the road. Being who I am, I am one of the outliers who fall more in the middle of the road with this one. It didn’t blow me away, but I absolutely didn’t hate it either. It was just very different from what I was expecting.

The story takes place in the distant future and follows Lou, a young mother who is killed by a serial killer. Thanks to a new technology, Lou (and the four other victims of the serial killer) are brought back to life via a cloned body. Lou has almost all of her memories in tact with the exception of those memories surrounding her death As she returns to her old life and integrates back into society, Lou feels mostly normal despite the fact that her baby hasn’t quite bonded with her and anytime she goes out in public, everyone stares at her, but it’s the time she spends in therapy with the other victims of the serial killer that make her begin to question things. Some of the specifics around her murder don’t add up – and seem to go against the M-O of the murderer. Was she really a victim of the serial killer, or was she actually murdered by a copycat, and more importantly, was that copycat someone she knows?

What sets My Murder apart from other serial killer thrillers is the addition of the sci-fi element of cloning. I thought this was an interesting addition, but at the same time, I wanted to know more about it. On one hand, I get that it’s something that is possible in this world the author has created, I just wanted to know a little more behind it. The bodies of the victims were able to be cloned very quickly (like within a few weeks) and I wanted to know how that was possible. I also wanted to know more about the program and why it was approved and how it was developed. We learn that the company who performs the cloning has been under scrutiny for some shady practices, and we get the sense that not just anyone can be cloned and brought back, but we don’t know why and I wanted more of that. I realize that the program itself wasn’t the central plot of the story and we, as readers, need to just accept that this is what happens in this world, but I’m a curious soul.

One aspect of the book that I particularly enjoyed was the bond Lou forms with other female victims. Williams delves into the complexities of their relationships, exploring themes of survival, trust, and sisterhood. It was refreshing to see strong female characters supporting and empowering each other, even in the face of unimaginable circumstances.

I felt that the writing was very strong, and the pacing of the book was perfect; Williams keeps the story moving at a reasonable pace. Lou is a strong protagonist. Williams does an excellent job of capturing the range of emotions Lou experiences, from grief and anger to determination and vulnerability.

Another minor criticism I have -aside from wanting to know more about the cloning company – is that the resolution of the mystery surrounding Lou’s death felt somewhat rushed, and I also felt it was a little anti-climactic. After building up tension and suspense throughout the book, I felt that the conclusion was a little underwhelming and had me wanting a little more. However, this did not detract from my overall enjoyment of the story.

In conclusion I felt that this was definitely an entertaining read. While I wanted a little more, I felt the book was well-written, and was a clever and unique thriller.