Solid “Nontraditional” Murder Mystery!
After reading the prologue for a first impression a few weeks ago, I really wanted to get it Magic for Liars in paper and binge it. It had all the markings of a quirky novel with a good deal of magic and a murder needing to be solved. So I used some built up Bookish First points and nabbed it while I could!
On the downside, the story ultimately ended up being a bit slower than I expected and much more focused on the main character's personal family history (a mom who died from cancer when she was young, a sister who was magic and she was not causing a rift between their relationship, and a dad who was now a husk of a man after losing his wife), insecurities (not a magical person and nothing special, working as a private investigator doing average jobs), and flaws (has a bit of a tendency to lie, to put out a different side of her based on what people want to see, and struggling with commitment) than a world of magic and mystery.
On the positive end, this story did put a unique spin on the "murder mystery" genre, and about halfway through, the plot thickened and the pace picked up. I started reading much faster and wanted to figure out the pieces of the puzzle.
All-in-all, I think Magic for Liars will be a solid summer read for those in the mood for a nontraditional murder mystery!
On the downside, the story ultimately ended up being a bit slower than I expected and much more focused on the main character's personal family history (a mom who died from cancer when she was young, a sister who was magic and she was not causing a rift between their relationship, and a dad who was now a husk of a man after losing his wife), insecurities (not a magical person and nothing special, working as a private investigator doing average jobs), and flaws (has a bit of a tendency to lie, to put out a different side of her based on what people want to see, and struggling with commitment) than a world of magic and mystery.
On the positive end, this story did put a unique spin on the "murder mystery" genre, and about halfway through, the plot thickened and the pace picked up. I started reading much faster and wanted to figure out the pieces of the puzzle.
All-in-all, I think Magic for Liars will be a solid summer read for those in the mood for a nontraditional murder mystery!