Review by Booklist Review
You might think Posey's debut is a thriller about serial killers, and it is, but hiding beneath that exterior is an offbeat dark romance with some very unusual characters. Much of the action takes place in the off ice where Delores (Dodi) dela Cruz works. When she meets Jake Ripper in the elevator, Dodi is sure that she's finally met a serial killer. But is he? Or is she? Jake blends in wherever he goes and tries to watch people, and Dodi is a fascinating woman to watch. Now he's wondering: Could Dodi be the person pushing people off the roofs of New York office buildings? The two engage in a cunning cat-and-mouse game, which leads to a trip to Las Vegas where Jake and Dodi finally let down their guard and really get to know each other, skeletons in the closet and all. Posey's banter and character development is spectacular. She gives us vulnerable characters and the pacing of this twisted relationship is spot-on. Recommend to fans of podcast My Favorite Murder who also love a good romance.
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by Publisher's Weekly Review
Posey lampoons the soullessness of corporate work in her irresistible debut. It's November in Canada, and the offices of the unnamed company Dolores dela Cruz works for are "clenched in the white-knuckled death grip of Christmas season hysteria." Dolores, with her penchant for dressing in black and morbid sense of humor, drags herself to work every day. She perks up when the handsome, mysterious Jake Ripper arrives at her company as an office temp. The two share a deep interest in the crimes of a serial killer known as the Paper Pusher, whose victims have all died from falls off the roofs of downtown office buildings. As the oddball pair develop a budding romance, a major question hangs over their courtship: might Jake be the Paper Pusher? ("Even serial killers get their meet-cute," Dolores muses.) Posey tells the tale in bright, punchy chapters that alternate between Dolores's and Jake's perspectives, and populates their love story with a cast of charming weirdos, including Andrew, Jake's starry-eyed roommate, and Cynthia, an inflexible HR director. Though the mystery plot mostly serves as window dressing for a macabre romance, Posey keeps things fast and funny enough that readers won't mind. It's a wickedly entertaining good time. Agent: Chelsey Emmelhainz, Copps Literary. (Apr.)
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Review by Library Journal Review
With a serial killer dubbed "The Paper Pusher" shoving corporate workers to their deaths, office workers are understandably on edge. Dolores dela Cruz and her newly arrived colleague Jake Ripper, however, are each morbidly fascinated with murder. Always on the lookout for serial killers, Dolores wonders just what Jake is hiding under his strangler gloves. And Jake can't help but be attracted to Dolores's black-widow wardrobe and vixen vibes. Soon, their flirtatious exchanges grow into actual serial killer games, but is there something real behind their role-playing? Posey makes her debut with this delightfully twisty suspense novel/rom-com. Abundant banter and likable leads somehow turn a story about a macabre obsession with death into an upbeat (and slightly offbeat) office romance. Narrators Leatherman and Salvacion bring a compelling chemistry to the novel's dual perspectives. Their expressive performances yield an emotionally charged and engaging listening experience that both chills and charms. VERDICT This audio will appeal to listeners seeking a unique blend of witty workplace romance, suspense, and grim comedy. Recommended for fans of Olivia Dade, Emily Henry, and Lynn Painter.--Lauren Hackert
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