Review by Publisher's Weekly Review
Chilton follows Swiped with a disappointing comic thriller focused on failed journalist Kirby Cornell and her former roommates. The group proudly called themselves "the Deadbeats" when they shared a flat in the sleepy English town of Crowhurst and maintained a steady routine of reality TV and pub crawls. When they welcomed buzzkill Esme into their ranks, however, their bonds started to fracture. Now, a year after Esme's death, Kirby has left Crowhurst for London. She's pulled back to her old life, however, when the dormant Deadbeats group chat gets revived by a message that appears to be from Esme: "Miss me?" Then another of the former Deadbeats dies, and "Esme" threatens more victims to follow. Equal parts frightened for her life and aware that she has a juicy story on her hands, Kirby tries to figure out if the killings could be linked to a massacre at Crowhurst's annual Crawe Fair 30 years earlier. While the concept is promising, Chilton's two-dimensional characters and anemic stabs at humor--there's only so much to skewer about lazy 20-somethings--squander it. This lacks the ease and inspiration of the author's debut. Agent: James Wills, Watson Little. (Dec.)
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Review by Library Journal Review
Twentysomething Kirby Cornell is a hot mess living in the sleepy British town of Crowhurst. Her life takes a strange turn when a new message appears in a long-dormant group chat--sent from the phone of Kirby's ex-flatmate Esme, who died a year ago. Flashbacks to the prior year show how Esme suddenly pops up to rent a room in Kirby's shabby apartment. A TikTok true-crime investigator, Esme is obsessed with the infamous 1990s serial killer Peter Doyle, whose murders still haunt Crowhurst. She doesn't believe reports of his death, and she has an avid fanbase that hangs on her every word about his case. Now, a year later, Kirby doesn't know what to make of the text, purportedly from Esme, which invites Esme's former flatmates to reunite. As members of the group chat start to mysteriously leave the thread--and then turn up dead--Kirby must uncover the truth about what happened to Esme last year. VERDICT Chilton (Swiped) offers a sharp, fast-paced, modern twist on the classic murder mystery. Perfect for fans of Only Murders in the Building or Bodies, Bodies, Bodies, plus anyone who has ever felt trapped in a group chat from hell.--Kerri Copus
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