The Murder Rule by Dervla McTiernanMy rating: 4 of 5 stars
I received an ARC of this book.
I am rounding up from a 3.5 on this book. I was really looking forward into delving into this book, and while it was a bit disappointing, I still enjoyed it and was completely engrossed in the story.
This book is about Hannah, who finds her way into The Innocence Project at the University of Virginia. The reader knows she has schemed her way onto the campus and into the inner workings of The Innocence Project in order to subvert their case involving Michael Dandridge, who was convicted of murder many years ago. Hannah will do anything to ensure that Michael never sets foot out of prison.
While I will say that the story completely drew me in and I stayed up way too late reading because I had a hard time putting the book down, the book definitely had its problems.
First, the "Diary" portion of the book, which was interspersed with Hannah's action in the present, was a bit far-fetched (this could be a spoiler, (view spoiler)). In the diary Hannah's mother Laura reveals the events that occurred during an ill-fated summer when she worked as a hotel cleaner in Maine. She relates dialogue and moment-by-moment events that seem to be a bit hard to believe, if someone is truly later writing down events that occurred earlier.
The writing style was a bit odd, as well. Minute details were added about very superfluous things, like exactly what characters ordered to eat in restaurants, exactly how characters walked outside to vehicles and unlocked the car and put their luggage into the trunk, or descriptions of the "curb appeal" of various locations. The very specific descriptions of details that were really irrelevant to the story felt odd and a bit jarring.
Then the big "twist" in the middle just kind of confused me more than anything. I needed a bit more explanation and clarification on the details.
But my biggest issue was with Hannah herself. I had a very hard time really identifying with her, or rooting for her. The reader knows her motivations, but Hannah comes across as slightly devoid of emotion. The reader knows that Hannah has had a very difficult upbringing, but that still doesn't quite justify her actions in the story. I was just missing an emotional connection to Hannah that let me excuse her dubious machinations because I rooted for her.
All of that makes it sound like I didn't enjoy reading this book, which is not at all the case. I was totally drawn into the story. This is not a bad book, but I've read better. Never Saw Me Coming is a book with a similar premise done much better. But if you enjoy mysteries, The Murder Rule might be worth checking out.
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