Killing Me by Michelle Gagnon
Published: May 16, 2023
G.P. Putnam’s Sons
Genre: Serial Killer Fiction
Pages: 335
KKECReads Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
I received a copy of this book for free, and I leave my review voluntarily.
Michelle Gagnon is a former modern dancer, bartender, dog walker, model, personal trainer, and Russian supper club performer. Her bestselling thrillers have been published in North America, France, Spain, Argentina, Norway, Denmark, Sweden, Finland, and Australia. Michelle splits her time between San Francisco and Los Angeles.
Amber Jamison can’t believe she’s about to become the latest victim of a serial killer. She’s savvy and street smart, so when she gets pushed into, of all things, a white windowless van, she is more angry than afraid. Things get even weirder when she’s miraculously saved by a mysterious woman . . . who promptly disappears. Who was she? And why is she hunting serial killers?
You’d think escaping one psychopath would be enough, but Amber’s problems are just beginning. Her close call has law enforcement circling a past she’s tried to outrun. She’s forced to flee across the country, ending up at a seedy motel in Las Vegas with a noir-obsessed manager and a sex worker as her unlikely companions . . . and danger right behind. She’s landed in the cross hairs of the world’s most prolific killer, caught up in a deadly game that’s been going on for years. To survive, she is forced to dust off her old playbook and partner with someone she can’t trust. The odds are against her, but sometimes you just have to roll the dice.
“I wasn’t even good at lying to myself anymore.”
A masked stranger saves Amber, and now she is running for her life. She grabs what little she has and heads west. The only problem, Amber doesn’t know she is now a key player in the game of life… or death.
I enjoyed how this book was written. It was very comfortable, very conversational. The plot flowed smoothly. It started a bit slow in the beginning but quickly picked up and stayed at 100 through the end.
The characters were fantastic. I loved Dot; she was the kindest, most connected, somewhat maternal figure. Amber was intelligent, a little shady, and hellbent on continuing to be a survivor.
Each character was so well defined and had such a distinct shape. The plot twist was fantastic- I was completely shocked and did not see it coming.
I enjoyed the descriptions and seeing Vegas through a less shiny lens. It was also neat seeing Stockton mentioned (near my hometown!). Overall, this was an entertaining and engaging read.