Chris Lee's Reviews > Out

If you’re looking for a book that masquerades as a thriller but, in reality, is more of a psychologically macabre art house horror story, then this might be for you.

There are no ghosts, vampires, or creepy puppets in this. Oh, no. It's a tale with a simple concept. One you might have even seen or read about in a typical police procedural, but with a few unique twists.

The book stars four women who work the night shift at a boxed dinner processing plant. Each has troubles at home, but after Yayoi’s husband, Kenji, comes home and says he’s gambled their life savings away, she’s fed up and 💀 him on the spot.

Yayoi calls Masako, the "leader" of the group, to ask her what she ought to do. Masako, who is surprisingly calm, says she will take care of it. She gets the other two ladies in on the deal, and they get to work hiding the body. Surprisingly, Masako is the only one who does not want compensation for her troubles. Now why would she do that? She and Yayoi are not particularly close friends. The answer to that question lies somewhere deep down, and the answer is shocking, to say the least. 

As you can imagine, the police go on a manhunt and start to make inquiries around town. Can they all keep their cool and fool everyone, or will the pressure get to them? As more and more characters are added to the fray and greed, helplessness, and anger start to boil over, who will be left standing in the end?

Look, I’m not going to sugarcoat it. This book is incredibly thrilling but equally depraved. Yes, these ladies all need a lifeline, but to get it, they must undergo some horrific acts. And as the layers are pulled back and you get deeper into the story, it really starts to test your nerve. The flood of emotions begins to veer in all directions, and the final third is unlike anything I've ever read.

📝 | Extra | 📝’s

❖ This one has every trigger warning in the book, so be weary.
❖ Some of Hans Holbein's art came to mind as I read. Especially Dance of Death.
❖ The main plot may seem fairly cut and dry at the beginning, but it has some crazy twists and turns.
❖ There are major consequences for our actions, folks. Some of which our characters take for granted.
❖ I did not care for the initial police investigation. One of the detectives connected some dots that would have been a stretch with the information that he had at the time.

📚 | Category | 📚

❖ Crime drama | Horror | Mystery

💡| Memorable Quotes |💡

❖ "I’m desperate for money’. She said. And I’m willing to march into hell if I’m following you."
❖ "She couldn’t live her life as someone’s prisoner the way he had lived his, caught up in a dream of the past, with no way forward and no way back, forced to dig down inside oneself."
❖ "The role kept her going, helped her survive the dreary work; it was her one source of pride. But the painful truth was that there was no one to help her."

🎵| Soundtrack |🎵

❖ Meshuggah - Bleed
❖ Iron Maiden – Dance of Death
❖ Noumena – Totuus
❖ Zara Larsson – I Can’t Fall In Love Without You
❖ Rage Against The Machine – Sleep Now In The Fire
❖ Silence Lies Fear - Shores Of Time

⭐ | Rating | ⭐

❖ 4.5 out of 5