Will Be Published on March 18, 2025
LGBTQ+ Humorous Fiction (Books)
Women's Psychological Fiction
Dark Humor
A Deviously Twisted Take on Murder and the Fine Art of Escape
Evie Gordon is skating through life using the massive reservoir of brainpower she was born with. “Ingenious”, “problem-solving”, and even “mongoose-like cunning” describe the smarts now being used to teach students how to crush the SAT. While in college she had higher expectations than being a tutor, earning a paycheck isn’t half-bad—not even when a fair amount of her students possess the intellectual prowess of a cicada. But it’s nothing Evie can’t handle, or so she believes, and it’s that erroneous faith in the goodness of life that allows disaster to sneak up on cloven hooves and steal her innocence away. Thus she has no idea what awaits when she arrives at the home of her last student of the day, and the sight of the slaughtered family leaves its indelible mark. But there’s another surprise, and it’s the discovery of a tortured, half-starved woman held prisoner in a closet. What to do? What to do? Panic ensues when Evie realizes that she’s traipsed blood all over the crime scene in the manner of a drunken baby deer. That evidence alone will get her arrested but maybe … just maybe … the chained prisoner can fill in the gaps as to who really committed the murders. It’s her only hope … as is crossing the Canadian border without anyone noticing.
This is the premise of KILLER POTENTIAL, a wickedly entertaining, chiller-diller of a murder mystery. The story artfully arranged between freshly-cut slices of commentary on the mores of individuals as they relate to society, it’s here that the beautifully cynical eye of author Hannah Deitch shines. Skewering hypocrite and non-hypocrite alike, she even includes a how-to manual on how the media creates celebrity villains for villagers with lighted torches to hunt down.
The pacing of the novel is variable depending on whether Evie is thinking again … and getting herself and her fellow fugitive into a deeper mess than they’re already in. And it’s no joke that, each and every time the pair do encounter trouble, the repercussions worsen. I should add here that these episodes of barroom brawl type heroics really make for good reading. No doubt Ms. Deitch goes the extra mile in describing each blow, its impact, and the price of living through the aftermath of what I would call a “fistfest”. This author doesn’t so much write about what occurs as perform an MRI to ensure every nuance is captured. It’s a clever touch that adds immensely to the atmosphere and understanding the predicament. Personally, I loved sinking into the feral nature of two women fighting for their lives.
The set-up of the novel works beautifully. The chapters are interspersed and divided into two basic themes. The first falls under the heading of “the Driving Evie”. It includes everything that takes place in the tutor’s inner world while driving cross-country. For example, concentrating on the mental gymnastics needed to elude capture is one such topic. Trying like hell to figure out the enigmatic traveling companion who doesn’t speak much is another. But Evie’s not complaining about her better half. Seems the woman is a world champion at hotwiring a car, and jumpstarting a car is way more priceless in this situation than someone flapping their gums—which brings us to the second heading. It’s the one that documents and records what’s going on in the outside world. Aptly called “Reality,” this is when the alleged murderess’ hands are off the steering wheel and Evie’s fertile brain is attempting to explain just how far her butt is up the river—and without a paddle.
All-in-all it’s a seamless work that deals with the world we know—and the one we don’t. The enviably-written character studies amp up the tension and give the novel its own unique personality, while the underlying mystery that never fails to trigger unforeseen events is solid and works exceptionally well. Both are used to the highest advantage in solidifying and fleshing out the two lead characters that are both full of secrets and enigmas due to their anathema of confessing all. Note to self: Never accept “piecemeal”.
So if you’re into well-written mysteries that leave plenty of room for surprises and suspense, but also leave a unique fingerprint, then KILLER POTENTIAL is for you. Hannah Deitch has done an outstanding job in offering a one-of-a-kind, knuckle-clenching tale with intrigue used as its supersauce. I highly recommend and am interested in where this author is going in the years ahead. I would also like to thank NetGalley and HarperCollins for giving me the opportunity to receive an ARC copy.
