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There is no journey into an evil mind, just the author's ego
God, if ever there is a narcissist, is the author writing this book. There are zero citations because he feels he's a good enough source by himself. This entire book is just pure self-promotion, with him speaking about one book or TV series he's been involved with in every single chapter, and his letters and interviews to serial killers are just a form of bragging rights disturbingly.

Ironically, there is little sincere empathy with the victims killed by these psychopaths, but just a titillation factor in this book, with the author essentially being a fanboy of these men and one woman. The book also inadvertently reveals how corrupt the American judicial system is, allowing white men to murder and defraud with impunity, while avoiding life sentences and even being granted parole after murdering three people in cold blood.

And with shockingly little psychology in this book, the author even "runs out" of his word count, so it ends abruptly. It is poorly written, as he repeats the phrase "elephants fly" etc. In every other paragraph, and I can now see why it has received low ratings on review sites. Not worth it.
  
The Farewell (2019)
The Farewell (2019)
2019 | Comedy, Drama
In the West, families celebrate each other in death. If someone is dying, the news is shared and every one comes together to tragically revere their family member. In the West, they celebrate their family member in life. They do not let someone know that they are dying instead bringing a sense of joy by coming together. This culture clash between the New World ideas and Old World ideas populate Lulu Wang's new film "The Farewell." The family matriach has stage 4 cancer, but rather than tell her that she is dying, the two brothers and their families stage a wedding. One son emigrated to America and raised a liberal arts educated daughter who struggles to make ends meet. One son went to Japan and raised his son. Left behind, the sister and a niece took care of their mother. It is revealed how much the sister has sacrificed for this matriach, but she is happy to give her sister the joy to live. Is it wrong to tell a lie if it makes a person's life better? Which idea of death do you follow? Awkwafina gives a surprising performance as Billi, the Asian-American artist who loves her grandmother and struggles to understand how this lie is good. Shuzhen Zhao plays Nai Nai, the family matriach, with spirit and style, the kind of performance Oscar would notice if they gave notice to Asian performances.
  
When Edwina’s funds get low enough, she starts advertising for a boarder. Fortunately for her, Beryl sees it. The two women, though very different, are boarding school friends, and this new living arrangement suits them both. But Beryl’s presence in Edwina’s small village creates some gossip, which Beryl fuels by hinting that the two women are actually employed by His Majesty. When someone tries to kill Edwina, the two realize there is a secret to uncover. What might it be?

This book perfectly transports us back to 1920 and the English countryside. The repercussions of World War I are still there, and it is a fascinating look at how the war affected the rest of life. The British Edwina and American Beryl are very different, and their differences can be fun, yet they make a good detecting pair, and we feel the depth of their friendship. The plot is strong, keeping us surprised until the end.

NOTE: I received an ARC of this book.

Read my full review at <a href="http://carstairsconsiders.blogspot.com/2017/10/book-review-murder-in-english-village.html">Carstairs Considers</a>.