Review: All These Bodies

Title: All These Bodies

Author: Kendare Blake

Publisher: Quill Tree Books

Publication date: September 21, 2021

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Summary

It’s the summer of 1958 and a string of murders is plaguing the Midwest. All of the victims are found in their homes or cars, completely drained of blood. And no sign of blood anywhere else. The Carlson family has been the latest victims in Minnesota, all found in their home. The only difference? This time, a teenage girl was left behind at the scene, Mary Catherine Hale.

As the first lead in the case, Mary Catherine Hale is taken into custody. The only person she’ll talk to is Michael, the son of the sheriff. His dreams are to become a journalist, but he never imagined that he would get the chance to cover one of the biggest stories in the US.

Review: All These Bodies

Thanks to Quill Tree Books for an advanced copy of this to review! Kendare Blake has skill in writing engaging, creepy stories, and this one definitely fits the bill. I was so hooked that I read the entire book in one night. I picked it up and couldn’t put it down.

One of the things I liked most about this book was the tone of the book. It honestly felt like a documentary or pocast, and this style worked so well for this true crime story. Actually, listening to it would probably be fantastic. Michael is an aspring journalist, and this is why the tone works so well. The point of view also contributes to the mysterious nature of the entire story.

Getting Mary Catherine’s story from Michael’s point of view also makes you wonder how reliable it is. As a reader, it makes trying to figure out fact from fiction even more difficult. Which, overall, just adds to the mystery of the story. Mary Catherine’s story sounds like complete fiction, but then there are events that confirm her story. The entire format makes the book so engaging.

However, the story isn’t completely resolved at the end, which might turn away some people. We never know what actually happened to Mary Catherine and what happened at each of the murders. For me, I didn’t mind not knowing; it adds to the mystery of the whole novel.

All in all, this is a great thriller that will definitely put you in the mood for spooky season.

4/5 stars