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An Ethical Guide to Murder
How to Kill Your Family meets The Power in this entertaining and thought-provoking read, that asks:
If you had the power between life and death, what would you do?
Thea has a secret.
She can tell how long someone has left to live just by touching them.
Not only that, but she can transfer life from one person to another – something she finds out the hard way when her best friend Ruth suffers a fatal head injury on a night out.
Desperate to save her, Thea touches the arm of the man responsible when he comes to check if Ruth is all right. As Ruth comes to, the man quietly slumps to the ground, dead.
Thea realises that she has a godlike power: but despite deciding to use her ability for good, she can’t help but sometimes use it for her own benefit.
Boss annoying her at work? She can take some life from them and give it as a tip to her masseuse for a great job.
Creating an ‘Ethical Guide to Murder’ helps Thea to focus her new-found skills.
But as she embarks on her mission to punish the wicked and give the deserving more time, she finds that it isn’t as simple as she first thought.
How can she really know who deserves to die, and can she figure out her own rules before Ruth’s borrowed time runs out?
If you had the power between life and death, what would you do?
Thea has a secret.
She can tell how long someone has left to live just by touching them.
Not only that, but she can transfer life from one person to another – something she finds out the hard way when her best friend Ruth suffers a fatal head injury on a night out.
Desperate to save her, Thea touches the arm of the man responsible when he comes to check if Ruth is all right. As Ruth comes to, the man quietly slumps to the ground, dead.
Thea realises that she has a godlike power: but despite deciding to use her ability for good, she can’t help but sometimes use it for her own benefit.
Boss annoying her at work? She can take some life from them and give it as a tip to her masseuse for a great job.
Creating an ‘Ethical Guide to Murder’ helps Thea to focus her new-found skills.
But as she embarks on her mission to punish the wicked and give the deserving more time, she finds that it isn’t as simple as she first thought.
How can she really know who deserves to die, and can she figure out her own rules before Ruth’s borrowed time runs out?
416 pages, Hardcover
First published January 16, 2025
118 people are currently reading
2076 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 287 reviews
February 14, 2025
So much potential and such a missed opportunity... Unfortunately a very disappointing book.
A great concept but a very messy plot. A heroine that couldn't decide what she wanted to be and that made her very unlikeable. She was had no depth and character.
I wanted a badass smart woman that was willing to fight the injustice and not apologise for it but instead the heroine was winy, easy to manipulate and honestly even dumb.
The ending was very disappointing and I just couldn't wait for the book for finally end. Unfortunately couldn't recommend this book.
A great concept but a very messy plot. A heroine that couldn't decide what she wanted to be and that made her very unlikeable. She was had no depth and character.
I wanted a badass smart woman that was willing to fight the injustice and not apologise for it but instead the heroine was winy, easy to manipulate and honestly even dumb.
The ending was very disappointing and I just couldn't wait for the book for finally end. Unfortunately couldn't recommend this book.
September 23, 2025
An Ethical Guide To Murder is an intriguing read, drawing the reader into the moral ambiguity posed by protagonist Thea's ability to determine how much life a person has left simply by touch, and - more troublingly - the ability to transfer days, months or years of life between deserving and undeserving (as determined by her) individuals.
What starts as a reasonably light fantasy-driven tale (how many of us have wished for the sorts of powers that we encountered as early readers in Roald Dahl's The Magic Finger?) rapidly turns darker as Thea's powers attract the interest of a former boyfriend who has a darker agenda in mind.
Thea is a troubling character. She's failed to capitalise on her undoubted intelligence because she's preoccupied with the deaths of both her parents in a car accident when she was a young child. Brought up by her supportive but emotionally-distant grandfather, she yearns for someone to blame, and the driver who left the scene of her parents' fatal accident and has never been brought to justice seems a good choice.
Thea's rather obsessive personality leads her to depend heavily on her best friend and flatmate Ruth, whose life she saves at the expense of a nearby reveller Greg, while partying one night in London. She feels little guilt afterwards, after all she needs Ruth in her life and, as a junior doctor, Ruth is responsible for saving many more lives by her work. Buoyed by the discovery of her powers over life and death, Thea experiments with some personal retribution - an aging retired teacher who bullied her at school - and again justifies her actions as hurting nobody but those who deserved it anyway. Next on the agenda is a loving father and tireless community worker whose life is about to come to a premature end in the Intensive Care Unit where Ruth works. With the extra years of life Thea bestows upon him, he makes a miraculous recovery and is able to return to the community who rely on him.
Darkness enters the story in the shape of Thea's former colleague and crush, Sam, now a successful barrister. Not only does he respond supportively, rather than with the expected horror and disbelief, when Thea confides in him, but he has some ideas about how those powers may be leveraged for justice.
Of course, nothing is quite as it seems and Thea finds herself being manipulated in pursuance of Sam's own agenda. She's pretty slow on the uptake and fails to heed the warnings of Ruth and her grandfather, rapidly finding herself in a legal and moral quagmire of her own making.
I loved the premise of An Ethical Guide To Murder, but found it hard to gel with the feckless Thea as a character. I felt she was at her best and most introspective during the plot thread in which, aided by Sam's contacts, she tracked down the man who had been present on the night of her parents' death. Otherwise, I struggled to really care whether she spent the rest of her life in prison as a murderer or somehow found redemption. I was left feeling that there was a vast potential for moral and ethical conundra here that author Jenny Morris left unexplored. I wonder how the story might have differed had she chosen the morally-upright Ruth as the protagonist with the power over life and death.
What starts as a reasonably light fantasy-driven tale (how many of us have wished for the sorts of powers that we encountered as early readers in Roald Dahl's The Magic Finger?) rapidly turns darker as Thea's powers attract the interest of a former boyfriend who has a darker agenda in mind.
Thea is a troubling character. She's failed to capitalise on her undoubted intelligence because she's preoccupied with the deaths of both her parents in a car accident when she was a young child. Brought up by her supportive but emotionally-distant grandfather, she yearns for someone to blame, and the driver who left the scene of her parents' fatal accident and has never been brought to justice seems a good choice.
Thea's rather obsessive personality leads her to depend heavily on her best friend and flatmate Ruth, whose life she saves at the expense of a nearby reveller Greg, while partying one night in London. She feels little guilt afterwards, after all she needs Ruth in her life and, as a junior doctor, Ruth is responsible for saving many more lives by her work. Buoyed by the discovery of her powers over life and death, Thea experiments with some personal retribution - an aging retired teacher who bullied her at school - and again justifies her actions as hurting nobody but those who deserved it anyway. Next on the agenda is a loving father and tireless community worker whose life is about to come to a premature end in the Intensive Care Unit where Ruth works. With the extra years of life Thea bestows upon him, he makes a miraculous recovery and is able to return to the community who rely on him.
Darkness enters the story in the shape of Thea's former colleague and crush, Sam, now a successful barrister. Not only does he respond supportively, rather than with the expected horror and disbelief, when Thea confides in him, but he has some ideas about how those powers may be leveraged for justice.
Of course, nothing is quite as it seems and Thea finds herself being manipulated in pursuance of Sam's own agenda. She's pretty slow on the uptake and fails to heed the warnings of Ruth and her grandfather, rapidly finding herself in a legal and moral quagmire of her own making.
I loved the premise of An Ethical Guide To Murder, but found it hard to gel with the feckless Thea as a character. I felt she was at her best and most introspective during the plot thread in which, aided by Sam's contacts, she tracked down the man who had been present on the night of her parents' death. Otherwise, I struggled to really care whether she spent the rest of her life in prison as a murderer or somehow found redemption. I was left feeling that there was a vast potential for moral and ethical conundra here that author Jenny Morris left unexplored. I wonder how the story might have differed had she chosen the morally-upright Ruth as the protagonist with the power over life and death.
January 10, 2026
4.5★s
“Right and wrong are not mutually exclusive concepts. Having a good reason to do a terrible thing doesn’t make it any less terrible. Especially if you’re the one deciding what’s moral and what’s not.”
An Ethical Guide To Murder is the first novel by British author, Jenny Morris. When she accidentally discovers that her best friend of seventeen years, Ruth Levy has mere hours to live, Thea Greaves is desperate to do something. Inexplicably, it seems she suddenly knows the lifespan of anyone she encounters, just by touch. Even more surprising, as Ruth lies dying, that Thea can suck the life out of the drunk who caused the fatal fall, and pass his remaining time to Ruth, recently qualified as a doctor. At first she thinks “what’s more likely? That I have a supernatural ability or that I’ve gone insane?”
She may be working in an unfulfilling job in HR, but Thea is a failed lawyer, and aware of the ethical and moral implications of wielding such power. Before she has even fully thought it through, her best intentions fly out the window in a moment of anger as she takes the life of her cruel primary school teacher. She gives those years to Ruth too.
On the hunt for deserving souls to deprive so she can save a philanthropist lying in Ruth’s ICU, she encounters charismatic lawyer, Sam Ellis, just as she needs him, and the circumstances lead him to guess at what she has done. Sam was a crush during a work experience placement and, in vain, Ruth warns Thea not to succumb to his charms. When he learns the truth, Sam can see enormous potential, if only Thea will trust him. Together they develop an Ethical Guide To Murder, a set of rules to follow, but which backfires on her rather badly…
In Thea, Morris gives the reader a protagonist who seems initially to lack maturity, poorly controls her temper, and is naïve enough to be fairly easily manipulated by Sam to virtually murder on command. Not until Thea learns the true nature of some she endows with life, and some she kills, does she develop a bit of backbone and enough conscience to really do the right thing.
Undeniably thought-provoking, cleverly-plotted, satisfyingly-resolved, and sometimes blackly funny, this is an impressive debut.
This unbiased review is from an uncorrected proof copy provided by NetGalley and Simon&Schuster UK.
“Right and wrong are not mutually exclusive concepts. Having a good reason to do a terrible thing doesn’t make it any less terrible. Especially if you’re the one deciding what’s moral and what’s not.”
An Ethical Guide To Murder is the first novel by British author, Jenny Morris. When she accidentally discovers that her best friend of seventeen years, Ruth Levy has mere hours to live, Thea Greaves is desperate to do something. Inexplicably, it seems she suddenly knows the lifespan of anyone she encounters, just by touch. Even more surprising, as Ruth lies dying, that Thea can suck the life out of the drunk who caused the fatal fall, and pass his remaining time to Ruth, recently qualified as a doctor. At first she thinks “what’s more likely? That I have a supernatural ability or that I’ve gone insane?”
She may be working in an unfulfilling job in HR, but Thea is a failed lawyer, and aware of the ethical and moral implications of wielding such power. Before she has even fully thought it through, her best intentions fly out the window in a moment of anger as she takes the life of her cruel primary school teacher. She gives those years to Ruth too.
On the hunt for deserving souls to deprive so she can save a philanthropist lying in Ruth’s ICU, she encounters charismatic lawyer, Sam Ellis, just as she needs him, and the circumstances lead him to guess at what she has done. Sam was a crush during a work experience placement and, in vain, Ruth warns Thea not to succumb to his charms. When he learns the truth, Sam can see enormous potential, if only Thea will trust him. Together they develop an Ethical Guide To Murder, a set of rules to follow, but which backfires on her rather badly…
In Thea, Morris gives the reader a protagonist who seems initially to lack maturity, poorly controls her temper, and is naïve enough to be fairly easily manipulated by Sam to virtually murder on command. Not until Thea learns the true nature of some she endows with life, and some she kills, does she develop a bit of backbone and enough conscience to really do the right thing.
Undeniably thought-provoking, cleverly-plotted, satisfyingly-resolved, and sometimes blackly funny, this is an impressive debut.
This unbiased review is from an uncorrected proof copy provided by NetGalley and Simon&Schuster UK.
December 30, 2024
Thank you to Netgalley for providing me with an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
I absolutely loved the premise of this book, someone who has the power to not only see how long someone has left to live, but also the ability to transfer the time left between people. The ethical dilemma between choosing whether to use this power, and then choosing who deserves to live and who deserves to die is also intriguing.
I have a few issues with this book. The first is that Thea, to me, is insufferable. I can't stand her as the main character, I would honestly barely be able to deal with her even as a minor character. She has no accountability, and she seems to blame everyone else for her shortcomings.
I absolutely loved the premise of this book, someone who has the power to not only see how long someone has left to live, but also the ability to transfer the time left between people. The ethical dilemma between choosing whether to use this power, and then choosing who deserves to live and who deserves to die is also intriguing.
I have a few issues with this book. The first is that Thea, to me, is insufferable. I can't stand her as the main character, I would honestly barely be able to deal with her even as a minor character. She has no accountability, and she seems to blame everyone else for her shortcomings.
January 24, 2025
An Ethical Guide to Murder looks, from the cover, like it’s going to be a light hearted and hilarious tale of feminist murder, with the little graphic of a woman weighing a man’s dead body. Let me tell you, it is so much more…
On a night out with her best friend, Thea discovers two things. One, that she can see how long a person has left to live by touching them. And two, she can drain that life away in an instant and give it to someone else.
Despite wanting to use her power for good, Thea is only human and therefore fundamentally flawed. She let’s her emotions get the better of her and often uses her power to make herself feel better. She tries to think of the bigger picture and use her dark power to better the world, but soon discovers that right and wrong are rarely black and white…
Hilariously entertaining one moment and heart wrenching another, this book takes the reader on a rollercoaster. I wanted to support Thea and yet her shortcomings make it difficult. She can be selfish, self centred and entitled. She is also a little emotionally immature, having suffered a loss at a young age which has fundamentally affected her personality. I felt for her, and hoped she would come good in the end.
I felt that the novel was a little long, losing pace. At one point I felt as though it was coming to a natural conclusion and yet it continued. Saying that, I loved the ending and glad that it continued so the reader could have those last few pages! My heart was in my throat and I was left speechless.
A novel of multitudes, An Ethical Guide to Murder would be a perfect book club read as it provides endless amount of discussion material. What gives Thea the right to decide who lives and dies? How can anyone decide who is more deserving of extra time? Is Thea a bad person? Do you consider her redeemed by her actions at the end? I could go on and on, questions of morality and mortality raised in abundance.
An original, thought-provoking novel and cracking debut. Not to be missed!
On a night out with her best friend, Thea discovers two things. One, that she can see how long a person has left to live by touching them. And two, she can drain that life away in an instant and give it to someone else.
Despite wanting to use her power for good, Thea is only human and therefore fundamentally flawed. She let’s her emotions get the better of her and often uses her power to make herself feel better. She tries to think of the bigger picture and use her dark power to better the world, but soon discovers that right and wrong are rarely black and white…
Hilariously entertaining one moment and heart wrenching another, this book takes the reader on a rollercoaster. I wanted to support Thea and yet her shortcomings make it difficult. She can be selfish, self centred and entitled. She is also a little emotionally immature, having suffered a loss at a young age which has fundamentally affected her personality. I felt for her, and hoped she would come good in the end.
I felt that the novel was a little long, losing pace. At one point I felt as though it was coming to a natural conclusion and yet it continued. Saying that, I loved the ending and glad that it continued so the reader could have those last few pages! My heart was in my throat and I was left speechless.
A novel of multitudes, An Ethical Guide to Murder would be a perfect book club read as it provides endless amount of discussion material. What gives Thea the right to decide who lives and dies? How can anyone decide who is more deserving of extra time? Is Thea a bad person? Do you consider her redeemed by her actions at the end? I could go on and on, questions of morality and mortality raised in abundance.
An original, thought-provoking novel and cracking debut. Not to be missed!
January 17, 2025
Thea has just discovered something pretty amazing - she can tell how long someone has to live, just by touching them. As well as that she’s realised she can transfer life from one person to another, after she does just that to save her best friend Ruth from a fatal accident. Excuse the irony, but this is life changing! Thea can really use this power to her advantage, knocking years off the people who annoy her, adding years on to those she likes. It’s her own Ethical Guide to Murder and she can make the world a better place.
But as time goes on Thea realises this isn’t as easy as it sounds, and things aren’t always as cut and dried as first appearances suggest. How can Thea work out who really, truly deserves to die, how can anyone for that matter?
Well, this was certainly a unique premise and I wasn’t sure how I’d feel about it. However creating Thea as an average, relatable person made me fall straight into the story and before I knew it I was completely sucked into her many quandaries. I was also fascinated by her own back story, which developed quite cleverly and definitely added some depth to the plot. There are a few interesting characters in this book, I couldn’t say I liked many of them but that didn’t hamper my enjoyment of the story.
It’s an original concept, cleverly implemented and had me regularly wondering about all the possibilities if such a thing could really happen.
But as time goes on Thea realises this isn’t as easy as it sounds, and things aren’t always as cut and dried as first appearances suggest. How can Thea work out who really, truly deserves to die, how can anyone for that matter?
Well, this was certainly a unique premise and I wasn’t sure how I’d feel about it. However creating Thea as an average, relatable person made me fall straight into the story and before I knew it I was completely sucked into her many quandaries. I was also fascinated by her own back story, which developed quite cleverly and definitely added some depth to the plot. There are a few interesting characters in this book, I couldn’t say I liked many of them but that didn’t hamper my enjoyment of the story.
It’s an original concept, cleverly implemented and had me regularly wondering about all the possibilities if such a thing could really happen.
January 21, 2025
The book is well written and it’s medium paced while the mystery is slow burn. The premise of the book is pretty intriguing. I didn’t completely connect with the main character but did find the plot intriguing. Thea is an ordinary woman who is gifted with an ability to see how long someone has to live and can even transfer life. But the choices put her in dilemma. The book explores the themes of life, death, morality, personal gain and balancing the choices being made and consequences. The book was truly thought provoking.
Many Thanks to Random Things Tours and to the Publisher
Many Thanks to Random Things Tours and to the Publisher
February 25, 2025
I loved 98% of it.
The whole book grabbed my attention, but THAT ending. The ending left a sour aftertaste.
The whole book grabbed my attention, but THAT ending. The ending left a sour aftertaste.
January 17, 2025
I was sent this book by the publisher for an honest review.
....and luckily for them, I have no problem recommending this one 100%!!
Such a fabulous premise by the author. Thea works out she has the power to take someone's life and pass it on to someone else. She uses this to save her friend from dying, and then she can't stop herself from using her powers 'for good'. But who 'deserves' to die and who 'deserves' to live? This is something Thea must work out to be able to control her new gift.
This book was funny, unique, well plotted and well written. The main character was unlikeable, but very realistic. The secondary characters are all great, and I really enjoyed following Thea along on her journey.
Recommended to anyone looking for a different kind of crime fiction book. You won't regret starting this one.
....and luckily for them, I have no problem recommending this one 100%!!
Such a fabulous premise by the author. Thea works out she has the power to take someone's life and pass it on to someone else. She uses this to save her friend from dying, and then she can't stop herself from using her powers 'for good'. But who 'deserves' to die and who 'deserves' to live? This is something Thea must work out to be able to control her new gift.
This book was funny, unique, well plotted and well written. The main character was unlikeable, but very realistic. The secondary characters are all great, and I really enjoyed following Thea along on her journey.
Recommended to anyone looking for a different kind of crime fiction book. You won't regret starting this one.
July 10, 2025
Pensei que ia achar mais piada a este livro mas ele perde-se pelo meio, tinha potencial mas não o aproveitou
June 23, 2025
Thank you MIRA and Netgalley for the ARC!
So I honestly don't know how I feel about this novel. I liked the theme, the conversation of when it is ethical to murder, when it is ethical to extend someone's life, and how we really shouldn't play G-d....but that we also would 100% do so if our loves ones were on the line. I loved how it showed the way men will cover for other men. Overall, the purpose and moral of the story I loved.
I hated the characters. The FMC is obnoxious and needed therapy. The best friend? I HATED HER. And don't get me started on the men, they were all walking red flags. Honestly, the only person I liked was the grandpa.
I do think this is a good and interesting read if one is into philosophy, but as a thriller I felt bored.
So I honestly don't know how I feel about this novel. I liked the theme, the conversation of when it is ethical to murder, when it is ethical to extend someone's life, and how we really shouldn't play G-d....but that we also would 100% do so if our loves ones were on the line. I loved how it showed the way men will cover for other men. Overall, the purpose and moral of the story I loved.
I hated the characters. The FMC is obnoxious and needed therapy. The best friend? I HATED HER. And don't get me started on the men, they were all walking red flags. Honestly, the only person I liked was the grandpa.
I do think this is a good and interesting read if one is into philosophy, but as a thriller I felt bored.
February 9, 2025
How to kill your family x How to get away with murder vibes! Loved the debate throughout of morality and ethics.
August 10, 2025
4.5/5 ⭐️ rounded up
RTC
RTC
August 19, 2025
I came across this book on NetGalley originally and couldn’t wait to get my hands on a copy. The cover and the description immediately had me curious. An Ethical Guide to Murder is a darkly compelling, morally tangled thriller that asks a chilling question: If you could decide who lives and who dies, how far would you go?
Thea is an ordinary woman with an extraordinary – and dangerous – gift. With just a touch, she can see exactly how much time a person has left. More shockingly, she can transfer life from one person to another. Her powers are discovered under traumatic circumstances when her best friend, Ruth, is critically injured, and in a desperate attempt to save her, Thea steals life from the man responsible. Ruth recovers. The man dies instantly. And Thea realises she now holds a godlike ability in her hands.
Jenny Morris crafts a story that is part supernatural morality tale, part psychological suspense. Thea’s journey is fascinating and unsettling; she begins with the intention to “do good,” but temptation soon creeps in. An irritating boss? A deserving stranger? She convinces herself that her choices are justified, yet every act blurs the line between justice and selfishness. Watching her navigate these grey areas is where the novel truly shines – it’s not just about what she can do, but what she should do.
The writing is addictive, with moments of dry humour that keep the darkness from becoming overwhelming. Morris doesn’t shy away from showing the consequences of Thea’s decisions, both for those around her and for her own conscience. By the end, the reader is left questioning not only Thea’s ethics, but also what they might do in her place.
If you enjoy morally complex characters, a touch of the supernatural, and a plot that makes you wrestle with your own sense of right and wrong, An Ethical Guide to Murder delivers a thought-provoking and engaging read.
https://featzreviews.com/an-ethical-g...
Thea is an ordinary woman with an extraordinary – and dangerous – gift. With just a touch, she can see exactly how much time a person has left. More shockingly, she can transfer life from one person to another. Her powers are discovered under traumatic circumstances when her best friend, Ruth, is critically injured, and in a desperate attempt to save her, Thea steals life from the man responsible. Ruth recovers. The man dies instantly. And Thea realises she now holds a godlike ability in her hands.
Jenny Morris crafts a story that is part supernatural morality tale, part psychological suspense. Thea’s journey is fascinating and unsettling; she begins with the intention to “do good,” but temptation soon creeps in. An irritating boss? A deserving stranger? She convinces herself that her choices are justified, yet every act blurs the line between justice and selfishness. Watching her navigate these grey areas is where the novel truly shines – it’s not just about what she can do, but what she should do.
The writing is addictive, with moments of dry humour that keep the darkness from becoming overwhelming. Morris doesn’t shy away from showing the consequences of Thea’s decisions, both for those around her and for her own conscience. By the end, the reader is left questioning not only Thea’s ethics, but also what they might do in her place.
If you enjoy morally complex characters, a touch of the supernatural, and a plot that makes you wrestle with your own sense of right and wrong, An Ethical Guide to Murder delivers a thought-provoking and engaging read.
https://featzreviews.com/an-ethical-g...
January 28, 2025
An Ethical Guide to Murder by Jenny Morris was such a thought provoking book. Thea suddenly develops the power to see how long someone has left to live simply by touching them, then accidentally discovers she can also take life from one person and pass it another. Understandably, this freaks her out at first but before long she embraces her sense of power, choosing to take the life from people who she thinks don’t deserve to live and passing it to those who do with very little guilt.
She soon discovers that what she thought was the right thing at the time, isn’t always the case. People who seem to be good aren’t always what they seem and other people deserve forgiveness rather than death. There were a couple of good twists along the way and I absolutely loved the ending.
A fast paced, thrilling and clever read that really makes you think.
She soon discovers that what she thought was the right thing at the time, isn’t always the case. People who seem to be good aren’t always what they seem and other people deserve forgiveness rather than death. There were a couple of good twists along the way and I absolutely loved the ending.
A fast paced, thrilling and clever read that really makes you think.
November 2, 2025
They say life’s too short for bad wine or books that don’t click—and with only 24 hours in a day, I had to make a call. Despite a premise that promised intrigue with a sprinkle of ethics and murder (what’s not to love?), the delivery didn’t land for me. The protagonist’s immaturity grated more than entertained—cue an unhealthy obsession with her best friend, bizarre jealousy over TV-watching rights, and a refusal to take control of her own power. By the 38% mark, I found myself reaching for literally anything else—like metabolic health and vulvar anatomy.
I’m here for character growth and big ideas, this just made me question my book choices and gave me a growing urge to DNF. While it just wasn’t my cup of tea, I’m sure there’s a reader out there who’ll devour it with delight. I’ll be cheering them on... from a safe literary distance.
DNF at Chapter 15 (of 37)
Format: eBook
Read alongside: Outlive (Dr Peter Attia, audio), The Vagina Bible (Dr Jen Gunter, book)
Read after: Raising Girls Who Like Themselves (Edwards, audio), The Empyrean series #1–3 (Yarros, audio)
I’m here for character growth and big ideas, this just made me question my book choices and gave me a growing urge to DNF. While it just wasn’t my cup of tea, I’m sure there’s a reader out there who’ll devour it with delight. I’ll be cheering them on... from a safe literary distance.
DNF at Chapter 15 (of 37)
Format: eBook
Read alongside: Outlive (Dr Peter Attia, audio), The Vagina Bible (Dr Jen Gunter, book)
Read after: Raising Girls Who Like Themselves (Edwards, audio), The Empyrean series #1–3 (Yarros, audio)
January 18, 2025
This was interesting and fun to read. The good side is how thoroughly the central premise was explored; there is a lot of plot, exciting and eventful plot that comes at a variety of ethical questions from many angles. I enoyed reading it and was never bored. The downside is that it takes a lot of coincidences and convenient connections to assemble the plot, and we need to move through the various stages of plot so cleanly and quickly that dialogue becomes a perfunctory way to convey information and characters can be a bit flat. I enjoyed it as a sort of well-conceived thought experiment, rather than for the writing or characters.
For once I see what they are saying by describing this as "How to Kill Your Family meets The Power", and I would say I liked it better than both... but I didn't particuarly like either of them, so make of that what you will.
For once I see what they are saying by describing this as "How to Kill Your Family meets The Power", and I would say I liked it better than both... but I didn't particuarly like either of them, so make of that what you will.
October 4, 2025
Very funny and would watch the movie for sureee
But it was also very meandering at times and felt like it lost direction
Cool concept tho!
But it was also very meandering at times and felt like it lost direction
Cool concept tho!
October 21, 2024
✨”an ethical guide to murder” aka “thea vs a trazillion of trolley problems”✨
finished this in less than 24 hours! — which basically already tells you everything you need to know 😌
gripping right from the start, with a lot of humour balancing out the darker themes & an ending which actually made me shed a little tear 🫱🏾🫲🏼
also featuring a lot of morally grey characters that more often than not made me question my own moral stances when i found myself kinda rooting for them 🌚
finished this in less than 24 hours! — which basically already tells you everything you need to know 😌
gripping right from the start, with a lot of humour balancing out the darker themes & an ending which actually made me shed a little tear 🫱🏾🫲🏼
also featuring a lot of morally grey characters that more often than not made me question my own moral stances when i found myself kinda rooting for them 🌚
March 1, 2025
I loved the premise, loved the beginning but once Sam came along, it got silly, what with living in the amazing flat owned by others who don’t live there, and choosing bad people to kill, so I skipped to the end.
March 10, 2025
This was prettu good, surprised me
April 27, 2025
Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for an advanced reader copy
An Ethical Guide to Murder by Jenny Morris is a first person-POV speculative novel asking ‘What if you had the power to give and take life at your will?’ Thea lost her parents in a drunk driving accident years ago and has been struggling ever since, including failing to start a career in law. When she realizes her best friend, Ruth, is about to die, Thea takes life from a jerk close-by and gives it to Ruth. This starts her on a path where she starts becoming judge, jury, and executioner.
When I first heard about this book, the first thing that went through my mind was ‘Death Note?’ As such, I needed to read it for myself to see how similar or dissimilar it is to the animanga classic exploring how good intentions can be warped when someone has too much power. An Ethical Guide to Murder is similar in that Thea can take life and has some control over how it’s taken (mostly by how much time she takes vs Light being able to clearly state the how if he so wishes) and Thea goes on a similar arc where she starts to become intoxicated by her power. Where it’s different is that there are no death gods or any deities at all, the investigation aspects are not that big of a part of the book, and because Thea needs to touch someone to take life or know when they’ll die, she never reaches the international stage Light did. It’s a very different take on a similar premise but will still satisfy readers who want that character arc where the lead starts to become a villain even if you understand where some of it is coming from.
I found it really interesting how Thea has an incredibly strong moral code in regards to children and that is the main thing that threatens to make her change her decisions. She’ll never take life from a child and is resistant to leaving children without a parent, becoming hesitant when she learns one of her targets has a teenage son. From a societal standpoint, it makes perfect sense that she would have this code given her own history and we tend to agree that if there is anyone who needs to be protected, it is children. I think why I find this so interesting is that Death Note never really asked this question about who was always going to be a step too far so for Jenny Morris to give a clear answer and stick to it really worked for me.
The other thing I found interesting was how stuck Thea is in life and the ennui she has and how she starts being more active when she has a chance to take down capitalists who aren’t doing enough with their wealth. This is something that I think is a very common thought that many of us have as the world burns and keeps burning and yet many of the people with the most wealth don’t seem interested in actually doing anything about it. It’s a thought experiment that is very honest about how so many would handle this exact scenario if they were in Thea’s situation instead of making her this great champion of justice who always makes good choices. Even in times of despair, we need art that reminds us that when people have the power to decide who lives and dies, it doesn’t matter what their intentions are; they could always start doing more harm than good.
I would recommend this to fans of Death Note who a similar idea in a very different direction and readers looking for a book exploring a messy character who has power over life and death
An Ethical Guide to Murder by Jenny Morris is a first person-POV speculative novel asking ‘What if you had the power to give and take life at your will?’ Thea lost her parents in a drunk driving accident years ago and has been struggling ever since, including failing to start a career in law. When she realizes her best friend, Ruth, is about to die, Thea takes life from a jerk close-by and gives it to Ruth. This starts her on a path where she starts becoming judge, jury, and executioner.
When I first heard about this book, the first thing that went through my mind was ‘Death Note?’ As such, I needed to read it for myself to see how similar or dissimilar it is to the animanga classic exploring how good intentions can be warped when someone has too much power. An Ethical Guide to Murder is similar in that Thea can take life and has some control over how it’s taken (mostly by how much time she takes vs Light being able to clearly state the how if he so wishes) and Thea goes on a similar arc where she starts to become intoxicated by her power. Where it’s different is that there are no death gods or any deities at all, the investigation aspects are not that big of a part of the book, and because Thea needs to touch someone to take life or know when they’ll die, she never reaches the international stage Light did. It’s a very different take on a similar premise but will still satisfy readers who want that character arc where the lead starts to become a villain even if you understand where some of it is coming from.
I found it really interesting how Thea has an incredibly strong moral code in regards to children and that is the main thing that threatens to make her change her decisions. She’ll never take life from a child and is resistant to leaving children without a parent, becoming hesitant when she learns one of her targets has a teenage son. From a societal standpoint, it makes perfect sense that she would have this code given her own history and we tend to agree that if there is anyone who needs to be protected, it is children. I think why I find this so interesting is that Death Note never really asked this question about who was always going to be a step too far so for Jenny Morris to give a clear answer and stick to it really worked for me.
The other thing I found interesting was how stuck Thea is in life and the ennui she has and how she starts being more active when she has a chance to take down capitalists who aren’t doing enough with their wealth. This is something that I think is a very common thought that many of us have as the world burns and keeps burning and yet many of the people with the most wealth don’t seem interested in actually doing anything about it. It’s a thought experiment that is very honest about how so many would handle this exact scenario if they were in Thea’s situation instead of making her this great champion of justice who always makes good choices. Even in times of despair, we need art that reminds us that when people have the power to decide who lives and dies, it doesn’t matter what their intentions are; they could always start doing more harm than good.
I would recommend this to fans of Death Note who a similar idea in a very different direction and readers looking for a book exploring a messy character who has power over life and death
March 23, 2025
This book begs the question: with the power to give and take life; where is the line that it’s too late to come back from?
I think what I liked most about this book is the believability in Thea’s Story on what coming with the power to save and harm people by taking their years of life can do to a person.
If I had a window into seeing when someone close to me was going to die and I could change it by taking away another persons life force (especially people who are in the sense, wasting the life that they have) and save them with it? I would do it without a second thought. But I could also see how that would be a slippery slope to navigate. Following Thea on her journey through this terrifying god like power was for sure an anxiety inducing ride.
Some scenes were fillers and could have been tossed out but overall it was an engaging story you didn’t know what was going to happen.
I would give it a 4 star rating and would recommend it to anyone look for an interesting take on the morally grey genre
I think what I liked most about this book is the believability in Thea’s Story on what coming with the power to save and harm people by taking their years of life can do to a person.
If I had a window into seeing when someone close to me was going to die and I could change it by taking away another persons life force (especially people who are in the sense, wasting the life that they have) and save them with it? I would do it without a second thought. But I could also see how that would be a slippery slope to navigate. Following Thea on her journey through this terrifying god like power was for sure an anxiety inducing ride.
Some scenes were fillers and could have been tossed out but overall it was an engaging story you didn’t know what was going to happen.
I would give it a 4 star rating and would recommend it to anyone look for an interesting take on the morally grey genre
June 25, 2025
Would you save someone’s life at the cost of another?
This book was very thought provoking and was a beautiful illustration of how an addiction can truly take over someone’s life. I honestly believe that this is a book that I will keep in mind as I enter into the field of counseling.
It did get a little dark at points (mainly because you are reading from the pov of Thea and read about her experience of taking and holding onto someone’s life), and was a slow-burn thriller as others have called it. However, it was an enjoyable read that got you thinking.
Also, if I ask you how much you would eat a human toe for, this book is the reason for that. 😂
Trigger Warnings: Murder, Animal Harm, Suicide, and Rape to a secondary character
This book was very thought provoking and was a beautiful illustration of how an addiction can truly take over someone’s life. I honestly believe that this is a book that I will keep in mind as I enter into the field of counseling.
It did get a little dark at points (mainly because you are reading from the pov of Thea and read about her experience of taking and holding onto someone’s life), and was a slow-burn thriller as others have called it. However, it was an enjoyable read that got you thinking.
Also, if I ask you how much you would eat a human toe for, this book is the reason for that. 😂
Trigger Warnings: Murder, Animal Harm, Suicide, and Rape to a secondary character
June 21, 2025
I have never read a book with such a unique plot and story line. The whole concept of “ethical murder” was so interesting. It made me think about deep philosophical questions and how human beings justify what is right and wrong. Would you take life from someone who is bad and give it to someone who is good if you could? It was a very entertaining read with twists and turns and dilemmas.
May 6, 2025
I LOVED this book- really got me thinking about how deserves to die and the butterfly effect. I was hooked the whole time and while some of it was predictable I really, really enjoyed reading this
May 12, 2025
3 ⭐️ een uniek boek en zeker interessant om te lezen. Ik merkte alleen dat ik het boek te lang vond en geen verbintenis had met personages. Daardoor vergat ik ook steeds een stuk van het verhaal/een personage. Daardoor een 3 ster. Wel interessant plot en vermaakt, maar geen favoriet.
July 17, 2025
A great idea but too long and too repetitive.
September 5, 2025
3,5 🌟
Verrassend goed!
Verrassend goed!
December 7, 2024
An Ethical Guide to Murder brought up so many ethical questions and left me thinking about those long after the book ended. The writing itself was easy to digest, which I think is important with a premise like this one, and the humor was well done (I even found myself laughing aloud at some points). Even though there weren’t any characters that I felt were “likable,,” and there were some elements in the book that I disagreed with, Jenny still creates strong a foundation for understanding why her characters act and think the way they do.
At no point did I know where the book was going, but that made the ending all the more beautiful and impactful. This is the first book I’ve ever cried in (and I’ve been reading books all my life). The selflessness and growth Thea showed in the arc towards the end was so well done.
3.5 stars, rounded up. Thank you to NetGalley and Harlequin for this arc.
At no point did I know where the book was going, but that made the ending all the more beautiful and impactful. This is the first book I’ve ever cried in (and I’ve been reading books all my life). The selflessness and growth Thea showed in the arc towards the end was so well done.
3.5 stars, rounded up. Thank you to NetGalley and Harlequin for this arc.
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