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What About the Bodies
7 h, 5 minutes
In this propulsive crime novel from Edgar Award nominee Ken Jaworowski, three lives collide in a gritty rust-belt town—a single mother covering up a deadly mistake, a young man on a mission to honor a dying wish, and a musician racing to escape a violent debt.
Carla, a single mom poised to finally break free from her cycle of poverty, must risk it all, including her morality, to help her son hide a terrible secret.
Reed, an autistic young man, sets out on a journey to keep a deathbed promise to the mother he just lost. Along the way he’ll encounter both kindhearted residents and a cold-blooded nemesis.
And Liz, an aspiring musician on the cusp of a breakthrough, needs to quickly come up with the cash she owes a brutal ex-con. If she can’t pay him, both her dream and her life will be in grave danger.
As these three compelling characters intersect, the novel ignites into a story filled with explosive twists, hair-raising chills, and boundless love.
In this propulsive crime novel from Edgar Award nominee Ken Jaworowski, three lives collide in a gritty rust-belt town—a single mother covering up a deadly mistake, a young man on a mission to honor a dying wish, and a musician racing to escape a violent debt.
Carla, a single mom poised to finally break free from her cycle of poverty, must risk it all, including her morality, to help her son hide a terrible secret.
Reed, an autistic young man, sets out on a journey to keep a deathbed promise to the mother he just lost. Along the way he’ll encounter both kindhearted residents and a cold-blooded nemesis.
And Liz, an aspiring musician on the cusp of a breakthrough, needs to quickly come up with the cash she owes a brutal ex-con. If she can’t pay him, both her dream and her life will be in grave danger.
As these three compelling characters intersect, the novel ignites into a story filled with explosive twists, hair-raising chills, and boundless love.
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Published September 2, 2025
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 153 reviews
September 1, 2025
Thanks to NetGalley and Grove Atlantic for this gripping thriller. Publication is scheduled for September 02/ 2025. It is written in a straightforward manner, making it easy to read, with no unnecessary fillers. The characters are engaging and believable. They find themselves in predicaments that seem difficult or impossible to resolve. The suspense is nerve-wracking as they attempt to muddle and bungle their way out of their life-changing situations.
Carla is a single mother who has plans to build a restaurant and a better life for herself and her teenage son, Billy. A girl has been missing for almost a year despite police searches and other efforts to find her. Carla is shocked and frightened when Billy informs her that the girl is buried in their backyard. She dreads prison if the body is discovered.
Reed is a young autistic man. He is a literal thinker, and it is impossible for him to lie. He created a rough figure in craft class, and his mother loves it as a gift from his heart. She wanted it buried with her when she dies, and Reed has promised. After her death, Reed discovers that his brother either neglected or refused to place it in her coffin. He hurries to the mausoleum, but is told that the coffin cannot be opened. Breaking a promise shatters his mindset and leaves him in a state of anxiety.
Liz has a small nighttime job, playing guitar and singing songs she composes. She has been given the chance to audition in Nashville, which will give her the opportunity to make it big in the music industry. Her car and guitar are destroyed, and Liz is broke, with no way to keep her appointment in Nashville. To make matters worse, she is indebted to a brutal gangster. He threatens that if he is not repaid immediately, her life is in danger.
When they follow their separate paths, the book is impossible to put down. It becomes heart-pounding and tension-filled. We hope they can find solutions to their problems and lead a better, more normal life. Their struggles add a dark sense of humour to the story.
Highly recommended.
Carla is a single mother who has plans to build a restaurant and a better life for herself and her teenage son, Billy. A girl has been missing for almost a year despite police searches and other efforts to find her. Carla is shocked and frightened when Billy informs her that the girl is buried in their backyard. She dreads prison if the body is discovered.
Reed is a young autistic man. He is a literal thinker, and it is impossible for him to lie. He created a rough figure in craft class, and his mother loves it as a gift from his heart. She wanted it buried with her when she dies, and Reed has promised. After her death, Reed discovers that his brother either neglected or refused to place it in her coffin. He hurries to the mausoleum, but is told that the coffin cannot be opened. Breaking a promise shatters his mindset and leaves him in a state of anxiety.
Liz has a small nighttime job, playing guitar and singing songs she composes. She has been given the chance to audition in Nashville, which will give her the opportunity to make it big in the music industry. Her car and guitar are destroyed, and Liz is broke, with no way to keep her appointment in Nashville. To make matters worse, she is indebted to a brutal gangster. He threatens that if he is not repaid immediately, her life is in danger.
When they follow their separate paths, the book is impossible to put down. It becomes heart-pounding and tension-filled. We hope they can find solutions to their problems and lead a better, more normal life. Their struggles add a dark sense of humour to the story.
Highly recommended.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 4, 2025
The first 80% of WHAT ABOUT THE BODIES was outstanding; the final 20% was very disappointing. It ends on an extremely depressing note.
This is not a novel per se—a long narrative consisting of a connected sequence of events—but rather three independent novelettes, interwoven, describing experiences of three independent protagonists living in Locksburg, Pennsylvania, a former coal-and-steel centre, now a decaying small town providing refuge or a few hangers-on. Three independent stories taking place at the same time. I kept expecting them to come together, coalesce, with an emotional bang, changing the trajectory of the protagonists’ lives when they clashed. Instead, they briefly met near the end but there was no emotional clash; their interactions were unimportant, like ships passing in the night.
All that these protagonists had in common was that they were extremely unlucky, and that unfortunately they sometimes became entangled with nefarious characters, including, in one case, a hard-hearted killer.
Most of us read thrillers because we want things to end right, the culprits caught, and justice to prevail. When an author doesn’t give us that satisfaction, we are often left with a feeling of unease. Because this was a well-written book, I raced through it, and then felt like I was punched in the gut by the ending. This ending sent me into a depression for a week.
The author's writing is outstanding. What turned me off was his philosophy. He writes about a world in which Justice does not always prevail, a world where Luck plays a large part in how life unfolds.
I would recommend WHAT ABOUT THE BODIES to readers who like novels by Cormac McCarthy and Jim Thompson. I was captivated by the main characters in the novelettes; completely empathized with them. I, personally, would never read another book by this author but I can see why many would love his work.
Thanks to Grove Atlantic for providing an electronic copy of this book via NetGalley. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinions.
This is not a novel per se—a long narrative consisting of a connected sequence of events—but rather three independent novelettes, interwoven, describing experiences of three independent protagonists living in Locksburg, Pennsylvania, a former coal-and-steel centre, now a decaying small town providing refuge or a few hangers-on. Three independent stories taking place at the same time. I kept expecting them to come together, coalesce, with an emotional bang, changing the trajectory of the protagonists’ lives when they clashed. Instead, they briefly met near the end but there was no emotional clash; their interactions were unimportant, like ships passing in the night.
All that these protagonists had in common was that they were extremely unlucky, and that unfortunately they sometimes became entangled with nefarious characters, including, in one case, a hard-hearted killer.
Most of us read thrillers because we want things to end right, the culprits caught, and justice to prevail. When an author doesn’t give us that satisfaction, we are often left with a feeling of unease. Because this was a well-written book, I raced through it, and then felt like I was punched in the gut by the ending. This ending sent me into a depression for a week.
The author's writing is outstanding. What turned me off was his philosophy. He writes about a world in which Justice does not always prevail, a world where Luck plays a large part in how life unfolds.
I would recommend WHAT ABOUT THE BODIES to readers who like novels by Cormac McCarthy and Jim Thompson. I was captivated by the main characters in the novelettes; completely empathized with them. I, personally, would never read another book by this author but I can see why many would love his work.
Thanks to Grove Atlantic for providing an electronic copy of this book via NetGalley. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinions.
August 31, 2025
I always enjoy reading books set in Pennsylvania, my home state. Like Jaworowski's last book, Small Town Sins, this one's set in the fictional town of Locksburg. (I spent quite a bit of time trying to figure out its exact location. Hints: rural, methy, near the Susquehanna River. Yeah . . . that could be a lot of places in Pennsyltuckey.)
The narrative here continually flips through three characters who are facing the toughest challenges of their lives. A woman hoping for stardom in Nashville falls increasingly in debt to a local scumbag, a young autistic man tries to keep a promise to his late mother, while another mother struggles to correct an "error in judgement" that could send her only child to prison. Things go from bad to worse to absolutely dreadful as everything comes to a head on one explosive night.
This was well paced, hard to put down, and definitely another winner for the author.
The narrative here continually flips through three characters who are facing the toughest challenges of their lives. A woman hoping for stardom in Nashville falls increasingly in debt to a local scumbag, a young autistic man tries to keep a promise to his late mother, while another mother struggles to correct an "error in judgement" that could send her only child to prison. Things go from bad to worse to absolutely dreadful as everything comes to a head on one explosive night.
This was well paced, hard to put down, and definitely another winner for the author.
November 16, 2025
Locksburg, Pennsylvania, is a town so small that ambition gets mugged on its way out. Jaworowski plants here three narrators who share geography, desperation, and bad timing. Their stories crisscross like faulty wiring, and naturally something starts to smoke.
First there is Carla, a single mother who has lived her life on tips, regrets, and daydreams of restaurant ownership. Her son Billy is the golden boy of the town, a scholarship student at M.I.T. who speaks with a stutter and programs with divine fluency. Carla sees him as proof that genetics occasionally skip a generation for the better. Then Billy comes home for the summer, reads about a missing girl from his high school, and casually announces that the girl is buried in their backyard. It is the kind of conversation that makes you wish you had ordered stronger coffee.
Then comes Reed, who takes everything literally, which makes him accidentally profound and intentionally alarming. Reed lives by rules, rituals, and promises. His mother dies early in the book, leaving him in the care of his brother Greg, who is juggling a small child, a missing wife, and an oversized sense of responsibility. Reed clings to logic like it is a flotation device in a sea of human emotion. He collects cigarette butts, honors old promises, and sometimes interprets "family matters" with troubling enthusiasm.
Finally we meet Liz, the local singer-songwriter whose career trajectory resembles a nosedive in slow motion. She once believed in slogans like "Follow your dreams" and "Seize the day," until the days started seizing her. Liz plays to crowds that could fit inside a Yugo, drives a vehicle that should be in hospice care, and dates men who make parole officers nervous. Then, just as she pawns her beloved guitar, the universe calls: a legendary Nashville producer wants to hear her songs. Cue the celestial choir, or possibly the sirens.
Jaworowski twines these three voices into a story of moral quicksand, where every good intention is a step toward disaster. Each character clings to a single hope: Carla to her son's innocence, Reed to his literal promises, and Liz to her one improbable shot at success. Locksburg becomes the fourth character, a town that chews up dreamers and burps up headlines.
Everyone in this story is trying to fix something: a car, a conscience, a past. And every repair seems to void the warranty on their sanity.
The book keeps circling that uneasy question of the title: who counts as a victim, and who just gets buried quietly because life has other deadlines?
The tension builds through these overlapping confessions until it is clear that all three narrators are orbiting the same moral crater.
Jaworowski wrote a tragic American noir that it is a community event, complete with folding chairs and lukewarm coffee that smells faintly of despair and discount beer, where every choice is both logical and catastrophic. No one is innocent, but everyone is painfully human. If small-town life ever tempted you, this book will cure you.
First there is Carla, a single mother who has lived her life on tips, regrets, and daydreams of restaurant ownership. Her son Billy is the golden boy of the town, a scholarship student at M.I.T. who speaks with a stutter and programs with divine fluency. Carla sees him as proof that genetics occasionally skip a generation for the better. Then Billy comes home for the summer, reads about a missing girl from his high school, and casually announces that the girl is buried in their backyard. It is the kind of conversation that makes you wish you had ordered stronger coffee.
Then comes Reed, who takes everything literally, which makes him accidentally profound and intentionally alarming. Reed lives by rules, rituals, and promises. His mother dies early in the book, leaving him in the care of his brother Greg, who is juggling a small child, a missing wife, and an oversized sense of responsibility. Reed clings to logic like it is a flotation device in a sea of human emotion. He collects cigarette butts, honors old promises, and sometimes interprets "family matters" with troubling enthusiasm.
Finally we meet Liz, the local singer-songwriter whose career trajectory resembles a nosedive in slow motion. She once believed in slogans like "Follow your dreams" and "Seize the day," until the days started seizing her. Liz plays to crowds that could fit inside a Yugo, drives a vehicle that should be in hospice care, and dates men who make parole officers nervous. Then, just as she pawns her beloved guitar, the universe calls: a legendary Nashville producer wants to hear her songs. Cue the celestial choir, or possibly the sirens.
Jaworowski twines these three voices into a story of moral quicksand, where every good intention is a step toward disaster. Each character clings to a single hope: Carla to her son's innocence, Reed to his literal promises, and Liz to her one improbable shot at success. Locksburg becomes the fourth character, a town that chews up dreamers and burps up headlines.
Everyone in this story is trying to fix something: a car, a conscience, a past. And every repair seems to void the warranty on their sanity.
The book keeps circling that uneasy question of the title: who counts as a victim, and who just gets buried quietly because life has other deadlines?
The tension builds through these overlapping confessions until it is clear that all three narrators are orbiting the same moral crater.
Jaworowski wrote a tragic American noir that it is a community event, complete with folding chairs and lukewarm coffee that smells faintly of despair and discount beer, where every choice is both logical and catastrophic. No one is innocent, but everyone is painfully human. If small-town life ever tempted you, this book will cure you.
May 13, 2025
What separates this from a slew of other crime fiction is that the crimes (or incidents) occur in a small town, are not criminal in intent, and involve characters far removed from the typical perpetrators/participants. All three of the major characters fell into their current situations and conceal their secrets, as revealing them would most likely find them accused and imprisoned.
WHAT ABOUT THE BODIES is about what happens when unpleasant things occur in a small town in Central Pennsylvania where everybody seems to know almost everybody else. Along with the suspense that crime novels provide, there is an endearing slice-of-life memoir to give this so much flavor. Helped along by rotating first-person narratives from the three main characters, their paths cross before things come to a satisfying conclusion.
Also, unlike many tales of crime fiction that seem to head down a dark path, this one manages to keep its head above water and not descend into despair. The ending is completely satisfactory, although unexpected and not predictable. A very entertaining read. Thanks for Net Galley for providing an advanced digital review copy.
WHAT ABOUT THE BODIES is about what happens when unpleasant things occur in a small town in Central Pennsylvania where everybody seems to know almost everybody else. Along with the suspense that crime novels provide, there is an endearing slice-of-life memoir to give this so much flavor. Helped along by rotating first-person narratives from the three main characters, their paths cross before things come to a satisfying conclusion.
Also, unlike many tales of crime fiction that seem to head down a dark path, this one manages to keep its head above water and not descend into despair. The ending is completely satisfactory, although unexpected and not predictable. A very entertaining read. Thanks for Net Galley for providing an advanced digital review copy.
April 12, 2025
I received a free copy of, What About the Bodies, by Ken Jaworowski, from the publisher and Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. Liz, Reed, and Carla, all have their secrets and reasons for doing things, right or wrong, morally or immorally. I did not care for any of the characters in this book at all. It was a gritty read.
November 26, 2025
Ken Jaworowski's What About the Bodies is a funny mystery. If you can find humor in accidental death and body disposal, this book is for you. But wait, it's also about people in small towns who care about the people they love. Carla is a single mother whose brilliant son stutters. Liz is a singer and songwriter who has Nashville dreams. Reed is an autistic young man who wants to keep a promise to his recently deceased mother. All three have stories to tell involving dead bodies. Jaworowski's creative plot provides a suspenseful story with twists and surprises. It's reminiscent of A Simple Plan in the way things keep going wrong, but the additional characters and situations impact the pacing and serve as a reminder that life in small towns has a different set of risks than life in a city.
August 31, 2025
After only a few chapters of this book, one thought came to the forefront of my mind: I cannot imagine how any human can come up with a plot this complex - devious, even - especially when it's so doggone easy to read and (though I detest the word) unputdownable.
Basically, the story follows the adventures (or more accurately, misadventures) of three adults: Carla, Reed and Liz. Carla, who is desperately trying to make something of her life by opening a restaurant in small-town Locksbury, Pennsylvania, is a single mom to son Billy. The boy is her pride and joy, but he stutters and has some social anxiety issues - plus he's had a whopping secret for about a year he's just shared with his mother.
Reed, from the same small town, is mildly autistic; he lives with his brother, Gregg, and until she recently died, their mother. His goal in life at this point is to rectify a wrong that happened when his mother was interred in a mausoleum in the local cemetery.
Third is Liz, sort of a third-rate bar singer/songwriter who's even more desperate than Carla. But just as she gets a chance at the big-time, her sleazy boyfriend gets her involved with - and seriously indebted to - an ex-con who won't rest (or let her leave town) till she repays the money he claims they owe him.
Their trials and tribulations are described in great detail, making me wonder at times if things could possibly go any more wrong and eliciting a chuckle now and again. I truly wish I could say more, but anything else would take away the fun of reading about it for yourself and learning how it all ends. And read it you should - it's really well done. Many thanks to the publisher, via NetGalley, for giving me a few hours of pure delight by way of a pre-release copy.
Basically, the story follows the adventures (or more accurately, misadventures) of three adults: Carla, Reed and Liz. Carla, who is desperately trying to make something of her life by opening a restaurant in small-town Locksbury, Pennsylvania, is a single mom to son Billy. The boy is her pride and joy, but he stutters and has some social anxiety issues - plus he's had a whopping secret for about a year he's just shared with his mother.
Reed, from the same small town, is mildly autistic; he lives with his brother, Gregg, and until she recently died, their mother. His goal in life at this point is to rectify a wrong that happened when his mother was interred in a mausoleum in the local cemetery.
Third is Liz, sort of a third-rate bar singer/songwriter who's even more desperate than Carla. But just as she gets a chance at the big-time, her sleazy boyfriend gets her involved with - and seriously indebted to - an ex-con who won't rest (or let her leave town) till she repays the money he claims they owe him.
Their trials and tribulations are described in great detail, making me wonder at times if things could possibly go any more wrong and eliciting a chuckle now and again. I truly wish I could say more, but anything else would take away the fun of reading about it for yourself and learning how it all ends. And read it you should - it's really well done. Many thanks to the publisher, via NetGalley, for giving me a few hours of pure delight by way of a pre-release copy.
September 6, 2025
First of all, thank you to Netgalley and Grove Atlantic for the physical arc and the ecopy in exchange for an honest review.
I really wanted to like this one, but unfortunately I don’t think I was the target audience. The writing style was very straightforward and at times even juvenile. It kind of felt like a high school boy wrote it at times. The characters were so unlikable and the plot was basically just the worst things that could happen to them, happening over and over.
Maybe that was the point, it may have been supposed to be more of a dark comedy than a crime/thriller fiction? There was no sort of resolution at the end of the story other than Billy/Carla and Liz getting away with everything they did, and poor Reed still being scapegoated by the whole town for something he didn’t do. I’m not sure if I understood the point of this novel. There were random stories about townspeople throughout that didn’t seem to connect back to the plot of the book, and these people were never brought up again.
That being said, I’m sure there are people out there who would like this book, it just wasn’t for me. Think Frieda McFadden if it was written by a man.
I really wanted to like this one, but unfortunately I don’t think I was the target audience. The writing style was very straightforward and at times even juvenile. It kind of felt like a high school boy wrote it at times. The characters were so unlikable and the plot was basically just the worst things that could happen to them, happening over and over.
Maybe that was the point, it may have been supposed to be more of a dark comedy than a crime/thriller fiction? There was no sort of resolution at the end of the story other than Billy/Carla and Liz getting away with everything they did, and poor Reed still being scapegoated by the whole town for something he didn’t do. I’m not sure if I understood the point of this novel. There were random stories about townspeople throughout that didn’t seem to connect back to the plot of the book, and these people were never brought up again.
That being said, I’m sure there are people out there who would like this book, it just wasn’t for me. Think Frieda McFadden if it was written by a man.
September 12, 2025
Ken Jaworowski has written an incredible crime novel that is unique and had me captivated from the start and tearing up by the end. The audio is phenomenal, but even if you do not do audio, you still need to pick this one up; it is not to be missed. I don’t want to say too much for fear of spoiling anything, but I will say there are three main protagonists: Carla, Reed, and Liz, and each has a journey to go on before they all come together in a small fictional town in Pennsylvania. Each character has their unique story; however, Reed is a character that will continue to stick with me for a long time.
This is an intense read with some moments of humor worked in, twists I did not see at the end, and the final scene, well, you’ll have to read this for yourself. (But it was chef’s kiss.)
All the stars for this one; I am still thinking and talking about it; this is masterfully crafted, and I loved it from beginning to end.
Thank you to Atlantic Crime #partner for the gifted copy to review.
This is an intense read with some moments of humor worked in, twists I did not see at the end, and the final scene, well, you’ll have to read this for yourself. (But it was chef’s kiss.)
All the stars for this one; I am still thinking and talking about it; this is masterfully crafted, and I loved it from beginning to end.
Thank you to Atlantic Crime #partner for the gifted copy to review.
April 26, 2025
This was seriously so intense. I'm not sure how else to describe it but feeling like I would fall into complete despair/laughter/tears at every chapter. I loved this so much, so very much... I'm just saying, if angst is your jam, well, this is 100% your jam, and also, your poor heart ♥️
Thank you to the publishers for an advanced copy!!
Thank you to the publishers for an advanced copy!!
September 9, 2025
In this unique thriller, What About the Bodies, you will somehow fall in love with the three main characters, villains in their own right. With so much heart, promising futures and strength, if they can just make it through the next few days, you will suddenly find yourselves rooting for them and their happily ever after no matter what they have to do to get there, and boy let me tell you, it's pretty deadly trying to get there.
Carla is a single mother whose son Olly, an MIT student has just admitted to her he has made a terrible mistake. Carla, a waitress her whole life has just finally been able to buy her own restaurant and begin to change their lives. Now, her future is unsure and no matter what she does this news will transform the trajectory of their lives.
Reed is a fifteen-year-old autistic boy whose mother has just died. Not well liked by anyone in the town, bullied his whole life, his only protector is now gone. His older brother who is married and has a young child wants him to move away to a different city; Reed is at a crossroads. Especially when he discovers that a promise he made to his mother went unfilled and he must somehow rectify the situation. He begins a long trek which will take him to many places in there small-town, meeting up with some shady characters but also some compassionate, caring folks.
Liz has always been a guitar player, writer and musician. She has just been let go of another music gig at another sleezy bar in the town. With a car ready to break down and less than one hundred dollars in her bank account and no money to pay her bills or fix her car she is at a crossroads in her life. Until she gets a phone call from Nashville which could possibly change her life. She just has to get there. But her car breaks down and her shady boyfriend, not boyfriend convinces her to go to an ex-con to fix it and now she's in very big trouble.
You will become smitten with the characters as you watch these three lost souls whose lives will inevitably interconnect and feel their heartbreaks only intensify as they realize they are going to lose it all...their hope, their desire and their future. As for the dead bodies? Well, you will just have to read this fascinating story to find out about them.
Thank you #NetGalley #AtlanticCrime#KenJaworowski #WhatAboutTheDeadBodies for the advanced copy.
Carla is a single mother whose son Olly, an MIT student has just admitted to her he has made a terrible mistake. Carla, a waitress her whole life has just finally been able to buy her own restaurant and begin to change their lives. Now, her future is unsure and no matter what she does this news will transform the trajectory of their lives.
Reed is a fifteen-year-old autistic boy whose mother has just died. Not well liked by anyone in the town, bullied his whole life, his only protector is now gone. His older brother who is married and has a young child wants him to move away to a different city; Reed is at a crossroads. Especially when he discovers that a promise he made to his mother went unfilled and he must somehow rectify the situation. He begins a long trek which will take him to many places in there small-town, meeting up with some shady characters but also some compassionate, caring folks.
Liz has always been a guitar player, writer and musician. She has just been let go of another music gig at another sleezy bar in the town. With a car ready to break down and less than one hundred dollars in her bank account and no money to pay her bills or fix her car she is at a crossroads in her life. Until she gets a phone call from Nashville which could possibly change her life. She just has to get there. But her car breaks down and her shady boyfriend, not boyfriend convinces her to go to an ex-con to fix it and now she's in very big trouble.
You will become smitten with the characters as you watch these three lost souls whose lives will inevitably interconnect and feel their heartbreaks only intensify as they realize they are going to lose it all...their hope, their desire and their future. As for the dead bodies? Well, you will just have to read this fascinating story to find out about them.
Thank you #NetGalley #AtlanticCrime#KenJaworowski #WhatAboutTheDeadBodies for the advanced copy.
November 30, 2025
4.5 stars
In a small Pennsylvania coal town dying since the mines closed, three people are caught up in crucibles that will change their lives, for better or worse. Reed, treated badly by most people around him, is an autistic 20-year-old who never lies and always keeps a promise, who lost his mother just the week before and is being blamed for it. Too bad his older brother has lost his patience with him and is eyeing an out-of-town group home for him. Liz passed on college to focus on making the music she loves, but at 30 has nothing to show for it—working minimum wage jobs and playing gigs in local dives with audiences of maybe a dozen. She’s bitterly wondering whether she was a fool to follow her dream when a dazzling opportunity appears. Too bad she owes thousands to a very unpleasant drug dealer through no fault of her own but that of her totally skeevy boyfriend. And Carla always swore to get out of town but instead buckled down and did whatever she had to to put everything into her exceptional son, who’s just snagged himself a scholarship to MIT. With him settled, at 40 she’s finally rolled the dice and is planning to open a restaurant with a lot of promise. Too bad her shining son has done something so bad that it threatens to swamp both of them.
This was a breathtaking thriller all the way, with chapters rotating methodically 1-2-3 between the well-developed characters, and virtually every chapter ending in a cliffhanger that really ups the stakes. Then, about two-thirds of the way through, something happened: things got really darkly funny. The outcome for each character was still uncertain, the stakes were still high, but I found myself laughing and thinking, “Oh no! What on earth is going to happen next?” (There was nothing accidental about that; the author is very much in control here.) You are pulling for each of the characters, and you know their paths are taking them on a dramatic collision course. What a ride!
In a small Pennsylvania coal town dying since the mines closed, three people are caught up in crucibles that will change their lives, for better or worse. Reed, treated badly by most people around him, is an autistic 20-year-old who never lies and always keeps a promise, who lost his mother just the week before and is being blamed for it. Too bad his older brother has lost his patience with him and is eyeing an out-of-town group home for him. Liz passed on college to focus on making the music she loves, but at 30 has nothing to show for it—working minimum wage jobs and playing gigs in local dives with audiences of maybe a dozen. She’s bitterly wondering whether she was a fool to follow her dream when a dazzling opportunity appears. Too bad she owes thousands to a very unpleasant drug dealer through no fault of her own but that of her totally skeevy boyfriend. And Carla always swore to get out of town but instead buckled down and did whatever she had to to put everything into her exceptional son, who’s just snagged himself a scholarship to MIT. With him settled, at 40 she’s finally rolled the dice and is planning to open a restaurant with a lot of promise. Too bad her shining son has done something so bad that it threatens to swamp both of them.
This was a breathtaking thriller all the way, with chapters rotating methodically 1-2-3 between the well-developed characters, and virtually every chapter ending in a cliffhanger that really ups the stakes. Then, about two-thirds of the way through, something happened: things got really darkly funny. The outcome for each character was still uncertain, the stakes were still high, but I found myself laughing and thinking, “Oh no! What on earth is going to happen next?” (There was nothing accidental about that; the author is very much in control here.) You are pulling for each of the characters, and you know their paths are taking them on a dramatic collision course. What a ride!
September 2, 2025
I'm always drawn to a book set in my home state because it's fun to see locations that you know firsthand, and the premise sold me further. When I first started reading, I was a little weary of the shifting storylines and POV's, but that was quickly dispelled. Short chapters are a plus, and with each character's arc ending on a slight cliffhanger nearly every chapter, the tension kept building. It was interesting to see these characters, all from the same small town but with much different problems in life, connect and cross paths as their plots progressed. Carla's storyline hooked me the most a far as suspense goes, and Liz's thread was intriguing. Reed's narrative was the ultimate standout for me, though; my heart just ached for and adored him. I really enjoyed this one!
✨ Thank you to Atlantic Crime for my advanced copy!
Pub date: 9•2•2025 (Out today!! 🎉)
✨ Thank you to Atlantic Crime for my advanced copy!
Pub date: 9•2•2025 (Out today!! 🎉)
August 9, 2025
3.75/5 🌟
What About the Bodies tells the stories of Carla, Reed, and Liz.
Carla must help her son move the body of a classmate who died almost a year earlier.
Reed is on a mission to keep a promise to his mother that he killed.
Liz is trying to get her big break but finds herself in more debt than she can handle.
Their stories twist and turn until they finally intersect to bring about the answers you’ve been waiting on most of the book.
This one was a lot less thrilling than I had anticipated. It definitely was an engaging read and kept me interested throughout but I kept waiting for some big twist that never really happened. I will say there were a few tense moments when you wondered if things were going to start unraveling and that definitely kept me engaged.
The point where all the stories met wasn’t really tense in my opinion, I actually ended up laughing at parts of it because I found it to be genuinely humorous (a good thing).
All in all a solid read, I’d recommend this more for a mystery/fiction lover than a mystery/thriller lover!
What About the Bodies tells the stories of Carla, Reed, and Liz.
Carla must help her son move the body of a classmate who died almost a year earlier.
Reed is on a mission to keep a promise to his mother that he killed.
Liz is trying to get her big break but finds herself in more debt than she can handle.
Their stories twist and turn until they finally intersect to bring about the answers you’ve been waiting on most of the book.
This one was a lot less thrilling than I had anticipated. It definitely was an engaging read and kept me interested throughout but I kept waiting for some big twist that never really happened. I will say there were a few tense moments when you wondered if things were going to start unraveling and that definitely kept me engaged.
The point where all the stories met wasn’t really tense in my opinion, I actually ended up laughing at parts of it because I found it to be genuinely humorous (a good thing).
All in all a solid read, I’d recommend this more for a mystery/fiction lover than a mystery/thriller lover!
September 30, 2025
Remember the movie Crash? This book reminds me of that in so many ways. Every single chapter was action packed and I found myself saying ‘wtf’ out loud at the end of every chapter. There is so much happening here! It’s interesting how the author chose to weave each character’s story into another’s. Definitely felt like small town vibes where everyone is just trying to make it and better than they were.
Kudos to the author for giving us autistic folk a character we could see ourselves in!
I would have loved a more fleshed out ending but all in all, the ending felt like the end of a small town movie so it does make sense.
Kudos to the author for giving us autistic folk a character we could see ourselves in!
I would have loved a more fleshed out ending but all in all, the ending felt like the end of a small town movie so it does make sense.
May 5, 2025
[ARC REVIEW] 3.5* I wasn’t sure about this at first, but you know what? It was easy, mindless, and entertaining! The main premise is a mystery thriller, but it felt more like a dark comedy to me, with all three main characters being so flawed and plagued by strings of bad luck. The story was silly in the best way, and exactly what I was looking for in a much needed light thriller!
Thank you NetGalley for making this available on their platform, and to the Grove Atlantic for letting me read this ARC!
Thank you NetGalley for making this available on their platform, and to the Grove Atlantic for letting me read this ARC!
April 16, 2025
thank you to Netgalley, the publisher and the author for providing me with an eArc for my honest thoughts. I LOVED this book. This is the kind of book that got me into reading thrillers in the first place. We follow Carla, Reed and Liz while they are trying to conceal huge secrets and get themselves out of the mess theyve created or someone close to them has created. From the first page in was completely entranced. Theres dead bodies, short chapters, cliff hangers (only at the end of chapters, the book itself wraps up quite nicely), and small town drama. My heart was beating so hard the whole time, if i didnt have responsibilities this would have been a read in one sitting kind of book. The author doesnt pull any punches while we follow our friends through their misfortunes. My favorite books always have multiple POVs that intertwine by the end and this did that so well. definitely on my 5 star list for the year.
March 4, 2025
This is one of the best books I have read in a long time. Each of the three perspectives in the book were interesting and relatable. The dialect change was evident between characters. They were all well thought out and given just enough detail and back story.
This book genuinely made me laugh. Not many thrillers can add humor and have it work, but Ken Jaworoski pulls it off. Not everything in this book is “real-life” believable, but I don’t think that was the intent. However, if the realism in thrillers is a deal breaker for you, this probably isn’t your next read.
I have been in such a reading slump and I finished this book within 24 hours. The only bummer is it doesn’t come out until September 2025, so I have to wait to talk about it! I would recommend this book to any of my reading friends, and any whom are wanting to dip their toes into the thriller genre.
This book genuinely made me laugh. Not many thrillers can add humor and have it work, but Ken Jaworoski pulls it off. Not everything in this book is “real-life” believable, but I don’t think that was the intent. However, if the realism in thrillers is a deal breaker for you, this probably isn’t your next read.
I have been in such a reading slump and I finished this book within 24 hours. The only bummer is it doesn’t come out until September 2025, so I have to wait to talk about it! I would recommend this book to any of my reading friends, and any whom are wanting to dip their toes into the thriller genre.
September 16, 2025
Absolutely brilliant. One nightmare just keeps getting worse and worse for these small town people. Great dialogue and imagery. Ken's characters are relatable and real, making that feeling of empathy for them even deeper. I gave this four stars even though I loved it. This book seemed to be cut short, slightly compared to his previous book. This in no way takes away how good this book is, tho. Definitely a fan!!
September 26, 2025
I received a copy of What About the Bodies through a Goodreads giveaway. I loved this fast-paced thriller, covering the stories of three residents of a small town who have all lost someone. Each protagonist firmly drew me in to their story, their truth. I loved it, finding myself so invested in each person’s outcome, the suspense leading me to just read another 1-3 chapters. So good!
I don’t love the cover— wish it was a better design— but the story is utterly worthwhile.
I don’t love the cover— wish it was a better design— but the story is utterly worthwhile.
May 28, 2025
3.75 stars, rounded up
What About the Bodies is a dark, sometimes depressing story told from three different points of view, three people who are from a small town in Pennsylvania. They are each dealing with obstacles and tragedies in their lives and all are keeping secrets. Carla is a single mom trying to better her life for both her and her son who is about to go away to college. Reed is an autistic young man trying to adjust to life without his mother who recently passed away. Liz is a talented singer/songwriter who gets entangled in a dangerous situation. Their stories are separate, although their paths cross during a key moment in their lives.
Some of these characters have nothing but bad luck. I felt sorry for those trying to better their lives only to have to deal with so many serious problems. However, there are some questionable decisions made in the process which make things even more complicated. Reed's story didn't seem to have as high of stakes as the others, but in the end, his story was the most touching to me when things are revealed at the end. There are some things that are left to the readers' imagination and aren't completely resolved by the end of the book. This works better for Liz's story than Carla's. The painful parts for each character were hard to get through, but overall, it was an interesting book with an ending that keeps you thinking.
I received a free review copy from Atlantic Crime, but my review is voluntary and unbiased.
What About the Bodies is a dark, sometimes depressing story told from three different points of view, three people who are from a small town in Pennsylvania. They are each dealing with obstacles and tragedies in their lives and all are keeping secrets. Carla is a single mom trying to better her life for both her and her son who is about to go away to college. Reed is an autistic young man trying to adjust to life without his mother who recently passed away. Liz is a talented singer/songwriter who gets entangled in a dangerous situation. Their stories are separate, although their paths cross during a key moment in their lives.
Some of these characters have nothing but bad luck. I felt sorry for those trying to better their lives only to have to deal with so many serious problems. However, there are some questionable decisions made in the process which make things even more complicated. Reed's story didn't seem to have as high of stakes as the others, but in the end, his story was the most touching to me when things are revealed at the end. There are some things that are left to the readers' imagination and aren't completely resolved by the end of the book. This works better for Liz's story than Carla's. The painful parts for each character were hard to get through, but overall, it was an interesting book with an ending that keeps you thinking.
I received a free review copy from Atlantic Crime, but my review is voluntary and unbiased.
September 13, 2025
Last year I read SMALL TOWN SINS by @KenJaworowski and was blown away. The characterization, the setting, and the bleak stories with undercurrents of hope all made for the best novel I’d read in years. As such, I couldn’t *wait* for the follow-up, WHAT ABOUT THE BODIES.
The book follows the same format as Jaworowski’s debut, alternating POVs between three characters from the dead-end town of Locksburg. Each has a unique set of problems; all of them have hopes of getting out and putting the town in their rearview.
Jaworowski excels with characterization, fleshing out diverse people to inhabit his stories, getting into their heads, making you feel their pain, their desperation, their fleeting hope.
WHAT ABOUT THE BODIES is the very definition of a page-turner, creating cliffhangers at each chapter break, building tension that leaves you shocked before shifting to the next POV, throwing “just one more chapter” out the window as you keep wanting more.
In the end, fans of SMALL TOWN SINS and new readers alike will be thrilled with this book. While I think I like the debut a bit more than this one, it’s splitting hairs. Both works are exceptional, and should be widely read. Highly recommended.
The book follows the same format as Jaworowski’s debut, alternating POVs between three characters from the dead-end town of Locksburg. Each has a unique set of problems; all of them have hopes of getting out and putting the town in their rearview.
Jaworowski excels with characterization, fleshing out diverse people to inhabit his stories, getting into their heads, making you feel their pain, their desperation, their fleeting hope.
WHAT ABOUT THE BODIES is the very definition of a page-turner, creating cliffhangers at each chapter break, building tension that leaves you shocked before shifting to the next POV, throwing “just one more chapter” out the window as you keep wanting more.
In the end, fans of SMALL TOWN SINS and new readers alike will be thrilled with this book. While I think I like the debut a bit more than this one, it’s splitting hairs. Both works are exceptional, and should be widely read. Highly recommended.
December 12, 2025
A wild ride of a crime novel that is sometimes funny, often dark, and always entertaining. "What About the Bodies" is actually three stories in one, told in alternating first person chapters by three of the residents of a rural Pennsylvania town: Carla, a single mom whose troubled son has been harboring a terrible secret; Liz, a wannabe country singer with an on-again-off-again loser boyfriend whose misdeeds put her in danger; and Reed, an autistic young man trying to make amends for the recent death of his mother in an incident that he may (or may not) have been responsible for. How all these characters and storylines begin to converge--and the awful secrets that Jaworowski has them gradually reveal to the reader and each other--are what the book is about. The prose is clean and uncluttered, the pace is fast, the dialogue is authentic (the author's experience as a playwright surely helped him there), and his skill with every thriller writer's old friend--the cliffhanger--will keep you guessing. "What About the Bodies" is about love, parenting, and sacrifice; the perils of youth and the ugliness of intolerance. It's also an exceptionally good read. Highly recommended.
May 14, 2025
3.5 out of 5
What About The Bodies is a bleak novel following the lives of three characters - Carla a single mother whose son reveals a terrible secret about a missing girl, Reed a young autistic man attempting to reunite a handmade doll with his deceased mother, and Liz a musician looking to make her big break but making all the wrong choices to get there - as they each battle to get through one truly terrible night.
There was an underlying theme in each character's story related to the cycle of being trapped in small-town USA - whether by poverty, circumstance, or other forces. Each character's life was an absolute downer and every one of them made terrible mistake after terrible mistake throughout the novel.
The book started slow but by the 20-30% mark I found myself unable to stop reading and I ended up crushing it in a single sitting. The twists at the end, while rushed, were solid. Overall, it was a quick and easy crime thriller that made for a good rainy day read.
What About The Bodies is a bleak novel following the lives of three characters - Carla a single mother whose son reveals a terrible secret about a missing girl, Reed a young autistic man attempting to reunite a handmade doll with his deceased mother, and Liz a musician looking to make her big break but making all the wrong choices to get there - as they each battle to get through one truly terrible night.
There was an underlying theme in each character's story related to the cycle of being trapped in small-town USA - whether by poverty, circumstance, or other forces. Each character's life was an absolute downer and every one of them made terrible mistake after terrible mistake throughout the novel.
The book started slow but by the 20-30% mark I found myself unable to stop reading and I ended up crushing it in a single sitting. The twists at the end, while rushed, were solid. Overall, it was a quick and easy crime thriller that made for a good rainy day read.
October 20, 2025
Reading Journal Details
Book: What About the Bodies by Ken Jaworowski
Format Read: Audiobook (7 hours, 5 minutes)
My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (4/5)
Quick Take
This definitely isn't my typical thriller. While it isn't packed with shocking reveals, it positively beguiled me nonetheless. I was engrossed in each core character's story arc, always wondering if and when they would intersect.
I'll admit, I wish that intersection carried a little more gravity—it felt more like bumping into an acquaintance at the supermarket than the emotional crossroads it seemed to be building toward. Still, I couldn't stop listening, captivated.
I've always loved multi-POV storytelling because it makes a world feel less single-minded, and Jaworowski excels there. Each character breathes on their own terms.
Reed's grief sits on the page like an unplayed piano note, while Liz's hopelessness drifts in like a low fog. By contrast, Carla's love for her son burns bright even as she aches to be her own person. The writing sings with quiet precision; not flashy, but purposeful. You can tell every line was placed with complete care.
The pacing lands on the brisk side of medium, making it an easy binge, and it strikes a rare balance between character-driven and plot-driven storytelling. There's real heart beneath the grit; the town of Locksburg feels alive in its decay, buzzing in the background like something you can't quite tune out.
The supporting cast wavers a touch. Some feel like extras in a crowd scene, like the zombie extras in a TV horde, while others briefly shine only to fade before we truly get to know them.
Yet the emotional core remains steady, and I'll remember these three protagonists individually for a while. The endings may leave some threads hanging, but maybe that's the point—that not every story can, or should, tie up in a neat bow.
Features & Vibes
🧩 Multi-POV character web
🌧️ Grit, grief, and small town secrets
🎧 Three narrators, one ache
🕯️ Quiet heartbreaks, louder consequences
📖 Small town, big emotions
Book: What About the Bodies by Ken Jaworowski
Format Read: Audiobook (7 hours, 5 minutes)
My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (4/5)
Quick Take
This definitely isn't my typical thriller. While it isn't packed with shocking reveals, it positively beguiled me nonetheless. I was engrossed in each core character's story arc, always wondering if and when they would intersect.
I'll admit, I wish that intersection carried a little more gravity—it felt more like bumping into an acquaintance at the supermarket than the emotional crossroads it seemed to be building toward. Still, I couldn't stop listening, captivated.
I've always loved multi-POV storytelling because it makes a world feel less single-minded, and Jaworowski excels there. Each character breathes on their own terms.
Reed's grief sits on the page like an unplayed piano note, while Liz's hopelessness drifts in like a low fog. By contrast, Carla's love for her son burns bright even as she aches to be her own person. The writing sings with quiet precision; not flashy, but purposeful. You can tell every line was placed with complete care.
The pacing lands on the brisk side of medium, making it an easy binge, and it strikes a rare balance between character-driven and plot-driven storytelling. There's real heart beneath the grit; the town of Locksburg feels alive in its decay, buzzing in the background like something you can't quite tune out.
The supporting cast wavers a touch. Some feel like extras in a crowd scene, like the zombie extras in a TV horde, while others briefly shine only to fade before we truly get to know them.
Yet the emotional core remains steady, and I'll remember these three protagonists individually for a while. The endings may leave some threads hanging, but maybe that's the point—that not every story can, or should, tie up in a neat bow.
Features & Vibes
🧩 Multi-POV character web
🌧️ Grit, grief, and small town secrets
🎧 Three narrators, one ache
🕯️ Quiet heartbreaks, louder consequences
📖 Small town, big emotions
May 25, 2025
Ken landed on my radar with his incredible debut of Small Town Sins. I have watched his page and prayed for another book and he absolutely delivered.
Thank you so much Ken for 1. Remembering me when I reached out, 2. Sending me an early copy and 3. Writing such incredible stories for our fans.
His characters come to life and the story flows so well. Short chapters will leave you wanting more. The character stories are so well done and intertwined to one another perfectly.
You rock Ken. We go way back.
Thank you so much Ken for 1. Remembering me when I reached out, 2. Sending me an early copy and 3. Writing such incredible stories for our fans.
His characters come to life and the story flows so well. Short chapters will leave you wanting more. The character stories are so well done and intertwined to one another perfectly.
You rock Ken. We go way back.
September 5, 2025
Closer to 5 stars than 4, I only knocked a little off because I selfishly expected an ending with some resolution of each character’s drama. However, I get that life is open ended, and perhaps that’s part of what the author hoped to convey to his audience. Ending aside, the audiobook of this was phenomenal, and the writing is truly wonderful. I found myself rooting for each of the main characters and vacillating between laughing, feeling in suspense, and finally, feeling pretty emotionally connected to the various themes of the book.
April 5, 2025
*A Gripping, Unpredictable Thriller*
Ken Jaworowski's "What About the Bodies" is a masterclass in suspenseful storytelling. This propulsive crime novel weaves together the complex lives of three characters in a gritty rust-belt town, each with their own secrets and desperate struggles.
With its breakneck pace, explosive twists, and memorable characters, this novel will keep you on the edge of your seat. Jaworowski's writing is evocative and immersive, conjuring the bleak landscapes and desperate lives of his characters.
A must-read for fans of crime fiction and thrillers, "What About the Bodies" is a gripping, unpredictable ride that will leave you breathless.
Ken Jaworowski's "What About the Bodies" is a masterclass in suspenseful storytelling. This propulsive crime novel weaves together the complex lives of three characters in a gritty rust-belt town, each with their own secrets and desperate struggles.
With its breakneck pace, explosive twists, and memorable characters, this novel will keep you on the edge of your seat. Jaworowski's writing is evocative and immersive, conjuring the bleak landscapes and desperate lives of his characters.
A must-read for fans of crime fiction and thrillers, "What About the Bodies" is a gripping, unpredictable ride that will leave you breathless.
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