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The Longest Death
Two lovers plot a daring heist in this atmospheric noir about fate and fortune on the fringes of the American dream.
Post-war Riverton has little to offer Richard, a mild-mannered loner working a dead-end job at Eddy & Dowd Safe Deposit Company. When he meets Marlon, a smooth-talking confidence man, Richard finds his partner in crime. Passions ignite between the men, and together, they hatch a plan to rob the vault at Eddy & Dowd—a once-in-a-lifetime score that will fund their escape to the Big City, where they can live and love as they desire.
Their plans are complicated by Gloria, a recent divorcée scheming her own route to wealth; Frank Todd, a disgraced ex-cop desperate to restore his reputation; and the paranoid Mr. Dowd, a tycoon scrambling to hold onto his crumbling empire. As Richard and Marlon race towards their destiny, reckless violence threatens both their plans and their devotion to each other.
Inspired by the iconic lexicon and unsparing storytelling of Raymond Chandler and Patricia Highsmith, The Longest Death weaves a twisted morality tale about what it means to love someone at any cost.
Post-war Riverton has little to offer Richard, a mild-mannered loner working a dead-end job at Eddy & Dowd Safe Deposit Company. When he meets Marlon, a smooth-talking confidence man, Richard finds his partner in crime. Passions ignite between the men, and together, they hatch a plan to rob the vault at Eddy & Dowd—a once-in-a-lifetime score that will fund their escape to the Big City, where they can live and love as they desire.
Their plans are complicated by Gloria, a recent divorcée scheming her own route to wealth; Frank Todd, a disgraced ex-cop desperate to restore his reputation; and the paranoid Mr. Dowd, a tycoon scrambling to hold onto his crumbling empire. As Richard and Marlon race towards their destiny, reckless violence threatens both their plans and their devotion to each other.
Inspired by the iconic lexicon and unsparing storytelling of Raymond Chandler and Patricia Highsmith, The Longest Death weaves a twisted morality tale about what it means to love someone at any cost.
276 pages, Kindle Edition
First published June 16, 2026
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September 8, 2026Feeling despondent about CanLit again with this one.
There's a good story in here with interesting characters and a riveting plot, and it is just BEGGING for an editor to release her. This book feels like it was a draft proposal set down in front of the publishing house and they sent it to the printer with no further work.
The writing, plot, and character development are sparse to its own detriment. I was begging for some colourful description, fleshed out conversations, the rich inner thoughts of these complex characters. It's a shame that a book with such obvious potential is left to languish in its own mediocrity.
There's a good story in here with interesting characters and a riveting plot, and it is just BEGGING for an editor to release her. This book feels like it was a draft proposal set down in front of the publishing house and they sent it to the printer with no further work.
The writing, plot, and character development are sparse to its own detriment. I was begging for some colourful description, fleshed out conversations, the rich inner thoughts of these complex characters. It's a shame that a book with such obvious potential is left to languish in its own mediocrity.
June 18, 2026
Thank you to NetGalley, the author, and the publisher for this free eARC in exchange for an honest review.
3.5 stars. There was something very enchanting about this book, I think it's the emulation of old media. Even the page layout looked old (in a good way). I'm sorry this is a bit late, but I had a good time with this!
The pros: I want to read more heist stories, I think they're fun. And the heist in this was certainly fun!! One of my favorite chapters, definitely, it held tension fantastically (both in that chapter where it actually happens and over the story overall). Our cast is fantastic; Marlon and Richard my beloveds, they are so wonderful on their own and I absolutely love how they collide and strengthen each other; Gloria is the reason for the cool women tag, I feel so bad for her and I love how smart and capable she is; Todd, the odd man out of our main cast, is so compelling and I honestly wish we knew more of him, but also serves as a fantastic antagonist and plays that role perfectly. I ended the book feeling bad for literally everybody (except maybe Dowd lol).
The cons: This isn't a real critique because the ending DOES fit. But. I did not like the ending lmao. There were only so many ways this book could've ended, and I didn't want it to be this one. But even though I do think it's fitting and liked it in a somewhat thematical sense, I am still sad about it, and not even in a really satisfactory way. I think that's mostly on me though. Aside from that, if I can say something insane, the book feels a little hollow. It kind of feels like one of those litfic books that isn't actually about anything, but I'd put this a tier or two higher than those cases. The summary says that it's about "what it means to love someone at any cost," but I honestly thought that theme was not as prominent or as strong as it should've been. We get a lot more of it at the end, but even that is over rather quickly. Also, I know they're the main characters, but we only get it with Richard and Marlon, and it made the other POV characters feel more alien. Maybe a missed opportunity to have them connected to what is ostensibly the main theme as well. My only other gripe was that, while I liked the prose, there were many many times where it was very dry and relying too much on telling. It just made the reading experience a bit less pleasant. Also, small qualms, I found it very difficult to follow the flow of time (I think the book takes place over a year?) and even was uncertain about the time period of the setting for a bit (its 1950s I think, or so, but references to temperance and such kept making me think it was the 20s), and I just wish that were a little clearer.
Overall, I had a good time but I wish it was a little stronger. Definitely a solid debut though, and I'm curious if the author will write more!
3.5 stars. There was something very enchanting about this book, I think it's the emulation of old media. Even the page layout looked old (in a good way). I'm sorry this is a bit late, but I had a good time with this!
The pros: I want to read more heist stories, I think they're fun. And the heist in this was certainly fun!! One of my favorite chapters, definitely, it held tension fantastically (both in that chapter where it actually happens and over the story overall). Our cast is fantastic; Marlon and Richard my beloveds, they are so wonderful on their own and I absolutely love how they collide and strengthen each other; Gloria is the reason for the cool women tag, I feel so bad for her and I love how smart and capable she is; Todd, the odd man out of our main cast, is so compelling and I honestly wish we knew more of him, but also serves as a fantastic antagonist and plays that role perfectly. I ended the book feeling bad for literally everybody (except maybe Dowd lol).
The cons: This isn't a real critique because the ending DOES fit. But. I did not like the ending lmao. There were only so many ways this book could've ended, and I didn't want it to be this one. But even though I do think it's fitting and liked it in a somewhat thematical sense, I am still sad about it, and not even in a really satisfactory way. I think that's mostly on me though. Aside from that, if I can say something insane, the book feels a little hollow. It kind of feels like one of those litfic books that isn't actually about anything, but I'd put this a tier or two higher than those cases. The summary says that it's about "what it means to love someone at any cost," but I honestly thought that theme was not as prominent or as strong as it should've been. We get a lot more of it at the end, but even that is over rather quickly. Also, I know they're the main characters, but we only get it with Richard and Marlon, and it made the other POV characters feel more alien. Maybe a missed opportunity to have them connected to what is ostensibly the main theme as well. My only other gripe was that, while I liked the prose, there were many many times where it was very dry and relying too much on telling. It just made the reading experience a bit less pleasant. Also, small qualms, I found it very difficult to follow the flow of time (I think the book takes place over a year?) and even was uncertain about the time period of the setting for a bit (its 1950s I think, or so, but references to temperance and such kept making me think it was the 20s), and I just wish that were a little clearer.
Overall, I had a good time but I wish it was a little stronger. Definitely a solid debut though, and I'm curious if the author will write more!
July 22, 2026
Book Review - The Longest Death
Published June 16, 2026
By Kevin Jagernauth
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️✨️
Thank you to @houseofanansi as part of the #AnansiReaderProgram for the gifted copy of #TheLongestDeath.
The Longest Death gets almost all the stars and will be one of my top reads in 2026. This was a short, quick read. At under 300 pages I flew through this book.
The Longest Death is a gritty noir heist novel set in the 1950's. It features three main characters suffocating in the small town they are living in and wanting to escape to the Big City where they think they will be free; free from the conservative societal expectations of their small-town life.
Marlon and Richard share an intense attraction for each other, one that can’t be out in the open. Gloria arrives in this small town on the heels of a divorce. Gloria is a bombshell who faces constant harassment from her male coworkers and is the subject of much gossip from her female coworkers. The three of them work together to plan a heist, one that will allow them to escape the confines of small-town life and that of modest incomes. But they are all playing a dangerous game.
The author wrote a story with three characters who didn’t fit into this small-town mold, who make a bold, dangerous, and criminal plan, but you like them and root for them anyway. Perhaps I rooted for them because society was unfair to them and I wanted to see them find happiness. They shouldn’t have been likeable characters (because they were planning a crime), but somehow, they were. This created a real juxtaposition for me as a reader.
Why didn't I give it all the stars...I just wanted a little more of the heist planning. That was probably deliberate, you don't know what is going to happen until it does. But, I just felt like it would have added something to the story.
If you enjoy stories that explore the morally ambiguous, that are full of tension and suspense, that have a bleak atmosphere that feels suffocating, and that capture that nostalgic yet unsettling atmosphere of a 1950’s small town, then this is the book for you.
Published June 16, 2026
By Kevin Jagernauth
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️✨️
Thank you to @houseofanansi as part of the #AnansiReaderProgram for the gifted copy of #TheLongestDeath.
The Longest Death gets almost all the stars and will be one of my top reads in 2026. This was a short, quick read. At under 300 pages I flew through this book.
The Longest Death is a gritty noir heist novel set in the 1950's. It features three main characters suffocating in the small town they are living in and wanting to escape to the Big City where they think they will be free; free from the conservative societal expectations of their small-town life.
Marlon and Richard share an intense attraction for each other, one that can’t be out in the open. Gloria arrives in this small town on the heels of a divorce. Gloria is a bombshell who faces constant harassment from her male coworkers and is the subject of much gossip from her female coworkers. The three of them work together to plan a heist, one that will allow them to escape the confines of small-town life and that of modest incomes. But they are all playing a dangerous game.
The author wrote a story with three characters who didn’t fit into this small-town mold, who make a bold, dangerous, and criminal plan, but you like them and root for them anyway. Perhaps I rooted for them because society was unfair to them and I wanted to see them find happiness. They shouldn’t have been likeable characters (because they were planning a crime), but somehow, they were. This created a real juxtaposition for me as a reader.
Why didn't I give it all the stars...I just wanted a little more of the heist planning. That was probably deliberate, you don't know what is going to happen until it does. But, I just felt like it would have added something to the story.
If you enjoy stories that explore the morally ambiguous, that are full of tension and suspense, that have a bleak atmosphere that feels suffocating, and that capture that nostalgic yet unsettling atmosphere of a 1950’s small town, then this is the book for you.
July 14, 2026
Thanks to @houseofanansi for sending me this stunning debut with this gorgeous black noir cover. "The Longest Death" is a sad, stark and lonely novel about those on the outside of the American Dream. In a post-war world, many people are having trouble finding their footing and Richard and Marlon are no different. But together, they plan a crime to rob the vault they work at, disappear into the big city, to love each other and live with a little bit of joy, to find the peace they both so desperately seek. Can they pull off this heist? What about the people who are watching a little too closely? Not the kind of book I would normally read, but a surprisingly enjoyable read, a nod to classical hardboiled small town crime, but to those who might have been left out of the story.
June 28, 2026
|| THE LONGEST DEATH ||
#gifted/#partner @houseofanansi
•
"At all started with Richard Cobson stealing a couple dollars out of the petty cash at Eddy & Dowd Safe Deposit Company."
•
Two lovers plot a daring heist in this atmospheric noir about fate and fortune on the fringes of the American dream.
I really enjoyed this novel. It felt really fresh and exciting. A book I might not have picked up had it not been for the fab cover but I am so glad I did. It's compared to the works of Patricia Highsmith and Raymond Chandler, who I have added to my tbr now. Jagernauth's writing is excellent, in fact if I didn't know this was a debut I wouldn't believe it. From the characters to the storytelling it was all so tightly done. Recently released, a great pride month pick too.
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.
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#thelongestdeath
#kevinjagernauth
#gifted/#partner @houseofanansi
•
"At all started with Richard Cobson stealing a couple dollars out of the petty cash at Eddy & Dowd Safe Deposit Company."
•
Two lovers plot a daring heist in this atmospheric noir about fate and fortune on the fringes of the American dream.
I really enjoyed this novel. It felt really fresh and exciting. A book I might not have picked up had it not been for the fab cover but I am so glad I did. It's compared to the works of Patricia Highsmith and Raymond Chandler, who I have added to my tbr now. Jagernauth's writing is excellent, in fact if I didn't know this was a debut I wouldn't believe it. From the characters to the storytelling it was all so tightly done. Recently released, a great pride month pick too.
.
.
.
.
#thelongestdeath
#kevinjagernauth
June 27, 2026
This one could be a 2 or a 4 depending on what aspect of the book I look at.
The 1950s noirish pulp verbiage gets overdone a bit, but the period pulp is something I generally like.
There are some aspects a bit hard to swallow -- A financial institution where no major thefts have happened has an owner see 3 employees talking a few times and sees a crime on horizon -- even going as far as hiring a gumshoe.
A waitress sees a napkin with a dollar amount scribbled on it, saves it and shows it to a gumshoe -- really?
But the love story is nicely done as an overarching element.
And the ending is tragic yet compelling.
Overall, I liked it well-enough.
The 1950s noirish pulp verbiage gets overdone a bit, but the period pulp is something I generally like.
There are some aspects a bit hard to swallow -- A financial institution where no major thefts have happened has an owner see 3 employees talking a few times and sees a crime on horizon -- even going as far as hiring a gumshoe.
A waitress sees a napkin with a dollar amount scribbled on it, saves it and shows it to a gumshoe -- really?
But the love story is nicely done as an overarching element.
And the ending is tragic yet compelling.
Overall, I liked it well-enough.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
I requested and received an eARC of
The Longest Death
by Kevin Jagernauth via NetGalley. Post-war Riverton has little to offer Richard, a meek man working a dead-end job at Eddy & Dowd Safe Deposit Company. When he meets Marlon, a handsome and smooth talking con man, however, Richard quickly agrees to become his partner in crime. As desire mounts between the two men, they formulate a plan that will allow them to escape to the Big City, where they can live together in anonymity. They find their plans complicated by their new friend Gloria, a recent divorcée , and Frank Todd, a private detective who is trying desperately to restore his reputation.
The Longest Death is a delicious little queer noir that simmers with tension from the opening pages. I found myself very quickly drawn into Marlon and Richard's world. It was apparent while I was reading that Jagernauth has an appreciation for the genre and a sensitivity for the time period in which he writes about that lends the story a natural quality. The prose itself moves between short, blunt sentences that punch at the reader and wonderfully poetic musings about desire and love that seduce the reader. Although Marlon and Richard were the characters that hooked me, I found Gloria and Frank to be equally compelling characters. I, perhaps unfairly, despised Mr. Dowd.
Although there's a reservedness to the relationship between Richard and Marlon, Jagernauth does provide some tender moments between the pair that really give the reader a chance to become invested in them as a couple. There's also some really lovely prose about their feelings for one another as well. What I love the most about The Longest Death is that the author isn't afraid to write complex queer characters. On one hand, I had a great level of sympathy for Richard and Marlon, they're limited by the constraints of homophobia. On the other, they're criminals, the anti-heroes of this wonderful little queer noir. Richard, Marlon, and Gloria all stole my heart and I was rooting for them. I definitely enjoyed this read!
The Longest Death is a delicious little queer noir that simmers with tension from the opening pages. I found myself very quickly drawn into Marlon and Richard's world. It was apparent while I was reading that Jagernauth has an appreciation for the genre and a sensitivity for the time period in which he writes about that lends the story a natural quality. The prose itself moves between short, blunt sentences that punch at the reader and wonderfully poetic musings about desire and love that seduce the reader. Although Marlon and Richard were the characters that hooked me, I found Gloria and Frank to be equally compelling characters. I, perhaps unfairly, despised Mr. Dowd.
Although there's a reservedness to the relationship between Richard and Marlon, Jagernauth does provide some tender moments between the pair that really give the reader a chance to become invested in them as a couple. There's also some really lovely prose about their feelings for one another as well. What I love the most about The Longest Death is that the author isn't afraid to write complex queer characters. On one hand, I had a great level of sympathy for Richard and Marlon, they're limited by the constraints of homophobia. On the other, they're criminals, the anti-heroes of this wonderful little queer noir. Richard, Marlon, and Gloria all stole my heart and I was rooting for them. I definitely enjoyed this read!
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Thanks to NetGalley and House of Anansi Press for the ARC! When I started this book, I struggled to feel invested in the story. However, once the author revealed the main plot, I was hooked! As a gay man, I've been eagerly awaiting more stories about gay men that don't center the story on coming out. I thoroughly enjoyed this premise about two men who are lovers but also partners in a heist. I would describe the pace of this book as medium to fast-paced.
I also appreciated Gloria's arc in the story. I'm glad she could have some autonomy in her life. I almost felt as if I was watching a classic noir film when I read this book. I would describe the writing as picturesque and cinematic.
My biggest gripe with this book is that I wanted more pages for the romance to develop. I found Marlon and Richard's relationship believable, but the romance in the relationship developed mostly off-page. I think adding more scenes between them would ground the story more and add more sentimental moments.
I enjoyed the historical setting, and I felt transported to that time period. This book reminded me of the movie Pearl directed by Ti West because of some unhinged actions. I don't think this book will be for everyone. However, I recommend it if you enjoy historical fiction and stories about star-crossed lovers.
I also appreciated Gloria's arc in the story. I'm glad she could have some autonomy in her life. I almost felt as if I was watching a classic noir film when I read this book. I would describe the writing as picturesque and cinematic.
My biggest gripe with this book is that I wanted more pages for the romance to develop. I found Marlon and Richard's relationship believable, but the romance in the relationship developed mostly off-page. I think adding more scenes between them would ground the story more and add more sentimental moments.
I enjoyed the historical setting, and I felt transported to that time period. This book reminded me of the movie Pearl directed by Ti West because of some unhinged actions. I don't think this book will be for everyone. However, I recommend it if you enjoy historical fiction and stories about star-crossed lovers.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
If you loved much of the themes of Local Heavens K. M. Fajardo (minus the cyberpunk,, of course) and how it ends, you just might find your fill here.
Is the American dream worth everything you can give? This book dares to ask the question and gives you the hard, cold truth as an answer.
I really enjoyed the writing style here. So poetic and blunt in some places that it had me repeatedly blinking at the page trying to understand where that particular blow had come from. The construction of dialogues are not perfect but they're good and prose carries what it needs to carry so that's easily overlooked. Overall, it flows so easily too, I couldn't help but finish it in one sitting.
The ending of this book is still making waves inside me, a mix of understanding and heartbreak I know only Richard would be able to recognize. I have to say it was my favorite part, I'm a sucker for books that will push how real they can get without ruining the magic and I feel like The Longest Death has just the sweet spot.
Thank you to NetGalley and House of Anansi Press Inc for sending me this eARC in exchange for an honest review.
Is the American dream worth everything you can give? This book dares to ask the question and gives you the hard, cold truth as an answer.
I really enjoyed the writing style here. So poetic and blunt in some places that it had me repeatedly blinking at the page trying to understand where that particular blow had come from. The construction of dialogues are not perfect but they're good and prose carries what it needs to carry so that's easily overlooked. Overall, it flows so easily too, I couldn't help but finish it in one sitting.
The ending of this book is still making waves inside me, a mix of understanding and heartbreak I know only Richard would be able to recognize. I have to say it was my favorite part, I'm a sucker for books that will push how real they can get without ruining the magic and I feel like The Longest Death has just the sweet spot.
Thank you to NetGalley and House of Anansi Press Inc for sending me this eARC in exchange for an honest review.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
I received an advance reader copy of The Longest Death in exchange for an honest review.
As someone who loves classic film noir, this book was absolutely in my wheelhouse. It reads like an old black-and-white crime movie, full of doomed people making questionable decisions and trading quips in snappy retro slang.
The best part was the relationship between Richard and Marlon. Their romance gave the story a lot more emotional depth than I expected from a heist novel, especially given the 1950s setting. Honestly, I wanted even more scenes of them together. Their story made the book truly unique among the novel's more predictable elements.
Gloria was also a favorite character, although the constant sexual harassment from basically every man around her started to feel a little repetitive after a while. I understand it reflects the era, but it occasionally pulled me out of the story.
The book leans hard into noir tropes, but if you’re a fan of film noir, pulp crime stories, messy characters, and stylish writing, this is a really fun read.
As someone who loves classic film noir, this book was absolutely in my wheelhouse. It reads like an old black-and-white crime movie, full of doomed people making questionable decisions and trading quips in snappy retro slang.
The best part was the relationship between Richard and Marlon. Their romance gave the story a lot more emotional depth than I expected from a heist novel, especially given the 1950s setting. Honestly, I wanted even more scenes of them together. Their story made the book truly unique among the novel's more predictable elements.
Gloria was also a favorite character, although the constant sexual harassment from basically every man around her started to feel a little repetitive after a while. I understand it reflects the era, but it occasionally pulled me out of the story.
The book leans hard into noir tropes, but if you’re a fan of film noir, pulp crime stories, messy characters, and stylish writing, this is a really fun read.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
The Longest Death is an enjoyable noir heist novel, but it was difficult to get into at the beginning and continued to struggle a bit later on. Marlon and Richard's relationship was one of the highlights of the novel for me, and I found myself really searching for more moments of interactions between the two of them. At the beginning of the novel, it felt as though the plot was progressing at a much slower pace than at the end, which made it really difficult to stay invested and keep reading. In some sections it felt as though an entire section of dialogue had been written around the idea of a character saying one particular line, and everything around it was just filler in order to make the delivery of the line make sense. There were moments where I caught glimpses of a novel I could really enjoy, but it never quite hit the mark for me.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review!
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review!
Review of advance copy
I received an ARC and my review doesn’t reflect the final product.
A fun pastiche of noir without the sexism/homophobia. I found the first half fun, enjoying the over the top language and what was being set up. I did feel like it started to drag, with scenes repeating very similar information.
And I felt like these had to be the dumbest people in the world to still attempt the crime after knowing that everyone was suspicious and watching them. Literally just leave town if you want to so badly.
A fun pastiche of noir without the sexism/homophobia. I found the first half fun, enjoying the over the top language and what was being set up. I did feel like it started to drag, with scenes repeating very similar information.
And I felt like these had to be the dumbest people in the world to still attempt the crime after knowing that everyone was suspicious and watching them. Literally just leave town if you want to so badly.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 17, 2026
3.5 stars. I enjoyed the representation of a small town in the post-war era, and how desperation to move on and pursue a more idyllic, urban, and independent life could lead people to see crime as opportunity. The author did a good job of capturing each character’s own desperation, and the ending wasn’t as predictable as I thought it was going to turn out to be. Some opportunity for a deeper establishment of the relationship between Marlon and Richard upfront.
Review of advance copy
This book has actually been published by House of Anansi in Canada. Purchased with my own money. I really enjoyed this book. The way it was written, the characters. Each of them was flawed and not someone you would necessarily like. Each of them with regrets, life feeling wearisome and aspirations that they felt were out of reach (well, except for Dowd) without doing something drastic. I really hope we see more from this author.
July 3, 2026
I loved the first half and then my love waned. None of the romance elements worked for me and it seemed to meander around the halfway point. But there’s lots of good stuff here.
July 11, 2026
Not your granddad's noir; a creative twist on a classic genre. Comfortably familiar, but not predictable.
August 6, 2026
“Richard knew that everything must die. Youth, desire, hope. All of it. But above all, love was the longest death.”
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 7, 2026
It might have been an imitation of older and beloved author, however for me it was not ‘grabbing’ enough. A small town and three workers trying to make their lives better… or not.
Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews