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Killing Time
Summer in Ferry, Connecticut, has always meant long, lazy days at the beach and wild nights partying in the abandoned mansions on the edge of town. Until now, that is.
Natalie Temple, who’s never been one for beaches or parties in the first place, is reeling from the murder of her favorite teacher, and there’s no way this true-crime-obsessed girl is going to sit back and let the rumor mill churn out lie after lie—even if she has to hide her investigation from her disapproving mom and team up with the new boy in town…
But the more Natalie uncovers, the more she realizes some secrets were never meant to be told.
"Expertly-plotted and brimming with suspense, Killing Time is more than just a mystery. It's a thoughtful novel about true crime stories and how we tell them.
Natalie Temple, who’s never been one for beaches or parties in the first place, is reeling from the murder of her favorite teacher, and there’s no way this true-crime-obsessed girl is going to sit back and let the rumor mill churn out lie after lie—even if she has to hide her investigation from her disapproving mom and team up with the new boy in town…
But the more Natalie uncovers, the more she realizes some secrets were never meant to be told.
"Expertly-plotted and brimming with suspense, Killing Time is more than just a mystery. It's a thoughtful novel about true crime stories and how we tell them.
336 pages, Hardcover
First published March 8, 2022
31 people are currently reading
6904 people want to read
About the author
Brenna Ehrlich
3 books108 followersBrenna Ehrlich is a young adult author and music/culture journalist. She's the Chief Research Editor at Rolling Stone and has written for the likes of MTV News, CNN, Nylon, the Huffington Post, Vice, etc. She lives in New Jersey with her three gray cats and her husband.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 124 reviews
January 24, 2022
Killing Time
by Brenna Ehrlich is an engaging young adult mystery novel featuring eighteen year-old Natalie Temple and her mother Helen Temple, and alternates settings between current times in Ferry, Connecticut and about 19 years ago in Evanston, Illinois. Natalie is a true crime enthusiast. Therefore, when her favorite teacher is murdered, Natalie is determined to investigate even though she will have to hide that investigation from her mom. The other timeline gives us a look at Helen when she first went to college and how the events there have shaped her life and attitudes.
Although Natalie has a lot of typical teen emotions, actions, and feelings, she’s doesn’t tend to go to parties or date. She views her mother as overprotective, strict, and controlling. In her summer before college, she is purging stuff from her room, shopping for college, interning at the local newspaper, working in her mom’s diner, co-hosting a true crime podcast, and now investigating a murder.
Readers get some insight into Helen’s college personality, but her current emotions are mainly seen through Natalie’s eyes. Both Natalie and Helen make mistakes that could easily be avoided, but that also made them seem realistic. Despite their flaws, I cared enough to want to find out what happened. Natalie’s best friend Katie Lugo and childhood friend Jonathan Pressman are actually the most likeable characters and provide some humor and stability. The main and supporting characters are described well and I could easily visualize them.
The writing flows reasonably well and was descriptive enough to allow readers to easily visualize Ferry and the relevant characters, houses, and businesses. The plot is somewhat twisty, but the pacing seemed a little slow to me. Part of this may have been due to the somewhat overly long descriptions. One quibble that I have is that a little communication could have significantly reduced the angst. However, that added to the suspense. The pop culture references made the novel feel relevant and appropriate to the times. The highlight for me was the character interactions. However, there was one scene dealing with consent that seemed to be glossed over. Poor decisions and immature actions abound in this novel. The ending was a little predictable and fast, but tied up the loose threads with a beautiful bow. Themes include murder, grief, regrets, teen mistakes, friendship, parenting, and more.
Overall, this was an enjoyable book. Readers of young adult mysteries may want to check this one out.
Inkyard Press and Brenna Ehrlich provided a digital ARC of this novel via NetGalley. This is my honest review. Opinions are mine alone and are not biased in any way. Publication date is currently set for March 08, 2022. This review was originally posted at Mystery and Suspense Magazine.
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My 3 star review will be posted 3-4 days after it is published at Mystery and Suspense Magazine.
Although Natalie has a lot of typical teen emotions, actions, and feelings, she’s doesn’t tend to go to parties or date. She views her mother as overprotective, strict, and controlling. In her summer before college, she is purging stuff from her room, shopping for college, interning at the local newspaper, working in her mom’s diner, co-hosting a true crime podcast, and now investigating a murder.
Readers get some insight into Helen’s college personality, but her current emotions are mainly seen through Natalie’s eyes. Both Natalie and Helen make mistakes that could easily be avoided, but that also made them seem realistic. Despite their flaws, I cared enough to want to find out what happened. Natalie’s best friend Katie Lugo and childhood friend Jonathan Pressman are actually the most likeable characters and provide some humor and stability. The main and supporting characters are described well and I could easily visualize them.
The writing flows reasonably well and was descriptive enough to allow readers to easily visualize Ferry and the relevant characters, houses, and businesses. The plot is somewhat twisty, but the pacing seemed a little slow to me. Part of this may have been due to the somewhat overly long descriptions. One quibble that I have is that a little communication could have significantly reduced the angst. However, that added to the suspense. The pop culture references made the novel feel relevant and appropriate to the times. The highlight for me was the character interactions. However, there was one scene dealing with consent that seemed to be glossed over. Poor decisions and immature actions abound in this novel. The ending was a little predictable and fast, but tied up the loose threads with a beautiful bow. Themes include murder, grief, regrets, teen mistakes, friendship, parenting, and more.
Overall, this was an enjoyable book. Readers of young adult mysteries may want to check this one out.
Inkyard Press and Brenna Ehrlich provided a digital ARC of this novel via NetGalley. This is my honest review. Opinions are mine alone and are not biased in any way. Publication date is currently set for March 08, 2022. This review was originally posted at Mystery and Suspense Magazine.
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My 3 star review will be posted 3-4 days after it is published at Mystery and Suspense Magazine.
May 31, 2023
Natalie Temple is on the cusp of adulthood. It is summer and she should be out partying and enjoying time with her friends while she can before heading off to college.
Unfortunately, that is not in the cards for Natalie after she discovers her favorite teacher/mentor has been murdered.
Natalie's greatest interest is true crime, much to the chagrin over her over-protective mother, Helen. In fact, her teacher, Mrs. Halsey, is the only adult who ever seemed to understand, and even nurture, Natalie's curiosity regarding true crime.
Even though the pair had a bit of a falling out, Natalie still cherishes Mrs. Halsey as a person and feels determined to discover what happened to her. It seems only natural to Natalie to begin her own investigation into the crime.
Over the course of the book, you get both Natalie's present-day perspective, as well as her Mom, Helen's, past-perspective, which occurs while Helen was in her first-year of college.
Through these two perspectives, the Reader gains insight into the complexity of Helen and Natalie's relationship, as well as the circumstances surrounding the murder of Mrs. Halsey.
I usually enjoy alternating timelines and perspectives and this was no exception. I liked getting to see Helen's background. It definitely helped to understand some of her overbearing behaviors; at least her motivations behind them.
I certainly wouldn't say I agree with her parenting style. You trying to push her away, Helen?!
Natalie, for me, was the weak spot of this story. I did not enjoy her. I could relate to her on being obsessed with true crime at a young age and not having people understand you because of that, but dang, I found her so abrasive.
The way her perspective was written rubbed me the wrong way. It seemed overly aggressive, or brash. I'm not quite sure how to explain it. It turned me off from the story.
Pushing that aside, however, the mystery itself, I was into. I did want to know what happened to Mrs. Halsey. I was absolutely taken along on that journey of discovery.
I also found it interesting to see the connections between the past and present; to see how much Helen's own backstory shaped the present. That was very interesting.
Overall, this was a good reading experience for me. I wasn't blown away by it and there were a few aspects of the story I felt could have been handled better, but yeah, I liked it. The audiobook kept me engaged and I would definitely pick up future work from Brenna Ehrlich.
Thank you so much to the publisher, RB Media, for providing me a copy to read and review. I really appreciate it!!
Unfortunately, that is not in the cards for Natalie after she discovers her favorite teacher/mentor has been murdered.
Natalie's greatest interest is true crime, much to the chagrin over her over-protective mother, Helen. In fact, her teacher, Mrs. Halsey, is the only adult who ever seemed to understand, and even nurture, Natalie's curiosity regarding true crime.
Even though the pair had a bit of a falling out, Natalie still cherishes Mrs. Halsey as a person and feels determined to discover what happened to her. It seems only natural to Natalie to begin her own investigation into the crime.
Over the course of the book, you get both Natalie's present-day perspective, as well as her Mom, Helen's, past-perspective, which occurs while Helen was in her first-year of college.
Through these two perspectives, the Reader gains insight into the complexity of Helen and Natalie's relationship, as well as the circumstances surrounding the murder of Mrs. Halsey.
I usually enjoy alternating timelines and perspectives and this was no exception. I liked getting to see Helen's background. It definitely helped to understand some of her overbearing behaviors; at least her motivations behind them.
I certainly wouldn't say I agree with her parenting style. You trying to push her away, Helen?!
Natalie, for me, was the weak spot of this story. I did not enjoy her. I could relate to her on being obsessed with true crime at a young age and not having people understand you because of that, but dang, I found her so abrasive.
The way her perspective was written rubbed me the wrong way. It seemed overly aggressive, or brash. I'm not quite sure how to explain it. It turned me off from the story.
Pushing that aside, however, the mystery itself, I was into. I did want to know what happened to Mrs. Halsey. I was absolutely taken along on that journey of discovery.
I also found it interesting to see the connections between the past and present; to see how much Helen's own backstory shaped the present. That was very interesting.
Overall, this was a good reading experience for me. I wasn't blown away by it and there were a few aspects of the story I felt could have been handled better, but yeah, I liked it. The audiobook kept me engaged and I would definitely pick up future work from Brenna Ehrlich.
Thank you so much to the publisher, RB Media, for providing me a copy to read and review. I really appreciate it!!
March 2, 2022
3.5 stars, rounded up
This is a well-written and engaging YA mystery novel, centering on two cases--one is the death of a beloved teacher in the present, and one is a missing college student in the past. How these two cases play out is surprising and interesting.
Natalie has just graduated from high school. She has a very overprotective mom, Helen, who disapproves of Natalie's true crime obsession and has done everything possible to actively discourage it. Natalie has even kept the fact that she and her best friend have a podcast called Killing Time. Helen even goes so far as to keep her away from her favorite teacher, Mrs. Halsey. When Mrs. Halsey is murdered, Natalie wants to pay homage to her teacher and help solve the crime.
In the past, we flash back to Helen's time in college when she has dreams of being a newspaper reporter. When an acquaintance from a class turns up missing, Helen uses the connection as leverage to get assigned to the story. But does she go too far to find out what happened?
The investigating by both Helen and Natalie is very amateurish and not very realistic. I thought it was odd that she had a podcast, but it didn't feature in the story at all, except for being mentioned as a reason for her investigation. That was probably my least favorite part of this book.
I saw some references to some situations dealing with Natalie's consent with kissing and I thought it was actually handled in an authentic way. It's clear that Natalie didn't like it, but she also really went around and around in her head about it. I know that readers like to think they would just immediately confront the guy, but in this real world, most of us, especially as inexperienced as Natalie is, would have reacted the exact same way.
But all in all, the solutions to both of the cases in past and present are clever and inventive. There are some twists and surprises as one would expect in a mystery/thriller. I listened to this as an audiobook and I really liked Laura Knight Keating's narration. She was great as both Natalie's and Helen's voices, keeping them distinct and easy to follow.
If you like YA mysteries, I definitely recommend this one. Don't come into it expecting a podcast-driven story, because it's a much more straightforward boots on the ground type of investigation.
I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book, all opinions are my own.
This is a well-written and engaging YA mystery novel, centering on two cases--one is the death of a beloved teacher in the present, and one is a missing college student in the past. How these two cases play out is surprising and interesting.
Natalie has just graduated from high school. She has a very overprotective mom, Helen, who disapproves of Natalie's true crime obsession and has done everything possible to actively discourage it. Natalie has even kept the fact that she and her best friend have a podcast called Killing Time. Helen even goes so far as to keep her away from her favorite teacher, Mrs. Halsey. When Mrs. Halsey is murdered, Natalie wants to pay homage to her teacher and help solve the crime.
In the past, we flash back to Helen's time in college when she has dreams of being a newspaper reporter. When an acquaintance from a class turns up missing, Helen uses the connection as leverage to get assigned to the story. But does she go too far to find out what happened?
The investigating by both Helen and Natalie is very amateurish and not very realistic. I thought it was odd that she had a podcast, but it didn't feature in the story at all, except for being mentioned as a reason for her investigation. That was probably my least favorite part of this book.
I saw some references to some situations dealing with Natalie's consent with kissing and I thought it was actually handled in an authentic way. It's clear that Natalie didn't like it, but she also really went around and around in her head about it. I know that readers like to think they would just immediately confront the guy, but in this real world, most of us, especially as inexperienced as Natalie is, would have reacted the exact same way.
But all in all, the solutions to both of the cases in past and present are clever and inventive. There are some twists and surprises as one would expect in a mystery/thriller. I listened to this as an audiobook and I really liked Laura Knight Keating's narration. She was great as both Natalie's and Helen's voices, keeping them distinct and easy to follow.
If you like YA mysteries, I definitely recommend this one. Don't come into it expecting a podcast-driven story, because it's a much more straightforward boots on the ground type of investigation.
I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book, all opinions are my own.
November 27, 2021
Life is short, and this book is not very good.
More and more books feature the podcast angle, and this book is very referential for the true-crime fan. Unfortunately, the writing is middling, the characters are not very dynamic, and the plot not propulsive.
More and more books feature the podcast angle, and this book is very referential for the true-crime fan. Unfortunately, the writing is middling, the characters are not very dynamic, and the plot not propulsive.
March 10, 2022
Killing Time by Brenna Ehrlich is a young adult mystery novel. The story in Killing Time is one that is told by alternating the point of view as it also alternates the timeline between a current time and from around twenty years before.
Being raised by a single mother in Ferry, Connecticut Natalie Temple feels that her mother, Helen, is overprotective. Natalie is a student that has always been obsessed with true crime much to the dismay of her mother running a podcast with her best friend.
Natalie knew her mother wouldn’t approve of the true crime club run by her teacher either but joined anyway and now that teacher has been murdered and Natalie wants answers. Helen’s past has shaped her life though and given her the reason to want her daughter as safe as she can be.
Killing Time by Brenna Ehrlich is the type of novel that almost feels as if reading two separate stories at once. There was two different mysteries going on at once too in the current and in the past so it did keep both sides moving along nicely wanting to see what would happen in each. I liked that the current had the podcast as it definitely stood out as something that would go on now making both distinct. Of course there’s some twists along the way too as the story unfolded and when finished I enjoyed this read.
I received an advance copy from the publisher via NetGalley.
For more reviews please visit https://carriesbookreviews.com/
Being raised by a single mother in Ferry, Connecticut Natalie Temple feels that her mother, Helen, is overprotective. Natalie is a student that has always been obsessed with true crime much to the dismay of her mother running a podcast with her best friend.
Natalie knew her mother wouldn’t approve of the true crime club run by her teacher either but joined anyway and now that teacher has been murdered and Natalie wants answers. Helen’s past has shaped her life though and given her the reason to want her daughter as safe as she can be.
Killing Time by Brenna Ehrlich is the type of novel that almost feels as if reading two separate stories at once. There was two different mysteries going on at once too in the current and in the past so it did keep both sides moving along nicely wanting to see what would happen in each. I liked that the current had the podcast as it definitely stood out as something that would go on now making both distinct. Of course there’s some twists along the way too as the story unfolded and when finished I enjoyed this read.
I received an advance copy from the publisher via NetGalley.
For more reviews please visit https://carriesbookreviews.com/
July 30, 2021
Thanks to edelweiss and the publisher for this early copy!
Right off the bat, I don't think marketing "to a generation of murderinos" (a term at the very least popularized by My Favorite Murder) is cool when there's literally a line bashing a made up podcast that makes jokes and gets stuff wrong about crime details. I mean, sure, I'm sure that's not everyone's cup of tea when it comes to a crime podcast, but it's a *podcast*, it's not your criminal justice professor giving a lecture. It just feels a little misleading for me to have read this based on that pitch. But, anyway, that was just one line of this story.
This story starts with Natalie finding out her favorite teacher was murdered. Natalie already has a true crime podcast, but she wants to investigate her teacher's murder herself so that she doesn't get "forgotten." It's pretty brutal, though; this girl starts recording as soon as she gets to her teacher's memorial service.
The thing about her podcast is that I am never shown anything about her podcast prior to, or almost even during, the story. It's not like A Good Girl's Guide to Murder... there's no recording sessions other than Natalie sometimes remembering to record people's statements on her phone. It made me not care that she had a podcast, because I was really only told and not shown.
Natalie meets a boy named Kurt and they have a really weird relationship. He is sweet, but a little pushy, and Natalie even talks about how she feels like he stole their first kiss from her and feeling uncomfortable about it. I DID NOT LIKE THIS PART. Especially because she sees him the next day and decides that she does think it's okay that she likes him and never mentions the questionable consent kiss ever again. Even if this is a realistic situation that teens find themselves in, there needs to be something in the book challenging it, in my opinion. Teens aren't stupid and they don't need things spelled out for them, but with issues of consent I think it's important to cement the idea in their heads that consent isn't only important but necessary.
Natalie's mom is WILDLY protective. It is so annoying, lol. What's even more annoying is that her mom forgets to be protective when it's convenient for the story. You find out via flashbacks that her mom is like that because she also dealt with someone she knew becoming a victim of a crime. The flashback portions are fine and all, but it's just kind of there. It's hard to attach the version of Natalie's mom that you know to the college freshman in the flashbacks. What's REALLY weird is that we are all so old now that YA protagonist's MOMS have cell phones in flashbacks and the timelines check out for that. But, I digress.
The actual mystery ending is alright. All the loose ends tied up pretty well. I still had a little tear in my eye on the last page. But overall this just was another "true crime podcast" YA book and not the best one I've ever read, either.
Right off the bat, I don't think marketing "to a generation of murderinos" (a term at the very least popularized by My Favorite Murder) is cool when there's literally a line bashing a made up podcast that makes jokes and gets stuff wrong about crime details. I mean, sure, I'm sure that's not everyone's cup of tea when it comes to a crime podcast, but it's a *podcast*, it's not your criminal justice professor giving a lecture. It just feels a little misleading for me to have read this based on that pitch. But, anyway, that was just one line of this story.
This story starts with Natalie finding out her favorite teacher was murdered. Natalie already has a true crime podcast, but she wants to investigate her teacher's murder herself so that she doesn't get "forgotten." It's pretty brutal, though; this girl starts recording as soon as she gets to her teacher's memorial service.
The thing about her podcast is that I am never shown anything about her podcast prior to, or almost even during, the story. It's not like A Good Girl's Guide to Murder... there's no recording sessions other than Natalie sometimes remembering to record people's statements on her phone. It made me not care that she had a podcast, because I was really only told and not shown.
Natalie meets a boy named Kurt and they have a really weird relationship. He is sweet, but a little pushy, and Natalie even talks about how she feels like he stole their first kiss from her and feeling uncomfortable about it. I DID NOT LIKE THIS PART. Especially because she sees him the next day and decides that she does think it's okay that she likes him and never mentions the questionable consent kiss ever again. Even if this is a realistic situation that teens find themselves in, there needs to be something in the book challenging it, in my opinion. Teens aren't stupid and they don't need things spelled out for them, but with issues of consent I think it's important to cement the idea in their heads that consent isn't only important but necessary.
Natalie's mom is WILDLY protective. It is so annoying, lol. What's even more annoying is that her mom forgets to be protective when it's convenient for the story. You find out via flashbacks that her mom is like that because she also dealt with someone she knew becoming a victim of a crime. The flashback portions are fine and all, but it's just kind of there. It's hard to attach the version of Natalie's mom that you know to the college freshman in the flashbacks. What's REALLY weird is that we are all so old now that YA protagonist's MOMS have cell phones in flashbacks and the timelines check out for that. But, I digress.
The actual mystery ending is alright. All the loose ends tied up pretty well. I still had a little tear in my eye on the last page. But overall this just was another "true crime podcast" YA book and not the best one I've ever read, either.
Want to read
April 10, 2021When Natalie Temple's favorite teacher is murdered, this true crime-obsessed teen sets out to uncover her killer, not realizing that the story she's chasing is the very same one her family is running from.
January 22, 2025
Killing Time by Brenna Ehrlich is a heavily detailed mystery that spans two timelines. Unfortunately, I didn't like the characters, writing style, or the predictable ending.
The story follows Natalie, a teen journalist who runs a true crime podcast. For her next episode, she decides to investigate the mystery around her teacher's death. That's when things take a turn...
One of my biggest pet peeves is when the characters make poor decisions for the sake of the plot. This book falls victim to that. Natalie makes soooo many bad choices that put her in harm's way. At one point in the story, These, and other poor decisions, made it hard for me to connect with her character.
I also found the writing style tedious and difficult to read. There are soooo many unnecessary details and descriptions. While I appreciate the author's attempt to add extra information, it dragged the story out and made it seem slower.
I also thought the murder mystery aspect of the book seemed lackluster. The rationale behind the killer's motive didn't make sense, and I had a hard time believing they acted the way they did because of the reason provided in the story. I did think the connection between the two timelines was cool, although I wish we had the chance to see the ending play out in the first timeline rather than hearing about it later.
I like the setting—I think the town of Ferry sounds charming. Unfortunately, I can't think of any other redeeming qualities about this story. I don't like giving low ratings because I know how much love authors put into their books, but I didn't like this story. This is a rare 1-star review from me.
I received an ARC of this book courtesy of Netgalley and Inkyard Press; all opinions are my own.
The story follows Natalie, a teen journalist who runs a true crime podcast. For her next episode, she decides to investigate the mystery around her teacher's death. That's when things take a turn...
One of my biggest pet peeves is when the characters make poor decisions for the sake of the plot. This book falls victim to that. Natalie makes soooo many bad choices that put her in harm's way. At one point in the story, These, and other poor decisions, made it hard for me to connect with her character.
I also found the writing style tedious and difficult to read. There are soooo many unnecessary details and descriptions. While I appreciate the author's attempt to add extra information, it dragged the story out and made it seem slower.
I also thought the murder mystery aspect of the book seemed lackluster. The rationale behind the killer's motive didn't make sense, and I had a hard time believing they acted the way they did because of the reason provided in the story. I did think the connection between the two timelines was cool, although I wish we had the chance to see the ending play out in the first timeline rather than hearing about it later.
I like the setting—I think the town of Ferry sounds charming. Unfortunately, I can't think of any other redeeming qualities about this story. I don't like giving low ratings because I know how much love authors put into their books, but I didn't like this story. This is a rare 1-star review from me.
I received an ARC of this book courtesy of Netgalley and Inkyard Press; all opinions are my own.
March 6, 2022
Natalie is a recent high school grad and her favorite teacher has been murdered. She is a True Crime junkie and hopes to cut her teeth on investigating the murder while she grieves her loss. Her single mother Helen, however, is not ready to let her go and ties her to the family diner for work and to keep her out of trouble. Little does Natalie know, her mother Helen has had her own experiences with investigating crime and the experience changed her life..
Thus begins two story lines: past/present with murders to be solved. It's very engaging and real to learn about both Helen and Natalie's lives and their inner monologues. To be clear, this is not a podcast based novel as it is promoted, I believe the podcast theme (if you can call it that) is meant to illustrate Natalies True Crime interests and tie in her friendships. I think she could've been a True Crime podcast listener as many of my students are! Another critique for me is that Natalie seems to be far too young as an 18 year old. I could be wrong, I did believe and enjoy her relationship struggles, I just thing they happen a lot earlier than after high school.
The two storylines tie together at the end and although there are many components that require suspended belief, it's an enjoyable romp and I would recommend to any YA thriller and mystery lover #KillingTime #RBmedia #netgalley
Thus begins two story lines: past/present with murders to be solved. It's very engaging and real to learn about both Helen and Natalie's lives and their inner monologues. To be clear, this is not a podcast based novel as it is promoted, I believe the podcast theme (if you can call it that) is meant to illustrate Natalies True Crime interests and tie in her friendships. I think she could've been a True Crime podcast listener as many of my students are! Another critique for me is that Natalie seems to be far too young as an 18 year old. I could be wrong, I did believe and enjoy her relationship struggles, I just thing they happen a lot earlier than after high school.
The two storylines tie together at the end and although there are many components that require suspended belief, it's an enjoyable romp and I would recommend to any YA thriller and mystery lover #KillingTime #RBmedia #netgalley
April 28, 2022
Killing Time is the first novel I've read by Brenna Ehrlich, but the title and description made me so curious that I knew I would have to give it a try. This novel blends many familiar genres, including mystery and thriller elements and some young adult themes.
Natalie Temple should be enjoying her summer break by spending time at the beach. But that's never really been Natalie's thing. This year she's even less likely to indulge in partying since she's reeling from the shocking murder of one of her favorite teachers.
So, rather than taking the summer to have a relaxing vacation, Natalie will dig into the mystery. How can she not, when the rest of the town seems inclined to look the other way? Only, the more Natalie digs, the more secrets she seems to find.
Do you know how sometimes a pretty cover will suck you in? That's what happened to me with Killing Time. Right away, I knew that it would be a book I read. The description simply sealed the deal. I confess that I have a weak spot for novels that promise a character too stubborn to look away from a crime.
Killing Time is a book that's easy to get into. We have a brutal murder, a conflicted teen, and many hidden secrets. So naturally, there's a lot to get caught up in. Overall, I liked Natalie's perspective on the story. It was a unique take on the matter, having a teenage girl look into the murder of her favorite teacher and all that. I know it's probably been done before, but not in anything I've read (I think).
The pacing was solid, keeping the story flowing from one event to another. However, some scenes could probably have used another working over. For example, a scene had a certain lack of consent that bugged me. I would have loved to see the author either rework that scene or revisit it later in the novel to help explain the context and problematic nature.
If you enjoy young adult mystery/thrillers with many teenage complications and emotions, then I think you'll enjoy Killing Time.
Thanks to Inkyard Press and #NetGalley for making this book available for review. All opinions expressed are my own.
Read more reviews over at Quirky Cat's Fat Stacks
Natalie Temple should be enjoying her summer break by spending time at the beach. But that's never really been Natalie's thing. This year she's even less likely to indulge in partying since she's reeling from the shocking murder of one of her favorite teachers.
So, rather than taking the summer to have a relaxing vacation, Natalie will dig into the mystery. How can she not, when the rest of the town seems inclined to look the other way? Only, the more Natalie digs, the more secrets she seems to find.
Do you know how sometimes a pretty cover will suck you in? That's what happened to me with Killing Time. Right away, I knew that it would be a book I read. The description simply sealed the deal. I confess that I have a weak spot for novels that promise a character too stubborn to look away from a crime.
Killing Time is a book that's easy to get into. We have a brutal murder, a conflicted teen, and many hidden secrets. So naturally, there's a lot to get caught up in. Overall, I liked Natalie's perspective on the story. It was a unique take on the matter, having a teenage girl look into the murder of her favorite teacher and all that. I know it's probably been done before, but not in anything I've read (I think).
The pacing was solid, keeping the story flowing from one event to another. However, some scenes could probably have used another working over. For example, a scene had a certain lack of consent that bugged me. I would have loved to see the author either rework that scene or revisit it later in the novel to help explain the context and problematic nature.
If you enjoy young adult mystery/thrillers with many teenage complications and emotions, then I think you'll enjoy Killing Time.
Thanks to Inkyard Press and #NetGalley for making this book available for review. All opinions expressed are my own.
Read more reviews over at Quirky Cat's Fat Stacks
April 14, 2022
This is a dual timeline mystery following a mother and daughter as they each investigate a mystery in their hometowns. Natalie is a true crime buff and when her favorite teacher is killed, she ropes her best friend Katie into looking for clues and making a podcast about the crime. Helen is in her first year of college and is assigned by the school paper to look into a classmate's disappearance. Both girls are navigating growing up, relationships with their parents, and deciding how far to go in their pursuit of the truth.
The back and forth narration was a bit difficult to follow on the audiobook. I think if there were two narrators it would have helped differentiate between the girls. We also didn't get as much of Helen as Natalie and Helen's investigation wasn't as interesting. I felt like her story was more about why she's so protective of Natalie and hates her true crim obsession.
When there aren't many characters introduced, it's kind of easy to see who the killer is. I hoped it would be a more exciting plot, but it focused too much on Natalie fighting with Helen and being interested in Kurt. I would have liked more mystery and more exciting or intense moments to make it a thriller.
I voluntarily read and reviewed this book. All opinions are my own. Thank you to RB Media and NetGalley for the audiobook copy
The back and forth narration was a bit difficult to follow on the audiobook. I think if there were two narrators it would have helped differentiate between the girls. We also didn't get as much of Helen as Natalie and Helen's investigation wasn't as interesting. I felt like her story was more about why she's so protective of Natalie and hates her true crim obsession.
When there aren't many characters introduced, it's kind of easy to see who the killer is. I hoped it would be a more exciting plot, but it focused too much on Natalie fighting with Helen and being interested in Kurt. I would have liked more mystery and more exciting or intense moments to make it a thriller.
I voluntarily read and reviewed this book. All opinions are my own. Thank you to RB Media and NetGalley for the audiobook copy
March 5, 2022
2.4 stars
Our protagonist Natalie Temple is an eighteen and is true-crime obsessed. She has her own pod cast called “Killing Time’.
When her favorite teacher is murdered, Natalie’s obsession now possesses her. She uncovers secrets.
The secrets turned out to be a twist.
I had a problem liking any of these characters ~ most of the nasty language just was not necessary.
I didn’t care for the audio narrator; however, I believe she did a good job performing these unlikeable characters.
I hung in there and it turned out to be a tad better than I expected.
I know this story has and will find the right audience; however, it never got to the point of being a good read for me.
Want to thank NetGalley and RB Media for this audio eGalley. This file has been made available to me before publication in an early form for an honest professional review.
Publishing Release Date scheduled for March 8, 2022.
Our protagonist Natalie Temple is an eighteen and is true-crime obsessed. She has her own pod cast called “Killing Time’.
When her favorite teacher is murdered, Natalie’s obsession now possesses her. She uncovers secrets.
The secrets turned out to be a twist.
I had a problem liking any of these characters ~ most of the nasty language just was not necessary.
I didn’t care for the audio narrator; however, I believe she did a good job performing these unlikeable characters.
I hung in there and it turned out to be a tad better than I expected.
I know this story has and will find the right audience; however, it never got to the point of being a good read for me.
Want to thank NetGalley and RB Media for this audio eGalley. This file has been made available to me before publication in an early form for an honest professional review.
Publishing Release Date scheduled for March 8, 2022.
March 9, 2022
Killing Time by was a really good read! I grew to really like Natalie, even though sometimes I was wondering what she was thinking. The way the intrigue with her mom played out was unique. This is considered a YA book but definitely read older to me. Natalie had a relationship but she was never only about the guy and never came off as immature. This story was easy to be drawn into and I finished it quickly.
June 19, 2025
Sloppy twist with a half decent plot.
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January 9, 2022In this debut novel, when her favorite teacher is murdered, true crime fanatic Natalie Temple is driven to uncover the story of what really happened so she can broadcast on her podcast, KILLING TIME. But the more she discovers, the more secrets she finds that should never have been revealed, including ones about her mother, Helen, who is dead-set against Natalie digging where she shouldn't. With alternating chapters set in the past from Helen's POV, this mystery story unravels secrets about the little town of Ferry, Connecticut as it meanders toward its conclusion.
Readers should be aware this book is considered YA, not an adult or New Adult thriller, so if the themes feel like they're directed toward a younger audience, that's by intention. Both Natalie and Helen make some bonehead mistakes, and it may be difficult to cheer for them when they're both driven by the desire for a good true crime story, even at the expense of disrespecting people they claim to admire. I found myself not liking Helen much even in the past, but Natalie has other qualities that make her likable enough to look past those tragic flaws and care enough to find out what happens to her. The best character is Natalie's friend, Katie, who is both funny and loyal, and one of the few who is true to her internal moral code.
Colorful imagery fleshes out the scenes in this book. At times, the descriptions run long, but they can easily be skipped past. The scenes with Natalie are more compelling than those with Helen, mainly because the scenes in the past are more about showing her mother's mistakes, while Natalie's focus a bit more on solving the mystery of what happened to the teacher (though the answer to the mystery may feel predictable to diehard thriller fans, but teens, the target audience, will likely enjoy it, and the final chapter is heartwarming). There are tons of pop culture references that teens will enjoy. At times it feels like an episode of Buffy, which is referenced multiple times in the book, and well-worth a read.
Thanks to Netgalley and Inkyard Press for the opportunity to read this ARC in exchange for a fair review.
Readers should be aware this book is considered YA, not an adult or New Adult thriller, so if the themes feel like they're directed toward a younger audience, that's by intention. Both Natalie and Helen make some bonehead mistakes, and it may be difficult to cheer for them when they're both driven by the desire for a good true crime story, even at the expense of disrespecting people they claim to admire. I found myself not liking Helen much even in the past, but Natalie has other qualities that make her likable enough to look past those tragic flaws and care enough to find out what happens to her. The best character is Natalie's friend, Katie, who is both funny and loyal, and one of the few who is true to her internal moral code.
Colorful imagery fleshes out the scenes in this book. At times, the descriptions run long, but they can easily be skipped past. The scenes with Natalie are more compelling than those with Helen, mainly because the scenes in the past are more about showing her mother's mistakes, while Natalie's focus a bit more on solving the mystery of what happened to the teacher (though the answer to the mystery may feel predictable to diehard thriller fans, but teens, the target audience, will likely enjoy it, and the final chapter is heartwarming). There are tons of pop culture references that teens will enjoy. At times it feels like an episode of Buffy, which is referenced multiple times in the book, and well-worth a read.
Thanks to Netgalley and Inkyard Press for the opportunity to read this ARC in exchange for a fair review.
April 2, 2022
I was so let down by this book. Not because it isn’t well-written, because it is actually rather well-written. I was let down because I was expecting a book about a teenage girl with a true crime podcast… and where was the podcast? The podcast is a point made significant in the blurb for this book, but it’s nearly invisible in the book. Honestly, you could’ve just made Natalie (our protagonist) a fan of true crime books and documentaries and still had the same effect. It feels like a bit of bait and switch for someone who wanted to read this book because of the unique podcast angle.
I was expecting something a bit more fast-paced, but instead the pacing is rather slow (though it is even, which is good).
The characters come across as immature all around, making bad and nonsensical decisions and acting foolishly when the whole premise of the book doesn’t lead the reader to believe the characters should reflect those attitudes.
I also called one of the turns when I was only 11% into the book, and that’s never a good sign.
Thanks to NetGalley and Inkyard Press for early access to this title in exchange for a fair and honest review. As per personal policy, this review will not be posted to any bookseller or social media site due to the 3 star or lower rating.
I was expecting something a bit more fast-paced, but instead the pacing is rather slow (though it is even, which is good).
The characters come across as immature all around, making bad and nonsensical decisions and acting foolishly when the whole premise of the book doesn’t lead the reader to believe the characters should reflect those attitudes.
I also called one of the turns when I was only 11% into the book, and that’s never a good sign.
Thanks to NetGalley and Inkyard Press for early access to this title in exchange for a fair and honest review. As per personal policy, this review will not be posted to any bookseller or social media site due to the 3 star or lower rating.
July 3, 2022
this book was perfectly within the mold. girl obsessed with true crime podcasts and horror movies who doesn’t quite fit in at school suddenly finds herself thrust in the middle of a real life murder story AND finds a guy she likes along the way? no offense to the author, but i’ve read about 5 books in the past year with this exact plot.
speaking of the plot, the murderer is easy to guess and the side story was of no surprise to me at all. there were absolutely no out of the ordinary events in this book compared to others with the same storyline, and katie and natalie were obviously gay for each other (like seriously spice it up a bit).
as far as the writing went, there was an excessive use of the word ‘kibosh’ among other “unique” words. nothing about the prose really did anything for me, and it just added to the overall blandness of the book.
tldr, Killing Time is complete with an overdone plot, cookie cutter characters, and simple writing, however, despite my criticisms, it was a short and easily digestible read, so that has to count for something, right? not really, but I finished it, so it wasn’t horrible. 2/5 stars.
speaking of the plot, the murderer is easy to guess and the side story was of no surprise to me at all. there were absolutely no out of the ordinary events in this book compared to others with the same storyline, and katie and natalie were obviously gay for each other (like seriously spice it up a bit).
as far as the writing went, there was an excessive use of the word ‘kibosh’ among other “unique” words. nothing about the prose really did anything for me, and it just added to the overall blandness of the book.
tldr, Killing Time is complete with an overdone plot, cookie cutter characters, and simple writing, however, despite my criticisms, it was a short and easily digestible read, so that has to count for something, right? not really, but I finished it, so it wasn’t horrible. 2/5 stars.
March 10, 2022
First things first- this is a YA thriller. I am not personally a huge fan of YA thrillers typically, and I probably would not have requested this one if I had realized that. With that being said, I mostly enjoyed this one anyway.
The pacing was steady throughout, not too fast and not too slow. This is told through a dual timeline format, with the past describing her overprotective mother's first semester in college investigating a classmate's disappearance for the school newspaper. I love a good dual timeline but it moved a little slow in these parts for me. It was important to the story though, explaining her overbearing nature with her daughter, while tying everything together plot-wise.
Natalie runs a true-crime podcast with her friend, which helps inspire her investigation along with her relationship with her deceased teacher. I wanted more podcast talk with this. We know she has a podcast because it is mentioned several times but it is never shown to us. Honestly, I feel like the podcast could have been deleted from the whole book and wouldn't have really been missed.
I guessed the main twist, but there were a couple things that still surprised me. While it was mostly a predictable ending for me, it was satisfying. Everything came together nicely and there were no loose threads that I could see.
Thank you to @netgalley and the publisher for a gifted copy in exchange for an honest review!
The pacing was steady throughout, not too fast and not too slow. This is told through a dual timeline format, with the past describing her overprotective mother's first semester in college investigating a classmate's disappearance for the school newspaper. I love a good dual timeline but it moved a little slow in these parts for me. It was important to the story though, explaining her overbearing nature with her daughter, while tying everything together plot-wise.
Natalie runs a true-crime podcast with her friend, which helps inspire her investigation along with her relationship with her deceased teacher. I wanted more podcast talk with this. We know she has a podcast because it is mentioned several times but it is never shown to us. Honestly, I feel like the podcast could have been deleted from the whole book and wouldn't have really been missed.
I guessed the main twist, but there were a couple things that still surprised me. While it was mostly a predictable ending for me, it was satisfying. Everything came together nicely and there were no loose threads that I could see.
Thank you to @netgalley and the publisher for a gifted copy in exchange for an honest review!
April 5, 2022
The author/main character’s views of My Favorite Murder aren’t new or edgy and honestly have no place in this book, especially when the term murderinos is used in the marketing materials. The three stars are for the plot itself being interesting, especially the way the past and present tied together in the end. But the murderer is predictable, the motive spotty at best, and the podcast that this book is supposedly about is almost never shown (and the content of their podcast sounds a lot like MFM, again a podcast that the MC claims to hate). The amount of times I wanted to yell, “You’re not a journalist, you’re a teenager,” was far too many.
October 3, 2021
What happens when your favorite teacher is found murdered? When you are a hopeful investigative reporter and podcaster...you investigate. If you are into true crime podcasts (as I am), then this is a story for you. The story of Natalie and her mother, Helen, is told through alternating chapters and both stories were full of suspense. While the ending was a total surprise, it was satisfying, with a spark of hope. Recommened.
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March 11, 2022Graded By: Brian
Cover Story: Burning Man
Drinking Buddy: Flat Beer
Mpaa Rating: R (Violence, Sexuality, Language, Alcohol Use)
Talky Talk: Meh
Bonus Factors: Dual Timelines
Relationship Status: Small Town Celebrity
Read the full book report here.
Cover Story: Burning Man
Drinking Buddy: Flat Beer
Mpaa Rating: R (Violence, Sexuality, Language, Alcohol Use)
Talky Talk: Meh
Bonus Factors: Dual Timelines
Relationship Status: Small Town Celebrity
Read the full book report here.
June 23, 2022
When her favorite teacher is murdered, Natalie Temple is determined to investigate. Her mother doesn't approve and is fiercely over-protective of her daughter. It's only when we go back in time and see what happened to Natalie's mother that we understand her concerns about her daughter's obsession with crime. I loved the alternating perspectives of mother and daughter.
January 30, 2022
I could not put this book down. Ehrlich builds a grounded, very real world and then unleashes a series of twists that are simultaneously shocking and satisfying. As a lifelong true crime fan the questions built into the book about what compels us to seek out these stories --and the fact they are NOT just stories, but real lives stolen from real people with real consequences -- hit home for me.
Read
March 1, 2022Young Adult Family, Young Adult Girls & Women, Young Adult Lifestyles, Thrillers & Suspense
March 8, 2022
An intense fast paced mystery with unique characters. Characters that all share a common factor, “unpredictability”.
A true crime fan, 18 year old Natalie Temple learns that her favorite teacher has been murdered over the summer. Before Natalie leaves for college, she vows to solve the case, along with her BFF, Katie, and use this turning point in her life as a stepping stone towards her future career in journalism.
Helen Temple, is Natalie’s overbearing and over protective mom, who thwarts Natalie from a lot of activities, most especially trying to get involved in the business of murder.
Throughout the story we meet several characters whose behavior is odd at times and sometimes both helps and hinders Natalie’s personal investigation.
One thing is clear, someone doesn’t want Natalie to get involved, which of course makes her more determined.
Operating under false pretenses for a majority of the story, Natalie continues to put herself in the path of danger, until it’s almost too dangerous.
Does Natalie use her sleuthing skills to uncover her beloved teacher’s murderer?
An entertaining read with some unusual situations.
A true crime fan, 18 year old Natalie Temple learns that her favorite teacher has been murdered over the summer. Before Natalie leaves for college, she vows to solve the case, along with her BFF, Katie, and use this turning point in her life as a stepping stone towards her future career in journalism.
Helen Temple, is Natalie’s overbearing and over protective mom, who thwarts Natalie from a lot of activities, most especially trying to get involved in the business of murder.
Throughout the story we meet several characters whose behavior is odd at times and sometimes both helps and hinders Natalie’s personal investigation.
One thing is clear, someone doesn’t want Natalie to get involved, which of course makes her more determined.
Operating under false pretenses for a majority of the story, Natalie continues to put herself in the path of danger, until it’s almost too dangerous.
Does Natalie use her sleuthing skills to uncover her beloved teacher’s murderer?
An entertaining read with some unusual situations.
October 18, 2021
Thank you, Edelweiss and Inkyard Press for the arc.
Off the bat, I knew this wasn't going to be the book for me. My criticism does not have anything to do with the plot because I love true crime and murder mysteries (I'm huge about listening to at least 2 crime podcasts a day), but the writing style really took me out of the story. It felt juvenile, and the third person pov merely felt like the author telling us what's happening without really getting into the detail if that makes sense.
The beginning of the book threw us into a catalyst and continued on without us really getting to know the character and I felt it hard to immerse myself. There wasn't a breath. Natalie has a podcast, but we don't get into the process and how she got into it. There's a lot of telling and not showing in this book.
The characters would be OK if we knew them better. I know enough about Kurt not to like him and Nat's mother is irritating and the flashback about her past felt out of place in the story.
Overall, I did not enjoy this one. I liked the idea but the execution fell flat.
Off the bat, I knew this wasn't going to be the book for me. My criticism does not have anything to do with the plot because I love true crime and murder mysteries (I'm huge about listening to at least 2 crime podcasts a day), but the writing style really took me out of the story. It felt juvenile, and the third person pov merely felt like the author telling us what's happening without really getting into the detail if that makes sense.
The beginning of the book threw us into a catalyst and continued on without us really getting to know the character and I felt it hard to immerse myself. There wasn't a breath. Natalie has a podcast, but we don't get into the process and how she got into it. There's a lot of telling and not showing in this book.
The characters would be OK if we knew them better. I know enough about Kurt not to like him and Nat's mother is irritating and the flashback about her past felt out of place in the story.
Overall, I did not enjoy this one. I liked the idea but the execution fell flat.
October 20, 2021
Natalie is grieving the loss of her favorite teacher. This isnt just any loss but a murder. Natalie cant take a backseat and just watch the rumors fly, she needs to start her own investigation.
But what happens when Natalie starts discovering the secrets that were never meant to come to light?
This is a tough book to review as I do not want to say too much and spoil the ending. I do want to say this. This was a fast paced, nail biting thriller that will keep your attention from the first chapter. I thoroughly enjoyed this novel from start to finish.
I will say that as much as its a thriller I would also consider it to be a bit Young Adult as well. . This is a book you do not want to miss. Due out March 8, 2022, make sure you pre-order this one!
But what happens when Natalie starts discovering the secrets that were never meant to come to light?
This is a tough book to review as I do not want to say too much and spoil the ending. I do want to say this. This was a fast paced, nail biting thriller that will keep your attention from the first chapter. I thoroughly enjoyed this novel from start to finish.
I will say that as much as its a thriller I would also consider it to be a bit Young Adult as well. . This is a book you do not want to miss. Due out March 8, 2022, make sure you pre-order this one!
July 3, 2022
Really great read, loved the story of the present, and the past, and how it all came together!
March 10, 2022
I got this book at such a great time as I was in need of a good mystery story to cleanse my palate. Overall I really enjoyed this book and found myself missing it a couple of days after I finished it. There were some aspects of the book I felt Ehrlich did very well and some that I wished would’ve been different, but all in all, I’d recommend this as a good read and here’s why:
The Good:
-Realistic MC- Natalie is a fresh high school grad trying to solve the mystery of her teacher’s murder for her podcast. Throughout the book, she expresses herself somewhat immaturely and sometimes with sense of entitlement, which frankly was a bit annoying but probably very similar to how a teenager on the cusp of adulthood thinks. What I love that Ehrlich did though, was that when Natalie acted impulsively and unwisely, there were usually consequences for her actions rather than having everything work out perfectly. It taught Natalie to evaluate her actions moving forward.
-Great Character Development- I feel like Natalie grew a lot by the end of this book and I was SO PROUD of her. She made dumb mistakes and some pretty bad decisions but she learned from them and learned some hard lessons along the way.
-Friendship- Katie Lugo, I love you!! Natalie’s best friend is the coolest, chillest, sassiest friend for life and I just loved hearing about the history between them and their dynamic through this whole story. I want Katie Lugo to animate and be a real person so that I can be her friend.
-Unexpected Twists- The story definitely did not end how I was expecting it too and I was really surprised (and perhaps a little confused) at the end.
-Good Moral- This book harps a lot on true crime as a form of entertainment. Some characters find it repulsing that people would enjoy hearing about others’ misfortunes, some characters have an unnatural obsession with it and a lot more fall somewhere in between. I personally love listening to true crime podcasts, which was why I was drawn to this book in the first place. But the book reminds us that these are real tragedies that happen to real people and they should be given the proper respect. I think Natalie was a bit hypocritical with this principle at first, but by the end of the book, she communicates the message in a great way.
The Could Be Better:
-Horror Chick Syndrome- Natalie made a lot of dumb choices. Blame it on her being so young or on her wanting to be a “real reporter.” Either way, it was frustrating to follow, especially when she even admits that she is acting like a girl in a horror movie while the audience is screaming at her to stop and turn back. She eventually learned but it took A LOT of trial and error.
-Underwhelming Ending- I was not expecting the ending at all but it also kind of fell short. It’s like it built up to this big climax and then left you like, “Oh really? That’s it? That’s what happened?”
The Good:
-Realistic MC- Natalie is a fresh high school grad trying to solve the mystery of her teacher’s murder for her podcast. Throughout the book, she expresses herself somewhat immaturely and sometimes with sense of entitlement, which frankly was a bit annoying but probably very similar to how a teenager on the cusp of adulthood thinks. What I love that Ehrlich did though, was that when Natalie acted impulsively and unwisely, there were usually consequences for her actions rather than having everything work out perfectly. It taught Natalie to evaluate her actions moving forward.
-Great Character Development- I feel like Natalie grew a lot by the end of this book and I was SO PROUD of her. She made dumb mistakes and some pretty bad decisions but she learned from them and learned some hard lessons along the way.
-Friendship- Katie Lugo, I love you!! Natalie’s best friend is the coolest, chillest, sassiest friend for life and I just loved hearing about the history between them and their dynamic through this whole story. I want Katie Lugo to animate and be a real person so that I can be her friend.
-Unexpected Twists- The story definitely did not end how I was expecting it too and I was really surprised (and perhaps a little confused) at the end.
-Good Moral- This book harps a lot on true crime as a form of entertainment. Some characters find it repulsing that people would enjoy hearing about others’ misfortunes, some characters have an unnatural obsession with it and a lot more fall somewhere in between. I personally love listening to true crime podcasts, which was why I was drawn to this book in the first place. But the book reminds us that these are real tragedies that happen to real people and they should be given the proper respect. I think Natalie was a bit hypocritical with this principle at first, but by the end of the book, she communicates the message in a great way.
The Could Be Better:
-Horror Chick Syndrome- Natalie made a lot of dumb choices. Blame it on her being so young or on her wanting to be a “real reporter.” Either way, it was frustrating to follow, especially when she even admits that she is acting like a girl in a horror movie while the audience is screaming at her to stop and turn back. She eventually learned but it took A LOT of trial and error.
-Underwhelming Ending- I was not expecting the ending at all but it also kind of fell short. It’s like it built up to this big climax and then left you like, “Oh really? That’s it? That’s what happened?”
February 14, 2022
With so much small town charm, it's easy to think that bad things don't happen in Ferry, Connecticut.
Which is why everyone is so shaken when local teacher Mrs. Halsey is found dead. Murdered. Even the local crime reporters are shocked by the violence of the crime.
Natalie Temple always thought she'd have a chance to apologize tom Mrs. Halswy after their in the middle of senior year. Mrs. Halsey is the reason Natalie is going to her dream school to study journalism.
Instead, Natalie's favorite teacher is dead and no one knows why or who to blame.
Mrs. Halsey taught Natalie and her best friend Katie all about the power of true crime as a genre--an interest Natalie's strict and overprotective mother has never been willing to entertain. Now, Natalie knows the best way to honor Mrs. Halsey is to find her killer. The investigation could also help Natalie take her "blood drenched" podcast Killing Time to the next level--something she's sure no one would appreciate more than Mrs. Halsey.
Investigating the murder will bring Natalie face-to-face with the seedier side of Ferry--and some uncomfortable truths about her own family history--as Natalie learns that secrets never stay buried forever in Killing Time (2022) by Brenna Ehrlich.
Killing Time plays out in two timelines alternating between Natalie's investigation into Mrs. Halsey's death and flashbacks to her mother Helen's first year at college. All main characters are presumed white.
Natalie's first person narration is filled with smart references to narrative conventions in true crime stories and observations about the divisions between East and West Ferry--parts of town separated by train tracks as much as income brackets. Unfortunately, Natalie's singular focus on her investigation leaves little space for Natalie to gain dimension beyond her fixation on solving Mrs. Halsey's murder--most of the on page interactions with her best friend revolve around the podcast. Although Ehrlich explores more of Helen's past in the flashback chapters, Natalie's relationship with her mother remains very one note for most of the story without fully exploring any of the dynamics inherent to growing up with not just a single parent but one who had Natalie very young.
Where Killing Time excels is in highlighting the knife edge journalists and true crime afficionados walk while trying to balance morbid interest with compassion for the real people who are impacted by these crimes. As with many ethical questions, there are no right answers but Ehrlich explores both the good and the bad through Natalie and Helen's timelines.
Readers looking for a new true-crime-fueled story in the vein of Courtney Summers or Holly Jackson will fine a lot to enjoy in Killing Time.
Possible Pairings: They Wish They Were Us by Jessica Goodman, A Good Girl's Guide to Murder by Holly Jackson, Truly Devious by Maureen Johnson, The Cousins by Karen M. McManus, Sadie by Courtney Summers, The Cheerleaders by Kara Thomas
*An advance copy of this title was provided by the publisher for review consideration.*
Which is why everyone is so shaken when local teacher Mrs. Halsey is found dead. Murdered. Even the local crime reporters are shocked by the violence of the crime.
Natalie Temple always thought she'd have a chance to apologize tom Mrs. Halswy after their in the middle of senior year. Mrs. Halsey is the reason Natalie is going to her dream school to study journalism.
Instead, Natalie's favorite teacher is dead and no one knows why or who to blame.
Mrs. Halsey taught Natalie and her best friend Katie all about the power of true crime as a genre--an interest Natalie's strict and overprotective mother has never been willing to entertain. Now, Natalie knows the best way to honor Mrs. Halsey is to find her killer. The investigation could also help Natalie take her "blood drenched" podcast Killing Time to the next level--something she's sure no one would appreciate more than Mrs. Halsey.
Investigating the murder will bring Natalie face-to-face with the seedier side of Ferry--and some uncomfortable truths about her own family history--as Natalie learns that secrets never stay buried forever in Killing Time (2022) by Brenna Ehrlich.
Killing Time plays out in two timelines alternating between Natalie's investigation into Mrs. Halsey's death and flashbacks to her mother Helen's first year at college. All main characters are presumed white.
Natalie's first person narration is filled with smart references to narrative conventions in true crime stories and observations about the divisions between East and West Ferry--parts of town separated by train tracks as much as income brackets. Unfortunately, Natalie's singular focus on her investigation leaves little space for Natalie to gain dimension beyond her fixation on solving Mrs. Halsey's murder--most of the on page interactions with her best friend revolve around the podcast. Although Ehrlich explores more of Helen's past in the flashback chapters, Natalie's relationship with her mother remains very one note for most of the story without fully exploring any of the dynamics inherent to growing up with not just a single parent but one who had Natalie very young.
Where Killing Time excels is in highlighting the knife edge journalists and true crime afficionados walk while trying to balance morbid interest with compassion for the real people who are impacted by these crimes. As with many ethical questions, there are no right answers but Ehrlich explores both the good and the bad through Natalie and Helen's timelines.
Readers looking for a new true-crime-fueled story in the vein of Courtney Summers or Holly Jackson will fine a lot to enjoy in Killing Time.
Possible Pairings: They Wish They Were Us by Jessica Goodman, A Good Girl's Guide to Murder by Holly Jackson, Truly Devious by Maureen Johnson, The Cousins by Karen M. McManus, Sadie by Courtney Summers, The Cheerleaders by Kara Thomas
*An advance copy of this title was provided by the publisher for review consideration.*
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