Kills Well with Others by Deanna Raybourn —Three Versions of my review

I thought it would be fun to play around with AI using Microsoft Copilot. Here are three versions. First is my original review. Second is Copilot's improved/edited version. Third is Copilot's generated review. In this case, it's pretty obvious that AI needs specific prompts to be effective.

1. Original Review

Retired assassins Helen, Billie, Natalie, Mary Alice are back after the events in Killers of a Certain Age. This time, someone within The Museum has sold their names to people with a grudge and they find themselves targets. Being who they are, they assemble their gear and go on the attack. Their pursuit begins in Colonial Williamsburg, Virginia and sees the team traverse multiple countries to eliminate the threat.

This is an enjoyable fast-paced action thriller with a respectable body count. I like the way the author has built the characters. They are unrepentant at having killed many times at the direction of The Museum. They are “necessary monsters”, removing the worst of humanity and making the world a better place. They aren’t reluctant assassins and in fact miss the thrill of being on active duty.

For me this is an often darkly humorous character driven story that doesn’t stint on the action. The action itself is well choreographed and I would say cinegraphic which is not a negative, it’s very visual. As I read I imagined how the story would look on the screen. The ladies have distinct personalities—two of them squabble almost continuously—but form a lethal team.

This story has what I wanted: likeable characters, interesting plot (you will learn a bit about stolen artwork), and excellent action set pieces to get your pulse racing. All-in-all, a most enjoyable read that I hope gets picked up as a miniseries by one of the streamers. Make that both books.

2. My Review improved by Copilot

Retired assassins Helen, Billie, Natalie, and Mary Alice return after the thrilling events of "Killers of a Certain Age." This time, they find themselves targeted by individuals with a grudge, thanks to someone within The Museum who has sold their names. True to their nature, they gear up and go on the offensive, starting their pursuit in Colonial Williamsburg, Virginia, and traversing multiple countries to eliminate the threat.

This novel is a fast-paced action thriller with a respectable body count. Raybourn excels in character development, portraying the assassins as unapologetic and unrepentant for their past actions. They are "necessary monsters," eliminating the worst of humanity to make the world a better place. Far from reluctant, they miss the thrill of active duty.

The story is often darkly humorous and driven by its well-crafted characters. The action sequences are meticulously choreographed and visually striking, making it easy to imagine the story on screen. Each assassin has a distinct personality, with two of them engaging in continuous squabbles, yet they form a lethal team.

The novel delivers everything one could want: likable characters, an intriguing plot (including insights into stolen artwork), and excellent action set pieces that get your pulse racing. Overall, "Kills Well with Others" is a highly enjoyable read that deserves to be adapted into a miniseries. Both books in the series would make fantastic viewing.

3. Copilot Generated Review (pretty bad IMHO)

"Kills Well with Others" by Deanna Raybourn is a delightful and engaging read that masterfully blends mystery, humor, and historical fiction. Raybourn's writing is both witty and captivating, drawing readers into a world filled with intriguing characters and unexpected twists.

The protagonist is a breath of fresh air, with a sharp mind and a knack for getting into and out of trouble in the most entertaining ways. The plot is well-paced, keeping you hooked from the first page to the last, with plenty of surprises along the way.

Raybourn's attention to historical detail adds depth and authenticity to the story, making it not just a thrilling mystery but also a fascinating glimpse into the past. The dialogue is sharp and often laugh-out-loud funny, adding a layer of charm to the already compelling narrative.

Overall, "Kills Well with Others" is a must-read for fans of historical mysteries and anyone looking for a book that is both smart and fun. Deanna Raybourn has once again proven herself to be a master storyteller, and this novel is a testament to her talent. Highly recommended!

Everyone in my Family has Killed Someone by Benjamin Stevenson

Australia. Remote ski resort. No cell phone reception. Snow storm. Dysfunctional family reunion. Everyone has secrets. Pretty much all the elements you need for a Golden Age mystery (1920s-’50s. Ernest (Ern) Cunningham is the 1st person reliable (self-professed) narrator and black sheep of the family after testifying against his brother at a murder trial. Awkward especially as his brother has just been released from prison and is on his way to join the reunion.

This is a mystery thriller with a body count so not a cozy but Ern has a chatty way of addressing the reader directly that is engaging and often delightfully snarky and darkly humorous. He also writes books about how to write mystery books.Throughout the story, He applies the Golden Age of Detective Fiction rules for writing mystery novels (e.g.Ronald Knox’s “Ten Commandments of Detective Fiction,1929” and the membership oath of the Detection Club, 1930). The rules boil down to play fair with the reader and Ern promises to play fair in describing the events.

I confess a lot of my enjoyment comes from the author incorporating aspects of Golden Age detective fiction in which at one time I immersed myself. But above all it has a good cast of characters, an entertaining narrator, and a fine plot that unfolds at a good pace. I plan to continue with the series.The next one is Everyone On This Train is a Suspect and I’m a sucker for train mysteries.

If you think the rules for writing detective fiction are fun, check out S.S. Van Dine's Twenty Rules for Writing Detective Stories.

Legends & Lattes by Travis Baldree

So you need a break from epic fantasy and the dark stuff? Well this cozy fantasy might be the palate cleanser you’re looking for. Viv the orc scores one last victory that gives her what she needs to finally fulfill her dream to hang up her sword and open a coffee shop. She settles in the city of Thune and sets about the process of finding a location, hiring staff, and ordering what’s needed to start her business.

Honestly, you know how the story’s going to go but the fun is in watching it unfold. There are stumbles, disaster, bonding, developing relationships, colorful characters, bad guys, and a feel-good ending. Oh, and a cat, a cozy fantasy needs a cat.

I enjoyed the story and the way the author pulled the story elements together and gave the reader well drawn characters, Viv’s inner circle and nasty baddies. Viv goes against expectations as a sword wielding, blood soaked warrior (retired) turned awkward, often uncertain, small business owner.

I found this a fun read but you really need to be in the mood for a cozy or a devoted reader of cozies. I think it avoided descending into tweeness but your mileage may vary. This is the third cozy fantasy I’ve read this year and I’ve reached my saturation point and will stop for a while before my noir self rebels

Command Performance by Jean Echenoz trans. by Mark Polizzotti

Gerard Fulmard, is a former flight attendant who was fired after an unspecified incident on a Paris-Zurich flight that also left him blacklisted and required to attend twice weekly therapy sessions. He tries his hand at the private detective trade but reality doesn’t match the dream and disaster ensues.Then in a turn hopefully for the better, his therapist brings him into a minor French political party in crises, the IPF (Independent Popular Federation), as a special operative, with even worse results.

I enjoyed this book and found it delightful. Fulmard is not hero material— he’s rather selfish, self centered and delusional— but still engaging as a character and the internal squabbling within the IPF is fun to watch unfold.

I saw this book described as very French. Though I don’t know what this means, I might have an inkling based on its quirky style.

It’s easy to focus only on the style of the writing, which I loved, but it isn’t a case of form over substance. Rather the style pulls it all together. It has elements of satire and parody of the amateur PI, the roman policier (detective story), and politics which are playfully presented. The story switches between the 1st person narration of Fulmard and an omniscient observer commenting on and speculating about what’s happening when Fulmard isn’t around. Fulmard and the observer often branch off into digressions  such as Fulmard considering the options when only one sock has a hole in the toe; and the observer delivering mini biographies. All of this is done with a droll style that made me smile. The translator’s choice of words adds to the style and fun of reading. I have to believe that the use of uncommon words is deliberate and intended to add literary flourishes. For example:

"Franck Terrail’s mustache is not assertoric but apodictic:"

assertoric = something that can be proven as a fact

apodictic = beyond dispute

[About a character on the beach] “Her outfit is not particularly balneal”

balneal = of or relating to a bath or bathing

The author has a fun way of describing things like Fulard’s self-deprecating observation about himself, “I look like anyone else, only less so” and another character who “Stared at the bare walls as if they weren’t”. Clever, amusing, and you know what he is conveying.

Story and style are both great fun.

The Convenience Story Woman by Sayaka Murata trans. by Ginny Tapley Takemor

Keiko Furukura is a 36 year old Japanese woman who has been an employee of the same convenience store for 18 years. This has been her only job. Keiko is neurodivergent who learns at an early age not to say or act on what’s in her mind; she scares people. She has bits of Molly the maid in Nita Prose’s The Maid, and Patric Gagne in her memoir, Sociopath. She knows she has to appear normal in society and with the aid of her sister has developed responses to common situations. Her family still hopes she will be “cured” and find a husband and have children.

The book is told in first person by Keiko who relates her life in the store and her marginal home life and considers her place in society. She observes:

“I’m a convenience store worker, a cog in society. This is the only way I can be normal.”

“My present self is formed almost completely of the people around me”

”The normal world has no room for exceptions and always quietly eliminates foreign objects.”

I like the character of Keiko and don’t find her sad or pathetic. The author does well in portraying a neurodivergent person in a “normal” world faced with pressures from family and friends who don’t understand how she can stay in a dead-end job.

In the end this is an affirming story of someone marginalized by society but not by herself and I cheered Keiko on. It’s a good story and has interesting and relatable characters and I learned something from reading it.