The Romcom That Accidentally Became a Thriller

Why If Books Could Kill is the most fun I’ve had with a book this year!

I started to read If Books Could Kill by Kate Eberle, thinking it would be a fun genre mash-up and it was more fun than I had hoped. It is adventurous, funny, light-hearted and mysterious and really leans into its own absurdity with confidence. The premise is gloriously out of control. Roxie’s been cruising through life, keeping herself at arms length from anything that may require emotional vulnerability. She jokingly wishes to become the heroine of her favourite romance authors next book. When that wish unexpectedly comes true she finds herself in a story that isn’t the cosy romance she imagined.

After a sharp U-turn in the story early in the book, the read becomes a fast, clever tumble through crime scenes, close calls and comedic disasters. Roxie soon bumps into Grant, a nervous English professor who is dragged, kicking and screaming, into the madness. This partnership is one of the highlights of the novel. Roxie’s impulsive bravado and sharp humour play off Grant’s cautious, bookish nature beautifully, and the two of them facing danger together and gradually warming to each other is genuinely charming.

The story uses well-worn tropes in a way that feels more intentional than played out. It has the energy of a book that knows what it is, and enjoys making fun of the conventions of its own genre. It all has a gentle undercurrent of humour, about fear and bravery, about existing as opposed to choosing the life you want. Roxie’s journey serves as a reminder that venturing into the unknown can be terrifying, but also transformative.

The thriller bits are overplayed, the romance is cute and the humour is relentless. It’s not trying to be gritty and realistic. It is trying to be fun. And it is. Those who love genre mashups, meta storytelling, magical realism, romcoms with a chaotic streak will find plenty to love here. This is the sort of book that appears to have been written for people who enjoy stories about stories.

If Books Could Kill is confident, clever and full of personality. I finished it thoroughly entertained and already looking forward to what Kate Eberle writes next.

Thanks to Penguin Random House SA for the opportunity to read this book.