Marion

written by Leah Rowan.

Narrated by Natalie Noudas and Tawny Platis

I both read and listened to this novel, and I quite liked both experiences.

Remember the black and white movie, Psycho? Noman Bates being the quintessential creepy mass murderer with huge mommy issues? Remember the shower scene? The visuals, along with the music sound effects, have become infamous in movie culture. Now, imagine if, as soon as that shower curtain is open, Marion incapacitates Norman by strategically kneeing him in a sensitive place, taking control of the situation and stabbing him in self-defence. In this twist, it’s Norman who dies! Marion, on the other hand, now faces a myriad of problems: what to do with the body, what to do with the $100,000 she just conveniently has in her possession, and how to help her sister, who is sporting a black eye from her husband’s abuse and has gone silent. 

With all this chaos, can Marion (not her real name) clean up the catastrophic mess she’s in without getting caught—or killing anyone else?

Meanwhile, there’s Hannah, a young private investigator striving to succeed despite her parents’ lack of support. They insist she attend law school and refuse to fund her PI career. Before quitting, Hannah takes on one last case: a missing woman last seen near the Billings Hotel, run by Norman.

I really liked the dual viewpoints. We experience Marion and the aftermath of her choices, while also following Hannah, who serves as a character foil for Marion. 

Thematically, it’s about women’s fury and the consequences of fighting back in a manipulative society. The writing is easy to read. Some plot twists are predictable, but overall, it’s entertaining.

The audiobook was wonderfully narrated. Noudas and Platis possess the perfect voices for Marion and Hannah, respectively. The intonation, emotion and phrasing added a wonderfully suspenseful atmosphere to the novel.

Thank you to Netgalley, St. Martin’s Press, and Macmillan Audio for the copies.