Publication Date: October 31, 2023
The last person who called me ‘Sweetpea’ ended up dead…
’I haven’t killed anyone for three years and I thought that when it happened again I’d feel bad. Like an alcoholic taking a sip of whisky. But no. Nothing. I had a blissful night’s sleep. Didn’t wake up at all. And for once, no bad dream either. This morning I feel balanced. Almost sane, for once.’
Rhiannon is your average girl next door, settled with her boyfriend and little dog…but she’s got a killer secret.
Although her childhood was haunted by a famous crime, Rhinannon’s life is normal now that her celebrity has dwindled. By day her job as an editorial assistant is demeaning and unsatisfying. By evening she dutifully listens to her friend’s plans for marriage and babies whilst secretly making a list.
A kill list.
From the man on the Lidl checkout who always mishandles her apples, to the driver who cuts her off on her way to work, to the people who have got it coming, Rhiannon’s ready to get her revenge.
Because the girl everyone overlooks might be able to get away with murder…
Rather than a traditional cast of characters with a clear good vs. evil distinction, author CJ Skuse introduces readers to Rhiannon, who appears somewhat average.
However, appearances can certainly be deceiving. Not only does Rhiannon possess a biting sense of humor, but she uses the average persona to hide a massive secret.
Sweetpea delivers a deliciously written account of a woman who makes lists of those who irritate her, from her cheating boyfriend to the man who mishandles her groceries. The main character then does what many of us only imagine doing—she takes action. No one ever suspects someone like Rhiannon could get away with murder.
The author’s skill in crafting Rhiannon’s inner voice is reflected throughout the book, creating multiple side-splitting one-liners. It’s especially interesting to see the contrast between her public and private personas. She has a dry sense of humor that is hilarious.
Sweetpea takes readers on an adventure where they will be cheering for an anti-hero while digesting her dark, twisted humor.
CJ Skuse is the author of the novels Pretty Bad Things, Rockaholic, Dead Romantic, Monster and The Deviants. She was born in 1980 in Weston-super-Mare. She has First Class degrees in Creative Writing and, aside from writing novels, works as a freelance fiction consult and lectures at Bath Spa University.
