Taut, chilling and unforgettable, The Thrill of It explores the mind of a killer and the power of a granddaughter’s love. A masterful and explosive crime novel by Stella Prize longlisted and critically acclaimed author Mandy Beaumont.

That afternoon, when the police and then my mother finally arrived, they found me sitting beside Marlowe holding her hand and talking to about a boy I had a crush on, about the buttery yellow jumpsuit I had seen in a shop window that would look perfect on her; about those two cups of half-drunk coffee sitting on the table. Who was with you, Marlowe?

In March of 1989, Emmerson Kerr is alone.

One morning listening to her Walkman, a newsreader’s words stop her dead. ‘A warning to our listeners that this story is graphic in nature. The body of an 84-year-old woman has been found in the foyer of her apartment building on Sydney’s lower North Shore … ‘

Emmerson stood, held in place like an anchor, like a nail in wood, like the breath of a frightened woman alone in her home. She listened to the details and remembered back to that day, twelve years before, in her grandmother’s Paddington studio. The 1977 murder of Marlowe Kerr – Sydney’s art darling and socialite, a woman known for her lavish parties and her world-famous designs, but known to Emmerson as her colourful, loving grandmother – never solved.

And now, years later, a terrifying string of crimes against older women will begin, will force ageing female residents to lock themselves inside their homes. They will be in a state of constant fear. And, as the killer’s reign of terror escalates, and Emmerson starts to unearth her beloved grandmother’s shady past, she becomes increasingly convinced that the same person who killed Marlowe is also responsible for the depravity that is now unfolding in the city she has always called home.

Could Emmerson be the link to solving Marlowe’s murder and help catch the killer before they kill again?

The Thrill of It by Mandy Beaumont is a gripping thriller told by the killer himself and the woman who is determined to finally stop him. It’s inspired by a true story set in 1980s Sydney and the author perfectly captures the era.

In 1977 Em’s grandmother is brutally murdered. She’s a colourful personality and Em is devastated to lose her. Especially since her mother isn’t particularly there for her. In 1989, a man begins brutally killing older women and Em is convinced that it’s the same man who killed her grandmother.

We’re taken back in time to Sydney’s Northern Beaches the 1980s and the 1970s where women slathered themselves in Body Shop products and men popped into the local RSL for a meal and a beer after work. Mandy Beaumont perfectly captures the era and I enjoyed the trip back through time.

The killer’s chapters were horrifying. The author describes what he does to the women he killed and why he did it no holds barred manner. He truly is a despicable person who believes he can get away with anything. I was morbidly fascinated by his chapters. It was so bad I couldn’t look away!

Em’s chapters depict a strong and fearless woman doing whatever she can to track down a killer before he can strike again. She eventually enlists the help of the police and they work together to find their man.

I thoroughly enjoyed The Thrill of It and so will all thriller junkies.

Many thanks to Hachette for sending me a review copy.