Good Girls Die Last

By Natali Simmonds

What it’s about?

Today, nothing is going right for Em. And it’s about to get much worse.

Heartbroken by a recent split, with her 30th birthday looming, she loses her job and her home in the same morning because of two swaggering, dishonest men – the boss who sexually harassed her and the flatmate sleeping with her behind his fiancée’s back. But all Em can think about is catching a flight to attend her sister’s wedding and see her dying mother.

With a record-breaking heatwave and a serial killer making the streets unsafe, London is completely gridlocked. Em’s life has always been full of men getting their own way, and today, the scorched city teems with them standing between her and home. As Em’s troubled past returns to haunt her, she refuses to let them win. Her defiance leads to shocking consequences that soon spiral wildly out of control.

In a world where men don’t listen, and girls have no voice, one woman can change everything.
Today, no one will be staying silent.

What I think:

This is such a timely book that will resonate with lots of people.

Em is having a bad dad. Day. A very bad day. But it isn’t the big things that drive a person to the edge. It’s the constant drip feed until you reach a breaking point.

London is in fear of a serial killer who is targeting women. A stiffling summer feels even more oppressive as the police advise women to stay in and avoid being alone in public places. There’s also a tube strike adding to the tension and desperation as people try to get home.

Em has her own problems too. She loves her job but is let go after rejecting the unwanted sexual advances of her boss and she is sleeping with her flatmate who is cheating on his girlfriend.

The couple of days we spend with Em are intensive and challenging. They highlight the multiple toxic relationships women can have with men who exploit Em’s vulnerability. She also faces a barrage of everyday sexism from social media and catcalling to the very real fear of sexual violence.

Em is both a hero and a villain. She is a complex and very real character. She makes some terrible decisions, and there were times when I wanted her to be stronger. And there were other times when she was incredibly brave in the face of a never-ending stream of misogyny.

This book is definitely inspired by some horrific real-life events and highlights just how far there is still to go in the campaigns to end violence against women and girls.

Despite the relentlessly challenging experiences Em faces, this is not a depressing book. There are so many examples of women helping other women, and the ending feels hopeful despite the events that place. I get the sense that the writer believes women really can be each other’s best allies.

Thank you to Anne at Random Things Tours for inviting me to be a part of this blog tour and to Headline for my gifted copy of Good Girls Die Last.

About the author:

As the daughter of a Spanish immigrant, Natali Simmonds has lived all over the world. Good Girls Die Last is her first thriller after writing fantasy novels as N J Simmonds. When she’s not writing, Natali works as a freelance brand consultant and lectures for universities and Raindance Film School. Originally from London, she now divides her time between Spain and the Netherlands.