Killer Bodies by Heleen Kist

In Killer Bodies, author Heleen Kist gives the locked room mystery genre a contemporary twist. In a smart private gym on the third floor of an upmarket apartment building, the entrance doors and lockers are operated digitally. Early one morning the technology stops working, and everyone who happens to be using the gym is trapped inside. When one of them drops dead it seems like an accident – until the body count begins to rise. The captives are powerless to do anything but wonder who will be next, and try to guess the identity of the murderer – or murderers.

Evie, the gym receptionist, has a painful history and holds grudges against residents who treat her with disrespect. Her sole outlet is the manga-style drawings she shares with Mrs. M, a quirky old woman who is her only friend in the building. These drawings show Evie’s tormentors suffering horrible deaths, which are now becoming reality. When Evie’s sketchbook goes missing she is afraid she will be accused of murder. The book’s darkly funny illustrations prove her fears are justified. New tenant Suki teams up with Evie to search for clues. As the plot thickens and more unexplained deaths occur, everyone comes under suspicion.

Kist skilfully unravels the plot, using dual narration to reveal the characters’ back stories, and the reader is drawn into trying to solve the mystery. I did not predict the outcome correctly, but I enjoyed the challenge and Kist’s dark humour.

I was given a copy of this book in return for an honest review.