“The mystery breaks with convention as McDorman dissects the genre while simultaneously enacting it…”
—The New York Times
“Fun, clever, and innovative. A remarkable novel by a major talent, who has created a crime novel that feels entirely unique.”
—Stuart Turton, author of The 7 ½ Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle
“A thoroughly original suspense novel that hops across elements of the genre—a diabolical locked-room mystery interspersed with a fascinating primer on the form—while always being tremendous fun to read.”
—Chris Pavone, author of Two Nights in Lisbon
“A brain-teaser and a crowd-pleaser. I loved it.”
—Benjamin Stevenson, author of Everyone in My Family Has Killed Someone
“A crime novel that unpicks traditional storytelling… engrossing, surprising, clever, genre-bending.”
—New York Times best-selling author Val McDermid
“Phenomenal…totally unique… a treat for every murder mystery fan.”
—Janice Hallett, author of The Appeal
“McDorman is funny, canny, and nimble in this clever, unusual, and enormously entertaining mix of criticism and suspense”
—Donna Seaman, Booklist
AWARDS
PRESS
When a Book Deal Feels Like ‘Winning the Middle-Age Lottery’ (New York Times)
Dann McDorman on Exploring Literary Hijinks and Meta Mystery (Crimereads)
Everyone is a Suspect at Isolated Hunting Lodge in Irresistible Murder Mystery (BookTrib)
First Writes: Dann McDorman (The List)
Q&A: debut novelist Dann McDorman (BookBrunch)
Knopf Bets on West Heart Kill (Publishers Weekly)
Raven Books pre-empts McDorman’s ‘outrageously original’ meta-crime novel (The Bookseller)
Dann McDorman on Exploring Literary Hijinks and Meta Mystery (Crimereads)
Everyone is a Suspect at Isolated Hunting Lodge in Irresistible Murder Mystery (BookTrib)
First Writes: Dann McDorman (The List)
Q&A: debut novelist Dann McDorman (BookBrunch)
Knopf Bets on West Heart Kill (Publishers Weekly)
Raven Books pre-empts McDorman’s ‘outrageously original’ meta-crime novel (The Bookseller)
REVIEWS
Guardian (“doesn’t so much break the fourth wall as crash through it in a bulldozer…very well executed”)
NPR (“sheer catnip for readers”)
Crimereads (“The Ice Storm as if written by Borges, then solved by Chandler”)
Waterstones (“thrillingly unique”)
Booklist (“clever, unusual, and enormously entertaining”)
Publishers Weekly (“wily debut [that] breaks the fourth wall immediately”)
Book Page (”sure to spawn exceptionally lively book club debates”)
Belfast Telegraph (“Both honoring the classic crime genre and turning it on its head… a unique read”)
Set the Tape (“the novel has an audacious twist… may well prove to be one of the most discussed mysteries of the year…”)
the I (“one of the most unique and meta murder mysteries you will read all year”)
NPR (“sheer catnip for readers”)
Crimereads (“The Ice Storm as if written by Borges, then solved by Chandler”)
Waterstones (“thrillingly unique”)
Booklist (“clever, unusual, and enormously entertaining”)
Publishers Weekly (“wily debut [that] breaks the fourth wall immediately”)
Book Page (”sure to spawn exceptionally lively book club debates”)
Belfast Telegraph (“Both honoring the classic crime genre and turning it on its head… a unique read”)
Set the Tape (“the novel has an audacious twist… may well prove to be one of the most discussed mysteries of the year…”)
the I (“one of the most unique and meta murder mysteries you will read all year”)
PODCASTS
CRITICS’ PICKS
Dann McDorman is an Emmy-nominted TV producer. He has also worked as a newspaper reporter, book reviewer, and cabinet maker. He lives in Brooklyn with his wife and two childern. West Heart Kill is his first novel, and is being translated into 16 languages.
Literary & film rights: David Black Agency
Publicity: Paul Bogaards Relations
Knopf: Elora Weil