Casey Bee's Reviews > Their Monstrous Hearts

Riccardo is a struggling writer having a hard time making ends meet. He gets a knock on his door and is informed that his Grandmother Perihan has passed away and he, being her sole living kin besides his estranged mother, has inherited her estate in Italy. He goes there with every intention to just attend the funeral, but when he discovers a book of writing by Perihan, he gets sucked in. This must be some kind of fictitious manuscript, as there is no way what Perihan writes about can possibly be true. We jump back and forth between present day Riccardo and Perihan's past via her writing. It's a very slow burn for the first roughly 75%, but when it picks it, it gets really good! I didn't know exactly where it was going to take us, and the overarching concept and twists were utterly disturbing and delightful! So ultimately it leads to a great last 25%, but you have to get there. I don't want to make any comments on the last 25% because spoiling it would be a real disservice to future readers. But you'll never look at butterflies the same and the selfishness and horror at the hands of family members can be beyond belief! I think that idea is something that some people can relate to. I have never written a book, and I cannot imagine that it's easy. This is Turhan's first book and I think it's clear that he's more than capable of delivering dark and disturbing stories (which I am totally here for.) I do wish I was made to be more invested in the buildup, and that maybe there was more showing instead of telling. A manuscript can be a great way to drop information into a story, but I think it was leaned on as a device a little too heavy-handedly in this one. I would advise readers to allow themselves to get to the end because it is worth it! I wish there was a 3.5 star option, but because there isn't, I'm landing on 3. Gorgeous cover! And I'd say a good debut!

Thank you to NetGalley, MIRA books and Harlequin Audio for the audio ARC!
Book releases April 8th, 2025.