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Blood sugar
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2022
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Library Journal Review
Ruby Simon has a secret. On the outside, she's a happily married Yale graduate, a successful psychologist, and an animal lover. On the inside, she's a serial killer. Of course, her victims were all detestable, maybe even dangerous; if Ruby only kills degenerates, she can't possibly be one herself. When her husband dies, however, Ruby's proximity to so much death is finally called into question. Will a tragic accident finally reveal her true nature? In her fiction debut, Rothchild has cleverly constructed a protagonist that is equal parts sympathetic and cold. Narrator Allyson Ryan's impassive, almost annoyed, tone is such a stark contrast to the compelling story that it serves to unsettle listeners almost as much as the murders themselves. Through this first-person point of view, Ryan becomes Ruby herself, nonchalantly recounting her criminal past. Short chapters with cliffhanger endings enhance the suspenseful tone and shocking twists. VERDICT This audio will appeal to listeners seeking a psychological thriller with an amiable yet amoral protagonist. Recommended for fans of Greer Hendricks, Gilly Macmillan, and Michele Campbell.--Lauren Hackert
Publishers Weekly Review
Rothchild (How to Get Divorced by 30) makes her fiction debut with a mesmerizing thriller. At age five, Ruby Simon holds seven-year-old Duncan Reese underwater in the Atlantic Ocean until he drowns, an act that to her surprise she doesn't feel guilty about. Flash forward 25 years. In a Miami Beach PD interrogation room, Det. Keith Jackson confronts Simon with photos of four murder victims, including Reese. Simon says she killed Reese because he had bullied her beloved older sister, and she decided that drowning him was her only effective option. Simon recalls the circumstances of two other killings before Jackson gets to the crime Simon has been arrested for, her husband's murder. Rothchild does a terrific job keeping readers wondering about Simon's reliability, and pulls off the considerable challenge of engendering sympathy for an unrepentant killer. Vivid prose is another plus--Simon refers to her mother and father as submarine, rather than helicopter, parents because they were "a giant lumbering presence, but too often unseen and too deep to be accessible." Jeff Lindsay fans will have a hard time not devouring this standout effort in one sitting. Agent: Jess Regel, Helm Literary. (Apr.)
Summary
A New York Times Best Thriller of the Year

"Terrific. You might come for the mystery, but you will stay for the sheer energy."-- New York Times Book Review

An utterly delicious debut thriller that tells the story of the most likable murderess you will ever meet, perfect for fans of Riley Sager and Jessica Knoll.

"I could just kill you right now!" It's something we've all thought at one time or another. But Ruby has actually acted on it. Three times, to be exact.

Though she may be a murderer, Ruby is not a sociopath. She is an animal-loving therapist with a thriving practice. She's felt empathy and sympathy. She's had long-lasting friendships and relationships, and has a husband, Jason, whom she adores. But the homicide detectives at Miami Beach PD are not convinced of her happy marriage. When we meet Ruby, she is in a police interrogation room, being accused of Jason's murder. Which, ironically, is one murder that she did not commit, though a scandal-obsessed public believes differently. As she undergoes questioning, Ruby's mind races back to all the details of her life that led her to this exact moment, and to the three dead bodies in her wake. Because though she may not have killed her husband, Ruby certainly isn't innocent.

Alternating between Ruby's memories of her past crimes and her present-day fight to clear her name, Blood Sugar is a twisty, clever debut with an unforgettable protagonist who you can't help but root for--an addicting mixture of sour and sweet.
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