Good Girls Die Last by Natali Simmonds

 

Good Girls Die Last by Natali Simmonds.

Published 22nd June 2023 by Headline.

From the cover of the book:

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.

***********

Em is having a very bad day. Still reeling from a recent break-up, she has just lost her job and been forced out of her flat, at the hands of two despicable men - the boss who sexually assaulted her, and the flatmate who has been sleeping with her behind his girlfriend's back. She now needs to get to the airport to get back to Spain for her younger sister's wedding, but the record temperatures have brought London to a standstill.

With no choice but to walk the 8 miles to City Airport, in a London that is slowly descending into chaos, Em sets off on a difficult journey with her suitcase in tow - and to make matters worse, there is a serial killer at large targeting young women. As she stumbles along in an outfit totally unfit for purpose, the memories that haunt her gradually resurface, and the combination of the relentless heat and the frustration with the obstacles she must tackle cause her anger to boil over. Refusing to stay silent any more, it is time for Em to vent her feelings about a world where women do not have a voice. 

Here, Natali Simmonds channels the concept of Michael Douglas' movie Falling Down, cleverly fashioning it into the story of one woman's break down on the streets of London. It is one of the most affecting feminist novels I have had the pleasure to consume, and also one that incited me to boiling anger.

This book is one hell of a ride, starting slowly and building to an explosion of violence, as Em throws off the shackles that have kept her silent and compliant, transforming herself into a catalyst for female rage to take over the streets. Through Em, Simmonds touches on all those moments about being a woman in a man's world that make us feel unseen, unheard, and to blame for the unwanted attention that so often comes our way... and it is oh so relatable.

There are so many scenes, and sections of dialogue in these pages that I would like to wax lyrical about, but it is simply impossible in a brief review - and I would be talking you through practically the whole story. However, I will say that the way Simmonds makes so much of how women's names get lost, especially in connection with violent crimes, is wonderful, and the way she reflects this through her protagonist is sheer genius. 

This is a book that packs a punch, and it is very timely in the wake of the shocking about turn from the progress made by the #MeToo movement. If Good Girls Die Last is not already on your reading plies, then it should be, because this is a must read. Maybe it is time for us to stand up and use #SaveEm as a call to arms? 

Good Girls Die Last is available to buy now in hardback, ebook and audio formats.

Thank you to Headline for sending me a proof of this book in return for an honest review.

About the author:

Natali Simmonds began her career in glossy magazines, then went on to manage marketing campaigns for big brands. She's now a creative brand consultant, freelance writer, and fiction author, writing gritty and unflinching stories full of complex women and page-turning suspense (and sometimes a little magic).

Simmonds’ dark, feminist thriller debut, Good Girls Die Last, has been optioned for a television series by STV. As N J Simmonds, Natali penned the fantasy trilogy The Path Keeper and Son of Secrets, and in 2022 was shortlisted for the RNA Fantasy Award for the last book in the series, Children of Shadows. She’s one half of paranormal romance author duo, Caedis Knight, and has also written for manga.

When she’s not writing or consulting, she's a columnist for Kings College London’s 'Inspire The Mind' magazine, and lectures for Raindance Film School. Originally from London, Natali now divides her time between Spain, the UK, and the Netherlands where she can be found drawing, reading in her hammock or complaining about cycling in the rain.