Little Deaths (Flint) - Book Reviews

Book Reviews
Little Deaths, Emma Flint’s mesmerizing debut, works well as a look at misogyny, gossip, morals and the rush to judge others when a child goes missing.... While Flint bases her novel on the real case of Alice Crimmins and her controversial conviction, she turns Little Deaths into a poignant look at a woman fighting for her emotional independence, who keeps her grief, heartbreak and frustrations deep inside her soul.
Oline  H. Dogdill - AP/Washington Post


[D]eftly done.... Flint describes [Ruth's] grief, loss and loneliness with a tough delicacy that is both exact and heart-wrenching.... The opening chapters are gripping....[and] Flint writes powerfully of Ruth’s stunned grief.... The last third of the book, her trial, is absolutely riveting. The ending may or may not convince you, but that is perhaps immaterial: Little Deaths is a strong and confident addition to...novels about flawed, angry, hurt women navigating hostile social and intimate milieus that turn viciously punitive when those women rebel.
Margie Orford - Guardian (UK)


[An] excellent debut...Flint is unsparing and convincing in her portrayal of Malone, a woman of little education and flawed habits, fighting a society that believes she could not be a good mother.
Times (UK)


Wonderfully atmospheric.... Simmering with tension, Little Deaths is a stylish, troubling look at how appearances can deceive.
Express (UK)


This thrilling suspense story will make you question your loyalties at every turn.
Harper's Bazaar


I read this with a dry mouth and a pounding heart—and can think of no higher praise for a literary crime novel.
The Bookseller (UK)


(Starred review.) [A]ffecting, achingly beautiful debut.... This stunning novel is less about whodunit than deeper social issues of motherhood, morals, and the kind of rush to judgment that can condemn someone long before the accused sees the inside of a courtroom.
Publishers Weekly


(Starred review.)  Inspired by true events, Flint explores how people respond to extreme circumstances and how quick observers can be to judge. Verdict: This accomplished debut novel will intrigue fans of both true crime and noir fiction. Flint...is a welcome addition to the world of literary crime fiction.  —Gloria Drake, Oswego P.L. Dist., IL
Library Journal


(Starred review.) Compelling.... [T]he closing scene is a jaw-dropper.... This is absolutely absorbing literary crime fiction.
Booklist


One hot summer in New York, 1965, a sexy, troubled cocktail waitress is suspected of murdering her children.... Since we know where it begins, it seems we know how it must turn out—but there are a few surprises left. Sharply rendered literary noir, compelling enough to forgive a slightly left-field resolution.
Kirkus Reviews