A Good Person by Kirsten King is about a woman named Lillian who puts a hex on her ex-boyfriend and then he unexpectedly dies. Lillian and Henry have enjoyed spending time together, especially in bed, during the four months they’ve been dating. Lillian’s best friend, Jamie, insists that what they have is a “situationship,” not a real relationship. Determined to lock Henry down, Lillian decides she will be the best, most accommodating version of herself until he falls in love with her.
But Lillian is blindsided when Henry suddenly breaks up with her. Devastated, she drinks to numb her anger and, while drunk, decides to perform a hex on him. She fully expects Henry to come crawling back once he realizes his mistake. Instead, she learns he has been murdered and she is the prime suspect.
As Lillian tries to process the news, she’s hit with another bombshell: Henry had a long-time girlfriend he never told her about. Desperate to control the narrative and clear her name, Lillian also believes she’s been robbed of her rightful role as Henry’s grieving girlfriend. As she tries to uncover the truth, she spirals into a dangerous tailspin that threatens to destroy everything.
I read the author’s note before starting the book, where she mentions that Lillian may be unlikeable but is, at her core, someone who just wants to be loved. I tried to keep that in mind while reading about Lillian’s shenanigans, but staying neutral was an uphill battle.
Lillian is narcissistic, mean, self-absorbed, and a bully. Despite that, I found the book enjoyable. I liked reading Lillian’s deluded thoughts and watching her dig herself deeper into trouble through her own misguided ideas. The novel was a quick, entertaining read. It felt like watching a car crash in slow motion, and I couldn’t look away. Did I want to see Lillian crash and burn? Maybe just a little. This is the author’s debut novel, and I’d be open to reading more from her in the future.
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