Shameless in Stilettos by Ell P. - Book Review

Publication Date: 29th Oct 2024 

Genre: Dark Thriller 

4.2 Stars 

One Liner: Fast, raw, and dark 

2018, Bangalore 

The suicide of a business tycoon’s son is declared murder when evidence is found. Inspector Meenakshi Rao is ordered to solve the case ASAP. While she has three women suspects, the case is far from easy. As if the pressure isn’t enough, Meenakshi Rao has to deal with her messy personal life too. Can she find the killer in time? 

The story comes in the third-person POV in a dual timeline (past in past tense and present in present tense). 

My Thoughts: 

Well, this was a great ride. Knowing the author’s style, I can say this book displays her writing talent in full. It starts with an author’s note, establishing what to expect from the story. This helps since there’s quite a bit of content that would make some readers uncomfortable. A fair amount of cussing too! 

Right from the beginning, we know there will be nothing fluffy or lighthearted here. The primacy characters are damaged in some way or another. It’s hard to like most of them but we aren't expected to. Yet, we might empathize with a couple of them. 

The FMC is gritty, foul-mouthed, bitter, angry, and toxic. She lashes out at anyone and everyone but there’s a part of her that bleeds for others. She’ll annoy you like crazy. Yet you grudgingly feel sad for her at times. It’s like watching a train wreck. You know it’ll hurt. Still, you cannot help but be fascinated by it. And the way she carries the plot on her shoulders is marvelous. 

The chapters alter between the past and present. It might take a little while, but you’ll get used to the change in tenses. In fact, I stopped noticing the shift. After all, the timeline is clear in the tense. 

The other main characters have varying levels of character development. It suits their importance in the plot. However, I wish the FMC’s hubby also got some development. It’s very sketchy, though for some that’s all they need to know. I need more before I decide. I confirmed from the author that she plans to make it a series (the book works perfectly well as a standalone), so the hubby might have something when it happens. 

As expected from a book high on feminist rage, the men are evil in varying degrees or jerks/ idiots in some cases. So far, there’s just one guy who seems decent, soft, and compassionate (and the poor guy gets abused for it). I would have liked it if just one guy was nice and assertive. Maybe in the next book? 

So, there’s a bit of graphic content about kink along with some open-door scenes. These have just the required amount of detail and are used to provide a picture of the characters. A few other scenes are just mentioned, which works out to balance the effect. I gained some knowledge too (hey, it's all a part of a writer’s life).  

There are a bunch of triggers too (check TW at the end). Most of it is presented in a matter-of-fact tone which helps. The grief over a child’s death hits really hard, though. It is raw and so potent that the feeling lingers for a while. 

The pacing is steady from start to finish. I finished 60% in one go and had to stop for dinner. This means, the book doesn’t linger on descriptions but keeps the plot moving through actions and dialogues. Those who want a feel of the setting won’t really find it. Should be okay for Indian readers since the cities tend to have common aspects but it may not work for everyone. 

The same can be said about the lack of a glossary, though there are only a few words that need to be translated. Adding one for the international readers would have helped. 

The mystery as such can be figured out after the halfway point. There isn’t any attempt to surprise the reader with unwanted twists, so the progress feels organic. 

To summarize, Shameless in Stilettos is a fast-paced gritty thriller with unlikeable but well-crafted characters. The book is not for everyone. However, if you are into dark subjects and like messed-up characters it might be your thing! 

The author is a friend (we’ve worked together on the editorial board of The Hive) and a fellow writer. That does not affect my review.

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TW: BDSM, kink, abuse, assault, mentions of rape and murder, mentions of pedophilia, death of child, grief, homophobia, mentions of domestic abuse