‘How to Kill Your Family’: Sardonic tale of revenge

Grace Bernard, the heroine of “How to Kill Your Family” is 14 months into a 16-year prison sentence at Limehouse for a muder she didn’t commit.

The half English half French millennial is fiesty, snarky and dangerous. Her jailhouse journal details how Grace’s childhood knowledge that she’s illegitimate daughter of Trump-like unethical businessman Simon Artemis drove her elaborate plan for revenge.

For more than a decade, Grace, 28,  plotted to kill the family that disavowed her existence and forced her to grow up in poverty. She researched and strategized about fitting but seemingly accidental ways to eliminating the Artemis clan.

The killings began with the quick, relatively bloodless deaths of her openly racist grandparents, Jeremy and Kathleen, and progressed to her father, Simon’s, closest relatives- wife Janine and daughter Bryony.

Grace’s most pressing matter isn’t recounting her murder spree but in proving her innocence for a crime she didn’t commit to secure her freedom and good name, while simultaneously regaining the trust of her dearest friend and his family. 

As the legal battle begins to resolve itself, an unforeseen wrinkle in Grace’s plans presents itself. The presentation of this new information may upset readers with its late arrival and the outcome it means for the story’s anti-heroine.

Character Analysis

Characters

Primary Characters
Grace Bernard
Marie Bernard
Jimmy Latimer
Kelly

Artemis Family members on death list 
Simon Artemis
Janine Artemis
Bryony Artemis
Jeremy Artemis
Kathleen Artemis
Andrew Artemis
Lee Artemis

Grace, like many serial killers, remains clever and canny but desires to document and brag about her brilliance. The framing device of the novel is a handwritten confession she scribbles daily sharing how to set up and carried out six murders without arousing suspicion or leaving evidence at the scene.

With literary references to “The Count of Monte Cristo”  Alexandre Dumas, “Israel Rank: The Autobiography of a Criminal” by Roy Horniman, and “De Profundis” by Oscar Wilde, Grace tells the readers that she’s well-versed in revenge and imprisonment fiction and has a good sense of humor about her predicament.

Final Thoughts

“How to Kill Your Family” made me laugh numerous times and taught me much more than I ever wanted to know about hallucinogens, strangulation, smart homes and food allergies. Mackie’s experience writing for women’s magazines informed her informal sentence structure and consistently witty one-liners.

The writing style, plot and endlessly negative outlook of Grace may turn off readers looking for a protagonist to root for and a faster-paced novel. For those willing to invest in a longer novel with a proudly unlikable woman at this center, Mackie’s debut work of fiction will fit the bill.

I found Grace to be an entertaining lead who’s brave enough to write what many people only think to themselves. The descriptions of faraway lands, overpriced goods, and the stifling cell Grace shares with Kelly make for a vivid reading experience.

Rating

My rating is 3.5 stars out five.

Book Details

Title: “How to Kill Your Family”
Author: Bella Mackie
Year of Publication: 2022
Number of Pages: 358