“…this year’s most mind-blowing and droll crime fiction book… I promise you won’t be disappointed… outrageous circumstances [make] up this brilliant story. There is nothing not to like about Killing Adonis…”
Killing Adonis
J. M. Donellan
Light duties.
Large pay.
No questions asked — or answered.
After seeing a curious flyer, Freya takes a job caring for Elijah, the comatose son of the eccentric Vincetti family. She soon discovers that the Vincetti’s labyrinthine mansion hides a wealth of secrets, their corporate rivals have a nasty habit of being extravagantly executed, and Elijah is not the saint they portray him to be.
As well, Marilyn Monroe keeps showing up, unaware she’s very much deceased. And there’s something very strange about the story that Elijah’s brother Jack is writing …
Killing Adonis is a tragicomic tale about love, delusion, corporate greed and the hazards of using pineapple cutters while hallucinating. A Wes Anderson movie waiting to happen.
“This is a novel that has it all, from murder plots and comas to billionaires and backstabbing….feisty, surreal and filled with humour…” – The West End Magazine
J. M. Donellan
“Farcical plotlines, secrets, surreal moments and eccentric characters populate the pages of this satirical black comedy, but as with most good satire explorations run far deeper than the words on the page… His characters, while often outlandish, are believable despite the novel’s sometimes-absurd storylines, and the dialogue is excellent. This is a writer with a deft handle on his craft. Killing Adonis is an immensely pleasurable read and will appeal to fans of Wes Anderson’s films and readers looking to be entertained by something a little off-the-wall.”
Bookseller & Publisher
“…quirky, brisk and very enjoyable novel…it was a book I found myself ravenously seeking out in any free moment, eager to chase the mystery. It’s been some time since I’ve felt the addiction of such a ‘page-turner’.”
Abbey's Bookshop
“A modern day Australian gothic novel with many bizarre and humorous touches… allowing the reader to experience every wonderfully strange moment… fun while managing to drop some nice pearls of wisdom at the same time… inventive storytelling from an exciting new Australian author.”
Glam Adelaide
“…a surprising page turner…thoroughly entertained by the snappy writing, audacious characters, and gaudy plot. I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend…”
Book'd Out
“This is a novel that has it all, from murder plots and comas to billionaires and backstabbing….feisty, surreal and filled with humour…If you’re looking for something to entertain and perplex in equal measures, while delighting you with its unabashed weirdness, then this is the book.”
The West End Magazine
“Killing Adonis is the book that Agatha Christie and Tim Burton would have written together if they’d ever met.”
NSW Writer's Centre
“When a book is described as a ‘tragicomic tale about love, delusion, corporate greed’ and has some of the best faux leather cover art I’ve seen, it’s off to a pretty good start in the eyes of this reviewer. But there were lots of other lovely surprises for me in J M Donellan’s Killing Adonis…bursting with snappy dialogue, symbolism and pop-culture and literary references – there is just so much going on…Killing Adonis is a fun read worth checking out, and J M Donellan an author now very much on my radar.”
Booklover Book Reviews
“This first mystery from Donellan… will remind many readers of Tom Robbins’ work: cleverly crafted and overflowing with idiosyncratic characters and mordant humor. A most unusual mystery, indeed.”