This is a tough review to write, because this is my least favorite Moshfegh book so far. There is a lot of her in this book, and had I read it without knowing it was her, I'd have thought "hmm...this makes me think of Moshfegh."

What makes it clearly a Moshfegh book is the main character, Vesta. She's a darkly funny, oddball misanthrope, and who finds a note in the woods while walking her dog that claims the body of a murdered woman is nearby. Rather than reporting it, she then ruminates and obsesses over this alleged victim and her life story. 

Death in Her Hands is meant to be a meta, satirical take down of a mystery novel, but it's wrapped up along with Vesta's state of mind at this point in her life.

This was an incredibly dense read, parts of which I think may have gone over my head. I think the reason for that is because the overwhelming majority of the book is told through Vesta's internal monologue. She's meant to be an unreliable narrator, but with so little context to judge against, it can be hard to sort out what is going on in her head. 

If you haven't read any Moshfegh, this definitely shouldn't be your first book by her. And even for someone who considers himself a fan, at times I felt as though I was being dragged down into the disorienting minefield of Vesta's state of mind.