I rated this book as 3.5 stars. I loved the intrigue of following Marissa Dahl, this quirky, neurodiverse character that is a great editor in Hollywood. Yes, most people laugh behind her backs for her portrayed “weirdness..” But, you can’t deny she has a great attention to detail and makes a superb editor. This was kind of a love/hate book for me...read below.

Marissa receives an interview and unbeknownst to her reveals its working with the legendary director Tony Rees. She is offered the job and accepts it automatically due to what the prospects could be with working with Tony...Oscar maybe? She failed to read the manuscript before accepting, so she virtually went into this movie blind.

The film is produced on an island, that re-enacts a murder of a beautiful young woman years earlier. The murderer was never found; however, the townsfolk automatically are convinced that the boy, who was also neurodiverse, and didn’t follow social norms was the murderer. They even beat him quite badly to end up in the hospital.

Most of the staff and townspeople are hoping that this movie would finally prove and hopefully provide more concrete evidence that the socially-inept Kyle would soon be exposed and they would feel vindicated once he was locked away for good. .

This is were the plot thickens and the leading lady was also found murdered by Marissa. Who would have done it? Of course, everyone immediately jumps to the theory that the strange Kyle killed again.

But could this friendly man, by all accounts, actually be a killer? This is where Marissa’s clever eye and unbelievable knowledge of every single movie is just another readily available picture playing in her head. Who else had motive? That is what she will try to find out for herself, regardless if it involves breaking into the police station.

What I enjoyed and at the same time didn’t care for the characters that Marissa was obviously had Autism Spectrum Disorder! I loved that this author made her character stand out as someone different and highly intellectual in her work abilities. I didn’t like that she was constantly called weird, by everyone. It just didn’t sit well with me. In this age we all need to realize Autism is everywhere and to please not call people weird...especially adults!

The twist at the end was unexpected and Marissa, who knows all minuscule details, even speaks to herself “What if I really am Obi-Wan Kaobi?” She soon catches the real killer! It was unexpected and she was Obi-Wan Kanobi, without her brilliant attention to detail no doubt the real killer would have been unfounded.

Favorite quote from book, “**** creek’s littered with the bodies of people who think they’re smarter than the rest of us.”

Thank you #netgalley and #penguinviking for allowed me to read #PrettyasaPicture in return for my honest opinion.

Pretty as a Picture - Likewise Book Reviews

9 Reviews