Book Review: That Time I Kinda Killed a Guy: A Val Fremden Humorous Mystery Book 1 by J.L. Gaddis
Picture this: You find yourself at the cusp of midlife, with your dreams of grandeur reduced to crumbs, and suddenly, the one person from high school who made your life a living nightmare is now a millionaire. Sounds like the perfect recipe for revenge, doesn’t it? For me, that was the intriguing premise of That Time I Kinda Killed a Guy, the first book in J.L. Gaddis’s delightful Val Fremden series. I dove in, curious about how humor, mystery, and a touch of midlife chaos could unfold within these pages.
Val Fremden is a character who instantly resonates with anyone who has ever felt stalled in life. At 50, with a history of dead-end jobs and a bank account more suited for a high school student than a grown-up, she’s relatable and refreshingly flawed. Her instinctual shift from a life of complacency to a wild endeavor for revenge provides the narrative a delightful push. The moment she learns Marco Shamway, her childhood tormentor, used her brilliant idea to become a millionaire, you can almost feel the gears of Val’s mind turning as she contemplates her next move. Should vengeance be served cold—or with a hammer?
Gaddis has a unique touch for weaving humor and suspense, making the writing style both engaging and easy to digest. Each page turned faster than the last, fueled by quirky dialogue and vividly drawn characters. Val’s escapades were peppered with irony, and her antics had me chuckling to the point of cackling—something I never thought I’d do at 3 a.m. while immersed in a mystery novel! The way Val navigates life’s absurdities and turns their slapstick into a genuine quest for justice was invigorating.
One particularly memorable quote that stayed with me was Val’s reflection: “Sometimes, the best revenge is just living well—or, in my case, living wildly.” It perfectly encapsulates the essence of her journey: embracing the chaos while figuring out how to authentically live her truth. This sentiment not only made me laugh but also triggered a deeper reflection on my own dreams, reminding me that it’s never too late to start anew.
The secondary characters add an appealing layer; they feel like the kind of friends you’d want in your own pursuit of wild adventures, balancing out Val’s more reckless decisions with support and humor.
If you enjoy cozy mysteries with plenty of laughs and relatable, flawed protagonists, That Time I Kinda Killed a Guy is a delightful pick. It serves wonderful doses of humor while tackling themes of self-worth, ambition, and redemption. Readers who appreciate an underdog tale where the stakes (and the laughs) rise with each chapter will find themselves charmed by Val’s misadventures.
For me, this was not just a book; it was a refreshing reminder that life’s too short to dwell on the past. Grab your favorite cozy spot, a tasty snack, and let Val Fremden take you on a whirlwind journey filled with laughter and unexpected twists!
You can find That Time I Kinda Killed a Guy: A Val Fremden Humorous Mystery Book 1 here >>