Call number
MYST ROT
Collection
Publication
G.P. Putnam's Sons (2022), 336 pages
Description
Fiction. Suspense. Thriller. HTML:"Terrific. You might come for the mystery, but you will stay for the sheer energy."â??New York Times Book Review An utterly delicious debut thriller that tells the story of the most likable murderess you will ever meet, perfect for fans of Riley Sager and Jessica Knoll. â??I could just kill you right now!â?ť Itâ??s something weâ??ve all thought at one time or another. But Ruby has actually acted on it. Three times, to be exact. Though she may be a murderer, Ruby is not a sociopath. She is an animal-loving therapist with a thriving practice. Sheâ??s felt empathy and sympathy. Sheâ??s had long-lasting friendships and relationships, and has a husband, Jason, whom she adores. But the homicide detectives at Miami Beach PD are not convinced of her happy marriage. When we meet Ruby, she is in a police interrogation room, being accused of Jasonâ??s murder. Which, ironically, is one murder that she did not commit, though a scandal-obsessed public believes differently. As she undergoes questioning, Rubyâ??s mind races back to all the details of her life that led her to this exact moment, and to the three dead bodies in her wake. Because though she may not have killed her husband, Ruby certainly isnâ??t innocent. Alternating between Rubyâ??s memories of her past crimes and her present-day fight to clear her name, Blood Sugar is a twisty, clever debut with an unforgettable protagonist who you canâ??t help but root forâ??… (more)
User reviews
LibraryThing member Twink
Blood Sugar is Sascha Rothchild's debut novel.
The first chapter is a real 'gotcha'. Shocking and unexpected. And on the heels of that chapter, we meet Ruby...at the police station being questioned about a murder. Actually it's more than one...
And as she's being questioned she remembers and
What a complicated character Ruby is. She's kind, has friends, relationships and is a truly caring psychologist. I quite liked her. As the book progresses it's hard to reconcile this likeable persona with the crimes she is accused of. The focus of the book is Ruby herself.
Rothchild is also a Emmy-nominated screenwriter - and it shows in her writing. Her prose are smooth and make for addictive reading. Her plotting is very clever with twists that delighted me. I really enjoy twists you can't see coming.
The first chapter is a real 'gotcha'. Shocking and unexpected. And on the heels of that chapter, we meet Ruby...at the police station being questioned about a murder. Actually it's more than one...
And as she's being questioned she remembers and
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silently recounts her life. This was a great storytelling method, keeping me hooked with every revelation - and every murder.What a complicated character Ruby is. She's kind, has friends, relationships and is a truly caring psychologist. I quite liked her. As the book progresses it's hard to reconcile this likeable persona with the crimes she is accused of. The focus of the book is Ruby herself.
Rothchild is also a Emmy-nominated screenwriter - and it shows in her writing. Her prose are smooth and make for addictive reading. Her plotting is very clever with twists that delighted me. I really enjoy twists you can't see coming.
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LibraryThing member grandpahobo
The writing is good and the plot has a lot of promise. The first part of the book is moves along well and keeps you guessing as to what will happen next. The second half gets a bit tedious and I found the ending disappointing.
LibraryThing member EllenH
I like thrillers and debut authors, not sure how much of a thriller it was, but I really liked it anyway. The writing and characters were great, Some twists and chilling traits, but not as dark as some.
LibraryThing member life2reinvent
Can anyone run away from their past? By the time Ruby became an adult, she had commiited murder. More than once. Is she a serial killer? If not yet, is she at risk of becoming one during her life? And if someone close to her dies suddenly, did she kill them?
These are the dark elements brewing in
I’m one of those people who not only yells while watching sports, but also yells at other TV programs as if I could be heard. There have been a few times when I’ve yelled at a book, and I did that a few times while reading Blood Sugar. I know it didn’t have any impact on the story, but I couldn’t just stay to the side silently while the plot unfolded. I was definitely engaged.
Ruby proves to be an interesting narrator as she tiptoes on the edges of legal and illegal behavior. Her plot is simple and often predictable, but her character is quirky enough to keep my attention. Even when mired in scandal, Ruby doesn’t play the victim. She doesn’t wait for someone to rescue her, and she’ll do whatever it takes to save herself.
I enjoyed Sascha Rothchild’s debut novel and hope she has another published soon.
Thanks to NetGalley and G.P. Putnam’s Sons for providing a copy of the book.
These are the dark elements brewing in
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Blood Sugar. On the surface, the story shows a young woman growing up and building her future while overcoming numerous obstacles. When someone attacks her or someone she loves, she lethally lashes out and covers her tracks. She makes major decisions for her future that show a willingness to build a solid life for herself, pursuing a psychology career and moving to Florida. Ruby can’t shake two people who know about her past and will destroy her future if they can.I’m one of those people who not only yells while watching sports, but also yells at other TV programs as if I could be heard. There have been a few times when I’ve yelled at a book, and I did that a few times while reading Blood Sugar. I know it didn’t have any impact on the story, but I couldn’t just stay to the side silently while the plot unfolded. I was definitely engaged.
Ruby proves to be an interesting narrator as she tiptoes on the edges of legal and illegal behavior. Her plot is simple and often predictable, but her character is quirky enough to keep my attention. Even when mired in scandal, Ruby doesn’t play the victim. She doesn’t wait for someone to rescue her, and she’ll do whatever it takes to save herself.
I enjoyed Sascha Rothchild’s debut novel and hope she has another published soon.
Thanks to NetGalley and G.P. Putnam’s Sons for providing a copy of the book.
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LibraryThing member hcnewton
This originally appeared at The Irresponsible Reader.
---
This is one of those books that grabbed my interest and then I immediately forgot about it for months. Thankfully, the library system here had it in their audiobook catalog where I stumbled on it. Knowing what I know about it now, I'm pretty
THE HOOK
The book opens with the protagonist/narrator in a police interrogation room. Ruby Simon is being questioned about her husband's death. She's innocent--100% guiltless--it's clear from the get-go, that she did not murder her husband.
But...there are three other people that Ruby has killed over the last couple of decades. She's never even been looked at as a suspect in these deaths--they'd previously been judged to be accidental, in fact.
But after death #4, it's hard to believe that with all this smoke, there might not be a fire.
WHAT COMES AFTER THE HOOK
The first part of the book focuses on the events in the interrogation room--the detective presses for details on these four deaths, and as Ruby dances around her answers, we get to see her life story in flashbacks. Her childhood (punctuated by a murder), her party days as a teen (punctuated by a murder), her college years and training as a psychologist (punctuated by a murder), and then her falling in love with her husband and beginning their life together (punctuated by his death by natural causes).
The rest of the book focuses on the legal battle that ensues--the investigation that follows, her eventual arrest, the decimation of her career and reputation that results, and the eventual resolution of it all.
CONFLICTING IMPULSES
Ruby is a completely horrible person, she's a murderer--and in two of the three cases, it's entirely unjustified. The motives behind those two are so...pointless is the best I can come up with. The third murder probably wasn't necessary, Ruby could've found a non-lethal solution to the situation--but you can understand and appreciate why she did it. She deserves to be behind bars (at least), she needs to be tried, convicted, and punished. It's the right thing.
And yet she's innocent here. She loved her husband, would never have killed him, and shouldn't be dragged through the mud over this. The reader/listener constantly finds themselves rooting for this character that in normal circumstances you want to be pursued by a dogged investigator.
It's similar to Dexter or Hannibal--with them, we embrace their homicidal acts and desires while rooting for them. There's part of you that wants Dexter to get away with it so he can take down another serial killer. A similar part of you wants Hannibal to slip away from custody because he's disturbingly charming. But it's different in Blood Sugar--we have an actual injustice, and we instinctually recoil from that and want her exonerated.
But...you can't get away from the injustice of her getting away with the other murders.
At the same time, you resent Detective Jackson for doing his job. He's absolutely wrong about Jason's death and shouldn't be in Ruby's life. But in any other book/series, we'd be rooting for him. He might as well be Harry Bosch or a similar character--he's got all these pieces before him and is assembling a case that's 75% correct. He's doing everything right, and has an actual killer in his sights--and you want him to fail. Not only that, you probably are angry with him and have some active distaste for him.
But if this book was told from his perspective? You'd love him and admire his ingenuity and intuitive leaps.
For a long-time reader of detective fiction, this is a great twist on the conventions.
RUBY'S ANTAGONIST
Someone has to be behind all her problems right? Det. Jackson isn't going to look into Jason's death without someone or something prompting him. Once you figure that out--which will probably happen before the actual reveal--it's delicious. This might be my favorite thing that Rothchild does in this book.
For a book that's full of confusing impulses for the reader, it's nice to have an adverse reaction to someone that's straightforward and uncomplicated.
A BRIEF THOUGHT ABOUT THE NARRATION
Ryan did a great job of this--she made Ruby Simon a human being. Her portrayal helps you identify and embrace Ruby as the innocent--with a shady past. You want to believe her when she says that she's not a sociopath.
There were a couple of scenes (with one of Ruby's patients in particular, and some involving Ruby's dog) where I was moved because of the narration. I don't know if they'd have been as effective (or affective) if I'd read the book, but with Ryan's work, I was absolutely gripped.
SO, WHAT DID I THINK ABOUT BLOOD SUGAR?
I thought this was a great listen--a great experience.
I relished this approach to the story and characters, and the way you were forced time and time again to re-evaluate the characters, their actions, and your reactions to them.
Do I want a steady diet of this? No. Do I hope that a future Rothchild novel is either more conventional--or tweaks conventions in a different way? Absolutely. I can see Rothchild being a Lisa Lutz-type of writer. With stand-alones where you never know what you're going to get--other than some wry humor, deep characters, and an approach to Crime Fiction that you hadn't considered before.
I strongly recommend you pick this up in audio or print.
---
This is one of those books that grabbed my interest and then I immediately forgot about it for months. Thankfully, the library system here had it in their audiobook catalog where I stumbled on it. Knowing what I know about it now, I'm pretty
Show More
annoyed that I took this long to get to it.THE HOOK
The book opens with the protagonist/narrator in a police interrogation room. Ruby Simon is being questioned about her husband's death. She's innocent--100% guiltless--it's clear from the get-go, that she did not murder her husband.
But...there are three other people that Ruby has killed over the last couple of decades. She's never even been looked at as a suspect in these deaths--they'd previously been judged to be accidental, in fact.
But after death #4, it's hard to believe that with all this smoke, there might not be a fire.
WHAT COMES AFTER THE HOOK
The first part of the book focuses on the events in the interrogation room--the detective presses for details on these four deaths, and as Ruby dances around her answers, we get to see her life story in flashbacks. Her childhood (punctuated by a murder), her party days as a teen (punctuated by a murder), her college years and training as a psychologist (punctuated by a murder), and then her falling in love with her husband and beginning their life together (punctuated by his death by natural causes).
The rest of the book focuses on the legal battle that ensues--the investigation that follows, her eventual arrest, the decimation of her career and reputation that results, and the eventual resolution of it all.
CONFLICTING IMPULSES
Ruby is a completely horrible person, she's a murderer--and in two of the three cases, it's entirely unjustified. The motives behind those two are so...pointless is the best I can come up with. The third murder probably wasn't necessary, Ruby could've found a non-lethal solution to the situation--but you can understand and appreciate why she did it. She deserves to be behind bars (at least), she needs to be tried, convicted, and punished. It's the right thing.
And yet she's innocent here. She loved her husband, would never have killed him, and shouldn't be dragged through the mud over this. The reader/listener constantly finds themselves rooting for this character that in normal circumstances you want to be pursued by a dogged investigator.
It's similar to Dexter or Hannibal--with them, we embrace their homicidal acts and desires while rooting for them. There's part of you that wants Dexter to get away with it so he can take down another serial killer. A similar part of you wants Hannibal to slip away from custody because he's disturbingly charming. But it's different in Blood Sugar--we have an actual injustice, and we instinctually recoil from that and want her exonerated.
But...you can't get away from the injustice of her getting away with the other murders.
At the same time, you resent Detective Jackson for doing his job. He's absolutely wrong about Jason's death and shouldn't be in Ruby's life. But in any other book/series, we'd be rooting for him. He might as well be Harry Bosch or a similar character--he's got all these pieces before him and is assembling a case that's 75% correct. He's doing everything right, and has an actual killer in his sights--and you want him to fail. Not only that, you probably are angry with him and have some active distaste for him.
But if this book was told from his perspective? You'd love him and admire his ingenuity and intuitive leaps.
For a long-time reader of detective fiction, this is a great twist on the conventions.
RUBY'S ANTAGONIST
Someone has to be behind all her problems right? Det. Jackson isn't going to look into Jason's death without someone or something prompting him. Once you figure that out--which will probably happen before the actual reveal--it's delicious. This might be my favorite thing that Rothchild does in this book.
For a book that's full of confusing impulses for the reader, it's nice to have an adverse reaction to someone that's straightforward and uncomplicated.
A BRIEF THOUGHT ABOUT THE NARRATION
Ryan did a great job of this--she made Ruby Simon a human being. Her portrayal helps you identify and embrace Ruby as the innocent--with a shady past. You want to believe her when she says that she's not a sociopath.
There were a couple of scenes (with one of Ruby's patients in particular, and some involving Ruby's dog) where I was moved because of the narration. I don't know if they'd have been as effective (or affective) if I'd read the book, but with Ryan's work, I was absolutely gripped.
SO, WHAT DID I THINK ABOUT BLOOD SUGAR?
I thought this was a great listen--a great experience.
I relished this approach to the story and characters, and the way you were forced time and time again to re-evaluate the characters, their actions, and your reactions to them.
Do I want a steady diet of this? No. Do I hope that a future Rothchild novel is either more conventional--or tweaks conventions in a different way? Absolutely. I can see Rothchild being a Lisa Lutz-type of writer. With stand-alones where you never know what you're going to get--other than some wry humor, deep characters, and an approach to Crime Fiction that you hadn't considered before.
I strongly recommend you pick this up in audio or print.
Show Less
LibraryThing member GeauxGetLit
Whoa! Have you ever met someone who was a master storyteller and had so much tea to spill that kept you listening for hours and left speechless in utter shock and delight?
That is exactly what author, Sascha Rothschild did in this book as the protagonist begins sharing her unbelievable life story
Ruby was born into a family of wordsmiths and at 5 she was a precocious gifted child. She saw things and people in black and white and made major life altering decisions for others with her keen analysis. This continues throughout her life, but when she made the unworldly conclusion that she was human and shared this was her husband that is when her nightmare begins and her past analytical mindset choices haunts her behind bars.
You better be getting you that extra large bucket of popcorn before you start reading this one, because once you start you aren’t going to want to stop until the very dirty end.
LOVED IT!!
That is exactly what author, Sascha Rothschild did in this book as the protagonist begins sharing her unbelievable life story
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that you need to hear! Ruby was born into a family of wordsmiths and at 5 she was a precocious gifted child. She saw things and people in black and white and made major life altering decisions for others with her keen analysis. This continues throughout her life, but when she made the unworldly conclusion that she was human and shared this was her husband that is when her nightmare begins and her past analytical mindset choices haunts her behind bars.
You better be getting you that extra large bucket of popcorn before you start reading this one, because once you start you aren’t going to want to stop until the very dirty end.
LOVED IT!!
Show Less
LibraryThing member flourgirl49
Ruby Simon, the narrator of this story, is a psychopath, which one tends to forget as the story progresses. She has already killed 3 people and comes under suspicion of killing her husband when he dies unexpectedly. How this all plays out is quite absorbing up until the very end, which I found
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disappointing. Nevertheless, it's a very good read, and I look forward to the author's next book. Show Less
LibraryThing member gpangel
Blood Sugar by Sascha Rothchild is a 2022 G.P. Putnam’s Sons publication.
After her beloved husband, Jason, dies suddenly, Ruby finds herself being interrogated by a police detective who is positive she had something to do with Jason’s death…. After all, she seems to have an uncanny knack for
This is a clever novel, which examines the various psychological levels of a criminal mind. Ruby’s choices are not premeditated, she merely takes advantage of a situation when it presents itself, and her actions are only aimed at those who are not exactly model citizens. She’s gotten away with murder several times, but now it looks like her luck may have run out…
A darkly humorous story that was both chilling and entertaining at the same time. Ruby is someone you can attach the anti-hero label on- but be careful- because she doesn’t fit into the usual slots. The story has a simple, and straightforward approach, with Ruby regaling us with how and why she committed murder, the various friendships and romantic entanglements she developed in her life and how she managed to find herself the number one suspect in her husband’s death.
There are more than a few big revelations along the way! Her narrative is nothing short of brilliant. She’ll have you right in the palm of your hand…. And you'll like her... and find yourself rooting for her!
My only complaint was with some of the content -and the language on occasion was too course for my personal taste, but overall...
This is an incredibly entertaining story, very well executed and it kept me glued to the pages from beginning to end.
4.5 stars
After her beloved husband, Jason, dies suddenly, Ruby finds herself being interrogated by a police detective who is positive she had something to do with Jason’s death…. After all, she seems to have an uncanny knack for
Show More
being around when people die tragically…. This is a clever novel, which examines the various psychological levels of a criminal mind. Ruby’s choices are not premeditated, she merely takes advantage of a situation when it presents itself, and her actions are only aimed at those who are not exactly model citizens. She’s gotten away with murder several times, but now it looks like her luck may have run out…
A darkly humorous story that was both chilling and entertaining at the same time. Ruby is someone you can attach the anti-hero label on- but be careful- because she doesn’t fit into the usual slots. The story has a simple, and straightforward approach, with Ruby regaling us with how and why she committed murder, the various friendships and romantic entanglements she developed in her life and how she managed to find herself the number one suspect in her husband’s death.
There are more than a few big revelations along the way! Her narrative is nothing short of brilliant. She’ll have you right in the palm of your hand…. And you'll like her... and find yourself rooting for her!
My only complaint was with some of the content -and the language on occasion was too course for my personal taste, but overall...
This is an incredibly entertaining story, very well executed and it kept me glued to the pages from beginning to end.
4.5 stars
Show Less
LibraryThing member zmagic69
A dark humor and very entertaining book about a sociopath who this reader rooted for throughout the book.
Ruby is at the police station because her husband died and the police think Ruby killed him.
Oh and they think she killed 3 other people in her short under 30 life.
She definitely didn’t kill
Ruby is at the police station because her husband died and the police think Ruby killed him.
Oh and they think she killed 3 other people in her short under 30 life.
She definitely didn’t kill
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her husband. Show Less
Pages
336
ISBN
0593331540 / 9780593331545