LoveReading Says
Ever found yourself saying, “I wish I could clone myself” to free up your time? That’s the reality of the story world of Maud Woolf’s Thirteen Ways to Kill Lulabelle Rock. Set in a near-future in which celebrities can clone themselves as Portraits, this dazzling debut also gets to the heart of existential identity crises. It put me in mind of a cocktail conjured from Orphan Black and Killing Eve, though in this novel our heroine is a more reluctant assassin than Villanelle, despite having been created for the sole purpose of killing.
Lulabelle Rock is a mega-famous actress who’s had twelve Portraits made of herself “because I’m a busy, busy girl, and there are only so many hours in a day…I can only give the world so much”. The novel kicks-off as Portrait 13 is created. Her role is simple — she exists to dispose of her predecessors. On heading into Bubble City (think future Hollywood), her first few kills comes easy, but she’s thrown off-course when she meets the Artist Portrait and feels a rising crisis of conscience, and the stirrings of love.
Boasting finely-crafted character insights, clever Tarot references, and a killer twist, Thirteen Ways to Kill Lulabelle Rock is also pretty darn profound: “We are what we do, and when we having nothing to do, we are nothing”. I loved it.
Joanne Owen
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Maud Woolf Press Reviews
"A dazzling noirish romp... By turns sad, introspective, and defiantly optimistic, this tale of self-hatred, self-love, and self-discovery delights."
– Publishers Weekly, starred review
"Ideal for fans of Orphan Black and Killing Eve, this near-future tech-noir is guaranteed to entrance as much as it perplexes." – Library Journal
"In Thirteen Ways to Kill Lulabelle Rock, Maud Woolf playfully and skilfully explores an intriguing premise - a protagonist created to kill her own clones. Blade Runner meets Killing Eve in this clever and funny speculative thriller." — Guy Morpuss, author of FIVE MINDS and BLACK LAKE MIRROR
“A doppeltastic delight that explores identity and skewers celebrity culture.” — Ever Dundas, author of Goblin and HellSans
“Thirteen Ways is iridescent, drawing you in with all its shiny colours and propelling you through the mystery and horror of Lulabelle Rock and Bubble City. It’s complicated. And really quite brilliantly simple.” — Joma West, author of Face
“Original, funny and heartbreaking in equal measure, Thirteen Ways to Kill Lulabelle Rock is a brilliantly assured debut. Woolf's razor-sharp wit and prose delivers a unique, contemporary and existential thriller which had me hooked from the premise to the final page!” — Adam Southward, author of the Alex Madison series
"Lulabelle Rock is a must-read for fans of Black Mirror, Blake Crouch, and sci-fi that passes the Bechdel test. I don't often see books in this genre that can balance speculative elements with this much heart. Woolf is a debut author to watch." — Amber, @seekingdystopia
"Thirteen Ways to Kill Lulabelle Rock is an addictively enthralling sci-fi thriller with razor sharp prose, cinematic scenes and a surprising tender exploration of experiencing the highs and lows of life and finding love." — Nils Shukla, The Fantasy Hive
"Thirteen Ways to Kill Lulabelle Rock is a debut that is as riveting as it is emotionally charged. It is one that sunk its claws in early and kept moving right along with its imaginative storytelling and sardonic humor. Woolf is an author to keep an eye on." — FanFiAddict
"Gentle and dark in equal parts, Woolf’s debut highlights the importance of balance, rest, and asking just enough of oneself. A riveting read."
— Shazzie, Fantasy Book Critic
“This book altered my brain chemistry. I’ll forever be fascinated by Lulabelle and her portraits.”
— Charli, @bookishcharli
"An insightful look at the unrealities of fame, this book explores identity and independence in a near future setting. The Lulabelles are as memorable and heartbreaking as they are unique. Woolf leaves the reader feeling thoughtful and introspective with her debut novel." — Fiction Fans Podcast
"With Thirteen Ways to Kill Lulabelle Rock, it’s like Maud Woolf has joined forces with Tarantino and Edgar Wright to rip apart the crime/thriller genre, then remould it into something bad-ass and new. A genre-smashing, satire-mashing, ideas-packed gem of a novel." – Adam Simcox, author of the Dying Squad trilogy
“Such a thought provoking and poignant read , makes you think, makes you feel, makes you just stop - fantasy at its best.” – Steph, @bookslovereaders
"A rollicking action-thriller, a clever satire on fame, and a touching meditation on identity – Thirteen Ways to Kill Lulabelle Rock lives more lives than its cloned protagonist, each and every one of them a deep delight." – Katie Williams, author of TELL THE MACHINE GOODNIGHT
