How to kill your family by Bella Mackie - CONTAINS PLOT SPOILERS

[Grumpyoldpersonwithcats]

Less than half way through but to summarise...

The protagonist is in prison writing memoirs.
Has committed multiple murders but is inside for a murder they didn't commit.
Are murdering their relatives because their mother was wronged by wealthy relatives.
Has a close childhood friend of the opposite sex.
(And I have just guessed, and had it confirmed that it is the partner of the childhood friend whom the protagonist hasn't killed, but is in prison for).
Gets close to one victim by feigning enthusiasm for the victims slightly esoteric hobby.
Gets close to another victim by joining the family firm.

I really don't understand how an author can transparently plagiarise the plot of the well known classic film Kind Hearts and Coronets (or the original book Israel Rank perhaps), and receive great reviews.

Is changing the sex of the protagonist really enough to fool people into thinking that this novel is original?

I have just read on page 224 that the protagonist is reading Israel Rank. . So, as an author, if yoy copy a novel and then refer to the source material does that make it ok?

Interesting, I wasn't aware of the original book or film so didn't clock the reference. It does make you wonder where the line is between homage and plagiarism.

@Pedalpushers
I'd strongly recommend the film. Old (black and white) but superbly acted and directed.

I haven't read the book, but man, what a fantastic film that is.

Copyright is 70 years. KHAC screenplay 1949.
Have read some reviews that HTKYF reads as an updated version. I read some the updated Austens recently but that was very transparent and sold as such. I guess I don't need to the read the end to HTKYF now!
(Just read sample as 99p on kindle but it was not reeling me in).

I gave up on it after she killed the lovely man in the pond.

It was ridiculous anyway. She just happened to meet someone who lent her his car, etc.

I guess I don't need to the read the end to HTKYF now!
To be fair the ending is really the only original plot element in Mackie's book. (but to my mind it's the weakest part anyway...)

I really enjoyed this book apart from the end, which I found extremely unsatisfying.

I’d never heard of the original book or film. I’ll try and find it to watch.

The film is so good. I'm never interested in the reworking of classics. Writers should come up with original ideas.

She has taken story from old British black & White comedy call kind hearts and Coronets
exactly same story but in different time. I was shocked when I started reading it
the author think we would not notice
surly that
not allowed ?

Of course! That's why it felt so familiar. Thanks, OP.

Glad I came across this. I've been finding the book a bit tedious. Last night at the start of chapter 17 I couldn't be bothered to finish the end.
Some of it was good but honestly imo a lot of hype about nothing. And sad to think she took the idea from an old film smh

It was not well paced and was surprisingly dull. I only finished it to see if she had ripped off the ending as well.
Actually the original Israel Rank book isn’t that great either though it had the merit of originality. Film is leagues above either.

The book Israel Rank is certainly of its period, and lacks the humorous light touch of the film. The murder of the child in the book is very grim. Even with that I still quite enjoyed it, although I agree the film is in a completely different league.

Gosh, I loathed this book. That's unusual for me - I either like books and read them, or nothing them and don't finish them. But this book made me rage-finish it in fury that it was taking up my time. The main character was so utterly unlikable that I resented spending the length of the book in her company. Her whole thing was how she was cleverer than everyone else, but the writer wasn't clever enough to write a brilliant protagonist, so her ideas were pedestrian and her vocabulary was often off. The plot was stupid. The ending was a let down. Ugh. Dreadful book.

I thought the ending saved it. She was such a sneering “I’m so much smarter than all of them” that her getting away with it was rather annoying. I quite liked that she will be blackmailed/under the thumb herself.

But yes, a rewrite of a far superior film
(haven’t read the source novel) and not nearly as witty as it thinks itself.

Wish I'd read this thread before investing my time in this book. I haven't watched the film that it's based on but thought the book was a load of tosh.

Bella Mackie is Alan Rusbridger’s (ex Guardian editor) daughter and Greg James’ (R1 DJ) wife - nepotism is alive and well in the publishing industry.

So smart that she wrote the whole thing down in a diary in prison where she had a room mate? Made absolutely no sense!

That was the conceit of the novel, a diary. Diary novels have been around forever.

But you’re rather endorsing my position. The whole thing was someone who wasn’t as clever as she thought. She mocked and derided everyone and made stupid mistakes.

That said, some of her criticisms were very funny. “I’m not saying she wasn’t intelligent, but all her favourite television shows were on ITV”

This book got a lot of publicity when first released with lots of 'fresh and exciting twist' kind of gushing. I was intrigued by that so did a a little googling. I was unimpressed to discover that this apparently fresh and exciting twist involved rehashing KH&C. Even if she did make a reference to her 'inspiration'.

Put me in a bad mood and now I harumph whenever I see the book mentioned. Especially knowing she sold half a million copies. Pft.

I don’t like books written in the first person and the chapters are far too long.

If you wanted to like this book but didn't, try Yellowface by RF Kuang instead. A complicated and unlikeable protagonist, but more cleverly done. I don't want to say much more in case of spoilers, but worth a go.

I think it’s an homage to it rather than plagiarism. Loads of writers borrow classic plots: I guess Bridget Jones and Pride & Prejudice/ Persausion for the second book is one of the most notable examples.

I think it’s an homage to it rather than plagiarism
I beg to differ. The fact that I could (with the exception of the ending) predict all the next plot twists based on the film, implies this isn't a reworking of an idea, but it's a badly written copy of the previous work, with just the sex of the protagonist changed.
And the ending is dreadful.