Death in Her Hands

Death in Her Hands by Ottessa Moshfegh, 262 pages

Vesta is a 72-year-old widow who lives in a secluded cabin with only her big mutt, Charlie, to keep her company. When she discovers a mysterious note about Magda, a dead woman who was apparently not killed by the note-writer, Vesta's mind kicks into overdrive, spinning a backstory for Magda and the mysterious person who wrote the note, despite having no evidence of anything. As such, most of this book takes place in Vesta's mind, though the short excursions into the outer world with Vesta are unsettling at best. A mad mix of humor and psychological suspense create a haunting tale of a woman who is a mystery to everyone around her. The only question is: is that mysterious woman Magda or Vesta herself?