“Meet Daphne St Clair: glamorous ninety-year-old grandmother, care home resident, and your new favourite serial killer.
Meet Ruth Robinson: aspiring true crime podcaster, hunting for a killer story.
Who are you going to trust? . . .
When Daphne confesses to killing a number of men throughout her lifetime, she chooses Ruth to produce the podcast reporting her story. Each episode charts Daphne’s humble beginnings from the Dust Bowl in Canada to her glittering life in 70s New York – and a string of murders in her wake.
Daphne tells her story. Ruth listens. And edits it.
The public are hooked. Is she a feminist icon taking revenge on bad men? Or just a ruthless criminal? Then, as the podcast finale approaches, it becomes clear that neither woman has been entirely honest with the other. Who has been controlling the narrative?
After all, the truth doesn’t always make for the best story…”
Hello and welcome to damppebbles. Today I am delighted to share my review of The Six Murders of Daphne St Clair by MacKenzie Common. The Six Murders of Daphne St Clair was published by Mountain Leopard Press on 19th June 2025 and is available in hardcover, audio and digital formats with the paperback to follow. I chose to read a free eARC of The Six Murders of Daphne St Clair but that has in no way influenced my review.
Daphne St Clair has a new boyfriend. Or she did have, until she killed him. Ninety-year-old Daphne is a resident of the Coconut Grove Care Home in Florida. Her days are full of the same mundane things, so she decides to liven things up by confessing to Warren Ackerman’s murder. What’s even more surprising is that Warren wasn’t the first man Daphne claims to have killed. Or the second. Or the third…. Thrust into the spotlight thanks to her wild claims, Daphne becomes a news sensation. Which brings out the podcasters in droves! Making a bid to broadcast Daphne’s story is Ruth Robinson. She’s the least experienced, the least polished and that, more than anything else, appeals to Daphne. The listening public is immediately hooked. But as the finale approaches, it becomes clear to both women that neither of them has been one hundred per cent honest with the other…
Why, oh why, oh why would you confess to multiple murder as you approach the end of your life, having gotten away with it for many, many years? That’s the question everyone is asking as they listen to Daphne’s story unfold. What does she have to gain from her sudden confession? The Six Murders of Daphne St Clair (what a title!) is a highly compulsive, intriguing book. As Daphne starts to relay her story, from her desperate, humble beginnings to her multiple marriages, moving up in society and becoming steadily wealthier, we start to see exactly who Daphne St Clair is. Or do we? Is Daphne trustworthy in what she says?
Would I recommend this book? I would, yes. The Six Murders of Daphne St Clair was an entertaining read from start to finish. I found Daphne a very interesting character. At first, I felt she was killing the men in her life to save her own skin. It was either her or her victim. But over time, that changes and things become a little fuzzy around the edges. Ruth is quite a different person from Daphne, and I liked the dynamic between the two. There is an edge of unease there throughout their discussions. Doubt is sprinkled by both characters, and it was interesting to watch their chats play out. With that in mind, if you’re a fan of the unreliable narrator, please give this book a go. I enjoyed the format of the book with the podcast element. Despite this being a fairly common approach in literature these days, it still makes me smile. I enjoyed the humour, the characters (despite many of them being highly unlikeable), the relationship between Daphne and her granddaughter and the overall presentation of the novel. But, of course, it’s not all light and little old ladies! There is darkness here, with a particularly unsettling scene near the start of Daphne’s story where she suffers abuse at the hands of a man in a position of power. I found this scene, in particular, really affected me. All in all, The Six Murders of Daphne St Clair was an enjoyable, fun read with touches of darkness throughout. Fascinating characters, an intriguing storyline and quite possibly my favourite cover of the year! Recommended.
I chose to read and review a free eARC of The Six Murders of Daphne St Clair. The above review is my own unbiased opinion.
The Six Murders of Daphne St Clair by MacKenzie Common was published in the UK by Mountain Leopard Press on 19th June 2025 and is available in hardcover, audio and digital formats with the paperback to follow (please note, the following links are affiliate links which means I receive a small percentage of the purchase price at no extra cost to you): | amazon.co.uk | Waterstones | bookshop.org | Goodreads | damppebbles bookshop.org shop | damppebbles amazon.co.uk shop | damppebbles amazon.com shop |
MacKenzie Common was born in Newfoundland but she spent most of her childhood in North Bay, Ontario before spending her twenties in the United Kingdom. She has a PhD in Law and worked as an expert on human rights issues in social media content moderation. MacKenzie loves swimming, travelling, paddleboarding, good chocolate, bad TV, Mexican food and comedy. She currently lives on the East Coast of Canada with her partner, two children, and one very spoiled pug.
