Kiss Me First

Starred review from March 25, 2013
Moggach’s impressive debut, a gripping psychological thriller, is all the more disturbing for its plausibility. Introverted nerd Leila finds a group of friends of sorts after discovering Red Pill, a Web discussion list that debates philosophical matters in a Randian fashion. For the first time, Leila has people who care what she thinks. Among them is Red Pill’s founder, Adrian. After he builds up Leila’s confidence, making her feel like she’s something special, he asks her to perform a disturbing act: he wants her to take over the online life of Tess, a troubled woman who plans to commit suicide without letting anyone know. As Leila immerses herself in Tess’s life in preparation to take it over via Facebook, Twitter, and e-mail, she becomes increasingly attached to the task, relishing creating an imaginary life—not realizing that Adrian’s motivations for the identity theft are vastly different than they appear to be. Moggach’s skill in plotting means readers won’t anticipate the twists and turns built into the story, making for an intensely enjoyable reading experience. Memorable and fast-moving. Agent: Anthony Topping, Greene & Heaton (U.K.).

Leila is an introverted 20-something who participates in an Internet forum called Red Pill, where people chat about ethical issues, including assisted suicide. Enter Adrian Dervish, owner of Red Pill, who asks Leila to help Tess, who is bipolar, to commit suicide by taking over her identity. Imogen Church uses an appropriate flat tone to narrate the story of these emotionally disengaged characters. In a minimally inflected performance she recounts Leila's activities as she goes about acquainting herself with Tess, activities that are chillingly close to stalking. Overall, Church ably performs this disturbing story of assisted suicide, identity theft, and the lives of those who are addicted to the Web. But despite her strong performance, Church cannot engage listeners in an off-putting story. M.B.K. (c) AudioFile 2013, Portland, Maine