stay sexy and don't get murdered

“F**k politeness.”

“Politeness doesn’t require actual humanity. It’s just cultural ritual…
Politeness is fancy curtains in your front window. Kindness is the home-cooked meal on your dinner table.”

Have you heard of the hit podcast My Favorite Murder? If not, you have now!

Authors and co-hosts Karen Kilgariff and Georgia Hardstark wrote a book this time instead of sitting down for an episode and I thoroughly enjoyed it.

Equal parts memoir, life advice, and humor, Stay Sexy and Don’t Get Murdered shares new stories of the authors’ lives, pasts, and perspectives with authenticity and empathy. If you’re a fan of the podcast, don’t worry! There’s crime in here too, and a strong dose of the frank and unapologetic voices we know and love.

My favorite part of this book, and their podcast honestly, is their refreshing and freeing philosophy of “f*cking politeness.” These ladies talk about how hard it is for women to learn when politeness is and isn’t in their best interests and the importance of advocating for yourself. They open up a discussion with the reader about learning to value personal safety and wellness over being “nice” or “helpful.” I love this and it’s so important, especially today.

Conversational and compelling, I flew through this book. It was instantly readable and one of those books that you put down and realize you’ve read so much more than you thought you had! Whether they were discussing murder or mental health, vulnerable moments in their youth or smashing the patriarchy, I was right there along with them. The authors have done a great job of translating their podcast banter into a creative way of writing that includes the reader in the conversation it creates.

I highly recommend this one to anyone who enjoys a good collection of life stories, true crime, or even just hearing from two awesome ladies about their lives and what they think about the world right now. And don’t forget to check out their podcast if you’re looking for more murder than memoir! Have fun!

“I’m not a shitty person, which really is the point of life in my eyes: “Don’t be a dick and do good things.” That’s my other motto. It has the word dick in it.”