If I could have read the first 100 or so pages and the last 50 alone, this book might have been a 5 star read. I was pulled in and intrigued from the start. Ruby Simon is a vigilante of justice, starting at the remarkable and unbelievable age of 5. The premise of the plot gives away the basics: Ruby has killed 3 people, but is accused of killing her husband. It's her proximity to the other 3, in addition to an unintentional enemy related to her husband who casts a suspicious light on her by the Miami police. Part of what works is Ruby's 1st person narration and candor. Certain details are left out on purpose to draw up some suspense. Unfortunately, Ruby describing her life after getting into Yale and meeting her husband Jason is kind of dull. Every person Ruby met will either support or judge her. What's unfathomable is that the police detective would have any reason to suspect foul play in an open and shut case. The cause of death by the coroner was quite clear, but despite this, circumstantial evidence is brought out to ruin Ruby's reputation and solid practice as a successful psychologist in Miami.

What works in the book is when the author SHOWS less than the middle part that TELLS, which dragged. I can see more impatient readers dnf the book. I was satisfied by the who & why of Ruby's "victims" and finally we have a smart, veering on mostly likeable main character. Our every day impulses might get tested but most of us wouldn't actually follow them into action. It makes me admire Ruby, in a way. Everything she did was well thought out and calculating, even at the age of 5. Which is somewhat difficult to believe, that any parent would let their 5 year old swim in the ocean alone. But Ruby has the foresight to swim away before appearing to take air. The implied malice with one of her other victims was so clever and careful. It shows that the thorough study of humans can be a quite useful skill to possess as well as blending into the background and snooping on conversations.

TW for animals suffering (not at the hands of the narrator), sexual assault attempt, death from diabetes