Julie Mae Cohen’s latest novel, “Eat, Slay, Love,” serves up a perfect recipe of dark humor, unexpected friendship, and unapologetic revenge. Following the success of her previous novel “Bad Men,” Cohen proves once again that she can blend comedy with crime in a way that feels both refreshing and dangerously satisfying.
The novel introduces us to three women from different walks of life, each grappling with their own struggles, who find themselves united by one man’s deception and a basement that becomes both prison and proving ground. What follows is a story that’s equal parts hilarious, horrifying, and surprisingly heartwarming.
The Perfect Trio: Characters That Leap Off the Page
Cohen’s greatest strength lies in her character development. The three protagonists are distinctly realized women whose personalities, struggles, and evolving relationships form the beating heart of this story:
- Marina: A former chef who gave up her career to raise her children, now navigating divorce, financial strain, and family judgment. Her relationship with her three young children is tender and authentic, providing emotional grounding amidst the madness.
- Opal: A post-menopausal fitness influencer with a sharp tongue and an even sharper instinct for self-preservation. Her no-nonsense attitude and troubled past make her both intimidating and, eventually, endearing.
- Lilah: A sweet, naive librarian who’s recently won the lottery, finding herself with newfound wealth and a charming fiancé who might be too good to be true. Her journey from fearful “rabbit” to someone capable of pulling a trigger is perhaps the most dramatic transformation.
What makes these characters work so well is how Cohen ensures they’re never reduced to simple stereotypes. Each woman has layers of complexity, painful histories, and moments of both weakness and surprising strength. By the novel’s end, you’ll feel like you’ve gained three new friends—even if they’re friends you might be slightly terrified of.
A Plot That Simmers, Then Boils Over
The story begins with an arresting scene: a body in a basement, three women looking down at it, and our introduction to a situation that has clearly spiraled out of control. Cohen then rewinds to show us how this unlikely trio came together.
The pacing is masterful, alternating between present-day scenes in the basement and flashbacks that gradually reveal each woman’s backstory and connection to the duplicitous man at the center of it all. What starts as a story about romantic betrayal evolves into something far more complex—touching on themes of justice, female solidarity, and the unexpected ways trauma can both damage and strengthen us.
The plotting grows increasingly audacious as the story progresses, with Cohen fearlessly pushing her characters to extremes that somehow remain psychologically believable. By the time the women are debating how best to dispose of body parts, you’re so invested in their friendship that you find yourself cheering them on rather than recoiling in horror.
Sharp Dialogue and Even Sharper Humor
Cohen’s dialogue crackles with wit and authentic voice. The exchanges between these women—initially wary, then gradually warming to one another—provide some of the novel’s most entertaining moments. Take this exchange when the women share tequila shots and attempt to bond:
“I’ll start. Lilah, you have a really beautiful speaking voice. You could be on the radio. And Opal, you are very good at ordering people around.”
“Is that a compliment?”
“I meant it as one. I’m not even good at ordering my own children around.”
The novel balances its darker elements with genuinely funny humor that often emerges from the absurdity of the situations the women find themselves in. From Marina’s elaborate carbohydrate-laden meals designed to torture their captive (who follows a strict no-carb diet) to the logistics of dismembering a body while three children nap upstairs, Cohen finds comedy in the grimmest circumstances without ever undermining the emotional reality of her characters.
Strengths and Shortcomings
What Works Brilliantly
- Female friendship dynamics: The evolution from strangers to co-conspirators to genuine friends feels earned and emotionally resonant.
- Moral ambiguity: The novel never offers easy answers about the ethics of the women’s actions, instead letting readers decide where justice ends and revenge begins.
- Balancing tones: Cohen smoothly transitions between humor, tension, and moments of genuine emotion without giving the reader whiplash.
- Social commentary: The novel subtly examines societal pressures on women across different life stages—from motherhood to aging—without ever becoming preachy.
Where It Occasionally Falters
- Suspension of disbelief: Some plot developments, particularly in the final third, require considerable suspension of disbelief, even for a dark comedy.
- Convenient timing: Coincidences occasionally move the plot forward in ways that can feel a bit too neat.
- Secondary characters: While our three protagonists are fully realized, some of the supporting characters (particularly the men) can feel more like types than individuals.
- Resolution: The epilogues, while satisfying emotionally, tie things up perhaps too neatly for what has been a story about messy lives and messy choices.
Comparisons and Context
Fans of Liane Moriarty’s “Big Little Lies” or Lisa Jewell’s darker works will find much to enjoy here, though Cohen pushes further into black comedy territory than either of those authors typically venture. There are also echoes of Lucy Foley’s thrillers in the multiple-perspective storytelling, but with a more wickedly comic edge.
Cohen’s previous novel “Bad Men” dealt with toxic relationships and revenge, but “Eat, Slay, Love” expands on these themes with more ambitious plotting and a stronger focus on female friendship. It represents significant growth for Cohen as a storyteller, particularly in her ability to balance disparate tones.
Final Verdict: A Delectable Dark Comedy With Bite
“Eat, Slay, Love” is that rare novel that manages to be simultaneously entertaining and thought-provoking. It asks difficult questions about justice, accountability, and how far we might go to protect those we care about, all while delivering genuine laughs and edge-of-your-seat suspense.
The novel’s greatest achievement is making us care deeply about three women who commit increasingly outrageous acts. Cohen accomplishes this by grounding their choices in understandable emotions and by showing how their mutual support helps each of them heal from past wounds.
Is it occasionally over-the-top? Absolutely. But that’s precisely the point. This is a novel that embraces its premise with gleeful abandon while never losing sight of the human emotions at its core.
For readers who enjoy:
- Dark comedy with feminist undertones
- Stories about unlikely friendships
- Thrillers that don’t take themselves too seriously
- Complex female protagonists
- Revenge narratives with satisfying payoffs
“Eat, Slay, Love” delivers a reading experience as rich and layered as Marina’s aligot (that’s cheesy mashed potatoes, for those who haven’t read the book yet). It’s comfort food with a surprising kick—satisfying, indulgent, and impossible to forget.
