Despite his best efforts, a young student struggles to catch a break. As a consequence of a thoughtless colleague’s actions and some poor judgment on his part, he loses out on getting a scholarship, and now the only hope for him to stay in school is to find a job very quickly. During his search, he meets the mysterious Pelagia Metlicki, who provides some respite for the beleaguered student with paid employment that comes with a roof over his head. When Pelagia dies under mysterious circumstances, the young man must devise a creative way of maintaining his present favorable status without breaking the law in K.E. Adamus’s To Outwit the Fate.

In K.E. Adamus's To Outwit the Fate, the more you look, the less you see. In her book, Adamus employs an oddly small cast of characters. Despite this, she goes above and beyond to clearly and humorously explain their origin stories, which will captivate readers and, for the most part, make them feel a connection with the main character in this distinctive novel. Adamus's remarkable storytelling skill allows her to vividly depict the principal character’s habit of putting his foot in his mouth when expressing himself, making the characters' numerous exchanges rather remarkable. She creates a singular story with multiple concurrently unfolding subplots while teasing various possible outcomes at the end. An illustration of this would be Alicia's various narratives regarding her family history and how they relate to the principal character’s unfortunate experience on a dating site. To Outwit the Fate is a darkly humorous and intrigue-filled drama that fans of the genre will enjoy.

To Outwit the Fate by K.E. Adamus is an interesting tale of decisions and their consequences. A young Polish man sits in prison reminiscing how his fate ended up the way it did. It seemed to him that whatever endeavor he attempted, bad luck and misfortune always sought him out and wreaked havoc on him. His dreams and aspirations were not particularly grandiose, he just wanted to be successful at something; to be honest, anything. Not too long ago he was successfully navigating a university course only for cursed luck to befall him so that he not only failed his course but got banned for life from the learning institution. With the incredibly ugly Alicia as his only friend and confidante, he was lost but he had a plan. He needed to find an older woman and provide her with his companionship for a fee and then he could save up enough money to transfer to another university in a different city. Mrs Pelagia seemed to be the answer to his problems until fate again intervened when he discovered his sponsor was murdered. What to do now? Calling the police was the obvious answer. But he and Alicia came up with a convoluted scheme to keep Mrs Pelagia’s death a secret, live rent-free in her house, and claim all her money. Unless, of course, fate intervened, as it always does.

To Outwit the Fate was an interesting premise that immediately drew me into the story. Author K.E. Adamus has created a strangely compelling character in this loner whose ambitions are modest but who is constantly dogged by ill fortune and difficult circumstances. The many and varied plans that he and Alicia try to come up with, first to successfully dispose of the dead woman’s body but also to fool everyone else that Mrs Pelagia was still alive, were intriguing and added several layers of interest to the plot. What I appreciated most was both of the characters ruminating on life in general and in particular the difficult hand dealt to both of them, especially concerning their ill fortune and Alicia’s rather ordinary and plain appearance. The plot twists and turns with several unexpected and difficult situations arising for the characters to deal with. I also found the culmination of the story to be both satisfying and apt. This is something different for readers who want to explore the effect of our thinking and actions on our environment. I enjoyed this read and recommend it.

To Outwit the Fate is a work of fiction in the thriller, suspense, and action genres, penned by author K. E. Adamus for young adults. Readers are invited to enjoy a gripping tale of survival and deception where a young student, faced with a series of disastrous events, seeks sponsorship from an elderly woman, only to witness her sudden murder. Instead of getting help from the authorities, he resorts to a risky scheme to get her pension. With his only ally being a female student battling mythomania, they embark on a surreal journey to solve the mystery, ultimately emerging as capable new adults amidst the chaos. The thrilling pace of the action with lashings of dark wit is certain to grab YA readers instantly and never let them go.

Author K. E. Adamus has a real knack for suspense that helps to craft this absolute rollercoaster of emotions. The protagonist's desperate actions to secure his future are a great driving force for the plot, and I loved the close narration to keep us in tune with his unusual approach to problem-solving. The dubious nature of his psychological makeup creates a unique and original protagonist who is genuinely unpredictable. The dynamic between the two students, each grappling with their own demons, showcased a lot of authentic dialogue and great characterization as they explored a world filled with danger and deceit. The book seamlessly blends elements of mystery, suspense, and coming-of-age themes beneath the surface, offering poignant reflection in the quieter moments of the tale. Overall, To Outwit the Fate is a brilliant work of thriller fiction that I would not hesitate to recommend to fans of YA suspense and well-penned mysteries everywhere.

To Outwit the Fate by K. E. Adamus is a murder mystery that follows an unfortunate young man named Matt who's had a rough go of things. He finds himself wrongly imprisoned and tangled up in a conundrum surrounding the death of a woman he met under unique circumstances. Matt meets quite a few women throughout the story. These include, but are not limited to, Aneta, who initially seems friendly but later reveals intense halitosis and unsavory intentions; Pelagia, who is a bit eccentric, offers Matt lodging in her home in exchange for conversation, and who he finds dead upon returning home and Alicia, who Matt convinces to help him with less than ideal outcomes.

Written in the first person and through the point of view of one of the unluckiest guys one might come across, To Outwit the Fate by K. E. Adamus is both quirky and entertaining. The writing style matches the chaotic mindset of its narrator, at times unpolished and rushed, but appropriate given Matt's helter-skelter experiences in the chain of events. The murder mystery plot and the unfolding of Matt's actions and consequences are as singular as the female characters Adamus has created, each of whom adds their own distinct personality and motive. Adamus does well in keeping the story pressing forward at a clipping speed, ensuring readers are consistently engaged from start to finish. I loved the ending even if it is not what I was expecting, and if one ever ends up in prison someday they should hope for a cellie like Razorblade. Recommended.