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3.59 AVERAGE
3.59 AVERAGE
'Hi,' she'd said, 'can I help you?''I am a friend', he'd said. 'I am not fierce.' The killer comes to light when 24 year old Layla Martin is killed one Saturday afternoon in the lobby of her office Block in London. News reporter Eve Singer is one of the first on the scene, hoping to gather some information on the case. On the short journey home Eve is on tenterhooks; she never coped well with blood - but gathering information on cases like Layla's is the only way to keep her job secure and support her father who had Dementia. She asks a man on the street to walk her to her house.. Little did she know that not only had she encountered the very same killer who had murdered Layla, but that a new myriad of both problems and subsequent murders would occur - given the killers' new found obsession with her. Over the next couple of weeks in the run up to Christmas, Eve and her team try desperately to uncover who the killer is, but to no avail. The killer only wants one thing for his final 'Exhibition' - Eve Singer. And when the killer captures her father from right under her nose, Eve feels she would be better off dead than able to disappoint him further. Overall this book was an easy read that was both interesting, thought provoking, and chilling with a good amount of mystery strewn throughout the plot. The main character Eve is a likeable and relatable young woman who suffers the same struggles that we each encounter in our day to day lives. The only part I felt was unnecessary was the budding romance between Eve and Joe - Eve makes it very clear she feels Joe is too young for her initially, and the overall ending appeared cheesy and thrown in for the hell of it. There are also a fair few secondary characters who are neither memorable nor relevant to the story. Admittedly this is probably not the most gritty crime novel I've read, but it's a good starting point for those like myself who are new to the genre, want something they can read in one or two sittings, or do not like gore. A well rounded and decent, if not groundbreaking book.
dark
hopeful
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Excellent thriller with good twists. Good character development in a relatively short, stand-alone book.
I added it to my uputdownable shelf ironically because life came between me and this book too many damn times.
It was near- perfect. I'm a consumer of Christies and I can quote Sherlock in my sleep. This modern crime thriller is a few psychos short of a mindfuck.
That said, it was a cool book. No need for a long review. It was a pretty straightforward book. There's a girl. There's a serial killer. There's a dad suffering from senile dementia. There's a romantic interest. There's a newsroom. There's a... Ok, it's not that straightforward. It's actually pretty fucking cool.
This was me after I finished the book.
Try it.
I dare you.
It was near- perfect. I'm a consumer of Christies and I can quote Sherlock in my sleep. This modern crime thriller is a few psychos short of a mindfuck.
That said, it was a cool book. No need for a long review. It was a pretty straightforward book. There's a girl. There's a serial killer. There's a dad suffering from senile dementia. There's a romantic interest. There's a newsroom. There's a... Ok, it's not that straightforward. It's actually pretty fucking cool.
This was me after I finished the book.
Try it.
I dare you.
dark
funny
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
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I've never read any of Belinda Bauer's novels before, but have heard so much about how amazing she is - at the top of her game and leading the way in the crime genre. So, I was really excited to read her newest novel, The Beautiful Dead, and see if it is a winner.
It definitely is!
This novel features a serial killer, crime reporters and murder victims, which - let's face it - have all been done before. But somehow Belinda Bauer has managed to make this feel completely new and fresh. It stands miles apart from some of the other novels in this genre which, in contrast, seem a little overdone and tired. I am so impressed with this novel, from the first page to the last.
I love the characters, particularly (of course!) Eve. She's such a great, strong female lead and I really enjoyed reading about her and her lovely colleague Joe. They work so well together. The fact that Eve isn't a policewoman, but instead a crime reporter for the local news, means that she doesn't always have to follow the rule (and she certainly doesn't!) She can go off-piste and not worry about following procedure, and pick up on things that the police might not. I love a well-written police procedural as much as any other novel, but this difference in the 'usual' occupation of the main character is a welcome and fresh change.
The story itself is fast moving and really ramps up the tension, without feeling overly dramatised. I love reading about serial killers (I am a big crime fan) and this one has buckets of suspense, which makes for a great read - and plenty of grit and gore at times. It even had a good dose of humour in there too - and all this without feeling over the top and ridiculous. All in all, that's some impressive writing!
I feel that The Beautiful Dead is a fantastic read and a great introduction to Belinda Bauer's work - I'll definitively be reading more by her novels in the future!
Many thanks to Grove Atlantic for providing a copy of this novel, on which I chose to write an unbiased and honest review.
I've never read any of Belinda Bauer's novels before, but have heard so much about how amazing she is - at the top of her game and leading the way in the crime genre. So, I was really excited to read her newest novel, The Beautiful Dead, and see if it is a winner.
It definitely is!
This novel features a serial killer, crime reporters and murder victims, which - let's face it - have all been done before. But somehow Belinda Bauer has managed to make this feel completely new and fresh. It stands miles apart from some of the other novels in this genre which, in contrast, seem a little overdone and tired. I am so impressed with this novel, from the first page to the last.
I love the characters, particularly (of course!) Eve. She's such a great, strong female lead and I really enjoyed reading about her and her lovely colleague Joe. They work so well together. The fact that Eve isn't a policewoman, but instead a crime reporter for the local news, means that she doesn't always have to follow the rule (and she certainly doesn't!) She can go off-piste and not worry about following procedure, and pick up on things that the police might not. I love a well-written police procedural as much as any other novel, but this difference in the 'usual' occupation of the main character is a welcome and fresh change.
The story itself is fast moving and really ramps up the tension, without feeling overly dramatised. I love reading about serial killers (I am a big crime fan) and this one has buckets of suspense, which makes for a great read - and plenty of grit and gore at times. It even had a good dose of humour in there too - and all this without feeling over the top and ridiculous. All in all, that's some impressive writing!
I feel that The Beautiful Dead is a fantastic read and a great introduction to Belinda Bauer's work - I'll definitively be reading more by her novels in the future!
Many thanks to Grove Atlantic for providing a copy of this novel, on which I chose to write an unbiased and honest review.
I’m a fan of Bauer’s writing and whilst this isn’t the best she’s done, it’s still a good read with enough going on to keep you interested. Might be slightly on the gory side for some.
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
sad
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes