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3.57 AVERAGE
3.57 AVERAGE
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Loveable characters:
Yes
adventurous
challenging
mysterious
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
challenging
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
slow-paced
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
challenging
informative
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
mysterious
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
September 9, 2024
Just finished reading this. It was hard to continue reading at first, slow and repetitive. But then the twists starting rolling in and I found myself wanting to know who actually did it!
Would be interested in a story on Eve and Suri
Vera isn’t your typical hero—she's a complicated, deeply layered character who carries emotional and psychological baggage from her childhood and career. The discovery of her stepmother’s remains forces her to confront trauma, guilt, and unresolved family issues, and her inner struggles are woven into the fabric of the mystery.
Deeper Than the Dead features a diverse cast of characters, though the primary focus is on the personal struggles and dynamics within Vera Boyett’s family and their small-town setting.
There’s a gripping mystery at the heart of the story, with new bodies, small-town secrets, and a sense of danger that escalates as Vera digs deeper.
Deeper Than the Dead is generally described as moderate to fast, with a deliberate buildup in the early chapters that intensifies as the mystery unfolds.
Just finished reading this. It was hard to continue reading at first, slow and repetitive. But then the twists starting rolling in and I found myself wanting to know who actually did it!
Would be interested in a story on Eve and Suri
Vera isn’t your typical hero—she's a complicated, deeply layered character who carries emotional and psychological baggage from her childhood and career. The discovery of her stepmother’s remains forces her to confront trauma, guilt, and unresolved family issues, and her inner struggles are woven into the fabric of the mystery.
Deeper Than the Dead features a diverse cast of characters, though the primary focus is on the personal struggles and dynamics within Vera Boyett’s family and their small-town setting.
There’s a gripping mystery at the heart of the story, with new bodies, small-town secrets, and a sense of danger that escalates as Vera digs deeper.
Deeper Than the Dead is generally described as moderate to fast, with a deliberate buildup in the early chapters that intensifies as the mystery unfolds.
Beginning – Steady & Atmospheric
Middle to End – Accelerates with Twists & Tension
Middle to End – Accelerates with Twists & Tension
So if you’re looking for a book that blends mystery, emotion, and slow-burning intensity, Deeper Than the Dead totally fits that mood.
Dark and emotionally layered – with a focus on family secrets, trauma, and confronting the past.
Character-driven but still suspenseful – ideal if you like your thrillers with heart and a complex, flawed protagonist.
Atmospheric – it has that small-town Southern Gothic vibe, where everyone has a secret and the setting feels like a character in itself.
Psychological – exploring not just what happened, but why—and how it shaped the people involved.
Twisty without being over-the-top – the reveals feel earned, not just for shock value.
Content Warnings
Content Warnings:
Murder and death – central to the plot, including the discovery of human remains and descriptions of crime scenes.
Domestic abuse / family trauma – past abuse and strained familial relationships are key parts of the narrative.
Psychological trauma – characters deal with guilt, grief, and emotional breakdowns.
Small-town corruption and secrets – including some manipulative or coercive behavior.
Mild violence – nothing overly graphic, but there are moments of physical threat and tension.
The book handles these elements with a serious tone, more emotionally intense than gratuitous, but definitely something to keep in mind if you’re sensitive to any of the above.
I liked the storyline of this book but I wasn’t a huge fan of the writing. Some chapters were better than others, writing-wise. I can’t exactly put my finger on it, but I thought the writing was too wordy at times and it took away from the storyline. Almost like some parts were too detailed. I would give the second book in the series a try though, just to see what new developments unfold.
emotional
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
This book kind of wow to me. I think it was partly because it had a lot of twists and turns in a sense of you sort of knew what was going on, but you couldn’t figure out exactly the motive per say or the true reason that it happens. you understand the meaning behind Sheree‘s death because it tells you in the beginning, but then when you find the other sets of remains in the cave you have no idea exactly who they are and why they were placed there. Then when you do kind of find out how they got placed there, you still don’t really know the why it’s not really until the end that you start to kind of understand that part of why those bodies were placed there and hidden. I really hate that though Evelyn got put in the position she didn’t deserve to get sick. Certainly being her friends were the ones who got her to cover for them. They should’ve been the ones that ended up having to pay the price. Feels like Evelyn got punished for trying to be a good friend and missed out on time withher family. I do wonder though why Brooks decided to place the blame on Sheree’s death on Rimmey.