Reviews

The Beautiful Dead by Belinda Bauer

pixieparliament's review against another edition

2.0

Although this book was well written and it's the type of genre I usually like, I wouldn't necessarily recommend it to someone. If you see it on a bookshelf or find it in your library and can't find anything else to read I'd say give it a go but don't go out of your way.

This is about a serial killer who feels he needs to feed of the life essence of those around to keep on living and his obsession with Eve, a journalist who is on the 'meat beat' and whose career revolves around getting the best details on the latest murder for her to stay in a job.

I started to skip read towards the end and then went back and read it all because that's what I do, and I wouldn't have missed much by skip reading the end. A small detail here or there but nothing major.

tyrshand's review against another edition

3.0

I thought it started off really promising with this real feeling, tense scene. However, the skill displayed there was actually the downfall of the novel (for me) later on. Those extra point of view scenes often felt too detail laden for a story that should be zipping along. It just killed the tension for me.

spiritismus's review against another edition

3.0

De opzet van het verhaal is niet nieuw te noemen. Het verhaal is ook niet zenuwslopend spannend... en toch wekt het een interesse die ervoor zorgt dat je graag verder leest! Interessante thriller voor als je gewoon even lekker iets tussendoor wilt lezen.

slayermel's review against another edition

dark mysterious tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

I really enjoyed this book, the story kept me hooked.

Eve is a reporter for the crime beat (aka Meat beat) for the local TV network. She ends up reporting on a serial killer who is creating macabre exhibitions around town, displaying his art of death. Eve ends up catching the serial killer's interest with her latest report and he decides that he needs her to show off his art as she understands him like no one else can.

I would definitely recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a good Mystery.

trash_panda79's review against another edition

dark mysterious tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

lldavey's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

boktok73's review against another edition

4.0

Belinda Bauer när hon är som bäst!

sophbean's review against another edition

3.0

'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.

beachy410's review against another edition

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

4.5

Excellent thriller with good twists. Good character development in a relatively short, stand-alone book. 

mwana's review against another edition

4.0

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.