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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.
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.
snazzybooks's review against another edition
5.0
Book reviews and more on www.snazzybooks.com
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.
nirvanad's review against another edition
3.0
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.
nyxya's review against another edition
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
4.0
deniqd's review against another edition
1.0
I disliked this book so much...
The characters are so cliché and stupid, the main one is so plain I've even forgotten her name! and her boss, who seems to be an asshole for no reason whatsoever, more like a comic character portraying a villain, just ridiculous.
Then the story, pleeasee! For example, when Mr Elias receives a washing machine he didn't order what a load of rubbish! It's full of paragraphs and sentences that don't contribute anything to the story:
'Her feet were cold.
Her feet were freezing'
Yes, we get it, as it had already been explained she was barefoot on the snow so her feet were cold, no need to repeat it 3 times; also, what's the need for the italics there? There is a back story for every single character in the book, even the UPS van driver who gets one mention in the whole book!
By page 250 I wanted to throw the book against the wall but it's a library book (so grateful I didn't pay for this!) and by then I was more than half way through so I started skipping pages instead
The only thing I liked was
The characters are so cliché and stupid, the main one is so plain I've even forgotten her name! and her boss, who seems to be an asshole for no reason whatsoever, more like a comic character portraying a villain, just ridiculous.
Then the story, pleeasee! For example, when Mr Elias receives a washing machine he didn't order
Spoiler
but lets the delivery man (who turned out to be the killer, not surprise there!) into his house...'Her feet were cold.
Her feet were freezing'
Yes, we get it, as it had already been explained she was barefoot on the snow so her feet were cold, no need to repeat it 3 times; also, what's the need for the italics there? There is a back story for every single character in the book, even the UPS van driver who gets one mention in the whole book!
By page 250 I wanted to throw the book against the wall but it's a library book (so grateful I didn't pay for this!) and by then I was more than half way through so I started skipping pages instead
Spoiler
to get to the very disappointing ending; I mean, who was the killer, who is actually this person?The only thing I liked was
Spoiler
when the killer gets Eve's dad (I've gone back to the book to check her name) and she doesn't want the press involved because she realises what a bunch of vultures people in her line of work really are, so well done for those 2 lines!bookdarling1987's review against another edition
4.0
There’s no safety in numbers . . .
Eve Singer needs death. With her career as a TV crime reporter flagging, she’ll do anything to satisfy her ghoulish audience.
The killer needs death too. He even advertises his macabre public performances, where he hopes to show the whole world the beauty of dying.
When he contacts Eve, she welcomes the chance to be first with the news from every gory scene. Until she realizes that the killer has two obsessions.
One is public murder.
And the other is her . . .
This is my first experience reading a book by Belinda Bauer and what a great read it is. I adored her writing style. Keeping it very tense and chilling, but including some real tongue in the cheek humor, which complemented the story beautifully.
In no way is this your average, normal serial killer, if there is such a thing, but the killer likes a stage, wants people to watch and see the atrocities, killings created.
Eve Singer is a brilliant character. Forced to move back home when her father is deteriorating with Dementia. There are some very sweet and moving moments in these scenes and once again the genius humor portrays. In no way laughing at the condition, but the reality of what it must be like living under those circumstances.
It kept me very alert and intrigued. I thought it was a shift from a mainstream psychological thriller or crime fiction, just a bit different and quirky. Extremely clever writing, cleverly plotted and you get a real feel for the characters. A real intriguing, suspenseful page turner.
Certainly recommended! I enjoyed it - A good 4*
Eve Singer needs death. With her career as a TV crime reporter flagging, she’ll do anything to satisfy her ghoulish audience.
The killer needs death too. He even advertises his macabre public performances, where he hopes to show the whole world the beauty of dying.
When he contacts Eve, she welcomes the chance to be first with the news from every gory scene. Until she realizes that the killer has two obsessions.
One is public murder.
And the other is her . . .
This is my first experience reading a book by Belinda Bauer and what a great read it is. I adored her writing style. Keeping it very tense and chilling, but including some real tongue in the cheek humor, which complemented the story beautifully.
In no way is this your average, normal serial killer, if there is such a thing, but the killer likes a stage, wants people to watch and see the atrocities, killings created.
Eve Singer is a brilliant character. Forced to move back home when her father is deteriorating with Dementia. There are some very sweet and moving moments in these scenes and once again the genius humor portrays. In no way laughing at the condition, but the reality of what it must be like living under those circumstances.
It kept me very alert and intrigued. I thought it was a shift from a mainstream psychological thriller or crime fiction, just a bit different and quirky. Extremely clever writing, cleverly plotted and you get a real feel for the characters. A real intriguing, suspenseful page turner.
Certainly recommended! I enjoyed it - A good 4*
mariclaireparrin's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5