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booksbybindu's review
4.0
‘Dead Pretty’ is a dark and twisted thriller that will keep you guessing right until the end! This was the first book of the authors that I have read and I was impressed and will be keeping an eye out for what she does next.
1977 - a new intake of nurses arrives at Harlow Wood Orthopaedic Hospital. They are young, and excited and soon form a strong bond between them. But there is a predator among them. A man that takes great pleasure in killing young pretty girls. When a student nurse disappears people are horrified. But then another student goes missing and people don't know what to do.
Well, this author knows how to make a dark and twisted story, doesn't she? The tension was palpable and I was fully captivated from the first couple of chapters. I flew through this in a day as I was really invested in the characters and wanted to know whether they were all safe or not. The author manages to plant evidence right under your nose without you noticing until the very end. I got some of them but I didn't work out who the killer was that is for sure!
I really liked the characters of Louise, Kym and Guy. They were all nuanced and well-formed and I think as readers we all have a wee crush on Guy! I enjoyed getting to know their backgrounds with their families and this helped create genuine and authentic characters. Even the killer is a complex character and their chapters in the narrative really helped to build the tension and have the readers furiously trying to work out who they are!
Let me know if you pick this one up!
1977 - a new intake of nurses arrives at Harlow Wood Orthopaedic Hospital. They are young, and excited and soon form a strong bond between them. But there is a predator among them. A man that takes great pleasure in killing young pretty girls. When a student nurse disappears people are horrified. But then another student goes missing and people don't know what to do.
Well, this author knows how to make a dark and twisted story, doesn't she? The tension was palpable and I was fully captivated from the first couple of chapters. I flew through this in a day as I was really invested in the characters and wanted to know whether they were all safe or not. The author manages to plant evidence right under your nose without you noticing until the very end. I got some of them but I didn't work out who the killer was that is for sure!
I really liked the characters of Louise, Kym and Guy. They were all nuanced and well-formed and I think as readers we all have a wee crush on Guy! I enjoyed getting to know their backgrounds with their families and this helped create genuine and authentic characters. Even the killer is a complex character and their chapters in the narrative really helped to build the tension and have the readers furiously trying to work out who they are!
Let me know if you pick this one up!
kirstyreviewsbooks's review
4.0
Dead Pretty by Joy Wood
I received an advance review copy for free thanks to Rachel's Random Resources and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Blurb
1977 – Six student nurses embark on their nurse training at Harlow Wood Orthopaedic Hospital.
They are young, excited and soon develop a strong friendship bond within their cohort.
But there is a predator amongst them.
A man that takes great delight in killing young, pretty girls.
He’s done it before.
He watches their movements to decide which one is next.
And then he kills for the thrill.
A student disappears – quickly followed by another.
There are no leads, no evidence, and no bodies.
He’s clever.
But is he as astute as he thinks he is?
My Opinion
This is the first book I have read by Joy Wood and I was pleasantly surprised. Wood has written a twisted killer and even has a great reveal - I didn't see it coming. A well-paced novel that makes for a great page-turner. The cover doesn't give a lot away, but do not let that put you off. This book is full of suspense and twists.
Rating 4/5
I received an advance review copy for free thanks to Rachel's Random Resources and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Blurb
1977 – Six student nurses embark on their nurse training at Harlow Wood Orthopaedic Hospital.
They are young, excited and soon develop a strong friendship bond within their cohort.
But there is a predator amongst them.
A man that takes great delight in killing young, pretty girls.
He’s done it before.
He watches their movements to decide which one is next.
And then he kills for the thrill.
A student disappears – quickly followed by another.
There are no leads, no evidence, and no bodies.
He’s clever.
But is he as astute as he thinks he is?
My Opinion
This is the first book I have read by Joy Wood and I was pleasantly surprised. Wood has written a twisted killer and even has a great reveal - I didn't see it coming. A well-paced novel that makes for a great page-turner. The cover doesn't give a lot away, but do not let that put you off. This book is full of suspense and twists.
Rating 4/5
loz_reads's review
dark
funny
tense
medium-paced
3.75
A twisty crime thriller with romantic side plots. A dark twisted killer who's first few lines are absorbing. Enjoyed learning more about nursing. Wasn't wholly keen on any of the main characters though.
amothersmusings1's review
5.0
What a sick, twisted and warped killer Joy Wood has created for her novel “Dead Pretty”. I love dark storylines, the darker the better in fact and the author certainly fulfilled that criteria for me. You really do fear what is in the killer’s mind when they start to target the potential victims.
I loved all the characters, getting to know the young nurses, male and female and learning their training process back in 1977. I love any books set in this decade as I can relate to the era and I thought the author captured it perfectly.
I did have an inkling early on to the twist and turns the story was to take but I really enjoyed reading how this all panned out and the denouement was unquestionably intriguing and tense. I was pleased with how it all concluded and I found myself missing the characters when the book ended.
All in all an excellent psychological thriller with a unique storyline with lots of interesting details of nursing training in a specialised hospital back in the 70’s. Highly recommended.
#DeadPretty - ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
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