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readbydusk's review
3.0
This is a heavy read, moving through a large number of characters affected by domestic abuse. Despite hints of a serial killer, the murder investigation is not the book's priority. Instead, it focuses on the characters' relationships and how they are connected with one another.
I thought the writing is persuasive and heartbreaking especially when we spend time with Lucy Sherwood, one of the main characters. As a victim of domestic abuse, she is a shadow of herself. It was tough to read scenes between her and her husband as they are fraught with violence. It might be a triggering factor for some readers, so take that as a note.
The author has a background in Probation Service and this comes across clearly in the procedures detailed in the book. Particularly, on DAHU and the bureaucracy involved in making a multi-agency team work. Besides Lucy, we also spent time getting to know Maggie and her new workplace. I liked Maggie's interactions with her colleagues and I'm also intrigued by the possibility of Maggie exploring her identity as a bisexual woman perhaps in future books.
The large cast of characters is unfortunately one of the weaknesses of the book. We spend a lot of time with characters that I felt were not important, so that at times the story lost focus. When the reveal of the killer came, there was no suspense or surprise. Although a final twist at the end left a positive note for me.
Thank you to Killer Reads and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
book blog | twitter | instagram
I thought the writing is persuasive and heartbreaking especially when we spend time with Lucy Sherwood, one of the main characters. As a victim of domestic abuse, she is a shadow of herself. It was tough to read scenes between her and her husband as they are fraught with violence. It might be a triggering factor for some readers, so take that as a note.
The author has a background in Probation Service and this comes across clearly in the procedures detailed in the book. Particularly, on DAHU and the bureaucracy involved in making a multi-agency team work. Besides Lucy, we also spent time getting to know Maggie and her new workplace. I liked Maggie's interactions with her colleagues and I'm also intrigued by the possibility of Maggie exploring her identity as a bisexual woman perhaps in future books.
The large cast of characters is unfortunately one of the weaknesses of the book. We spend a lot of time with characters that I felt were not important, so that at times the story lost focus. When the reveal of the killer came, there was no suspense or surprise. Although a final twist at the end left a positive note for me.
Thank you to Killer Reads and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
book blog | twitter | instagram
clair_82's review
4.0
Dead Inside introduces us to DC Maggie Jamieson who has been brought into the Domestic Abuse and Homicide Unit (DAHU) from the murder team and is immediately drawn into an investigation into the brutal death of someone on probation. There are 2 sides to this story, the police investigation as well as the role of the probation service through Lucy’s character which is fascinating. The author spent 18 years in the probation service which she clearly draws on for this book so it feels extremely authentic and demonstrates the relationship and tension between the police force and the probation service.
The author has tackled an extremely difficult subject head on with sensitivity but realism, she has been very careful in portraying the reality of living with domestic abuse without crossing the line into making the book unreadable. There are difficult scenes portrayed within this book, as you would expect, but they are necessary to the story and being true to those who live through this.
There are a lot of characters in this book so the first few chapters are quite intense with all the introductions but the varied combination of characters works really well in showing the various people that the police have to liaise with on a daily basis and the combined expertise that goes into murder investigations.
The writing is slick and gripping right from the prologue (the author certainly doesn’t ease her reader in!!) – it is very addictive, encouraging the reader to keep flying through the chapters. I enjoyed the author’s writing style and the emotion that came through the narrative. Noelle Holten has created memorable characters (some in better ways than others) who are well developed. I was particularly intrigued by Lucy’s character as she is literally a different person at work than she is at home – at work she is dealing with difficult characters all day every day in her capacity as probation officer but as soon as she leaves, she is a different person, broken down to a shell of herself by her abusive husband. The scenes between Lucy and her husband are a hard read, full of raw emotion demonstrating the life behind closed doors of an abusive relationship – absolutely heart-breaking.
I really look forward to reading the next book in the series and seeing what the author has next up her sleeve. If Dead Inside is anything to go by, this is set to be an amazing series!!
The author has tackled an extremely difficult subject head on with sensitivity but realism, she has been very careful in portraying the reality of living with domestic abuse without crossing the line into making the book unreadable. There are difficult scenes portrayed within this book, as you would expect, but they are necessary to the story and being true to those who live through this.
There are a lot of characters in this book so the first few chapters are quite intense with all the introductions but the varied combination of characters works really well in showing the various people that the police have to liaise with on a daily basis and the combined expertise that goes into murder investigations.
The writing is slick and gripping right from the prologue (the author certainly doesn’t ease her reader in!!) – it is very addictive, encouraging the reader to keep flying through the chapters. I enjoyed the author’s writing style and the emotion that came through the narrative. Noelle Holten has created memorable characters (some in better ways than others) who are well developed. I was particularly intrigued by Lucy’s character as she is literally a different person at work than she is at home – at work she is dealing with difficult characters all day every day in her capacity as probation officer but as soon as she leaves, she is a different person, broken down to a shell of herself by her abusive husband. The scenes between Lucy and her husband are a hard read, full of raw emotion demonstrating the life behind closed doors of an abusive relationship – absolutely heart-breaking.
I really look forward to reading the next book in the series and seeing what the author has next up her sleeve. If Dead Inside is anything to go by, this is set to be an amazing series!!
magickislife's review
5.0
A great one sitting read
I picked this up for book club next month and am extremely impressed, it has been a while since I have encountered a book that I could not put down.
I picked this up for book club next month and am extremely impressed, it has been a while since I have encountered a book that I could not put down.
toofondofbooks's review
5.0
Dead Inside was one of my most anticipated books for 2019 and I’m so happy to say that it more than lived up to my expectations. The novel is about domestic abuse. Three wife beaters are found dead and police believe there is a connection between the deaths. We see a newly formed unit, the Domestic Abuse and Homicide Unit investigating the crimes and looking into the backgrounds of the men and the people connected to them. The novel follows quite a few characters and this allows us to see the story from multiple points of view and gives such a real insight into domestic abuse.
I was gripped by Dead Inside from the opening few pages and I read it in just two sittings. I loved Noelle Holten’s writing style, it’s incredibly readable. And the cast of characters all made me want to keep reading just one more chapter (and one more, and one more etc!).
I loved how there was real depth to this novel, the characters are all rounded and feel real and it shows how domestic abuse happens. The way it creeps into a relationship and catches a person off-guard, how initially you make excuses for the abuse and then you find you’re tiptoeing around the home to try not to trigger another assault. The main character, Lucy, that we follow in this novel is one such woman. She has a good career, she has good friends and yet her husband is beating her. It’s not just the physical violence, it’s the psychological abuse – the being watched, the lack of freedom and autonomy, that Patrick has done to Lucy. I very much appreciated the way this was shown because this is how it often is in real life. A person is trapped in the situation slowly and then it seems there is no way out. It’s not as easy as just leaving, it’s incredibly complex and difficult. Noelle Holten shows this so astutely.
Dead Inside is the first book in the DCI Maggie Jameson police procedural series and I already can’t wait for the next one. I found it interesting how Maggie isn’t the central focus of Dead Inside, although she is a prominent character, so there is still so much to learn about her in future books. I also liked that followed all sides of a story, it made for such an interesting novel.
This book kept me guessing all the way to the end. The reveal of the killer was a surprise to me, but it did all make sense. It’s not often that I don’t work out whodunnit so kudos to this book for keeping me on my toes!
This is a really gripping, fast-paced book that will keep you turning the pages long into the night. There is a real sensitivity to the story but at the same time Noelle never shies away from the reality of domestic abuse. It’s a really accomplished debut and I’m so looking forward to reading more by Noelle Holten!
This review was originally posted on my blog https://rathertoofondofbooks.com
I was gripped by Dead Inside from the opening few pages and I read it in just two sittings. I loved Noelle Holten’s writing style, it’s incredibly readable. And the cast of characters all made me want to keep reading just one more chapter (and one more, and one more etc!).
I loved how there was real depth to this novel, the characters are all rounded and feel real and it shows how domestic abuse happens. The way it creeps into a relationship and catches a person off-guard, how initially you make excuses for the abuse and then you find you’re tiptoeing around the home to try not to trigger another assault. The main character, Lucy, that we follow in this novel is one such woman. She has a good career, she has good friends and yet her husband is beating her. It’s not just the physical violence, it’s the psychological abuse – the being watched, the lack of freedom and autonomy, that Patrick has done to Lucy. I very much appreciated the way this was shown because this is how it often is in real life. A person is trapped in the situation slowly and then it seems there is no way out. It’s not as easy as just leaving, it’s incredibly complex and difficult. Noelle Holten shows this so astutely.
Dead Inside is the first book in the DCI Maggie Jameson police procedural series and I already can’t wait for the next one. I found it interesting how Maggie isn’t the central focus of Dead Inside, although she is a prominent character, so there is still so much to learn about her in future books. I also liked that followed all sides of a story, it made for such an interesting novel.
This book kept me guessing all the way to the end. The reveal of the killer was a surprise to me, but it did all make sense. It’s not often that I don’t work out whodunnit so kudos to this book for keeping me on my toes!
This is a really gripping, fast-paced book that will keep you turning the pages long into the night. There is a real sensitivity to the story but at the same time Noelle never shies away from the reality of domestic abuse. It’s a really accomplished debut and I’m so looking forward to reading more by Noelle Holten!
This review was originally posted on my blog https://rathertoofondofbooks.com
yetanothersusan's review
3.0
This book was incredibly difficult to read. Even without being triggered by domestic abuse, the continued abuse and disregard for women illustrated throughout the story made my stomach turn. If the series continues with the main character, Maggie Jamieson, working in the Domestic Abuse Homocide Unit, I don't think I can read anymore. However, I don't think she does. While the story summary tries to put forth probation officer Lucy Sherwood as the killer, at no point in time did she ever seem like a viable suspect. Highlighting how beaten down abuse victims get, I was completely unable to view her as a threat to anyone other than herself. But that doesn't mean Ms. Holten does not give us a good story and introduces some memorable characters. I'd like to see Lucy appear in future books. I'd also like to see us learn a lot more about Maggie Jamieson, since supposedly the series centers around her. I feel like the abuse, victims, and perpetrators, were the focus of this first book and that is not the norm. Hopefully in future books we will get to know the central cast.
Thanks to NetGalley and Harper Impulse for a copy of the book. This review is my own opinion.
Thanks to NetGalley and Harper Impulse for a copy of the book. This review is my own opinion.
emielou's review
5.0
What a fantastic debut novel. Noelle really has written a corker of a book. It is dark, gritty and unafraid of going to those places we all fear. It's clear her life experiences and work knowledge have really come into their own with this story. I cannot wait for Dead Wrong.
leona_omahony's review
5.0
An absolutely fantastic start to a new detective series . I devoured this book and loved every chapter . A brilliant storyline and some good strong characters . This is Ms Holtens debut novel and it’s a cracker of a read. Highly recommend.
annc's review
5.0
This is an epic read. Read in one sitting, I started this at lunchtime and finished it that night
Although it’s the first in a new Maggie Jamieson police series the main character Lucy grabs your attention and keeps you hooked until the very end. A brilliantly written book that deals with the very difficult subject of domestic violence. Brilliant ending and believable interesting characters that are sure to keep this series a must read
Although it’s the first in a new Maggie Jamieson police series the main character Lucy grabs your attention and keeps you hooked until the very end. A brilliantly written book that deals with the very difficult subject of domestic violence. Brilliant ending and believable interesting characters that are sure to keep this series a must read
avidreadergirl1's review
3.0
I get that the author needed to set the characters and the relationship between all of them but this was done in a long and winding way that made me loose focus at times or simply leave the book aside because I was feeling frustrated. Moreover, I guessed who the perpetrator was even before the clues were clear.
I also thought that the sexual attraction that Maggie has towards another character was doing nothing for the story apart from making it a bit longer.
I do not despair about this author and I might give a go at her second novel.
I also thought that the sexual attraction that Maggie has towards another character was doing nothing for the story apart from making it a bit longer.
I do not despair about this author and I might give a go at her second novel.
slbeckmann's review
3.0
Thank you to Killer Reads and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Although this was a quick read, as the chapters were very short, I found it difficult. There were way too many characters, and too much going on on various fronts - lots of detail, but not enough coherence or drive forward, and the characterization felt flat and extremely predictable.
The topic of domestic abuse is at the center of the plot, but with so much going on it seemed unclear what the book wanted to be: a pyschological thriller, a police procedural, a classic murder mystery...
I realize I'm the odd one out here, a lot of people really liked it. The author obviously did her research and knew what she was talking about in terms of police and probation procedure. I wish the book had been longer, to give the narrative a chance to develop, or had been more stringently edited to cut some of the many characters and make it more focused.
Although this was a quick read, as the chapters were very short, I found it difficult. There were way too many characters, and too much going on on various fronts - lots of detail, but not enough coherence or drive forward, and the characterization felt flat and extremely predictable.
The topic of domestic abuse is at the center of the plot, but with so much going on it seemed unclear what the book wanted to be: a pyschological thriller, a police procedural, a classic murder mystery...
I realize I'm the odd one out here, a lot of people really liked it. The author obviously did her research and knew what she was talking about in terms of police and probation procedure. I wish the book had been longer, to give the narrative a chance to develop, or had been more stringently edited to cut some of the many characters and make it more focused.