Series: Maggie Jamieson #1
Published by Killer Reads on May 31 2019
Amazon UK
Goodreads
Also by this author: Dead Inside, Dead Wrong, Dead Perfect, Dead Secret, Dead Mercy
‘An excellent read’ Martina Cole
A dark and gripping debut crime novel – the first in a stunning new series – from a huge new talent.
‘Kept me hooked … excellent pace and a very satisfying ending’ Angela Marsons
When three domestic abuse offenders are found beaten to death, DC Maggie Jamieson knows she is facing her toughest case yet.
The police suspect that Probation Officer Lucy Sherwood – who is connected to all three victims – is hiding a dark secret. Then a fourth domestic abuser is brutally murdered. And he is Lucy’s husband.
Now the finger of suspicion points at Lucy and the police are running out of time. Can Maggie and her team solve the murders before another person dies? And is Lucy really a cold-blooded killer?
Today as I welcome the most fabulous Noelle to my blog today with my review of her debut novel Dead Inside, be sure to check out also the other fab bloggers who are posting today! Chelle @ Curled up with a good book, Kirsty @ Curious Ginger Cat Blog and Grace @ Grace J Reviewerlady.
✮ My Review ✮
So I closed the page and I messaged Noelle straight away and said OMFG!! Yes, she got one, well, in fact, she got quite a few! It is always so intense and slight nerve-wracking not only for the author but for the reader when it is a book you are reading of someone you have been getting to know. What if you don’t like the book? What if you don’t think that they have what it takes? To be honest I am more nervous about my review not doing it justice than I was reading the book!!!!!
Well, let me tell you something! She nailed it! And if you were not sure, she hammers it home over and over just to make a point that you know she nailed it!
Dead Inside is not always an easy ride or read, where we are facing domestic abuse in so much detail you find yourself scream loudly at the book. (Just don’t do this if you are reading outside you might get some funny looks!) Certain events in the story were so heartbreaking for some characters, and you wonder why people stay. So many different reasons are banded about in the book but there are no right or wrong reasons.
Although this is the Maggie Jamison series, this was by far the Lucy show! This woman stole the limelight and ran away with it. She captivated my heart, through her strength even at her lowest moments. Her kindness shone through and helped someone at the end make a relatively difficult decision to atone. You can understand her reasoning for a lot of things and you just want to wrap her up in cotton wool and never let anyone hurt her. There was one scene with Lucy that almost destroyed me. The emptiness she felt, I felt. My heart literally broke in a million pieces. This is the power that Noelle and her writing will have over you!!
Maggie, well I quite liked her, a secret stick of dynamite. We are only given hints to her past that haunts her and a case called the Raven. All in good time we know a little bit more, and I can tell she is a force to be reckoned with. She sees things slightly different to everyone else and times she can be blunt and not care and others she is sympathetic and caring, the balance seems just right.
And yes there are a whole host of names from the blogging world which made me smile. One I might not be able to look at the same way lol.
I do not want to say anything about the plot bar what is in the blurb. Even then I did not read it when I picked up the book, I went in completely dark I didn’t want anything to ruin my enjoyment of this book. I didn’t want to read anything that could potentially be a spoiler.
You really wouldn’t know that this was a debut book, I felt like Holten has already crafted her skill and her darkness and that she has been doing this for years. I was completely absorbed by her writing. I couldn’t be distracted when I was reading Dead Inside and I did not want to be. She knows how to make you care and how to make you hate with all the venom that you can in your heart. Because she definitely got all the emotions from me! I spent a lot of the time raging before my heart ached for some characters. There is no remorse for some people and it was palpable in scenes where they were oblivious to their actions and the pain being caused…in walked my anger to the room!
There are different threads running parallel throughout the book kept you on the edge of your seat. It didn’t get confusing, just when something was happening in one thread you would be teased by the chapter switching to a different character, a different scenario and would lead you to speeding through the book to find out what was going on. I felt like I had a satisfying ending to the Dead Inside, I don’t think I could ask for anything better….oh wait I can! Not to bloody end! I seriously didn’t want it to end! It really is like being on your favourite rollercoaster and never wanting the ride to end. You may know how it will end but it’s not without surprises throughout the journey. It is fast paced, especially with the short snappy chapter that keeps you just that little bit on edge as you wait for the next revelation, the next incident and the next time you might need to scream.
As wrong as this sounds, a book about domestic abuses and serial killers, but I bloody loved it! I loved it so much so, that I have pre-ordered the next book in the series Dead Wrong and I can’t wait to see Maggie Jamieson again and Dr Kate Moloney. The dynamic between these two was fab. I just hope we see Lucy again! Plus there might be another familiar name in the next book #justsaying. It is definitely in my top books for the year!!
Please do yourself a favour and buy this book! Put an afternoon aside and devour the words in front of you because you will not want to put the book down once you have started.
Until next time xxx
Be sure to check out what has occurred so far on tour! (Click on their names to be taken to their posts)
The reviews so far over at Rachel’s Random Reads, Baker’s Not So Secret Blog, Audio Killed the Bookmark, Live and Deadly.
Random Things Through my letterbox, Chapter in my life, Kristin’s Novel Cafe and Stacy is Reading
Kim The Bookworm, Sinfully Wicked Book Reviews, Books from Dusk till Dawn, Rather too Fond of Books
My Reading Corner, Novelgossip, The Book Review Café and Bookinggoodread
Rubina Reads, Jennifer Tar Heel Reader, Suzi Reviews, and Ronnie Turner
Being Anne, Ginger Book Geek, Always needs more books and All things Bookie
Read along with Sue, The Bibliophile book Club, I love Reading Uk and Books of All Kind
JBronder Book Reviews, BCB and more, On the Shelf Reviews and NigelAdamsbookworm.
Thank you so much to Sarah at BOTBS Publicity for the tour invite and the author for a copy of this book in return for my honest and unbiased review.
Reading this book contributed to these challenges:
lollyrugs says
Brilliant review Zoë
Zoé says
Aw thanks! I struggled with my words on this one!
crimebookjunkie40 says
OMFG, Zoé! What a fabulous review! *claps hands with glee* I love this!!!! Thank you so much for being a part of the tour and I’m over the moon to have been able to get an OMFG from you! ?????❤️
Zoé says
You got a few ? oh I’m so glad you loved my review so nervous publishing it lol xx
Sarah Hardy says
Thanks so much for being on the blog tour today Zoé x
Zoé says
Thanks so much for having me ❤️❤️ xx
Shalini says
Wow beautifully written review
Zoé says
Oh Shalini you are so kind to say that thank you ❤️
Rae Reads says
Fab review Zoé xx
Zoé says
You are lovely to say so thank you xx
Hayley at RatherTooFondofBooks says
Brilliant review! xx
Zoé says
Thanks Hayley! I loved the book xx
Inge | The Belgian Reviewer says
Wonderful review, I’ll have to read this one!
Zoé says
Thanks Inge! Nice of you to say so! I loved this book, you really should try and check it out x
J R Lynn says
Awesome review Zoé!! I’m gonna have to add this one as well ❤
Zoé says
Oh yay hope you enjoy it! Aw thanks lovely ?