Publication Date: Available Now from Harvill Secker
Source: Review Copy
Dawn Prentice was already known to the Peterborough Hate Crimes Unit.
The previous summer she had logged a number of calls detailing the harassment she and her severely disabled teenage daughter were undergoing. Now she is dead – stabbed to death whilst Holly Prentice has been left to starve upstairs. DS Ferreira, only recently back serving on the force after being severely injured in the line of duty, had met with Dawn that summer. Was she negligent in not taking Dawn’s accusations more seriously? Did the murderer even know that Holly was helpless upstairs while her mother bled to death?
Whilst Ferreira battles her demons, determined to prove she’s up to the frontline, DI Zigic is drawn into conflict with an official seemingly resolved to hide the truth about one of his main suspects. Can either officer unpick the truth about mother and daughter, and bring their killer to justice?
This is the 3rd novel from Eva Dolan, the best one yet (and the previous books ain’t exactly shabby) also the one that put this author firmly on what I call my “chronic impatience” list – as in hurry along another one or I might collapse from chronic impatience….
So in this instalment we move in a slighty different direction mystery wise, giving Zigic and Ferreira an opportunity to spread their wings so to speak as they look into the emotionally horrific deaths of a mother and daughter. This is one that will haunt you as it haunts our main protagonists – the “what if” elements , especially as far as Holly, left to slowly starve to death goes, really did touch my thoughts during random parts of my day and still does even weeks after reading it. The writing is beautiful, digs deep into your subconcious and that is at least one of the reasons why I can quite firmly say that I loved this one. If a book touches me to that degree then as far as I’m concerned it simply demands that I shout about it. Yes, I’m sorry. (Not really sorry)
Even if that was all it would be quite enough but that is not all. The mystery elements aside, the characters we have come to know a little through the previous two novels absolutely shine in this one – fast becoming one of my favourite crime duo’s Zigic and Ferreira have a huge amount going for them in the crime series stakes. Eva Dolan has a keen eye for character development, a way of drawing you in and slowly allowing you to see different aspects of their lives and thoughts in a way that just makes you want to know them better – they are raw, real and absolutely believable in every way. I think it bears saying that even with some of the top crime series out there, you don’t get this level of emotional engagement with the characters you meet in each book – this really is top notch first page to last.
The plot is tightly woven, real enough to hit home, incredibly moving at times and madly addictive. It IS hard to put down, genuinely, as proven by the amount of muttering I did during reading it – when I had to do really annoying things like go to work. Apparently it is frowned upon to take a random reading day, honestly – we really do need to sort that out.
Overall then, quite simply brilliant. You can read “After you Die” as a standalone, it works well on that level, but equally I would not want you to miss out on the others as every book is just a bit of a marvel. But if you fancy giving these a go and have not yet then HANDILY I have 3 copies to giveaway. I’m not even going to make you work very hard to be in with a chance of nabbing one….
So if you fancy a copy of THIS
Then you can do one of any number of things
Comment on THIS post
Tweet me @Lizzy11268 using #AfterYouDie and tell me you must have it
Comment on my Facebook link here
All names will go into a literal hat and Harry will pick 3 out at random.
Good luck! Don’t miss it!
Find out more about Eva here
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If you are not lucky in the giveaway you can purchase After you Die here
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Happy Reading Folks!
I’m entering this for my daughter – I’m halfway through, but I think she’d love it.
I’d love a copy – it sounds like my cup of tea