Reviews

The Blissfully Dead by Mark Edwards, Louise Voss

katieeliza's review against another edition

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5.0

This is the second book in the series and it's as good as you'd expect from Voss and Edwards. Red herrings, compelling characters and a well driven plot.

Fantastic read - well done! :)

willac's review against another edition

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5.0

"The Blissfully Dead" is the second in the D.I. Lennon series, an English police procedural by Mark Edwards and Louis Voss. This book deals with a group of girls who are all huge fans of an English boy band, OnTarget. Girls start turning up dead, the first in a hotel room and the second in a deserted photo studio. The only thing they seem to have in common is their rabid fanaticism about OnTarget and the band's members.

Lennon is a very interesting character to me, with his tragic backstory and history as a goth and big Cure fan. He's not so far out of his youth that he cannot understand these young girls, but old enough that some of their technology is a mystery to him. He has his own demons, and has made his own mistakes, and while he doesn't have the alcohol or drug problems that so many fictional detectives have, he is certainly conflicted and troubled.

This book was so suspenseful and interesting that I hated to put it down. I look forward to more of D.I. Lennon and his co-workers.

I was provided this book by NetGalley in return for an honest review.

shazbooksread's review against another edition

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4.0

4 stars

I enjoyed this book plenty twists and turns to keep you guessing. I look forward to the next instalment of this series

miapboyer's review against another edition

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4.0

This book was pretty unexpected for me. I was expecting to be as intrigued as I was. Throughout the whole book, I thought I knew who the killer was, but I didn't. I changed my mind a few times, thinking someone different here and there, but I never figured out who it was, not until it was said. That's the kind of books I like!

steph1rothwell's review against another edition

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4.0

I was never a teenager who became obsessed with a band, pop star or actor but have heard about those who do in the media. From what I picked up from that source over the years The Blissfully Dead is chillingly accurate.
Teenage girls who worship a boy band are being tortured and murdered. Lennon and his team at desperate to find the killer before more die. They have to find a connection between thousands of forum and social media posts to try and find a link. And then the killing gets much closer.
I like the group of detectives who feature in this series with the exception of one, Winkler. He is just as obnoxious and infuriating as he was in From the Cradle. The only difference was that I could laugh at him as well as snarl. There wasn't as much focus on Lennon's private life which I was slightly disappointed in. I hope that we find out more in future books, as well as more about Carmella and Suzanne.
The band and all the people associated with them were believable, some of the fans not so but I did enjoy reading about their antics. I really enjoyed the parts that's involved Kai, he was very entertaining.
I am looking forward to reading more in this series, I have read both books in the last couple of weeks and enjoyed them very much.
With thanks to Marks Edwards and Louise Voss for the copy received via netgalley.

sarahs_bookish_life's review against another edition

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5.0

DI Lennon is back!!!

After reading From the Cradle which I loved I could not wait to see what was next for DI Lennon and his team.

You could easily read The Blissfully Dead as a stand alone but I think readers would appreciate Patrick Lennons back ground and family life better if they read From the Cradle first.

What makes Lennon such a great character is that he has got a lot to deal with in his personal life yet his work never seems to suffer. He has a good relationship with the majority of the people he works with and is well thought of by most of them.

The storyline of teenage girls turning up dead and the internet, as a parent, was quite harrowing to read. I have a daughter of similar age to the girls in the book and it really does make you realise as a parent about how much do we actually know what goes on with our children and the internet. There are so many predators out there it really does make you pause for thought.

With murder and the terrifying reality of the dark side of social media, The Blissfuly Dead is a gripping and chilling read which had me reeling in shock and horror in parts and also had a couple of surprises in store.

This is turning out to be a cracker of a crime series and I hope we're not waiting to long until we catch up with DI Lennon.

Many thanks to Netgalley and Thomas & Mercer for an Advanced Readers Copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

alicebianchi's review against another edition

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challenging dark mysterious sad tense fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? N/A
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.0

seddso's review against another edition

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4.0

Another well written, page turning cracke - loved the authors notes at the back, and look forward to Lennon's next outing

leona_omahony's review against another edition

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5.0

This is the second book in the series involving DI Patrick Lennon. This time DI Lennon and his colleagues are trying to catch a killer of teenage girls obsessed with a boy band.

Right from the first page I just knew this was going to be a great read. It most certainly was. It was simply brilliant. Often in a book I can guess early on who the guilty person is, but not this time. One minute I thought this person was the killer, then the next minute that person.
A definite five stars from me. Can't wait for the next book in the series.

Many thanks to the publisher Thomas & Mercer via netgalley for an ARC of this book in return for an honest review.

kaz_loves_books's review against another edition

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5.0

Brilliant, really enjoyed this book, good storyline and characters