Header Menu

Showing posts with label Body Finder. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Body Finder. Show all posts

Saturday, April 27, 2013

53) Dead Silence by Kimberly Derting

The Blurb :

Violet thought she’d made peace with her unique ability to sense the echoes of the dead and the imprints that cling to their killers…that is until she acquired an imprint of her own. Forced to carry a reminder of the horrible events of her kidnapping, Violet is more determined than ever to lead a normal life. However, the people who run the special investigative team Violet works for have no intention of letting her go.

When someone close to Violet becomes a suspect in a horrific murder, she finds herself pulled into a deadly hunt for a madman with an army of devoted followers. Violet has survived dangerous situations before, but she quickly discovers that protecting those closest to her is far more difficult than protecting herself.

My Thoughts :

Lately I haven't been in the reading mood. I have no idea why but lack of time and energy have been big factors in my reluctance to sit down and read. If I can't get in a good couple of hours then I don't want to get into the story only to have to put it down again within twenty minutes. However audio books are not a huge problem but they take longer to get finished. That brought me to Dead Silence. A series I have been following since it began and the newest installment came along just as I needed something new to listen to.

I will say up front that this new addition to the series was not my favourite so far. However there were a few bits of information and a couple of twists that made the series just that little bit more interesting and captivating. They are also what kept me listening while the plot slowly developed very undramatically. Yes there was some good content and it there was a certain amount of curiosity as to where the story would go and what would happen but in the end it was obvious what would happen.

As a concept this series gets some top marks from me. A girl who can find bodies and hear/smell their echoes and match them to the killers is really fascinating. I like how Violet has managed to find a way to use her 'gift' and it is nice to see her get used to the responsibility that goes with it. Despite that I am finding her friends and family a bit too much to handle. On one side you have a set of parents who don't seem to get involved very much and play blind to what their daughter is always up to and on the otherside you have a bunch of friends who are either in the dark or very much aware of what is going on. Then there is the amount of school Violet misses and doesn't seem to be punished for.

Despite my nit-picking (which could go on and on but I will spare you) I still like the idea and hope that as Violet grows up that things will stabilise. Actually I think this is the kind of series that would make a good TV show or film. Maybe just a little bit more grown up and less teenage "does he really care" woes involved.

A good series and a nice narrator made this audio well worth listening to. I look forward to the next in this series, if there is one, and hope that next time around all the characters do a bit of growing up. Maybe the author could even skip a year or two and move things along.

  

   Free Delivery on all Books at the Book Depository



Friday, January 11, 2013

3) The Last Echo by Kimberly Derting

The Blurb :

Violet kept her morbid ability to sense dead bodies a secret from everyone except her family and her childhood-best-friend-turned-boyfriend, Jay Heaton. That is until forensic psychologist Sara Priest discovered Violet’s talent and invited her to use her gift to track down murderers. Now, as she works with an eclectic group of individuals—including mysterious and dangerously attractive Rafe—it’s Violet’s job to help those who have been murdered by bringing their killers to justice.

When Violet discovers the body of a college girl killed by “the girlfriend collector” she is determined to solve the case. But now the serial killer is on the lookout for a new “relationship” and Violet may have caught his eye...

My Thoughts :

I waited a long time for this third Body Finder book to be released on audio. I had listened to the first two books and wanted to keep listening to them. However after a long long wait it seemed obvious that this third part wasn't going to make it onto audio anytime soon. I gave up waiting and added the book to my Kindle wishlist.

Despite my long break between books two and three I didn't have much trouble getting back into the series. Something this unique and good is hard to forget. However while the first two books revolved around Violet just finding bodies and getting into trouble along the way, this time she has a whole group of people with 'gifts' like hers to hang about with. I was dubious about this new angle but in the end it seems like the author was too. The other people in the group were mentioned and sometimes had cameo like appearances but all in all they stayed in the background.

The group stayed behind but the main characters didn't. It was good to find out more about Rafe and Sara while I felt like I missed Jaye. Sure he was around but more in the capacity as a lap dog or doormat function. I wonder how long he will continue to be a part of the series at all. This also goes for Violet's parents who either too busy to care that much or are just too weirded out by their daughters special ability to step up and really get her out of harms way. This decision has however been taken out of their hands if the ending of this third installment has anything to do with it.

The plot this time around was as spectacular and spooky as the previous books. I wouldn't expect much else from a series about a girl who can find dead bodies. The author builds up a nice psychological murder mystery plot and you find yourself in a story not much different to an episode of Criminal Minds. Why this has to be Young Adult is beyond me and to be honest I wonder if any teenager could read this without being scared senseless. The subject matter is quite heavy even if the author tones it down and doesn't go into specifics about the crimes. It is just a matter of putting two and two together.

This is a great series and I am really enjoying it. I am not sure if I am going to like the whole conspiracy/secret bosses stuff which I saw coming a mile off. Book four is due out in the Spring and I will definitely be getting a copy. I like the style and the content of this one although I have to say I would highly recommend an adult read this first before giving it to a younger reader.

Free Delivery on all Books at the Book Depository