The Beautiful Dead

Dust to Dust<br /><br />The squeamish 29 year old Eve Singer works the meat beat, a TV crime reporter on iWitness, a precarious and stressful job where pretty younger women are snapping at her heels, something male reporters do not have to worry about as they get older. She has moved back home to care for her dementia suffering father, Duncan, a tough, heartbreaking role, that relies on her keeping her job to pay the mortgage and pay for Duncan's carer. Her path crosses that of a serial killer whose plans to kill her are fortuitously averted as his obsession with her grows, after all they are in the same line of work, he needs people to die in order to live and so does she, both craving death and an audience. Eve's career is built on the bones of death and the tears of the bereaved, perfect for a killer looking to showcase his talents.<br /><br />The killer feels himself living on borrowed time, convinced of his artistic genius on the subject of death, and Eve is his conduit for exhibiting his work. His artwork would confer immortality on the humdrum lives of strangers and ultimately place him among the greats of the art world. As caring for Duncan and her professional work pushes her to edge, she makes the fateful and morally questionable decision to use her connection with him. As those close to Eve begin to die around her, danger begins to swirl ever closer to her home. A danse macabre ensues as a desperate, deranged and devastated Eve loses faith in the police to help and protect her. She begins to step outside her own fearful personality that relies on others, knowing she has to think like a cold blooded killer to extricate herself from the grim scenario she finds herself in, and if she dies, so be it. <br /><br />For the first time, as I began to read this humdinger of a novel from Bauer, I thought she was losing her surefire touch of brilliance. However, I persevered and I was eventually rewarded as it began to slowly spark into being, evolving into a conflagration, becoming a novel that inexorably drew me in and never let go, with unbearable levels of tension and suspense. This is a story of love, family and, unusually, romance amidst the broad canvas of death, murder, and a profession which guarantees a daily life of blood and guts that TV news gorges on. I loved seeing the reappearance of the able black DS Emily Aguda, whom I first encountered in The Shut Eye, rescued from her front desk duties by DCI Marvel, a man she wasn't certain she even liked. She is now a close protection officer, an all round ninja, despite being small of stature. Woe betide anyone who underestimates her. As usual, Bauer works her magic as she gels together the darkest of themes with superb and memorable characterisation, particularly the vulnerable Eve, in a tale infused with wit and humour. Just wonderful.

Having never read anything by the talented Belinda Bauer before but having heard such great things about her writing I was truly looking forward to reading this "The Beautiful Dead". I know no doubt that it will have been said before but the cover design of this book is just GORGEOUS and so attractive you'll be drawn to it whether you've heard of the author or not.<br />It begins with such a scary opening that you can't help but be drawn in immediately to this impressive book and by the end of the first chapter you just know you won't be putting this down any time soon! The atmosphere of fear and tension was almost tangible and had me quite scared.<br />TV crime reporter Eve Singer, whilst reporting on a series of murders unwittingly becomes the centre of a serial killer's attention who wants her for his 'deadly talent'.<br />This storyline is ingenious and in my opinion has some great characters - I loved the camaraderie between Eve and her cameraman Joe, and thought Mr Elias to be brilliant addition. The balance between Eve's work and the all too familiar home life with her father's dementia was perfect and although sad the author was able to make her father's situation quite humorous.<br />I thought this book was professionally written and personally loved the confident writing style, it was pace perfect and probably gave a true insight into how difficult the competition must be between journalists fighting for the same story. There were some particularly blood pulsing scary moments in the story and at times very tense. I highly recommend this thrilling crime novel - I was glued to the pages and I know I will go on to read more by Belinda Bauer in the future. <br />However, I will definitely be looking over my shoulder at the cinema from now on.........

This is a good one!<br /><br />Crime Reporter Eve Singer makes a bold move when walking home alone late one night—she gets a creepy feeling that a man is following her, and rather than run, she turns around and asks the man to walk her home. Little does Eve know that not only did she just escape becoming the next victim of a serial killer, she also catches his eye and becomes his muse.<br /><br />The killer, who fancies himself an artist, becomes obsessed with Eve and baits her into giving his horrendous crimes the attention that they deserve. A cat and mouse game ensues, and Eve puts herself in a situation that causes those around her to become the next targets.<br /><br />There’s something rather satisfying about <i>The Beautiful Dead</i>: Eve is a likable heroine, it’s fast-paced and easy to read, and I wasn’t left with questions. I loved the complex relationship with Eve and her father, as well as her budding relationship with Joe. I also enjoyed the bits of humor that were mixed in to lighten the darkness I hope we see more of Eve in the future. <br /><br />I received a copy of this book from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.<br />

The Beautiful Dead by Belinda Bauer is a 2016 Bantam publication. <br /><br />This is my first book by Belinda Bauer, but she’s definitely made an impression on me! <br /><br />Eve Singer is a crime reporter with an aversion to the sight of blood. But, she works around that in her highly stressful and high profile position. <br /><br /><br />Like other news reporters, Eve attracts the attention of a serial killer who begins a gruesome game of cat and mouse with her, while Eve copes with job pressures and her father’s illness. <br /><br />This book is a gritty serial killer novel, as well as a poignant portrayal of the familial heartbreak associated with Alzheimer’s, but the book also has a few lighter moments tossed in to offset the bleakness. <br /><br />I liked Eve’s character, which is very well drawn, making her a person I respected and felt empathy for. She’s a little unconventional, but that’s part of the reason I liked her because it made her seem more realistic and human and it gives us a little insight into pressure crime reporters can live with. <br /><br />The killer is sadistic and very creepy, and kept me on edge from start to finish. The showdown was slightly anticlimactic, but overall the suspense is taut, and the atmosphere is tense.<br /><br /> The plot is fast paced and the story has everything you could want from a crime drama. I liked that Eve was a crime reporter, instead of reading about detectives, or the usual police procedural or amateur sleuths, which made a nice change of pace for me. <br /><br /><br />I’m kicking myself for taking so long to discover this author. But, better late than never. I am definitely going to check out her previous and future releases!! <br /><br />Overall, this is a very solid crime thriller I highly recommend to fans of this genre and this author. <br /><br />

I received a copy of The Beautiful Dead through NetGalley for an honest review. My thanks to Grove Atlantic and to Belinda Bauer for the opportunity.<br /><br />"Nothing sold like murder and death was how she paid the mortgage."<br /><br />Eve Singer is a crime correspondent for iWitnessNews. Death and its aftermath surrounded her like a tight-fitting woolen suit...scratchy, irritating, and leaving raw marks on its owner.<br /><br />A frantic call comes into the news office that the body of a young woman has been found in an office building stairwell. The crime scene is heavily deposited with the victim's blood and Eve makes a horrid deposit of the contents of her stomach in the ladies room. This gruesome murder is the beginning of many attributed to a sociopath serial killer who leaves flyers for his "upcoming events".<br /><br />Eve and her cameraman, Joe, are hot on the trail. But Eve is the sole caregiver for her father, Duncan, who suffers with dementia that sifts through his challenged mind. Father and daughter try to lodge together gaps in his mental state. Belinda Bauer touches so deftly on one scene in which Duncan requests a glass eye for Christmas. It is endearing and filled with mirth.<br /><br />Belinda Bauer colors outside the lines in this one. It is a bit off the usual heavy straight and narrow plots that we've become accustomed to. Oh yes, there's quite the dollop of the very dark and horrendous here. But then, there is also the addition of a budding relationship happening that we don't often see. Perhaps just a different spin down a different path.<br /><br />Bauer shifts gears once again and injects the creep factor into her storyline when the killer begins to contact Eve. Eve is drawn like moth to flame in order to get the scoop and to eye-witness first hand the demented mind of this killer. Technology avails the populace to view and be viewed. But as you step further into the story, you will experience the unforeseen price that she will eventually pay for a front row seat. And Bauer kicks it into a fierce race to the finish line.<br /><br />I must say that Belinda Bauer is a treasure of an author that I have found recently this year. I'm piling up her books like stacks of delectable pancakes lately.....extremely satisfying and lip-smacking good.

Well, Belinda Bauer you have done it again. You chilled me, thrilled me, gave me some great characters I could relate too, likeable characters and an ending I loved. You managed to mix genres, psychological, at a time when I am burnt out with the sameness of many of them, police procedural and a kick ass officer, with all the elements of a thriller. Did it all very well too. Horrific killer, with limited graphic descriptions, well suited to wimpy readers, like myself. Pulse pounding moments combined with heartfelt moments between a father and daughter. You have quickly become one of my go to authors and I applaud you for your consistency and originality.<br /><br />Arc from Netgalley.

I read another book by Belinda Bauer last year that I didn't love because of some plot elements, but the book still left me thinking that she is a skillful writer. So I decided to read The Beautiful Dead to see if my issues were with Bauer or just some plot elements in her previous book, and I'm glad I did. The Beautiful Dead has a lot of the qualities that make me want to keep reading a book. Eve is a crime tv journalist who is worried about her career imploding. She lives with her father who is suffering from dementia. And somehow she piques the interest -- or obsession -- of a serial killer. The story is not as gruesome or gut wrenching as the description may sound, because Bauer really plays it at the psychological level. She tells the story from a few perspectives, including Eve's and the killer's perspectives. And Bauer does this very skilfully, especially in exploring the complexity of Eve's situation and her tangled motivations. Her relationship with her father adds an important dimension to the story that I found really compelling. Having read The Beautiful Dead, I would definitely read other books by Bauer. Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an opportunity to read an advance copy.

4 Brilliant Stars <br /><br />Eve Singer and the killer have something in common. They both need death. Eve reports death as a crime TV reporter and the killer advertises his exhibits and kills in public. Sounds disturbing and gruesome, but Belinda Bauer does a fantastic job of keeping this thriller light yet chilling and suspenseful. What really drew me into this chilling story was the well-drawn character and the witty and warm relationships Eve has with them. We also get a glimpse into the killer's head and learn a bit about what drives him to kill. Giving a slightly different twist to the story. <br /><br />The Beautiful Dead is chilling, yet warm, witty, and a clever fast paced race to stop a killer. This is my first book by Belinda Bauer and won't be my last. <br /><br />All of Norma’s &amp; my reviews can be found on our Sister Blog:<br /><a target="_blank" rel="noopener nofollow" href="http://www.twogirlslostinacouleereading.wordpress.com">http://www.twogirlslostinacouleereadi...</a>

**SINCE I READ THIS BOOK IN 2016 THE IMPACT OF SOCIAL MEDIA HAS TRIPLED. I THOUGHT I WOULD REPOST THIS AS IT'S A GOOD LOOK AT THE THINGS THAT CAN GO SO WRONG WHEN WE RALLY AROUND UNRELIABLE NARRATORS AND RANDOM VIDEO FROM SMARTPHONES**<br /><br />I have long been a fan of Belinda Bauer, “Rubbernecker” and “The Shut Eye” are two of my all time favorite thriller/mysteries. I was so thrilled to receive a copy of “The Beautiful Dead” and I am thankful to the publisher and NetGalley for this opportunity to read and review.<br /><br />The power of this book, as in her previous novels, comes from the highly character driven plots. In this book Eve Singer is a crime reporter that works on some of the most gruesome violent crimes. She is very good at what she does, but this time, the killer makes it personal.<br /><br />Eve starts to receive calls from the killer with clues as to his next murder, this of course gets her on the scene before other reporters and her boss is ecstatic. Eve begins to wonder what price the killer will be asking for?? What are his motives in connecting to Eve?? She begins to become increasingly aware of the danger she has put herself in and maybe also those she loves.<br /><br />We see another side of Eve as she has moved back home to care for her father who has severe dementia. She is a thoughtful, caring and loving daughter who is doing the best she can to care for the father she has always loved while balancing extreme stress at work and paying the bills.<br /><br />This novel brings to light the impact of social media on news reporting. News is so quickly and graphically available to the public there is a constant desire to “one up” everyone and get the largest share of the audience. This book made me think about how numb we have all become when we are constantly fed this graphically gory news. Where will it end?? Do we really need to view this amount of violence perpetrated on others? Do killers feed off of the news coverage, in this case a highly sociopathic serial killer? <br /><br />This book has everything. The characters are unique and well developed, the supporting cast as well as the main characters. The pace is quick and the writing is exceptional. I would recommend this book to everyone who wants to immerse themselves in a well written thriller as this is easily a one sit read since it is very hard to put it down.

4.5 stars!<br /><br />I think (and hope) that I am going to love anything this author puts on paper. She has such a unique writing style where she can say so much, but without a lot of fluff or wasted words. <br /><br />This would have been a 2 day read for me if it hadn't been for the holidays pulling me away. I able to sneak chapters in here and there as often as I could, and anxiously awaited the next time I could get my hands on this. <br /><br />Brief summary:<br />Eve Singer is a crime reporter who unintentionally captures the eye of a deeply disturbed serial killer. This killer meticulously plans out and executes horrific murders, which he views as his artwork, or exhibitions. He manipulates Eve to help him get the world to 'see' his masterpieces, until he takes it too close to home.<br /><br />I really liked Eve. I found her very relatable and liked how the author showed us her strengths AND vulnerabilities. She had big career plans for herself but instead had to move back home to take care of her father, who has dementia. <br /><br />The scenes with her Father where hard to read, especially when you have a Mother who has been diagnosed with this disease personally. But they felt real, and scary, and sad. <br /><br />If I have to give any criticism it would be that I wanted a bit more backstory on the antagonist, and would have liked a longer showdown between the killer and Eve at the end. I think this felt a bit rushed, even though there was nice closure provided.<br /><br />If you haven't experienced this author, you need to make it happen. Read this or any of her other books as they are all stand outs to me!<br /><br />ARC provided by NetGalley<br />