Review: The Beautiful Dead by Belinda Bauer @belindabauer @thomassshill


Goodreads|Amazon US|Amazon UK
Release date: November 17, 2016

Publisher: Bantam Press

Genre: Mystery/Thriller, Crime Fiction 

Blurb: 

There’s no safety in numbers . . . 


Eve Singer needs death. With her career as a TV crime reporter flagging, she’ll do anything to satisfy her ghoulish audience.


The killer needs death too. He even advertises his macabre public performances, where he hopes to show the whole world the beauty of dying.


When he contacts Eve, she welcomes the chance to be first with the news from every gory scene. Until she realizes that the killer has two obsessions.


One is public murder.


And the other one is her . . . 

Review: 

I’ve been waiting to read this one for months having heard great things about it from other reviewers and I was really happy when I realized that release date was finally here and I could pick it up! It’s been taunting me from my shelf for months now, that cover is simply stunning and it’s even more striking in person. I may have even gave it a little pat or two. (That’s for you Chelsea! #bookpetter 😜😂) What’s inside is also fantastic and it was well worth the wait. 

Eve is a TV crime reporter who is more than accustomed to violent crime scenes and shocking deaths. She’s not exactly at the top of her game, there is always someone a bit younger and a bit more eager waiting in the wings to take her spot, but when a killer believes he has a connection with Eve, she may just have a chance to climb to the top of the media world. He believe they have a common goal, she needs people to die in order to have a job and he craves death as much as air. Sends a cold shiver of fear down the spine, doesn’t it? This book had plenty of creepy and bone chilling moments.

This is heavy on violence and graphic descriptions of the murders and the crime scenes, so if you’re squeamish, beware. Right from the start, the action is in your face, and the fast pacing never lets up. Besides the murder investigation, you follow Eve as she struggles to deal issues in her personal life. Her father has dementia and she is ill equipped to deal with such a difficult and heartbreakingly devastating illness. The character development of Eve throughout the book was excellent as she is pulled into a sick and deadly game with the killer. Will she agree to his twisted terms and play his depraved game even though she is a very unwilling participant? Is a story really worth following instructions from a serial killer?

That’s about all I can reveal about the plot without ruining things, but one thing that always makes a serial killer book stand out to me is when the killer has a unique motivation behind the killings and this one definitely provided that. I was totally immersed in the world Bauer created and she added the perfect amount of dark and macabre humor to bring levity to such a dark story. The killers obsession with Eve upped the creep factor several notches and added an extra layer of tension to an already tense plot. I would definitely recommend this one to crime fiction fans looking for the next book to get lost in and scared by.

Overall rating: 4/5

Huge thanks to Thomas Hill for my review copy.

36 thoughts on “Review: The Beautiful Dead by Belinda Bauer @belindabauer @thomassshill”

  4. Emma says:
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    Emma's avatar

    I seem to be reading lots of reviews today for books that wound great but then I’m warned off if I’m squeamish (which I am). I don’t know about this one now. I love the idea but the gore?

    Liked by 1 person

    • chloedouglas28 says:
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      reviewsbychloe1's avatar

      Oops pressed send far too early!

      How was the ending? I only ask because I find when the plot has this much potential they always seem to falter towards the end – as if the author isn’t sure how to reign in the story leaving the ending feeling rushed and abrupt!

      Liked by 1 person

  9. Annie says:
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    Ani - The Misstery's avatar

    I liked this one but in the end I felt like there weren’t many surprises 😦 I think I was expecting more of a mystery! I’ll publish the review soon, I’m glad you loved it!!!

    Liked by 1 person

  10. crimeworm says:
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    crimeworm's avatar

    Just discovered your fabulous blog – I love Belinda Bauer and you’ve just convinced me I need to get a shift on and read this! Plus as all her books are standalones, you don’t have to read in order. I’ve gathered all hers now – a couple second-hand. Very satisfying to get a bargain AND help a charity! But I think I’ll leave them for now and read this one first, after your great review! Feel free to pop by anytime! x

    Liked by 1 person

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  13. Amanda @Cover2CoverMom says:
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    Amanda @Cover2CoverMom's avatar

    “This is heavy on violence and graphic descriptions of the murders and the crime scenes, so if you’re squeamish, beware.”

    Well I’m out 😂

    When I was reading this review, I kept imagining that creepy doll thing from the Saw movies saying “Want to play a game?”

    Why is the cover so damn creepy? I mean they are butterflies for gosh sakes… butterflies aren’t supposed to be creepy lol

    Liked by 1 person

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