This compelling novel of psychological suspense is the first in an intriguing new series featuring Bristol detective, DI David Vogel.The discovery of the partially-clothed body of a teenage girl in the heart of Bristol’s red light district indicates a tragic yet familiar scenario. But this marks the start of a baffling murder investigation where nothing is as it first appears. Fourteen-year-old … first appears. Fourteen-year-old Melanie Cooke told her mother she was visiting a school friend. Who was she really going to meet?
Detective Inspector David Vogel is led towards three very different principal protagonists, each of whom grows increasingly chilling. But are they what they seem? And is any one of them capable of murder?
A darkly complex secret lies behind Melanie’s death – and its ultimate revelation will shock Vogel and his team to the core.
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A Very Captivating Read But With Some Disturbing Aspects — Reader Be Warned
Deadly Dance opens with the murderer showering off blood and vomiting. Realization of an act of pure evil was committed. Next, the heroine, Detective Inspector David Vogel, is at a crime scene. The victim is a 14 year old girl murdered in the wee hours of the morning and also was sexually assaulted. She was dressed as someone much older. The investigation starts with interviewing family and friends that was complex with a father, mostly absent, and a stepfather. The investigation starts off from here. There are plenty of twists and turns to keep you interested. In fact, at one point, I thought I had figured it out. I was warm, but as the old adage ends, “But no cigar!”
For more than the first half of the novel, every other chapter is about one of three individuals, Saul, Al, and Leo. Therefore, there are three sub stories paralleling the main story. Saul was once married and looking for another partner, Leo is a homosexual that doesn’t want to make a commitment, and Al has a predilection for very little girls. There doesn’t appear to be any connection between these story lines.
The B-story is very rich. The author uses the major character in each scene to describe in the first person the scene and their feelings or insights. The author adds information as asides for the reader. All of this is woven quite well into the main storyline. This literary technique enriches the depth of the characters, and, as a result, my enjoyment in reading this novel and capturing my attention to keep reading.
This aspect that enhanced my enjoyment in reading this novel also was the source of, for me, some disturbing reading. Saul, Leo, and Al are all sociopaths. I found reading into their minds disturbing especially on how they justify their actions at the expense of others. Second, most novels that I have read do have grisly murder scenes, but they are all after the fact, so facing the violence and grisliness isn’t in the readers face. There is one murder that is described in graphic detail. There also some graphic sexual situations described. As for language, there were only eight f-bombs, and some more British lesser vulgar terms. Therefore, reader be warned.
Overall, I am very conflicted with rating this novel. Minus the disturbing aspect, this novel exceeded my requirements for a very high rating. This novel captured my imagination so much that I finished the last 30% of the novel in a single read well into the early morning hours. The depth of the major character was most enjoyable. Based upon this, I would rate this novel with five stars. If strong sexual content, graphic violence, especially against a preteen girl, and delving into the mind of sociopaths will turn you off, this novel most likely is one star rating. I do believe in averaging the rating will not reflect this novel adequately because this novel probably will be one or the other. So, I am giving this novel a five star rating but with a very strong reader be warned caveat.
I have received a free Advanced Reading Copy of this novel through NetGalley from Severn House Publishers with a request for an honest, unbiased review. I wish to thank Severn House Publishers for the opportunity to read this novel early.