What are you afraid of?
When the body of a snatched schoolgirl is found in an abandoned biosciences building, the case is first treated as a kidnapping gone wrong.But Detective Kay Hunter isn’t convinced, especially when a man is found dead with the ransom money still in his possession.When a second schoolgirl is taken, Kay’s worst fears are realised.With her career in jeopardy and desperate to … realised.
With her career in jeopardy and desperate to conceal a disturbing secret, Kay’s hunt for the killer becomes a race against time before he claims another life.
For the killer, the game has only just begun…
Scared to Death is the first book in a new crime thriller series featuring Kay Hunter – a detective with a hidden past and an uncertain future…
Praise for Scared to Death
“Thrilling start to a new series. Scared to Death is a stylish, smart and gripping crime thriller” Robert Bryndza, USA Today bestselling author of The Girl In The Ice
“Moves along at breakneck speed with twists and turns” ~ Angela Marsons, bestselling author of the Detective Kim Stone crime thriller series
The Detective Kay Hunter series:
1. SCARED TO DEATH
2. WILL TO LIVE
3. ONE TO WATCH
4. HELL TO PAY
5. CALL TO ARMS
6. GONE TO GROUND
7. BRIDGE TO BURN
8. CRADLE TO GRAVE
9. TURN TO DUST
What readers are saying about Scared to Death
“A fast-paced, deeply disturbing thriller that had me on the edge of my seat from start to finish” Books Of All Kinds
“Oohhh what a FANTASTIC beginning to a new series! This is dark and gritty, with surprises that I didn’t see coming.” Novel Gossip
“A dead body, a psychotic killer and an honest dependable detective … If you like your crime fiction uncomplicated, fast-paced and real Scared to Death is the PERFECT read for you…” Swirl and Thread
“Extremely well-plotted, this really is a novel that will keep you on the edge of your seat!” Jo’s Book Blog
“In this novel, I actually believed the reason for the killings. It was new, interesting, and made a refreshing amount of sense … reminded me at times of Chris Chibnall’s Broadchurch series” The Crime Review
“A really solid series opener, featuring Detective Kay Hunter … she’s definitely keeping the strong female detective fresh and alive!” It Takes A Woman
“A fast paced thriller of a story that draws you in from the start and will make your heart quicken!” The Great British Book Off
“A gutsy, fast and dark book that is packed full with unsuspecting twists. Moves at a relentless pace, with an intensely dark plot, featuring a top notch female protagonist.” Mrs B’s Book Reviews
“The murders shock, and the plot is pacey, twisting with action … with more than one surprise within it pages, Scared to Death will satisfy any lover of serial killer fiction” Postcard Reviews
“Hunter is a force to be reckoned with as she tries to find the vicious killer of a young woman. You might want to sleep with the lights on but it’s worth the read!” ~ Goodreadsmore
The first in a very promising series, the story opens with a tragic kidnapping & double death, no easy task for Detective Kay Hunter. With an upbeat style & well-sculpted chapters, the reader is eased into a cleverly woven plot that takes a few twists & turns before revealing its climax. Very enjoyable but I wish all detective series didn’t have a main character with so many issues!
I’ve been aware of Rachel Amphlett and the Kay Hunter series for some time, but it’s taken a while to get around to Scared to Death. It’s always good to start with the first in a series so you can watch the characters and stories develop over time. And I have to say, I thoroughly enjoyed every page of this book.
While I have no problem with profanities and violence in stories, I often find them unnecessary and overdone in a lot of stories. Rachel Amphlett’s skill as a storyteller meant she didn’t need gratuitous violence, description or profanities to tell a riveting and realistic story, which made it all the more enjoyable for me.
Her straightforward, no nonsense style is refreshing, allowing readers to imagine the characters, if they want to. There was a strong sense of place and time, especially in the rundown industrial estates of Maidstone, and the scenes in the police station seemed highly realistic and credible to me.
The story not only kept me interested from start to finish, but I enjoyed the dashes of humour, particularly the snake her veterinary husband brought home to look after. The humour, and Kay Hunter’s compassion, proved the perfect counterpoint to the chills and terror experienced by the victims.
Both Kay and the killer were vividly brought to life, adding to the drama and suspense of the intriguing and original plot.
And behind it all, there’s this uneasy menace, lurking in the dark. I suspect this will continue into the next story.
This is the first book in the Detective Kay Hunter Series, a gripping Police Procedural Thriller. The title and the cover are well chosen, and accurate to the story. Kay is an amazing character, and a smart, strong, determined, and capable detective. The story is well written and the world building well detailed, and intense. The investigation is intricate, and enthralling, filled with twists and turns. The mystery unfolds at a great pace. The supporting characters are well developed and intriguing. I loved to have the multiple POV throughout the story. This was a chilling addition to the story. Alison Campbell has a beautiful voice. She did a wonderful read of this story. It was like watching a movie. Looking forward to listen to the next book in the Series, Will to Live. I was given a free review copy of the audiobook at my request and have voluntarily left this review. #Audiobookworm
Awesome ! This book had me totally absorbed couldn’t figure out all the players which is unusual for me. Left me with a lot of thoughts
This was a good read, I enjoyed the main characters
Scared to Death (Detective Kay Hunter #1), my first read/listen from author Rachel Amphlett, an author I’d wanted to read for some time and never got around to it. Enjoyable British police fiction. 8-hours 26-minute listen, but reads longer with the twists & turns and detail written into it. I was given an Audible copy of this book & am voluntarily reading & reviewing it. Narrator Alison Campbell Reynolds’s narration adds to the book’s enjoyment.I look forward to reading more from this author and I definitely need to read more in this series! (RIP Marley January 20, 2014 – July 24, 2018).
Terrific police procedural
What a gripping book! I was hooked from the very beginning and kept me there until the end. A perfect suspense story that keeps you guessing for quite a while. This book was beautifully written and the narration was the perfect pairing. Look forward to more in this series.
Children should never be faced with death. It is immoral, it is devastating and it is tragic. But, who do you place the blame on? If it is cancer, the blame is placed on doctors or perhaps the man upstairs, but there is rarely ever vengeful thoughts or a demand for justice. When it is murder—that blame is placed irrevocably on the person responsible for abruptly ending that life. Murder makes everyone look guilty and suddenly motive is everywhere, but could it have been random? A complete stranger or was it someone close? Amphlett has an intriguing first installment in her Detective Kay Hunter Mystery series which will leave readers entertained and guessing for most of the story.
Detective Kay Hunter is on the case. A girl has been reported to have been strangled to death in an abandoned biosciences building. With the ongoing search, the higher ups think this should be a clean open and shut case, especially since a man turns up in the local park with a suicide note and a suitcase full of ransom cash from the girl’s parents. The detective is not so easily convinced though. After investigating the crime scene and everyone who came in contact with her, she is determined that this girl will not be a cold case. Once another girl is kidnapped, it not only provides them more clues about the killer, but it becomes a personal vendetta for the police force. Will Detective Kay Hunter and her partner be able to find the girl before time runs out?
Amphlett has a terrific first installment with her Detective Kay Hunter Mystery series, Scared to Death. The character development is purposefully slow as to not give away the whole story-line right away, but the pace and flow are steady. Since this review is complementing the audiobook, the narrator portrayed the characters beautifully and with the author’s vivid description, they both gave life to the story together. If you are a reader of murder mystery and crime fiction, you may enjoy this book. With this being the first installment in the Detective Kay Hunter series, readers can jump right in.
An audiobook was provided to Turning Another Page by Audiobookworm Promotions and in no way affects the honesty of this review. We provide a five-star rating for Scared to Death by Rachel Amphlett.
A gripping story that keeps you reading until the end. Kay Hunter is assigned to the investigation of a teenager girl’s murder. She must find the murder while dealing with his boss DCI Larch distrust after an internal affair. This a thriller about fear, bullying and make you wonder about how your background can make you a good o a bad person. Very interesting reading.