Thank you so much for the opportunity to read this book. Unfortunately it’s not the book for me. DNF @ 13%.

When I first decided to read this book I assumed that it would be similar to "The Lovely Bones" (which I did enjoy) but this one deserves to be read on its own merit. Thirteen year old Griff Lindon has been murdered and "enlists" the help of the detective who is working to solve her murder.
I enjoyed the perspective of a teenage girl whose hopes and dreams have been stripped away in the worst way possible and a detective who is fighting demons of her own.

Deadspeak by ruth bainsbridge.
Things look different when you’re dead. 

Thirteen-year-old Griff Lindon is dead. Murdered. But she’s determined to make the killer that stole her young life away pay. Her ghost forms an unlikely alliance with Kimberly Trent, the rookie detective assigned to her case. The problem is that Kimberly has troubles of her own.

Kim’s sister was also thirteen when she was murdered by a serial killer that was never caught, and the similarity in ages is enough to stir up old memories that will forever haunt her. Even though it’s been almost twenty years, an ominous feeling that the killer is still out there makes Kim certain that he’s not done ... 
This was an absolutely fantastic read. I loved kim and how she could talk to Griff. I was gripped. Very cleverly written with a twist. 5*. Netgalley and xpresso book tours.

Griff Lindon is one of those teenagers that while she’s only thirteen she thinks she’s going on thirty and refuses to listen to her parents. After attending a party at a friend’s house Griff takes off on her own into the woods to meet up with a friend before going home. This however will be the biggest mistake of Griff’s short life when someone attacks and murders her in the woods.

Kimberly Trent became a police detective after having tragedy strike her family at a young age when her thirteen year old sister was murdered. Getting the call when Griff’s body is found Kim is determined to catch the killer that so brutally murdered young Griff. But as Kim is investigating the case with her partner she begins to hear a voice that no one else seems to notice. Can the ghost of Griff actually be communicating with the detective?

Deadspeak is the first book of the Deadspeak Mysteries series by Ruth Bainbridge. While the story is a thriller read with the detectives investigating the murder of a young girl it’s also mixed with the supernatural aspect of having a ghost help with the case of her own murder.

I actually really enjoyed this story and thought Griff made an excellent addition to the story. She’s determined to help solve her case and can often verify when suspects are lying to the police. The story actually became full of twists that I wasn’t quite expecting while reading and really held my attention all throughout. Would definitely be interested in seeing where the author would take the story next after solving this case.

I received a copy from the publisher via NetGalley.

Seeing all these other reviews of this book, I'm certain this is a clear case of "It's not you, it's me".

This is an investigative thriller with a paranormal twist to it, and while I enjoyed the original premise and the likable main characters, I never felt terribly invested in the story and its outcome. The mystery just didn't grip me the way it should have, and I can't even exactly pinpoint why. Neither the pacing nor the flowery writing were my thing, and I found myself skimming several times, but all in all, it was a fairly entertaining read.

What a story! One girl is dead, but her ghost is still walking the earth. Determined to make her killer pay for her death Griff befriends Detective Trent. Detective Kimberly Trent has her own problems. Her sister was killed by a serial killer who is still on the loose. And her sister's case that has grown cold and her current case have a lot of similarities. Will these two find the answers they seek? Now that they are together they just might. I cannot wait to read the next installment in this series. I'm new to this writer but she has found a new reader and fan. I'd give this story 3.9 bookmarks out of 5.

Griff Lindon is your fairly normal 13-year-old girl. She's pretty, has lots of friends, and a crush. After taking a shortcut through the woods one night, she is also dead.

But she's determined to get the man who killed her. Her ghost won't rest until she does.

Her ghost latches onto Kimberly Trent, the new detective who is investigating her very first homicide. Needless to say, she's a bit startled when she starts hearing a young voice in her head.

This case has become real personal to Trent. Her sister was sexually assaulted, murdered and beheaded when she herself was 13 years old. Her sister's killer was never caught. That's the reason Trent joined the police.

Who killed Griff? and Why? Seemingly she had so enemies. Trent will have to sift and sort through a lot of lies, a lot of secrets. Suspects are many, the boys she count as her friends, the man who she dog sits for, a random stranger?

And will Griff help her resolve her sister's murder, even though its been 20 years?

I don't read a lot of paranormal, so it's a real treat when I come across one as well written as this one. I loved the characters of Griff and Kimberly. Watching their relationship evolve made me smile. No one can ignore a teenager with a goal in mind. Kimberly's partner/trainer is out of the loop. Kim isn't going to tell him about the ghost she sees and hears, and trying to remain in character when Griff is yelling in her ear takes a lot of self control.

Even though this is a murder mystery, it's a light-hearted read and the pages seem to fly once you start reading. I look forward to reading the next book in this series.

WARNING: CLIFF HANGER

Many thanks to the author / Netgalley for the digital copy of DEADSPEAK. Opinions expressed here are unbiased and entirely my own.