Excellent book. Great main characters and a real page turner. I loved the plot and would recommend this book.

Actually 4.5 stars.
This is the first book by this author that I've read although he has been on my watch list for a while, mostly because his books are set near where I live and I do like reading books set in familiar places. I find it makes that connection a bit easier from the start.
It's the introduction to Detective Kate Matthews who, even after finishing the book and being mostly satisfied, I am still unsure about. She has something about her that is preventing me from making that complete connection that I need with a main character in a series. All is not completely lost though, she may well surprise me and come through in book two and, as the rest of the book - story and writing-wise - was ore than strong enough to carry her in this opener, I am not writing her off just yet. I have had this experience with many characters that I have gone on to really love and, as I don't like giving up on people too soon, she deserves the benefit of the doubt at the moment. Another thing that put me off a bit was that I seem to be reading quite a few police procedurals where the personal life of the detective becomes intertwined in the crime they are investigating. Can't really fault the author for this as it's my fault that I am reading samey books at the moment but I do have to say that it was a factor in my overall enjoyment of this book. That said, I haven't marked this book down for this coincidence, just mentioning it for completeness in this review.
The crime being solved in this book had me hooked from the start. There were all the usual red herrings and twists and turns that you would expect from the genre but towards the end it became evident that something was a bit different. As connections were made we started on a whole new path, one that led me as a reader a merry dance all the way to what turned out to be a rather shocking and very original ending. One that completely blew away all my niggles and previous issues that I was having with the characters. Talk about about-face, i had to go back and completely rethink my thoughts on what I had just read in the context of what I had just discovered. And that's when I realised how clever the book actually was.
My main fear for this book is that people less determined than me won't get to the end. That they'd be a bit put off with the main character and some of the things that happen initially but what I need to really get across here in my review is that if you do feel a little like this then please give it a chance. Trust in the author and the overall journey that he has planned for you as a reader. Stick with him and Kate and go on. Trust me, you'll not regret your decision. I definitely don't regret mine and to be honest, I'm actually quite looking forward to seeing what's next in store for Kate in book two. You never know, we may even get to be friends!

My thanks go to the Publisher and Netgalley for the chance to read this book.

Having transferred to Southampton from the Met Police under something of a cloud, and struggling to secure a successful conviction in her new team, Kate Matthews has everything to prove to those around her about just how capable she is. She is initially faced with a case that has all the hallmarks of being gang related before being handed the mysterious case of Barrister who has been found murdered under very disturbing circumstances. As if things at work aren’t tricky enough, Kate is faced with having to look after her estranged daughter when her ex’s new partner is taken ill and also having to deal with a stalker who seems intent on steering her investigation down a particularly dark path.

From the very beginning you get the sense of Kate being a woman under pressure, not just from her job but from her home life and also from her new found cyber-stalker. Thrown into a stomach churning murder where the victim has not only been burned beyond recognition but the body also mutilated, she is under close scrutiny and has a desperate need to secure a result. From the opening scene, the tension and pressure begins to build and it doesn’t let up until the very last page. Kate’s reputation and career are on the line as is the safety of her family.

Speaking of family, her circumstances are definitely not ideal for someone who has to take on a major investigation. Taking on a six year old she barely knows, and trying to juggle the need to visit her ailing mother, Kate has more than enough on her plate. Add to that someone who keeps breaking into her apartment and leaving her little clues, threats almost, about her current investigation and it is no wonder she comes across as a woman on the edge. She is definitely a woman more at home in her job than she is in being a mother, but then her struggles are something that most single parents can probably recognise. She does come across as selfish at times, neglecting her daughter for the job, but then she is not used to this new responsibility. With such a significant life change, I can understand the errors in judgement she makes. That said, the scenes with her daughter also serve to demonstrate her humanity and helped to make me warm to her quite a bit.

Despite some rather gruesome deaths, the book does not come across as gratuitous in any way. There are three murders being investigated, seemingly unconnected and as different a can be in terms of M.O. However, and to be fair it was with the help of a certain creepy stalker who is threatening Kate, she is the only one to see the similarities between the cases. At one stage side lined from the investigation she takes on the killer on her own terms, and this is perhaps where I struggled just a little. Kate has a history, the reason she left the Met, which would suggest she’d by instinct want to be more of a team player and yet she goes it alone with the kind of results you could anticipate.

What I didn’t anticipate was the who and Stephen Edger has done a great job of hiding the killer in not quite plain sight throughout. There is an element of misdirection within the book, and several people who do come across as suspect. As to which one of them is the actual killer… You’ll have to read for yourself now won’t you? With some of the scenes fold from the killer’s perspective, Edger does a great job of creating a kind of ‘ticking clock’ type of scenario; you get the clear sense that the killer is working to an agenda, with a finite timeline that he is pushing Kate hard to achieve. Plus there is a real high tension, high stakes ending which will keep you on the edge of your seat waiting to see just how much Kate is willing to sacrifice to catch a killer.

Characterisations were great. Alongside Kate you have her neighbour and possibly only friend, Trisha, who although not used much did add an element of fun to Kate’s otherwise serious life. Then you have Kate’s team and her colleagues, DI’s Underhill and Hendrix. Now I won’t lie – both Hendrix and Underhill came across as complete tools and I have no affinity for either character. In terms of Kate’s immediate team, DS Patel was someone I was never quite sure about, somewhat too aloof at times to be entirely trusted. Laura was perhaps the only one of the other Detectives you could warm to. She was keen, supportive of Kate and not afraid to challenge. She is a character I am keen to see developed. And then there is Ben, the pathologist. Bless him. He seems like a really nice chap, keen on getting to know Kate just a little better. But then does he have an ulterior motive… ?

I’m always a little excited, and perhaps also apprehensive, when Bookouture announce the start of a new police procedural series from an author I don’t know. Authors from the Bookouture stable have been responsible for producing some of my favourite ever series and protagonists and so expectations are always set very high. I am happy to say that Dead to Me has not only kept up with expectations but in Kate Matthews, Stephen Edger has created a protagonist who is tenacious, stubborn and above all else, extremely human. She is kind of spiky at times, and I wasn’t sure where her character was coming from at times. It is certainly clear that there is still a lot more to learn about Kate, but in just this first book, she has kind of grown on me and I can’t wait to see where the author takes this series next.

This book had me at the cover and the mention of a serial killer and I was initially very excited about this title. But then mixed reviews started popping up, and my excitement turned into worry. What if I didn’t like the story either? I posponed picking it up for longer than I would have liked, but finally did read it last week. And I was pleasantly surprised by what I initially found when I started Dead To Me. There is no doubt that Stephen Edger‘s writing style is very engaging and draws you right in. The plot itself is well developed and intruiging with a lot of plot twists that will keep you guessing for a long time. And that serial killer! Very twisted indeed and there were things I didn’t see coming at all. This all sounds very positive, so why the lowish rating? One word: Kate. Basically, the main character Kate ruined what could have been a great and intense thriller for me. I absolutely despised her! The way she treats her daughter, doesn’t care about her safety and even forgets she’s there at times… Not caring about police protocol, doing whatever she wants without considering the consequences, endangering others, undermining active murder investigations… And I can go on with that list if I want to. Ugh! It’s a shame one character can influence my opinion about a story that much… But I personally found it really hard to keep tolerating Kate AND enjoying Dead To Me at the same time, especially since she plays such a big role in the story and the developments in the plot. As I said before, the writing is GOOD, the plot intense and twisty and this first book of a new detective series has a lot of potential. Unfortunately my dislike for the main character will stop me from continuing this series… I have seen others not being all that bothered by Kate though, so give this book a chance if the things about Kate I mentioned above don’t curl your toes.

Dead to Me is the first book in the DI Late Matthews series and follows Kate and her team as they investigate the death of a woman found in an abandoned bar. They keep hitting dead ends and as her colleagues are investigating other murders Kate finds clues that lead her to believe the murders are linked. It also appears that the killer seems to know Kate's every move.

This book was gripping and kept me turning the pages to find out the ending. Kate was a bit of a marmite character. Great as a police officer but shocking as a mother but the interaction she had with her colleagues was good and makes me want to read the next instalment of this series.

Thank you to NetGalley, Bookouture and the author for the chance to review.

Dead To Me is the first book in a new detective series. This is the first time I've read a book by this author and I thought it was just ok. The good thing about it is that I was completely wrong about who I thought was behind the murders. The bad thing about it is that I felt like it sort of came out of left field.

For me a well-plotted mystery points clues at multiple people, while still leaving you surprised at the end, but feeling like you should have seen that coming. I didn't feel that way when I read this. I felt like there were really no clues pointing to the culprit here. The reasoning behind why he did some of the things he did were not explained either. Why the creepy cyber stalking? Sending her the messages the instant she signed up on the dating website was way too coincidental. And the thing with Kate's mother didn't seem to have any reason behind it either, other than to cause her distress.

I didn't find any of the characters all that likable, not even Kate, and she did some really stupid things. She was also a lousy deadbeat mom. I was happy in the end that Kate realized she needed to be a mother to her daughter. She redeemed herself somewhat after that. As for the other characters, all of the detectives kept getting into pissing contests with each other and the cases they were solving seemed more about their personal egos than about finding justice for the victims. I hope this isn't the way most real detectives behave.

Although I liked that the book kept me guessing, I just didn't care for the overall plot of the story and the killer's behavior felt a little all over the place. For those reasons I think I will pass on reading the rest of this series. Thanks NetGalley and Bookouture for sending me a copy of this book for review.

First of all, I need to find the same coat as in the cover!

What does justice mean to you and how far would you be willing to go for it? Dead to Me explores the depth and holes of the system, the betrayal, the plans, everything that can make justice slip off the fingers and vanish without a trace.

This book keeps you busy! Different investigations, different members of the police force to deal with, different suspects, different places. You need a bit of concentration to follow the tightly weaved plot the author came up with! I loved this hustle and bustle and the competition between the D.Is. Belonging to the same force doesn't mean everyone gets along or that everyone is nice. Personalities are different and the different confrontations were a welcome addition to the cases, adding a tension so tangible you could already almost touch it with your finger!!!

Our main character does have quite a history and her position in Southampton is not welcomed by everyone. The details of her arrival are sketchy and from the beginning, I felt Kate was a free and dangerous grenade. Her heart is at the right place, but her mind and her issues mix and make her quite unreliable as a police officer in my opinion! She was quick to jump to conclusions and I often questioned or disagreed with her decisions. Still, I enjoyed reading her battle against the devil, against herself, against others. It was very interesting and I hope to get to know her better in her next adventure! I felt that even if it fell into the “main character being a cop and having so many issues”, it was different and original. Kate won't please everyone, but she couldn't care less!

The case, or should I say cases, are intricate and take you on a chase for clues that can drive you crazy! The book was at the perfect length. I would have started being annoyed if the author had decided to make things drag more. The balance was good enough to keep me gripped and riddled with doubts, and I only dared thinking I knew who was the culprit just before the book got to the point, so yay for me being a fabulous detective, and yay for the author for keeping me in the dark so long!

Dead to Me is taut and explosive crime story which make you question the very boundaries of justice.

This is the first in what I hope will be a long series of books featuring Detective Kate Matthews. I was pulled in from the first page and the momentum kept going until the end, I really enjoyed the style of writing and the characters were believable and not without human flaws. Looking forward to the next book.

Well Oh-My-Giddy-Aunt! For those of you who aren’t aware….I am a HUGE, a MEGA, a MAHOOSIVE fan of Stephen Edger’s books – in fact, I have a massive fictional crush on Mark Baines (series of the same name) and I often beg Mr Edger for more of these books. Needless to say, I was THRILLED when he signed with Bookouture for a new series: DI Kate Matthews and was hoping it had that same edgy, authentic feel as the rest of his books. *High Five* Mr Edger – you delivered on that count!

Set in Southampton, the reader is taken on a journey of discovery, deceit, betrayal, fear, insecurities, regrets and the search for justice.

I loved the fast-paced plot, #killerhook and compelling narrative. I was really pulled into the pages of this story and read it virtually in one sitting! What would YOU do to protect yourself/those you love? What if you were a police officer? Would you bend the rules? Go against protocol? You bet your sweet arse you would!! That is exactly the choice Kate is faced with….

So on the topic of Kate…let’s talk characters! DI Kate Matthews has a past…demons…but she is fiesty, reckless, insecure, clever – ok, she doesn’t always make the right decisions….but guess what? Who does? This is exactly what I find likeable about her. If anyone reads a police procedural and thinks that in real life, coppers don’t bend the rules….well, I’d say you have never worked with the police before! I have!! Not saying all coppers bend rules…and I am not talking corrupt cops either…but it happens! Love that sense of realism in this book. I also warmed to Kate because she is insecure about her ability to be a good mother after suffering post natal depression. She beats herself up internally whilst trying to desperately show the emotions she feels outwardly – in an awkward way. And that temper!! Jaysus! Forget the rule breaking- she needs a bit of anger management!

I like Laura as well. A supportive colleague & friend, she acted as Kate’s conscience at times. I did not like Patel at all. Something about him really niggled and annoyed me. A bit of a brown nose in my opinion and I found myself saying to my kindle: “Well if it bothers you so much, Patel – do something about it!”

Danny Fenton also intrigued me. Bad boy but he had something about him. Very confident, very assertive and despite the naughty side….I really liked him and wished there was just a bit more!

I thought I had nailed the killer – in fact, I was so sure that when I suddenly realised I got it wrong, I reread some parts again in shock! Nicely played, Mr Edger!!!

Do I recommend this read? Hell Yeah I do! This is an exciting, new female-lead police procedural in the crime community and I, for one, am looking forward to Book 2 in the series. Full of suspense, with a realism that surprised me – I am definitely putting this beauty in my #TopReadsOf2017!

Dead to me by Stephen Edger.
How do you catch a killer who knows your every move?
The woman lay flat on the table, her face to one side, her wrists bound with thick tape. Deep scratches marked the wood beneath her fingers, now resting cold and still...
When a woman’s body is found in an abandoned bar near the Southampton docks, Detective Kate Matthews is called in to lead the investigation. She must solve this case to prove she is coping with the death of a close colleague. Kate knows a pile of ripped up newspaper cuttings discovered at the victim’s house must be a piece of the puzzle, but her team keep hitting dead-ends... Until she finds a disturbing clue that convinces her of three things: The murder is linked to the body of a man found hanging in a warehouse, she is on the hunt for a calculated serial killer, and the killer is watching her every move.Kate realises there will be another victim soon, and that her own life is in grave danger, but no one else believes her theory. Can she find and stop the most twisted killer of her career, before another life is lost?
OMG. What a start to this book. An absolutely fantastic read with brilliant characters. Full of twists and plots. I liked Kate. She was my favourite character. This one really had me. I could not figure out who it was. I had my suspicions. OMG I did not see that coming. What a shock. This is a must read and I would highly recommend this book. Definitely worth more than 5*.
Netgalley and bookouture.

This is this first book I have read by Stephen Edger and I will certainly be looking to read his previous ones. This was a brilliant thriller which leaves you in suspense right until the end. A killer is on the rampage, leaving bodies and clues behind that Detective Kate Matthews has to solve to prove that she is coping with the death of a colleague. This is the first book in a series featruing Kate Matthews and I cannot wait for the next one. This book is full of twists and turns and a fantastic read, highly recommended. Thanks to Net Galley and the publisher for giving me the opportunity to read and review this book.

A slow start, but building into a good, solid thriller.

Watching You is the first book in a new crime series featuring Detective Kate Matthews, although I throughly enjoyed reading this book I did expect it to be darker and possibly far more gruesome. I'm not sure if that's because most of the books I read from Bookouture veer towards the darker side of crime, but although there were a couple of fairly grim scenes there wasn't any truly shocking scenes, either that or I've read so many books in the crime genre I've become hardened to such scenes.


When a torso turns up in a burned down warehouse Detective Kate Matthews is assigned the case, but it's not long before she releases someone is watching her and taunting her, invading both her home and personal life, what follows is a suspense filled read.Stephen Edger has written a well plotted story with a few red herrings and there are a couple of twists thrown it to keep the reader guessing right up until the last couple of “heart in your mouth” chapters.



Detective Kate Matthews now here's an interesting but very flawed character, I'm sure many readers will struggle to “gel” with her, to be fair she doesn't have very many likeable qualities, here's a woman who abandoned her child to put her career first and continues to do so, although she is driven it also makes her very selfish in my opinion. Personally I think the author has taken a bold step in producing a character that has so many flaws, but it works as she's a character I certainly won't forget (flaws and all) in a hurry, the author proves to me you don't have to feel a connection to a character to enjoy the book.

All in all Watching You is a promising start to a new crime series, I'm interested to see if the author allows reader to see a more likeable Kate in the next book in the series. I'm sure crime thriller lovers who don't like their books to be too dark or gruesome will really enjoy this one, me? Personally the darker the better. I would happily pick up the next book in the series as Stephen Edger definitely has the ability and talent to write an intriguing crime thriller

This review maybe altered slightly and edited prior to publication on my blog

This book was so creepy and chilling and I cant say enough good things about it. This book was a book that made me loose sleep and trust me I like my sleep. Highly recommend.

Thank you to Netgalley and Bookouture for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Kate Matthews has recently been transferred to Southampton. She has not been having a good run of luck lately. When there is a fire in a warehouse and a headless corpse turns up, Kate is itching for the case. She is appointed as the SIO in the case. The story is quite interesting but I did not take to the main character Kate Matthews. I did not like the way she handled the case and I did not understand why she did certain things. Her relationship with her daughter is also a bit unbelievable. I hope that the author will allow the character to develop and grow so that she will be more likeable.

I will keep an eye out for the next book in this series and hope that it will be better.

Detective Kate Matthews is on a run of bad luck, none of her cases since she has moved have resulted in an actual conviction. No pressure. When a torso turns up in a burned down warehouse Kate is assigned the case. But when her home is compromised and the life of her daughter is put at risk, Kate knows that time is running out.
This was a really well written book and the plot was very fast moving and twisting. Some really good writing that led you off in the wrong direction completely.
While I enjoyed this book immensely I didn’t quite warm to Kate. I found the whole situation with Chloe clouded my opinion of her slightly. I will absolutely read Book two when the time comes and hopefully will get to like her a bit more!
Overall a great read though!

Watching You is the first instalment in a new police procedural series featuring Detective Kate Matthews. Her personal life is a shambles and she is under immense pressure to perform well, having replaced a much loved and respected predecessor. But since Kate has left her previous job under a bit of a cloud, she's finding it hard to fit in. Bit cliché, if you ask me.

I didn't really like Kate from the start and I didn't quite warm to her as the story unfolded either. She just seemed to be making mistake after mistake and has a hard time sticking to procedure, even after past events. To be honest, apart from DC Trotter, I found all the characters rather unlikeable and I couldn't quite figure out if that was because they just had nasty personalities or because of Kate's past. 

However, there are various teams who are working on different cases and that aspect of the story really held my attention as the entire investigation makes for quite the intricate plot. Especially when the multiple layers started to fit together like the pieces of a puzzle. The story begins with a fire in a warehouse and the discovery of a burned body that's missing its head and feet. This won't be the last body and in the middle of all of that, someone is stalking Kate and leaving her clues. Are they trying to help her or not?

Watching You is quite fast paced and a quick read. I felt there were a few things about the killer that didn't quite make sense to me but obviously I can't share those since that would mean huge spoilers. But it seemed to me that the killer accomplished some things that were a tad unfeasible considering certain circumstances. Vague, much?

All in all, I suppose I'm a little on the fence about this one. I thoroughly enjoyed the mystery aspect of the investigation with a few red herrings along the way but I truly could just not connect to the character of Kate. Despite that, I will most likely pick up the next book in the series as I'm curious to see her develop, preferably far far away from the stereotypical characters that seem to be so prevalent lately.

This is the first book I have read of this author and it was brilliant!! A very fast moving thrilling storyline which gripped you from the first page. I had to keep reading it to find out what would happen even though I didn't want it to end, hence I read it in a day. It had many twists with it which only added to the enjoyment of the book. I would definitely recommend this book to people who love fast paced thrillers and I will be looking to read more by this author.

What a fast paced, enthralling mystery. This book kept me in suspense and I loved it.

Another brand new series alongside a brand new author; for me anyways! I haven't read any of Stephen Edger's previous novels and, considering how many there are, I am genuinely surprised that I haven't! 

Almost straight away we find out that there has been a murder; a body has been found and Detective Kate Matthews has been called to the scene. Having been relocated from the Met, Kate Matthews has a lot riding on this investigation and whether she is able to get to the bottom of the murder. Why did they murder the victim? Is the murder related to any other investigations? So many questions remain unanswered, and it's down to Detective Kate Matthews to get them answered before time runs out.

I'm not quite sure what to make of this book, weirdly enough! The storyline has the suspense level down to a fine art which is absolutely brilliant. It did keep me on my toes and it did leave me hanging (pardon the pun), multiple times throughout the storyline.

But, Kate's story isn't unique, so for me the majority of the novel came across as a bit samey. I also couldn't gel with Kate at all due to her questionable choices on a professional level, as well as in her personal life. Don't get me wrong, there were times when Kate came across likeable and good at her job. I just felt that as the protagonist, Kate's character didn't lead the storyline in a way that made me stop and think. For me personally, thrillers like this need me to stop and think and focus on the storyline, instead of having an issue with the main character as that took my attention away from the main focus, unfortunately.

However, I did enjoy the overall concept of the book and the mystery surrounding the murder investigation. 'Watching You' has enough promise to make me read the next book in the series. I'm looking forward to see how Kate Matthews' character shapes up in the following books.

An intriguing start to a promising series.

Thanks Bookouture