I was SO looking forward to reading this second instalment by Noelle and I wasn’t disappointed. We are back with Maggie Jamison and this time she is dealing with Bill Raven who she put behind bars. With bodies showing up relating to that case Raven is now claiming innocence and it’s Maggie’s job to either prove she was right the first time, or find the real killer.

There is plenty of suspense in this book and although it was slightly slower to start than the first book in the series that flips on its head in the second half. I like the character of Maggie and particularly how her relationship with Raven is so warped yet VERY engaging. There is certainly a chilling air running through this book.

I read the second half of the book in one sitting and cannot wait to see where the series goes next. I would certainly recommend reading the first and then the second book because as a reader you have continuity with characters which helps build more of a connection. I absolutely loved this book even though it was a slower burner than the first, but the second half totally made up for that. Definitely recommended!

This was an easy to read thriller thaylt kept my attention all the way through! Lots of twists and surprises I didn't see coming. Very good, would recommend! This was fab guys

I loved this - brilliantly written! I loved Maggie and her tenacity - and it was a gripping and well thought out story! Despite the plot being quite familiar (love a criminal trying to overturn his conviction) it was so cleverly done! Will look out for more from Noelle Holton!

Dead wrong is the second book in the DC Maggie Jamieson although it can be read has a stand alone. I recommend reading them in order. For those of you who have read the first one this book pretty much starts where the last one left us.

I loved Dead Inside which I found was a mixed genre with plenty going on and lots of characters who’s names I know. There are still names I know in this story but will less characters and more police procedure.

So what did I think, I hear you all saying!

I was hooked from start to finish and devoured this in a day…..totally addictive. The more I read the more I wanted to know. It is jammed packed with twists and turns keeping you guessing until the end. Not forgetting the tension and mystery. When we follow Maggie on a case to find out who the killer is.

Without giving to much away Bill Raven is an evil character and bloody brilliant if I do say so myself. Read the book yourself to see what I mean.

I love a story that ends on a cliffhanger and OMFG that ending!! A Total shocker which has left me desperate for the next book. Dead Wrong is dark and gritty with some rather disturbing brutal descriptions with an awesome plot. What more can I say other than I flipping loved it!

Thank you to Sarah Hardy for a copy and for inviting me to take part on the tour.

There might just have been rather more dismembered corpses and crack addicts than I’m used to in the books I usually read, but Noelle Holten really is the most wonderful story-teller. I raced, breathless, through this book in much the same way I did her first – and I must say I really liked the short chapters that enabled me to say “just one more”, only to find I’d done so that many times that I was so near the end that I just had to finish it…

This book really was all about the characters for me. Maggie Jamieson herself didn’t feature that much in the first book, but this time we get to know her very well indeed – and I really liked her. She’s totally driven by her belief in justice for victims, in dotting every “i” and crossing every “t”, taking immense pride in a job well done: the possibility that Bill Raven was an innocent man when she put him behind bars, and the accusations against her, both hurt her deeply and increase her hunger to see justice done.

She might not be the easiest officer to manage – I particularly loved her tussles with DI Rutherford (another really well drawn strong female character) – but her instincts are always strong and when she fails to toe the line it’s for the very best of reasons. I liked her more off-duty moments too – her home life with her brother, her sparring with (and affection for) new DS Nathan, and her friendship (which she’d like to be rather more) with Dr Kate Moloney, the criminal profiler. And she also has a cuddly cat – who disappears, and I thought might just have been forgotten, but oh no, he’s very much part of the story…

Bill Raven himself is a superb villain – he oozes danger and evil in the style of Hannibal Lecter, sinister and chilling, and his meetings with Nathan and Maggie really do make your flesh creep and all your little hairs stand up on end. It seems there’s no way he can be linked with the more recent murders and those body parts that keep on being found – but Maggie’s on his case, and if there is a link your money will be on her to find it. That’s the main story-line, but there’s an excellent sub-plot too involving Dr Kate – and a particularly disturbing one too.

The way the plot works through is so very clever – distinguished by that insider knowledge of how such things work and the complex relationships between the various agencies that was such a feature of the previous book. Red herrings and false trails abound – and the author holds your hand and leads you through it all with absolute confidence and considerable aplomb. And just when you think it must be time for everyone to adjourn to the pub to celebrate a job well done, she throws into the works the biggest spanner of all… my goodness, what an ending!

This book really was quite excellent – and there’s no way on earth I won’t be reading the next one. I will just add that although I do keep mentioning “the previous book”, you could read this one perfectly well as a stand-alone – but I do think you might just want to return for the next book too.

Just wonderful… and highly recommended, whether randomly discovered body parts might be your thing or not…

(Review copied to Amazon UK, but link not yet available)

Which part of the intriguing blurb for this book would not make you want to pick this book up? A series of murders that has been solved by a confession from the killer, but then body parts of the alleged victims start turning up years later, revealing they’ve only just been killed, AFTER the killer is behind bars? Sign me up!

Maggie is now back with her original squad, after her secondment to the Domestic Violence unit in book one, and she is immediately thrust under the spotlight because she was responsible for putting the original killer away in what now looks like a miscarriage of justice. What an amazing preface for ramping up the tension for the protagonist and making the investigation personal for Maggie from the off. It also raises all kinds of queries as to whether she is being suitably dispassionate about the new investigation or is making bad decisions based on saving her own reputation. It is a clever idea and really well executed.

The accused serial killer, Bill Raven, is a great nemesis for Maggie in this novel. Aside from being an alleged murderer, he is just s deeply unpleasant man, smug and antagonistic, and we, the reader, loathe him from the beginning, regardless of whether he actually committed the crimes or not, which puts us firmly in Maggie’s corner even when she is making unwise decisions. The pace of the book is frenetic, we race through it to find out what is going on in this baffling case and can’t wait to get to the conclusion but when we go OMG! What is happening? You can’t leave it like that! I need Book 3 now, I tell you!

One of the main strengths of Noelle’s books, which is clearly present here, is the way she shows the involvement in an investigation of many different people from different specialisations within criminal justice to bring a case to a conclusion. Too many crime novels have murders being solved start to finish by one or two individuals, with everybody else a faceless sidetone. This is obviously not the way things work and, the fact Noelle has worked in this world and understands the importance of everyone in the process, not just the lead officers, shines through and gives the story a real ring of authenticity, even though it is clearly a piece of entertaining fiction.

A great, pacy and gripping crime thriller that will keep you hooked from beginning to end. Can’t wait for the next one.

With thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for the arc, which I have enjoyed reading. This is the second book by the author Noelle Holten and therefore the second in the DC Maggie Jamieson series. This was an excellent read, the storyline was well thought out and the characters were very realistic. The plot was intriguing and engrossing and was a commendable second book. I look forward to reading more in the series.
Highly recommended.

A gripping, twisted tale of secrets and evil, DEAD WRONG by Noelle Holten is the sequel that every crime fiction reader has been waiting on.

DC Maggie Jamieson is back and in trouble. A serial killer from the past, Bill Raven, is claiming that he did not abduct and murder three women all those years ago and he claims his confession was taken while he wasn't in a healthy state of mind, both physically and mentally. With the media putting the pressure on and the fact that the bodies of these women were never found, Maggie may just have to re-investigate. And then with perfect timing, one of the women's body is discovered and it appears that Bill Ravens couldn't be the killer because she died within the last two days. As Maggie starts the hunt for the killer, she will have to figure out just how involved Bill Raven is in the whole sick plot. But time is running out and there are still two more women to find before it is too late.

While DEAD WRONG is the second book in this series, you can easily read it as a standalone (although I highly recommend you read Dead Inside too). Compelling from start to finish, I was on the edge of my seat alongside Maggie as she tried to unearth the truth and piece the whole thing together. This is a story that is brimming with tension and makes everything feel heightened while you are reading it, and that is a testament to Noelle Holten's excellent writing skills.

With plenty of twists and turns along the way, DEAD WRONG by Noelle Holten is the kind of book that gets under your skin and burrows down for the long haul, and I cannot wait for more from one of my favourite crime fiction authors.

I received a free digital copy of the book via NetGalley which has in no way influenced my review.

I read Holten's debut - Dead Inside - last year and thoroughly enjoyed it. So I was excited to get my mitts on the second book in the series and catch up with the tenacious DC Jamieson once again. This time she's back on home soil and reunited with her Major and Organised Crime Department colleagues at Stafford Police Station. Leaving behind the Domestic Abuse and Homicide Team she was seconded to in Dead Inside, Maggie is thrown straight in the deep end when the severed remains of a woman are discovered. But these remains instantly throw the biggest case and arrest in Maggie's career into question. For these are the remains of Lorraine Rugman, one of the three victims notorious serial killer, Bill Raven, confessed to killing several years ago. Forensics confirm that Lorraine's murder was recent -- so why did Raven confess to the killings in the first place when it's clear he wasn't responsible? Who killed Lorraine, and can they be stopped before they kill again...?

Dead Wrong is a twisty cat and mouse police procedural and I was hooked from start to finish. The story revolves around whether convicted serial killer, Bill Raven, is actually a serial killer and whether he should have been convicted (by our dogged and determined detective constable, of course!) of the crimes he confessed to. Maggie knows the truth and there's no way she's going to let Raven walk free. But the rest of the team are looking at things from a different angle and analysing the little evidence they have, which frustrates Maggie no end. The plot is so well thought out and once again Holten totally flummoxed me as I didn't have a clue where the story was going.

The team spend a large proportion of time chasing their tails, pondering the very little evidence they have and telling Maggie to stop being so obsessed with Raven and his mind games. I loved this as it allowed more of the characters' personalities to shine through. We get to see a lot more of Maggie in this second book but one character does not a police procedural make. The other characters are just as important and they all add something to the story, no matter how fleeting their appearance. I really warmed to DI Abigail Rutherford and found her a strong and formidable personality (if a little tetchy at times, but I love tetchy!). I hope we see a lot more of her in future.

I think the standout character for me in the novel though is Bill Raven who likes nothing more than playing clever mind games and tormenting poor Maggie at every given opportunity. Winding her up and watching her burn whilst her colleagues shake their heads in dismay at her ever-so-slightly obsessive behaviour. As a reader you know he's bad news, but you can't help but doubt whether he's part of the killings. After all, he's been locked up in prison for a couple of years now. It doesn't make any sense!

Would I recommend this book? I would, yes. It's a well-written, tense and gritty crime novel. I'm particularly looking forward to reading the third book in the series following the brilliantly shocking twist at the end of Dead Wrong. I certainly didn't see that one coming!! If you haven't read the first book in the series then fret not, Dead Wrong can easily be read as a standalone. Holten is definitely one to watch. Recommended.

I chose to read and review an eARC of Dead Wrong. The above review is my own unbiased opinion.

I didn’t think it would be possible for Noelle Holten to write a book any better than the first book in her impressive new police procedural series, but with Dead Wrong she has done so with ease. A fantastic thriller that keeps you on your toes throughout, this second book in the series sees DC Maggie Jamieson return just as her past is about to come back and haunt her.

Notorious serial killer Bill Raven is behind bars after confessing to the murders of three women. But now one of the victims has been found, dismembered and dumped in a bin bag. And there’s a huge problem: she was only murdered two days ago, which means Bill Raven couldn’t possibly be the one who killed her. So now Maggie and her team find themselves on the hunt for a second killer, which throws up another even more important question. What if the other two missing women are still alive?

What follows is a fast paced, exciting and heartstopping race against time to find the missing women before it’s too late. Noelle Holten has written yet another thrilling story that will keep you reading long into the night, drawing on her own extensive knowledge of the criminal system to deliver a book that is as believable as it is exciting. In Maggie Jamieson she has created a strong female character who you can’t help but admire, and I can’t wait to learn even more about her in future installments of this brilliant police procedural series.

I love everything about this series! With a memorable cast of supporting characters and a story that draws you in from the very first page, this is a crime thriller that I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend. Dead Wrong works very well as a standalone, but is so good you’ll want to rush out and buy its predecessor as soon as you’ve turned the last page!

A fantastic and exciting read that I adored!

DC Maggie Jamieson is frustrated. Bill Raven confessed to 3 murders, she succeeded in putting him behind bars but now that he is in jail the bodies of the same women are turning up. Who is killing these women? He is in jail so it cannot be him or is it? The press are all over it and Maggie is under awful pressure to find the answer. The tension builds as nothing makes sense and all leads come to a dead end. Time is of the essence to solve it before Bill Raven makes bail. Added to this Maggie knows he is playing games and is determined to find him guilty again.
This is the second book featuring Maggie Jamieson. I hadn't read the first book so found it hard to get used to the characters and their back story. Once I did I really enjoyed it and will go back to read the 1st book before number 3 comes out later in the year.
Thank you to Netgalley, the publisher and the author for an ARC in exchange for an honest review

This is the second book in the series and I enjoyed it just as much as the first.
Maggie Jameson comes into her own in this book and we really start to find out more about her.
There are lots of twists and turns to keep you gripped and I’m left on the edge of my seat waiting for the 3rd in the series

It is the dreaded second book, how will things go following the events from book one? Well, things are different for sure! Maggie is back with her old team following her escape after the mysterious Bill Raven who haunted her in book one. The problem is he is no longer just a haunting, he is the forefront of her days now and that is something that you really do not want to have!

3 women have gone missing, you might recognise a few names….*cough* and now Maggie is against the clock and the main person involved, sitting behind the bars, is the main man Mr Raven! He loves toying with Maggie way too much and this time, well I was not happy there are somethings you do not toy with, man it was a step too far!!!!

We are running out of time bits of bodies turn up around Staffordshire and Dr Kate Moloney is on call this time to help again. A budding friendship is blossoming between Maggie and Kate, even if there is a hint of will they/won’t they. However, this time something is stalking Kate and well some of these parcels/letters are terrifying, poor girl I would be literally quaking behind my curtains and would never leave the house!

We are given a book which shows the behind the scenes of a police procedure, the frustrations of one woman on “her” crusade to get this man, to keep him behind the bars and she is willing to risk everything for this. She is written in a realistic fashion, she tests her boss’ patience sometimes with her attitude and unwillingness to look elsewhere, yet you can clearly picture that this would happen in a police team where tensions rise high!

This is a gritty and dark book with an ending you don’t expect…..or do you? It will get under your skin, with short snappy chapters you keeping telling yourself, oh just one more chapter tonight. I did find when I was giving the time to sit and read I did fly through the book. There is so much research into this book, I kept trying to picture the places in Staffordshire as I lived there for 4 years, but a lot of the places were made up so I just kept thinking of what it could be. The descriptive writing will have you right in the action with Maggie and the squad. All the senses are heightened, the sounds, the smells – oh god not the smells, and the sights that you can see so vividly in your mind.

It is book 2, you can read this as a standalone, but I will urge you to read the first book as then you will get a more complete picture to what is giving Maggie nightmares.

Now give me book 3!!!!

Another excellent addition to this series! Maggie is determined to prove the man in prison deserves to be there and should not be released! I was sad about the ending but it does tell me there is another book in the series planned! Yippee!

BOOK 39 of 2020 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Dead Wrong by Noelle Holten

BOOK REVIEW
Being in lockdown, I decided to listen to some of my books on my daily walks.
I was so excited to get my hands on book 2 in the D.C. Maggie Jamieson series...
It was an absolutely cracking read.....
Author Noelle Holten debuted her series last year with Dead Inside...
It was a superb start to the series so I felt Dead Wrong would follow suit.
Maggie Jamieson is back and thick in the action trying to prevent the man she put away Bill Raven from an appeal.
The bodies are turning up and Maggie feels the pressure. In her gut she knows that Bill Raven is behind the murders but he is behind bars so he couldn't possibly have committed them.
Her superiors are reluctant to listen to her so she sets about trying to prove she is right with the help of her friend and fellow colleague Kate Moloney.
I love the character of Maggie. She confident, gracious and knows her own mind.
I'm so intrigued to see where Noelle takes book 3. I feel completely invested in this series now.
If you haven't gotten to this series yet, I can't recommend it highly enough.
You are most definitely missing out...

Thank you kindly to Noelle Holten - Author and her publishers One More Chapter Books for my copy of this book. Much appreciated.

Dead Wrong is the second book in the DC Maggie Jamieson series by the hugely talented author Noelle Holten. While I loved the first book in the series, Dead Inside, nothing prepared me for the newest release and I am completely mind-blown! This is not a book you want to start reading at night. Trust me on this. I made that mistake starting well after midnight and let's just say I was still up past 5am drinking cup after cup of coffee and could no longer tell if my heart was racing more from the caffeine or the story!

Everyone by now knows how much I love a good serial killer story and Bill Raven, know as “The Chopper,” was a manipulating and cunning serial killer already behind bars for the past two years after confessing to the murder of three women. Only, none of the bodies were ever found, until now. How can the bodies of the missing women be turning up now when the killer is already caught. Could Bill Raven be telling the truth and he is not the serial killer he once claimed to be? Now that Raven is appealing his sentence, it is up to Maggie to solve the case once and for all, but this time, her job is also hanging on the line. Did she put the wrong man behind bars?

I just totally adore Maggie Jamieson! She is determined, smart, courageous and pushes past barriers in order to get the truth. She is a strong female lead and important member of her team. She is dead set on proving Bill Raven is the culprit even though all of the evidence is pointing elsewhere. She often goes head to head with her DCI in her quest to get to the truth. During the course of the investigation, we get to really delve more into Maggie’s personal and family life. Maggie is bisexual and is catching strong feelings for her friend, Dr Kate Moloney who is lending her expertise to the team and it was really nice seeing their scenes together.

Noelle Holten really delves deep into criminal procedure and forensics. Forensics is actually one of my favorite topics in the criminal justice system and I watch a lot of shows like CSI and Criminal Minds. I just love seeing how evidence can tie together in finding an offender. It just totally fascinates me and to be honest if it wasn’t for my weak stomach (damn you stomach!) I probably would have gone into the field of forensics. But, at the sight of one drop of blood and I am running for the hills like a lunatic. So, for now I will live vicariously through the clevely detailed plots Noelle Holten has created.

There is one last thing I would like to say about Dead Wrong and a message to Noelle Holten. How could you! How could you leave me hanging with THAT ending. OMG! Like, I don’t think I can wait for the third book. I am drooling over here for more and I need it now. Reading a Noelle Holten book is like drugs and I need my next fix! GAH

Needless to say, if you haven’t figured it out yet. Dead Wrong is a definite top 5 for my 2020 reading year. A million trillion gazillion stars. I would add more but is there really anything that comes after a gazillion?! Run. Buy. This. Book. Now!

Although this is billed as book two in the Maggie Jamieson series, it's probably right to say that this is the first time that this is truly Maggie's story as book one really belonged to Lucy. And what a story it is, as Maggie is faced with the reopening of possibly the biggest case in her career, that of serial killer Bill Raven. All the evidence had pointed to Raven being a merciless killer, he even confessed, but when one of the alleged victim's bodies turns up, everything that Maggie thought she knew is thrown into disarray. Did Raven have an accomplice or has Maggie got everything horribly, horribly wrong?

Well ... you're going to have to read to find out, aren't you? And why wouldn't you? This is yet another assured and tense bit of writing from the author, one which balances the point of view of Maggie and the investigative team against the point of view of Raven's 'victims'. Scene's move seamlessly between the two, the tension rising and falling as you read. The moments when we are faced with the perspective of the abducted women is quite chilling. It is clear they are all being kept alive, but only barely, and the way in which you are presented with the first hand account of their treatment will send chills down your spine. But aside from the first body, it is hard to know initially if they are Raven's 'victims' or women newly abducted. You think you know, but you do need to navigate the chilling passages in order to understand the depths of depravity of this particular nemesis.

I like the character of Maggie Jamieson. She is a very strong person, determined if a little likely to go off on her own a touch too much and circumvent procedure, especially when she believes it is holding her back and allowing the bad guys to get away with murder. She has a real fight in her, as well as a clearly defined stubborn streak, but also an innate ability as a Detective that makes her a pleasure to read about. Her friendship with her newly appointed acting DS, Nathan Wright, is well developed and although you get the feeling that, deep down, Maggie could run rings around Nathan, it works well and is probably the right dynamic for the series right now to allow Maggie the freedom to do what she needs to do.

One other friendship which was fun to see develop was between Maggie and the Forensic Psychologist, Kate Moloney. There is a real spark between the two of them and I'm curious to see how that develops over the coming books. For now though, Kate has her own worries and again this adds quite a dark element to an already troubling storyline. I won't spoil it here, but suffice to say that it was fantastically creepy and led to a killer finale that means you. will absolutely have to read the next instalment.

The author uses her knowledge of the justice system to great effect in the book, making the scenes both within the investigation and at the prison with Bill Raven feel very authentic. You could feel the casual menace emanating from Raven, almost experience the way in which he was getting under Maggie's skin, and he was someone who really gets under your skin. As nemeses go, he has the all the hallmarks of a classic - the dangerous combination of brains and charm with an overwhelming propensity for darkness. He isn't by any means the only suspect in this book, and whilst doubt is cast over his guilt in this particular case, there is no doubt that he is harbouring some kind of secret.

This was another great and tense instalment in the series and I'm intrigued to see what comes next. It certainly promises to be more edge of the seat stuff. I can't wait.

Although this is the second book in the DC Maggie Jamieson series, it can be read as a stand alone. It is a thriller about serial killers, specifically Bill Raven who is in prison but who has retracted his confession now that other women are turning up dead, killed and tortured in the same way that he did. Maggie has to prove that she was not wrong about Raven and find the new killer. She is a determined detective who does not mind stepping on toes or offending others, even her superiors. I liked this police procedural that showed a detective hot on the trail and jumping over all of the obstacles in her path. Each short chapter was packed with action and drama, making the book appealing and a fast read. The big twist at the end had me gasping and really looking forward to book #3 in the series. Fans of mysteries, thrillers and police procedurals will enjoy this book.

Disclaimer
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher via Netgalley. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255, “Guides Concerning the Use of Testimonials and Endorsements in Advertising.”

Review for 'Dead Wrong' by Noelle Holten

Read and reviewed via NetGalley for Harper Collins publishing and One more chapter publishing

This is the first book that I have read by this author. I would be happy to read more, especially the next book in the sequel. This is the second book in the 'DC Maggie Jamieson' series. I read it as a standalone with no difficulty. There were a few references to previous cases but any explanations needed are given. I would recommend reading the first book before this one, even though its not necessary, just so you have more of an insight into the characters in this book.

It is written from several different characters perspectives which I enjoyed as you can 'see' more of what is going on as well as get a feel for those characters.

THE book itself is very well written and full of suspense, murder, mystery, crime, twists and turns. I would class this book as a psychological thriller.

The characters are all well defined and realistic and the descriptions are all very good which helps 'put' you on the book. I enjoyed the relationships between the characters and found them all very strong and likeable. Raven reminded me very much of Hannibal Lectors character especially towards the end.

THE book sucked me in at the beginning, then eased off a bit then I was dragged back in from the middle to the fantastic cliff hanger ending which I was not expecting. I also didn't guess who the killer was which gives the book bonus points as there's nothing worse than working it out a few pages into a crime novel.

I recommend this book to fans of crime, murder, psychological thrillers and mysteries.

Based in the UK which is always a bonus for me as I live here, plus it was based in Stafford which isn't that far from me.

Rated 4/5 (I enjoyed it ) on Goodreads and Amazon (UK and. Com) and over 30 Facebook pages

£2.99 to purchase on kindle. I think this is an excellent price for this book.

432 pages

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This is the second book in the series featuring DC Maggie Jameson. I hadn’t read the first book but thought this one read well as a stand-alone, but as I got hooked on the character I will definitely be reading it now. We find an old case coming back to haunt Maggie. Three years previously she was responsible for convicting Bill Raven, who admitted to abducting and killing three girls. Their bodies were never found but when the body parts of one of them turn up, the evidence proves that she was killed recently. This puts into doubt that Raven could have killed her as he was still serving his life sentence in prison. He then claims that he was coerced into giving false evidence so everyone believes that Maggie could have convicted an innocent man. She and her team now have to find out the truth. This was a gripping read with likeable characters and I can’t wait to read book number three. A highly recommended read.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for giving me the opportunity to read and review this book.