This was another page turner of a novel from Noelle that I really enjoyed. I really like the style of writing in this series, the chapters are quick and compelling which builds up the atmosphere as the killers creepiness escalates. I did sort of guess the perpetrator early on, but the actual motive and story was a mystery until the end. It was definitely not something I saw coming and was quite out of leftfield.

Dead Perfect does follow on from the previous novel but I think there is enough background in it to read as a standalone. However I would recommend starting this series from the beginning especially if you like your stories gripping and scary from the outset.

This was my first Noelle Holton book, and my first Maggie Jamieson mystery. It will definitley not be my last. It is a brilliant book with fantastic pace, and as a whodunnit - does the job - it keeps you guessing. The attention to detail is amazing and the creepy aspect of a stalker who wants his own living doll is so believable. The characters are expertly drawn and so real as they grapple with crime creeping into their lives.
Beautiful letters, with gold calligraphy on black paper are not gifts at all, they are a step towards the stalker as he lures his victims into his lair. All he wants is his perfect doll, but all Maggie and the Staffordshire police department want is to protect one of their own, and to find this man before another victim dies.
This book is so current and just the best thing to loose yourself in, along with a cup of coffee - no matter how late, as you will be up reading all night.

A dark and creepy tale. This is the third book in Noelle Holten’s DC Maggie Jameson series; and I’d have to say the BEST YET! I also have to say Noelle you’re starting to scare me a little, what’s going on in that brain of yours? The book picks up right where the last book ended. A dead body is discovered that bares an uncanny resemblance to one of Maggie‘s friends. relieved to find out it was not her friend, but concerned that this is no coincidence Maggie puts her all into the case. but as the bodies start falling it looks as though the killer is escalating. What is his end game and is Kate the true prize. A twisted and disturbing Game of cat and mouse. I could not figure out what the killer was playing at, I just knew he was one screwed up person. Maggie showed a little more emotion in this book. She generally keeps others and the reader at arms distance but it was nice to see a little more about her in this book. it was also nice to see some diversity with Maggie coming to terms with her sexuality. I am not certain they would’ve kept Maggie on this case, I thought it was a bit of a conflict of interest, but hey it’s fiction. The investigation was intriguing and even though I read quite a few reviews that said the culprit was revealed early I truly had no idea who it was. And more than that I was very surprised by his motivation, not sure I’ve ever seen things play out like this before. another electric installment in this compelling series.

*** Big thank you to One More Chapter for my gifted copy of this book. All opinions are my own. ***

Maggie is back with the 3rd book in the series. It could be read as a standalone, but I recommend reading the first 2 as there is quite a bit referred to from the first books that is not necessarily integral to the story, but will definitely make it a more rounded read.

DC Maggie Jamieson is back again!! The body of a young woman is found in a park...she was disfigured and dressed to look like Maggie's friend Dr Kate Moloney. This case hits too close to home...The premise behind this killer is chilling to say the least.

This book is part of a series and is best read in order. I have really enjoyed the entire series. They are quick reads and full of action, tense moments, and creepy killers. I am a sucker for police procedurals, I love when a book makes me feel like I am there at the scene. I particularly love a strong female protoagonsist and Maggie Jamieson checks all my boxes.

If you are looking for a great crime thriller and police procedural check this one out. It's fantastic!

With thanks to HarperCollins UK, One More Chapter and NetGalley for the ARC.

Noelle Holtens third novel in just 18 months shows her growth as a writer.

A great read.

Full review to follow...

WoW....Double WoW!

This latest book by Noelle Holten was just brilliant!!! Her books just get better and better and when her latest book came available I had to find time, stop my renovations on my farmhouse and find a quiet corner with a mug of coffee and open my kindle! Oh boy! Noelle's latest book Dead Perfect did not disappoint! It was brilliant! I was hooked within the first few pages and I didn't want this book to finish!
This book is the third book in the DC Maggie Jamieson series and I have enjoyed every single in of these.

When you start to read her books you become apart of the story and all her characters fit well within the story.
However, I do recommend you read these books in order.

I found this author by chance and I am so glad I did. Her books are a "Breath of fresh air" and I highly recommend all Noelle's Books.

Big thank you to Netgalley, Harper Collins and One more chapter and of course Noelle Holten the author for supplying a copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review.

Another great book by Noelle.
D.C Maggie is called to a murder scene in a park to find a disfigured woman clothed to resemble someone who Maggie knows well Dr Kate Maloney
Kate has been stalked in the past and they think she might be the intended victim.
the Killer is very disturbed and they want to catch him before anything happens to Kate
This book will have you hooked from the start to the end.
Thanks NetGalley

This was very good crime fiction and is the 3rd book in the series. I recommend reading them in order so you will understand the backstory. DC Maggie must catch a serial killer who is stalking her friend Kate. There is plenty of suspense with twists.
Many thanks to Harper Collins UK and to NetGalley for providing me with a galley in exchange for my honest opinion.

The previous book left the readers with a cliff hanger to deal with. I still don’t understand how I survived all those weeks not knowing what the outcome would be, but now finally I could immerse myself in book 3.
If you did not exactly remember how book 2 ended, you don’t have to look it up. The author kindly repeats a few of the most important facts.
Maggie is not always the most discrete person. She wears her heart on het sleeve and often she does not try to hide her feelings. She shows her frustration and her concern and she gets reprimanded for it. I am sure she does not aim her sometimes harsh words at someone directly. It’s just letting steam off and people around her should know that by now and not take is as an insult.
The atmosphere between Maggie and Nathan has changed too and not for the better.
Poor Bethany. Did she ever get some sleep with the workload she got to deal with?
Why do people keep being so stubborn even when their life is at stake? Why can’t they just accept that for the time being they have to change their ways? Well, probably because we would have a lot less thrillers to enjoy LOL.
Anyway, a great story with a culprit who has a few screws loose. Were we treated to another cliff hanger? You will have to find that out for yourself. 4 stars

Thank you, Noelle Holten and One More Chapter

This is my first time reading the author. Dead Perfect is a corker of a thriller so I will check out her other books. I want to read about Maggie’s earlier cases. There are some things I missed the full meaning of as I haven’t read the other books. Maggie is a great character, tough, driven and a bit of a bad ass. Dead Perfect is very intense and unsettling as Maggie and her team try to find and stop a macabre stalker who kills his victims and alters their appearance before dumping them. I had the flesh crawlies. I loved the tension and fast pace and the book rattles along. This is a gripping book.

Dead Perfect is Noelle Holten's is third instalment in her gripping police procedural series and heralds the return of DC Maggie Jamieson. This third instalment is every bit as exciting as the others. I was completely hooked by the brilliant plot and the characters and the tension levels are incredibly high as Maggie and her team race against time to find the killer.

As I zipped through the pages in my haste to reach the end of the line, I marvelled at the disturbing and truly gritty writing by Noelle Holten who clearly understands the mind and behaviours of depraved individuals. This helped to make the plot feel authentic. It was a very personal investigation for Maggie and the reader was part of an exploration of Maggie’s friendship with Kate, as well as the feelings she has for her friend. With an astonishing denouement to an excellent, gruesome and hard-hitting story, the ending sets the scene for the next book in the series. I am now waiting with (im)patience to see what Noelle Holten has in store for us crime readers and DC Maggie Jamieson, next!

I received a complimentary copy of this novel at my request from One More Chapter via NetGalley. This review is my own unbiased opinion.

How is it even possible for Noelle Holten to write a book even better than the first two books in her impressive police procedural series featuring DC Maggie Jamieson? But with Dead Perfect she has somehow done so with ease. A fantastic thriller that keeps you on your toes throughout, this third book in the series sees Maggie on the hunt for a serial killer whose next victim could be someone far too close to home.

Beginning shortly after the previous book ended DC Maggie Jamieson has been called to the scene of a murder. But this is no ordinary murder. The victim has been disfigured and her clothes changed to resemble someone else. Someone Maggie knows all too well: her close friend Dr Kate Maloney. With Kate already unnerved by a stalker who has been sending her letters and gifts, Maggie knows she must do everything in her power to keep her friend safe. Is the person who has been stalking Kate the killer they’re looking for? Or is it possible there are two people obsessed with her, one of whom is turning his victims into exact replicas of the doctor. His very own living dolls…

What follows is a fast paced, exciting and heartstopping race against time to catch the killer 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.

Dead Perfect is a dark and chilling read that drew me in from the very first page and didn’t let go until the final, thrilling page had been turned. There are moments that sent shivers up and down my spine, not wanting to carry on reading for fear of what was going to happen next. But Noelle Holten’s writing is so good and the story so addictive that I couldn’t tear my eyes away, not even for a second. Powerful, exciting and gripping, it held me in its thrall from beginning to end!

With a memorable cast of supporting characters and a story that hooks its claws into you from the very first page, this is a crime thriller that I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend. Dead Perfect does work well as a standalone, but with past events mentioned and the personal lives of characters evolving, I would recommend reading the previous two books in the series first. But with a series as good as this one is, why on earth wouldn’t you want to start at the beginning anyway?!

An exciting addition to what is fast becoming one of my favourite series of books to read, I’m already eagerly awaiting the next installment of DC Maggie Jamieson’s story.

This is the first book I read in this series and won't surely be the last as I loved it.
It's gripping, atmospheric and highly entertaining. It kept me on the edge till the end and turning pages fast as I wanted to read about the next twist.
My favorite character is Maggie, a complex and strong woman. I loved her and appreciated the other well thought characters.
The plot is tightly knitted, full of twists and turns,, and kept my attention till the last page.
An excellent read that I strongly recommend.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine

5☆ Pacy, Twisty, Engrossing, Tense, Eerie & Suspenseful...The Perfect Crime Thriller!

Dead Perfect is an eerie, gripping, suspenseful, thrilling and tense crime thriller that from the first few pages I knew I was in for a treat.

It's not often you get a serial killer on the lose that is intent on turning his victims into looking like someone else. A replica Doll like version of someone very familiar to DC Jamieson.
Each victim is just the starters leading up to the main attraction.

But DC Maggie Jamieson is beginning to wonder if these victims are somehow connected to her friend and colleague Dr Kate Moloney.
So far she is safe, but for how long?
Someone has already been stalking her.... what if she's next?... what if she is the main event?

But can Maggie catch the killer before he gets to Kate? Or is there more to this case than meets the eye! A race against time, but who wins.

I thoroughly enjoyed reading Dead Perfect. I love Noelle's writing style, she has this way of drawing her readers deep into the thick of the plot, then embroiling them into the investigation side which was brilliantly plotted.

Once again Noelle Holten has written an absolute gem!
It's twisty, fast paced, gripping, tense, with a race against the clock, cat and mouse thriller that had me on tender hooks till the very end!

If you haven't yet had the pleasure of reading Noelle Holten's books then I highly recommend reading this Enthralling Crime Thriller.


Thank you to Sarah at BOTBS Tours
for this copy which I reviewed honestly and voluntarily.

Meet DC. Maggie Jamieson with the Major and Organized Crime Department. Her good friend, Dr. Kate Mulroney, matches the description of a body that was found. Kate had reported that she has been stalked and that someone was leaving her strange "gifts". What exactly is going on? Who is this stalker? Are they responsible for Kate's death? and why?

I enjoyed how the novel unfolds and keeps you guessing and second guessing. There is so much going on that you will find yourself hooked as the story unfolds. I enjoyed how the story was told from multiple POV's - parts are told from DC Maggie's perspective and parts are told from "his" perspective, the kidnapper.

A novel full of surprises and suspense that you are sure to enjoy.

GRIPPING suspense, well written with great characters in this fast paced thriller. TERRIFIC police procedural dealing with a stalker & a sadistic killer Tension & edge of your seat read. First time reading this author & will backtrack to read the other 2 in this series. RECOMMEND totally. Thanks to NetGalley & One More Chapter for a complimentary ARC in exchange for my honest opinions.



#omcreads

When Detective Maggie Jamieson investigates a body found in the park she thinks it is her friend Kate. However it turns out that someone has gone to a great deal of trouble to make it look like her. Maggie is very concerned when Kate tells her she has been getting some strange notes & feels like there is someone watching her. When another body is found that again resembles Kate, Maggie insists Kate stays with her until she has proper security. Kate agrees, although she is not too happy with this. The body count goes up & then Kate disappears- can Maggie save her.

This had a lot of creepy details & seeing things from the stalker's perspective ramped up the suspense. There were a number of clues leading to the murderer, which I got for a change! This is the third in the series. I haven't read the others but it didn't really make much difference. This would have got five stars if Maggie hadn't irritated me so much by her immaturity & that, even though she is in the sights of a murderer, Kate STILL can't manage to make sure she has her mobile with her! All in all it was a good read. Thanks to Netgalley & the publisher for letting me read & review this book.

It’s my own fault, I know that. If I just hadn’t googled that instrument mentioned in the prologue, I’m sure my stomach would not have squicked quite so much reading this book. But I did, and the feeling of dread and apprehension that the prologue left me with didn’t really go away for the rest of the book.

I was so keen to read Dead Perfect. At the end of Dead Wrong, we knew Dr Kate Maloney was in trouble, but how much trouble we learn quite quickly in this novel. The body of a young woman is found and Staffordshire Police quickly realise that she has been carefully dressed and her appearance changed so that her appearance becomes horribly close to that of one of their own – Dr Kate Maloney, the psychiatrist who often works with the team. Is this the stalker that has Kate so worried? Maggie is convinced that Kate is in danger and the team agree.

Moreover, it soon seems that the stalker’s actions are escalating when another body is found, dressed and mutilated and with a tattooed mark similar to that found on the first victim. What does it all mean and why?

Maggie is beside herself with worry. Her burgeoning friendship with Kate is impacting on her professional competence and she is short with colleagues and impetuous in her actions. You’d expect that, in a this kind of situation, her bosses would not be too impressed with this kind of behaviour, and you’d be right. Kate is slapped down hard more than once by her boss, the recently promoted DS Nathan Wright who tells her that she’s close to being taken off the case if she can’t keep her emotions in check.

Not only that, but the circumstances of this case mean that she’s forced to work with Julie Noble, the sly and pushy journalist who has given her such grief and who previously publicly impugned her capabilities .

In a fast paced and decidedly dark police procedural, Noelle Holten is not afraid to show us a team of competent officers sifting carefully through the evidence but being frustrated at every turn as their suspects alibi out. The tension is palpable and the nerves fraying as this team know that keeping Kate Maloney safe is their paramount concern along with catching the perpetrator, but Kate isn’t good at handling close supervision.

I love the way that Holten plays across the whole integrated multi-agency team from social care and domestic abuse through to probation, psychology and the Police. It gives hera broad canvas to work across and an excellent team of characters to choose from. Each book can be read as a stand-alone, but now we are beginning to get a real sense of characters and character development, it will pay off to read these books in order.

In this book, we not only learn more about Maggie, but aspects of Kate Maloney’s past are also revealed; things Kate wanted to stay in the past and which show us that she is more vulnerable than we might have imagined as we looked at her goth like appearance and the veneer of her confident and assertive approach to her work.

I also really like that Noelle Holten doesn’t have everything go the way her characters would like. Here you will not find easy answers or convenient clues, but you will find solid police work and a morass of evidence that leads the team in circles until they work out what they have missed.

It feels authentic and that in turn leads to a greater excitement when, once they know they are on the right track, the team are quickly able to piece together the story. And what a story! Though I knew pretty early who the perpetrator was likely to be, I had no sense at all of why and what their motivation might be.

Verdict: Holten is full of surprises and this really helps to distinguish this book from the standard police procedural. Another tension filled cracker from the Staffordshire team in a series that is fast becoming unmissable.

This is the 3rd book in the DI Maggie Jamieson series and another gripping instalment and an emotional rollercoaster for Maggie.

This one hit too close to home for Maggie, her good friend and colleague, Dr. Kate Moloney is being stalked and when Maggie attends the murder scene of a young woman, her heart is in her mouth as the young woman resembles Kate. Is Kate a target, what is the killer trying to say, is the killer the stalker? So many questions running through her mind and the need to protect Kate. When another body turns up, Maggie is beside herself, they need to find the murderer/serial killer before it’s too late! Can she keep Kate safe?

This was an edge of your seat gruesome thriller with twists and turns along the way, I love this series which just keeps delivering more and more, I can’t wait to see what more is in store for Maggie