I received a free eARC of Dead Perfect but that has in no way influenced my review.

After being left dangling on a pulse-pounding cliffhanger at the end of Dead Wrong, the second book in this series, I couldn't wait to make a start on this third instalment. DC Maggie Jamieson is back with a bang and hunting down another deranged killer who, best not to mention this to anyone, I actually felt quite sorry for in the end. I'm sure that's just me though.

A murdered woman is found in a local park, her eyes and mouth sewn shut. DC Maggie Jamieson and Acting DS Nathan Wright are called to the scene to investigate.  Maggie is nervous though. Reports of the deceased sound just like her friend (and secret crush) Dr Kate Moloney. Kate has been receiving odd gifts and messages from an unknown source. Has her stalker taken the next terrifying step? There's no denying the dead woman looks a lot like Kate. Her face, her hair, her clothes...it's like a mirror image. Maggie instinctively knows that Dr Moloney is in grave danger. Can she find the killer before it's too late...?

Dead Perfect is another great addition to the DC Maggie Jamieson series. What puts this book head and shoulders above other police procedurals is the author's knowledge of the probation service. Holten's experience shines through and, as a regular reader of crime fiction, it's really interesting and enjoyable to have a different perspective on things. I'm hoping these insights will continue as there was a great sub-plot with probation officer, Lucy Sherwood, who featured heavily in the first book, Dead Inside, setting up a refuge for domestic abuse survivors.

What I really enjoyed (yes, I'm strange) is the widening gap between Acting DS Nathan Wright and Maggie. At the start of the series they were equals. Now, Nathan is the boss and he's putting Maggie firmly in her place. There's palpable tension there, things are changing, and I'm looking forward to seeing how it develops. I really missed DI Abigail Rutherford who I had a bit of a soft spot for in the last book. Although she was there, she wasn't very involved in the storyline but I expect that's because DS Wright has stepped up to the mark and taken lead of the team (which I assume is how real life policing works).

Would I recommend this book? I would, yes. Dead Perfect is a pacey story with a cast of great characters who I'm really warming to. I was able to spot 'whodunnit' from fairly early on but that didn't spoil my enjoyment of the book. I'm looking forward to seeing how several of the relationships develop in the next book, particularly between Maggie and reporter Julie Noble. I think reading this book as a standalone wouldn't cause too many issues but why not treat yourself and pick up all three! Recommended.

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

Dead Perfect is the third book in the DC Maggie Jamieson series. In this instalment, the body of a young woman is found in the park. Her appearance has been changed and she’s been left disfigured, but bizarrely, the woman strongly resembles her close friend Dr Kate Moloney. Maggie needs to find the murderer but also protect her friend whose life she feels is in great danger. This book was really enjoyable and I found it hard to put down. Thank you to NetGalley, Harper Collins UK, One More Chapter and the author for the chance to review.

I absolutely loved reading this, it gripped me until the very last page. I loved the main character Maggie, and found the story exciting and tense. Highly recommend.

A slow burner. I felt that Maggie was too opinionated and that wouldn’t have been tolerated in a real police investigation by a D C. Just something lacking for me. Good premise though. Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the chance to review it.

I'd been meaning to read Dead Perfect by Noelle Holten for such a long time, but other books kept creeping into my diary! The struggles of book blogging are real ;) Finally, I said, "no more!" and I jumped straight in. And now I'm kicking myself for having waited so long. 

This was a fabulous, fast-paced read. Admittedly, I haven't read the others in the series, but I'll be putting that right very soon. 

When the body of a woman is found in a local park, Staffordshire police are naturally called in. But, unfortunately for DC Maggie Jamieson, the victim bears an uncanny resemblance to someone she is rather fond of - a colleague and good friend, Dr Kate Moloney. Maggie is attracted to Kate, a fact which often blurs her actions and leads to her overreacting or missing key leads. 

But why would Kate be the next victim? It's a coincidence, surely?

Maybe not. Because Kate has been on the receiving end of some odd gifts and letters. It would appear she has a stalker. 

And this is not the only victim - another woman is found soon after bearing the same resemblance. Yet, after further investigation, the two dead women are nothing like Kate - who has a penchant for black, Goth-style clothing and makeup. Rather, it seems the killer has changed their appearances to look like Kate. Eek! 

On top of that, he has also performed a rudimentary lobotomy on both victims too. 

Concerns are rife that Kate is his likely next victim, and Maggie invites her friend to stay with her until security measures can be taken at Kate's own home. 

From here on, Maggie tries not to leave Kate on her own - anywhere. This becomes untenable for Kate, and causes a rift between the two of them. 

The story is a cat and mouse chase to find the killer, but he has hidden his tracks well. Clues come and go, leads vanish into nothing and it seems they will never find him. The pace in the last few chapters picks up even more as the killer seeks his prey, and the police seek the killer.

It's an exciting read and a real page-turner overall. There are a few inconsistencies towards the end but nothing that prevented me from wanting to know the outcome. 

Thank you NetGalley and One More Chapter for my copy of Dead Perfect.

The 3rd book in the Maggie Jamieson series is another great addition to the series from Noelle Holten.

Maggie and Kates lives and relationship continues to evolve as Kate finds herself the target of a stalker and serial killer.

As ever, Noelle Holten writes with an inviting and welcoming prose that ensures that all readers of any level can pick up and enjoy her books, though laced with evil as usual.

The pacing is good and Maggie is growing all the time. Twists and tension abound, though I guessed th3 killer early doors I still enjoyed this latest thriller.

Dead Perfect is the 3rd book featuring DC Maggie Jamieson and I strongly suggest reading these books in order. I think you would miss too much if you don’t. I really like Maggie’s character and her work ethics and loyalty to those close to her. I would want her in my corner if I was in trouble.

This one picks up exactly where Dead Wrong finished, with a woman being found in a park who beats an uncanny resemblance to Maggie’s friend and colleague Kate. Kate’s stalker is ramping up and Maggie is determined to stop him, while keeping her friend safe. Easier said than done, this killer is clever and sneaky and Kate is a very independent woman. It is a cat and mouse chase til the very end.

Thanks to Harper Collins UK for my advanced copy of this book to read.

3.5 stars.

A woman is found dead in a local park. DC Maggie Jamieson is a bit freaked out as the victim bears an uncanny resemblance to her friend and colleague, forensic psychologist Kate Moloney. Another victim is soon found also resembling Kate. The case is very strange as there are no marks on the women except some bruising around the eyes from a crude attempt to lobotomise them. Who would do such a thing? And why?

Meanwhile Kate has been receiving disturbing notes that suggest she has a stalker. When similar notes on identical black paper are found at the victim’s homes Maggie realises that the killer and Kate’s stalker are the same person. Her fear for Kate skyrockets but she can’t talk freely to her about the case so there’s a lot of tip-toeing around as Maggie does what she can to ensure Kate’s safety. But will it be enough?

Naturally things spiral out of control and get very suspenseful and fraught. This is the third book in a series and I think it might have helped if I had read the earlier books. As it was I didn’t feel much connection to the characters. Also, rather unfortunately, I suspected who the killer was quite early which spoiled some of the suspense for me. Nevertheless this was a very good police procedural that ticked a lot of boxes and didn’t have any gruesomeness or other trigger items. Many thanks to Netgalley, HarperCollins UK and Noelle Holten for providing a copy. My opinions are my own.

After how Dead Wrong ended, the second book in the series, I have been desperate to read this one. Am pleased to say it did not disappoint and has been well worth the wait.

Maggie and Kate are both professionals whose career paths meant that they have come into contact of which the two women have formed a good friendship so far in the series. Maggie has good reason to be concerned about her friend and she is determined to catch Kate’s stalker. Sadly finding out just who it is proves to not be that easy. The relationship between Kate and Maggie does throw up some questions which also had me eager to see just what direction the author would take it in.

This is an author who brings her characters to life. I loved the relationships between them all in Maggie’s personal life as well as in her working one. You get to really care about them and I could feel the tension inside of me build as things start to take a very sinister course. With the attention being on Kate, it allows us to get to know her better as well as some of the others in the team. Kat is one in particular I love and she sure knows how to steal the lime light when she appears with her straight talking, no nonsense, personality. I love her!

The story is woven in such a way that you think you have it all solved with those pesky red herrings that are left pointing you in the wrong direction so that when the truth comes out, I was like what the actual ****!

Dead Perfect is a book in a great crime series that just keeps getting better and better. Yet again the author ends the story in such a way that I am counting the days and hours until the next one is released. The crimes and murders make this a book and series that make for a nail-biting yet exhilarating reading experience that keeps me hooked. If you haven’t read any yet, then you really should.

# Dead Perfect #Netgalley
I have been following the Maggie Jameson series with great anticipation and couldn’t wait for the next book to be released. I was about a third of the way through when I realised I had already read this book. I must have read it when it actually came out in hardback. Nevertheless I still continued to read it. Although I remember a lot about the book particularly the Lo........... s sorry almost put a spoiler in just then. It’s one hell of a read with twists coming from everywhere including the acting Di who she thought was actually a friend. It a really tense situation at times. You are almost cringing you want to know but at the same time you do. It’s like one of those scenes on tv you want to look at the same time you don’t because you are scared what you will see. That’s the only way I can describe parts of this book. It’s with sheer uncertainty. I felt my actually toes curing up with tendon until I gave myself cramp. Ok I can have a bit of a laugh about that now but not at the time. It’s certainly a book I would recommend. I know you are going to be sat at the edge of your seat with your teeth clenched in parts. It’s grim but bloody worth every word of reading. I hope you enjoy as much as I did. I am sure you will highly recommend this book

Number 3 in the series and another great read. I’m really enjoying this series and the subplots
This book opens exactly where the last finished and I felt like I’d benefited from having read the first two back to back. That being said this works well as a stand-alone but to get the best out of it I’d advise you to read them in order. Maggie is faced with the prospect of the possible brutal death of one of her close friends. The relief encountered when it’s not her is quickly replaced by a rollercoaster ride, as the bodies mount up and the perpetrator is definitely putting her friend and colleague at risk. I did actually spot the villain only to discount him! Lovely to see the characters from the other two books cross over here and the gentle way Maggie’s sexuality and family history get alluded to, I suspect we’ve more to enjoy on that front too

This review will go live on 21 September:

Hi and welcome to my review of Dead Perfect, the third instalment in the DC Maggie Jamieson series.

I read Dead Inside last year and its successor, Dead Wrong, was one of my 20 books of summer. I KNEW I wouldn’t be able to wait until October to read Dead Perfect, and I was right: as I write this it’s early September, I took a wee reviewing break, and as soon as I felt ready to read a book up for review I picked up Dead Perfect.

As mentioned, Dead Perfect is the third book in a series. Although the story can be read as a standalone, I really do believe it helped me that I’d read the previous books, not so much for the story but for the characters, especially Maggie and where she’s coming from. With her friend Kate’s life in danger, Maggie’s anguish about Kate’s well-being positively leapt from the pages and I totally got that, because I was there to watch her feelings for Kate grow in Dead Wrong. Had I not witnessed that, I might have felt like she was overreacting, like she should get a grip? As it stands, I just wanted to hug her and tell her that everything would be fine. Although I sincerely had my doubts about that, as I’ve noticed that this is an author who has few qualms about putting her characters through the ringer!

Having read Dead Inside, it was so nice to see Lucy again, find out what she’s been up to in the meantime, and having read Dead Wrong, it was great to reassess my hopes and expectations. The thing I was hoping for did not come to fruition, and with the new information I gathered it looks as though it never will, but on the other hand, the thing I was afraid of happening also did not happen, so there’s that.

Like its predecessors, Dead Perfect has short chapters that propel the story forwards, and never failed to lure me into the oh-just-one-more-chapter trap, as a consequence I raced through it. This is easily the most suspenseful instalment of the three so far, I was invested throughout, and those last 100 pages or so had me on tenterhooks. After a loooooong day at work, curling up on the sofa with Dead Perfect was such a treat and I had to fight myself to put it down and get some sleep, instead of racing through the last chapters in search of the reveal. I was DYING to know whodunnit, but I also wanted to savour that last part, not rush it while fighting off sleep.

Well I’ve finished it and that big reveal came as quite a surprise, which is really rather astonishing because I’d actually had that particular person in my crosshairs, I was SO SURE at one point, but I let them go because I got carried away by other events and people and deftly positioned red herrings, making me lose sight of my suspect, well done Noelle!

Dead Perfect is erm… well… a dead perfect police procedural, really. I thoroughly enjoyed it, start to finish, it has heart, it has suspense, and whenever the fourth instalment is due to be published it’s too late cos this little Belgian book lover needs it NOW! Recommended!

Dead Perfect is out in eBook format on 16 October and in paperback on 24 December. Pre-order your copy now!

Thanks to HarperCollins UK (One More Chapter) and NetGalley for the review copy. All opinions are my own.

Another great instalment to the series which resolved the end of the last book.

I love the characters in this series. All relatable in their own ways. They are progressing personally as well as professionally in their lives. The duel storylines that encompass this adds to the suspense and created a sense of familiarity to them.

I loved the concept of this book too The storyline as always was great and had a few surprises and ends in another cliffhanger which Noelle Holten executed perfectly and I e come to love.

I’m just sad I have to wait a few more months to read the next.

Dead Perfect
by Noelle Holten
HarperCollins UK, One More Chapter
One More Chapter
General Fiction (Adult) | Mystery & Thrillers
Pub Date 16 Oct 2020 | Archive Date Not set

This is an absolutely gripping crime thriller with dark and jaw-dropping twists. I have not read the other two books in this series so I will definitely plan to do that.
Thanks to HarperCollins UK and Netgalley for the ARC of this book.

4 star

Just so you know, right after I’ve finished this review I’m going to make myself sit in the corner & think about what I’ve done. Yup, I’m throwing in the towel & marking this one as LTS….life’s too short. Unfortunately, we’re parting ways & I don’t feel it’s fair to give a star rating if I don’t finish the book (had to one-star on NG due to site rules).

So here’s the thing. Each of us has preferences or pet peeves that make us either grab a book or refuse to touch it with a barge pole. It can be a genre, writing style or character trope. I get hung up on credibility. Doesn’t matter if it’s sci-fi or historical fiction, I have to believe the character would do & say what’s ascribed to them. And in this case, I’m afraid I just couldn’t get there.

The MC is DC Maggie Jamieson (this is book #3 but the first I’ve read which may have been part of the problem so that’s on me), a 10+ year veteran at the Stafford police station. If that statistic had not been included, I would have guessed she was a young & green DC.

Discrepancies in the narrative began early in the story. Briefly, Maggie’s colleague & “close friend” Dr. Kate Moloney has a stalker which was established in the previous book. In the first few pages here, Maggie’s boss DS Nathan Wright leaves her a message that a body has been found & “Sounds just like your friend, Dr. Moloney. I’m so sorry, Maggie”. Um…what? At that point all they knew was the body was female, lying face down. Don’t police wait until they have ID? Nathan may want to work on his grasp of procedure as well as his communication skills. Also, it made me wonder if Maggie would have been allowed to participate in the investigation.

I made it to 35% & by then there were just too many gaps in continuity & procedure for me to move forward. Maggie freely admits her personal feelings can cloud her judgement (although she’s furious when a colleague suggests this is the case) & this is borne out by emotional outbursts & obsessive thinking, especially where the good doctor is concerned. Kate is described as a close friend but I felt no connection between the 2 characters & their dialogue is somewhat stilted in places. The killer is easily spotted early on & when I checked the ending to make sure, I found out the book ends on a cliffhanger. And don’t get me started on having a character, repeatedly described as intelligent, make TDTL decisions.

There are other examples but I don’t want to risk spoilers. I read a lot of books in this particular genre & there was nothing particularly new here for me. But if the many glowing reviews on Goodreads are any indication, I’m happy to say it’s ending up in the right hands. If you’ve liked the previous books, obviously you & Maggie have bonded & no doubt you’ll love this as well. Also, I think those who don’t read a lot of police procedurals would enjoy these characters & their dramatic interactions.

So this was simply a mismatch & I’m truly grateful for the chance to try a new series. But as a friend of mine says, if you’re reading for pleasure & it starts to feel like homework, it’s time to move on. Now if you’ll excuse me, there’s a chair in the corner with my name on it 😔

This series is just getting better with each book. After the cliffhanger of the last book, Dead Wrong, I was desperate for answers. DC Maggie Jamieson is part of the team  investigating the murders of young women. An intriguing plot, which certainly has the intense, edge of the seat factor. Looking forward to the next book in this great series.

I would like to thank Netgalley, Harper Collins and One More Chapter for allowing me to read Dead Perfect in exchange for my honest review.

Although this is book 3 in a series, it can be read as a standalone, however, reading books 1 and 2 would be recommended, in fact, after finishing this, I went and purchased books 1 and 2 :).

It did take me a few pages to get into the story, but that was me as I was reading it late at night, just didn't want to wait. BUT then it hooked me ....

Wow, I loved it, and I had no idea who the murderer was and definitely didn't guess the reason behind it, although I did think at one point I knew who it was, but nope dead end.

I loved Maggie and Kate's friendship as well as the nosy reporter.

I can't wait to read the first two and really hope that there will be more in the series.

Another great Maggie Jamieson book.

She is at it again, as usual Maggie goes at everything full throttle, which sometimes rubs people up the wrong way, but in true Maggie fashion her heart is in the right place.

She is a great detective and really fun to read.

Loved the book, as usual, really great read, with a cracking storyline. Well written and edge of the seat stuff.

Highly recommended 5 stars.

The moment I started reading Noelle Holten’s new novel, Dead Perfect, my heart was in my mouth. What a way to open a book! After the cliff hanger, Noelle left her last book on, I was desperate to get round to reading the next book as soon as possible, and I think it’s her best book yet in this series.

This time around DC Maggie Jamieson is left fearing for the life of her close friend, Dr Kate Moloney, after the body of a woman is discovered. The woman who has been found bears a strong resemblance to Kate, which immediately sparks thoughts that it is her. But Maggie doesn’t quite feel the sense of relief she should feel when the body is identified as someone else. What becomes clear is that someone is targeting Kate, and they are killing women who look very similar to her. Is this to send Kate a message? It isn’t clear. But Maggie now knows her friend’s life is under imminent threat and she is determined to protect her.

My heart rate kept increasing as I raced through this book. You can see how desperate the killer is to get to Kate, but you are never quite sure what their motive is here. Kate herself has been stalked recently, which gives Maggie cause for concern, and she wants Kate to step up her security. However, Kate doesn’t seem to be particularly keen, especially as she doesn’t want to be attached to her phone all the time.

You can see Maggie’s feelings for Kate growing in this book, and her feelings for Kate is what makes Maggie even more concerned for her welfare and keen to protect her. I really liked this side of Maggie, and it makes her character feel much more real and human. After finishing the latest book, I’m wondering just how things for Maggie are going to develop next.

As Noelle has done in the first two books in the series, she uses her knowledge of the probation system, adding a ring of authenticity to her writing.

If you’re not yet reading this series, you’re missing out on some excellent books. Noelle Holten keeps the tension rising, and then she always ends with another cliff hanger that makes you desperate to read her next book. Brilliant stuff!

An interesting but slow moving story line, with a not particularly original mo for the perpetrator. D C Maggie Jamieson private life seems to affect her judgement at times. However getting to the surprising end of the story and realising who the culprit was. I the reader didn’t fathom this one out.