Due to a sudden, unexpected passing in the family a few years ago and another more recently and my subsequent (mental) health issues stemming from that, I was unable to download this book in time to review it before it was archived as I did not visit this site for several years after the bereavements. This meant I didn't read or venture onto netgalley for years as not only did it remind me of that person as they shared my passion for reading, but I also struggled to maintain interest in anything due to overwhelming depression. I was therefore unable to download this title in time and so I couldn't give a review as it wasn't successfully acquired before it was archived. The second issue that has happened with some of my other books is that I had them downloaded to one particular device and said device is now defunct, so I have no access to those books anymore, sadly.

This means I can't leave an accurate reflection of my feelings towards the book as I am unable to read it now and so I am leaving a message of explanation instead. I am now back to reading and reviewing full time as once considerable time had passed I have found that books have been helping me significantly in terms of my mindset and mental health - this was after having no interest in anything for quite a number of years after the passings. Anything requested and approved will be read and a review written and posted to Amazon (where I am a Hall of Famer & Top Reviewer), Goodreads (where I have several thousand friends and the same amount who follow my reviews) and Waterstones (or Barnes & Noble if the publisher is American based). Thank you for the opportunity and apologies for the inconvenience.

I have had this book on my Kindle for way too long and decided it was time to read it. I have seen many rave review on this author and can understand why now. The story focusses on Laura, a young girl suffering in the aftermath of the crash that killed her family. In addition we meet Adam who is the most creepy character you could possibly read about! IN addition we read about Mike a copper on the periphery of the investigation when a body is found. In all honesty I don't want to dissect the plot because it was way more enjoyable going in blind.


This story picked up pace fast and I was engaged with all the characters, even more so with Adam which in itself is a little creepy. There is a dark element of linking death to flowers which gave me the 'heeby-jeebies' but then to be fair a lot of this book did. The chapters gave real depth into the characters and what they are all going through yet didn't feel stretched out at all. It all felt like a necessary draw to pull you in. Overall this book had everything needed in a thriller and then some. It was dark and gritty and incredibly creepy in a disturbing way. Hell, don't listen to me trying to explain it, just pick it up and read it I don't think you will be disappointed,

This was a compelling read. Told from three perspectives - the victims, the perpetrator and the police.

Barbara is fast becoming one of my new favorite authors! I just loved this book, and couldn't wait to finish it! Highly recommended for anyone who loves a great read that keeps you entertained from beginning to end.

When I heard that Flowers for the Dead is been republished by Bookouture and they were organising a blogtour, I begged and pleaded the lovely team for a slot on the tour and even re-read the book because I loved the book so much when I read it in 2016, however back then my reviews were “in my opinion” crap.

So, here is my 2020 review for Flowers for the Dead:

Adam Bourne is our narrator, he is also a serial killer which gives the reader an uncomfortable view in the mind of this damaged young man. All he wants is to be loved and love someone back. He grew up believing in fairy tales and that gentlemen should also look after their ladies and it’s these beliefs that escalate Adam from a peeping tom into a full blown stalker/serial killer.

When I read this book back in 2016 it was the first time I had read a story told from the perspective of a serial killer and I actually felt sorry for him and also hoped he would find love and acceptance, however now I’m that much older and wiser – I can safely say Adam Bourne is a sicko – a twisted, depraved, disturbing and very dangerous man whose mental health and troubled upbringing have contributed into creating this monster.

Adam’s latest love interest is Laura Weir, a young women who is still grieving for the loss of her entire family killed in a car crash 4 years previously. Living alone and working in a dead-end job, she is going through the motions of life without actually living it. Adam decides he will save her and sets about to become her ideal boyfriend, sending her flowers, cooking and cleaning her flat, buying her presents and watching over her whilst she sleeps… EXCEPT Laura doesn’t know Adam at all – she has no idea he is stalking her and is beginning to freak out about these strange occurrences which are leaving her more confused and vulnerable. Even the police won’t listen to her so she decides to take matters into her own hands.

If you love sick, twisted serial killer thrillers then you will love Flowers For The Dead. This story does include some very uncomfortable subject matters which may upset readers including child abuse, sexual child abuse and stalking which are integral to the story line, but are very upsetting to read.

Creepy, creepy serial killer told from point of view of multiple narrators. Loved the sense of foreboding that built up throughout as the inevitability of certain events seemed certain. The multi layered narratives offer insight into both the killer and the victims and made the chapter shifts from character to character edgy and enjoyable. A solid 4 stars from me.

Absolutely loved this book. I found myself both frightened of and sympathetic to Adam at the same time.

This book was good but it did drag on for too long in parts and got a bit repetitive. The story was good, had great characters . The interesting part of this book is that it is told by going back and forwards to incidents in Adams life. I was actually emotionally connected to the characters.

I thought this book sounded really interesting but it was a bit dull. It’s pretty slow paced. The chapters from the killers past slowly reveal why he is the way he is but I really didn’t enjoy the narrative trying to make me feel sorry for a guy that stalks and murders women when they don’t love him back. The different girls got a bit confusing too. The chapters from the detectives POV didn’t really make sense until near the end of the book as he wasn't involved and they didn’t add anything to the story. The ending was very odd as well. I did, however, love Laura’s character and I thought she was pretty badass and the meanings behind the flowers was an interesting addition.

I received a copy of the ebook via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review

A thrilling, fast paced read that was full of darkness and intrigue.
This story is told through both the past and present tense as it portrays the story of Adam, a boy who had experienced an unimaginable childhood, which in turn has lead to the man he has become in the present day.
The storyline was completely unique, and although some parts were drawn out slightly longer than necessary, it was an intense, enjoyable read.

Flowers for the Dead was a book that gave me mixed feelings. The book tells us of the main character Adam's upbringing and then how he is present day. I started this as a buddy read with a few girls. But after a few chapters, due to the awful abuse that Adam suffered by his mother, I was left a lone reader. The beginning set the tone that Adam will be and always was a strange character.

The bulk of the story is about his adulthood where he desperately wants to find his true love, but with no experience except the stories his Gran had told him from fairy tale books he is a little ( a whole lot) warped in the meaning of true love.

The premise is that Adam is a stalker showing his " love" to the women he thinks are perfect for him.

Adam is the character that had me with mixed feelings. Obviously he is very disturbed but in his mind his intentions are all good. I kind of wanted him to be fixed and to find someone, even a friend. But then that would not make a good page turning, serial killer of a book would it.

Adam finds Laura. Laura was a great character. She is left flowers and " nice things " by someone that she has no idea who. Laura is a woman who has experienced trauma in her life too, but with her we see her develop over the pages. She grows in her strength and her mind. But is that enough to escape Adam's"love"?

Something I found unique about Flowers for the Dead were the flowers. 🌷. Adam is very knowledgeable about each flower's meaning, so each bouquet he left had a meaning to it. I liked learning about what all the flowers symbolised.

The book took me a little while to get into, but when I did I whizzed through it , watching every move that Adam and Laura made.

A great thriller for those who don't mind some graphic images appearing in your heads, but love the thrill of a serial killer / stalker book.

An enjoyable read though it was quite dark in places. Told in the past and present it gives the history of Adam a boy that experienced extreme abuse which inevitably lead to the person that he is in the present day. An unusual storyline, though I did find it padded out in parts so ended up being a lengthy read.

I admit it took me a while to finish this book since life got a bit busy around the time I started reading this. Also, I can say one thing for certain... this probably has to be one of the few rare cases where I found myself actually sympathising with the male lead--in this case Adam--even though he is a serial killer. Why? The flashback episodes reveal the trauma he has suffered at the hands of his mother and being constantly ignored by his clueless father. The only person who gives and shows him unconditional love is his grandmother who reads fairy tales to him and teaches him the language of flowers and the meaning behind each flower specimen. The one point that constantly went through my mind while reading this book was if only Adam's grandmother had still been alive in his adult years, things could have been different for Adam and his quest for finding true love because the way he goes about it is 👀🙊😶. I also loved how each chapter was named after a flower and its meaning.... it was something unique and it increased my general knowledge.

My thanks to NetGalley, the publisher Bookouture and the author Barbara Copperthwaite for the e-Arc of the book and I apologise for sharing my review so late.

This edition of the book was published on 16th September 2020.

This is a good psychological thriller. We are introduced to Adam, who having endured a horrific childhood has turned into a serial killer. He murders his victims , removes their lips and covers them with flowers and is convinced that he is their saviour. When he chooses his victim he is convinced, after stalking them, that they will be the love of his life. His latest obsession is Laura. She also has had an horrific past and is still trying to piece her life together. She senses that strange things are happening but no one, including the police, believe her. Adam’s behaviour becomes more erratic and you begin to fear for Laura and what the outcome will be. This was a very creepy and gripping read with tension building all the time. A brilliant read.
Thanks to Netgalley and Bookouture for giving me the opportunity to read and review this book.

3.5 stars..... Adam should be the perfect boyfriend - he’s clever, considerate, good looking and pretty well off so why can’t any of the women see that? All he wants to do is look after them. Instead they have to pay the price! Starts off at a cracking pace but slacked off a bit later when describing the how and why of some of the characters. Personally I think there were too many which slowed the book and made it repetitive. I definitely liked seeing things from Adam’s perspective but poor Laura seems to be one unlucky girl. Great cover and loved the flowers and what they mean so that was an interesting touch. Easy to read despite being gruesome at times.

Loved this one! Great characters. It was a nice creepy and ominous setting with a disturbing child who grows into an even more disturbed adult.

Thank you to Netgalley and Bookouture for the arc of this book by Barbara Copperwaite.

Well what can I say... wow just wow... this had me on the edge of my seat and it made me think i was in a movie, you could see it in your head theatrically it was so good of a read, love books like this!!! 5 stars! definitely recommend!! ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Flowers For The Dead is the first book I have read by this author and I must say, it will not be the last.
Lovely novel, full with great atmosphere, twist and really great touch in characters.. absolutely colorful psychological thriller.

Thank you NetGalley 🙋

Adam Bourne is a serial killer who stalks his victims and then kills them removing there lips.
He starts to stalk Laura who is coming to terms with the loss of her family.
Strange things start happening Laura reports it to the police but they think she is crazy.
The story follows Adam from the past to the present telling you all about the the incidents that happened to Adam.
Very creepy
Thanks NetGalley

This is my second book by Barbara Copperthwaite, and I’ve bought the rest of her books and will be impatiently waiting for more! It was another wow read for me! Unputdownable, well written, riveting! It provided my much needed thrills, chills, twists, and turns, and shocks, plus a few scares! I thought it was one that really was gripping from beginning to end! It had me flipping pages to find out what would happen, and needed ot not to end at the same time! Wow! Highly, highly, highly recommend! Clear schedules and don’t start prior to bedtime!

Will buzz around and use lower amazon reviewer number on release date!