I'm always on the hunt for my next psychological thriller/mystery book to read. Even though this novel is Young Adult, it was very well written and kept my interest. Mystery fans will love it. Thankful to NetGalley for allowing me to read and review this title.

Thanks to the publisher for providing an eARC of 14 Ways to Die in exchange for an honest review.

I absolutely loved the narration here. 14 Ways to Die has some of the most consistently short chapters I've ever seen and it really, really works and bolsters the pacing of the mystery. I liked the protagonist and found her really personable and can see this going over really well with Good Girl's Guide to Murder fans. Like that book though, I do think a few side characters here could have benefitted from being a tad more developed.

I also have one small world building thing to nitpick because it drove me a little mad. A huge part of this story is the protagonist working as one of 5 contestants on a really publicized Youtube contest she's planning on using to create more urgency in her mother's unsolved case and she spends a lot of the time worrying about not being the best of the 5 contestants because then the company won't bring her back, even if she has really good views. Setting the contest on Youtube just didn't make a lot of sense since whether or not Jess won, she'd still have acquired a huge, interested audience that she could just shift to a personal channel. This should have been televised or on some kind of other website to add merit to that plot thread.

Ten years ago Jess's mother never came home from work that day, she never made it past the alley to her home because she was the first victim of the Magpie Man. While Jess's mother was the first victim she was not the last ever since that the Magpie Man kills every nine months and he carves the number of the victim on their chest.
Jess is ready to take a stand, she wants to catch the Magpie Man so she enters a competition for a YouTube reality show so that she can try to get clues and catch the Magpie Man. Then Jess wins she now has a show every monday for the next month but if she can create enough interest in her segment then she will be able to have a YouTube show for the next three months.
Little things start showing up like newspaper articles and text messages and it even goes as far as a brick being thrown into her window but Jess continues her hunt and she makes a few friends along the way she is determined more than ever to catch the Magpie Man but, will she you need to check out this book to find out if she does!
Let's talk about this book, like usual I went in blind but from the first couple of chapters I was completely hooked! I loved the whole aspect of the YouTube show, that was an awesome twist and it generated soo much interest in her show! Towards the end I was on the edge of my seat and stayed up until the early morning hours to finish because I had to know. If you like Thrillers and Mysteries I would definitely recommend this one to you! A serial killer hunt done by a teenager with the aid of a few neighbors and the internet I mean what could go wrong?

What better way to spend Valentine’s Day than reading a murder mystery? When Jessica was 7, her mother was murdered. The murder was never solved. However, additional murders started occurring on a regular basis and it was clear this was the work of a serial killer. At 17, Jessica has the opportunity to appear live once a week on social media to try to call out the killer. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for allowing me to be an early reader in exchange for my review.

This myst be an either love it or hate it, marmite book. Ten years ago Jess lost her mother to the Magpie Man, an infamous serial killer who is still at large and planning to kill again Jess is now going to appear on a YouTube live streamed show that will follow her around as she appeals to the public to search for the Magpie man before he kills again.

Here’s the one good thing about this book: The main character is likeable - she is feisty, brave and devoted to her family and friends. But for me, this one main character still doesn’t make me want to recommend it to anyone.

You do have to suspend belief somewhat whilst reading this book - first of all - no headteacher would agree to the major ‘plot’ in this book. At all. An unscripted reality TV show on YouTube, live streamed, following an emotionally unstable teenager that is trying to taunt her mothers murderer into following her too? Not going to happen. But, it is young adult fiction and tries to embrace the idea that the younger generation loves YouTube and live streaming - although I’m not sure that’s the case either anymore, most young adults I know have now been brought up to be notoriously private on social media.

Without providing any spoilers, an event that happens 2/3rds of the way through the book was seen as a ‘surprise’ to the main character - this could have been foreseen by anyone as soon as the plot suggested she was taunting a serial killer online. I find it incredible that the author chose to present the police and detectives in, what came across to me, such a poor light throughout the book - it does make them appear lazy, impersonal and uninterested in Jess’s case.

I get the feeling this book plot should have been presented to a panel of teenagers first to get their opinions. It’s quite triggering for some people and the book does contain advice at the back of the book if you have ever been affected by any of the issues raised - but it does make me wonder whether this is one of those books that would have been better left as an unwritten idea.

Despite the promising blurb and cover, I wouldn’t recommend this book to be honest.

Vincent Ralph was inspired by Karen McManus and Holly Jackson and it shows! This dark mystery is a creepy thriller and I sped through to find out what happened! Jess was just a kid when she lost her mother to the Magpie Man- a name her father dubbed the murderer before knowing he was a serial killer. Using a social media reality show as her platform, Jess attempts to flush out her mother's (and many other mother's) killer. A page-turner!

This was quick, gripping, one of my other fastest reads! ( it could be even faster if 40-50 pages could have been edited! So we can get straight to the point, instead of procrastination of learning the real identity of obvious culprit ! )

The idea of real time big brother show about five teenagers whose real life stories are about to be shared separately at each week days was creative, hooking! As soon as I read the opening sentence: my mom was killed by the Magpie Man which is the part of Jessica Simmons, 17 years high school girl’s interview with show producers , I said okay I’m all ears or let’s say eyes because my eyes will do the most of the job to capture the stories.

One of the five teenagers who gets the most attention by the viewer numbers will be permanent one who will win show contract, telling goodbye to her/ his rivalries.

Jess’ motivation is finding the identity of serial killer , raising her voice via social media, attracting attention of the authorities who don’t give enough energy to solve the case.

Well, she has tough opponents: Lucas Newman was once upon a time child YouTube star now he’s 16 and he’s adamant to win his fame back! Ella is some kind of Virgin Mary, is pregnant without having sex, 17. Ryan (19)is the one of the complex one because his brother shot everyone in the museum and blew himself up! Another tragic story like Jess’ so he may be the most challenging competitor and Sonia is the sneaky one who doesn’t tell anything about herself could be the wild card of the competition!

But as soon as Jess starts her video talks, opening up about her rehearsed speech about catching serial killer, she attracts too much attention: not only the admirers or other children who suffer losing loved ones by Magpie killer, she also attracts stalkers and perverts’ attention as well.

Somebody starts sending her secret phone text messages. Normally only a few people know the existence of that phone and somebody starts watching her in standing in the dark in front of her window. Is this the real killer or a standard stalker?

Did she put herself and father’s life in danger by starting this show? Could she bring out justice by continuing to dig more?
Go and read to learn more!

Overall: I’d enjoyed the original premise. Both Jess, her close friends and her father were likable characters. The conclusion was good! The short chapter story telling technique wasn’t irritating for me but as I mentioned at the beginning it would be better if there were less pages because story got a little repetitive and the excitement of the pacing lost its magic but i still liked the outcome which earned my four murder mystery, whodunnit, reality show stars!

Special thanks to NetGalley and SOURCEBOOKS Fire for sharing this digital reviewer copy with me in exchange my honest opinions.

This book will have you on the edge of your seat from the first page! Jess is cast as one of five stars of the newest YouTube reality show where she will be followed by cameras from the moment she wakes up till she goes to bed. The goal- be the star with the most followers and most views. How is she going to do it? Well, Jess is determined to use the show as a platform to help her bring her mother's killer to justice. Yep, Jess's mom was murdered by the Magpie Man, a serial killer who has claimed a total of thirteen victims so far.

From the first scene at wake-up, Jess begins speaking directly to the Magpie Man. She hopes he's watching in the beginning. Then, as days go by, it becomes terrifyingly obvious that she has gotten his attention because her life suddenly becomes more and more in danger. Will she find out who's behind her mother's murder or will she end up yet another victim?

The twists and turns in this story will keep you guessing. I know I was wrong a few different times! If you love thrilling mysteries, 14 Ways to Die will be an immediate favorite once you begin! I loved every page.

Thank you to Sourcebooks Fire for granting me an ARC. 14 Ways to Die is scheduled to be published June 1, 2021.

This book kept me gripped from start to finish with no moment of wanting to stop reading whatsoever
The book was incredible and had me hooked from start to end.
Well written and intriguing with suspense a mile long. Some great characters who were easy to empathise with.

14 ways to die by Vincent Ralph is a YA thriller set in current time of social media. Jessica wants to catch the killer whose first victim was her mother and his kill count is now up to 13. She turns to the Internet to help her catch the killer and everyone is watching.

This was a fun fast read, perfect for night time to give you that environment. I couldn't put it down and stayed up past my bedtime.

Thanks Netgalley for the e-arc

After Jess' mom becomes the first victim of the infamous Magpie Man, she vows to one day get revenge. Her chance to do so comes with an opportunity to star in her own reality show, one she will use to finally unmask the killer. However, catching a killer is more dangerous than Jess realizes as she faces stalkers, threats, and more clues than she knows what to do with. Will she find justice for her mother? Or will the Magpie Man collect another soul?

This book is definitely suspenseful in all the right ways. It also shows that dealing with grief comes in all shapes and sizes, and does so in a way that is perfect for its targeted age group. The friendships in this story were very well-written and while the premise isn't something that affects most readers, most readers will still be able to see themselves within the characters. My favorite part of this story would definitely have to be the strong support system that Jess has and how much you can see she is cared for.

Content Warning: some depictions of violence that may not be suitable for younger readers

Years ago, Jess’s mom was murdered by the Magpie Man, a serial killer who has maybe stayed local since then and who continues to kill. When presented with the opportunity to become a YouTube star and the ability to use her stream as a time to try to solve her mom’s case, Jess takes it.

I was super interested in the premise of this book. It gave me some Scream vibes with Jess being Sydney Prescott, especially with the streaming aspect of Scream 4. However, Jess makes some questionable choices throughout the book. I also felt like it lost some steam 2/3 of the way through. I did like it. I’d hand it to fans of books like Truly, Devious and anything by Karen McManus.

14 Ways to Die follows Jess, a girl who wants to avenge her mother who was the first murder of the notorious Magpie Man..
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This book was fine. There was nothing awful about it, but there was also not anything super amazing either. It fell just in the middle ground for me.
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The chapters were so short, 144 in about 350 pages, and the chapters did make it harder for me to stay connected to the story,
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I would recommend this to those who are looking for a quick ya thriller.
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TWs- blood, gore, body horror, suicide, murder, stalking

Really enjoyed this! Loved the short chapters, they made it so much easier to keep reading and wanting to read chapter after chapter.
I didn't love the main character, I just found her annoying at some points. However, I liked the fact that there were so many suspicious characters that throughout the book you couldn't tell who was the killer. It really did keep me guessing from chapter to chapter. Would definitely recommend to any YA lover!

This book instantly appealed to me when I read the synopsis. I really enjoy reading thrillers and mysteries, and cannot go past a true crime documentary, so I thought that the intersecting of both in the bounds of one neatly wrapped narrative would really appeal to me. Only… it didn’t. Not as I'd hoped.

The short sharp chapters are usually a great narrative device to convey the story, but in this case not only does it seem to impact the pacing of the manuscript, it also takes away something from the voice of the character. I found myself putting down the book at the end of a short chapter, and not being compelled to pick it up again to continue the story.

The writing is good, strong, and should be compelling, but it is just not resonating with me. What should read as the author showing the character and her world, almost reads as telling to me. There feels to be little to ground me into the world, so few details are shared.

I think this is a perfect example of subjectivity in writing. That there can be very little objectively wrong with a book, but it can still not be right for a person. And sadly this book was not right for me.

I couldn’t finish this book at around 55%. It really had the potential to be like a Good Girl’s Guide to Murder, but it took it so far past believable. The plot wasn’t exciting, the characters seemed like generic teen stereotypes and I just didn’t care who killed her mom. I also cannot get past the fact that the book is set in the UK but the author frequently uses the imperial system and it was just so jarring.

This book was amazing!!! Full of twists and turns. Putting one girl against a serial killer. While the whole world watches. Amazing story!

I don't recommend this book for adult YA readers. The fact that he's called, 'The Magpie Man' should have told me everything I needed to know.

Although there is profanity and other adult subject matter, the execution is extremely light.. To the point where I couldn't figure out if the whole book is meant to be a joke or not.

"1 Killer. 13 Victims. 14 Ways to Die." - this sucked me right in. Had the story been taken more seriously, I think I would have enjoyed it. Unfortunately there was no emotion, depth or suspense (from an adult perspective).

The writing is very clean and the book has a whopping 144 chapters. If you aren't a fan of super short chapters, be aware that most of the chapters in this book are only 1-3 pages each. I personally much prefer short chapters over long ones, as it quickens the pace and keeps the story moving. I do know however, it can be a pet peeve for some.

((The protagonist's name is Jessica and her best friends are Hanna and Emily. There are also characters named; Ali, Lucas, Maya and Ella (if you know you know!))).

I think this book would be much better enjoyed by a thirteen year old.

🔪 YA Thriller/Mystery 🔪

“1 killer. 13 victims. A million views”

📚 Ten years ago, Jessica’s mother was murdered by a serial killer: the Magpie Man. The first of 13 subsequent kills, Jess and her father have had to pick up the pieces of their broken lives. But when the opportunity to participate in a new, online voyeuristic reality show arises, Jess decides to use her new platform to propel the Magpie Man back into the light and, hopefully, into the hands of justice.

👍🏻 The Good: The premise of this novel, catching a serial killer via social media and reality TV, was a fabulous hook and allowed for a very interesting twist on a classic serial killer whodunnit. I was on the edge of my seat for most of the book, and had about a dozen different suspects in my head at all times. The author was masterful at dropping small clues for the reader to follow, and then snatching the truth right out from under us at the last minute. Jess’s journey was poignant, emotional, and raw. You could feel both her sorrow and her determination in each page, and it only grew with each step she took to find her mother’s killer. I loved the stylistic choice of making the chapters short, some no more than a paragraph — it kept the pace breakneck and I never wanted to put it down.

👎🏻 The Meh: Some of the plot events and decisions, mostly towards the climax, seemed a bit too convenient and contrived and took me out of the story slightly. I also think the story was maybe 75 pages too long, with some repetitive and unnecessary chapters.

Overall: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Characters: ⭐️⭐️⭐️
Plot: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Writing: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I binged this book in one afternoon, and definitely recommend it for those looking for a fast-paced and unique thriller with a smart cast, interesting premise, and great stylistic writing.

I'm still reading this book. I do think "Are you watching" is a better title than "14 ways to die".
I'll add more to this review later after I finish reading this copy.