Book 3 in the DI Bernie Noel series. Unfortunately I’ve not read the first two books in the series and even though it didn’t matter too much in this book that you hadn’t read them it probably would’ve been better to get some of the background. The storyline was a little slow to start off with but speeded up and was a real whodunnit!

Left for Dead is the third book in the Detective Bernadette Nolan series, and I have grown quite fond of her. Bernie is called to investigate the rape of a young girl who has been left for dead. She is convinced that this attack is linked to several others in the area. Civilian crime investigator Leigh Roberts is assigned to the team as she has been investigating similar attacks and has some good background information that may be of use. With different ways of working Bernie and Leigh start off badly with them both resenting the other being on the case and you are often left wondering if this will become a hinderance as the investigation progresses.
Bernie really does have a lot on her plate this time around. Not only does she have the complex case to investigate she is also heavily pregnant, and she is not sure if the father is her ex or her current boyfriend Dougie Anderson. Added to this Dougie finds himself in bother when the case he is involved in goes south and he is suspended. She does try not to get involved but she hates to see him sidelined and believes that whatever happened it was not his fault. Despite all this she does take the time to get to know Leigh better and manages to use her quirks to the investigations advantage.
There is a lot going on in this book with multiple story lines but at no time do you feel confused or that things don’t make sense. As you become involved in the investigations you can see how everything together perfectly. The plot covers some disturbing topics, but they are handled brilliantly without any feeling that things have been sensationalised just to up the plot.
This book really does show the team pulling together at their best and it was nice to see the new dynamics playing out. Joy Kluver has managed to show autism in a sensitive light, highlighting just how well they can work in any given situation. The short chapters give the feeling of a fast pace, and you are certainly left guessing who is responsible for the crimes right to the end but that is not the end of the surprises, and the best is definitely left until last. I hope that this is not the last we see of Detective Bernie Nolan as it will be interesting to see how she handles her career once the baby arrives. I would also like to meet Leigh Roberts again as she is a character that brings just that something a little bit different to the table.

Bernie Noel has quickly become one of my favourite detectives, she tenaciously approaches any case that comes across her desk even when she is ordered to back down by her superiors. She is determined to track down an assailant who viciously attacked a young woman even if this puts her life and career in jeopardy. Her character is so well described that I find it easy to think of her almost as a real person. This book contains plenty of tension with moments that had me literally on the edge of my seat. I hope to see another episode in this series soon.

This is the 3rd book in the series, and unfortunately I haven't read the previous books yet. I do feel that the book reads nicely enough as a standalone, and I didn't miss too many references in the previous books. Book was well written, full of suspense and thrills. I will catch up with the previous books now, and hopefully there is a book 4 to look forward to.

That completely blew my mind. I’m fully attached to the characters right until the end. I loved it. Can’t even sum up all the good things about this book in one simple review.

Cheers indeed, Netgalley.

A great series which I recommend reading in order. Bernie is such a great character and I loved that we got to know her more in this book. Her personal life is a bit dramatic but that doesn’t take away from the story at all. She’s pregnant but isn’t sure who the father is and her current boyfriend, DI Anderson, ends up in a bit of a mess at work. When it seems that both of their cases might be linked things get complicated. Politics get in the way and Bernie isn’t sure who can be trusted. The case had me hooked until the very end and I did not want to put it down. I look forward to seeing more of Bernie as she is one of my favourites. She also has a great team and I loved the addition of Leigh, an autistic officer.

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

DNF - Did not finish. I did not connect with the writing style or plot and will not be finishing this title. Thank you, NetGalley and Publisher for the early copy!

Book 3 in the Bernie Noel series books 1 and 2 are must read.

Bernie and her team are called to investigate a string of assualts on women in the area. They are worried that the attacker will up his game as he's getting more violent. But their main suspects dies suddenly and while others are thinking job done, Bernie knows there's more to the story and she's willing to bet her life on it.

I absolutely love this series, Bernice is one of my favourite detective. She's so intense and laser focused on her job its great to read espically as a gr8 female lead. I loved how she continues to search when everyone is telling her to stop.
The case although is a hard read with violence against women, it was a great case to follow from begining to end.
I wasn't sure who we were after so I loved the big reveal when it all came out.

Joy Kluver is a fantastic author and I will read all her books as they come. She can capitulate the reader by making us part of the case and kept me on my toes. Her description made me feel like I was there. I was an extra member of the team.


Would I recommend left for dead?
Yes ofcourse if you haven't read books 1 and 2 do so, get to know Bernie and her team promise you they are worth it. I rate this a 4/5 stars 🌟.

Thanks to netgalley, Jo Kluver and the publishers for the ARC of left for dead.

This is the third book in the series featuring Detective Bernadette Noel. Bernie and her team are called out to investigate the case of Keira, a young woman who has been attacked and left for dead. There has been a series of sexual assaults but this appears to the worse one and Bernie isn’t convinced that this one is linked. She is determined to find the person responsible and homes in on a prime suspect. Whilst in police custody he suddenly dies and Bernie and her team seem to have hit a brick wall. If he was murdered why would someone want him dead? She is taken off the case but is determined to find out herself what happened. This is a very complex case and Bernie is convinced that Keira’s life is still in danger. On top of this Bernie is unsure if Dougie, her partner or her ex boyfriend is the father of the child she is carrying. This is a gripping crime thriller that had me totally hooked. I can’t wait for the next book in the series.
Thanks to Netgalley and Bookouture for giving me the opportunity to read and review this book.

DI Bernie Noel is called upon to investigate a violent sexual assault that left the victim for dead. Meanwhile she is struggling to deal with issues in her personal life as she approaches her 20 week pregnancy scan whilst her lover and fellow officer is suspended from work.
Left For Dead is the third book to feature Bernie and her team. I have previously reviewed the second book in the series: Broken Girls.
Bernie is a workaholic, completely dedicated to finding justice for the victims of crime. But her own wellbeing is at the forefront of her mind during this case as she is forced to slow down and rely more upon her team. Her case is revealed to be inextricably linked to that of her partner Anderson which gives her extra incentive to find the truth and reverse his suspension.
The plot pace is quite fast during the first half of the book, with many twists and turns. It then slowed down as the complexity becomes apparent. Professional politics come into play as various teams get involved in the angles of the case.
I enjoyed the merging of the personal and the professional throughout the book and think Bernie is a great lead character. She has both strength and vulnerability, giving others the opportunity to be themselves.
Left For Dead is an enjoyable police procedural novel and I look forward to seeing what life holds for Bernie next.

With such a detailed intro, you probably know as much about the book as I do having read it. Well, maybe not quite because this book has so many twists and turns that even I’m not 100% sure what was happening.

Is this a bad thing? No, not necessarily. But here, it didn’t help me get into – or stay with – the story (where in other cases, it would have kept me up wondering what was happening next).

In part, I think I ‘zoned out’ a bit because some of the twists were just one coincidence too far. The fact that this was the third (possibly fourth?) in a series didn’t help either. I felt like I was missing things, bits of the back story that would have fleshed out the characters.

Which were another problem for me. I just didn’t connect with them, including the central character Bernie. I couldn’t figure out who she was (again, the missing back story probably played into this).

I feel like I’m being a bit of a negative Nelly, which I don’t mean to be. I think that, had I started with book one, I would feel more positive (in fact, I may go back and give it a go). I just don’t think it works well as a standalone novel, which I think series need to do so the uninitiated amongst us can jump right in.

Detective Bernie Noel is facing some of her most challenging days. She's pregnant but not certain who the father is -- her ex-boyfriend or her current partner. The latter (DI Anderson) is suspended for a drug raid that went wrong. Also she is trying to solve a rape attack that almost killed the victim. Is this woman just the latest victim of a serial rapist or is there more behind this case? Working with her team, along with a citizen investigator from another police force, Bernie slowly unravels the twisted plot. When it becomes obvious that her case intersects with Anderson's and is related to an old case that ended with Bernie stabbed, she doesn't know whom to trust or how to navigate the politics involved. It's a great read with more twists and turns that a roller coaster!

Another great book in the D.I. Bernadette Noel series
This was another book what had me hooked from the start and I didn’t want to put down
Can’t wait for the next in the series
Thanks NetGalley

I’m always so excited when there is a new Bernie Noel novel out, and I really enjoyed this one.

There’s quite a complicated case going on in this one, which overlaps with another ongoing case, and it’s just completely compelling reading.

I always liked Bernie as a character, and we get to know her a little better in this book, with some of her past becoming clearer. She’s trying to do her job, while balancing out the challenges of pregnancy, and it made her even more relatable in this book.

This is a book that I was completely unable to put down, and I got totally engrossed in it.

For anyone who likes a good crime novel, this is one of the best, and if you haven’t read the series, it’s well worth a try. I can’t recommend it highly enough. Gripping, complex and unputdownable.

Left for Dead is the third book in the Detective Bernadette Noel Police Procedural series. This is one of my favourite series at the moment.

A young woman is found brutally attacked and left for dead. DI Noel and her team suspect that she is the victim of a serial rapist who has been attacking young women in the area. They need to stop the person before he attacks another woman. I absolutely loved just how complex this case was. It was intertwined with another case involving Anderson, Bernie’s partner. The investigation led to more reveals and took turns that I wasn’t expecting. To say that I was thoroughly entertained feels like an understatement. This was an absolutely fascinating case.

DI Bernie is one of my favorite detectives of all time. I love that she is pregnant. I have read numerous police procedural but this is the first time I have encountered a pregnant lead detective and I loved it. As I have mentioned before, my mom is a retired police detective with 3 children. She used to work up to her due date and was only entitled to 3 months maternity leave before resuming duty. Bernie made me think about mom and what it was like for her. I hope her colleagues were as supportive as Bernie’s. I like how well developed Bernie is as a character and how the author continues to masterfully focus on her personal life without overshadowing the investigation. The characters in Bernie’s team are also quite well crafted. In this installment, we are introduced to Leigh, an officer on the spectrum. I really hope she will join the team moving forward. She is such a joy to read about.

This being a multi-layered case, I couldn’t guess the identity of the Perp. I didn’t even have time to try and go ahead of the detectives and solve the mystery. I was invested in the investigation and worked together with the team. The reveal was quite a surprise. In addition, the book ends with a twist in Bernie’s personal life and I can’t wait to see what lies ahead for her.

This was a fast-paced, absolutely gripping, page-turner. I can’t wait for the fourth book in the series. Although this can be read as a stand-alone, going back to the beginning of the series allows you to get to know the characters better. Their background stories and development is quite interesting.

A gutsy detective,a team full of officers with their own back story,especially liked the autistic officer an ususual addition to the story.
Totally immersed myself in the book and didn't surface til the end.
An excellent read with so many twista and turns.

If you enjoy reading about the police solving a case
Take a look at this book and you're in the right place!
However, don't expect anything to be straight forward and plain
This story keeps you guessing, again and again!

A riveting read, with a great detective team,
Working together, supporting each other, it seems.
However there are other teams manipulating them so
They'll need to be extra careful about how they go.

The detective work is brilliant, the characters are great
With plenty to keep you page turning until it's very late.
This is a story I didn't want to leave, not even to sleep
The sort that you carrying on reading is what you want to keep.

I liked the relationships between the team who
Have different reactions to someone that's new.
There are plenty of twists and turns all the way through
That keep you guessing what the killer will next do.

An enthralling read that I really enjoyed and so
I highly recommend that you give it a go
For crime thriller lovers this book is a must
Be wary, however, on just who you trust!

For my complementary copy of this book, I say thank you,
I throughly enjoyed reading it and this is my honest review.

Left for Dead was another superb book by Joy Kluver. This is the third book in the Detective Bernadette (Bernie) Noel series and I was hooked from the very first few pages which become another addictive, and gripping read, with lots of twists and turns that will keep you up all night if you start to read it when you go to be bed. So be warned! (Glad it was my day off the next day)

I highly recommend this book and all of Joy's books they are brilliant! especially as it worked as a stand alone if you are new to this series However, I would suggest you go back and read the other two. You will not be disappointed!.

Big Thank you to Bookouture and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this book.

BLOG TOUR REVIEW

Review for 'Left For Dead' by Joy Kluver.

Read and reviewed via NetGalley for Joy Kluver, Bookouture publishers and Bookouture anonymous

Publication date 10th January 2022.

This is the third book I have read by this author. It is also the third book in the 'Detective Bernadette Noel' series but it can be read as a standalone. I have previously read 'Last Seen' which is the first book in the 'Detective Bernadette Noel' series and 'Broken Girls' which is the second book in the 'Detective Bernadette Noel' series, which I would highly recommend.


I was originally drawn to this book by its captivating, eye catching cover and its intriguing synopsis and title. The synopsis stated that 'If you like Angela Marsons, Val McDermid or Cara Hunter, you’ll love Joy Kluver'. I am a huge fan of Angela Marsons so am looking forward to seeing if this lives up to this statement. I am also a huge fan of Joy Kluver and if this is half as good as 'Last Seen' or 'Broken Girls' it is sure to be a page turning read. I must admit I was also biased due to the publisher being Bookouture. I have yet to read a book published by Bookouture that I haven't enjoyed. Hopefully this won't be the first... Watch this space! (Written before I started reading the book).

This novel consists of 79 chapters. The chapters are short in length so possible to read 'just one more chapter' before bed...OK, I know yeah right, but still just in case!

This book is based in Wiltshire, UK 🇬🇧. The bonus for me of books that are partly or fully based in the UK is that I live in the UK and have sometimes visited places mentioned in the book which makes it easier to picture.

This book is written in third person perspective and the main protagonist is Detective Bernadette Noel. The benefits of third person perspective are that it let's you see the bigger picture of what's going on and you get to know more characters more, what they are thinking and what they are doing. It feels like you get to see the whole picture and not miss out on anything.

'Left For Dead' discusses some topics that may trigger some readers or may not be suitable for others. I like to point this out ahead of time in my reviews so you can judge if this book is for you or not. In this book Joy discusses/includes sexual assault.

Wow!! Just Wow!! What can I even say?!? Joy you have absolutely slam dunked it yet again!!! Your fourth novel and it is still absolutely heart racing!! What an absolutely EPIC read. You are going far!!! Anyway... Will I get on with my review? Best had....

As you can tell from my opening statement this book is brilliant! More than brilliant, amazing!!! It had been fantastically written and the descriptions completely absorbs the reader into the storyline.

Since the major cliffhanger/bombshell the last book 'Broken Girls' ended in I have been waiting extremely impatiently for this book and it was most definitely worth the wait!!

The storyline is absolutely gripping, addictive and captivating. Filled with everything you are looking for in a book... Suspense, tension, mystery, red herrings, researched police procedural, bombshells, you name it this book has it. I was absolutely hooked from the first page to the last. I had a complete shock at the twists and finding out who was who and who did what. A HUGE congratulations there as it is getting harder and harder to surprise me these days but that was a whooper!! I loved that there were several storylines going on and yet everything came together perfectly, nothing worse than crucial parts being mentioned and then left and not mentioned again, this was all perfectly tyed up a the end. This is an absolutely fantastic continuation to what is a heart racing and nail biting series. Joy you best be writing your next book as we speak as I cannot wait!!! I absolutely LOVED the ending and am inpatiently waiting for your next success!! This is one of the best crime series I've read and I would love to see them made into a TV show!!

Although this is the third book in the series I had absolutely no problems reading it without the others. Any details or events that have previously happened are mentioned in just the right amount of detail to let a new reader know what has happened and yet not too much to bore a previous reader.

Love, love, loved all the characters!!! I loved meeting them again and still cannot wait to meet them yet again. The fact that Bernice is such a strong, determined and captivating female lead is a huge bonus for all female readers. Woman power!! It wasn't just Bernie who was a super woman though as Kerry was also whoop butt and Alice is definitely shining brighter and I really liked Leigh who was a new character in this book. I love the fact that she has autism and is absolutely fantastic at her job. Joy has done a fantastic job at portraying autistic traits perfectly and it was nice to see a character who has autism doing such a fantastic job. I really like detective chief superintendent Wilson who has such a caring and father type personality as well as being a fantastic boss. The dynamic of the team was spot on and I really enjoyed reading all the different personalities and watching friendships bond. Matt and Anderson were also excellent members of the team and Anderson will definitely be an intriguing one to continue to read about. I also enjoyed meeting Paul and Anna Bentley again who have become integrated as part of the team although not so much in this book. Leigh. LCI who has autism, nice to see. I'm looking forward to meeting them all again and hopefully soon. Although Leigh isn't a part of the team anymore it would be nice to meet her again. It was also interesting to see Jade again and how her attitude has changed from the previous book.

I really cannot compliment this book and successfull author more. I would love to see this made into a movie and cannot wait to get my hands on the next book.

Overall an addictive, gripping, heart racing, nail biting and page turning thriller that will keep you hooked.

Some of my favourite quotes/sentences in this book include the following:

😂 "She sat down on the toilet and willed her wee to be quiet."
"‘Yes but— What’s that noise? Are you on the loo?’"

I've lost count of how many times I've done this 😂. The fact that this was in the first paragraph made me laugh, great start to a book!!

Genres covered in this novel include Crime, Suspense, Police Procedural, Crime Thriller and Mystery amongst others.

I would recommend this book to the fans of the above as well as fans Melissa Leigh, Carla Hunter, Angela Marsons, C. L Taylor, Val McDermid, Carol Wyer and anyone looking for a great new series.

395 pages.

This book is just £1.99 to purchase on kindle via Amazon which I think is an absolute bargain for this book!!!

Rated 5 /5 (I LOVED it ) on Goodreads, Instagram, Amazon UK and Amazon US and on over 30 Facebook pages plus my blog on Facebook.

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Thank you to Bookouture for letting me take part in this tour and for my copy of this book via Netgalley. I really enjoyed the first two books in this series so I was very excited to see what Bernie got up to next. This is the third book in the series but all can be read as standalones.

Bernie may be pregnant but that’s not going to stop her from finding out what happened to Keira and unravelling this mystery. Bernie needs to learn to slow down and take care of herself. I really like Bernie. I think she does an excellent job of running the team and is slowly learning to delegate. She has a good relationship with those in her team. I liked seeing how she worked with Leigh too.

The case was very complex but very intriguing. I had an inkling at the start that this was going to get complicated and very messy. There were a lot of secrets being kept and as they started to unravel things got very interesting.

This case will have you hooked very early on. I raced through this book, I just couldn’t put it down. I was so eager for Bernie and the team to get to the bottom of this case. It was just so gripping! I can’t wait for more!