Monday 9 April 2018

Too Close to Breathe by Olivia Kiernan

I am delighted to be today's stop on the Blog Tour for Too Close to Breathe by Olivia Kiernan. Too Close to Breathe was published by Riverrun on 5 April 2018.

Too Close to Breathe
By Olivia Kiernan
Published by Riverrun (5 April 2018)



Publisher's description
FIND THE KILLER WHO LIKES TO PLAY DEAD
TOO SOON TO SEE
Polished. Professional. Perfect. Dead. Respected scientist Dr Eleanor Costello is found hanged in her immaculate home: the scene the very picture of a suicide.
TOO LATE TO HIDE
DCS Frankie Sheehan is handed the case, and almost immediately spots foul play. Sheehan, a trained profiler, is seeking a murderer with a talent for death.
TOO CLOSE TO BREATHE
As Frankie strives to paint a picture of the killer, and their victim, she starts to sense they are part of a larger, darker canvas, on which the lines between the two blur.

My verdict
Too Close to Breathe is a police procedural set in Dublin. It's a fresh and entertaining read with a very dark side.

A scientist is found hanged in her home. DCS Frankie Sheehan is back at work after a violent knife attack and straight on to what seems to be a simple suicide. But as the body count rises, the case turns into a gruesome, and potentially dangerous, hunt for a serial killer on the loose.

The book is well-researched, providing strong foundations to its many layers and depth to its twists and turns. It isn't for the faint-hearted, with some graphic descriptions and its journey into the seedy underworld and the Dark Web. DCI Sheehan is a strong and engaging character - relentless and determined, with an underlying vulnerability.

I admit that it took me a little while to get into the book, but I'm so glad I persevered. After a couple of chapters, I was gripped by the characters and the complex plot, until eventually I couldn't put the book down, turning the pages as fast as I could read them.

Too Close to Breathe is an accomplished debut, with plenty of humour and an intriguing protagonist with a distinctive voice. I'm looking forward to the next DCS Sheehan book.

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