A more fully developed version of this originally appeared at The Irresponsible Reader.
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I honestly don't know what to say about this gobsmackingly good mystery. There are so many things I want to say, but I'm quite aware that no one will stick around to read all of them (and, well, I have to go to work, too -- I don't have that much time).
Now, following the Prologue, the book drops the first person narrative, pulling us back to a more detached third person as it introduces us to a large cast of characters -- domestic abusers, domestic abuse victims, people in denial about being either of those, probation officers, police officers, police consultants, and so on.
The novel largely focuses on two characters -- and I will, too -- but there are plenty of other candidates. First, we have DC Maggie Jamieson -- temporarily reassigned from a Homicide team (for reasons alluded to, but not really made clear -- for her good, though) to a new team focusing on domestic abuse. The whole "reassigned to get away from homicide" part doesn't work out too well for her when the domestic abusers her team is supposed to be working with start being killed. She's smart, ambitious, haunted -- an interesting combination, to be sure. She's a good cop, and its nice to see that when it happens. Maggie happens to be the series protagonist, but you'd be excused if you didn't pick that up until the last chapter. Our other person of focus is Lucy, a tough, no-nonsense probation officer working with the same population (largely). At home, however, that toughness disappears to be replaced with a timid spirit focused on placating/not angering her husband so he won't beat her (or worse). The two "versions" of Lucy really couldn't be more different from each other without a MPD diagnosis (or an origin story by Stan Lee). The Prologue, we quickly learn, was from her Point of View and things haven't gotten better for her since then.
These two are surrounded by compelling, damaged, a well-fleshed out characters. Not every man is depicted as an abuser/potential abuser -- and many of those who are depicted in that way are done so with a little bit of empathy for what made them that, while not flinching from condemning their actions and the pleasure they derive from it. Similarly, not every woman is depicted as an abuse victim or enabler. Some are -- and they're shown with the same kind of empathy. Thankfully, some of the damaged men and women are shown as hard workers, trying to make the world better, despite their own circumstances. It's good to be reminded those people exist.
In short, Holten writes humans, not caricatures or types.
Not only is the cast of characters large -- so is the suspect list. The only people in the book not worthy of suspicion were the murdered themselves (and at least one of them would've were on the list for a bit). Holten did a great job of giving the reader reasons to suspect everyone. There was a pretty significant clue introduced about one character and I put in my notes that it was a goof on her part, or the most scarlet of red herrings you could imagine. My favorite candidate turned out not to be the one -- I didn't figure they would be, I was just relishing the idea of one particular dark horse. The perpetrator/perpetrators (I'm not telling) is/are the only real possibility(ies) at the end of the day, everything clicked for me about the time it clicked for the police -- and yes, I'd considered the correct solution, but liked my idea better until I saw what Holten was doing. A very satisfying solution. Better than the solution -- the end of the book is so hopeful it comes as a relief (and feels almost foreign to the rest of the book).
Dead Inside is not an easy read -- but that's because of the subject matter, the realism of the characters and circumstances, not a problem with the author. This isn't the cops dealing with a larger-than-life genius serial killer -- rather, it's the everyday reality for too many. Just this time tinged with a spree killer making a grim circumstance worse for some. It's a gripping read, a clever whodunit, with characters that might be those you meet every day. As an experience, it's at once satisfying and disturbing -- a great combination for a reader. You won't read much this year that stacks up against Dead Inside and you'll join me in eagerly awaiting what's coming next from Holten.
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Reviews with images
A page-turner!
Noelle Holten's debut novel, "Dead Inside" is book one in the Maggie Jamieson Crime Thriller series, and boy does it catch your breath right from the prologue! I was practically glued to the pages; when I couldn't read it, you can be sure I was listening to the audiobook!Now, on to the storyline... after closing out the brutal 'Chopper Case' in the 'Major and Organised Crime Department,' or the 'Murder Team' as she liked to call it, DC Maggie Jamieson takes on a position in the 'Domestic Abuse and Homicide Unit,' or 'DAHU' for short. Here Maggie works alongside her new team and Probation Officer Lucy Sherwood, as they take on one of their most unfavorable cases yet - trying to solve a string of murders in which the domestic abusers themselves are now the latest victims!Right from the start, the author provides her readers with multiple narrations and short chapters, making this a relatively quick and all-consuming read. I was particularly interested in Lucy's story, an accomplished probation officer and a domestic abuse victim. Scratch that, a survivor of domestic abuse. While her choice of profession and everyday life consisted of keeping these types of abusers in line, she was not immune from it herself. Lucy was like many others in her situation; she fell in love and dreamt of her happily ever after, only to realize all too late that her nightmare had just begun. Before long, she had more than just herself to think about, but also the children, her career, and the logistics that came with her very survival."Dead Inside" was a page-turner, to be sure—an addicting, interesting look into domestic violence and what goes on behind some closed doors. The narrations from Lucy and the other survivors were powerfully eye-opening. Learning of the author's own experiences with abusive relationships helped bring further insight into the subject matter. However, the book does quite well all on its own at evoking the appropriate emotions throughout.While this was a Detective Maggie Jamieson book, the driving character here was Lucy Sherwood. "Dead Inside" does a fine job introducing readers to Maggie, learning of her past case, and current struggles. Luckily I've already read book two, and, as I write this, I can tell you "Dead Wrong" is majorly Maggie-based, and the pieces of her that are provided in book one are precisely what's needed to prepare readers for what comes next!I would recommend this novel to those interested in police procedurals and crime thrillers with a heavyset theme of domestic abuse. It's important to note that this book is a part of a series and does end with a cliffhanger. Rest assured that all of this individual story's I's are dotted and t's are crossed, the ending scene purely leaves you wanting and ready for the next installment! If this is your kind of read, then dig in!
Top reviews from the United States
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Reviewed in the United States on June 8, 2019
Reviewed in the United States on May 19, 2020
Reviewed in the United States on October 14, 2020
Noelle Holten's debut novel, "Dead Inside" is book one in the Maggie Jamieson Crime Thriller series, and boy does it catch your breath right from the prologue! I was practically glued to the pages; when I couldn't read it, you can be sure I was listening to the audiobook!
Now, on to the storyline... after closing out the brutal 'Chopper Case' in the 'Major and Organised Crime Department,' or the 'Murder Team' as she liked to call it, DC Maggie Jamieson takes on a position in the 'Domestic Abuse and Homicide Unit,' or 'DAHU' for short. Here Maggie works alongside her new team and Probation Officer Lucy Sherwood, as they take on one of their most unfavorable cases yet - trying to solve a string of murders in which the domestic abusers themselves are now the latest victims!
Right from the start, the author provides her readers with multiple narrations and short chapters, making this a relatively quick and all-consuming read. I was particularly interested in Lucy's story, an accomplished probation officer and a domestic abuse victim. Scratch that, a survivor of domestic abuse. While her choice of profession and everyday life consisted of keeping these types of abusers in line, she was not immune from it herself. Lucy was like many others in her situation; she fell in love and dreamt of her happily ever after, only to realize all too late that her nightmare had just begun. Before long, she had more than just herself to think about, but also the children, her career, and the logistics that came with her very survival.
"Dead Inside" was a page-turner, to be sure—an addicting, interesting look into domestic violence and what goes on behind some closed doors. The narrations from Lucy and the other survivors were powerfully eye-opening. Learning of the author's own experiences with abusive relationships helped bring further insight into the subject matter. However, the book does quite well all on its own at evoking the appropriate emotions throughout.
While this was a Detective Maggie Jamieson book, the driving character here was Lucy Sherwood. "Dead Inside" does a fine job introducing readers to Maggie, learning of her past case, and current struggles. Luckily I've already read book two, and, as I write this, I can tell you "Dead Wrong" is majorly Maggie-based, and the pieces of her that are provided in book one are precisely what's needed to prepare readers for what comes next!
I would recommend this novel to those interested in police procedurals and crime thrillers with a heavyset theme of domestic abuse. It's important to note that this book is a part of a series and does end with a cliffhanger. Rest assured that all of this individual story's I's are dotted and t's are crossed, the ending scene purely leaves you wanting and ready for the next installment! If this is your kind of read, then dig in!
Now, on to the storyline... after closing out the brutal 'Chopper Case' in the 'Major and Organised Crime Department,' or the 'Murder Team' as she liked to call it, DC Maggie Jamieson takes on a position in the 'Domestic Abuse and Homicide Unit,' or 'DAHU' for short. Here Maggie works alongside her new team and Probation Officer Lucy Sherwood, as they take on one of their most unfavorable cases yet - trying to solve a string of murders in which the domestic abusers themselves are now the latest victims!
Right from the start, the author provides her readers with multiple narrations and short chapters, making this a relatively quick and all-consuming read. I was particularly interested in Lucy's story, an accomplished probation officer and a domestic abuse victim. Scratch that, a survivor of domestic abuse. While her choice of profession and everyday life consisted of keeping these types of abusers in line, she was not immune from it herself. Lucy was like many others in her situation; she fell in love and dreamt of her happily ever after, only to realize all too late that her nightmare had just begun. Before long, she had more than just herself to think about, but also the children, her career, and the logistics that came with her very survival.
"Dead Inside" was a page-turner, to be sure—an addicting, interesting look into domestic violence and what goes on behind some closed doors. The narrations from Lucy and the other survivors were powerfully eye-opening. Learning of the author's own experiences with abusive relationships helped bring further insight into the subject matter. However, the book does quite well all on its own at evoking the appropriate emotions throughout.
While this was a Detective Maggie Jamieson book, the driving character here was Lucy Sherwood. "Dead Inside" does a fine job introducing readers to Maggie, learning of her past case, and current struggles. Luckily I've already read book two, and, as I write this, I can tell you "Dead Wrong" is majorly Maggie-based, and the pieces of her that are provided in book one are precisely what's needed to prepare readers for what comes next!
I would recommend this novel to those interested in police procedurals and crime thrillers with a heavyset theme of domestic abuse. It's important to note that this book is a part of a series and does end with a cliffhanger. Rest assured that all of this individual story's I's are dotted and t's are crossed, the ending scene purely leaves you wanting and ready for the next installment! If this is your kind of read, then dig in!
Images in this review
Reviewed in the United States on February 6, 2020
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JenMedBookLover
Sometimes the greatest danger is at home.
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on June 1, 2019