The Sense of Death

Ann Kinnear Suspense #1

by Matty Dalrymple

“A frighteningly meticulous villain and a formidable protagonist will have readers breezing through the pages.” —Kirkus Reviews “Airtight. Crucial plot details lock into place in the denouement like the tumblers of a Diebold safe. The characters are clever, real, and enjoyable, but also organic, their emotions genuinely wrought; there is no formula for brilliant writing like this.” —Robert Blake Whitehill, Bestselling Author of The Ben Blackshaw Series When a real estate mogul’s daughter-in-law dies, Philadelphia Detective Joe Booth suspects the woman’s husband. But accusing a powerful man’s son of murder is a risky business, and Booth knows he needs more to convict than the scant evidence he has. Then he finds the one person who might be able to uncover the truth: psychic-for-hire Ann Kinnear. It’s a last-ditch effort to find something – anything – to nail down who did it. But soon, drawn ever deeper into the vision of a dead woman whose ghost cries out for justice, Ann finds herself – and her powers – ensnared in a web of deceit, betrayal, and death among society’s elite. Official interest is waning. The murderer’s tracks are growing cold. But the dead will not be silenced, and Ann will do whatever it takes to solve the case of one woman’s lost life … even if it means endangering her own. A mix of supernatural thriller and psychic suspense culminating in a deadly showdown in a remote Adirondack cabin, THE SENSE OF DEATH is the first book in the popular Ann Kinnear Suspense Novels series. Click “Buy Now” to follow Ann as she pursues the truth that's wrapped in the sense of death!

Genres: Mystery, Paranormal, Suspense, Fantasy, Thriller, Fiction, Crime

454 pages, Kindle Edition

First published November 30, 2013

About the author

Matty Dalrymple is the author of the Lizzy Ballard Thrillers ROCK PAPER SCISSORS, SNAKES AND LADDERS, and THE IRON RING; the Ann Kinnear Suspense Novels THE SENSE OF DEATH, THE SENSE OF RECKONING, THE FALCON AND THE OWL, and A FURNACE FOR YOUR FOE; and the Ann Kinnear Suspense Shorts, including CLOSE THESE EYES and WRITE IN WATER. Matty lives with her husband and three dogs in Chester County, Pennsylvania, and enjoys vacationing on Mount Desert Island, Maine, and Sedona, Arizona, and these locations provide the settings for her work. Matty is a member of Sisters in Crime and the Brandywine Valley Writers Group.

Reviews

[- The Polybrary - · Rating 3 out of 5]

~*Full review on The Bent Bookworm!*~

The Sense of Death is a first novel, and while it's an enjoyable cozy mystery - it shows. There are several things about the styling of the story that I didn't care for, but in the end Ann's character was one with which I could sympathize (even if I don't sense spirits). The place descriptions are good. The premise is intriguing. I liked Ann and her relationship with her brother. I personally am intrigued by the idea of spirits or ghosts and the possibility of communicating with them, and I enjoyed how the author used the idea in the book.

I was really disappointed that the who-dun-it of the story is revealed in the first couple of chapters. Takes the mystery right out of it, takes the suspense away, and almost made me DNF it...but then there were more Ann chapters and I was more interested. A lot of the plot honestly seems very far-fetched, especially in the end. I was constantly reading with one eyebrow raised in skepticism. The plot is also a very common one in murder mysteries, but I guess there are only so many. While the deterioration of the culprit is believable, I didn't feel the motivation was convincing. Also, there are several chapters AFTER the climatic event, most of which were unnecessary.

The author struggles with POV. Even though it's written in 3rd person throughout, it's mostly limited 3rd person with random bits of popping into another minor or even walk-on character's head. That part was very jolting and annoying.

The old telling vs. showing that interferes with a lot of writing is EXTREMELY present. There are entire chapters of almost nothing but backstory, paragraphs going on and on and Ann's childhood or past experiences. Don't just TELL us how she felt, SHOW us! At a few points showing was successfully accomplished, but then it would lapse right back into a monologue of info-dumping and it was just a struggle to read.

All that said, I still enjoyed the book, but I'm undecided about whether or not I will read the second one. I was going to rate at 2.5/5 stars until the climatic chapter, and a certain event that actually brought tears to my eyes.

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I actually accidentally requested this from NetGalley and wonder of wonders, was approved. Why accidentally? Because I never request books that have already been published. Oops. So we'll give it a whirl anyway...

[Ije the Devourer of Books · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 star book :)

But a

2 star narration :(

A good audiobook can breathe life into a book and create a kind of film for the ears. This is what it should do. A good narration should enable the listener 'to see' the story in a new light, deepen reader interest and ignite the reader's emotions.

'Sense of Death' is a good book but the narration was flat and monotone. I like audio books that inject energy and passion into the story but I didn't find that here and I think it is a missed opportunity.

First the story:

This is what I would describe as an eerie thriller. It is also a murder mystery but we know who did the murder right from the beginning because we are there when he does it. What we don't know is how his crime will be discovered. We do know it will involve Anne Kinnear and her ability to sense the dead. I don't normally like this kind of mystery. I don't like to know who did it from the beginning but it was interesting so I stuck with it.

It is a series of co-incidences that open the way for Anne Kinnear to get involved in helping the police to solve the death of Elizabeth Firth. She has been murdered in a terrible act of violence and her husband took great pains to hide her body and construct a cover story. This isn't enough and the body is found and the police begin to hunt for the killer.
Biden - the killer is a man who feels unappreciated. It was a simple argument that led to the violence that killed his wife and he was thinking he would move on with his life and sell his house but Elizabeth's presence is still there and she needs justice.

I don't normally read this kind of thiller because I don't like knowing who did it at the beginning but this was ok because of the scary factor. This was 'Silence of the Lambs' scary. It was scary because the reader can see into the mind of a violent killer but at the same time we know he didn't mean to kill his wife. In some sense the reader can feel sorry for him but then we are confronted by the horror of his violence and we also need to see that justice is done.

Ann Kinnear uses her gift to earn a living. We are told how she has this ability to sense the dead from a very early age and how her brother protects her and acts as her business partner. Ann begins to sense Elizabeth when she is out checking houses on behalf of a couple who want to buy a house. But when she senses Elizabeth she flees the house even before entering. Eventually she is asked to help and unwittingly places herself in the path of a killer. I did think the end of this story was just too convenient and the instead of wrapping up the story continued, kind of meandering.

All in all This is a good story but the narration was a missed opportunity.

The narration:

Monotone, rather flat and disappointing. Not every narration will involve drama and different voices but this narratiom was just so boring. I eventually got used to this but I nearly gave up at the very beginning. It is the quality of the story that kept me going not the narration. I listened to 9 hours of what felt like droning and it robbed the story of drama.

All in all this was a good story but I wish the audiobook had been better.

"This audiobook was provided by the author, narrator, or publisher at no cost in exchange for an unbiased review courtesy of AudiobookBlast dot com."

[Dianne Garber · Rating 5 out of 5]

Spirit Sensor

I love a good suspense thriller...couldn't put it down till the end. Compelling, clean, good detective, great brother-sister relationship, .. mystery solved. I want to read the next one - now!

[Janet Martin · Rating 5 out of 5]

A terrific debut--and an interesting new series character? While the listener knows the identity of the killer early on, this book still manages to pack some suspense into what almost reads like a true crime tale. Characters are well developed with the villain as expertly drawn as the heroine, Ann Kinnear, a psychic able to sense spirits who remain close to their homes or death places. While both Ann and the authorities know who is to blame, it's a race to find actual physical proof before the killer gets to Ann. I listened to the audiobook version, which was provided by the author at no charge in exchange for an honest review, and my opinion is that both the story and the narration were top shelf--perhaps a 4.5, but I've rounded up my rating to 5 stars. I very much enjoyed Sarah Purdum's non-dramatic narration. She has a very easy voice for listening and gave a nuanced performance perfect for the material.

[Nancy Gable · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved the book! I read a lot of fiction, but am not usually drawn to the mystery/murder genre, much less the occult--- but, The Sense of Death had me hooked right from the start! It was a total page turner with both believable characters and a plot whose psychological sophistication held up to my training as a mental health professional---in other words, no false notes. I also liked the structure and flow of the story as well as the Philly/NJ settings as I could easily picture the places described---Rittenhouse Square, the Jersey shore, etc. I'm looking forward to reading Matty's new book, The Sense of Reckoning, which will take me to a favorite part of Maine. This one's a winner!

[Terri Hanna · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fantastic read.hard to bput down

This was a very good book.The pace slowed some w all the characters but finally stepped up.I will defiantly keep it to read again!and hope to read more of Anne's books

[Carole Beasley · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved the book.

[Donna L Faulkner · Rating 4 out of 5]

Took awhile to develop plot but last part of the book was nicely suspenseful and spellbinding. Worth the time to read.

[Susan Barton · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ann Kinnear is a quiet, private person who “senses” spirits. She and her brother Mike have a spirit consulting business, but Ann prefers to stay out of the limelight. When Ann is asked to sense spirits for a client in a home that she’s considering purchasing, Ann immediately senses that a terrible event has occurred within the home. Ann is then unwillingly drawn into a murder mystery that puts her own life in danger.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book! It has so many great elements going for it. Yes, readers are aware of who the murderer is at the start, but that in no way ruins the book. In fact, I found The Sense of Death to be one of the most suspenseful books I’ve ever read. I never knew quite what would happen next.

Matty Dalyrmple’s writing is wonderfully expressive. Her characters are well developed and relatable. She does a great job of making the murderer a highly unlikable character. I enjoyed the author’s writing, plot and characters so much that I was able to breeze through the book in a day. I was also very interested in seeing how it would end. The ending was tidy and satisfying!

I highly recommend The Sense of Death to anyone who enjoys a good murder mystery, with a unique paranormal slant added in for plenty of additional interest.

5 of 5 Stars, Susan Barton, http://ebookreviewgal.com

[Diane · Rating 4 out of 5]

I just finished reading The Sense of Death by author Matty Dalrymple. The main character, Ann Kinnear has the sensory ability to feel the spirits or emotions experienced just before a person has died. This ability happens when she is in the vicinity of where the person met their death or sometimes if she touches something belonging to the person. Her gift was made public as a teenager when she and her brother Mike helped in the search of a missing friend. Ann tries to avoid the public secluded in her cabin within the Adirondacks , but her brother manages their company. Ann uses her sensory perception at the request of clients who are purchasing homes and want to determine if a spirit is present before they make a purchase, especially in older homes with history.
This story is based on trying to prove socialite Elizabeth Firth was murdered by her husband, where there is no evidence of a crime in the home. The plot is is very layered and written well to hold the readers interest.
I really Like Ann and grieved for Beau. I will be looking to read more in this series! Very Clever!

[Vicki · Rating 5 out of 5]

I didn't have high expectations for this book

I thought it would be decent, and maybe even interesting, but it turned out I could barely put it down. If I could have held my eyelids open with toothpicks I might have tried it. I enjoyed the characters, and the relationship between Ann and Mike. I hope to see more of Joe in the next book, and to meet Garrick again.

[Maryann Forbes · Rating 5 out of 5]

Every once in awhile you start a book by a "new to you" author, and you immediately know you like her/his writing; it happened to me when I was reading The Sense of Death by Matty Dalrymple. From the first few pages, I was fully-engaged; the characters were believable, resonated with me and I really liked the author's writing style.
The Sense of Death is the first book in the Ann Kinnear Suspense Series. From the time she was a little girl, Ann knew she was different from other children. Growing up, she could sense the spirit of a little girl in her home, Ann called her Susan. Susan would manifest herself with a green light/energy that only Ann could detect. Her parents discouraged her, thinking perhaps she had an over-active imagination. Her brother Mike was the only person believed Ann had a gift.
When a neighbor girl went missing, Mike called on Ann to help with the search.
The girl had fallen into a side cave while hiking- a location it would have taken searchers ages to find. Ann was aware of a dark energy and discovered the dead body of the girl- the search had taken too long. Ann became an overnight sensation and was recognized by many as a celebrity teenage psychic.
Eventually Ann and Mike formed a consulting business. Mike was the business manager and Ann's agent. They often checked homes for potential buyers or sellers to ascertain if there were any spirits or assisted in finding missing or lost people. Ann shared her gift reticently as she didn't want to be seen as a phony or attention seeker.
In The Sense of Death, Ann is partnered with Philadelphia detective Jo Booth to see if she can determine if the spirit of a missing wealthy socialite, presumed by many to be dead, was present in the family's home. Can Ann help? Will she put herself or Mike in harm's way. What happened to Elizabeth Firth? I hope I have piqued your interest as the answers can only be found in this exciting and intriguing book. A definite 5 star read.

[Stefanie Verhelst · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ann has a special gift, a sense to feel the death. As a detective she wants to help solve mysteries and crimes.

The story is told in 3rd person and there is a lot of background info. It’s a lot of information being given, but unfortunately I missed feeling it.

The plot seems to reveal in the beginning and for a moment I was wondering if it would remain interesting to continue reading. I’m glad I did though, the plot twists and suspense are worth it. The relationship with her brother is an important part of the book, he is not only her business companion but her shadow as well.

Overall an interesting story, a first book in the series, with a lot of background info. I will read the next book because Ann’s character intrigues me.

I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Tina Plante · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love reading books in a certain order: romance, murder/suspense/, romance, etc. This book had a lot of elements that are my favorite to read about: supernatural ability, strong female character, and murder. The main character Ann Kinnear is unable to communicate with ghosts, but she can sense them. She is really talented at sensing when the ghosts died under unnatural causes.

This book is suspenseful, and has a female character you grow to love. I loved the detective, and her brother. If you are looking for a suspenseful book with a great plot. This is it!

[Nicole · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5 ⭐️rounded down. I felt like this book was a little all over the place. I didn’t always feel like the transitions were smooth and sometimes I was asking myself what the purpose of the chapter was. Also a certain scene of the book made me automatically deduct a star but don’t want to include spoilers in my review so I won’t say anything further. I did find this book different from others as you know who did it from the beginning.

[Beth Martin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Perfect combination of crime solving and ghost story,
surprisingly believable. I have already ordered the next one!

[Kim · Rating 3 out of 5]

Solidly a 3.5 (oh how I wish we could give half stars!). I enjoyed this suspense novel. The writing flowed well as did the story. The writing was easy to read, the story flowed well-not exactly fast paced but not too slow-and I enjoyed the characters. This was a clean read, a little violent in one part, but otherwise very clean.

[Shelley · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a fast, fun read and a solid hit. The plot was well developed and intriguing with believable characters and events, managing to cloak the big reveal till the near end. Looking forward to reading more in this series!

[Jeanine · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent, well written story.

[Jessica Adams · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really liked this book. I would read way more mystery murder books if they were like this. Fast paced, suspenseful, very interesting subject. She also writes very subtlety but convincingly of the bad person’s deterioration. Definitely want to read more of these characters and this series.

[Debb Marshall · Rating 5 out of 5]

Reminiscent of Kay Hooper

The Sense of Death is an excellent read for those of us who enjoy a good mystery/police novel blended with extrasensory abilities. Matty Dalrymple has created a well written, well edited story that is satisfying on many levels. Her characters are well developed and realistic. The story development is smooth. I downloads this as a free book. I have paid for the second in what I hope is a long series. I enjoyed this book as much as I did the Kay Hooper Bishop series - a high honor not lightly given. Beau, Ann's guard dog is a bonus to the story. I am looking forward to more books in this series and long hours enjoying a cup of tea and a good read. Thank you Matty. Well-done.

[Megan Cutter · Rating 2 out of 5]

Thoroughly predictable, but I enjoyed the descriptions. Normally I love a good mystery, especially one with a paranormal aspect. This is not one to love, but at least it is way too long, as if the author couldn't stop. The ending especially is tedious. Sometimes, brevity is best.

Ann Kinnear is a psychic who gets a "sense of death." She becomes famous because she finds a girl who has just died on a hike. Her brother Mike, the only one who has never doubted Ann's abilities, capitalizes on this fame and runs the business while Ann does the work.

A man murders his wife and after waaaayy toooo many chapters, Ann ends up involved in finding out how she is killed.

One problem I have with the ease of self- publishing is that authors publish without good editing. I have written several novels, but none I would publish without having a good editor look at them, which is expensive. This novel is one that desperately needs a good editor. The author tells so much without showing, even if she uses good descriptors. An editor would help her fix this, shorten the book, and keep the author from the issues with POV. The POV is 3rd person omniscient, but the author switches people from paragraph to paragraph in places, and near the end of the book, it switches in the middle of a sentence! Also, at one point, it even switches inexplicably to the POV of the dog!

The story itself is not layered enough either. Especially if the mystery is solved at the very beginning of the book and it is very long, the story needs more layers.

[Susan · Rating 2 out of 5]

Ann Kinnear basically sees representations of the dead, and she is eventually involved in solving the mystery of the missing Elizabeth Firth.
Unfortunately for me we have a description of the murder and know who the murderer is, this tends to lessen my interest in a mystery a lot, and I really didn't like the style of writing.
A NetGalley

[Gail · Rating 4 out of 5]

Spooky

Very interesting book. Suspenseful and very spooky at times. Loved the characters and the book had a great flow, without being choppy. Looking forward to reading the next book by this author.

[Bella · Rating 2 out of 5]

Really difficult to review, the plot was predictable you just knew what was going to happen next, also I purchased this as a audible book and the narrators voice really got on my nerves.

[Miki · Rating 2 out of 5]

Not horrible, but curiously dry. Sort of like reading the police report.

[Darin Miller · Rating 5 out of 5]

Imagine being gifted at birth with an ability that most folks could never possibly understand, much less believe. Unlike those with remarkable athletic prowess, artistic ability, or intellectual superiority, Ann Kinnear has a talent that is decidedly less—tangible. Ever since she was a girl, Ann has been able to sense the presence of dead people, a gift that almost everyone around her disregards as fantasy. Well, everyone except her younger brother, Mike, who has enough firsthand experience to know better.

Shortly after high school, Ann becomes a local celebrity when her gift helps authorities locate the body of a missing friend. Mike seizes the opportunity to parlay Ann’s newfound notoriety into a profitable career, renting out his sister’s services to those in need. This includes private individuals keen on learning if their prospective new homes are haunted and occasionally law enforcement officials stumped by a case that is quickly growing cold. Ann feels compelled to use the gift she never asked for if it might help others find peace of mind, and if it affords her a comfortable existence in the process, so be it. She leaves most of the business decisions in the capable hands of her brother, whose acumen sustains both of their lives quite comfortably.

After a brief introduction to her psychic protagonist, Dalrymple shifts gears to introduce us to The Big Bad of the story, Biden Firth. Biden is an arrogant young husband whose penchant for bad investments has his life crumbling around him. Faced with mounting debt and dwindling options, he is prone to increasingly frequent temper tantrums, and during one of these, he manages to strangle his unsympathetic wife while their young daughter sleeps in her upstairs bedroom. In just a matter of moments, Biden’s entire purpose shifts to getting away with a crime he never intended to commit.

This isn’t a spoiler—Dalrymple lays her cards on the table early on. This isn’t a ‘whodunnit.’ It’s a ‘how-can-he-possibly-get-away-with-it?’ and wow, it’s a real page-turner.

Dalrymple shifts perspectives from chapter to chapter, involving us in Biden’s evolving plight while keeping us abreast of Ann’s current activities, expertly weaving these unrelated threads together as the story progresses toward an anxiety-inducing, action-packed climax, and the outcome is anything but guaranteed. This is the sort of book that pulls you right in, and before you know it, an hour has passed along with more pages than you ever set out to read—and aren’t those just the very best kind?

With a find like Matty Dalrymple, I don’t need a psychic to predict if I’ll be back for more. So, SO good!

[Cynthia · Rating 3 out of 5]

I almost stopped reading/listening three times. It's like a bag of potato chips. You know it's bad for you, but it's hard to stop. (I think I'm generous with 3, but I can see where some folks would get into the "what's going to happen" groove and not see my concerns as impediments.)

What was challenging for me?

The dialogue was hard to listen to, both because so much of it wasn't necessary "Should we look at it?" "Yes, let's look at it." (not verbatim, but you get my drift).

I could see the ending coming a mile (or many page) away.

Characters do things and you're saying "no, don't" because you know if the characters thought two more seconds about it, they wouldn't, except that it helps propel the plot in the way the author wants it to go.

It feels at times like the author wants to push cultural relevance by including a gay couple, mentioning specific talk shows or other media venues where information is being dispersed, and other details that seem somewhat superfluous or at least not well-handled but included for the sake of including those. The author also seems to rely on a number of well-worn tropes (like the police detective who gets push back from his superior).

Most relationships fell flat, and characters never became people I could truly identify with; for example, Ann and Mike's relationship (sister and brother) seemed odd and somewhat cold.

Yes, dear reader, there were quite a few things I was not keen about.

Maybe the books in the series get better? I should note that I wasn't thrilled with the narrator who used the same somewhat flat tone for all the characters, so that's also why I don't want to ding this at 2 stars. Perhaps it's more the audio version where these concerns seem more apparent (flat tones + bad dialogue is not a good combination). If I did try another volume, I would definitely read the book instead of listening, unless the narrator changed and improved.

[Catherine · Rating 4 out of 5]

'A Sense of Death,' was unlike any other psychic murder mystery I've ever read, because the psychic in the story isn't really a psychic and the murder mystery isn't really a mystery.

Normally, I'm not big on murder mysteries where the reader finds out who the killer is early in the book, but I felt like it worked in this one. At the very least, I didn't feel ripped off by it and it made sense that the characters in the book didn't have the ability to just drag the guy in and arrest him.

I liked Ann a lot as a character. She was smart and strong without being unrealistically so. I thought it was cool how her psychic abilities only extended to vague senses of spirits which, while being more than the average person can do, still left her frustrated that she couldn't help her clients (or the spirits) more.

I also loved the other characters, like Mike and Walt, who were both well written and fleshed out without taking over the entire book.

I think the only problems I had with it were that I felt like it was a little long--there were def places where situations that the reader had been privy to on the page were explained again to new parties like, 2 more times. Which can feel a bit unnecessary-- and there was also some kind of weird formatting stuff.
For instance, every time Ann had a vision, the text suddenly went into italics. I still found myself capable of following what was happening, but I guess I think of italics as being for the thoughts of characters, or possibly flashbacks. This was a pretty small thing, though, overall. It only happened a handful of times.

I definitely intend to read the second book in this series because I want to know what happens to these characters next!

(I should also mention, I won this book in a GR giveaway, but it was already on my TBR list and it wasn't in exchange for anything.)

[Elisabeth Kidd · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Philadelphia socialite goes missing. Months later, almost too late to find any reliable evidence of murder, her body turns up in a marsh at the edge of the city. But like many criminals—possibly more in fiction than real life—the murderer eventually reveals himself through his own mistakes.
This being fiction, however, there are plenty of thrills in The Sense of Death, and a climax to the well-constructed plot that puts our heroine in grave danger. That heroine is the very appealing Ann Kinnear, who is not a psychic (she insists) but does have a talent for sensing spirits in old buildings, of which there are plenty in Pennsylvania.
One of Ann’s clients is eager to live in a haunted house and hires Ann to check out some possibilities. When Ann senses Something Evil about a house just off Rittenhouse Square and won’t even go inside, Detective Joe Booth gets wind of her reaction and checks her out, hoping she can help him prove who murdered Elizabeth Firth. Joe knows who did it; he just can’t prove it.
The author describes Ann’s talent in believable detail, and the reader understands why she views it as both a blessing and a curse. Apart from the solid and suspenseful plot, the characterization in The Sense of Death (the title comes from Measure for Measure and is very apt) is outstanding. Ann’s partner in her “consulting” business is her capable brother Mike, who takes care of the business details so that Ann can focus on the difficult business of discovering what, if any, spirits inhabit a house and deciding what they want to tell owners and visitors.