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The Murder Notebooks #1
Dead Time
Rose and Joshua first met when Joshua and his dad came to live with Rose and her mum. Then their world turns upside down when their mother and father go out for dinner one evening and never return. With police inquiries going nowhere, Rose is dispatched to live with her chilly, unfriendly grandmother and Joshua is sent to live with his uncle. Then Joshua comes to London to study and Rose is witness to not one, but two murders. Why is this happening to Rose? Can it be anything to do with the investigations Joshua has been doing into the disappearance of their parents? A taut and pacy thriller that is the start of a stylish new series from an acclaimed writer for teens.
344 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2012
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 204 reviews
April 17, 2012
I don't get it. I just spent the last couple of hours reading this book, and by the end, i don't feel like I got anywhere. I didn't get any further with the mystery behind Rose's mom and Joshua's dad, and I didn't get any further with Rose and Joshua. And the police will probably never get any further with Henry's murder. At least the other murder was solved.
I wasn't particularly crazy about the characters in this book. I couldn't sympathize with Rose at all. She purposely made herself a recluse, and she went around making bad decisions and causing a lot of trouble. Instead of making us root for her like Nancy Drew, she just made herself look like a nuisance that kept getting in the way. Joshua is too weird. He's aloof and way too wrapped up in himself and his parents' case. I don't like him one bit.
And I don't understand why authors keep insisting on writing possible romances between siblings. Okay, so they're not real brothers and sisters and they're not even step brothers and sisters. I'm not offended by the concept, but it's becoming a more popular trend but with no particular reason. I don't see why they couldn't have been neighbors or childhood friends or whatever. It makes no sense. Maybe Cassidy will reveal in future books why she set up the book this way.
Overall this book was okay. It's not bad, but it's still up in the air whether or not I"ll be continuing this series.
I wasn't particularly crazy about the characters in this book. I couldn't sympathize with Rose at all. She purposely made herself a recluse, and she went around making bad decisions and causing a lot of trouble. Instead of making us root for her like Nancy Drew, she just made herself look like a nuisance that kept getting in the way. Joshua is too weird. He's aloof and way too wrapped up in himself and his parents' case. I don't like him one bit.
And I don't understand why authors keep insisting on writing possible romances between siblings. Okay, so they're not real brothers and sisters and they're not even step brothers and sisters. I'm not offended by the concept, but it's becoming a more popular trend but with no particular reason. I don't see why they couldn't have been neighbors or childhood friends or whatever. It makes no sense. Maybe Cassidy will reveal in future books why she set up the book this way.
Overall this book was okay. It's not bad, but it's still up in the air whether or not I"ll be continuing this series.
December 5, 2012
Loved this book! I seriously could not put it down! It was so thrilling and it had so many twists too it, it was like nothing I have read before.
I'm usually the type of girl to go for a romance book with a lot of lovey dovey stuff, so I thought I wouldn't like this book. I was so wrong!
This book taught me that I can actually read a book without all the "romance this, romance that" stuff in it. Even though it did have hints to there being a romance (god, how many times have I used the word 'romance' now?) blossoming, it was very subtle and made wonder where everything was going to end up.
Very pleased and extremely suprised at how good it was. Amazing.
Until next time. :)
P.S It was a pleasure meeting you at the Edinburgh Book Festival last August 2012 Anne Cassidy, thanks for signing my book! xxx
I'm usually the type of girl to go for a romance book with a lot of lovey dovey stuff, so I thought I wouldn't like this book. I was so wrong!
This book taught me that I can actually read a book without all the "romance this, romance that" stuff in it. Even though it did have hints to there being a romance (god, how many times have I used the word 'romance' now?) blossoming, it was very subtle and made wonder where everything was going to end up.
Very pleased and extremely suprised at how good it was. Amazing.
Until next time. :)
P.S It was a pleasure meeting you at the Edinburgh Book Festival last August 2012 Anne Cassidy, thanks for signing my book! xxx
August 8, 2021
Intresting concept but didn't think it was as well done as I had hoped. Still a bit interesting but didn't seem like the story moved forward fast enough or much was found out. But this was a start to a series and I think I'll at least give the second book a try.
September 27, 2022
VERDICT: 3.4 YA stars, or 2.8 Adult stars
PROS:
++ Set in the U.K.
++ Murders and multiple suspects
++ Imperfect but mostly likeable protagonist, with poor people skills
++ Mostly family-safe; no sex or flagrant cursing. Just some
CONS:
-- TSTL*: Teens doing dumb things or putting themselves in serious risk
-- Incompetent police (why can't we have GOOD/SMART PoPo for once?)
-- Not super-realistic; in real life, protagonists would probably be dead for being so stupid/nosy.
-- Villain or villains who
-- Ends with
*Too Stupid To Live
RECOMMENDED? Yes, overall. I liked the setting and the protagonist (Rose), even though she was far too naive and took stupid risks. This mostly slow-paced book seems like one the younger YA crowd (maybe ages 13-17) might enjoy more than older teens/YAs or adults.
PROS:
++ Set in the U.K.
++ Murders and multiple suspects
++ Imperfect but mostly likeable protagonist, with poor people skills
++ Mostly family-safe; no sex or flagrant cursing. Just some
CONS:
-- TSTL*: Teens doing dumb things or putting themselves in serious risk
-- Incompetent police (why can't we have GOOD/SMART PoPo for once?)
-- Not super-realistic; in real life, protagonists would probably be dead for being so stupid/nosy.
-- Villain or villains who
-- Ends with
*Too Stupid To Live
RECOMMENDED? Yes, overall. I liked the setting and the protagonist (Rose), even though she was far too naive and took stupid risks. This mostly slow-paced book seems like one the younger YA crowd (maybe ages 13-17) might enjoy more than older teens/YAs or adults.
September 25, 2012
So I saw this book in Waterstones and thought it sounded pretty good. I found it in the library a few days later and decided to give it a go.
The book was slow going at first. I found the writing to be a little flat. With that in mind I still found that I wanted to read on. Towards the middle it started to get more interesting. I was intrigued as to who the murderer was but was not expecting the answer to come so late in the book. It seemed like they were taking forever to get to the point.
The storyline itself was very good. I still want to read the next book to find out what happens to Rose and Joshua.
The book was slow going at first. I found the writing to be a little flat. With that in mind I still found that I wanted to read on. Towards the middle it started to get more interesting. I was intrigued as to who the murderer was but was not expecting the answer to come so late in the book. It seemed like they were taking forever to get to the point.
The storyline itself was very good. I still want to read the next book to find out what happens to Rose and Joshua.
May 16, 2012
I received an E-ARC of this via Netgalley. It sounded really interesting, so I picked it up to read. I get about 1/3 of the way through and have ZERO idea what the main plot line is. Oh, this person gets murdered, oh, my parents are missing, oh, he is my kind of step-brother who I haven't seen in 5 years, oh, this is my grandmother who I never knew. Please tell me where this story goes.
Maybe I would have finished it, if that were the only problem. But the writing is just poor. The dialogue between characters is simplistic and boring and too choppy. And the description is laughable.
"Anna Christie her name was and she was dressed smartly--like someone going to a wedding."
"The font was somber."
"She also liked to go on sites about books or art, movies or music, and she often left comments."
I do not care for the writing style, the choice of diction, or the characters. If these things were okay, or if the storyline was intriguing, I would finish it. I do that all the time. But there is nothing intriguing about a confusing plot elements, less than stellar writing, grammar and diction errors, and characters that I don't really care about.
Sorry, I just couldn't finish this one.
Maybe I would have finished it, if that were the only problem. But the writing is just poor. The dialogue between characters is simplistic and boring and too choppy. And the description is laughable.
"Anna Christie her name was and she was dressed smartly--like someone going to a wedding."
"The font was somber."
"She also liked to go on sites about books or art, movies or music, and she often left comments."
I do not care for the writing style, the choice of diction, or the characters. If these things were okay, or if the storyline was intriguing, I would finish it. I do that all the time. But there is nothing intriguing about a confusing plot elements, less than stellar writing, grammar and diction errors, and characters that I don't really care about.
Sorry, I just couldn't finish this one.
June 14, 2015
Actual rating: more like 2.5 stars. In other words, the sort of book that I never, at any point, thought particularly good, but .. it was readable, enough so that I finished it in a day and a half which is - considering how much effort reading books has been for me this year - pretty good evidence for me obviously caring enough to want to know what would happen next.
That said... the writing felt rather pedestrian (not that I want high-flying literary language, but it felt rather... too simplistic, I suppose, even for a YA book), the characters, including Rose, the protagonist, didn't have an awful lot of depth, and while the first half or three quarters of the plot felt fairly reasonable and even realistic at times, I wasn't thrilled by the way it ended.
Still, the ending was an obvious set-up for the next book in the series, which I already have, so ... rounding up to a tentative "I liked it" in the hopes that whenever I actually get to reading the second book, it'll resolve some of the issues I had with this one.
That said... the writing felt rather pedestrian (not that I want high-flying literary language, but it felt rather... too simplistic, I suppose, even for a YA book), the characters, including Rose, the protagonist, didn't have an awful lot of depth, and while the first half or three quarters of the plot felt fairly reasonable and even realistic at times, I wasn't thrilled by the way it ended.
Still, the ending was an obvious set-up for the next book in the series, which I already have, so ... rounding up to a tentative "I liked it" in the hopes that whenever I actually get to reading the second book, it'll resolve some of the issues I had with this one.
March 18, 2018
Trigger warnings: murder, loss of a parent
So here's the thing: the blurb of this sounded GREAT. Parents go missing, five years later the stepsiblings reconnect after one of them finds a body, and they decide to look into the disappearance of their parents, leading them to find a notebook about murdery things.
Instead what happens is that the book starts in the present day, and the information about the parents disappearing is trickled out through the course of the story. And yes, Rose DOES find a body and she DOES reconnect with Joshua. But the two things are tenuously connected at best, and Rose is possibly the most passive wet blanket character I think I've ever come across. She's meant to be 17, but she reads more like a 13 year old.
And the murder notebook mentioned in the blurb? I'm not kidding, they literally find it 20 pages from the end of the book.
So I went in with high hopes, because I've always enjoyed Anne Cassidy's books in the past. But this one - while it did have an intriguing ending - was just flat and took far too long to get to the point. Sigh.
So here's the thing: the blurb of this sounded GREAT. Parents go missing, five years later the stepsiblings reconnect after one of them finds a body, and they decide to look into the disappearance of their parents, leading them to find a notebook about murdery things.
Instead what happens is that the book starts in the present day, and the information about the parents disappearing is trickled out through the course of the story. And yes, Rose DOES find a body and she DOES reconnect with Joshua. But the two things are tenuously connected at best, and Rose is possibly the most passive wet blanket character I think I've ever come across. She's meant to be 17, but she reads more like a 13 year old.
And the murder notebook mentioned in the blurb? I'm not kidding, they literally find it 20 pages from the end of the book.
So I went in with high hopes, because I've always enjoyed Anne Cassidy's books in the past. But this one - while it did have an intriguing ending - was just flat and took far too long to get to the point. Sigh.
January 22, 2024
I loved this as a teen, but reading as an adult I wouldn’t hold it in the same light. The characters are stressful to read. Most of the mysteries get solved by someone telling them something they shouldn’t have (mainly the policeman) which almost takes the mystery away. The plot of rose starting to have a crush on her step brother makes me uncomfortable. The main plot of her mum and step dad going missing could have been fleshed out more as well.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 1, 2017
I really liked this book. I accidentally read its sequel, Killing Rachel, so had to come back to read this one and was not disappointed. Really enjoyed the whole book and it was exciting and thrilling the whole way through. I look forward to reading its sequels and seeing what happens next. Make sure you get more than one at once because you want to read the next one right after!
October 1, 2022
3.25 stars
This was okay, but not as good as this author's Patsy Kelly books.
This was okay, but not as good as this author's Patsy Kelly books.
May 17, 2012
Anne Cassidy's Dead Time has been an odd sort of beast for me to review. I had a lot of different problems with it -- a few were a matter of taste, some are writing-style, others are problems with plot...suffice it to say they are many and varied. However, I read it ages ago and still occasionally think about the mystery and what is going to come next. Obviously, it wasn't all bad. Since I've been struggled for so long with this review, I'm going to do it in lists:
The Bad:
- I get that the book is written by a British woman, and that we are two nations divided by a common language and all that. I know that different slang words are used, that we phrase things differently, that we have different names for the same things, and that we sometimes use the same words to mean different things. I get that, and read quite a few British books with absolutely no problem (google is your friend). With that in mind...nearly every single conversation in this book had me scratching my head in confusion at least once. I straight-up didn't get what the dialog meant at times, and the conversations almost always felt awkward and forced. I think this is an issue with the writing and not an American/British thing.
- I am so sick of step-sibling forbidden romances being set up to create tension. It isn't biologically incest, and when the characters weren't in a true brother/sister situation (a.k.a. they did not spend most of their lives in the same household with the same parents living every day as brother and sister), it doesn't even emotionally feel like incest. It's a fake taboo meant to manufacture drama and it is getting old. (This trend is your fault, isn't it Forbidden?)
- How old do you have to be to become a cop in the UK? How old is Henry? Because every single interaction between Henry and Rose is just creepy on so many levels. Is he really close to her age, and are they quasi-asking each other out on dates? Or is he older and trying to be a sort of big brother/mentor and just really missing the mark with how? What is this?!?! I am so confused about this character.
- Why is Skeggie helping them anyway? Especially considering he started his sleuthing before Joshua knew Rose was involved. Another character whose behaviour just doesn't make sense to me. (Nor is his genius particularly believable, but that is an entirely different issue.)
- I am all for teenage crime-solvers; they make for fun mysteries. However, these kids go beyond looking for clues the grown-ups have missed into full blown willfully hiding events and clues from police who are actually doing a good job. I know this will make me sound crotchety and all, but I can't even count how many times I said to myself while reading, "For the love of...just call the cops already, will ya, kids?" Then, after the cops get there, they lie. A lot. Very big lies.
- Just how many clues can be magically given to them anyway? I like my amateur detectives to be smart and work for their answers, not have them handed (or emailed) to them.
- None of the characters feel fully formed -- they are all flat as paper.
The Good:
- Cassidy set up a complex system of inter-related characters with different means, motive, and opportunity to have killed Ricky. I genuinely wondered who would pan out as the murderer.
- I like that the murder mystery from the start of the book was neatly wrapped up and solved while the overarching series mystery/conspiracy involving their parents was just set up with lots of open questions. (I like at least a little resolution within my mysteries!)
- The unanswered questions were interesting. I care about the answers.
Why I Will Still Read The Next Book:
- As I said, I read it a month ago and I am still occasionally thinking about it. I want to know what happens next.
This review also appears at Chronicles of a Book Evangelist; a review copy was provided by the publisher.
The Bad:
- I get that the book is written by a British woman, and that we are two nations divided by a common language and all that. I know that different slang words are used, that we phrase things differently, that we have different names for the same things, and that we sometimes use the same words to mean different things. I get that, and read quite a few British books with absolutely no problem (google is your friend). With that in mind...nearly every single conversation in this book had me scratching my head in confusion at least once. I straight-up didn't get what the dialog meant at times, and the conversations almost always felt awkward and forced. I think this is an issue with the writing and not an American/British thing.
- I am so sick of step-sibling forbidden romances being set up to create tension. It isn't biologically incest, and when the characters weren't in a true brother/sister situation (a.k.a. they did not spend most of their lives in the same household with the same parents living every day as brother and sister), it doesn't even emotionally feel like incest. It's a fake taboo meant to manufacture drama and it is getting old. (This trend is your fault, isn't it Forbidden?)
- How old do you have to be to become a cop in the UK? How old is Henry? Because every single interaction between Henry and Rose is just creepy on so many levels. Is he really close to her age, and are they quasi-asking each other out on dates? Or is he older and trying to be a sort of big brother/mentor and just really missing the mark with how? What is this?!?! I am so confused about this character.
- Why is Skeggie helping them anyway? Especially considering he started his sleuthing before Joshua knew Rose was involved. Another character whose behaviour just doesn't make sense to me. (Nor is his genius particularly believable, but that is an entirely different issue.)
- I am all for teenage crime-solvers; they make for fun mysteries. However, these kids go beyond looking for clues the grown-ups have missed into full blown willfully hiding events and clues from police who are actually doing a good job. I know this will make me sound crotchety and all, but I can't even count how many times I said to myself while reading, "For the love of...just call the cops already, will ya, kids?" Then, after the cops get there, they lie. A lot. Very big lies.
- Just how many clues can be magically given to them anyway? I like my amateur detectives to be smart and work for their answers, not have them handed (or emailed) to them.
- None of the characters feel fully formed -- they are all flat as paper.
The Good:
- Cassidy set up a complex system of inter-related characters with different means, motive, and opportunity to have killed Ricky. I genuinely wondered who would pan out as the murderer.
- I like that the murder mystery from the start of the book was neatly wrapped up and solved while the overarching series mystery/conspiracy involving their parents was just set up with lots of open questions. (I like at least a little resolution within my mysteries!)
- The unanswered questions were interesting. I care about the answers.
Why I Will Still Read The Next Book:
- As I said, I read it a month ago and I am still occasionally thinking about it. I want to know what happens next.
This review also appears at Chronicles of a Book Evangelist; a review copy was provided by the publisher.
June 8, 2012
Book One of a new young adult mystery series, Dead Time is set in London featuring common law step siblings Rose and Joshua. Five years ago, Rose's mother and Josh's went out to dinner and never returned. Separated, Rose and Joshua have had little contact in that time but now Josh is in London attending university where Rose lives with her grandmother and attends college but renewing their relationship is proving complicated. While Rose accepted the official explanation for her mothers death, Josh has never stopped trying to trace their last movements and his continued investigation opens old wounds for Rose. When Rose unknowingly witnesses the murder of a college classmate she becomes embroiled in a mystery that only deepens when another murder occurs. Lacking confidence in the police after her own experiences Rose is determined to find the killer of her classmates, only to discover a link to the mystery of her own parents disappearance.
Tagged The Murder Files, Dead Time features two murders in which Rose becomes involved first as a witness and then as an amateur sleuth as she grows frustrated with the lack of progress by police. I really liked how Cassidy handled these two separate but related cases, there are interesting misdirects and twists that are credible and they resolve satisfactorily. With the help of Joshua and his flat mate Skeggsie, Rose slowly puts the pieces together to solve the murder of Emma but not without making some foolish mistakes that may allow the murderer to get away with it.
The fate of Kathy, Rose's mother, and Brendan, Joshua's father will obviously be the mystery that runs through the series. It's an interesting one and some progress is made throughout the book but its clear there won't be answers any time soon.
While I thought the plot of Dead Time strong and intriguing, I am not very fond of Rose and it impacted on my enjoyment of the novel. Her history affords he some leeway but her manner is abrupt, she is antagonist towards everyone and I had to keep reminding myself she is seventeen because her behaviour is more like a petulant and spoiled fourteen year old. I wasn't entirely convinced that Rose would care enough to involve herself in Emma's murder and her choice to not share major evidence with the police was frustrating. Though Rose does suffer some consequences for her decision, which I was glad of, when she chose to do the same thing a second time I lost patience with her.
Luckily I found Joshua much more likeable, he is far more easygoing than Rose, despite his obsession with his fathers disappearance. I hope that he has a larger role in upcoming sequels. Josh's flatmate Skeggsie also is a surprisingly strong character. I liked that he refused to put up with Rose's attitude and that he has a practical and supportive role throughout the story rather than be relegated to a convenience.
Apart from the likes of Trixie Belden and Nancy Drew, I don't remember any young adult mysteries being available when I was a teenager so I appreciate that the mystery genre is finding a place in today's market. While I didn't enjoy Dead Time as much as I hoped, mainly because of Rose's abrasive character, the series does have potential and I hope Anne Cassidy builds it successfully.
Tagged The Murder Files, Dead Time features two murders in which Rose becomes involved first as a witness and then as an amateur sleuth as she grows frustrated with the lack of progress by police. I really liked how Cassidy handled these two separate but related cases, there are interesting misdirects and twists that are credible and they resolve satisfactorily. With the help of Joshua and his flat mate Skeggsie, Rose slowly puts the pieces together to solve the murder of Emma but not without making some foolish mistakes that may allow the murderer to get away with it.
The fate of Kathy, Rose's mother, and Brendan, Joshua's father will obviously be the mystery that runs through the series. It's an interesting one and some progress is made throughout the book but its clear there won't be answers any time soon.
While I thought the plot of Dead Time strong and intriguing, I am not very fond of Rose and it impacted on my enjoyment of the novel. Her history affords he some leeway but her manner is abrupt, she is antagonist towards everyone and I had to keep reminding myself she is seventeen because her behaviour is more like a petulant and spoiled fourteen year old. I wasn't entirely convinced that Rose would care enough to involve herself in Emma's murder and her choice to not share major evidence with the police was frustrating. Though Rose does suffer some consequences for her decision, which I was glad of, when she chose to do the same thing a second time I lost patience with her.
Luckily I found Joshua much more likeable, he is far more easygoing than Rose, despite his obsession with his fathers disappearance. I hope that he has a larger role in upcoming sequels. Josh's flatmate Skeggsie also is a surprisingly strong character. I liked that he refused to put up with Rose's attitude and that he has a practical and supportive role throughout the story rather than be relegated to a convenience.
Apart from the likes of Trixie Belden and Nancy Drew, I don't remember any young adult mysteries being available when I was a teenager so I appreciate that the mystery genre is finding a place in today's market. While I didn't enjoy Dead Time as much as I hoped, mainly because of Rose's abrasive character, the series does have potential and I hope Anne Cassidy builds it successfully.
April 14, 2022
Nah this was weird. The girl Rebecca or summin idc needs to chill man. Also was kinda annoying that it was left on a cliff hanger cause I ain’t wasting my time reading another book where Rebecca is just waffling about some unnecessary stuff.
May 3, 2012
This book was another Mara Dyer for me. I read the whole thing, and at the end, I didn't feel like a single question had been answered. I know this is the start of a series, but when authors do this, it makes me not want to continue a series. The main plot didn't seem to advance at all. I felt like I ran in a giant circle for a few hours. Not fun. At least answer the major question posed by the book, you know? It's frustrating, and it turns readers off. It turned this reader off, anyway. Also, the use of British colloquial phrases threw me since I'm not British. It's best to keep the colloquialisms to a minimum when writing a novel if you plan on having an international audience. Furthermore, I really didn't like Rose. She just wasn't that bright, and that bothered me. It's hard for me to get into a book when I don't like the main character.
There were things I liked about this book, however. First off, the characters were well-developed, even if some of them weren't likable *coughRosecough*. Furthermore, the mystery kept me intrigued even if the plot didn't really advance. It was a suspenseful read, and I couldn't put the book down until I finished. The pacing was pretty spot on, and the book didn't drag in many places. The idea is a bit unique and intriguing. I feel that this series has a lot of potential, and I *may* check out the next book from the library just to see what happens next, if I get over my bitterness about the inconclusive ending by then. Also, there were two sub-plots, and the author did an excellent job of keeping everything straight. But I don't feel like we advanced any with Josh and Rose's relationship, either.
Basically, I feel that there is a lot of room for improvement in this book, but the series does have potential. As I stated, I may check the next installment out from the library first to see how I feel about it. Overall, I'd recommend this book to lovers of mystery. I'd also recommend checking it out from the library first to make sure this book is for you. If you don't mind really open-ended cliffhangers for endings, then you should like this book just fine.
There were things I liked about this book, however. First off, the characters were well-developed, even if some of them weren't likable *coughRosecough*. Furthermore, the mystery kept me intrigued even if the plot didn't really advance. It was a suspenseful read, and I couldn't put the book down until I finished. The pacing was pretty spot on, and the book didn't drag in many places. The idea is a bit unique and intriguing. I feel that this series has a lot of potential, and I *may* check out the next book from the library just to see what happens next, if I get over my bitterness about the inconclusive ending by then. Also, there were two sub-plots, and the author did an excellent job of keeping everything straight. But I don't feel like we advanced any with Josh and Rose's relationship, either.
Basically, I feel that there is a lot of room for improvement in this book, but the series does have potential. As I stated, I may check the next installment out from the library first to see how I feel about it. Overall, I'd recommend this book to lovers of mystery. I'd also recommend checking it out from the library first to make sure this book is for you. If you don't mind really open-ended cliffhangers for endings, then you should like this book just fine.
Read
October 26, 2012“Dead Time” is the first of the Murder Notebook series by Anne Cassidy. Cassidy has penned over thirty books during her career and her latest series follows two teenagers, Rose Smith and Joshua Johnson.
Twelve-year-old Rose’s mother and fourteen-year-old Joshua’s father live together happily until one night the kids’ parents go out to dinner and never come back. Nothing is heard of them again and the two are sent to live with different relatives.
Five years later, Rose and Joshua are due to meet up, having not seen each other since that fateful night. As Rose waits in a train station heading to their rendezvous, she is harassed by a boy from her college who has constantly made her life a misery. He finally walks away only to be stabbed and killed on the railway bridge in full view of Rose. She sees the attack, but it occurs too far away for her to identify the assailant. After being befriended by the murdered boy’s girlfriend, things become even more frightening when the girlfriend is also found dead in a nearby cemetery.
As Rose is dragged into the mystery of the murder investigation, she and Joshua also begin to believe they may have found clues to the disappearance of their parents. Rose is as feisty and stubborn as Joshua is thoughtful and melancholy, which makes for good conflict.
As in all good YA books, Cassidy fills her story with teenage awkwardness and simmering emotions. Even though some may be disappointed with the lack of answers on the overall mystery of the parents’ disappearances, the solving of the murder was satisfying. Certainly, there will be many waiting for the next book of the series as the two continue their hunt to solve the mystery of their parents’ disappearances. Any young adult fan reading this will certainly not feel they have spent any dead time with this author.
Reviewed by Susan May http://anadventureinreading.blogspot.... for Suspense Magazine
Twelve-year-old Rose’s mother and fourteen-year-old Joshua’s father live together happily until one night the kids’ parents go out to dinner and never come back. Nothing is heard of them again and the two are sent to live with different relatives.
Five years later, Rose and Joshua are due to meet up, having not seen each other since that fateful night. As Rose waits in a train station heading to their rendezvous, she is harassed by a boy from her college who has constantly made her life a misery. He finally walks away only to be stabbed and killed on the railway bridge in full view of Rose. She sees the attack, but it occurs too far away for her to identify the assailant. After being befriended by the murdered boy’s girlfriend, things become even more frightening when the girlfriend is also found dead in a nearby cemetery.
As Rose is dragged into the mystery of the murder investigation, she and Joshua also begin to believe they may have found clues to the disappearance of their parents. Rose is as feisty and stubborn as Joshua is thoughtful and melancholy, which makes for good conflict.
As in all good YA books, Cassidy fills her story with teenage awkwardness and simmering emotions. Even though some may be disappointed with the lack of answers on the overall mystery of the parents’ disappearances, the solving of the murder was satisfying. Certainly, there will be many waiting for the next book of the series as the two continue their hunt to solve the mystery of their parents’ disappearances. Any young adult fan reading this will certainly not feel they have spent any dead time with this author.
Reviewed by Susan May http://anadventureinreading.blogspot.... for Suspense Magazine
May 26, 2013
I was really excited to read this book. I thought it was going to be fantastic. Disappearing parents and a couple of murders thrown on the side. But the blurb on the back of my book described a story that NEVER happened.
I was told notebooks were going to be found that might point to Rose and Joshua (step-siblings desperate to find their missing parents) stumbling on a secret disappearance that could put their lives in danger. Well, the only danger I saw to their lives was that Rose was an idiot who kept jumping into dangerous situations and yelling at people when they told her she was stupid, reckless and irresponsible because she thought she was smarter than she actually was.
Rose was the biggest disappointment in this book. She couldn't quite make up her mind about whether she wanted to find her parents or not. Every time Joshua told her he found a new lead, she'd basically bite his head off for thinking they could possibly uncover something and to trust the police - I wonder why she didn't follow her own advice?
Rose was witness to two murders, pretty much the main focus of the novel - not the search for missing parents. But not satisfied with the police investigating the murders, she has to get involved herself. I think I would have liked this a whole lot more if she wasn't digging up graves to find evidence and withholding information because she didn't think the police would do a good enough job with it all - and the she'd get offended when the police told her she should really stop being an 'amateur Nancy Drew' because she was contaminating evidence and destroying any hope of actually solving the murders.
I was interested in the search for the missing parents and I thought Joshua had a more sound plight than attempting to solve random murders, but then he went all crazy-stupid at the end and started to protect a murderer, so he lost my respect.
I bought the sequel at the same time as this one, but I don't think I'll be reading it any time soon.
I was told notebooks were going to be found that might point to Rose and Joshua (step-siblings desperate to find their missing parents) stumbling on a secret disappearance that could put their lives in danger. Well, the only danger I saw to their lives was that Rose was an idiot who kept jumping into dangerous situations and yelling at people when they told her she was stupid, reckless and irresponsible because she thought she was smarter than she actually was.
Rose was the biggest disappointment in this book. She couldn't quite make up her mind about whether she wanted to find her parents or not. Every time Joshua told her he found a new lead, she'd basically bite his head off for thinking they could possibly uncover something and to trust the police - I wonder why she didn't follow her own advice?
Rose was witness to two murders, pretty much the main focus of the novel - not the search for missing parents. But not satisfied with the police investigating the murders, she has to get involved herself. I think I would have liked this a whole lot more if she wasn't digging up graves to find evidence and withholding information because she didn't think the police would do a good enough job with it all - and the she'd get offended when the police told her she should really stop being an 'amateur Nancy Drew' because she was contaminating evidence and destroying any hope of actually solving the murders.
I was interested in the search for the missing parents and I thought Joshua had a more sound plight than attempting to solve random murders, but then he went all crazy-stupid at the end and started to protect a murderer, so he lost my respect.
I bought the sequel at the same time as this one, but I don't think I'll be reading it any time soon.
July 25, 2012
Review by Madison
Rose is a witness to a brutal attack on one of her classmates and is unwillingly dragged into the whole messy business. the attack coincides with a visit from Joshua who Rose hadn't seen for 5 years. The 5 years since their parents went missing. Rose finds herself wondering if the recent events are some how connected to Joshua's investigation into the disappearance of their parents.
When Rose is witness to another attack; she quickly realises that she has to take action to end it, asking the questions that have been lurking at the back of her mind in order to unravel the mystery hanging over both herself and Joshua.
I have to be honest and say when I first started reading this book I wasn't really sure if I was gong to enjoy it; but I was pleasantly surprised. The book held an air of tension throughout with some fast paced action in places. The murderer wasn't at all obvious and I will admit that it was only when the identity was revealed that all the pieces clicked into place.
Rose is initially unlike-able, she wasn't friendly or interested in socialising but as I got to know her better within the narrative I found myself warming to her.
Mysteries and unanswered questions remain at the end of this book. I am eagerly awaiting the next one in the series.
Rose is a witness to a brutal attack on one of her classmates and is unwillingly dragged into the whole messy business. the attack coincides with a visit from Joshua who Rose hadn't seen for 5 years. The 5 years since their parents went missing. Rose finds herself wondering if the recent events are some how connected to Joshua's investigation into the disappearance of their parents.
When Rose is witness to another attack; she quickly realises that she has to take action to end it, asking the questions that have been lurking at the back of her mind in order to unravel the mystery hanging over both herself and Joshua.
I have to be honest and say when I first started reading this book I wasn't really sure if I was gong to enjoy it; but I was pleasantly surprised. The book held an air of tension throughout with some fast paced action in places. The murderer wasn't at all obvious and I will admit that it was only when the identity was revealed that all the pieces clicked into place.
Rose is initially unlike-able, she wasn't friendly or interested in socialising but as I got to know her better within the narrative I found myself warming to her.
Mysteries and unanswered questions remain at the end of this book. I am eagerly awaiting the next one in the series.
August 1, 2012
Score: 3/5 stars
Mum picked this book off the new arrival shelves in the public library and I finally got around to read it today.
Premise is interesting but writing was a bit flat. With such a premise, by right, I should be kept right on the edge of the seat, wanting to know what will happen next but I didn't feel the strong urge to do so as I do for some other books.
That being said, it was still interesting enough for me to keep reading. Clearly first book of The Murder Notebooks series, this book acted as an ok stepping stone to the next book.
Unfortunately, I had accidentally read the last line of this book so the ending was spoiled for me. Nonetheless, I'm still curious how it will play out in the next book.
For those who are coming in for the romance, there's not really much of it here.
However, for the mystery wise, I like how the characters are proactive, sleuthing instead of waiting things to happen to them. However, Rose can be a little dumb at times in terms of her way of handling. The author knows that too and arranged where Rose was reprimanded for her silly actions.
Overall, this is a good book if you want to pass some time.
My curiosity is piqued enough to read the next book when it comes out. Though I do expect the characters and the premise to be further explore with some revelation done in the next book.
Mum picked this book off the new arrival shelves in the public library and I finally got around to read it today.
Premise is interesting but writing was a bit flat. With such a premise, by right, I should be kept right on the edge of the seat, wanting to know what will happen next but I didn't feel the strong urge to do so as I do for some other books.
That being said, it was still interesting enough for me to keep reading. Clearly first book of The Murder Notebooks series, this book acted as an ok stepping stone to the next book.
Unfortunately, I had accidentally read the last line of this book so the ending was spoiled for me. Nonetheless, I'm still curious how it will play out in the next book.
For those who are coming in for the romance, there's not really much of it here.
However, for the mystery wise, I like how the characters are proactive, sleuthing instead of waiting things to happen to them. However, Rose can be a little dumb at times in terms of her way of handling. The author knows that too and arranged where Rose was reprimanded for her silly actions.
Overall, this is a good book if you want to pass some time.
My curiosity is piqued enough to read the next book when it comes out. Though I do expect the characters and the premise to be further explore with some revelation done in the next book.
April 6, 2012
As a librarian, the most-requested genre in my young adult collection is mystery. My patrons love it and can't get enough. So I jumped at the chance to read this one. Set in modern London, Rose's mother and stepfather disappeared without a trace five years ago. She hasn't been quite the same since, and she hasn't seen her beloved stepbrother Joshua in all of that time, either. Finally, finally, they're going to reunite, and maybe make some sense of what happened to their parents. But before that can happen, Rose witnesses the murder of two of her classmates. Rose and Joshua are likeable characters, prickly and guarded in some ways, but given their backstory, that's understandable. The mystery moves along quickly and is interspersed by Joshua's ardent search for anything involving their parents' disappearance. The only frustrating thing is that many questions are left unanswered. But as a series opener, that's to be expected. I will definitely be putting this on my teen shelves and I can't wait for the next installment!
Read
July 23, 2012This is the 1st book in The Murder Notebooks series. I can't say that I enjoyed it all that much, but the plot was very compelling.
The main character, Rose, is sent to live with her grandmother after her mother and her mom's boyfriend disappear after a dinner date. She still feels a powerful attraction to her almost-stepbrother Josh and makes efforts to connect with him again now that she's 17 and back from the boarding school her grandmother sent her to after the event.
Rose is an impulsive character and not very likeable. She is a loner who appreciates the acts of kindness of some of her new classmates. She makes a HUGE mistake while attempting to solve 2 murders of her peers and almost single-handedly insures that the killer won't be charged.
Having said this, the plot is pretty good and the book has a cliff-hanger ending. I enjoyed that and might try the 2nd book in the series.
Recommended to YA readers with the reservation that the British vernacular might be a challenge.
The main character, Rose, is sent to live with her grandmother after her mother and her mom's boyfriend disappear after a dinner date. She still feels a powerful attraction to her almost-stepbrother Josh and makes efforts to connect with him again now that she's 17 and back from the boarding school her grandmother sent her to after the event.
Rose is an impulsive character and not very likeable. She is a loner who appreciates the acts of kindness of some of her new classmates. She makes a HUGE mistake while attempting to solve 2 murders of her peers and almost single-handedly insures that the killer won't be charged.
Having said this, the plot is pretty good and the book has a cliff-hanger ending. I enjoyed that and might try the 2nd book in the series.
Recommended to YA readers with the reservation that the British vernacular might be a challenge.
Read
December 10, 2016Dead time is a great, but sad book. It follows a girl, Rose, who has gone through more in her 17 years, than most people have to go through in their lifetime. When Rose was 12 her mum, Kathy and Joshua's dad, Brendan, went out for dinner; they didn't return. Joshua, Brendan, Rose and Kathy had been living together before the incident, but with losing their parents Joshua and Rose lost each other too, that is until 5 years later. Joshua and Rose had been emailing each other for 6 months before they organised a time to meet. Rose was at the train station waiting for her train, getting harassed by Ricky Harris, before she sees him go up to the bridge, get in a row, and gets murdered. A week later his girlfriend follows, Rose had been running to meet her, she was running late; she arrived to see her lifeless body on the ground.
August 2, 2014
When Rose was twelve, her mother and stepfather went out for dinner and never came back. Now seventeen, she lives with her grandmother and goes to school in London. She’s always wondered about her stepbrother, Joshua, whom she left behind. When Rose and Joshua meet again a few years later, she learns that Joshua has been searching for information regarding their parent’s disappearance. Rose is uncomfortable with this – wanting to believe what the police told her and the pain to stay away. But when Rose witnesses a murder, she is drawn into Joshua’s search.
This is the first in The Murder Notebooks series, which takes the reader on a four book ride of mystery and intrigue. Why did their parents disappear? Are the police telling the truth?
This is the first in The Murder Notebooks series, which takes the reader on a four book ride of mystery and intrigue. Why did their parents disappear? Are the police telling the truth?
January 1, 2022
One of my favourite series of all time, I adore it, everyone should read it
Read
August 9, 2022
Trigger & Content Warnings
Murder
Death of a parent
Murder
Death of a parent
September 23, 2018
Anne Cassidy succeeds with me again :) This is a book I took my time with because I was into it the entire time. I never got bored with it. Each time I came back to read more, it always got more and more interesting. I liked finding out more of the bits and pieces of the mystery as it unfolded. A good way to spend time and a great distracter from your worries in life.
There are basically two stories going on in here (and it takes a while to find out how they’re connected): one, one of Rose’s classmates is murdered—and two, her parents (mother and step-dad, to be exact), have been missing for several years, and no one has any leads or answers. It reminds me quite a bit of those true crime videos I tend to watch on YouTube actually. There’s just something really scary about people just seemingly vanishing without a trace. Sometimes it can be because whoever caused it did a good job covering up tracks, or sometimes it could be because of a coverup from the investigators themselves. Either way, the unknown will always draw peoples’ interest.
At this point I’ve learned with Cassidy’s books that the plots are the main strong point. I do like the characters as well, since they obviously move the plot along, but the stories themselves are always the centerpiece for me. Some books are more character-driven, some are more plot-driven. This one is definitely the latter, and I enjoyed every bit of it. It really drew me in from the start and kept me engrossed the entire way through. I definitely look forward to reading the other three books.
The writing was good as it always is with Cassidy. Direct, straight-to-the-point, gives details to paint the picture but still puts the plot first. The pacing is good, not too slow, not too fast. It just all flows very well and I never got bored. It was always easy to read on and on. Again, I would take breaks to read other books because I knew I would always look forward to coming back to it. I never had to force myself.
Characters: The protagonist, Rose, is okay enough. I could relate to her in that she was more introverted, didn’t like to talk to/be around people, had her own blog, dealt with an abusive friend at one point, was judged as a “snob” for not wanting to talk to said judgmental brats, and was unfortunate enough to be surrounded by kids who thought they were “victimized” even though they really were just a bunch of bullies who thought being poor made them better than everyone else. Honestly, sometimes it’s the lower classes who are the actual snobs, not the “posh” or the wealthy or the well-off. Perspective could do them some good.
There were times when Rose slightly annoyed me though. Like how she treated Henry and Emma, or something she does later on involving *evidence*. I won’t say more than that so as to avoid spoilers. I do sympathize with her though, in how her grandma treats her, because she’s not a very pleasant person to live with or be related to. And of course, having her parents mysteriously disappear at a young age. That can’t be easy for anyone at all. And I was proud of her for standing up for herself at times against self-victimized brats at her school, or against Sherry’s bullying, etc.
I could completely understand Josh wanting to find out about their parents. At times I found him to be a little childish, but he was alright. I think I would like some more characterization, I still can’t really see anything about him other than the stepbrother who wants to find out what happened. I would like him to become more of his own character in the coming books.
Skeggsie was pretty annoying in the beginning, and I don’t know why he was so possessive of Josh. But he did improve later on, and he is tech-savvy (which is useful).
Sherry is your typical self-pitying brat, and the twist with her really didn’t surprise me at all. I wish it didn’t have to be that that causes Rose to not sympathize with her anymore. Rose shouldn’t have sympathized with her from the start. Everybody’s been through things and lost someone, and regardless, it’s never an excuse to become nasty and abusive.
Henry was very nice, and probably one of my favorite characters in here. I hope we see more of him in the coming books. It annoyed me so much how Rose kept claiming he wasn’t doing anything. Honestly I feel bad for police officers, they risk their lives to protect people, they spend time trying to solve cases, and the public just really isn’t grateful. He wasn’t allowed to say anything to Rose about it, that’s not proof he isn’t doing anything. I don’t like how people always assume if someone’s from a trashy area, that every police officer always cares less about them. People often talk about stereotypes towards women, the poor, minorities, etc. but never the stereotypes against men in blue.
I also thought it was quite friendly of him to invite Rose to the Sundown Club. I liked it quite a bit when later he gained a bit more personality than just niceness when he got deeply agitated by Rose and the plot point with the evidence (I won’t say anymore so as not to spoil it). I think the only time I was annoyed by him was when he insisted on walking with her when she was on her way to the cemetery. It’s not even an introvert thing, it’s just when someone’s in a hurry to get somewhere, they can’t stop and talk. It’s annoying to have someone try to force their company on you.
Anna (Rose’s maternal grandmother) was interesting to me even if she wasn’t likeable, because she is the only known relative left of Rose. We got a glimpse of why Anna is the way she is, but I’d like to see more. I’d like to see more insight on why she had a strained relationship with Rose’s mother, and just why she’s moody all the time, because she did have a crack in the façade at one point. Either way, we probably will be seeing more of her because she’s the only immediate family Rose has.
The technician at Rose’s school (Sorry, can’t remember his name): He is still a huge mystery, even with the revelation at the end. Everything is still a mystery, even though progress has been made. Imagine what the next three books will bring.
I think the only nitpicky criticism I would have of the story, isn’t even the story itself, it’s more the title: First, “Dead Time” is very vague-sounding, I’m not sure what the meaning of it is (other than the fact that a person dies in this book, not a major character though). And the series is called The Murder Notebooks, but these mysterious notebooks don’t turn up at all until very late in, almost at the end. I was actually wondering throughout reading it, When will these mysterious notebooks appear?
Like I said, I’m looking really forward to reading the rest of the series (I’m glad it’s a SERIES, as the other Cassidy books I’ve read so far have been single novels or just two, such as the JJ books). I don’t know when I’m going to get to them since I’m reading other books right now, but I have them sitting on my shelf because I bought them (my library doesn’t carry them) and I’m excited to find out.
There are basically two stories going on in here (and it takes a while to find out how they’re connected): one, one of Rose’s classmates is murdered—and two, her parents (mother and step-dad, to be exact), have been missing for several years, and no one has any leads or answers. It reminds me quite a bit of those true crime videos I tend to watch on YouTube actually. There’s just something really scary about people just seemingly vanishing without a trace. Sometimes it can be because whoever caused it did a good job covering up tracks, or sometimes it could be because of a coverup from the investigators themselves. Either way, the unknown will always draw peoples’ interest.
At this point I’ve learned with Cassidy’s books that the plots are the main strong point. I do like the characters as well, since they obviously move the plot along, but the stories themselves are always the centerpiece for me. Some books are more character-driven, some are more plot-driven. This one is definitely the latter, and I enjoyed every bit of it. It really drew me in from the start and kept me engrossed the entire way through. I definitely look forward to reading the other three books.
The writing was good as it always is with Cassidy. Direct, straight-to-the-point, gives details to paint the picture but still puts the plot first. The pacing is good, not too slow, not too fast. It just all flows very well and I never got bored. It was always easy to read on and on. Again, I would take breaks to read other books because I knew I would always look forward to coming back to it. I never had to force myself.
Characters: The protagonist, Rose, is okay enough. I could relate to her in that she was more introverted, didn’t like to talk to/be around people, had her own blog, dealt with an abusive friend at one point, was judged as a “snob” for not wanting to talk to said judgmental brats, and was unfortunate enough to be surrounded by kids who thought they were “victimized” even though they really were just a bunch of bullies who thought being poor made them better than everyone else. Honestly, sometimes it’s the lower classes who are the actual snobs, not the “posh” or the wealthy or the well-off. Perspective could do them some good.
There were times when Rose slightly annoyed me though. Like how she treated Henry and Emma, or something she does later on involving *evidence*. I won’t say more than that so as to avoid spoilers. I do sympathize with her though, in how her grandma treats her, because she’s not a very pleasant person to live with or be related to. And of course, having her parents mysteriously disappear at a young age. That can’t be easy for anyone at all. And I was proud of her for standing up for herself at times against self-victimized brats at her school, or against Sherry’s bullying, etc.
I could completely understand Josh wanting to find out about their parents. At times I found him to be a little childish, but he was alright. I think I would like some more characterization, I still can’t really see anything about him other than the stepbrother who wants to find out what happened. I would like him to become more of his own character in the coming books.
Skeggsie was pretty annoying in the beginning, and I don’t know why he was so possessive of Josh. But he did improve later on, and he is tech-savvy (which is useful).
Sherry is your typical self-pitying brat, and the twist with her really didn’t surprise me at all. I wish it didn’t have to be that that causes Rose to not sympathize with her anymore. Rose shouldn’t have sympathized with her from the start. Everybody’s been through things and lost someone, and regardless, it’s never an excuse to become nasty and abusive.
Henry was very nice, and probably one of my favorite characters in here. I hope we see more of him in the coming books. It annoyed me so much how Rose kept claiming he wasn’t doing anything. Honestly I feel bad for police officers, they risk their lives to protect people, they spend time trying to solve cases, and the public just really isn’t grateful. He wasn’t allowed to say anything to Rose about it, that’s not proof he isn’t doing anything. I don’t like how people always assume if someone’s from a trashy area, that every police officer always cares less about them. People often talk about stereotypes towards women, the poor, minorities, etc. but never the stereotypes against men in blue.
I also thought it was quite friendly of him to invite Rose to the Sundown Club. I liked it quite a bit when later he gained a bit more personality than just niceness when he got deeply agitated by Rose and the plot point with the evidence (I won’t say anymore so as not to spoil it). I think the only time I was annoyed by him was when he insisted on walking with her when she was on her way to the cemetery. It’s not even an introvert thing, it’s just when someone’s in a hurry to get somewhere, they can’t stop and talk. It’s annoying to have someone try to force their company on you.
Anna (Rose’s maternal grandmother) was interesting to me even if she wasn’t likeable, because she is the only known relative left of Rose. We got a glimpse of why Anna is the way she is, but I’d like to see more. I’d like to see more insight on why she had a strained relationship with Rose’s mother, and just why she’s moody all the time, because she did have a crack in the façade at one point. Either way, we probably will be seeing more of her because she’s the only immediate family Rose has.
The technician at Rose’s school (Sorry, can’t remember his name): He is still a huge mystery, even with the revelation at the end. Everything is still a mystery, even though progress has been made. Imagine what the next three books will bring.
I think the only nitpicky criticism I would have of the story, isn’t even the story itself, it’s more the title: First, “Dead Time” is very vague-sounding, I’m not sure what the meaning of it is (other than the fact that a person dies in this book, not a major character though). And the series is called The Murder Notebooks, but these mysterious notebooks don’t turn up at all until very late in, almost at the end. I was actually wondering throughout reading it, When will these mysterious notebooks appear?
Like I said, I’m looking really forward to reading the rest of the series (I’m glad it’s a SERIES, as the other Cassidy books I’ve read so far have been single novels or just two, such as the JJ books). I don’t know when I’m going to get to them since I’m reading other books right now, but I have them sitting on my shelf because I bought them (my library doesn’t carry them) and I’m excited to find out.
January 17, 2019
Cassidys Dead Time is a Heart Stopping Story
If your parents suddenly disappeared and you had no idea where they went would you go out and look for them or would you try to put it behind you and accept that their dead? Your mom and dad give you the support and love that you need without them who knows where you would be. In Cassidy's fictional novel, Dead Time, she shows us how important it is to never give up on the people we love.
The book starts out with rose at her grandmother's house. Rose, who is the main character of the book, was left to live there after her parents suddenly disappeared. Rose is about to see her step-brother, for the first time after 5 years. Joshua, The Stepbrother, is not welcomed by roses grandmother, so they meet secretly. Rose is conflicted with herself because the police are saying that her parents were a target and that they are dead but Joshua thinks they're still alive. She doesn't know what to think. Cassidy teaches us that the ones you love are the people you need to buy for the most. There is a part in the book when Rose was thinking about her past. “She’d not quite forgotten about it. It buzzed around the edges of her thoughts all day, annoying but persistent presence.” (page 3) Rose was specifically thinking back to the day that she was told her parents had disappeared. She was try8ing to forget about it, but then she began to realize that she did really love her parents. And, now she knew that she needed to fight for them.
If you like this book you may also like Killing Rachel also by Anne Cassidy Because it is the second book in the series. The first book ends on a cliffhanger and Killing Rachel answers a lot of questions. I read this book of four out of five stars because it always keeps you question and you never know what's going to happen next. But, it ends on a huge Cliffhanger and there are a few questions that I might have that were answered in the second book and don't seem like they are going to be covered again. But overall I really enjoyed the book.
If your parents suddenly disappeared and you had no idea where they went would you go out and look for them or would you try to put it behind you and accept that their dead? Your mom and dad give you the support and love that you need without them who knows where you would be. In Cassidy's fictional novel, Dead Time, she shows us how important it is to never give up on the people we love.
The book starts out with rose at her grandmother's house. Rose, who is the main character of the book, was left to live there after her parents suddenly disappeared. Rose is about to see her step-brother, for the first time after 5 years. Joshua, The Stepbrother, is not welcomed by roses grandmother, so they meet secretly. Rose is conflicted with herself because the police are saying that her parents were a target and that they are dead but Joshua thinks they're still alive. She doesn't know what to think. Cassidy teaches us that the ones you love are the people you need to buy for the most. There is a part in the book when Rose was thinking about her past. “She’d not quite forgotten about it. It buzzed around the edges of her thoughts all day, annoying but persistent presence.” (page 3) Rose was specifically thinking back to the day that she was told her parents had disappeared. She was try8ing to forget about it, but then she began to realize that she did really love her parents. And, now she knew that she needed to fight for them.
If you like this book you may also like Killing Rachel also by Anne Cassidy Because it is the second book in the series. The first book ends on a cliffhanger and Killing Rachel answers a lot of questions. I read this book of four out of five stars because it always keeps you question and you never know what's going to happen next. But, it ends on a huge Cliffhanger and there are a few questions that I might have that were answered in the second book and don't seem like they are going to be covered again. But overall I really enjoyed the book.
April 25, 2021
Yeah, pretty good book. Couple of flaws, such as the characters felt very distant not just with each other, but being a reader I couldn’t connect with them, and it just felt hard to understand them and what they were feeling/ going through. Which really annoyed me, because I prefer and I think most people in this world lol, prefer to connect with the characters since it not only makes the story a better one, but it means you can feel like you are there with the character. Also, at times in the book, the setting just automatically changed, without saying anything or telling the reader where the characters are now, and that just got a little confusing. But something I found so unrealistic about the book (I mean there were heaps of unrealistic things) was that Henry, the policeman told Rose confidential information about two murders, that no policeman should share with anyone not even their family, but this policeman did, with someone he barley knew, and he did it three times. Like what lol, that policeman just obviously doesn’t know what he is doing.
Anyways I know I just said a bunch of things I didn’t like about this book, so you are probably wondering why I gave it four stars. Well, to answer your question, the overall story of the book was good, Rose and Joshua (step-siblings (if that’s a word) ) meet again after five years, and after their parents disappear. Rose has just witnessed two murders, the victims were students of her college. And Joshua is obsessed with finding out what happened that night and why their parents disappeared. Together, with the help of Josh and Skeggsie, Joshua’s roomie, Rose figures out who were the murderers that killed her friends (their not really her friends, just wasn’t sure what word to use lol) Rose and Joshua also find new leads, clues and hints that get them closer to finding their parents and if they are still alive after all these years.................
However, with all the flaws of this book I still recommend reading it, quite enjoyable, and overall a good read :)
Anyways I know I just said a bunch of things I didn’t like about this book, so you are probably wondering why I gave it four stars. Well, to answer your question, the overall story of the book was good, Rose and Joshua (step-siblings (if that’s a word) ) meet again after five years, and after their parents disappear. Rose has just witnessed two murders, the victims were students of her college. And Joshua is obsessed with finding out what happened that night and why their parents disappeared. Together, with the help of Josh and Skeggsie, Joshua’s roomie, Rose figures out who were the murderers that killed her friends (their not really her friends, just wasn’t sure what word to use lol) Rose and Joshua also find new leads, clues and hints that get them closer to finding their parents and if they are still alive after all these years.................
However, with all the flaws of this book I still recommend reading it, quite enjoyable, and overall a good read :)
July 4, 2021
Reviewed on Lili Lost in a Book
I was SO excited to read this one! I love murder mysteries and the synopsis promised me a book that would resonate with fans of The Mortal Instruments, which I AM! And after reading the synopsis, you can figure out why... stepsiblings Joshua and Rose and maybe some sexual tension? Yup 😉 However, this was NOTHING like my beloved TMI, let's just get that out of the way. The sexual tension was one-sided, if not non-existent. Very disappointed 😒 I did like the banter between them, though. It was pretty fun at times... when it wasn’t so dire.. Or when Rose wasn’t being downright bitchy, which I was not a fan of.
The mystery regarding their parents was relegated to backburner stuff. It was very disappointing because I was very curious about this and I thought this was going to be the main plot. Instead, we get a mystery surrounding the murder of one of Rose’s classmates and for whatever reason, she decides to see what’s up when she doesn't want to see what’s up with her mom and stepdad! Sigh. I don’t even know 😞
There was this character in the book, Henry, who was a cop and gave me some super weird vibes that I was not liking. Nothing came of it, so I’m really confused... unless it was set up for future books? If so, I guess I’ll never know cause I don’t plan on reading them 🙃
This book was just very slow-paced. It was not a thriller at all, so the action was very non-existent. Rose was never in any real danger, at any time. It was just no fun! The romance? Not there. The mystery? Intriguing enough to keep me going but not intriguing enough to make me continue on with the series. It was just a very meh book overall 🤷♀️
I was SO excited to read this one! I love murder mysteries and the synopsis promised me a book that would resonate with fans of The Mortal Instruments, which I AM! And after reading the synopsis, you can figure out why... stepsiblings Joshua and Rose and maybe some sexual tension? Yup 😉 However, this was NOTHING like my beloved TMI, let's just get that out of the way. The sexual tension was one-sided, if not non-existent. Very disappointed 😒 I did like the banter between them, though. It was pretty fun at times... when it wasn’t so dire.. Or when Rose wasn’t being downright bitchy, which I was not a fan of.
The mystery regarding their parents was relegated to backburner stuff. It was very disappointing because I was very curious about this and I thought this was going to be the main plot. Instead, we get a mystery surrounding the murder of one of Rose’s classmates and for whatever reason, she decides to see what’s up when she doesn't want to see what’s up with her mom and stepdad! Sigh. I don’t even know 😞
There was this character in the book, Henry, who was a cop and gave me some super weird vibes that I was not liking. Nothing came of it, so I’m really confused... unless it was set up for future books? If so, I guess I’ll never know cause I don’t plan on reading them 🙃
This book was just very slow-paced. It was not a thriller at all, so the action was very non-existent. Rose was never in any real danger, at any time. It was just no fun! The romance? Not there. The mystery? Intriguing enough to keep me going but not intriguing enough to make me continue on with the series. It was just a very meh book overall 🤷♀️
March 25, 2024
*WARNING* There may be some spoilers in this review, but I would encourage readers to read this review anyways, as the book isn't as thrilling as I hoped it would be.
First of all, the whole series is based on something called "murder notebooks" but really, in the book, the murder notebooks only get mentioned like twice..... so therefor the intensity that the author has on the blurb at the back of the book about the notebooks, there was little to no talk about it in the book, only briefly mentioning it at the second last page of the book.
Secondly
This book was supposed to be about a murder, and then another one occurs, and the police couldn't be
bothered to look into the stabbing of a 17 year old girl!
And Lastly!
Joshua and Rose have just randomly decided to go on a wild goose chase to try and find there parents, who could as well be dead, and the 2 teens have no information as to the whereabouts of their parents
*rant ended!*
2 out of 5 stars, I thought that it would be better than it actually was.
First of all, the whole series is based on something called "murder notebooks" but really, in the book, the murder notebooks only get mentioned like twice..... so therefor the intensity that the author has on the blurb at the back of the book about the notebooks, there was little to no talk about it in the book, only briefly mentioning it at the second last page of the book.
Secondly
This book was supposed to be about a murder, and then another one occurs, and the police couldn't be
bothered to look into the stabbing of a 17 year old girl!
And Lastly!
Joshua and Rose have just randomly decided to go on a wild goose chase to try and find there parents, who could as well be dead, and the 2 teens have no information as to the whereabouts of their parents
*rant ended!*
2 out of 5 stars, I thought that it would be better than it actually was.
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