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Sophie Anderson #1
Body Count
TO CATCH A KILLER, YOU HAVE TO THINK LIKE ONE
FBI agent Sophie Anderson has been trained to uncover the minds of serial killers, to understand their vile impulses and cravings—to catch them before they kill again.
Newly relocated from Australia, Sophie is settling in to her job at Quantico with the help of her new friend, Agent Samantha Wright, and a potential new boyfriend, Agent Josh Marco, and is quickly becoming the FBI's star profiler.
The only problem is the nightmares.
These intense images are more than dreams. They are psychic visions, like those she experienced during childhood when her brother was abducted.
When grisly details match recent crime scene photos, she confides in Sam, and her visions lead to several breakthroughs in the case. But when Sam is abducted, Sophie must finally trust her visions and use them. She may not have been able to save her brother, but perhaps she can save Sam—and herself.
FBI agent Sophie Anderson has been trained to uncover the minds of serial killers, to understand their vile impulses and cravings—to catch them before they kill again.
Newly relocated from Australia, Sophie is settling in to her job at Quantico with the help of her new friend, Agent Samantha Wright, and a potential new boyfriend, Agent Josh Marco, and is quickly becoming the FBI's star profiler.
The only problem is the nightmares.
These intense images are more than dreams. They are psychic visions, like those she experienced during childhood when her brother was abducted.
When grisly details match recent crime scene photos, she confides in Sam, and her visions lead to several breakthroughs in the case. But when Sam is abducted, Sophie must finally trust her visions and use them. She may not have been able to save her brother, but perhaps she can save Sam—and herself.
400 pages, Kindle Edition
First published May 1, 2005
44 people are currently reading
1402 people want to read
About the author
P.D. Martin
19 books137 followersP.D. Martin--Phillipa Deanne Martin--was born in Melbourne, Australia, and developed a passion for crime fiction and storytelling at an early age. This interest was backed up with formal education through a bachelor of behavioral sciences (with majors in psychology and criminology) and a postgraduate certificate in professional writing (creative writing).
Phillipa also writes children's and young adult fiction under Pippa Dee.
Follow this author on Facebook - www.facebook.com/pdmartinauthor
www.facebook.com/PippaDeeAuthor
Phillipa also writes children's and young adult fiction under Pippa Dee.
Follow this author on Facebook - www.facebook.com/pdmartinauthor
www.facebook.com/PippaDeeAuthor
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 95 reviews
September 4, 2018
The prologue takes us to a scene from 25 years ago as Sophie Anderson has a nightmare about her brother being killed. The first chapter, in present day, shows Sophie as an FBI agent on a sting operation as bait to take down a killer. After that success, she works with fellow agent Samantha Wright investigating a serial killer who abducts women, keeps them for several days while torturing them, then kills and poses them for the FBI to find. Sophie sees visions of the women and sometimes she can see scenes through the killer's eyes.
I read book #2 in this series first and I actually liked this one from 2005 a little better. Of course, I love serial killer books. There's lots of information on how the FBI develops a profile. Also, there's lots of team meetings with the group sharing information on how the case is progressing. Because I read so many serial killer books, I had a suspect right from the start. The profile that Sam and Sophie developed reinforced my suspicions and I was right. I would love to find more books in this series.
I read book #2 in this series first and I actually liked this one from 2005 a little better. Of course, I love serial killer books. There's lots of information on how the FBI develops a profile. Also, there's lots of team meetings with the group sharing information on how the case is progressing. Because I read so many serial killer books, I had a suspect right from the start. The profile that Sam and Sophie developed reinforced my suspicions and I was right. I would love to find more books in this series.
August 22, 2022
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Hold on, I'm having a vision of 2 stars.
Everything in this novel is very basic. I love lamp.
The whole thing is filled with repetitive, well, everything...
I cough. My food has gone down the wrong way.
"What's wrong?"
"Nothing, just my food's gone down the wrong way."
All information about the case is relayed five times to different characters before a new scene really gets underway.
The Single White Female kind of vibe with an obsessed serial killer who leaves interesting clues and symbols and is trying to accomplish a massive frame-up could have been cool, but the vast majority of this book takes place at various tables with files on them. It's all talking, thinking and talking some more. The only suspense/action happens during the last 15% of the book. And by the end, we get to read about how all of these cream-of-the-crop FBI agents could have figured everything out if only they had been doing their job better. Excellent.
Agent Sophie Anderson is kind of annoying. She whines a lot - about her friends and boyfriend, about work, about the killer and about the profile. When she's not whining, she's googly-eyed about men. She did not read like a professional FBI agent. Then it turns out she is psychic and had no idea. She will whine about this, too.
If Sophie's psychic visions in any way propelled the investigation forward, I would be fine with it, but they're pointless so why include them at all? You could have taken her visions out of the story and almost nothing would have changed.
Anyway, this was not great.
⭐⭐ | 2 stars
Hold on, I'm having a vision of 2 stars.
Everything in this novel is very basic. I love lamp.
The whole thing is filled with repetitive, well, everything...
I cough. My food has gone down the wrong way.
"What's wrong?"
"Nothing, just my food's gone down the wrong way."
All information about the case is relayed five times to different characters before a new scene really gets underway.
The Single White Female kind of vibe with an obsessed serial killer who leaves interesting clues and symbols and is trying to accomplish a massive frame-up could have been cool, but the vast majority of this book takes place at various tables with files on them. It's all talking, thinking and talking some more. The only suspense/action happens during the last 15% of the book. And by the end, we get to read about how all of these cream-of-the-crop FBI agents could have figured everything out if only they had been doing their job better. Excellent.
Agent Sophie Anderson is kind of annoying. She whines a lot - about her friends and boyfriend, about work, about the killer and about the profile. When she's not whining, she's googly-eyed about men. She did not read like a professional FBI agent. Then it turns out she is psychic and had no idea. She will whine about this, too.
If Sophie's psychic visions in any way propelled the investigation forward, I would be fine with it, but they're pointless so why include them at all? You could have taken her visions out of the story and almost nothing would have changed.
Anyway, this was not great.
⭐⭐ | 2 stars
March 2, 2011
It's been sometime since I was lucky enough to win PD Martins Kiss of Death , the fifth book in her Sophie Anderson series. It is unfortunate that it has taken me so long to get my hands on the first books in the series.
Body Count introduces Sophie Anderson, an Australian working in the FBI profiler unit at Quantico. Her job is interpret the minds of criminals around the country but their latest case is hitting too close to home. Not only is the serial killer murdering in their own backyard, he targets one of their own. Sophie is determined to help the FBI capture the man using the clues the profile can provide. But not all of her information is coming from her analysis of his victims or the crime scenes. Sophie is having dreams that show her small details that she must piece together to save the life of her colleague and her lover.
Martin develop's the mystery surrounding the identity of the serial killer well. I had a strong suspicion from early on but I never really felt like I could be sure as there were plenty of distractions and twists to create doubt. There was one main expectation I had as I read that truly suprised me when it fell through, it's not often that happens. Overall I felt the plot was tight and the pacing picked up as the story progressed.
I was less enamoured with the characters. Sophie is depicted as self contained but that sense of detachment bleeds into the relationship with the reader. She may be sympathetic but I found it difficult to empathise with her. For me even her relationships with Sam and Josh don't seem warm or comfortable.
The first person POV is well handled (I found it more awkward in the Kiss of Death) and there are some creepy passages from the killer. The style of writing can be a little clinical but is accessible.
The Body Count is a strong start to the series that has, at the current time, 5 published installments and a 6th collaborative ebook available on the author's websiteComing Home (Sophie Anderson, #6) - FREE ebook. The Sophie Anderson series is a satisying crime and mystery series with an engaging premise. I hope to read the next installments soon.
Body Count introduces Sophie Anderson, an Australian working in the FBI profiler unit at Quantico. Her job is interpret the minds of criminals around the country but their latest case is hitting too close to home. Not only is the serial killer murdering in their own backyard, he targets one of their own. Sophie is determined to help the FBI capture the man using the clues the profile can provide. But not all of her information is coming from her analysis of his victims or the crime scenes. Sophie is having dreams that show her small details that she must piece together to save the life of her colleague and her lover.
Martin develop's the mystery surrounding the identity of the serial killer well. I had a strong suspicion from early on but I never really felt like I could be sure as there were plenty of distractions and twists to create doubt. There was one main expectation I had as I read that truly suprised me when it fell through, it's not often that happens. Overall I felt the plot was tight and the pacing picked up as the story progressed.
I was less enamoured with the characters. Sophie is depicted as self contained but that sense of detachment bleeds into the relationship with the reader. She may be sympathetic but I found it difficult to empathise with her. For me even her relationships with Sam and Josh don't seem warm or comfortable.
The first person POV is well handled (I found it more awkward in the Kiss of Death) and there are some creepy passages from the killer. The style of writing can be a little clinical but is accessible.
The Body Count is a strong start to the series that has, at the current time, 5 published installments and a 6th collaborative ebook available on the author's websiteComing Home (Sophie Anderson, #6) - FREE ebook. The Sophie Anderson series is a satisying crime and mystery series with an engaging premise. I hope to read the next installments soon.
January 9, 2020
I'm embarrassed to have had this great read languishing on my TBR shelves for over a decade and am so glad I finally pulled it down. I really enjoyed this read, it kept me guessing but not in an annoying way. Looking forward to reading the rest of the series.
December 30, 2012
Sophie Anderson moved from Australia to join the FBI at Quantico as a profiler seven months ago, and her life has been one hectic, exhilarating case after another. But just a week after closing a case, with it being Sophie’s first, she is embroiled in a terrifying serial killer case, which appears to be getting personal.
Sophie has an ability to ‘see’ victims, ‘see’ the killers, but these are the things of nightmares. She encountered this eerie phenomenon first when she was 8 years old, when her brother John vanished, but she didn’t tell anyone…she was just a kid…she was scared. But now it seems to have reared its ugly head again, and being a profiler, she tries to use her ability to help the victims, without telling her colleagues about it…she doesn’t want them to think she’s crazy!
With the body count rising, Sophie and her team know time is running out. They have little to no leads, but her closeness to Josh Marco is developing, so they are working together, trying to pin a lead down, to take them to their killer before it is too late. Suddenly the stakes change, Sophie is in the eyes and mind of the killer, and she is in his mind whilst trying to separate facts from the nightmares she keeps having. The clock is ticking, the leads are slim, the suspects are non-existent; can Sophie, Josh, and the rest of the task force get to the killer first, before it’s too late?
This incredible thriller, my first PD Martin novel, was brilliant. I couldn’t put it down, and the fast pace kept me turning the pages long after I should have been asleep! I’ll definitely be reading more of this author, and I highly recommend her to all thriller lovers.
Sophie has an ability to ‘see’ victims, ‘see’ the killers, but these are the things of nightmares. She encountered this eerie phenomenon first when she was 8 years old, when her brother John vanished, but she didn’t tell anyone…she was just a kid…she was scared. But now it seems to have reared its ugly head again, and being a profiler, she tries to use her ability to help the victims, without telling her colleagues about it…she doesn’t want them to think she’s crazy!
With the body count rising, Sophie and her team know time is running out. They have little to no leads, but her closeness to Josh Marco is developing, so they are working together, trying to pin a lead down, to take them to their killer before it is too late. Suddenly the stakes change, Sophie is in the eyes and mind of the killer, and she is in his mind whilst trying to separate facts from the nightmares she keeps having. The clock is ticking, the leads are slim, the suspects are non-existent; can Sophie, Josh, and the rest of the task force get to the killer first, before it’s too late?
This incredible thriller, my first PD Martin novel, was brilliant. I couldn’t put it down, and the fast pace kept me turning the pages long after I should have been asleep! I’ll definitely be reading more of this author, and I highly recommend her to all thriller lovers.
October 27, 2008
I give this book a 3.5 out of 5. This is the first book in a series that is only at 3 right now. I had read the 2nd book of the series first and loved it. This story was nearly as good as the other one, but something was off. I’m not sure what. It also could’ve had something to do with the things going on in my life. Just some health issues (nothing serious!) and a new vehicle (our first!) that have kept me preoccupied. A good read, and one I would recommend. I’m looking forward to reading the 3rd book in the series, and hoping there are many more to come.
July 20, 2013
This was a group read and I enjoyed it tremendously. It is too bad that her other books aren't available to me.
May 30, 2024
Such a great book and twist!
January 23, 2014
For a more in depth review, please visit my blog, Chorley Chronicals, HERE!
Let me start out by saying, this is my new favorite series and author! I am going to go out on a limb here and say that P.D. Martin ranks right up there with mystery writer great, Lisa Gardner! I am so beyond impressed with P.D. Martin and the Sophie Anderson series!
I love the fact that in her writing, Martin goes the extra step to explain things that might be left to the reader's imagination in other books. She makes sure that the reader is aware of the procedures that are happening, to give them a better understanding of how the world of the FBI and a Criminal Profiler works, and I really appreciated that. It didn't add that much more to the book, but added a world of difference in my understanding of what was going on. I thought that the plot was well written with a different twist that you don't find in many other books. The plot was a suspense builder, leaving me clueless as to who the killer was throughout. Many friends of mine said they guessed the killer early on, but I was absolutely in left field and wasn't exactly sure who did it! It certainly kept me on the edge of my seat and frantically turning the pages to get through the book as quickly as I could! The strong sense of needing to know was present, but there were plenty of surprises throughout! There is romance included in Body Count, but it certainly doesn't overpower the mystery or suspense by any means!
The characters of Body Count were interesting and diverse and enjoyable to read about! I love that the lead character Sophie, is a strong, independent woman who knows how to take care of herself. I thought that these particular characters were quite unique compared to your regular run of the mill characters! I can't wait to follow Sophie and learn more about her as I go!
Overall, I loved Body Count and absolutely will continue with the Sophie Anderson series! The only complaint that I even has is the lack of availability to everyone. It is a book that is relatively hard to find and doesn't seem to be carried in most libraries, which is should!! This is an amazing job for what appears to be P.D. Martin's debut novel, and I can't wait to see what she has in store for us in The Murderers' Club, because it certainly looks like it'll be an awesome book!
Let me start out by saying, this is my new favorite series and author! I am going to go out on a limb here and say that P.D. Martin ranks right up there with mystery writer great, Lisa Gardner! I am so beyond impressed with P.D. Martin and the Sophie Anderson series!
I love the fact that in her writing, Martin goes the extra step to explain things that might be left to the reader's imagination in other books. She makes sure that the reader is aware of the procedures that are happening, to give them a better understanding of how the world of the FBI and a Criminal Profiler works, and I really appreciated that. It didn't add that much more to the book, but added a world of difference in my understanding of what was going on. I thought that the plot was well written with a different twist that you don't find in many other books. The plot was a suspense builder, leaving me clueless as to who the killer was throughout. Many friends of mine said they guessed the killer early on, but I was absolutely in left field and wasn't exactly sure who did it! It certainly kept me on the edge of my seat and frantically turning the pages to get through the book as quickly as I could! The strong sense of needing to know was present, but there were plenty of surprises throughout! There is romance included in Body Count, but it certainly doesn't overpower the mystery or suspense by any means!
The characters of Body Count were interesting and diverse and enjoyable to read about! I love that the lead character Sophie, is a strong, independent woman who knows how to take care of herself. I thought that these particular characters were quite unique compared to your regular run of the mill characters! I can't wait to follow Sophie and learn more about her as I go!
Overall, I loved Body Count and absolutely will continue with the Sophie Anderson series! The only complaint that I even has is the lack of availability to everyone. It is a book that is relatively hard to find and doesn't seem to be carried in most libraries, which is should!! This is an amazing job for what appears to be P.D. Martin's debut novel, and I can't wait to see what she has in store for us in The Murderers' Club, because it certainly looks like it'll be an awesome book!
May 15, 2009
Serial killers are a popular theme in murder mysteries, but Martin takes an orginal road with this plot. Sophie is a profiler who the FBI lured here from Austraila. As she works out the culture differences she proves to her co-workers that her profiles are spot on with identifing suspects and finding killers. Martin also gives us an inside look on how the profiling office works at the FBI, it is similar to CRIMINAL MINDS BUT the real office juggles many cases at once with each having 10-12 cases at once to handle. As things he heat up on a case(more killings, more evidence etc) then more people are pulled onto one case. This happens in Washington D.C. where woman are abducted and tortured by knife over many days. The author is able to put us in the killer's head and the Point of view from him is disturbing. Sophie builds the profile and helps with many insight on the suspect. She just can't tell he boss that she has this infomation because she dreams the crime scene or the killing or feels as if she is watching the killer's actions from his body while she is asleep. This might of turned me off from the book, but it is done in such a way that is natural to assume this ability is real and helps her with the profile and adds depth to the story. When the identify of the killer is revealed it is orginial and yet fits all the clues we were given in the plot.
April 8, 2014
If you love compelling psychological thrillers, you love this series by Aussie author PD Martin. She introduces us to Sophie Agent, a FBI profile with psychic visions who lost her brother when she was younger. In present-day tense, she takes us on a wild ride, when Sophie and her FBI task force are on their toughest case yet. They're tracking down a serial killer and profiling him is hard as it gets. Right under their noses, one of their own becomes one of his victims and there's a race against time to find her before it's too late. Sophie's visions and new insight into his profile to track down his previous crimes across the country. Later on, they get a shock to the system and he's after Sophie. And she couldn't believe who it was and why, when it's a fight for survival at the end.
August 13, 2016
I love it when I find a new author & a new series to read.
The Sophie Anderson series was recently recommended to me & the first book Body Count didn't disappoint.
I love the lead character Sophie & her potential 2 love interests leave the author with lots of scope for the rest of the series. I was hooked from the opening prologue which gave us an insight into Sophie's abilities & what had happened to her 25 years previously. I kind of had an inkling of who the killer was but there were enough twists for that not to have spoilt the ending for me.
Australian FBI Profiler & serial killers what's not to love
The Sophie Anderson series was recently recommended to me & the first book Body Count didn't disappoint.
I love the lead character Sophie & her potential 2 love interests leave the author with lots of scope for the rest of the series. I was hooked from the opening prologue which gave us an insight into Sophie's abilities & what had happened to her 25 years previously. I kind of had an inkling of who the killer was but there were enough twists for that not to have spoilt the ending for me.
Australian FBI Profiler & serial killers what's not to love
September 25, 2013
Sophie is a profiler for the BAU and has moved from Australia to DC for the job. When her friend Sam asks for her help compiling a profile for the so-called DC Slasher, they find that things are much more dangerous than they seem.
I really enjoyed this story - the characters were interesting and the suspense kept building. And though I figured out the killer pretty early on, the pieces falling together were pretty satisfying.
I really enjoyed this story - the characters were interesting and the suspense kept building. And though I figured out the killer pretty early on, the pieces falling together were pretty satisfying.
January 20, 2014
Keeps you turning the pages. The need to know is strong but the book holds many surprises. A serial killer has the FBI running all over only to find he may very we'll be under their noses. Great book.
Loved the romance, thrill, suspense and how a female FBI agent handles herself in a male dominated area. Worth reading.
Loved the romance, thrill, suspense and how a female FBI agent handles herself in a male dominated area. Worth reading.
February 17, 2015
Hated this. Maybe I read too much crime fiction; I guessed the bad guy as soon as we met him and I got really sick of being told how profiling works. Plus, I found it hard to believe that Sophie had the guts/know-how to get away, when her pal, Sam, also an experienced (in fact, probably more experienced than Sophie,) FBI officer, didn't. Not buying it, PD Martin.
December 31, 2007
This is book #1 in the Sophie Anderson Series.
Book #2 is The Murderers' Club
Book #3 is Fan Mail (available in U.S. July 2009)
Book #4 (currently working on)
This was a great suspense-thriller! Kept me on the edge of my seat.
Book #2 is The Murderers' Club
Book #3 is Fan Mail (available in U.S. July 2009)
Book #4 (currently working on)
This was a great suspense-thriller! Kept me on the edge of my seat.
May 16, 2011
Body count is a fantastic murder mystery. I thought i knew who the murderer was only to find out i was wrong. It has a twist ending that i didn, t see coming . I would definitely read more books by this author
January 11, 2014
AWESOME!!!
June 1, 2019
I'll give this a 3.5. Wow - While I was shocked about this twist, I felt like it added to the plot, because it made it more real. Often in thrillers I feel like everything wraps up nicely, or everyone "important" is always saved, and that typically makes me like it less. I was excited about this book basically the whole way through (although I could have done without the "sidebar" background information about profiling and other FBI processes... the point? I feel like these are things every thriller-lover knows already). I was also completely down for the pace of this book until suddenly in a rush , basically a ton of stuff happens and it's over. I liked the book and I want to keep reading the series, but I didn't LOVE it.
October 28, 2019
You can learn information about how to tell how long some one died , physical changes in their body and other things . Some FBI personnel and this woman who had some psychic abilities were working on some case regarding a serial killer over a span of a few years. He moved around to different states but kept the same pattern. It was interesting because I couldn't figure out who the murderer was (which I like to do) The author throws out more than one suspect in the book to make you guess. It hits the fan when one of the FBI ladies is kidnapped , the psychic best friend. She knew then that she only had a short time period to find Sam before he kills her.
January 31, 2023
So good to actually find an Australian author who writes good crime fiction, would have loved it even more if the book was set in Australia, but cant have everything. Loved the mix of science and supernatural, and very similar to the tv show Profiler. The writing is a pleasure to read and the tension builds until the very end, will definitely be looking for more by this author and rates up there with Karin Slaughter and Tess Gerritsen. Would have to say this was the best book I have read so far this year.
February 16, 2019
I read the 2nd book in this series before this, so I actually wanted to see what had happened. I was not one bit disappointed with the beginning of the series. This book kept me on my toes and had me guessing until the end. I liked how the author kept the story in a fast paced motion. Having a story with strong characters and a moving story line that doesn't chop and change makes for a great read
February 17, 2021
If it had been a straight forward serial murder mystery it would have been better. There were also some glaring errors, like not knowing what time zones Michigan, Florida, and Chicago were in. Also rain in Tucson in the spring is rare.
October 4, 2021
Sophie Anderson is a profiler for the FBI, when a few young women have been found murdered with them all posed in the same way, the team are convinced they have a serial killer on their turf. Sophie has recently relocated from Australia and has started having visions, and when her friend and fellow agent, Samantha is taken, they become clearer and more frightening. They need to get into this killer’s head so they can predict his next move. An easy read.
April 12, 2022
Aside from knowing who the killer was from about a 1/3 of the way through and some editing issues, this was well written and interesting. Not wholly unique, but I liked the characters. Fair warning that it’s a bit graphic in the way Patterson is. Just know that going in.
October 7, 2017
It's been a while since I read a book that kept me rapt and this one really did it. I found myself reading faster and faster with the action. I loved this and will definitely be trading the series.
February 6, 2023
one of my absolute favourite books i have ever read, definitly reccomend. so thrilling and the plot twist is real.
December 25, 2023
Easy read but a lot of fun. Small amount of sex but not distracting. Quick, easy and enjoyable read.
September 16, 2010
After a somewhat rough and slow start, give or take the first 150 pages, BODY COUNT picked up steam with the turn of each page. Told in first-person, present tense narrative, the book introduces Australian transplant, Sophie Anderson, who now works as a profiler for the F.B.I. and is intent on catching the D.C. Slasher before he strikes too close to home.
Sophie is a sympathetic and smart protagonist, and I liked her even though she felt slightly distant to me; although her distance quite fit with her character. While many books feature headstrong females who idiotically go off half-cocked into precarious situations, I am happy to say Sophie was sensible enough that I don't remember her ever doing anything overtly stupid throughout the duration of the book. At first, I thought too much of the book was given to the romance between Sophie and Josh Marco, a fellow profiler, but luckily that trailed off and it became less of a focus. The psychic angle actually doesn't play as much into this series' first outing as I was led to believe from the synopsis, but it works in the book's favor, as it helps set up the characters and background, especially Sophie's.
Some parts of the book I thought unnecessary but they weren't anything big or too distracting to the plot as a whole. While it is easy to figure out who the serial killer is, if you've read enough mysteries, you're bound to determine who's the one; the fun is in how Sophie and the others get to that point. I did like the main motivation behind the killer and found it fresh and interesting. The passages told from the killer's perspective were especially well-done, very chilling and realistic, and they were at the end of most chapters.
Fast, fun, thrilling and full of twists and turns, BODY COUNT kept me riveted and refused to let me put the book down. Yes, it has some faults but they're minor and this book is a pretty darn good starter to the series.
Sophie Anderson series in order:
Body Count
The Murderers' Club
Fan Mail
The Killing Hands
Kiss of Death
Sophie is a sympathetic and smart protagonist, and I liked her even though she felt slightly distant to me; although her distance quite fit with her character. While many books feature headstrong females who idiotically go off half-cocked into precarious situations, I am happy to say Sophie was sensible enough that I don't remember her ever doing anything overtly stupid throughout the duration of the book. At first, I thought too much of the book was given to the romance between Sophie and Josh Marco, a fellow profiler, but luckily that trailed off and it became less of a focus. The psychic angle actually doesn't play as much into this series' first outing as I was led to believe from the synopsis, but it works in the book's favor, as it helps set up the characters and background, especially Sophie's.
Some parts of the book I thought unnecessary but they weren't anything big or too distracting to the plot as a whole. While it is easy to figure out who the serial killer is, if you've read enough mysteries, you're bound to determine who's the one; the fun is in how Sophie and the others get to that point. I did like the main motivation behind the killer and found it fresh and interesting. The passages told from the killer's perspective were especially well-done, very chilling and realistic, and they were at the end of most chapters.
Fast, fun, thrilling and full of twists and turns, BODY COUNT kept me riveted and refused to let me put the book down. Yes, it has some faults but they're minor and this book is a pretty darn good starter to the series.
Sophie Anderson series in order:
Body Count
The Murderers' Club
Fan Mail
The Killing Hands
Kiss of Death
November 7, 2014
I got quite a way into this and packed it in at 36% in the end. It suddenly seemed way overcooked with Sophie and the way she was carrying on and I'd read enough.
An irritation with these books is that I was hunting all over in it trying to figure out the acronym MIRA's meaning only to figure that's the publisher's name, so WHY is it mentioned in all her titles ?? That's baffling to me.
Then there were quite a lot of errors........even kicking off in the acknowledgements when she thanks people ..."or their never-ending faith".....oops.
I thought Australians spelled the same way as us here in the UK but I see she went with American spelling although it is set there. But my biggest annoyance was how she carries on with the speech between two people in the same line. With that happening frequently and a distinct lack of paragraph breaks it made for some confusing reading in a lot of places.
With Sophie I found it a little hard to believe that she'd have a relationship with someone for 7 years yet never mention she'd had a brother, especially since her parents were alive so I don't believe they'd never have mentioned him !! We're also advised the killer has a really high IQ yet his spelling is atrocious in a note left at a scene-really ? I lost all respect for Sophie when she chose to sleep with her new chap at his place with his flatmate just along the hall. I really don't see this happening. THEN she does a complete about-turn in her personality and starts bleating that her new chap is trying to control her when he's done nothing of the sort !! Put me right off and I packed it in then.
The author also felt the need to explain every little procedure. The fact somebody downloaded it shows this type of crime thriller appeals to them so they will surely know about serial killers keeping trophies without needing it explained ! I had another in the series in my wishlist but I will pass now.
An irritation with these books is that I was hunting all over in it trying to figure out the acronym MIRA's meaning only to figure that's the publisher's name, so WHY is it mentioned in all her titles ?? That's baffling to me.
Then there were quite a lot of errors........even kicking off in the acknowledgements when she thanks people ..."or their never-ending faith".....oops.
I thought Australians spelled the same way as us here in the UK but I see she went with American spelling although it is set there. But my biggest annoyance was how she carries on with the speech between two people in the same line. With that happening frequently and a distinct lack of paragraph breaks it made for some confusing reading in a lot of places.
With Sophie I found it a little hard to believe that she'd have a relationship with someone for 7 years yet never mention she'd had a brother, especially since her parents were alive so I don't believe they'd never have mentioned him !! We're also advised the killer has a really high IQ yet his spelling is atrocious in a note left at a scene-really ? I lost all respect for Sophie when she chose to sleep with her new chap at his place with his flatmate just along the hall. I really don't see this happening. THEN she does a complete about-turn in her personality and starts bleating that her new chap is trying to control her when he's done nothing of the sort !! Put me right off and I packed it in then.
The author also felt the need to explain every little procedure. The fact somebody downloaded it shows this type of crime thriller appeals to them so they will surely know about serial killers keeping trophies without needing it explained ! I had another in the series in my wishlist but I will pass now.
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