Names of the Dead

by Katia Lief

IF HE CAN'T HAVE HER, NO ONE WILL
Award-winning journalist Darcy Mayhew thinks she has faced her worst nightmare when her beloved husband dies in a car accident. But after moving to New York City with her teenage son to begin their lives anew, she discovers she has a stalker. Not only is the worst yet to come, but her husband's death may not have been an accident after all,

(This novel was published by Random House in the UK under the title Watch You Die )

Genres: Thriller, Crime, Fiction

286 pages, Paperback

First published January 2, 2009

About the author

The first thing I ever wrote that received any notice was a one page story for my third grade English teacher. I don't recall what the assignment was, but I somehow found myself writing about a woman at a dinner party who suddenly realizes her teeth are invisible. She sits there, wedged between two chattering guests, wondering how she will eat, how she will talk, and generally how she will get out of the situation without having to open her mouth and reveal her dilemma. My teacher showed the story to my parents with a note to this effect: Katia could be a writer.

What if her note had instead encouraged me to be a dentist?

But it didn't. And so here I am.

So far I've published two literary novels (as Katia Spiegelman, the name I was born with), and seven suspense novels--five as Kate Pepper (a pseudonym) and two as Katia Lief (the name I live by). And to complicated things even more, I'm adding a new pen name to my arsenal-Karen Ellis-with my new novel A MAP OF THE DARK, coming January 2, 2018.

I have loved writing every one of my novels, and hope you will enjoy reading them.

Reviews

[Mellisa · Rating 5 out of 5]

A lunch with a colleague changes Darcey's life forever. What should be her first huge break will end in pain, upset...and murder. Joe wants Darcey, he can't understand why she won't answer his 60 calls a night... or why she doesn't appreciate him putting breakfast in the shape of a heart on her desk. But the more Darcey pulls away, the more out of control Joe will become. How far he is willing to go will shock even the most unshockable person.

Oh I have never read such an intense, stalker book. I didn't know if I would enjoy it, and it has been on my pile for a while. I wish I had read it sooner! An absolute shocker of a read that left me with my mouth open in shock the whole way through. Joe is literally like a 'YOU' Joe (Netflix programme/YOU book series) but 10 x worse!

This author is incredibly talented and I'm looking forward to reading more books by them!

[Marcella · Rating 5 out of 5]

Heart pounding creepy with a creep of a stalker.

[Kelly · Rating 1 out of 5]

I kept stopping this book, it was dull and so overtop at the same time but I did persevere. The lead character was terribly lifeless, I was told that she was scared or sad or happy but I never once felt any of these emotions from her genuinely.
The situation seemed to come out of nowhere and there was no subtlety, from the start we knew that Joe was to blame and that took any mystery out of the novel. I'd have prefered to spend some of the novel guessing. Is it Joe - the new guy at work? Is it the exisiting boyfriend, already wheedling his way in? Or is it someone else?

[Vanessa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Yet another amazing book

I would recommend this book to everyone who enjoys psychology mystery books. Katia Lief has an amazing gift keeping you on the edge and keeps the interest going. Its story all the way with twists and turns you Dont expect. I look forward to reading other books by Katia Lief as she is one of my favourite authors along side Kairn Slaughter, LJ Smith and Lisa Gardener.

[Rach · Rating 5 out of 5]

A scarily good piece of writing that puts you in the heart of the palpable fear emanating from stalking victims

[➸ Gwen de Sade · Rating 3 out of 5]

Das Ende war ekelhaft-spannend, aber der Rest des Buches war eher mau und langweilig. Der Schreibstil war aber gut, als seichte Ferienlektüre ok.

[Jane Woodcock · Rating 4 out of 5]

I thought this was really good. A little different. Creepy, heart pounding and believable. Couldn't put it down. One criticism, the chapters were too long, I much prefer shorter chapters.

[Barbara Brown · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book definitely deserves more than 5 stars! Unputdownable, edge of your seat story. Will definitely be checking out more books by this author!

[Cynthia Sterling · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was hard to but down. The only part I didn't like was the title...this might turn a lot of people off from reading it. I recommended this great book and a lot of people were turned off by the name of the book.

[Leah Probert · Rating 3 out of 5]

Apart from the ending seeming a bit rushed and some unnecessary dramas chucked in, enjoyed the read

[Wendy Del Toro · Rating 1 out of 5]

The author took a done-to-death theme/topic and added nothing original to the story. Every single plot device and cliche is used. The Husband, the Boyfriend, Courtney, the pets. It's also told in a very dull manner and the main character, Joe, was a cipher. He had no background nor anything to inform me as to what made him tick. A really dull derivative story with boring and dull characters. There was no spark to this storytelling. The synopsis sums up the book so there's no need to read it. It's not like most stories where I am engrossed throughout and anticipate the wrap-up; it is predictable and obvious. Unoriginal and derivative

[Zahra · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was really interesting, and had some really powerful plot twists.
But overall, was quite predictable and superficial.
I felt it had some really provoking moments in which it described the horrors of nazi Germany and how it permeates the collective memory of Jewish people. Also the text offered in-depth statistics related to stalking, and did a good job in researching the topic.
However, overall,‘I found it lacking somewhat. The opening was hazy, and the ending, likewise. Almost rushed, lacking any real depth.
Overall 3/5.

[Christine Card · Rating 4 out of 5]

My only criticism was that the chapters were too long 378 pages and only 13 chapters plus epilogue had to commit cardinal sin and put book down part way through a chapter

[Jennifer · Rating 4 out of 5]

Slow start. Great finish!

Started off a bit slow for me, but once it picked up, it really picked up. I would definitely recommend.

[Buchstabensalat · Rating 3 out of 5]

Leider zu vorhersehbar

[Rebekah Roberts · Rating 5 out of 5]

So so so good

[Jane Blake · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very,very good.
Joe was a stalker, seemed he could turn up anywhere at any time.
Really exciting just wondering what he was going to do next.

[Rachel Wright · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great read

I really enjoyed this book, I found it hard to put it down. It’s a gripping story and many twists and turns. Recommend to others.

[Alvin Nathey · Rating 2 out of 5]

Kinda dull 😔

[Lucy Sowerby · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very slow burn nothing really happens till 3/4 into the book

[Christine bonner · Rating 5 out of 5]

his the story of Darcy Mayhew who's husband died and she moved back to New York with her son Nat and to be near her mother that has Alzheimer's
Darcy works at the Times newspaper and get a call about some building work that has been stop and she was going to meet the person the next morning.
That day a new mail men was working in her office and he came from Martha's vineyard where Darcy lived before her husband died
Joe the mail man ask if Darcy would have lunch with him so that day she went with him, the next day he started buying her breakfast and putting it on her desk.
He found out where she lived and started stalking her with gifts and phone calls,
this is another book that you can not put down and it will make you keep checking who is walking behind you

[Preston · Rating 5 out of 5]

Reading this full-length novel translated from my native English into German requires effort. The langauge is not difficult in itself, but I have to stop myself from second guessing what words the author used in the original English.

The story is suspenseful. I usually read more straight-ahead mysteries. Suspense puts me on edge. In this regard, the story telling is successful. I get more enjoyment, however, from the local references. Here I am in Brooklyn, reading a novel in German that is laced with references to my actual stomping grounds...in Brooklyn. A kind of out of Brooklyn experience...

I am a little more than half way through the book now.

[Lindsay Allen · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is my favorite Katia Lief book so far. Totally terrifying, as the main character deals with the confrontation of a psychotic stalker. Kept me on edge and I finished in only a couple of days. Best of the bunch from KL.

[Gemma De-lucchi · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely brilliant. One of the best books I've read all year so far! Gripping, thrilling. Couldn't put it down!

[Rustina Jones]

I really enjoyed this read.

[Mary Rrodriguez · Rating 4 out of 5]

A good book for readers that enjoy a big thrill read.

[K.L. · Rating 2 out of 5]

Not as gripping as her other books due to a lack of grisly murders, but still creepy enough to be enjoyable.

[Gemma · Rating 4 out of 5]

Different to some of her other books but still enjoyable.

[Lindsay Horsburgh · Rating 1 out of 5]

Predictable. Dull. Boring!

[Charmaine · Rating 1 out of 5]

DNF it what I read was boring and the synopsis on the back isn't even the main storyline, not from how much I read which was 30%. Waste of £6 !