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Poppy Sinclair #2
Dead Silent
A snow angel etched in blood. An elite society. A secret dying to get out.
The second Poppy Sinclair Thriller.
When Poppy Sinclair and her boyfriend visit snowy Cambridge, she doesn't expect to discover the body of a student - arms outstretched in the act of smearing bloody angel wings on the chapel's floor.
Suddenly, Poppy is faced with the possibility that the one closest to her heart might be the one committing the most malicious of crimes.
Dodging porters and police, dreading what she might find, Poppy follows the clues left by a murderer bent on revenge...
Long-hidden secrets are chillingly revealed, an avenging angel seeks forgiveness and red-hot vengeance must be quelled in the amazing new Poppy Sinclair thriller.
The second Poppy Sinclair Thriller.
When Poppy Sinclair and her boyfriend visit snowy Cambridge, she doesn't expect to discover the body of a student - arms outstretched in the act of smearing bloody angel wings on the chapel's floor.
Suddenly, Poppy is faced with the possibility that the one closest to her heart might be the one committing the most malicious of crimes.
Dodging porters and police, dreading what she might find, Poppy follows the clues left by a murderer bent on revenge...
Long-hidden secrets are chillingly revealed, an avenging angel seeks forgiveness and red-hot vengeance must be quelled in the amazing new Poppy Sinclair thriller.
336 pages, Paperback
First published February 6, 2014
4 people are currently reading
572 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 58 reviews
February 13, 2014
28/2014
First half: 4 stars
Second half: 2 stars
Disclosure: I received an ARC of this book from Net Galley.
Dang. I am sorry to have to give this book such a low rating. It started out really well - very promising. It's a YA mystery, which is a genre that is under-published in my opinion. It is pretty rare for me to find a standard mystery that is YA that isn't an old school series or that isn't paranormal.
So, I was pretty excited about getting this. Plus, it's set in Cambridge. Which is by definition awesome, since I am a secret (well, it's no longer a secret) anglophile. I was expecting something like Oxford Blues crossed with a modern, British Nancy Drew.
^^Something like that^^
Anyway, I liked the first half of the book. I liked Poppy, I liked her boyfriend Michael, the story was clipping along, the murder was interesting, Cambridge was snowy and wonderful and then, all of the sudden, it completely collapsed in a mishmash of weird paranormal stuff that I didn't actually see coming, Poppy behaving like an idiot, and what certainly felt like a deterioration in the writing style.
I don't mind paranormal. But the book blurb for this book didn't say anything about paranormal, or mediums, or seances or communications from ghosts. When I read a murder mystery, I expect the mystery to be solved by traditional means - quick wits, logic, puzzling it out, whatever. I do not expect the solution to be delivered through some bizarre ghostly channeling unless I am given notice up front that the MC has supernatural abilities.
So, this was ... disappointing.
First half: 4 stars
Second half: 2 stars
Disclosure: I received an ARC of this book from Net Galley.
Dang. I am sorry to have to give this book such a low rating. It started out really well - very promising. It's a YA mystery, which is a genre that is under-published in my opinion. It is pretty rare for me to find a standard mystery that is YA that isn't an old school series or that isn't paranormal.
So, I was pretty excited about getting this. Plus, it's set in Cambridge. Which is by definition awesome, since I am a secret (well, it's no longer a secret) anglophile. I was expecting something like Oxford Blues crossed with a modern, British Nancy Drew.
^^Something like that^^
Anyway, I liked the first half of the book. I liked Poppy, I liked her boyfriend Michael, the story was clipping along, the murder was interesting, Cambridge was snowy and wonderful and then, all of the sudden, it completely collapsed in a mishmash of weird paranormal stuff that I didn't actually see coming, Poppy behaving like an idiot, and what certainly felt like a deterioration in the writing style.
I don't mind paranormal. But the book blurb for this book didn't say anything about paranormal, or mediums, or seances or communications from ghosts. When I read a murder mystery, I expect the mystery to be solved by traditional means - quick wits, logic, puzzling it out, whatever. I do not expect the solution to be delivered through some bizarre ghostly channeling unless I am given notice up front that the MC has supernatural abilities.
So, this was ... disappointing.
February 12, 2014
(I received a copy from Netgalley, in exchange for an honest review.)
Dead Silent was an okay read, but i didn't like it anywhere near as much as Dead Jealous.
I really liked Poppy in the last book, but in this one, she annoyed me.
She could be quite stupid at times.
The beginning of this had some slow bits, so it took me ages to get into it.
As the story progressed, the slow bits lasted longer, so i got quite bored.
Thankfully, it picked up at about 75%, and had a pretty good ending.
Overall, slow, but had a good ending.
Dead Silent was an okay read, but i didn't like it anywhere near as much as Dead Jealous.
I really liked Poppy in the last book, but in this one, she annoyed me.
She could be quite stupid at times.
The beginning of this had some slow bits, so it took me ages to get into it.
As the story progressed, the slow bits lasted longer, so i got quite bored.
Thankfully, it picked up at about 75%, and had a pretty good ending.
Overall, slow, but had a good ending.
June 30, 2016
Though it works on its own, this is part of a series.
Going into this blind I didn't feel particularly invested in the main character of Poppy. However, when she visits her father at Cambridge on the weekend her boyfriend is to be interviewed and stumbles across a murder scene, it's pretty hard not to feel for her. I can't help but think the logical response would be to leave, quickly, but that would not be a particularly riveting read. So we follow Poppy in her quest to work out just what is going on.
There are hints of secret societies, shadowy figures and potential corruption. Unfortunately, things don't quite pan out as you expect.
For me, this began well. It was engaging. Yet, fairly quickly, I couldn't shake the sense that it was becoming a little predictable.
Going into this blind I didn't feel particularly invested in the main character of Poppy. However, when she visits her father at Cambridge on the weekend her boyfriend is to be interviewed and stumbles across a murder scene, it's pretty hard not to feel for her. I can't help but think the logical response would be to leave, quickly, but that would not be a particularly riveting read. So we follow Poppy in her quest to work out just what is going on.
There are hints of secret societies, shadowy figures and potential corruption. Unfortunately, things don't quite pan out as you expect.
For me, this began well. It was engaging. Yet, fairly quickly, I couldn't shake the sense that it was becoming a little predictable.
February 12, 2014
(Source: I received a digital copy of this book for free on a read-to-review basis. Thanks to Hachette Children's Books and Netgalley.)
This is the second book in the ‘Poppy Sinclair’ series, but can be read as a standalone.
Poppy and her boyfriend Michael are touring Cambridge University, where Michael is having an admissions interview, when she stumbles across a dead body, and a big mystery surrounding the murder.
Who killed the man? And what does a secret society have to do with it?
This was an okay murder/mystery story, although I did find it a bit slow in places.
Poppy seems to have developed a bit of a habit of finding dead bodies it seems, and this book was no exception. I did hope that she might be a little more intelligent this time around, but she seemed to have problems making bad decisions, and generally putting herself in danger.
The storyline was okay, but I did find it quite slow. I wanted to know what had happened, but I wanted more action and less talking. I did like the idea of the secret society and the mystery over the murders, but again, I wish the book had been faster paced.
There was some romance, and a couple of awkward scenes between Poppy and Michael. I don’t have a problem with teens talking about sex in YA books, but I really think Poppy needs to have a better idea of what she’s doing, and whether or not she’s actually ready before getting into the position she ended up in!
The ending was good, and it was nice to get a bit of action. I was ready to find out what was going on by that point, and I didn’t guess who the killer was.
Overall; an okay YA murder/mystery,
7 out of 10.
This is the second book in the ‘Poppy Sinclair’ series, but can be read as a standalone.
Poppy and her boyfriend Michael are touring Cambridge University, where Michael is having an admissions interview, when she stumbles across a dead body, and a big mystery surrounding the murder.
Who killed the man? And what does a secret society have to do with it?
This was an okay murder/mystery story, although I did find it a bit slow in places.
Poppy seems to have developed a bit of a habit of finding dead bodies it seems, and this book was no exception. I did hope that she might be a little more intelligent this time around, but she seemed to have problems making bad decisions, and generally putting herself in danger.
The storyline was okay, but I did find it quite slow. I wanted to know what had happened, but I wanted more action and less talking. I did like the idea of the secret society and the mystery over the murders, but again, I wish the book had been faster paced.
There was some romance, and a couple of awkward scenes between Poppy and Michael. I don’t have a problem with teens talking about sex in YA books, but I really think Poppy needs to have a better idea of what she’s doing, and whether or not she’s actually ready before getting into the position she ended up in!
The ending was good, and it was nice to get a bit of action. I was ready to find out what was going on by that point, and I didn’t guess who the killer was.
Overall; an okay YA murder/mystery,
7 out of 10.
February 15, 2014
Oh wow, did I love Dead Silent by Sharon Jones. I knew I would - I adored the first book in the series, Dead Jealous, and I really fell in love with the two main characters, Poppy and Michael. I'm really starting to believe that YA murder/thrillers are my absolute favourite types of books to read at the moment and that is based on the strength of books like Dead Jealous and Dead Silent.
I think the thing that I loved the most about Dead Jealous was the setting of the story in a pagan festival. I loved the idea of Poppy Sinclair questioning and exploring her beliefs at the same time as investigating the death of a teenage girl. And in the same way, I thought the setting of Dead Silent on the campus of Cambridge University was amazing, especially with it snowing. I really felt like I was there alongside Poppy and Michael.
Dead Silent takes place over a few days as Michael and Poppy visit for a university interview for Michael who is applying to one of the Cambridge's colleges. Poppy tags along to visit her slightly estranged father who is the university chaplain. I had vague memories from Dead Jealous about Poppy's father and what he did for a living but I really found it fascinating to learn more in this book. Especially as a dead body appears in the chapel and blame rests squarely on Poppy's father. Because of her father and because Poppy just can't seem to help but get involved and find out things, Poppy begins her detective work. And in doing so, she finds out more about university secret societies and about angels and long-standing grudges and her father's personal and romantic history and I thought I knew who had done it and yeah. Didn't get that right at all. It was exciting to see all the twists and turns and to see how everything linked together in the end!
Poppy Sinclair is by far one of my favourite characters in any book I've read recently. She's smart and stubborn and she's really not afraid to tell things straight. I love her strength and her humour. And while I absolutely ADORE her relationship with Michael, it's Poppy herself who has my heart. And I love Michael more because of how much he cares for her. Michael and Poppy are wonderful in this book. They've been going out for 4 months and things begin to get more ... physical in this book which had me laughing at loud at just how impossibly cute these two are with each other. There's obviously strong bond between her and Michael but that is not the case with Poppy and her father. It was nice to see them open up more about their relationship and how the trust between them had been damaged.
I really, truly love this series to bits. I love the characters, the relationships. I love the murder solving aspects and I'm always hugely surprised by the outcomes. I especially love witnessing Poppy explore her own beliefs. And I cannot wait to see more of Poppy Sinclair! Definitely do go out and find copies of both Dead Jealous and Dead Silent if you haven't already.
I think the thing that I loved the most about Dead Jealous was the setting of the story in a pagan festival. I loved the idea of Poppy Sinclair questioning and exploring her beliefs at the same time as investigating the death of a teenage girl. And in the same way, I thought the setting of Dead Silent on the campus of Cambridge University was amazing, especially with it snowing. I really felt like I was there alongside Poppy and Michael.
Dead Silent takes place over a few days as Michael and Poppy visit for a university interview for Michael who is applying to one of the Cambridge's colleges. Poppy tags along to visit her slightly estranged father who is the university chaplain. I had vague memories from Dead Jealous about Poppy's father and what he did for a living but I really found it fascinating to learn more in this book. Especially as a dead body appears in the chapel and blame rests squarely on Poppy's father. Because of her father and because Poppy just can't seem to help but get involved and find out things, Poppy begins her detective work. And in doing so, she finds out more about university secret societies and about angels and long-standing grudges and her father's personal and romantic history and I thought I knew who had done it and yeah. Didn't get that right at all. It was exciting to see all the twists and turns and to see how everything linked together in the end!
Poppy Sinclair is by far one of my favourite characters in any book I've read recently. She's smart and stubborn and she's really not afraid to tell things straight. I love her strength and her humour. And while I absolutely ADORE her relationship with Michael, it's Poppy herself who has my heart. And I love Michael more because of how much he cares for her. Michael and Poppy are wonderful in this book. They've been going out for 4 months and things begin to get more ... physical in this book which had me laughing at loud at just how impossibly cute these two are with each other. There's obviously strong bond between her and Michael but that is not the case with Poppy and her father. It was nice to see them open up more about their relationship and how the trust between them had been damaged.
I really, truly love this series to bits. I love the characters, the relationships. I love the murder solving aspects and I'm always hugely surprised by the outcomes. I especially love witnessing Poppy explore her own beliefs. And I cannot wait to see more of Poppy Sinclair! Definitely do go out and find copies of both Dead Jealous and Dead Silent if you haven't already.
March 19, 2014
View more content on my blog: Out of Time
I thought that with the genre of this book, I'd end up liking it a lot. Nope.
My problem starts mainly in the topic. It's a murder mystery that involves angels and like Christian/Catholic cults (I think... I was also a little confused with this book too.) And because of the whole crazy religious killer, I was a little...detached. Scratch that, I was very detached. And I didn't even know that the element of angels and cults would be so dominant and practically made up the story; which is okay, but not for me.
I was also a lot of bored throughout. I wanted more than what I got. This was the kind of book that was very flatlined, starting to go up in the middle with an upward spike toward the end. All the excitement I wanted throughout came at the end with the final revelation of the killer. I can't say sitting through the MC trying to figure out who the killer was, was worth it in the end, but at least there was something...
I think my biggest problem is the factor of I don't care. I started the story with an open mind but with the MC trying to figure everything out while still keeping everyone to the ground, I soon got tired and didn't even care who the killer was. It was a whole bunch of research from one intelligent character while I felt all the other characters were pretty much sitting around.
So yeah, there's a killer in your town. Why is that one MC the only one who cares to find out more about the history? And even then, I had an indifference with the MC and all the characters in fact. I knew they had their personalities, but I didn't care enough to try to find out what they were because looking at them, they were flat and boring. I actually had to make an effort to see something likeable in these characters. That's definitely a downer.
I didn't find this book thrilling or crazy like I should've. It's a horror/mystery for God's sake. I'm so sad that I was bored during this; these kinds of books are usually my favorites. I was quite disappointed with this one; it had the potential to be amazing, but it was, unfortunately, not for me. I didn't feel anything, so I wasn't upset with it, but I didn't like it either... the indifference is what makes up this rating.
I thought that with the genre of this book, I'd end up liking it a lot. Nope.
My problem starts mainly in the topic. It's a murder mystery that involves angels and like Christian/Catholic cults (I think... I was also a little confused with this book too.) And because of the whole crazy religious killer, I was a little...detached. Scratch that, I was very detached. And I didn't even know that the element of angels and cults would be so dominant and practically made up the story; which is okay, but not for me.
I was also a lot of bored throughout. I wanted more than what I got. This was the kind of book that was very flatlined, starting to go up in the middle with an upward spike toward the end. All the excitement I wanted throughout came at the end with the final revelation of the killer. I can't say sitting through the MC trying to figure out who the killer was, was worth it in the end, but at least there was something...
I think my biggest problem is the factor of I don't care. I started the story with an open mind but with the MC trying to figure everything out while still keeping everyone to the ground, I soon got tired and didn't even care who the killer was. It was a whole bunch of research from one intelligent character while I felt all the other characters were pretty much sitting around.
So yeah, there's a killer in your town. Why is that one MC the only one who cares to find out more about the history? And even then, I had an indifference with the MC and all the characters in fact. I knew they had their personalities, but I didn't care enough to try to find out what they were because looking at them, they were flat and boring. I actually had to make an effort to see something likeable in these characters. That's definitely a downer.
I didn't find this book thrilling or crazy like I should've. It's a horror/mystery for God's sake. I'm so sad that I was bored during this; these kinds of books are usually my favorites. I was quite disappointed with this one; it had the potential to be amazing, but it was, unfortunately, not for me. I didn't feel anything, so I wasn't upset with it, but I didn't like it either... the indifference is what makes up this rating.
February 18, 2014
2.5 / 5 stars --
Dead Silence follows on a few months after the first in the series, Dead Jealous with a familiar cast of characters -- Poppy and Micheal mainly -- as well as other characters which are relevant to this story; however, I didn't find the storyline as engaging as the first in the series. The reader meets Poppy's father in this one, though I didn't find his character nearly as interesting as I did Poppy's mother or her mother's boyfriend. Regardless, facing Poppy's father was a turning point in her emotional characterization, and it was handled well.
The two things that have remained consistent in this series so far is the author's writing, and the nice development of Poppy and Micheal's growing relationship. I think Sharon Jones is a great writer -- she develops of the mystery nicely, though I do find to tend her ending a touch predictable -- with enough description without the narration dragging. This series revolves around the two main characters, Poppy and Micheal, both of whom are likeable and well-developed enough to remain interesting.
Overall -- I'm not sure that I enjoyed this one as much as I did the first one, but if the author was to publish a third Poppy Sinclair novel, I would read it.
Thanks to Netgalley for this eARC.
Dead Silence follows on a few months after the first in the series, Dead Jealous with a familiar cast of characters -- Poppy and Micheal mainly -- as well as other characters which are relevant to this story; however, I didn't find the storyline as engaging as the first in the series. The reader meets Poppy's father in this one, though I didn't find his character nearly as interesting as I did Poppy's mother or her mother's boyfriend. Regardless, facing Poppy's father was a turning point in her emotional characterization, and it was handled well.
The two things that have remained consistent in this series so far is the author's writing, and the nice development of Poppy and Micheal's growing relationship. I think Sharon Jones is a great writer -- she develops of the mystery nicely, though I do find to tend her ending a touch predictable -- with enough description without the narration dragging. This series revolves around the two main characters, Poppy and Micheal, both of whom are likeable and well-developed enough to remain interesting.
Overall -- I'm not sure that I enjoyed this one as much as I did the first one, but if the author was to publish a third Poppy Sinclair novel, I would read it.
Thanks to Netgalley for this eARC.
February 4, 2014
For those of you who have read Dead Jealous, you are in for a real treat with Dead silent. Sharon Jones out does herself with this novel, the second part in the Poppy Sinclaire series.
I admit, I found Dead Jealous a little hard going at times. Poppy could be slightly annoying with her mixed feelings and I was hoping that Dead Silent wasn't going to be the same, thankfully it wasn't.
Sharon Jones has a unique gift of spinning an amazing tale. You start to think you have it all sussed to then have you second guessing yourself. I read Dead Silent in 1 sitting and admit, I struggled to put this one down.
What I love about the Poppy Sinclair series is its set in England. I have visited Cambridge many times and this made me feel I was there, in the story again.
The detail is beautiful, the story enticing and if you want romance, well there's that too!
This is a great YA, Thriller and I hope there will be a book 3 in the Poppy Sinclair series. 4 stars from me and highly recommended.
This review will shortly be featured on my blog - http://www.bewitchedbooks.co.uk
I admit, I found Dead Jealous a little hard going at times. Poppy could be slightly annoying with her mixed feelings and I was hoping that Dead Silent wasn't going to be the same, thankfully it wasn't.
Sharon Jones has a unique gift of spinning an amazing tale. You start to think you have it all sussed to then have you second guessing yourself. I read Dead Silent in 1 sitting and admit, I struggled to put this one down.
What I love about the Poppy Sinclair series is its set in England. I have visited Cambridge many times and this made me feel I was there, in the story again.
The detail is beautiful, the story enticing and if you want romance, well there's that too!
This is a great YA, Thriller and I hope there will be a book 3 in the Poppy Sinclair series. 4 stars from me and highly recommended.
This review will shortly be featured on my blog - http://www.bewitchedbooks.co.uk
January 24, 2014
Dead Silent, I'm pleased to say, was so much better than the first book. I don't know what it was that made me enjoy this book more, but it was definitely quite the little thrill ride if I do say so myself and I think the author nailed this book.
While some things in this particular book may not be entirely original (at least in the thriller and mystery genre), but regardless there were a lot of interesting surprises in this book and the characters alone made this book that much more enjoyable to read about. So, overall, I really enjoyed this sequel and I'm looking forward to reading more books in this series . . . assuming that there are more books to come.
4.5 stars!
* Thanks to the publisher on netgalley for providing me with a review copy of this book.
While some things in this particular book may not be entirely original (at least in the thriller and mystery genre), but regardless there were a lot of interesting surprises in this book and the characters alone made this book that much more enjoyable to read about. So, overall, I really enjoyed this sequel and I'm looking forward to reading more books in this series . . . assuming that there are more books to come.
4.5 stars!
* Thanks to the publisher on netgalley for providing me with a review copy of this book.
February 9, 2014
I received this book from netgalley in return for my honest review.
This is part of a series but it is a stand alone. I don't feel that my not having read the first in the series affected my enjoyment of this book in the least. Poppy Sinclair, the heroine in this story, is one of those girls who just has to get to the bottom of a mystery. She is very likable character as is her boyfriend, Michael. They both seem to be wise beyond their years. The mystery in the story draws you in and makes you care about the people involved in it. I was a little surprised by the ending, which is rare for a YA mystery. It was a good book and I enjoyed it. I would recommend it to others who enjoy YA books. Especially if they are looking for something other than the typical YA romance read.
This is part of a series but it is a stand alone. I don't feel that my not having read the first in the series affected my enjoyment of this book in the least. Poppy Sinclair, the heroine in this story, is one of those girls who just has to get to the bottom of a mystery. She is very likable character as is her boyfriend, Michael. They both seem to be wise beyond their years. The mystery in the story draws you in and makes you care about the people involved in it. I was a little surprised by the ending, which is rare for a YA mystery. It was a good book and I enjoyed it. I would recommend it to others who enjoy YA books. Especially if they are looking for something other than the typical YA romance read.
August 12, 2016
I did think, after the prologue, that this book would be a dud, because the prologue was stiff and banal. But the rest of the book was quite unlike the prologue and I'm glad I stuck with it. Poppy was lots of fun and the book was a great mystery, which is rare in the YA world. I will also admit that I never read the first book, but that didn't seem to be much of a problem- I was able to follow along fine. I'm actually quite interested in going back and finding the first book and reading it.
January 29, 2014
I just couldn't tear myself away from this book. There just seemed to be suspense at every page turn. I've not read the first Poppy Sinclair thriller but that doesn't seem to matter. Look forward to seeing more in this series.
January 29, 2014
Better than the first, loved the plot & now I need more :D
August 2, 2017
I wrote a review on my blog.
October 16, 2019
I really liked this book, it didn’t come up to par with Dead Jealous but I liked it all the same. What I liked about this series was that it was a mix of fiction and real stuff, like the first book had quite a few things to do with Paganism and this book had stuff to do with the Cambridge Apostles and Trinity College which both exist, Sharon Jones added a historical note at the end of the book that you can find out about the Cambridge Apostles on the internet or a book by Richard Deacon: The Cambridge Apostles: A History of Cambridge University’s Elite Intellectual Secret Society which I think was a really cool idea.
The story itself is set roughly 4 months after the events of Dead Jealous and follows Poppy and Michael (now officially together) in Cambridge where he has an interview with King’s College and poppy goes to support him but also to see her father as he is a priest at Trinity, but a couple of murders happen to people that they meet and there’s suspicion around this whole secret Cambridge Apostles. Around half way through you think you get an idea of who the murderer is but it’s a common case of ‘the person you least expected’ but it gives that character a reason behind the ‘madness’ and you can’t help but feel a little sorry for them. ( I would also like to apologise for the vague review but I really don’t want to spoil too much of the plot in case anyone reads this who hasn’t read the book and ignores the spoiler warning)
Unlike Dead Jealous which could be read as just a stand alone novel you would need to read that one first before diving into this one, as it mentions some things related to that book but I feel like the premise of Dead Silent could have worked as a stand alone idea. I really liked this series and I’m extremely gutted that there are only two books, would have been nice to get a third and maybe another Poppy Sinclair murder mystery but alas the next time I want a good thriller series to read, I’ll definitely re-read this. Another thing to add is that both of these books would make great movies or a short tv series, someone needs to get on that and get the rights 😅😂
The story itself is set roughly 4 months after the events of Dead Jealous and follows Poppy and Michael (now officially together) in Cambridge where he has an interview with King’s College and poppy goes to support him but also to see her father as he is a priest at Trinity, but a couple of murders happen to people that they meet and there’s suspicion around this whole secret Cambridge Apostles. Around half way through you think you get an idea of who the murderer is but it’s a common case of ‘the person you least expected’ but it gives that character a reason behind the ‘madness’ and you can’t help but feel a little sorry for them. ( I would also like to apologise for the vague review but I really don’t want to spoil too much of the plot in case anyone reads this who hasn’t read the book and ignores the spoiler warning)
Unlike Dead Jealous which could be read as just a stand alone novel you would need to read that one first before diving into this one, as it mentions some things related to that book but I feel like the premise of Dead Silent could have worked as a stand alone idea. I really liked this series and I’m extremely gutted that there are only two books, would have been nice to get a third and maybe another Poppy Sinclair murder mystery but alas the next time I want a good thriller series to read, I’ll definitely re-read this. Another thing to add is that both of these books would make great movies or a short tv series, someone needs to get on that and get the rights 😅😂
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 22, 2023
Upon starting to read this, I quickly realised I wasn’t the target audience for this book but I kept reading and it turned out to be an okay read. It definitely was slow throughout some parts. The main character in the book is 16 and even though it is written in third person, the story mostly circulates around her. The writing style is very juvenile but I’m aware that it fits to the target audience. It did make me feel a bit nostalgic, as books like this one are a big part of what grew my love for thrillers and murder mystery tropes. I enjoyed the plot but just wish it was faster paced.
October 20, 2021
I was hooked on the first half of the story, but somehow, I find that Poppy's character is a bit boring at some point not making any sense. The best thing to do after witnessing a murder is to get away from the place, but well... guess the story wouldn't be interesting.
Also, I kinda lost my focus on the second part of the book. I don't know if it's just me?
However, the story is not overly bad. I like how it was written and there's still some engaging parts to read.
Also, I kinda lost my focus on the second part of the book. I don't know if it's just me?
However, the story is not overly bad. I like how it was written and there's still some engaging parts to read.
January 18, 2021
A lot better than the first but still not amazing.
The setting was interesting and that's definitely was made this book for me, things were definitely still overdramatic and some of the subplots weren't nreded.
Read it in one sitting so it was easy to get through and entertaining but not something I'd read again.
The setting was interesting and that's definitely was made this book for me, things were definitely still overdramatic and some of the subplots weren't nreded.
Read it in one sitting so it was easy to get through and entertaining but not something I'd read again.
October 30, 2018
I loved this book! I wish there was a book series to this as i enjoyed it so much and I love the mystery behind the book. There was some history behind the book also which was very interesting. I would definitely recommend this book to teens.
June 2, 2018
One of my favourite books now!!💕🌎
March 27, 2020
This was an amazing book with so many mysteries and shocking plot twists that will keep you thinking all the time with a bit of romance.
March 23, 2022
Abit draggy but overall good ending
September 2, 2023
Great book! had me on the edge of my seat the whole time. Hadn't read the first one but it was still a great storyline. ❤️❤️❤️
March 17, 2014
Originally Reviewed At: Mother/Gamer/Writer
Rating: 4 out of 5 Controllers
Review Source: NetGalley
Reviewer: Ariel
Dead Silent is the second novel in the Poppy Sinclair series by Sharon Jones. The Poppy Sinclair series is Jones’ first published series and while I have yet to read the first in the series, Dead Jealous, Dead Silent was definitely a hit with me.
Poppy Sinclair is 16 years old, visiting her father where he works at Trinity College. Her boyfriend, Michael, has an interview for King’s College, and Poppy isn’t exactly looking forward to spending some quality time with dear old dad. But when people start showing up dead, it’s clear that having to spend time with the father who left her and her mother to follow his passion for religion is the least of her problems.
I really enjoyed Dead Silent. Like, a lot. Poppy is a very bubbly, very smart girl, and a great heroine to follow. She’s hurt by what her father did, which is only natural, and even more hurt that their relationship has changed so much because of it (she would have you believe she’s angry. She’s definitely hurting). Plus, she has to deal with the fact that Michael is going to be off to college next year while she’s still at home, which is troubling for any relationship. But she’s able to put most of these issues aside when a boy at the college ends up murdered. One of my pet peeves in a book is when something serious is going on and the characters are still obsessing over little problems, so I was glad to see Poppy actually dig into the mystery and try to figure out who murdered the student.
Poppy reminded me a little of Nancy Drew in a way. They’re both smart, inquisitive, and they both hate being told to stay out of something. That being said, I don’t want you going into this thinking it’ll be like reading a Nancy Drew mystery. Dead Silent is slightly graphic with the deaths, so be forewarned. Also, Poppy doesn’t necessarily immediately start digging into what’s happening. She’s concerned, and she’s interested in finding out what happened, but she doesn’t do most of her digging until later in the novel.
She’s also dealing with her own struggle for religion, which is something that people go through all the time. Poppy was brought up Pagan, and her father left to preach in a church, leaving Poppy as someone who wants nothing to do with either religion. This is something that comes into play throughout the book, and it’s something that Poppy has to grapple with to make sense of some things.
I was definitely a fan of Michael, Poppy’s boyfriend. The two have a very cute relationship, they’ve been friends practically since they were in diapers, but their romantic relationship is still fairly new, and it’s nice to see how much he cares about her and her wellbeing.
Also, as much as I wanted to dislike Poppy’s dad (to align myself more with her) it was hard. He did leave her and her mother, yes, but he clearly still cares about his daughter. He really is as busy as he seems to be, he isn’t just making up excuses to avoid spending time with her.
I’ve been so busy fawning over the characters that I haven’t talked about the plot yet! Who doesn’t love a murder mystery fraught with secret societies? Because that’s what you have here. And it doesn’t just stop with one death. Someone is out to get the members of a secret society at Cambridge and Poppy is determined to figure out who. Jones keeps you guessing the whole way through, and I still didn’t know who the baddie was until they were revealed. There are plenty of suspects and a red herring or two, so keep your eyes sharp for this one!
If I had any complaints, it would be that as much as I liked Poppy, she did do some stupid things. I mean, it’s to be expected, because she’s only 16 years old, but some of the things I just had to shake my head at.
Dead Silent gets 4 out of 5 controllers from me. Great young adult murder mystery, great plot, great characters. Just great.
Rating: 4 out of 5 Controllers
Review Source: NetGalley
Reviewer: Ariel
Dead Silent is the second novel in the Poppy Sinclair series by Sharon Jones. The Poppy Sinclair series is Jones’ first published series and while I have yet to read the first in the series, Dead Jealous, Dead Silent was definitely a hit with me.
Poppy Sinclair is 16 years old, visiting her father where he works at Trinity College. Her boyfriend, Michael, has an interview for King’s College, and Poppy isn’t exactly looking forward to spending some quality time with dear old dad. But when people start showing up dead, it’s clear that having to spend time with the father who left her and her mother to follow his passion for religion is the least of her problems.
I really enjoyed Dead Silent. Like, a lot. Poppy is a very bubbly, very smart girl, and a great heroine to follow. She’s hurt by what her father did, which is only natural, and even more hurt that their relationship has changed so much because of it (she would have you believe she’s angry. She’s definitely hurting). Plus, she has to deal with the fact that Michael is going to be off to college next year while she’s still at home, which is troubling for any relationship. But she’s able to put most of these issues aside when a boy at the college ends up murdered. One of my pet peeves in a book is when something serious is going on and the characters are still obsessing over little problems, so I was glad to see Poppy actually dig into the mystery and try to figure out who murdered the student.
Poppy reminded me a little of Nancy Drew in a way. They’re both smart, inquisitive, and they both hate being told to stay out of something. That being said, I don’t want you going into this thinking it’ll be like reading a Nancy Drew mystery. Dead Silent is slightly graphic with the deaths, so be forewarned. Also, Poppy doesn’t necessarily immediately start digging into what’s happening. She’s concerned, and she’s interested in finding out what happened, but she doesn’t do most of her digging until later in the novel.
She’s also dealing with her own struggle for religion, which is something that people go through all the time. Poppy was brought up Pagan, and her father left to preach in a church, leaving Poppy as someone who wants nothing to do with either religion. This is something that comes into play throughout the book, and it’s something that Poppy has to grapple with to make sense of some things.
I was definitely a fan of Michael, Poppy’s boyfriend. The two have a very cute relationship, they’ve been friends practically since they were in diapers, but their romantic relationship is still fairly new, and it’s nice to see how much he cares about her and her wellbeing.
Also, as much as I wanted to dislike Poppy’s dad (to align myself more with her) it was hard. He did leave her and her mother, yes, but he clearly still cares about his daughter. He really is as busy as he seems to be, he isn’t just making up excuses to avoid spending time with her.
I’ve been so busy fawning over the characters that I haven’t talked about the plot yet! Who doesn’t love a murder mystery fraught with secret societies? Because that’s what you have here. And it doesn’t just stop with one death. Someone is out to get the members of a secret society at Cambridge and Poppy is determined to figure out who. Jones keeps you guessing the whole way through, and I still didn’t know who the baddie was until they were revealed. There are plenty of suspects and a red herring or two, so keep your eyes sharp for this one!
If I had any complaints, it would be that as much as I liked Poppy, she did do some stupid things. I mean, it’s to be expected, because she’s only 16 years old, but some of the things I just had to shake my head at.
Dead Silent gets 4 out of 5 controllers from me. Great young adult murder mystery, great plot, great characters. Just great.
February 21, 2014
Review originally posted at A Life Bound By Books (guest reviewer)
*****CONTAINS SOME SPOILERS****
First off I will say I have read Sharon Jones’ Dead Jealous and I loved it. When I found Dead Silent on NetGalley, I had to request it. Luckily for me my request was granted.
Poppy Sinclair and her boyfriend Michael visit Cambridge; Michael has a university interview at King’s College. Poppy has her own reasons for joining Michael on this visit- she’s being reunited with her father, the chaplain at Cambridge’s Trinity College.
Things are a little strained between Poppy and her father and unfortunately they take a turn for the worst. On the morning of her second day in Cambridge, Poppy walks into the chapel to find her Dad covered in blood and a dead body on the floor. Poppy soon finds herself immersed in a world of secret societies, deceit and at the mercy of one person’s need for revenge.
The setting for this book is perfect. The architecture of Kings and Trinity colleges themselves makes them a little scary and daunting for a newcomer. I’ve never been to Cambridge but when I started reading Dead Silent I searched on the internet for photos of both places. WOW! Definitely imposing. Their heritage and years of history makes the possibility of secret societies even more likely. Who knows what’s hidden behind those walls.
A layer of snow adds to the atmosphere of this book. I’ve never really thought much about weather being mentioned in books before and the influence it may have on a story. It’s like a white sheet has covered the world we know, everything changes, a sense of peace and yet somehow makes everything seem more sinister. If I was already feeling scared about the events mentioned in Dead Silent; then snow and the quiet it brings with it would definitely have me running for the hills; but not Poppy.
Poppy must have an in-built radar for finding trouble- or maybe it finds her. Maybe there’s something more to Poppy than meets the eye. You’ll have to read the book to find out.
Dead Silent is written in dual or two person POV, meaning we see both Poppy and Michael’s reaction to things. This helps us understand their relationship a bit better. They have been friends from a young age; can tell when the other is unhappy and above all their concern and love for each other is paramount to their other emotions. Michael wants Poppy to be safe, even if it means risking his life for her.
I will briefly mention one other thing about their relationship. There is something mentioned a few chapters in and it was one of the most adorable things I’ve ever read in a book. I could completely imagine the characters as children in this part of the book. I won’t go into detail about this because I want readers to experience it first hand when they read it- prepare for the melting of your heart.
Not far from the end of Dead Silent I nearly couldn’t bring myself to read on. I was brought to tears. An unexpected event nearly ruined the whole book for me. After much internal screaming, I decided that Sharon Jones couldn’t be that evil; so read on and was not disappointed by the ending. I was surprised by who the “bad guy” was in this book. I had not suspected them in the slightest.
Dead Silent, is a fast paced Young Adult thriller that didn’t fail to surprise me. I read it in about 6 hours as I was engrossed by the mystery and like Poppy; I wanted to get to the bottom of what was happening.
I’m looking forward to seeing what mischief and mystery will unfold in the yet untitled book 3 in the Poppy Sinclair series.
*****CONTAINS SOME SPOILERS****
First off I will say I have read Sharon Jones’ Dead Jealous and I loved it. When I found Dead Silent on NetGalley, I had to request it. Luckily for me my request was granted.
Poppy Sinclair and her boyfriend Michael visit Cambridge; Michael has a university interview at King’s College. Poppy has her own reasons for joining Michael on this visit- she’s being reunited with her father, the chaplain at Cambridge’s Trinity College.
Things are a little strained between Poppy and her father and unfortunately they take a turn for the worst. On the morning of her second day in Cambridge, Poppy walks into the chapel to find her Dad covered in blood and a dead body on the floor. Poppy soon finds herself immersed in a world of secret societies, deceit and at the mercy of one person’s need for revenge.
The setting for this book is perfect. The architecture of Kings and Trinity colleges themselves makes them a little scary and daunting for a newcomer. I’ve never been to Cambridge but when I started reading Dead Silent I searched on the internet for photos of both places. WOW! Definitely imposing. Their heritage and years of history makes the possibility of secret societies even more likely. Who knows what’s hidden behind those walls.
A layer of snow adds to the atmosphere of this book. I’ve never really thought much about weather being mentioned in books before and the influence it may have on a story. It’s like a white sheet has covered the world we know, everything changes, a sense of peace and yet somehow makes everything seem more sinister. If I was already feeling scared about the events mentioned in Dead Silent; then snow and the quiet it brings with it would definitely have me running for the hills; but not Poppy.
Poppy must have an in-built radar for finding trouble- or maybe it finds her. Maybe there’s something more to Poppy than meets the eye. You’ll have to read the book to find out.
Dead Silent is written in dual or two person POV, meaning we see both Poppy and Michael’s reaction to things. This helps us understand their relationship a bit better. They have been friends from a young age; can tell when the other is unhappy and above all their concern and love for each other is paramount to their other emotions. Michael wants Poppy to be safe, even if it means risking his life for her.
I will briefly mention one other thing about their relationship. There is something mentioned a few chapters in and it was one of the most adorable things I’ve ever read in a book. I could completely imagine the characters as children in this part of the book. I won’t go into detail about this because I want readers to experience it first hand when they read it- prepare for the melting of your heart.
Not far from the end of Dead Silent I nearly couldn’t bring myself to read on. I was brought to tears. An unexpected event nearly ruined the whole book for me. After much internal screaming, I decided that Sharon Jones couldn’t be that evil; so read on and was not disappointed by the ending. I was surprised by who the “bad guy” was in this book. I had not suspected them in the slightest.
Dead Silent, is a fast paced Young Adult thriller that didn’t fail to surprise me. I read it in about 6 hours as I was engrossed by the mystery and like Poppy; I wanted to get to the bottom of what was happening.
I’m looking forward to seeing what mischief and mystery will unfold in the yet untitled book 3 in the Poppy Sinclair series.
June 4, 2014
Review Taken from The Pewter Wolf
Poppy and her new boyfriend, Michael, go to Cambridge to see her father and for Michael to have an interview at a university. What Poppy doesn't expect to find a dead body of a student, his arms outstretch in an snow angel position. But his wings are his own blood. And she finds her father kneeling by the body...
Things don't look for Poppy's father, so Poppy hunts down the killer... But hunting the truth can be murder, and if she's not careful, someone Poppy cares about might find themselves in the killer's reach...
I'm going to say this. I really think this book is PERFECT for you The Body Finder fans out there. It's dark and twisty with a tiny hint of something unnatural (it's not in your face as The Body Finder), but I devoured this book in less than a week. And recently, reading something this fast is a miracle! But I just couldn't stop reading this.
Apart from the murder and the thriller side of this book that I thoroughly enjoyed, I really liked how Sharon Jones wrote about Poppy and Michael's relationship. I like how, recently on the Internet (mainly YouTube), the topic of sex and consent has been raised and Sharon tackles it within Dead Silent. And I liked how Sharon wrote it with maturity and how she made both the characters act like grown-ups over it. There was always questions and moments of hesitations, but this is very natural in a new relationship so I applaud this. THANK YOU FOR TREATING YOUR READERS LIKE ADULTS!
I also loved the idea of the author tackling religion. If you have read the previous book, Dead Jealous, you know this takes place in a pagan festival and that Poppy's mother is pagan. So here, we have Poppy beginning to explore not only her mother's Paganism but also her father's Christianity and her own as she claims to be an atheist. It's refreshing to read about religion and not feel like it's been forced down your throat!
And as for the mystery... I really didn't see it coming. And I think I'm quite good at figuring who the murderer is in crime books, I didn't really think it was them till the very last moment and, even then, I didn't go with in. But I like that I didn't see it coming!
I am so glad I haven't read the first book. Once I have finished my NetGalley month, it's going to be one of the first books am planning to read. I can not wait! And bring on book 3!
Poppy and her new boyfriend, Michael, go to Cambridge to see her father and for Michael to have an interview at a university. What Poppy doesn't expect to find a dead body of a student, his arms outstretch in an snow angel position. But his wings are his own blood. And she finds her father kneeling by the body...
Things don't look for Poppy's father, so Poppy hunts down the killer... But hunting the truth can be murder, and if she's not careful, someone Poppy cares about might find themselves in the killer's reach...
I'm going to say this. I really think this book is PERFECT for you The Body Finder fans out there. It's dark and twisty with a tiny hint of something unnatural (it's not in your face as The Body Finder), but I devoured this book in less than a week. And recently, reading something this fast is a miracle! But I just couldn't stop reading this.
Apart from the murder and the thriller side of this book that I thoroughly enjoyed, I really liked how Sharon Jones wrote about Poppy and Michael's relationship. I like how, recently on the Internet (mainly YouTube), the topic of sex and consent has been raised and Sharon tackles it within Dead Silent. And I liked how Sharon wrote it with maturity and how she made both the characters act like grown-ups over it. There was always questions and moments of hesitations, but this is very natural in a new relationship so I applaud this. THANK YOU FOR TREATING YOUR READERS LIKE ADULTS!
I also loved the idea of the author tackling religion. If you have read the previous book, Dead Jealous, you know this takes place in a pagan festival and that Poppy's mother is pagan. So here, we have Poppy beginning to explore not only her mother's Paganism but also her father's Christianity and her own as she claims to be an atheist. It's refreshing to read about religion and not feel like it's been forced down your throat!
And as for the mystery... I really didn't see it coming. And I think I'm quite good at figuring who the murderer is in crime books, I didn't really think it was them till the very last moment and, even then, I didn't go with in. But I like that I didn't see it coming!
I am so glad I haven't read the first book. Once I have finished my NetGalley month, it's going to be one of the first books am planning to read. I can not wait! And bring on book 3!
March 1, 2014
My copy was provided by Netgalley.
Poppy and her boyfriend are visiting Cambridge where her boyfriend is taking a couple classes there. Poppy decides to visit her father that she barely ever talks to, but what makes the trip worthwhile is that Poppy can go into Michael's room any time she wants. The main purpose of this trip is for Poppy to finally gain the courage to have sex with Michael.
The simple vacation quickly changes when a dead body is found and Poppy's father is the main suspect for the murder. Poppy found the body in the chapel, but the murderer played with the body. The murderer smeared the victim's blood on the floor to make it seem as if the victim had bloody angel wings.
Poppy has to figure out who is committing the murders before the bodies begin piling up and she possibly becomes the next victim. Yet when secret societies are involved, who knows who the killer really is.
This book seemed better than Dead Jealous, especially with the bond between Poppy and Michael. You could really get into the relationship between the two and I could tell just how much Michael adores Poppy. Their relationship was strong and the bond between them was unbreakable. Even through the tension in their relationship, they never gave up on each other and supported each other no matter what.
The mystery of this book was intriguing and kept me wondering the whole time. I could never figure out who the actual killer was which is what a good thriller should do. It was also interesting with the secret societies and what Poppy's father had to do with the murders.
The ending surprised me which is really rare for a mystery novel. Usually you would have already guessed the murderer and everything ties in quite nicely, but not in this book. The ending was messy yet enthralling and I loved it.
It got a little weird for me when the book delved into the paranormal. I wasn't expecting it at all so when the paranormal arrived, I was a bit confused over it. Poppy continuously made bad decisions, but considering how often she encountered the dead bodies, I would certainly act like her! No teenager is perfect, but Poppy never gave up and let someone else try and fail to solve the murders. She didn't give in and she would do anything to prove her father innocent, even though they had a strained relationship.
While it was slow at times, especially in the beginning, the ending more than made up for it. I can't wait to read the next book and see what happens to Poppy next.
Poppy and her boyfriend are visiting Cambridge where her boyfriend is taking a couple classes there. Poppy decides to visit her father that she barely ever talks to, but what makes the trip worthwhile is that Poppy can go into Michael's room any time she wants. The main purpose of this trip is for Poppy to finally gain the courage to have sex with Michael.
The simple vacation quickly changes when a dead body is found and Poppy's father is the main suspect for the murder. Poppy found the body in the chapel, but the murderer played with the body. The murderer smeared the victim's blood on the floor to make it seem as if the victim had bloody angel wings.
Poppy has to figure out who is committing the murders before the bodies begin piling up and she possibly becomes the next victim. Yet when secret societies are involved, who knows who the killer really is.
This book seemed better than Dead Jealous, especially with the bond between Poppy and Michael. You could really get into the relationship between the two and I could tell just how much Michael adores Poppy. Their relationship was strong and the bond between them was unbreakable. Even through the tension in their relationship, they never gave up on each other and supported each other no matter what.
The mystery of this book was intriguing and kept me wondering the whole time. I could never figure out who the actual killer was which is what a good thriller should do. It was also interesting with the secret societies and what Poppy's father had to do with the murders.
The ending surprised me which is really rare for a mystery novel. Usually you would have already guessed the murderer and everything ties in quite nicely, but not in this book. The ending was messy yet enthralling and I loved it.
It got a little weird for me when the book delved into the paranormal. I wasn't expecting it at all so when the paranormal arrived, I was a bit confused over it. Poppy continuously made bad decisions, but considering how often she encountered the dead bodies, I would certainly act like her! No teenager is perfect, but Poppy never gave up and let someone else try and fail to solve the murders. She didn't give in and she would do anything to prove her father innocent, even though they had a strained relationship.
While it was slow at times, especially in the beginning, the ending more than made up for it. I can't wait to read the next book and see what happens to Poppy next.
February 20, 2014
I can’t help myself, but I really do love Poppy Sinclair. She really isn’t your average teenager. She overthinks everything and comes from the strangest mix of parents. On one side, she has her mum, who walks firmly on the Pagan side while her estranged father has found his calling within Christianity. Throughout this book, it is intriguing to watch Poppy’s internal struggle between Christianity and Paganism as she tries desperately to sit on the atheist fence, while events occurring around her make it very clear she won’t be able to sit there for long. Something is changing in Poppy and as she grows older it becomes more apparent which latent and unusual skills she has developed.
This book is set in Cambridge during the winter, just before Christmas and I found myself reminiscing fondly my days as a new adult in Cambridge. I felt the author captured the tone and the feel of the academic town and really brought it to life. I was left with a yearning to revisit.
The prologue sets the scene perfectly and you realise straightaway that Poppy is about to be drawn into another murder mystery. Poppy comes across as the UK’s version of Nancy Drew, but with a few unusual added extras. It doesn’t feel contrived in any way that she is at the centre of a murder investigation again, which was one of the things I was worried about before reading it. She really does have an unfortunate knack of being in the wrong place at the wrong time.
In this book, we learn more about the relationship between Poppy and her father, and discover exactly why it appears to have unravelled so disastrously. We also witness the next step in the relationship between Michael and Poppy, as Poppy stands on the threshold of losing her virginity. I really felt the author dealt with this in an honest and mature way, which would hopefully help other teenagers discuss this situation before rushing into anything they might feel uncomfortable with.
With an array of quirky and colourful characters, I whizzed through the book at great speed, to discover which one was the murderer. And yet again, I was dumbfounded by the truth, after following a line of red herrings.
I thought this was a brilliant second novel, which really establishes Sharon Jones as a crime writing YA author. I really do hope there will be more novels with Poppy Sinclair in the future, as I desperately want to know what happens between Poppy and Michael.
This book is set in Cambridge during the winter, just before Christmas and I found myself reminiscing fondly my days as a new adult in Cambridge. I felt the author captured the tone and the feel of the academic town and really brought it to life. I was left with a yearning to revisit.
The prologue sets the scene perfectly and you realise straightaway that Poppy is about to be drawn into another murder mystery. Poppy comes across as the UK’s version of Nancy Drew, but with a few unusual added extras. It doesn’t feel contrived in any way that she is at the centre of a murder investigation again, which was one of the things I was worried about before reading it. She really does have an unfortunate knack of being in the wrong place at the wrong time.
In this book, we learn more about the relationship between Poppy and her father, and discover exactly why it appears to have unravelled so disastrously. We also witness the next step in the relationship between Michael and Poppy, as Poppy stands on the threshold of losing her virginity. I really felt the author dealt with this in an honest and mature way, which would hopefully help other teenagers discuss this situation before rushing into anything they might feel uncomfortable with.
With an array of quirky and colourful characters, I whizzed through the book at great speed, to discover which one was the murderer. And yet again, I was dumbfounded by the truth, after following a line of red herrings.
I thought this was a brilliant second novel, which really establishes Sharon Jones as a crime writing YA author. I really do hope there will be more novels with Poppy Sinclair in the future, as I desperately want to know what happens between Poppy and Michael.
June 21, 2014
Dead Silent by Sharon Jones
Paperback
Publisher: Orchard Books
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1408327562
ISBN-13: 978-1408327562
Product Dimensions: 5.9 x 8.3 inches
Shipping Weight: 10.6 ounces
Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #6,617,004 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
My Review~~~~~~~
I received this book in exchange for a honest review from Netgalley.
This book has such a beautiful cover. I love the cover! The first part of the book was shaping up to be amazing, so that I was so intrigued. The second half almost let me down. I'm not saying that it wasn't good. It was still a good mystery. I didn't get a chance to read the first book but I plan too. This book lucky can be read by itself with some references to the first book, but nothing that can confuse the reader. Poppy is just a normal girl who is starting to develop psychic link to the dead. I would say Poppy is in the wrong place at the wrong time when the killer targets the ones she loves and decides to play a game with her. Only Poppy can she figure it out in time to save the ones that are depending on her before they die? That is the big question. In places in this book, I love the eerie feeling the author gives us and the feeling of dark and mysterious. I wish the other done more with the seance or to tell the reader what exactly Micheal and Ria saw Poppy do (not just referring to it as a freak out). I will give this a 4 star because there is great potential, just needs a bit more.
Goodreads Book Description~
A snow angel etched in blood. An elite society. A secret dying to get out.
The second Poppy Sinclair Thriller.
When Poppy Sinclair and her boyfriend visit snowy Cambridge, she doesn't expect to discover the body of a student - arms outstretched in the act of smearing bloody angel wings on the chapel's floor.
Suddenly, Poppy is faced with the possibility that the one closest to her heart might be the one committing the most malicious of crimes.
Dodging porters and police, dreading what she might find, Poppy follows the clues left by a murderer bent on revenge...
Long-hidden secrets are chillingly revealed, an avenging angel seeks forgiveness and red-hot vengeance must be quelled in the amazing new Poppy Sinclair thriller.
Paperback
Publisher: Orchard Books
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1408327562
ISBN-13: 978-1408327562
Product Dimensions: 5.9 x 8.3 inches
Shipping Weight: 10.6 ounces
Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #6,617,004 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
My Review~~~~~~~
I received this book in exchange for a honest review from Netgalley.
This book has such a beautiful cover. I love the cover! The first part of the book was shaping up to be amazing, so that I was so intrigued. The second half almost let me down. I'm not saying that it wasn't good. It was still a good mystery. I didn't get a chance to read the first book but I plan too. This book lucky can be read by itself with some references to the first book, but nothing that can confuse the reader. Poppy is just a normal girl who is starting to develop psychic link to the dead. I would say Poppy is in the wrong place at the wrong time when the killer targets the ones she loves and decides to play a game with her. Only Poppy can she figure it out in time to save the ones that are depending on her before they die? That is the big question. In places in this book, I love the eerie feeling the author gives us and the feeling of dark and mysterious. I wish the other done more with the seance or to tell the reader what exactly Micheal and Ria saw Poppy do (not just referring to it as a freak out). I will give this a 4 star because there is great potential, just needs a bit more.
Goodreads Book Description~
A snow angel etched in blood. An elite society. A secret dying to get out.
The second Poppy Sinclair Thriller.
When Poppy Sinclair and her boyfriend visit snowy Cambridge, she doesn't expect to discover the body of a student - arms outstretched in the act of smearing bloody angel wings on the chapel's floor.
Suddenly, Poppy is faced with the possibility that the one closest to her heart might be the one committing the most malicious of crimes.
Dodging porters and police, dreading what she might find, Poppy follows the clues left by a murderer bent on revenge...
Long-hidden secrets are chillingly revealed, an avenging angel seeks forgiveness and red-hot vengeance must be quelled in the amazing new Poppy Sinclair thriller.
May 11, 2014
A free copy of this book was provided by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Dead Silent is the story of Poppy, a girl living with her pagan mother, who goes to visit Cambridge with her boyfriend Michael, both so that she can see her estranged father who left home to become a priest and so that Michael can have an interview for one of the university's colleges. On her second day their, she discovers the body of one of the students in the chapel and it all seems linked with one of Cambridge's secret societies, the previous death of one of the professor's sons, and her father's mysterious new life.
I really enjoyed reading this story. I wasn't sure how I would feel when I started reading this about Poppy and Michael, two teenagers, investigating the murder, but it never felt like they were running off without the police's permission or getting in the way, more that they were just lucky enough, or unfortunate enough in some cases, to overhear or see the unusual events happening around Trinity College. I thought Poppy was a great character and I really felt for her, especially when it came to her hurt over how her relationship with her father had deteriorated and her concern about how fast her relationship with Michael was moving. The colleges in Cambridge were a great setting too, and I really got a sense of how enclosed and claustrophobic the buildings can be with their high stone walls and hidden passages and stairs. It definitely added to the creepy atmosphere of this book and made you feel like anything just jump out at Poppy and Michael at any time.
Some of the violence in the book did surprise me a little with how gruesome it was - the angel wings and what happens to the character of Lucy especially - but I don't know whether it shocked me more because I'm a bit of a wimp when it comes to stuff like that. The only part of this book that I felt let it down a little was the slight supernatural elements that came in towards the end which felt a little out of place.
Overall, I really enjoyed this book and sped through it, even staying up late to finish it. It's a great murder mystery with engaging characters and the Cambridge colleges setting was perfectly creepy and really ramped up the suspense in the story. 5 stars.
Dead Silent is the story of Poppy, a girl living with her pagan mother, who goes to visit Cambridge with her boyfriend Michael, both so that she can see her estranged father who left home to become a priest and so that Michael can have an interview for one of the university's colleges. On her second day their, she discovers the body of one of the students in the chapel and it all seems linked with one of Cambridge's secret societies, the previous death of one of the professor's sons, and her father's mysterious new life.
I really enjoyed reading this story. I wasn't sure how I would feel when I started reading this about Poppy and Michael, two teenagers, investigating the murder, but it never felt like they were running off without the police's permission or getting in the way, more that they were just lucky enough, or unfortunate enough in some cases, to overhear or see the unusual events happening around Trinity College. I thought Poppy was a great character and I really felt for her, especially when it came to her hurt over how her relationship with her father had deteriorated and her concern about how fast her relationship with Michael was moving. The colleges in Cambridge were a great setting too, and I really got a sense of how enclosed and claustrophobic the buildings can be with their high stone walls and hidden passages and stairs. It definitely added to the creepy atmosphere of this book and made you feel like anything just jump out at Poppy and Michael at any time.
Some of the violence in the book did surprise me a little with how gruesome it was - the angel wings and what happens to the character of Lucy especially - but I don't know whether it shocked me more because I'm a bit of a wimp when it comes to stuff like that. The only part of this book that I felt let it down a little was the slight supernatural elements that came in towards the end which felt a little out of place.
Overall, I really enjoyed this book and sped through it, even staying up late to finish it. It's a great murder mystery with engaging characters and the Cambridge colleges setting was perfectly creepy and really ramped up the suspense in the story. 5 stars.
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