Comatose: ...and her nightmare is just beginning.

The Karen Thorpe #1

by J.D. Badrock

A fast paced thriller that will keep you guessing until the end.

316 pages, Kindle Edition

Published August 4, 2023

Reviews

[Bookworm86 · Rating 5 out of 5]

BLOG TOUR REVIEW 


Review for 'Comatose' by Jane Badrock. 


Read and reviewed for Jane Badrock and Question Mark Press. 

Publication date 22nd April 2021.

This is the second book I have read by this author. It is also the first book in the 'Karen Thorpe' series. I have also read the third book in this series 'The Woman Who Knew Faces' and would highly recommend it.


I was originally drawn to this book by its stunning eye catching cover and intriguing sounding synopsis and title. I am also a huge fan of Jane and if this book is half as good as 'The Woman Who Knew Faces' it will be an epic page turner. I must admit I was also biased due to the publisher being Question Mark Press. I have yet to read a book published by Question Mark Press that I haven't enjoyed. Hopefully this won't be the first... Watch this space! (Written before I started reading the book).


This novel consists of 80 chapters. The chapters are short in length so possible to read 'just one more chapter' before bed...OK, I know yeah right, but still just in case!


This book is based in Hertfordshire, England 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿, UK 🇬🇧 . The bonus for me of books that are partly or fully based in the UK is that I live in the UK and have sometimes visited places mentioned in the book which makes it easier to picture. I have actually visited and holidayed in England on many occasions so am intrigued to see if I recognise anywhere I have visited or stayed at. 


This book is written in third person perspective and the main protagonists are DS Karen Thorpe, Stella Cary , Rob Car and, John Steele. The benefits of third person perspective with multiple protagonists are that it let's you see the bigger picture of what's going on and you get to know more characters more, what they are thinking and what they are doing. It feels like you get to see the whole picture and not miss out in anything.


'Comatose' discusses some topics that may trigger some readers or may not be suitable for others. I like to point this out ahead of time in my reviews so you can judge if this book is for you or not. In this book Jane discusses/includes rape. 


Wow!!! What an absolutely unique storyline that I just could not put down!!! Clear your schedules before you pick this up!! 


The descriptions are extremely vivid which completely set the scene for me and really made me feel like I was in the storyline. The cover, title and synopsis suit the plot perfectly. 


After I read and absolutely loved the third book in this series 'The Woman Who Knew Faces' I just had to read the first two books and also any more that come after. Although all three books can be read as standalones I would advise you read them in order so you can see the character development. The storyline is most definitely unique and one I have never read before which was a HUGE bonus as there is so many times you can read very similar crime books before you get fed up. There was plenty going on to keep the reader on their toes!! The storyline is very fast paced and will keep you flipping the pages until you've finished. It is filled with tension, horror, secrets, deceipts suspense and a few absolute shockers which I did not suspect at all!!! It is getting harder and harder to surprise me with the amount of books I have read but you definitely managed it so well done Jane. There were several mysteries that Karen was trying to solve so plenty to keep the reader guessing and I didn't work any of them out which is always a good thing. I was kept on the edge of my seat, and then later my bed, while reading this and I just could not put it down!!! I think this would make an absolutely fantastic movie and I'm looking forward to reading Jane's next book 'Three Little Girls' and future books!! 


I loved meeting Karen again and seeing her from the very start of her storyline. There is definitely a huge difference in her personality from this book to 'The Girl Who Knew Faces' and I'm looking forward to see how she is developing still in 'Three Little Girls' . Karen is the main protagonist and being another strong female she definitely gets my vote. I love seeing more and more strong females coming into crime novels and Karen is definitely in the lead with some of the best. I absolutely adore her kick butt attitude and felt she was a fantastic role model and lead for her team. Although she is extremely good at her job she still seems to underestimate herself. It was intriguing seeing her and Macy's relationship from the start and how they butted heads a few timesz in fact Karen butted heads with quite a few people!! I know I will be behind her and so will the rest of her team. I love Karen's sense of humour and sarcasm and it was interesting to see how she met John who is just as sarcastic, fun, loving and has a heart of gold. It is always intriguing when you know characters from later books in the series and then go back and see how it all starts. DCI Winter made a fantastic boss and you can see that his team respect him as he is the perfect mix of friend and boss. Macy is an essential parts of the team. I enjoyed getting to know her even more in the next book and look forward to meeting her again. I recognised a certain character immediately fro 'The Woman Who Knew Faces' and although he isn't mentioned as much in this book, knowing what happens with him in the third book definitely how I feel about him. Overall an absolutely fantastic team who were each strong individuals with very different personalities but they all worked perfectly together. I'm going to miss them all and can't wait to meet them all again!!! My heart definitely went out to Stella who didn't deserve what happened to her and it was extremely interesting getting her point of view while everything was going on around her. While she didn't deserve everything that happened with her another person most certainly did and I'm glad I didn't have to put up with them for too long as they made me sick. I won't say any more as not to spoil it for future readers but I'm sure if you have read it you know who I mean. I was confused with Stella's parents calling each other Mum/Dad but after I chat with Jane I discovered that it is perfectly normal in the North, learn something new every day so thanks. For that bit of information Jane it will probably come in handy when reading books in the future!!



A HUGE CONGRATULATIONS TO JANE ON AN ABSOLUTELY PAGE TURNING AND EXPLOSIVE START IN AN EXTREMELY PROMISING SERIES!! AFTER READING BOOK 1 AND 3 THIS IS ONE NOT TO MISS!!!! THIS IS WHY YOU ARE IN MY FAVOURITE AUTHOR LIST!!! 


I cannot wait to dig into future books in this series and get to know Karen her and the teams future. Here's to your next success 🥂 


Overall an absolutely EXPLOSIVE page turning book filled with surprises and twists in an extremely successful series!! 



Genres covered in this book include Thriller, Psychological Thriller, Police Procedural, Suspense, Crime Fiction and Psychological Fiction amongst others. 

I would recommend this book to the fans of the above as well as fans of Angela Marsons, Carol Wyer, Noelle Holten, Mark Edwards and anyone looking for an explosive crime series!!! 

318 pages.

This book is just £1.99 to purchase on kindle via Amazon or free on kindle unlimited (at time of purchase) which I think is an absolute bargain for this book!!! 

Rated 5 /5 (I LOVED it ) on Goodreads, Instagram, Amazon UK and Amazon US and on over 30 Facebook pages plus my blog on Facebook. 

Feel free to add me on Goodreads or follow me on my website or Facebook for more reviews 

#Comatose #QuestionMarkPress #JaneBadrock #BookReview #BlogTour #BooksOnTour

@JaneBadrock @QuestionMarkPress @Bookworm1986 @bookworm86 


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[Kirstie Cooper · Rating 4 out of 5]

Firstly I will start the review with a slight negative, but only in the sense that if I saw this book on a shelf I probably wouldn't pick it to read as I feel that the front cover depicts an old fashioned book from the 80's, but please do not let the cover put you off as it is a very modern twisty read which I absolutely loved.
It took me till about 20 per cent to get to grips with the book, purely because there are a lot of characters to get to grips with and my tired old brain sometimes gets confused with multiple characters. Also a married couple kept calling each other mum and dad, which had me scrolling back thinking I had got their role in the book wrong!
Once I got to grips with the characters, I absolutely loved the storyline - there were so many little twists that I felt I would never guess the ending - and guess what? I didn't!
I liked the characters of Macy and Karen, and thought they made a good team! And I kinda hope that there will be future books with then in it.
Great read if you like twists - would definitely recommend.

[Yvonne · Rating 4 out of 5]

I do like a good twisted police procedural and Comatose is just that. The synopsis gives very little away and therefore my review is going to be quite vague!

A crash is just the start of things for newly appointed DS Karen Thorpe, what looks like a road traffic accident maybe something more, at least this is what Thorpe thinks. When she hints at the accident maybe something else, she finds herself limited, hitting brick walls that have no right being there. She is kept out of something but doesn't know why.

One of the victims survives and is left in a coma, Thorpe wants to get to the bottom of the case but it is nigh on impossible when your only witness is unresponsive. This is a case that will involve a lot of head-scratching, legwork and a certain amount of gut instinct.

Thorpe is not the most likeable character I have come across in a police procedural, but boy is she tenacious. She works ridiculously long hours, often taking work home and never letting up. She works hard and therefore so should everyone else. She is abrupt, snappy and demanding. She is also very good at her job.

During the course of this story, the author does explore Thorpe's character and adds some useful personal details, it gives a slight idea as to her nature. To be honest, the way the author has approached this character makes sense, as someone who isn't as committed would not get anywhere near discovering the truth of what turns out to be a complex case.

There are quite a few characters in this novel and I did find myself wrong-footed with them occasionally, but as I got to know them and their roles they became more cemented in my memory. A complex case does require a certain amount of characters and especially one that has some interesting sub-plots as well.

I really enjoyed this book and I did like the full-on intense investigation. police procedural with a strong mystery to it and one that I found very difficult to put down. It is one I would recommend.

[Sam “My Cosy Book Nook” · Rating 4 out of 5]

At 4am today, Portugal was moved from the UK's so-called 'Green' list to the 'Amber' one. Which means that thousands of people who went there for a long-awaited summer holiday are now in one of two situations. Either they managed to cut their holiday short, get an early flight home and are now back in the UK with their plans scuppered, and looking to somehow fill the days when they should have been sat on beaches topping up their tans. Or, they couldn't fly back early and are now stuck with the knowledge that when they do return home, they'll have to stay there for 10 long days of self-isolation.

But if either of these situations applies to you, don't despair. I have a simple solution. Download a copy of Comatose by Jane Badrock to your kindle.

I can think of no reason at all why you shouldn't relish giving your full attention to the fiendishly clever plot, in which the multiple storylines of many characters are all finely brought together. You'll share DS Karen Thorpe's headaches as she tries to investigate a serious car crash that leaves one driver, Tom Westbury, dead and the second, Stella Cary, in a coma. Karen is convinced that someone else caused the crash. Her boss isn't. But even if she's right, what chance does she really have of finding out what actually happened if the only surviving witness can't communicate? And can it really be a coincidence that another fatal crash then occurs on the same stretch of road?

My problem, however - and it's the only real problem I had with this book - is that, unfortunately, I haven't been to Portugal. I've been at work for five days a week. And when I haven't been doing that, I've been trying to manage some builders that are working on my house. Any remaining daylight hours are spent trying to enjoy the first warm sunshine of this year, and any hours after dark spent working on my new blog. Reading is something that I've mainly been doing last thing at night, in the hope that it will help me fall asleep.

As a result, I found the story very hard to follow and the number of characters bewildering. I struggled to see the significance of Stella's husband Rob's sleazy behaviour towards his neighbour. I suspect I missed something when trying to understand how what initially appeared to be a separate case featuring both Stella's sister and Westbury's brother, was somehow connected. And I'm afraid that - without wanting to give away any big spoilers - the thought of there being two people that wanted to do Stella harm whilst she lay in hospital, in addition to the person who put her there in the first place, was something that my brain just couldn't cope with.

On the plus side ... there's one heck of a plus side. The character of Karen Thorpe is just superb. She's a nightmare to work with, and if I was unlucky enough to be one of her colleagues I can see that I might just end up grabbing her by the neck and shaking her. However, her tenacity is something else and if it was my relative that had been left in a coma from a car crash, she's the police officer I'd want investigating it. And when I learned that there was another, personal reason for her to have thrown herself into work the way she had done, I could almost have cried for her.

Then there are the chapters narrated by Stella, in which her memories mix and confuse themselves with voices she can hear but not quite recognise. The way that these chapters transport the reader to inside the head of a woman in a coma is quite simply astounding.

I'm sorry if this review seems a bit confused, but that's just because of how the book left me feeling. However, my conclusion is simple. This is a book that you should buy, and keep. But reading it is perhaps best saved for when you know you'll have a lot of time on your hands.

[Amanda · Rating 5 out of 5]

If there’s one thing that I like doing it’s discovering new authors. Jane is certainly a new author for me. I read the synopsis for ‘Comatose’ and it certainly sounded like an intriguing read. So without further ado, I grabbed my Kindle, grabbed a cup of tea and settled down for an interesting afternoon of reading. I did enjoy reading ‘Comatose’ but more about that in a bit.
It took me no time at all to get into ‘Comatose’. In fact within the first five minutes of starting to read the book, I knew that I was going to be for one hell of a read. I didn’t manage to read ‘Comatose’ in a single day because I had other commitments but I did manage to read it with three days, which is still pretty good going for me. I would pick the book up only intending to read a couple of chapters but I would end up becoming so wrapped up in the story that I lost all track of time and just how quickly I was getting through the story. I do have to say that there were a lot of characters introduced into the story, which initially proved to be a tad confusing but once I had fathomed out who was who and what part they were playing in the story then all was well. I found ‘Comatose’ to be a gripping read, which kept my attention throughout and which kept me on the edge of my seat.
‘Comatose’ is extremely well written. Jane certainly knows how to grab your attention and draw you into what proves to be one hell of a story and then some. For me, the story hit the ground running and maintained a fairly fast pace throughout. Reading ‘Comatose’ felt like being on an at times scary and unpredictable rollercoaster ride with several twists and turns along the way. I loved the way in which Jane kept me guessing as to how the story was going to turn out. I had my own suspicions but I soon realised that I had wandered down the wrong path entirely.
In short, I thoroughly enjoyed reading ‘Comatose’ and I would definitely recommend it to other readers. I will certainly be reading more of Jane’s work in the future. The score on the Ginger Book Geek board is a very well deserved 5* out of 5*.

[ReadandRated · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 Stars from me

I am delighted to take my turn on the Comatose book review blog tour!

The book was a complex delight from start to finish, the police team was made up of varied and individual characters - none of them seemed to fit the standard mould for 'crime thriller copper' which made for interesting reading.

Jane Badrock certainly injects a healthy dose of humour throughout which lifts this book from being a dark and unpleasant tale into a thoroughly enjoyable one.

Our coma victim Stella is an impressive lady, how she managed to be shacked up with her deplorable human being of a husband is beyond me. There are several points in the book where I was preying someone would punch him in the face!

DS Karen Thorpe is interesting, very much a marmite character and I am not sure I would want to work with her... but she definitely grew on me.

There are lots of characters to keep up with, a fast paced storyline, red herrings agogo and the cliff hangers and reveals come at you thick and fast.

Once I got used to it, I loved the writing style and greatly enjoyed the book.

My thanks to Zoe from Zooloos Book Tours, Question Mark Press and author Jane Badrock for letting me be a part of this blog tour.

[Lin Perrett · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you Jane Badrock for giving me the opportunity to win a copy of Comatose. When Stella Cary is left in a coma and a man dies after a car accident DS Karen Thorpe starts a investigation suspecting foul play. With lots of twists and turns and several plots linking together this is a delightful read.

[Matt · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a tangled web is woven in this great page turner. So many twists throughout it made my head spin, good characters, well written - would highly recommend!

[Lynda · Rating 4 out of 5]

This author really has a way with words, realistic, and at times in local dialect, this is fast paced and full of twists and turns. Just when you think you have figured it out something else pops up and you have to rethink it. There are a lot of characters and it did take me a while to get my head around them all but once I had the story moved along at a cracking pace.

Briefly, it all starts with a car crash and the driver, Stella Cary, survives, but is in a coma. DS Karen Thorpe is partnered with Constable Macy Dodds to investigate. Then their caseload increases when another fatal crash occurs in the same location killing Stella’s husband. Coincidence. No Karen doesn’t think so. Why are her superior officers trying to prevent her from carrying out her investigations?

Then, bang, there is also a rapist to find. I wasn’t expecting that one. Red herrings abound and despite the nature of the book there is a humorous bent throughout the book which is down to the authors style. This book really did keep me guessing to the bitter end and the final twist, in fact both of the final twists, had me reaching for my G&T. I thought this was an excellent first outing for our new detective team; I really hope we see them again. It was a very good 4.5* for me. Keep them coming.

[Zelda FeatzReviews · Rating 3 out of 5]

Comatose, is a crime mystery that is full of twists and turns. Be sure to have time when you start this book, there are a lot of characters and so many twists and turns you will have to stay focused if you want to keep up.
Comatose is a fast-paced read with a lot of characters. The author allows the reader to slip into Stella’s mind, who is in a coma after a car accident. I enjoyed how the author allows you to ‘float’ in and out of this character’s mind as she fights to regain consciousness. Her writing makes Stella’s coma a reality, allowing the reader to easily imagine what the character was experiencing as she is laying in her hospital bed.
After two car accidents at the same spot, and Stella, the only survivor in a coma, DS Karen Thorpe is determined to prove that this is no accident. Fighting against her superiors to prove what her gut tells her while trying to prove that she deserves her recent promotion. Is Karen right? Is there more to these ‘accidents’, can she find the evidence to prove it?
Comatose tells a brilliantly crafty story that is packed with twists and turns. I read this book in two sittings and found that I had to stay focused. Every page brings something new which makes for an interesting read but also leaves you a little exhausted by the time you are done. Reading this book was like spending time with my ADHD daughter – it is extremely busy! Yet, the story was gripping and I was eager to keep reading to see what surprise the next page was going to bring.
There are a lot of characters to keep up with within this story and the author manages to bring their roles together beautifully. DS Karen Thorpe and her various relationships are guaranteed to keep you glued to the pages. The author created a well-rounded, complex character in Karen that keeps her realistic. My only problem with Karen, I did not like that she was a slob – but everyone has their faults and this little detail added to keeping her realistic.
The book is very busy and leaves your head spinning while you are trying to keep up with everything that is happening, yet there is no doubt it will keep you entertained. Crime and mystery enthusiasts who love a book that is full of twists are guaranteed to find Comatose right up their alley.
This is a book that you will find hard to put down once you get started.
visit the blog for more: https://featzreviews.com

[Sharon Rimmelzwaan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Comatose by Jane Badrock is a police procedural that keeps you on your toes. I have never read anything by Jane Badrock before so I had absolutely no expectations as I sat down with my kindle and opened the book. I am happy to say I couldn't tear myself away from it until I literally almost starved my youngest!
D.S Karen Thorpe who has just been appointed to her post finds herself attempting to investigate a crash in which she just keeps hitting brick walls. There is a survivor but she is in a coma. Thorpe is frustated that she is getting nowhere, you really can't get information out of a comatose patient. Karen is a copper with something to prove being new. She is determined she get to the bottom of this. As the investigation continues so do the twists and turns and Karen is up against it.
Such great characters! Karen herself is tenacious and determined, a woman who can turn people against her just by pushing her luck. Every character is created carefully and I felt as if I knew them. The story begins as it means to go on there are multiple threads that Jane Badrock has spun so cleverly, almost like a spider spinning a web. Every thread connects to each other and makes one big story. The pace never lets up and I really needed to find out how everything was going to come together. The build up of the story was intense and I loved it. I now need to read morw of Jane's work.
If you like your books twisty, tense and jam packed with drama try 'comatose', it ticks every box!
Thanks to ZooLoo's Book Tours and Question Mark Press for my copy of the book.

[Kate · Rating 4 out of 5]

Comatose starts with a bang and doesn't really stop banging! There is so much going on! I will admit that it took me a little time to figure out how all the strands of the story were connected, but it's an interesting ride and I did tear through the pages as I wanted to know what would happen next. 

The investigation (and its many strands) belongs to Detective Sergeant Karen Thorpe. She's relatively young and newly promoted, so she can sometimes be a little naive but she wants to do the best she can and this made me feel sympathy for her, even when she was rubbing her colleagues up the wrong way! Karen's back story is an interesting one and I am wondering if we will see her again so that we can get to know her better. 

Having said that, Comatose is not really Karen's story. There are several suspects and most of them made my skin crawl, so I never really knew who I could trust! I liked the way that their lives were intertwined with each other so that we could see them from different points of view and learn their secrets. 

I love a novel with lots of twists and turns and Comatose has lots of them that kept me guessing until the end! 

[Sasha · Rating 4 out of 5]

Detective Sergeant Karen Thrope is investigating an odd car crash that left one driver, Stella, in a coma and another driver dead. Thrope finds the crash and the circumstances surrounding it a little suspicious however, and is determined to uncover the truth. Thrope’s case becomes even more bizarre and peculiar when another crash takes place at the very same spot and it is discovered that Stella has been raped while in her coma, only fueling Karen Thrope’s resolve to ascertain the truth and get justice for those that need it.

Comatose was an interesting and intriguing crime mystery. I really enjoyed the characters; not only are they realistic and relatable, but they are well-developed as well. There were times when the abundance of characters could make them hard to keep track of, especially with all of the intermingling that took place between them. I took great delight in the fact that the two main characters are strong women who have an unbelievable amount of fight within them. I also liked that Badrock chose to tell the story through the eyes of both Thrope and Stella, adding a layer of intrigue to the narrative and allowing the reader to essentially experience the coma with Stella and the investigation with the Detective Sergeant. There were a few things that seemed unresolved , leaving me with some questions at the conclusion of the novel, but this did not take away from my overall enjoyment of the novel.

If you enjoy crime mysteries I highly recommend Comatose by Jane Badrock. It is sure to keep you guessing. Comatose is available now!

Thank you to Jane Badrock and Question Mark Press for gifting me an electronic copy of Comatose, given in exchange for an honest review; all opinions are my own.

[Donna Morfett · Rating 5 out of 5]

Well what can i say? i read an early version of this and absolutely loved it at the time. since then jane has tightened the storyline up and now it's just incredible.
the characters are well thought out, and you feel like you know them, so well has jane written them. You are totally behind the dogged and tenacious Karen, even if she is a bit abrupt and messy. she is the only one willing to fight for justice.
The aspect of hearing Stella's story while she is still unconscious and what actually seeps through is a really interesting way of telling the story. it is as far as i know the only book that does so. i love how it also gives her a voice.
The book kept me guessing all the way to the end. i had no idea who was guilty of what. i had my suspicions, i don't think a single one of them proved correct.

i am a big fan of jane's writig after reading sinister sisterhood, which is a madcap, witty adventure to sort out animal poachers. whats not to love.

This is up there with that and will be receiving the same 5 stars from me.

[Eoghan · Rating 5 out of 5]

The opening scene of Comatose involves a car crash, and from there until the last page, the pace never flags. Twisty as the Hertfordshire roads around where this domestic noir novel is set, the author gives readers a gritty read that involves murder, mystery, suspense, business shenanigans, crumbling relationships, affairs… and with so many red herrings, I'd no idea who the killer and or rapist was.
Nowadays, we are used to twists at the end of novels, and here, Comatose really delivers - with a double twist! I thought I knew, or at least had an idea... but turned out, I didn't.
The writing is tense and realistic, and the dialogue - some in local dialect - sets the story and makes it very engaging. Oh, and the author's sense of humour with have you laughing out loud in places.
Comatose will keep you turning pages late into the night, as we hope Stella regains consciousness and Karen brings the baddies to justice. Great read.

[Rosie Bray · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a hell of a read, although I did struggle at first to keep the number of characters straight in my head at the beginning , as there seemed to be a lot. Keeping them straight in my head was the least of my worries as the author threw in twist after twist and red herrings by the boat load. Then one by one the pieces of the puzzles slotted into place and everything started to make sense

I loved the interaction between Karen and Macy, their grudging respect for one another and how their partnership blossomed as the story progressed was a joy to read. I hope that the author considers writing more including them.

I received this book for free as an ARC from the publisher, in return for providing a voluntary review, which I am more than happy to do

[Mary Ryan · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book. It's got lots of characters but I didn't find it confusing and the story itself had me hooked right from the start. It begins with a car crash involving two vehicles. One driver is killed and the other is in a coma. Although the authorities are keen to write it off as an accident, DS Thorpe is not convinced and sets out to dig deeper into things.

Thorpe herself is not a particularly likeable character although I did have glimpses of someone I might warm to in time. I love her tenacity in trying to find the truth. There's many suspects to wade through and plenty of secrets and twists to navigate but once I started reading, I found I just wanted to find out more. It's a very strong start to a series and I really look forward to reading more.

[Jean · Rating 5 out of 5]

WOW! what a page turner so many twists it gets you dizzy.

D S Karen Thorpe is partnered with Constable Macy Dodds for a RTA with their first meetings getting off to a bad start as they investigate the RTA with one fatality and Stella Cary is in a coma.
It looks like a bad accident but Karen believes its more and her boss tells her to move on.
Then another accident occurs in the same place and he dies, it`s Stella`s husband, so Karen fights to find out the truth.

A brilliant story well written and would definitely recommend.

[Sarah · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great story full of twists and turns, ups and downs. Who is the bad guy? Will he or she be able to get to Stella while she’s in a coma? Will Stella recover from her coma? Was the crash deliberate? I loved how we heard Stella’s thoughts and I was begging her just push a little bit harder, you’re so close to coming round. This was a very clever storyline featuring whole families. Highly recommended

[Alison Taylor-Muhl · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book starts with a bang! Brilliant opening, which really got my attention. I read the book quickly as it held my attention. I was able to build pictures of the characters in my head, which I always feel is reflective of the detail the author gives. In fact, I didn’t warm to Karen - she feels overly intense a lot of the time - I am hoping we will see her mellow in any future books, but I did feel she was levelled by John and his sensible thinking.


All in all, I enjoyed this book, although some parts felt chaotic and slightly confusing (mainly due to the number of characters involved). A solid 4 stars from me.

[Sara Drape · Rating 5 out of 5]

Omg what a brilliant read, so many twists this book had me hooked from the first couple of pages and I was not expecting the ending. All the way through I thought I had figured out who it was then boom another twist. The only thing I thought was strange was the parents calling each other mother and father. I hope another book follows on

[Eleanor Jordan O'Farrell · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely loved Comatose. DS Karen Thorpe is such a likeable character, in a uniquely peculiar way.
I see some of the reviews mention finding it hard to keep track of all the characters. I have to say I didn't find this at all. Its full of interesting twists and will keep you guessing right until the end.

[Vicsta Dolan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really enjoyed this book it had a very description opening chapter which had me intrigued. There has been a crash and the police have said it is an “accident” but the detective feels something is not quite as it seems. After being told to let it lie she just can’t. The story then unfolds through and intricate and entertained story with a fantastic twist at the end. Well worth the read

[Sandra Weaver · Rating 5 out of 5]

New author for me found thid book enthralling fron the first sentance well worth a read

[Claire - TheBookendReviews · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ooh, this was an addictive read. Fast paced and full of twists and turns.

I really enjoyed reading about this new detective team. I hope we get to see more of them.

It took me a while to get my head around the characters but once I had, I flew through the book and really enjoyed it.

Car crashes happening in the same location and killing members of the same family. A rapist on the loose. It's all going on!

A definite recommendation!

[Diane · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5*
An intriguing and twisty story. Very complex with a lot of characters so I really needed to concentrate so I didn't lose the plot. The investigating officer DS Karen Thorpe was going round in circles and getting extremely frustrated at the lack of evidence into a car accident that had one fatality and left a young woman (Stella Cary)in a coma. Come on Stella, WAKE UP!! No witnesses, no CCTV, no evidence of foul play......but then a photograph was discovered. Karen's superior officer is holding something back and not letting her interview family members of the deceased, but why? what's to hide? Then the story takes on another angle when a traumatic incident occurs at the hospital. Didn't see that one coming!
Great characters, creatively written with a satisfying and slightly amusing ending. Thoroughly entertaining.

[Marsha · Rating 5 out of 5]

Has a good storyline with awesome characters. I liked the whole crime part of it and many turns the story took during the investigation. It is a book that keeps you on your toes as well as paying attention to the character development and story. I will recommend this book to my friends to read. It is a good crime novel.

[Laura Hamilton · Rating 3 out of 5]

More of a 3.75
This was a good effort for a debut, there were just a few things that stopped me marking it higher as once I got into the storyline it was quite an enjoyable read, especially the last 40% or so.
I liked the main character, Karen, she is very "quirky" kind of gave me "neurospicy/ASD" vibes from her behaviour so she felt unique amongst the female detectives I've read in the past and made we want to stay with the story to see how she did. It took me a little bit to get into the book, as the story flitted so much between characters and plot lines so much it took a while to get my bearings and follow what was happening.
I'm also on the fence about whether so many deaths & the rape plot were totally necessary for the story to progress to it's conclusion. I'm not sure if Iain, Piers & Peter's deaths or the rape were necessary for the plot, it was good that there were so many suspects/plot threads and that Stella was in a coma but I wonder if the story could have got where it needed to be without it?
I did like the tie in with the Westbury's and Karen's family history and the interplay this caused between Karen and DCI Winter.
The characters were drawn well but I think maybe loosing some of the deaths/rape might have allowed them to become more fully formed, as this was the first book in the series, you are introducing characters and we saw a lot of Karen but not necessarily her team, John & Macey, they felt a bit two dimensional at times.
I will definitely be reading more of the series to see how the series progresses, hopefully as the author gains in experience & confidence I will mark future books higher.

With thanks to Bad Press Ink and the author for the opportunity to read this as part of it's re-publication.

[Deb · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was able to BETA read this many months ago & I have now re-read the polished article.
Yes - there are so many characters
Yes - there are many strands to the story
Yes - you need to keep your wits about you
Is it worth it? Definitely.

A steady police procedural but a unique storyline which maintains the readers’ interest throughout.
The book starts with a horrific car crash, which is investigated by newly promoted DS Karen Thorpe. The focus then shifts to the hospital & the cast of visitors calling on the comatose patient of the title.
I’m not going to reveal anymore. Suffice it to say, it’s a great set of characters, a quirky writing style & a very tongue in cheek ending. I look forward to meeting Karen again. Recommended.

[Pauline Render · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you want book which keeps you guessing to the end, Comatose is definitely one to read. With the only survivor of a horrific car accident in a coma, it takes all of DS Karen Thorpe’s skills to discover who was responsible. With many characters and all of them having something to hide, there were so many twists and turns i found it impossible to work out who the culprit was.
I enjoyed the way that running alongside the investigation I was also privy to the workings of Stella’s mind as she battled to escape her coma. This made for gripping reading and it had me hooked from the first page until the last. This is the first book I’ve read by Jane Badrock but it certainly won’t be the last.