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Dean Matheson #1
Who Cares If They Die
A Jane Doe hanging in Maple Valley’s woods.
Officer Dean Matheson stands shivering against the cold night, trying not to look too closely at the gruesome scene before him.
The medical examiner says it’s a case of suicide. But the fact that the victim isn't wearing any shoes and there’s a stepladder placed beneath her makes Dean suspicious.
Then another body turns up.
Women are dying. Outcasts that no one would miss.
Dean believes a twisted serial killer is roaming the streets of Maple Valley, hiding in plain sight.
But he’s in over his head, and now he’s put a target on his own back. Trapped in a vicious game of cat-and-mouse with a killer who seems to know his every flaw.
Dean must face his own demons if he has any chance of unearthing the disturbing truth. Before more women pay the price . . .
Officer Dean Matheson stands shivering against the cold night, trying not to look too closely at the gruesome scene before him.
The medical examiner says it’s a case of suicide. But the fact that the victim isn't wearing any shoes and there’s a stepladder placed beneath her makes Dean suspicious.
Then another body turns up.
Women are dying. Outcasts that no one would miss.
Dean believes a twisted serial killer is roaming the streets of Maple Valley, hiding in plain sight.
But he’s in over his head, and now he’s put a target on his own back. Trapped in a vicious game of cat-and-mouse with a killer who seems to know his every flaw.
Dean must face his own demons if he has any chance of unearthing the disturbing truth. Before more women pay the price . . .
344 pages, Kindle Edition
First published September 25, 2018
1389 people are currently reading
1082 people want to read
About the author
Wendy Dranfield
21 books622 followersWendy is the author of the Detective Madison Harper series. Her novels and short stories have been shortlisted and longlisted for various writing competitions and awards, including the International Thriller Writer Awards.
Please note; as Wendy writes crime fiction, including police procedurals and psychological thrillers, her books contain plots, characters and actions dealing with a variety of crimes, including physical and psychological.
Wendy does not use social media, so if you find an account pretending to be her on any platform, it’s 100% fake! Visit her website for the most accurate and up-to-date information about her books: wendydranfield.co.uk
The final book in the Det. Madison Harper series will be out in May 2026.
Please note; as Wendy writes crime fiction, including police procedurals and psychological thrillers, her books contain plots, characters and actions dealing with a variety of crimes, including physical and psychological.
Wendy does not use social media, so if you find an account pretending to be her on any platform, it’s 100% fake! Visit her website for the most accurate and up-to-date information about her books: wendydranfield.co.uk
The final book in the Det. Madison Harper series will be out in May 2026.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 145 reviews
October 2, 2018
Who Cares if they Die by Wendy Dranfield is a 2018 Ruby Fiction publication.
Dean Matheson’s dream is to make detective. When a perplexing case gives him his chance to make an impression, Dean goes all in. However, his personal life is a real mess. He’s grieving the loss of his brother, and his marriage is on the skids after Dean confesses to an affair. To make matters more complicated, Dean is attracted to Beth, the new British psychiatrist, who will be working at the local women’s correctional facility, which is a temptation he doesn’t need.
This is a police procedural, but not one that follows the standard old school format. Dean is not the most likeable character, really. His thoughts are all over the place when it comes to the women in his life, which didn’t exactly endear me to him, especially in the beginning.
Readers will be able to see early on which direction the story is moving, but this is most certainly by design. This is one of those cases where the reader is gradually clued in, but our protagonist is still working out all the facts. We are then left to watch helplessly, as he slowly processes the situation, and can only hope he connects the dots before it’s too late.
This ploy has been known to backfire horribly, but in this case, it is quite effective. This isn’t the only time the author gets away with things that shouldn't work, but does. Dean is a character who absorbs a great deal of emotional trauma and just can’t seem to catch a break. Ordinarily, I'd whine about overkill, but in this case, it sets the stage for an ultimate showdown and is the perfect segue into future installments. The book lands firmly in the police procedural category, but also has many elements of the now dreaded psychological thriller. It’s an odd hybrid, with the slow pace of a procedural, but also has the sinister undertones of a psycho thriller, which then quickens the pace, creating a very nice balance. You may be skeptical, with good reason, but somehow the author pulls it off with aplomb. There is a cliché or two, a minor plot hole, and some areas where one must suspend belief, but overall, this is a very solid effort by Wendy Dranfield.
I may not have been a member of Dean’s fan club, originally, but now that we’ve taken this tense and eventful journey together, I’m looking forward to meeting up with him again someday.
4 stars
Dean Matheson’s dream is to make detective. When a perplexing case gives him his chance to make an impression, Dean goes all in. However, his personal life is a real mess. He’s grieving the loss of his brother, and his marriage is on the skids after Dean confesses to an affair. To make matters more complicated, Dean is attracted to Beth, the new British psychiatrist, who will be working at the local women’s correctional facility, which is a temptation he doesn’t need.
This is a police procedural, but not one that follows the standard old school format. Dean is not the most likeable character, really. His thoughts are all over the place when it comes to the women in his life, which didn’t exactly endear me to him, especially in the beginning.
Readers will be able to see early on which direction the story is moving, but this is most certainly by design. This is one of those cases where the reader is gradually clued in, but our protagonist is still working out all the facts. We are then left to watch helplessly, as he slowly processes the situation, and can only hope he connects the dots before it’s too late.
This ploy has been known to backfire horribly, but in this case, it is quite effective. This isn’t the only time the author gets away with things that shouldn't work, but does. Dean is a character who absorbs a great deal of emotional trauma and just can’t seem to catch a break. Ordinarily, I'd whine about overkill, but in this case, it sets the stage for an ultimate showdown and is the perfect segue into future installments. The book lands firmly in the police procedural category, but also has many elements of the now dreaded psychological thriller. It’s an odd hybrid, with the slow pace of a procedural, but also has the sinister undertones of a psycho thriller, which then quickens the pace, creating a very nice balance. You may be skeptical, with good reason, but somehow the author pulls it off with aplomb. There is a cliché or two, a minor plot hole, and some areas where one must suspend belief, but overall, this is a very solid effort by Wendy Dranfield.
I may not have been a member of Dean’s fan club, originally, but now that we’ve taken this tense and eventful journey together, I’m looking forward to meeting up with him again someday.
4 stars
October 14, 2018
3.5☆ A Crime Mystery Thriller
(Rounded up to 4☆ for Amazon and Goodread)
Who Cares if they Die is a mystery crime thriller.
I enjoyed reading Who Cares if they Die but I didn't think it was a psychological crime thriller.
It was more of a crime fiction, mystery with alot of character driven storylines.
I think this is because I like my crime thrillers to be gritty, somewhat dark, faster paced and hanging on to every word.
However for me this book was slower paced. The beginning was exciting and held my attention but then I felt the story drifted off a little. Although it's really important to develop a relationship with your characters I felt there was alot of build up to Officer Dean Matheson life story, that I missed the detective work I crave.
Officer Dean Matheson is a deeply flawed Character. He cheated on his wife with the Dr at his work, he brother committed suicide, his wife wants a divorce, he misses out on a promotion he so desperately wants.
He is highly ambitious, but not the most likeable character. Although my heart went out to him when he rescued Rocky the gorgeous pup and Emily.
Then he meets Bella, she is working as a psychiatric counsellor at the women's prison.
Dean takes a liking to her, as the two build up a bond through their passion for helping people and solving crimes.
I warmed to Bella, she is strong, caring, determined and passionate.
The story starts with a young women they found hanging. With no shoes on and a step ladder by her. Is this a suicide attempt or murder?
As more deaths start to unravel it appears there is something a lil more sinister going on.
Despite my reservations, I did enjoy reading who cares if they die.
I did like the extra little stories, particularly Emily's story.
As the story progresses so does the case to find out what happened to the young girl. The reader finds out early on who is responsible which I didn't mind too much, as the police procedural side starts to become more central.
I have a feeling this is the first book in a new series, so I fully appreciate Wendy laying down such strong character stories/relationships.... so I will definitely be looking to read the next instalment if my guess is right, as I think this series has real potential.
A good first read if you enjoy slower paced, character driven crime mysteries.
Thank you to Rachel Random Resources for this copy which I reviewed honestly and voluntarily.
My Review is also on my Blog Website :-
https://dashfan81.blogspot.com/2018/1...
(Rounded up to 4☆ for Amazon and Goodread)
Who Cares if they Die is a mystery crime thriller.
I enjoyed reading Who Cares if they Die but I didn't think it was a psychological crime thriller.
It was more of a crime fiction, mystery with alot of character driven storylines.
I think this is because I like my crime thrillers to be gritty, somewhat dark, faster paced and hanging on to every word.
However for me this book was slower paced. The beginning was exciting and held my attention but then I felt the story drifted off a little. Although it's really important to develop a relationship with your characters I felt there was alot of build up to Officer Dean Matheson life story, that I missed the detective work I crave.
Officer Dean Matheson is a deeply flawed Character. He cheated on his wife with the Dr at his work, he brother committed suicide, his wife wants a divorce, he misses out on a promotion he so desperately wants.
He is highly ambitious, but not the most likeable character. Although my heart went out to him when he rescued Rocky the gorgeous pup and Emily.
Then he meets Bella, she is working as a psychiatric counsellor at the women's prison.
Dean takes a liking to her, as the two build up a bond through their passion for helping people and solving crimes.
I warmed to Bella, she is strong, caring, determined and passionate.
The story starts with a young women they found hanging. With no shoes on and a step ladder by her. Is this a suicide attempt or murder?
As more deaths start to unravel it appears there is something a lil more sinister going on.
Despite my reservations, I did enjoy reading who cares if they die.
I did like the extra little stories, particularly Emily's story.
As the story progresses so does the case to find out what happened to the young girl. The reader finds out early on who is responsible which I didn't mind too much, as the police procedural side starts to become more central.
I have a feeling this is the first book in a new series, so I fully appreciate Wendy laying down such strong character stories/relationships.... so I will definitely be looking to read the next instalment if my guess is right, as I think this series has real potential.
A good first read if you enjoy slower paced, character driven crime mysteries.
Thank you to Rachel Random Resources for this copy which I reviewed honestly and voluntarily.
My Review is also on my Blog Website :-
https://dashfan81.blogspot.com/2018/1...
October 11, 2018
This is a police procedural with a bit of a unique twist....
Who deserves to live and who deserves to die? Things aren’t always as black and white as that, and things aren’t always as they seem... A woman is found hanging without any identification, it appears as a suicide... another woman has been found after an overdose, another apparent suicide? There appear to be too many similarities for this to be coincidental, both are women living on the fringes of society, with less than stellar track records....
Dean is determined to find out who is killing these women and making it look like suicide, and more importantly why? Dean, was not a very likable character in the beginning of this book, although I must admit by the end he had won me over! The story was uniquely structured, we were privy to who the bad guy was far ahead of Dean... now usually I like solving the crime right along with the detective.... however, in this book this slightly unusual approach works really well.... A layer of tension was added as we watched Dean discover the truth....
The perfect book for crime thriller lovers, where appearances can be deceiving...
*** A huge thank you to Ruby Fiction for my copy of this book ***
Who deserves to live and who deserves to die? Things aren’t always as black and white as that, and things aren’t always as they seem... A woman is found hanging without any identification, it appears as a suicide... another woman has been found after an overdose, another apparent suicide? There appear to be too many similarities for this to be coincidental, both are women living on the fringes of society, with less than stellar track records....
Dean is determined to find out who is killing these women and making it look like suicide, and more importantly why? Dean, was not a very likable character in the beginning of this book, although I must admit by the end he had won me over! The story was uniquely structured, we were privy to who the bad guy was far ahead of Dean... now usually I like solving the crime right along with the detective.... however, in this book this slightly unusual approach works really well.... A layer of tension was added as we watched Dean discover the truth....
The perfect book for crime thriller lovers, where appearances can be deceiving...
*** A huge thank you to Ruby Fiction for my copy of this book ***
October 10, 2018
Rating: 4.5 Stars
First off let me start by saying how amazing Wendy Dranfield's scene setting is. This is something that I noticed from page one and which continued throughout the book. Her method of description was so impressive because it didn't read like scene setting, it read as impressions.
Told in the third person (subjective) , point of view This fast paced intensely, suspenseful, thriller kept me on my toes and turning pages, long after I should have turned off the lights, and gone to sleep. I needed to see what happened next, and no way was I going to let a nasty cold and the late hour stand in my way.
I liked Officer Dean Matheson, the more I learned about him, the more I liked. On the whole he was a thoughtful, ambitious officer, who felt genuine concern for the people that he dealt with.
I suspected early on who the killer is, but I don't think that in this case it was accidental because it made for an incredibly tense story-line. I am not going to step into spoiler territory, I wanted to mention this so that people don't give up and go to the last chapter. If you do that then you are missing out on a great read.
This was such a great suspense and will keep you on edge throughout the who book.
Thank you to Rachel’s Random Resources and and Wendy Dranfield for providing me with a review copy of Who Cares If They Die ( Via NetGalley) This is my honest review.
First off let me start by saying how amazing Wendy Dranfield's scene setting is. This is something that I noticed from page one and which continued throughout the book. Her method of description was so impressive because it didn't read like scene setting, it read as impressions.
Told in the third person (subjective) , point of view This fast paced intensely, suspenseful, thriller kept me on my toes and turning pages, long after I should have turned off the lights, and gone to sleep. I needed to see what happened next, and no way was I going to let a nasty cold and the late hour stand in my way.
I liked Officer Dean Matheson, the more I learned about him, the more I liked. On the whole he was a thoughtful, ambitious officer, who felt genuine concern for the people that he dealt with.
I suspected early on who the killer is, but I don't think that in this case it was accidental because it made for an incredibly tense story-line. I am not going to step into spoiler territory, I wanted to mention this so that people don't give up and go to the last chapter. If you do that then you are missing out on a great read.
This was such a great suspense and will keep you on edge throughout the who book.
Thank you to Rachel’s Random Resources and and Wendy Dranfield for providing me with a review copy of Who Cares If They Die ( Via NetGalley) This is my honest review.
September 18, 2018
Officer Dean Mathieson wants more than anything to become a detective. When the current detective has a heart attack, Dean has the opportunity to solve a crime ... and shorten his wait for a gold star.
A woman is found in the woods, hanging from a tree. No one knows who she is ..and remains unidentified. Dean suspects the suicide has been staged.
And then another woman is found dead of a drug overdose. Although totally separate ways of killing occurred, this one also looks like a staged suicide/accident.
When more bodies are found, Dean starts looking at what ties them all together. They are all women ... with children ... what they call the dregs of society. They are addicts, criminals, and they have all abused their children in one way or another.
The killer is identified early on the book, which came as no surprise. Without spoilers, Dean's personal life plays a big part of the mystery. Not everyone is who they say they are .. and the motive is blurred. This is more of a procedural in crime detection rather than mystery.
Dean is a multi-layered character. His personal issues overshadow all his professionalism which is a big challenge for him ... and those who are close to him.
Many thanks to the author / Choc Lit - Ruby Fiction / Netgalley for the digital copy of this crime fiction. Opinions expressed here are unbiased and entirely my own.
June 30, 2025
I picked up this title because I was in need of a nice, light police procedural. It is just that, this start of a new series, published in 2018.
The main character is Dean Matheson but we soon get to know some of his friends and co-workers. And not to mention the place where he eats most days since his wife Linda left him. Dean is a man full of flaws but luckily he knows this and tries to work on them. Not that he’s succeeding in this first adventure, at first. Later he gains valuable insights in himself which set him on another course in life.
The psychological thriller part of the story was worked out well although the killer wasn’t very subtle and I sometimes couldn’t understand why people didn’t see what I saw in an early stage.
Three stars because it had its good points.
The main character is Dean Matheson but we soon get to know some of his friends and co-workers. And not to mention the place where he eats most days since his wife Linda left him. Dean is a man full of flaws but luckily he knows this and tries to work on them. Not that he’s succeeding in this first adventure, at first. Later he gains valuable insights in himself which set him on another course in life.
The psychological thriller part of the story was worked out well although the killer wasn’t very subtle and I sometimes couldn’t understand why people didn’t see what I saw in an early stage.
Three stars because it had its good points.
October 10, 2018
WHO CARES IF THEY DIE by Wendy Dranfield is a gripping, twisted tale of murder and deception that will have you double checking your doors at night.
When a woman's body is discovered hanging in Maple Valley woods, almost everyone is ready to call it as a suicide but there is just something about the scene that sits wrong with Officer Dean Matheson. As he tries to piece things together it isn't long before there is another dead body and this one is certainly murder. While the team does the best that they can, Matheson is also dealing with the fact that is marriage is falling apart and his growing attraction to the new counsellor in town. But when the killer gets very close to home, it could destroy everything that Dean holds dear and may even cost him his life.
I really enjoyed this police procedural story that has compelling characters even though I didn't always like or agree with them. I have to admit that I figured out the who but that didn't take away from my enjoyment of the story as I needed to find out the why and with moments of excellent tension, WHO CARES IF THEY DIE by Wendy Dranfield really sucked me into the story without much effort. This is a crime fiction story that is sure to creep you out and is definitely worth reading.
*I voluntarily reviewed this book via Netgalley
When a woman's body is discovered hanging in Maple Valley woods, almost everyone is ready to call it as a suicide but there is just something about the scene that sits wrong with Officer Dean Matheson. As he tries to piece things together it isn't long before there is another dead body and this one is certainly murder. While the team does the best that they can, Matheson is also dealing with the fact that is marriage is falling apart and his growing attraction to the new counsellor in town. But when the killer gets very close to home, it could destroy everything that Dean holds dear and may even cost him his life.
I really enjoyed this police procedural story that has compelling characters even though I didn't always like or agree with them. I have to admit that I figured out the who but that didn't take away from my enjoyment of the story as I needed to find out the why and with moments of excellent tension, WHO CARES IF THEY DIE by Wendy Dranfield really sucked me into the story without much effort. This is a crime fiction story that is sure to creep you out and is definitely worth reading.
*I voluntarily reviewed this book via Netgalley
October 9, 2018
This is my first but definitely not my last read from this author.
Officer Dean Mathieson dreams of becoming a detective. When the opportunity arises for him to show he’s got potential at being a detective he jumps right in.
A woman is found hanging from a tree. It’s looking like a suicide but Dean thinks otherwise. When more bodies are found Dean tries to find similarities with the deaths.
Although the killer was revealed earlier on in the story I really liked this read.
Officer Dean Mathieson dreams of becoming a detective. When the opportunity arises for him to show he’s got potential at being a detective he jumps right in.
A woman is found hanging from a tree. It’s looking like a suicide but Dean thinks otherwise. When more bodies are found Dean tries to find similarities with the deaths.
Although the killer was revealed earlier on in the story I really liked this read.
October 11, 2018
I did it! I finally did it! I figured out the book before it ended….oh wait what do you mean everyone else did too?! Humph
This book was quite frankly awesome. I know it seems I use that term a lot lately but I picked this up and didn’t want to put it down. I wanted to know why there was a woman hanging in the woods with no shoes. I wanted to know what was happening with Dean! Beth! The prisoners! Rocky!
E-V-E-R-Y-T-H-I-N-G!!!
Before I go on about this book, the real star of this book is Rocky the dog! I loved this dog he was a trooper and a great asset and friend to Officer Dean Matheson. He reminded me of the greats K-9 and Turner and Hooch just adorable and funny at the same time.
Some of the scenes were unsettling and I did find my hand flying to my mouth in shock at times (don’t worry no eyes or teeth were hurt with this reading!). I could not believe the behaviour of one of the characters, they chilled me to the core. How they were so sinister when you were reading from their POV in the book and how they were perceived by other people when you are reading from other POV was immense. The fact there was no moral ground for this character and how devoid emotion they were just made them even more sinister. How could they trick so many people, not me though Ah-Ha!
I loved that Dean was flawed and I mean seriously flawed. Letting his pants do the talking a bit too much sometimes, ignoring facts in front of him…because of his pants. I spent a few chapters shouting at him as I could see things he couldn’t and he needed to know!! However, despite him being classed as a womaniser, I was still drawn to him. Being hit with revelations after the event with his wife did make me feel for him when he discovered some truths. The poor guy and what he went through. It was truly sad, and even though this was an intense thriller my eyes welled up.
However, I didn’t care that I knew who was doing these shocking murders, I didn’t have all the facts why. So it made me raced through this book, as time was of the essence willing the other characters to hurry up and cotton on! God, it is hard to talk about the storyline without letting anything slip…so I’m going to stop!
When I finished reading, I laid there thinking I need more Dean and Rocky, Rocky and Dean, please let me have another book. Well low and behold in the acknowledgements I spied some words from the author that this would be a series! Hang on… happy dance needs to be done…ok it’s out my system temporarily!
I don’t know how long I will have to wait (please don’t be too long!) but I can’t wait to catch up with everyone again! I will say for the record Miller was a despicable man! He disgusts me, he was grotesque and glad that he didn’t get away with anything with the boss!
This book is superbly creepy! And if it wasn’t let’s just add a cabin in the woods to help with that! I could feel the cold and hear the whines of the wind in that empty wood as I was completely immersed in the story. Time stood still and it was just me and the words on the page as they screamed at me to keep reading. Teasing me with snippets of the truth knowing it would entice me to not stop reading. Hats off to Wendy, she has created a new series I really want to invest my time in, and I am so glad I had the opportunity to read this book.
I really do recommend this book to everyone who loves a good thriller. I also love that there is enough material in this book alone to set up further books in the series, I can’t wait to see where we go with this!!
This book was quite frankly awesome. I know it seems I use that term a lot lately but I picked this up and didn’t want to put it down. I wanted to know why there was a woman hanging in the woods with no shoes. I wanted to know what was happening with Dean! Beth! The prisoners! Rocky!
E-V-E-R-Y-T-H-I-N-G!!!
Before I go on about this book, the real star of this book is Rocky the dog! I loved this dog he was a trooper and a great asset and friend to Officer Dean Matheson. He reminded me of the greats K-9 and Turner and Hooch just adorable and funny at the same time.
Some of the scenes were unsettling and I did find my hand flying to my mouth in shock at times (don’t worry no eyes or teeth were hurt with this reading!). I could not believe the behaviour of one of the characters, they chilled me to the core. How they were so sinister when you were reading from their POV in the book and how they were perceived by other people when you are reading from other POV was immense. The fact there was no moral ground for this character and how devoid emotion they were just made them even more sinister. How could they trick so many people, not me though Ah-Ha!
I loved that Dean was flawed and I mean seriously flawed. Letting his pants do the talking a bit too much sometimes, ignoring facts in front of him…because of his pants. I spent a few chapters shouting at him as I could see things he couldn’t and he needed to know!! However, despite him being classed as a womaniser, I was still drawn to him. Being hit with revelations after the event with his wife did make me feel for him when he discovered some truths. The poor guy and what he went through. It was truly sad, and even though this was an intense thriller my eyes welled up.
However, I didn’t care that I knew who was doing these shocking murders, I didn’t have all the facts why. So it made me raced through this book, as time was of the essence willing the other characters to hurry up and cotton on! God, it is hard to talk about the storyline without letting anything slip…so I’m going to stop!
When I finished reading, I laid there thinking I need more Dean and Rocky, Rocky and Dean, please let me have another book. Well low and behold in the acknowledgements I spied some words from the author that this would be a series! Hang on… happy dance needs to be done…ok it’s out my system temporarily!
I don’t know how long I will have to wait (please don’t be too long!) but I can’t wait to catch up with everyone again! I will say for the record Miller was a despicable man! He disgusts me, he was grotesque and glad that he didn’t get away with anything with the boss!
This book is superbly creepy! And if it wasn’t let’s just add a cabin in the woods to help with that! I could feel the cold and hear the whines of the wind in that empty wood as I was completely immersed in the story. Time stood still and it was just me and the words on the page as they screamed at me to keep reading. Teasing me with snippets of the truth knowing it would entice me to not stop reading. Hats off to Wendy, she has created a new series I really want to invest my time in, and I am so glad I had the opportunity to read this book.
I really do recommend this book to everyone who loves a good thriller. I also love that there is enough material in this book alone to set up further books in the series, I can’t wait to see where we go with this!!
September 30, 2018
I wasn't sure about this book, but having read the blurb beforehand, I am so glad that I decided to read it. This is a thriller with a difference. Set in New Hampshire, USA, the workings of the mind shows how far a person can be pushed and the lengths some-one would go to get their own way.
Dean has always wanted to be a policeman and has stayed in his home town the whole of his life. Being quite a small place, he knows everyone, and they all know him. His wife Linda is hiding something, but as he has been on nights for some-time, so they see little of each other.
British Beth has just taken up a job as a counselor in the local women's prison. She rents a flat over the local diner and has set about making friends and getting involved in her new job.
She and Dean meet at the diner and soon find each other attractive. Even though Dean is married to Linda, their marriage has had some set-backs, not least his affair with colleague Sheila. His brother died a few months earlier and Linda#s lack of support is what has finished their relationship.
Events begin to spiral. First the discovery of a suicide Jane Doe, the overdose of addict Tammy and finally Linda dying in a car accident. Before Linda's untimely death, Dean was standing in for a detective off sick, Miller, and he is determined to solve these two cases.
The Jane Doe is identified from the UK Missing person website and they find her name. Her Mother is informed and says her step daughter has followed her to the states.
Evidence planted at Dean's focuses their attention on him, so he is in the spotlight and has to stand back. A retired detective is brought in to help solve these cases, as is an ally for Dean. He believes that he is innocent. He just has to prove it.
I see that reviews are mixed, but I enjoyed this book. The characters are well thought out, especially Beth, and the end was a surprise too.
I chose to read this book and all opinions in this review are all my own and completely unbiased. My thanks to NetGalley for this opportunity.
Dean has always wanted to be a policeman and has stayed in his home town the whole of his life. Being quite a small place, he knows everyone, and they all know him. His wife Linda is hiding something, but as he has been on nights for some-time, so they see little of each other.
British Beth has just taken up a job as a counselor in the local women's prison. She rents a flat over the local diner and has set about making friends and getting involved in her new job.
She and Dean meet at the diner and soon find each other attractive. Even though Dean is married to Linda, their marriage has had some set-backs, not least his affair with colleague Sheila. His brother died a few months earlier and Linda#s lack of support is what has finished their relationship.
Events begin to spiral. First the discovery of a suicide Jane Doe, the overdose of addict Tammy and finally Linda dying in a car accident. Before Linda's untimely death, Dean was standing in for a detective off sick, Miller, and he is determined to solve these two cases.
The Jane Doe is identified from the UK Missing person website and they find her name. Her Mother is informed and says her step daughter has followed her to the states.
Evidence planted at Dean's focuses their attention on him, so he is in the spotlight and has to stand back. A retired detective is brought in to help solve these cases, as is an ally for Dean. He believes that he is innocent. He just has to prove it.
I see that reviews are mixed, but I enjoyed this book. The characters are well thought out, especially Beth, and the end was a surprise too.
I chose to read this book and all opinions in this review are all my own and completely unbiased. My thanks to NetGalley for this opportunity.
August 21, 2018
I would like to thank Netgalley and Choc Lit for an advance copy of Who Cares if They Die, a stand alone procedural set in the town of Maple Valley, New Hampshire.
When the body of a Jane Doe is found hanging in the woods suicide is the accepted verdict but Officer Dean Mathieson is worried by some inconsistencies, like the fact that she is barefoot in the middle of winter. When other deaths occur he is quick to link them but a new relationship and grief over his brother's death three months previously cloud his judgement.
I enjoyed Who Cares if They Die which has some good twists and turns and a few humorous lines. It is, however, one of those novels where the killer's identity is revealed early on and while the motive remains hidden for slightly longer it too is not a secret. This means that the novel is more about how Dean investigates the crimes and the killer's tricks. As his head is not in the right place he is easily fooled and as the killer has plenty of tricks the novel is a roller coaster of anticipation about what will happen next.
It is an entertaining novel with regards the plot but I found the tone rather simplistic for my tastes. I thought the characters rather one dimensional despite the intriguing situations they find themselves in, as if the author had stock reactions to each set of circumstances.
Dean Mathieson is not a very appealing protagonist. Despite other characters saying how nice he is he comes across as self indulgent and not very smart at working out the ramifications of his actions.
Who Cares if They Die is an easy way to pass a few hours.
When the body of a Jane Doe is found hanging in the woods suicide is the accepted verdict but Officer Dean Mathieson is worried by some inconsistencies, like the fact that she is barefoot in the middle of winter. When other deaths occur he is quick to link them but a new relationship and grief over his brother's death three months previously cloud his judgement.
I enjoyed Who Cares if They Die which has some good twists and turns and a few humorous lines. It is, however, one of those novels where the killer's identity is revealed early on and while the motive remains hidden for slightly longer it too is not a secret. This means that the novel is more about how Dean investigates the crimes and the killer's tricks. As his head is not in the right place he is easily fooled and as the killer has plenty of tricks the novel is a roller coaster of anticipation about what will happen next.
It is an entertaining novel with regards the plot but I found the tone rather simplistic for my tastes. I thought the characters rather one dimensional despite the intriguing situations they find themselves in, as if the author had stock reactions to each set of circumstances.
Dean Mathieson is not a very appealing protagonist. Despite other characters saying how nice he is he comes across as self indulgent and not very smart at working out the ramifications of his actions.
Who Cares if They Die is an easy way to pass a few hours.
November 6, 2021
I didn't get on with this book. I felt like it could have been so much more, and I found the main character to be very shallow and unlikeable, with his good qualities mainly being that he's good with kids and animals.
Characters themselves were very 2D and unfortunately that did make the plot predictable. The plot wasn't bad, but I did have suspicions of the killer on page 20, and that changed to certainty by page 50.
There were characters that I did like - Steve, Jones and Sheila - and Miller was probably one of the more fleshed-out side characters. Sadly, these were the side characters, and the main ones largely seemed focused on nothing but sex. It did seem like they were horny teenagers rather than adults?
I appreciated that the author put research into psychological conditions and she knew a lot about the field. I won't go into too much detail as that would be spoilers.
Equally, I believe this is Dranfield's first book, so kudos to her for getting herself out there and published and wish her good luck for future books and her writing career.
Characters themselves were very 2D and unfortunately that did make the plot predictable. The plot wasn't bad, but I did have suspicions of the killer on page 20, and that changed to certainty by page 50.
There were characters that I did like - Steve, Jones and Sheila - and Miller was probably one of the more fleshed-out side characters. Sadly, these were the side characters, and the main ones largely seemed focused on nothing but sex. It did seem like they were horny teenagers rather than adults?
I appreciated that the author put research into psychological conditions and she knew a lot about the field. I won't go into too much detail as that would be spoilers.
Equally, I believe this is Dranfield's first book, so kudos to her for getting herself out there and published and wish her good luck for future books and her writing career.
September 14, 2018
Appearances can be deceiving ...
How I loved this book!
You are constantly hurled back and forth between emotions and somebody thinks it's a good idea killing women who are socially marginalised. They do not really seem to serve any pupose anyway, do they?
Sometimes the author chooses to keep the culprit's identity a secret until the end. Sometimes, the name is revealed a lot sooner and sometimes we know from the start who is repsonsible for all the nastiness. If you want to know which structure is picked here, you will have to find out for yourself. I promise you, you will not regret reading this story.
I can't wait to read what comes next. 5 stars.
Thank you, Wendy Dranfield and Ruby Fiction
https://bforbookreview.wordpress.com
How I loved this book!
You are constantly hurled back and forth between emotions and somebody thinks it's a good idea killing women who are socially marginalised. They do not really seem to serve any pupose anyway, do they?
Sometimes the author chooses to keep the culprit's identity a secret until the end. Sometimes, the name is revealed a lot sooner and sometimes we know from the start who is repsonsible for all the nastiness. If you want to know which structure is picked here, you will have to find out for yourself. I promise you, you will not regret reading this story.
I can't wait to read what comes next. 5 stars.
Thank you, Wendy Dranfield and Ruby Fiction
https://bforbookreview.wordpress.com
November 14, 2024
This is rated really highly so I was expecting good things. I really enjoyed the first half of the book and was excited to read more. However at the half way mark we find out the killers identity and then it’s just downhill from there. The second half of the book is a long drawn out search to catch the killer (but not in a fun cat and mouse kind of way). I was honestly bored and was so close to just DNFing.
I don’t think I’ll be reading anymore books from this series
I don’t think I’ll be reading anymore books from this series
June 29, 2019
I’m surprised by the high rating for this book. Admittedly, it is suspenseful and it did hook me in, however I thought the writing style was clumsy and simplistic at times. I also found the lead character irritating in that he made so many stupid decisions.
October 12, 2018
I’ve watched so many horror movies in my lifetime and Who Cares if they Die immediately took me back to creepy woodland scenes, derelict cabins and a killer on the loose. It’s very atmospheric and the author does a brilliant job of setting the scene.
Dean has wanted to progress in his career from small town cop to detective so when the bodies begin appearing he is the go to man. Now I’m prone to liking a guy with a bit of an attitude and being overly confident but Dean is way over the top, he may know the locals but that also means the entire townsfolk know exactly what is going on in his private life as well.
He is no angel and would probably do a lot better in his job if he took some advice and kept his hands and trouser zip to himself. The body of a woman hanging must be a suicide right? Dean has other ideas.
Set in the USA this is a great little police procedural/psychological thriller, for once I was able to figure out what was going on and desperately wanted to tell Dean to pull his act together and solve the developing crimes. How many bodies can there be before someone must care if they die. There was a connection in that the girls were from the lower dregs of society, but even so they were still related and special to someone.
So as soon as we realise who the killer is it’s a chase around the clock to fathom out who will be next and why.
I like the author’s writing style and Who Cares if they Die certainly had me turning the pages at speed. It’s a book that once it’s finished will be reflected on to see if life is really like that and if so what can be done about society. I enjoyed it and hope there will be more in the series. I also have to give a loving mention to Rocky .. we all need a dog!
Thanks to the author, publisher, netgalley and Rachel from Random Resources. I read and reviewed voluntarily.
Dean has wanted to progress in his career from small town cop to detective so when the bodies begin appearing he is the go to man. Now I’m prone to liking a guy with a bit of an attitude and being overly confident but Dean is way over the top, he may know the locals but that also means the entire townsfolk know exactly what is going on in his private life as well.
He is no angel and would probably do a lot better in his job if he took some advice and kept his hands and trouser zip to himself. The body of a woman hanging must be a suicide right? Dean has other ideas.
Set in the USA this is a great little police procedural/psychological thriller, for once I was able to figure out what was going on and desperately wanted to tell Dean to pull his act together and solve the developing crimes. How many bodies can there be before someone must care if they die. There was a connection in that the girls were from the lower dregs of society, but even so they were still related and special to someone.
So as soon as we realise who the killer is it’s a chase around the clock to fathom out who will be next and why.
I like the author’s writing style and Who Cares if they Die certainly had me turning the pages at speed. It’s a book that once it’s finished will be reflected on to see if life is really like that and if so what can be done about society. I enjoyed it and hope there will be more in the series. I also have to give a loving mention to Rocky .. we all need a dog!
Thanks to the author, publisher, netgalley and Rachel from Random Resources. I read and reviewed voluntarily.
October 5, 2018
Welcome to Maple Valley,a small town in New Hampshire,the sort of town where the residents either know each other,are related to each other or dated each other. A town where you can't sneeze without someone on the other side of town reporting back to you what time you sneezed and how loud it was. One of the residents of Maple Valley is Officer Dean Matheson. Now Dean has always dreamed of becoming a Detective,a dream that was encouraged by his friend and mentor Detective Jones. Unfortunately Detective Jones eventually retired and was replaced by Detective Miller,a lazy,rude man who can't stand Dean. It doesn't look like Dean has a hope in hell of fulfilling his dream but then he gets a lucky break,after Detective Miller has a heart attack during a live press conference,Dean gets his chance to be a Detective and solve the case of the unknown female who was found hanging from a tree in the woods near the town. On paper it looks like a obvious suicide but to Dean something doesn't add up. Then the case becomes more complex and complicated when more bodies are found,deaths that also look like suicides. Dean is determined to prove that he is worthy of being promoted to Detective but he is also struggling with own personal issues. He is still grieving after the death of his brother and his marriage is on the rocks because he had an affair. He's very vulnerable and not thinking straight when he meets and very swiftly becomes involved in a relashionship with Beth,a British woman who works as a psychiatrist at the local woman's correction facility. Only we readers know something that Dean doesn't,Beth is not the kind,loving person she appears to be, Beth is cold hearted,conniving and manipulative. But is she a killer?
Despite having some redeemable qualities,Dean was not a very likeable character at times therefore I struggled to feel any sympathy for him as his life started to crumble around him. I most definitely didn't like Beth,from the moment she was introduced into the story you got the feeling that there was something not quite right about her. There was a mixed bag of vivid,realistic characters in this book,my favourites being Frankie and Rachel who worked at Dean`s favourite diner and of course Rocky the Rottweiler. How could anyone not love Rocky?,he was such a brilliant character and had a personality all.of his own and very bad wind after eating pancakes.
Because the identity of the antagonist is revealed quite early in the story,it's more a lesson in police procedural or more how not to investigate a crime than it is a mystery. But it is a compelling story that has some surprising twists and turns,the identity of the original victim being one of them and a heart pounding confrontation. This is the first in a series featuring Dean and Rocky,the author is currently writing the next book in the series and I look forward to reading more of their adventures,hopefully in the not too distant future.
Many thanks to Ruby Fiction and ChocLitUK for the opportunity to read and review this book and Rachel Gilbey of Rach Random Resources for the opportunity to take part in the blog tour
Despite having some redeemable qualities,Dean was not a very likeable character at times therefore I struggled to feel any sympathy for him as his life started to crumble around him. I most definitely didn't like Beth,from the moment she was introduced into the story you got the feeling that there was something not quite right about her. There was a mixed bag of vivid,realistic characters in this book,my favourites being Frankie and Rachel who worked at Dean`s favourite diner and of course Rocky the Rottweiler. How could anyone not love Rocky?,he was such a brilliant character and had a personality all.of his own and very bad wind after eating pancakes.
Because the identity of the antagonist is revealed quite early in the story,it's more a lesson in police procedural or more how not to investigate a crime than it is a mystery. But it is a compelling story that has some surprising twists and turns,the identity of the original victim being one of them and a heart pounding confrontation. This is the first in a series featuring Dean and Rocky,the author is currently writing the next book in the series and I look forward to reading more of their adventures,hopefully in the not too distant future.
Many thanks to Ruby Fiction and ChocLitUK for the opportunity to read and review this book and Rachel Gilbey of Rach Random Resources for the opportunity to take part in the blog tour
February 17, 2025
3.75⭐️ Compared to her Madison Harper series, I’m still warming up to the MMC- Dean. This book didn't pull me as much as I wanted it too, but Ibstill finished it pretty quickly. Our MMC makes a pretty dumb decision, though grief can make you do stupid things, but it did kind of turn me off to him.
Personally, I’m not a fan of thrillers where we know the villain 60% of the way through—it’s more fun figuring it out alongside the main character than waiting for them to catch up. There are clichés, a minor plot hole, and some moments requiring suspended disbelief, but overall, Dranfield pulls it off. I wasn’t sold on Dean at first, but after this intense ride, I’m willing to see where he goes next.
Personally, I’m not a fan of thrillers where we know the villain 60% of the way through—it’s more fun figuring it out alongside the main character than waiting for them to catch up. There are clichés, a minor plot hole, and some moments requiring suspended disbelief, but overall, Dranfield pulls it off. I wasn’t sold on Dean at first, but after this intense ride, I’m willing to see where he goes next.
October 12, 2018
The opening to this story easily grabbed my attention as we are introduced to Dean Matheson who has just arrived at a crime scene. He is an interesting character and you can see he is determined to discover the truth behind the murders but I have to admit it took me a few chapters to get a proper feel for his character. Dean has his flaws but there is something about him that makes you just as invested in him as the story. He also has a pretty troubled private life that just gets even trickier as the story progresses!
The pacing of the story is steady and has a few twists along the way to keep the momentum going. What makes this story a little different is that the reader discovers things that the police don’t regarding the killer. You see the investigation play out knowing so much more, I guess in a way this made me feel a little bit more involved in everything that is happening. I also can’t finish my review without a special mention going to Rocky who was a great addition to the story.
With thanks to Rachel at Rachel's Random Resources for my copy.
The pacing of the story is steady and has a few twists along the way to keep the momentum going. What makes this story a little different is that the reader discovers things that the police don’t regarding the killer. You see the investigation play out knowing so much more, I guess in a way this made me feel a little bit more involved in everything that is happening. I also can’t finish my review without a special mention going to Rocky who was a great addition to the story.
With thanks to Rachel at Rachel's Random Resources for my copy.
June 6, 2025
For me, the sweet and lovable Rocky stole the show. But I always fall in love with the animals!! RTC!!
October 10, 2018
::..Reviewed for Red's Midnight Readers..::
I was offered an ARC in exchange for an honest and unbiased review. I have given Who Cares If They All Die 3 solid stars.
This is the first time I have read anything by this author and the rather intriguing title and blurb compelled me to read this thrilling story.
I did find the book rather slow to begin with and struggled to actually get into story but once the story started to move along and things began to happen I found myself really getting into the story.
I am not one for suspense, so the fact that the killer was unmasked early on appealed to me and kept me turning the pages to find out why the character was doing what they were doing.
Some parts of this story were actually quite funny and had me laughing out loud, which helped to break the tension of this story as Dean gets sucked further and further in to the mystery surrounding Jane Doe's Death.
This is a good read for anybody who likes thrillers.
I was offered an ARC in exchange for an honest and unbiased review. I have given Who Cares If They All Die 3 solid stars.
This is the first time I have read anything by this author and the rather intriguing title and blurb compelled me to read this thrilling story.
I did find the book rather slow to begin with and struggled to actually get into story but once the story started to move along and things began to happen I found myself really getting into the story.
I am not one for suspense, so the fact that the killer was unmasked early on appealed to me and kept me turning the pages to find out why the character was doing what they were doing.
Some parts of this story were actually quite funny and had me laughing out loud, which helped to break the tension of this story as Dean gets sucked further and further in to the mystery surrounding Jane Doe's Death.
This is a good read for anybody who likes thrillers.
September 28, 2018
Although it might be just me not being used to reading 21th century crime stories (I mean, I read my mother's large collection of mostly Agatha Christie novels about 25 years ago, but really not much of that genre since then), I liked how the killer's identity is revealed sooner than I would have expected, when the detective characters don't know yet all what we readers have been shown, and how it allows us to follow not only the inquiry's progress but also the killer's attempts to derail it. I thought it made that part of the story full of a different kind of suspense that I enjoyed just as much as the previous chapters.
Another good thing is that we're told in the author's note at the end that this is the first book in a series.
Another good thing is that we're told in the author's note at the end that this is the first book in a series.
August 11, 2022
Holy crap! What a hidden gem this book is! I picked this up years ago when I first got back into reading and I can't believe I haven't read it sooner!
I'd not heard this book mentioned anywhere so I went in blind not knowing what to expect but oh my, I was not disappointed!
A cracking thriller with so many twists! I real page turner which couldn't put it down, I read it on one day (which is crazy for me as I'm somewhat of a slow reader😂)
Any thriller fans reading this, I highly recommend you grab yourself a copy!
One of my favourite reads so far of 2022 and I will definitely be purchasing the 2nd in the series of Dean Matheson.
I'd not heard this book mentioned anywhere so I went in blind not knowing what to expect but oh my, I was not disappointed!
A cracking thriller with so many twists! I real page turner which couldn't put it down, I read it on one day (which is crazy for me as I'm somewhat of a slow reader😂)
Any thriller fans reading this, I highly recommend you grab yourself a copy!
One of my favourite reads so far of 2022 and I will definitely be purchasing the 2nd in the series of Dean Matheson.
October 6, 2018
I really enjoyed the suspense in this story. For the first half the reader wonders, like Officer Dean Matheson, if the victims were murdered or committed suicide. There are a few suspects but little motive until all is revealed. Unlike other books though it then becomes a race to catch the murderer before Dean becomes the next victim. This means we have the psychological suspense of who did it and why but also the suspense of being up against the clock even though we know the identity of the murderer. It's a deadly game of cat and mouse that will keep you turning the pages. Very well done!
January 12, 2021
Very enjoyable read.
January 17, 2025
Thoroughly enjoyed this! Plenty of twists that shocked me. I really liked how different the personal relationships were in comparison with other detective books I’ve read. :)
November 4, 2023
Wow, what can I say about this book - it’s a fast paced and exciting read, which is more of a psychological thriller than a police drama. From the very start I was intrigued and found that I could get into the story very quickly. The characters are interesting and endearing, which made me become involved in their lives very quickly. The beginning of the story was a mystery which had me guessing as to who the killer could be, but it very quickly became obvious and when it was revealed half-way through, I realised that this crime drama had suddenly changed direction and was now a chilling and scary psychological thriller. At this point we knew who it was and had a pretty good idea why, but the frustrating part was how they were going to be stopped and how was Dean going to survive the ordeal. I found myself try to stop him from doing certain things and wishing I was there to tell everyone else what was going on. This is very clever writing which manages to draw the reader in so entirely that they get caught up in the drama. The action is high paced, and I found myself racing to get to the end even although I wanted it to go on longer. Obviously, I need to read the next one as I want to know what Dean Matheson is going to do next. By the way, the author mentions that she always finds herself adding a pet to her stories and this one is so adorable that I wish I could meet him.
November 23, 2018
I think Dean Matheson is definitely a character who is destined to grow on me. In this, Wendy Dranfield's debut for Choc Lit Who Cares if they Die, Matheson is stationed in the small town of Maple Valley, New Hampshire. He's a police officer with aspirations to become a detective. Beth Smith is new in the town. She's been assigned to the local women's prison as a psychiatrist and counsellor.
The story begins with a woman's body found hanging in local woods. Through the hospitalisation of his boss he gets an opportunity to play detective. Nothing is what is seems in this story, there are twists and turns aplenty and Dean soon finds himself caught up in the whole grisly business as two more bodies are discovered, one from the prison where Beth works . Not usually fond of stories with children or animals in them, Rocky the rottweiler was such an endearing character that I had to make an exception in this case. His character worked really well.
Psychological thrillers aren't my usual first choice when choosing a book, but this one was well worth the read and I'm really looking forward to the next book in the series.
Please note I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy of this book.
The story begins with a woman's body found hanging in local woods. Through the hospitalisation of his boss he gets an opportunity to play detective. Nothing is what is seems in this story, there are twists and turns aplenty and Dean soon finds himself caught up in the whole grisly business as two more bodies are discovered, one from the prison where Beth works . Not usually fond of stories with children or animals in them, Rocky the rottweiler was such an endearing character that I had to make an exception in this case. His character worked really well.
Psychological thrillers aren't my usual first choice when choosing a book, but this one was well worth the read and I'm really looking forward to the next book in the series.
Please note I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy of this book.
October 12, 2018
Small town life will kill you… literally!
For a boring little town, Maple Valley, New Hampshire is vying for murder capital of the country.
An apparent suicide begins to take on the trappings of murder, but before ducks can be lined in a row, more deaths occur. Officer Dean Matheson dreams of earning a detective’s shield, and solving the mystery behind the woman found hanging in the woods could be his winning ticket but he needs to 1) avoid the lazy, glory-seeking detective assigned to the case, and 2) learn to keep it in his pants!
Dean, Dean, Dean! Geeze. He believes Detective Miller’s dislike for him is holding him back, but nope. Dean is holding Dean back.
Estranged from his wife because he had an affair with the medical examiner for a few months because he was needy and grieving after his brother’s suicide, (what-everrrrr, Dean) he was sizing the new prison psychiatrist up only seconds after she sat next to him at the diner’s counter. *Hard eye-roll, but holds back from flinging Kindle* So Dean, Sheila, and Beth are on my adults-behaving-badly list early into the read. Wife Linda was hiding her own sins, but Dean didn’t know that until later. However, he did react like an hypocritical ass when he found out.
Had Dean not been so single-minded… and easily manipulated, he might have solved the mystery from the woods… like I did, and this read would have been less than fifty pages! :D HA!
The murderer was good though, and not just in method but also persona, playing a role for all of the town, though different with each person encountered. Attention to detail was meticulous. Choosing a small, rural town was genius. The killer stays under the radar because everyone knows everyone and is in their business. Perfect. Makes me wonder exactly how long the planning took, and just how crazy is the criminally insane… crazy like a fox? And why is this killer… a killer? WOW! NICE plot twist!
Choice of most victims, unfortunately, was spot on. Their character wasn’t just questionable on some pious level, but their behavior and offenses were facts most of Maple Valley knew about so their deaths aren’t questioned at first. One is even seen as a win for the victim’s abused fourteen-year-old daughter, so who cares if they die? NICE!
As information about the serial killer—and the dead—comes to light, Dean sees the full picture, but it’s good old-fashioned police work by retired Maple Valley Detective Jones which breaks the case. Dean’s mentor and idol does the leg-work and figures it out. But will he do it before more lives are lost, including Dean's? Loved Jones!
The spins and twists of Who Cares If They Die will keep mystery and suspense lovers turning pages right up to the end and I highly recommend it.
Enjoy!
For a boring little town, Maple Valley, New Hampshire is vying for murder capital of the country.
An apparent suicide begins to take on the trappings of murder, but before ducks can be lined in a row, more deaths occur. Officer Dean Matheson dreams of earning a detective’s shield, and solving the mystery behind the woman found hanging in the woods could be his winning ticket but he needs to 1) avoid the lazy, glory-seeking detective assigned to the case, and 2) learn to keep it in his pants!
Dean, Dean, Dean! Geeze. He believes Detective Miller’s dislike for him is holding him back, but nope. Dean is holding Dean back.
Estranged from his wife because he had an affair with the medical examiner for a few months because he was needy and grieving after his brother’s suicide, (what-everrrrr, Dean) he was sizing the new prison psychiatrist up only seconds after she sat next to him at the diner’s counter. *Hard eye-roll, but holds back from flinging Kindle* So Dean, Sheila, and Beth are on my adults-behaving-badly list early into the read. Wife Linda was hiding her own sins, but Dean didn’t know that until later. However, he did react like an hypocritical ass when he found out.
Had Dean not been so single-minded… and easily manipulated, he might have solved the mystery from the woods… like I did, and this read would have been less than fifty pages! :D HA!
The murderer was good though, and not just in method but also persona, playing a role for all of the town, though different with each person encountered. Attention to detail was meticulous. Choosing a small, rural town was genius. The killer stays under the radar because everyone knows everyone and is in their business. Perfect. Makes me wonder exactly how long the planning took, and just how crazy is the criminally insane… crazy like a fox? And why is this killer… a killer? WOW! NICE plot twist!
Choice of most victims, unfortunately, was spot on. Their character wasn’t just questionable on some pious level, but their behavior and offenses were facts most of Maple Valley knew about so their deaths aren’t questioned at first. One is even seen as a win for the victim’s abused fourteen-year-old daughter, so who cares if they die? NICE!
As information about the serial killer—and the dead—comes to light, Dean sees the full picture, but it’s good old-fashioned police work by retired Maple Valley Detective Jones which breaks the case. Dean’s mentor and idol does the leg-work and figures it out. But will he do it before more lives are lost, including Dean's? Loved Jones!
The spins and twists of Who Cares If They Die will keep mystery and suspense lovers turning pages right up to the end and I highly recommend it.
Enjoy!
October 23, 2023
Highly entertaining. I'm rooting for Dean Matheson. On to book 2.
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