What do you think?
Rate this book
Dead Mile
Friday afternoon, and the traffic is bloody murder. Sergeant Belinda 'Billy' Kidd is driving home from the airport, jet-lagged and ready to resign from a career that has left her traumatised. Menopause has robbed her confidence too - now she's a traffic cop who's afraid to drive. When brake lights haemorrhage up the motorway, the cars grind to a halt. Moments later she finds a dead driver in a black sedan. He has a metal skewer in his neck. But how? The killer can't have left the scene without being spotted by the dozens of witnesses - so he must still be there, among them. If the traffic jam stays put, they're all in danger; if the traffic clears, she'll lose her suspect. The clock is ticking, but she doesn't know how fast.
352 pages, Paperback
Published March 18, 2025
117 people are currently reading
500 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 148 reviews
July 6, 2025
Sorry....aber das war definitiv nichts für mich... umständlich und zugleich in einem unerträglich umgangssprachlichen Schreibstil verfasste Unlogik....was hätte man aus diesem Plot alles machen können!
Bitte einfach im Regal stehen lassen....sorry!
Bitte einfach im Regal stehen lassen....sorry!
July 22, 2025
Personajele nu au fost suficient conturate, iar povestea s-a simtit la fel ca titlul.. spusa dintr un unghi mort.
June 19, 2024
Fast Faster and Fastest ( ironic as that is re the subject of the book )
The only way I can describe this uniquely original story about a murder in a traffic jam
BUT it’s so much more than that, there is an ongoing terror plot that has caused the jam and the people now in the section where Sargent ‘Billy’ Kidd finds herself all are not as they first appear
Its luxurious reading, the plot crafty, the dialogue between characters and also internally with themselves a joy, the tense claustrophobic atmosphere as real as anything read and its, well it’s outstanding
No need to go on more about it other than to-say one of my fav reads this year without a seconds hesitation
The only way I can describe this uniquely original story about a murder in a traffic jam
BUT it’s so much more than that, there is an ongoing terror plot that has caused the jam and the people now in the section where Sargent ‘Billy’ Kidd finds herself all are not as they first appear
Its luxurious reading, the plot crafty, the dialogue between characters and also internally with themselves a joy, the tense claustrophobic atmosphere as real as anything read and its, well it’s outstanding
No need to go on more about it other than to-say one of my fav reads this year without a seconds hesitation
July 11, 2024
This has such a great concept it’s hard not to love it - a locked room mystery where the room is a car stuck in a traffic jam. It might not quite have the elegance of a classic golden age mystery, but it does have tension coming out its ears and a great, believable heroine. Hard to put down and a great holiday read for your suitcase.
Review coming to the channel soon.
Review coming to the channel soon.
September 26, 2025
Sergeant Belinda Kidd has made up her mind. The career she has dedicated her adult life to has left her traumatised and alone. She is on her way to resign and carve a new path for herself but is left to ponder her decision for a little while longer when she is stuck in an immovable traffic jam. Chaos descends when she discovers a murdered driver stuck in the snailing lines of traffic and that the killer must be someone close by. As evening comes so too does the assailant's growing possibility for escape so she must narrow her list of suspects down to just one, if the killer is to be apprehended.
What a set up! This novel's synopsis had me so eager to begin this book and I found it lived up to my expectations, early on, with the small chapters, that appeared in between Billy's longer ones and gave the reader an insight to their voice and a hint at what they could be hiding. Every one in Billy's vicinity had a secret and it made for tense reading attempting to discover just what this was.
This early endearment, unfortunately, dwindled. The cast was too large and the secrets too many to give this the air of believability. I adore 'locked room' thrillers but this novel just seemed to spend too long circling the cast of characters and attempting to expose their past secrets without getting to truly know them or their reasoning for it.
I felt quite separated from the events and longed for more scenes of action. Billy was a great protagonist and can see myself interested in reading a series centring around her character, so would return to this author as it had promise to be a great read for me.
What a set up! This novel's synopsis had me so eager to begin this book and I found it lived up to my expectations, early on, with the small chapters, that appeared in between Billy's longer ones and gave the reader an insight to their voice and a hint at what they could be hiding. Every one in Billy's vicinity had a secret and it made for tense reading attempting to discover just what this was.
This early endearment, unfortunately, dwindled. The cast was too large and the secrets too many to give this the air of believability. I adore 'locked room' thrillers but this novel just seemed to spend too long circling the cast of characters and attempting to expose their past secrets without getting to truly know them or their reasoning for it.
I felt quite separated from the events and longed for more scenes of action. Billy was a great protagonist and can see myself interested in reading a series centring around her character, so would return to this author as it had promise to be a great read for me.
June 17, 2024
A locked room mystery with a difference! When read the synopsis for Dead Mile I was intrigued, murder on the motorway.. tell me more! It was an original idea and for the most part I enjoyed it, although I did feel that it lagged in the middle a bit. There were a lot of characters to keep straight as well. The conclusion was surprising and well done.
Sergeant Belinda ‘Billy” Kidd is on her way home from the airport, jet lagged and ready to resign from her job. Suddenly all the traffic stops and they are going nowhere soon. The heat has people getting out of their cars and they soon discover a man is dead in his car, a metal spike in his neck? How did somebody kill him and who? All the drivers are suspects, and they seem to all have something to hide,
Thanks to Bonnier Books UK for the advanced copy of this book to read. Publishes on July 4th. 3.5⭐️
Sergeant Belinda ‘Billy” Kidd is on her way home from the airport, jet lagged and ready to resign from her job. Suddenly all the traffic stops and they are going nowhere soon. The heat has people getting out of their cars and they soon discover a man is dead in his car, a metal spike in his neck? How did somebody kill him and who? All the drivers are suspects, and they seem to all have something to hide,
Thanks to Bonnier Books UK for the advanced copy of this book to read. Publishes on July 4th. 3.5⭐️
September 20, 2024
3'75 🚲.
Me ha gustado más el viaje que el destino. Siempre me pasa con este tipo de planteamientos. La presentación y el desarrollo son mejores y más potentes que la resolución. De todas formas, en estos misterios de "habitación cerrada" siempre es complicada la resolución y nunca llueve a gusto de todos. Y, por mi parte, no me importa que el final sea más flojo si el desarrollo lo he disfrutado y este es el caso, así que quizá esté siendo generosa en la valoración respecto a otras reseñas, porque por eso es subjetiva 😂.
El argumento es potente y original. Aquí, nuestra habitación cerrada es un atasco monumental de horas y horas debido a unos atentados durante el que se produce un asesinato. Tenemos múltiples sospechosos: conductores y pasajeros de los vehículos.
Los personajes son variopintos, cada uno con unas circunstancias personales que pueden o no tener que ver con el caso. Me ha gustado que haya un capítulo para cada uno en el que llevan la voz cantante en primera persona y nos indican que esconden algo. El qué es otra historia que también acabamos descubriendo, lo que dota a cada uno de ellos de una profundidad distinta que, de paso, aprovecha para meter un poco de crítica social respecto a diversos temas (protección de las víctimas de violencia machista, estrés postraumático, racismo, delincuencia juvenil...). Unos personajes están más conseguidos que otros: Pat, Billy y Daisy están entre mis favoritas.
Una vez analizados todos los personajes, todos los posibles motivos y las posibles relaciones existentes entre los implicados, pasamos rápidamente a la resolución. Muy rápidamente. Demasiado. Pero, claro, no quedaba ya mucho por hacer una vez que sabemos quién es quién. Intenta darle una vuelta de tuerca final que no queda mal, pero que se podía intuir si recordábamos los datos personales de los implicados.
En resumen, entretenido, bien escrito con un estilo cercano, una protagonista que se redescubre a sí misma en esta crisis y unos personajes peculiares que siembran la duda hasta el final.
Me ha gustado más el viaje que el destino. Siempre me pasa con este tipo de planteamientos. La presentación y el desarrollo son mejores y más potentes que la resolución. De todas formas, en estos misterios de "habitación cerrada" siempre es complicada la resolución y nunca llueve a gusto de todos. Y, por mi parte, no me importa que el final sea más flojo si el desarrollo lo he disfrutado y este es el caso, así que quizá esté siendo generosa en la valoración respecto a otras reseñas, porque por eso es subjetiva 😂.
El argumento es potente y original. Aquí, nuestra habitación cerrada es un atasco monumental de horas y horas debido a unos atentados durante el que se produce un asesinato. Tenemos múltiples sospechosos: conductores y pasajeros de los vehículos.
Los personajes son variopintos, cada uno con unas circunstancias personales que pueden o no tener que ver con el caso. Me ha gustado que haya un capítulo para cada uno en el que llevan la voz cantante en primera persona y nos indican que esconden algo. El qué es otra historia que también acabamos descubriendo, lo que dota a cada uno de ellos de una profundidad distinta que, de paso, aprovecha para meter un poco de crítica social respecto a diversos temas (protección de las víctimas de violencia machista, estrés postraumático, racismo, delincuencia juvenil...). Unos personajes están más conseguidos que otros: Pat, Billy y Daisy están entre mis favoritas.
Una vez analizados todos los personajes, todos los posibles motivos y las posibles relaciones existentes entre los implicados, pasamos rápidamente a la resolución. Muy rápidamente. Demasiado. Pero, claro, no quedaba ya mucho por hacer una vez que sabemos quién es quién. Intenta darle una vuelta de tuerca final que no queda mal, pero que se podía intuir si recordábamos los datos personales de los implicados.
En resumen, entretenido, bien escrito con un estilo cercano, una protagonista que se redescubre a sí misma en esta crisis y unos personajes peculiares que siembran la duda hasta el final.
June 20, 2024
Described as a gridlocked murder mystery this is an unusual set up for a crime novel but definitely one that makes for an interesting read. I hope the Billy the main protagonist appears in future novels as well because she definitely has more of a story to tell. 4.5* from me
September 11, 2024
Het is vrijdagmiddag en rechercheur Belinda 'Billy' Kidd rijdt naar huis vanaf de luchthaven, uitgeput van de jetlag. Als ze de stad nadert, komt het verkeer plotseling tot stilstand en staat ze muurvast.
Wanneer Billy uitstapt om te kijken wat er aan de hand is, vindt ze een vermoorde chauffeur in een zwarte sedan met een metalen pin in zijn nek. De moordenaar kan niet ontsnapt zijn zonder opgemerkt te worden door andere autobestuurders, dus hij moet nog in hun midden nog zijn.
Als de file niet oplost, lopen alle omstaanders gevaar, dus de tijd tikt. Belinda weet alleen niet hoe snel...
Deze flaptekst sprak mij enorm aan, dus afgelopen week begon ik enthousiast aan dit verhaal.
Je maakt kennis met rechercheur Billy. Ze is op weg naar huis, maar belandt dan in een file. Het duurt dan ook niet lang voordat je over de dode man in de auto leest. Een pin steekt uit zijn nek, dus het is overduidelijk dat hij geen natuurlijke dood is gestorven.
Aangezien het verkeer helemaal vast staat en niemand een kant op kan, moet de moordenaar nog in de buurt zijn en Billy probeert uit te zoeken wie diegene is...
Af en toe lees je vanuit andere personages, mensen die dus in diezelfde file vaststaan, maar het meeste lees je vanuit Billy.
Het hele verhaal speelt zich zowat in de file af en verschillende verdachten komen voorbij. Er zit dus niet heel veel variatie in het verhaal, maar op de een of andere manier blijft het wel boeiend om te lezen. Dit is dan ook een echte 'whodunit' en pas op het einde wordt alles duidelijk en lees je wie er achter deze vreemde moord zit.
Ik vond het verhaal best leuk om te lezen. Heel spannend wordt het niet, maar je moet wel echt heel goed blijven opletten. Misschien had ik toch wat meer gehoopt op die constant voelbare spanning, want het wordt na enige tijd toch ietwat langdradig en dat was gewoon heel erg jammer. Maar het idee van dit verhaal is dan wel weer heel leuk bedacht!
Ik wil @uitgeverijthb heel erg bedanken voor het recensie-exemplaar!
Beoordeling: 3,0 ⭐️
Wanneer Billy uitstapt om te kijken wat er aan de hand is, vindt ze een vermoorde chauffeur in een zwarte sedan met een metalen pin in zijn nek. De moordenaar kan niet ontsnapt zijn zonder opgemerkt te worden door andere autobestuurders, dus hij moet nog in hun midden nog zijn.
Als de file niet oplost, lopen alle omstaanders gevaar, dus de tijd tikt. Belinda weet alleen niet hoe snel...
Deze flaptekst sprak mij enorm aan, dus afgelopen week begon ik enthousiast aan dit verhaal.
Je maakt kennis met rechercheur Billy. Ze is op weg naar huis, maar belandt dan in een file. Het duurt dan ook niet lang voordat je over de dode man in de auto leest. Een pin steekt uit zijn nek, dus het is overduidelijk dat hij geen natuurlijke dood is gestorven.
Aangezien het verkeer helemaal vast staat en niemand een kant op kan, moet de moordenaar nog in de buurt zijn en Billy probeert uit te zoeken wie diegene is...
Af en toe lees je vanuit andere personages, mensen die dus in diezelfde file vaststaan, maar het meeste lees je vanuit Billy.
Het hele verhaal speelt zich zowat in de file af en verschillende verdachten komen voorbij. Er zit dus niet heel veel variatie in het verhaal, maar op de een of andere manier blijft het wel boeiend om te lezen. Dit is dan ook een echte 'whodunit' en pas op het einde wordt alles duidelijk en lees je wie er achter deze vreemde moord zit.
Ik vond het verhaal best leuk om te lezen. Heel spannend wordt het niet, maar je moet wel echt heel goed blijven opletten. Misschien had ik toch wat meer gehoopt op die constant voelbare spanning, want het wordt na enige tijd toch ietwat langdradig en dat was gewoon heel erg jammer. Maar het idee van dit verhaal is dan wel weer heel leuk bedacht!
Ik wil @uitgeverijthb heel erg bedanken voor het recensie-exemplaar!
Beoordeling: 3,0 ⭐️
July 9, 2024
Dead Mile by Jo Furniss is most definitely a book to add to your list. A plot that lends from the locked room mysteries we all know and love. The difference is that the author has added her own original and refreshing twist.
Told with short, fast-moving chapters and from multiple perspectives. I was hooked on the first page. Set on a grid locked motorway, just outside London. Sergeant Belinda Kidd, aka Billy, is there too. On her way home after being abroad for a time. She is deliberating whether to retire and edging towards that big decision.
A dead body is discovered in one of the cars in the miles long queue waiting after a terrorist bombing attack in the tunnel in front of them. Billy knows that, If no-one is going anywhere, that means the killer is still there, right?
I never knew a mystery about a grid locked motorway would have me as tense as I was as I read this. The layers to the story were so detailed and created almost a suffocating fear for Billy herself. The fact that she had to deal with a murder scene alone with a bunch of strangers, one of whom had to be a killer, made this so intense.
So original, with twists and turns that have been so cleverly placed within the story. It was a book that stood out for me for 2024. Highly recommended!
Thanks to Tracy Fenton and the publisher for my gifted ebook for the tour.
Told with short, fast-moving chapters and from multiple perspectives. I was hooked on the first page. Set on a grid locked motorway, just outside London. Sergeant Belinda Kidd, aka Billy, is there too. On her way home after being abroad for a time. She is deliberating whether to retire and edging towards that big decision.
A dead body is discovered in one of the cars in the miles long queue waiting after a terrorist bombing attack in the tunnel in front of them. Billy knows that, If no-one is going anywhere, that means the killer is still there, right?
I never knew a mystery about a grid locked motorway would have me as tense as I was as I read this. The layers to the story were so detailed and created almost a suffocating fear for Billy herself. The fact that she had to deal with a murder scene alone with a bunch of strangers, one of whom had to be a killer, made this so intense.
So original, with twists and turns that have been so cleverly placed within the story. It was a book that stood out for me for 2024. Highly recommended!
Thanks to Tracy Fenton and the publisher for my gifted ebook for the tour.
June 12, 2025
3.5
Mich hat das "locked-room" Szenario hier sehr angesprochen und im Prinzip liefert das Buch auch genau das, was im Klappentext angepriesen wird. Ich fand die Geschichte spannend geschrieben und vor allem sehr kurzweilig, das Buch hätte ich locker an einem Tag durchlesen können. Ich hatte beim Lesen so meine Theorie was den Mörder betrifft, die war dann am Ende auch leider richtig (war aber mehr Glück als Verstand, ich hatte "so ein Gefühl" wer es gewesen sein könnte).
Für meinen Geschmack gab es zu viele Namen, die ich bis zum Schluss immer wieder durcheinandergebracht habe und das hat mir ab und zu das Lesevergnügen genommen. Auch habe ich manche Schlussfolgerungen einfach nicht verstanden, auch nach mehrmaligem Lesen. Die Auflösung am Ende war zwar gut durchdacht, aber stellenweise wirr erklärt und irgendwie ein bisschen langweilig.
Zusammengefasst war es ein solider Thriller mit Luft nach oben.
Mich hat das "locked-room" Szenario hier sehr angesprochen und im Prinzip liefert das Buch auch genau das, was im Klappentext angepriesen wird. Ich fand die Geschichte spannend geschrieben und vor allem sehr kurzweilig, das Buch hätte ich locker an einem Tag durchlesen können. Ich hatte beim Lesen so meine Theorie was den Mörder betrifft, die war dann am Ende auch leider richtig (war aber mehr Glück als Verstand, ich hatte "so ein Gefühl" wer es gewesen sein könnte).
Für meinen Geschmack gab es zu viele Namen, die ich bis zum Schluss immer wieder durcheinandergebracht habe und das hat mir ab und zu das Lesevergnügen genommen. Auch habe ich manche Schlussfolgerungen einfach nicht verstanden, auch nach mehrmaligem Lesen. Die Auflösung am Ende war zwar gut durchdacht, aber stellenweise wirr erklärt und irgendwie ein bisschen langweilig.
Zusammengefasst war es ein solider Thriller mit Luft nach oben.
June 24, 2025
Absolut stabiler Thriller! Logisch aufgebaut, spannend, mit tollen Wendungen im letzten Drittel.
Besonders für Fans von Agatha Christie die mal was aktuelles Lesen wollen.
Ein Whodunnit der feinsten Sorte mit überraschend präzise eingesetzten Humor und Tempo (hahaha Tempo im Stau)
Besonders für Fans von Agatha Christie die mal was aktuelles Lesen wollen.
Ein Whodunnit der feinsten Sorte mit überraschend präzise eingesetzten Humor und Tempo (hahaha Tempo im Stau)
May 5, 2024
What an original and gripping thriller!
When off duty police officer Belinda ‘Billy’ Kidd drives home from the airport after a period of extended leave from work she is thinking of leaving the police force after 30 years of service due to anxiety and a traumatic incident at work. However on her way home, a car bomb in a tunnel brings the motorway to a standstill and when a dead body is discovered in a car Billy is back on duty.
Dead Mile is such an original take on the locked room mystery novel. It’s an intense and compelling read with excellent characterisation and a plot that throws in plenty of red herrings and twists. I raced through it desperate to know how anyone could have got away with murder in this scenario and found the ending very satisfying. I loved the character of Billy and really hope she returns in a sequel.
Recommended. 4.5 stars
Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read and review this digital ARC.
When off duty police officer Belinda ‘Billy’ Kidd drives home from the airport after a period of extended leave from work she is thinking of leaving the police force after 30 years of service due to anxiety and a traumatic incident at work. However on her way home, a car bomb in a tunnel brings the motorway to a standstill and when a dead body is discovered in a car Billy is back on duty.
Dead Mile is such an original take on the locked room mystery novel. It’s an intense and compelling read with excellent characterisation and a plot that throws in plenty of red herrings and twists. I raced through it desperate to know how anyone could have got away with murder in this scenario and found the ending very satisfying. I loved the character of Billy and really hope she returns in a sequel.
Recommended. 4.5 stars
Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read and review this digital ARC.
August 25, 2024
This is a smart, fun, one
-sitting police procedural locked room mystery with a great protagonist Sergeant Billy Kidd. Stuck in a traffic jam, exhausted and ready to retire, weary Sgt Kidd is thrust into a murder scene as the only law officer available. Lots of suspects and only Billy to figure it out. I will definitely read more from this author.
4 BIG stars
-sitting police procedural locked room mystery with a great protagonist Sergeant Billy Kidd. Stuck in a traffic jam, exhausted and ready to retire, weary Sgt Kidd is thrust into a murder scene as the only law officer available. Lots of suspects and only Billy to figure it out. I will definitely read more from this author.
4 BIG stars
July 6, 2025
Hoewel het verhaal zich steeds op dezelfde plaats afspeelt, in de file, is het toch spannend en entertainend. Er spelen verschillende karakters mee, er wordt een moord gepleegd in de file. 1 rechercheur is ter plaatse en probeert het mysterie te ontrafelen, iemand moet toch iets gezien hebben? De moordenaar kan onmogelijk ontsnapt zijn… 3.5 ster.
October 5, 2025
Gripping
I really enjoyed this page turner. A complex plot that was excellently portrayed. Characters are well portrayed and tension mounts as facts come to light and then change. Modern technology helps Billy but also hinders when it doesn't work. The only fact that annoyed me was Billy climbing over barriers and running down the motorway with a very full bladder.
I really enjoyed this page turner. A complex plot that was excellently portrayed. Characters are well portrayed and tension mounts as facts come to light and then change. Modern technology helps Billy but also hinders when it doesn't work. The only fact that annoyed me was Billy climbing over barriers and running down the motorway with a very full bladder.
November 12, 2024
Smart idea and a nice read.
July 3, 2025
"Und sie roch die Aufklärung des Falls so deutlich in der Luft wie das Erbrochene vom Vorabend."
May 7, 2024
Sergeant Belinda ‘Billy’ Kidd is on her way home from a sabbatical in Australia, having lost quite a bit of her confidence both due to a police incident and the menopause. However, not long after she lands, she finds herself on a gridlocked motorway with a dead body in a nearby car. Not only is the person dead, they have clearly been murdered shortly after the cars came to a standstill. With no way off the motorway Billy knows the murderer must be close but who is it and why?! Everyone and no one seems suspect at the same time. Who is it? Can Billy find her confidence and crack this?
This thriller is a great locked room style mystery and keeps you hooked all the way through as Billy tries to piece the puzzles together. I really enjoyed the unusual setup of the book being set on a motorway. The characters are well developed and the story contained some good twists and turns. I would definitely recommend this to anyone who enjoys a thriller, a mystery to be solved.
My first book by the author but won’t be the last!
This thriller is a great locked room style mystery and keeps you hooked all the way through as Billy tries to piece the puzzles together. I really enjoyed the unusual setup of the book being set on a motorway. The characters are well developed and the story contained some good twists and turns. I would definitely recommend this to anyone who enjoys a thriller, a mystery to be solved.
My first book by the author but won’t be the last!
June 27, 2024
This book is about as entertaining as being stuck in a traffic jam on a warm summers evening. You just want this to end.
June 3, 2025
Der Stau hat ein Setting, das sich wahrscheinlich wirklich jeder vorstellen kann. Die Polizistin Belinda "Billy" Kidd kommt nach Hause nach einer langen Auszeit in Australien bei ihrer Schwester. Da sie in einem Vorort von London wohnt und alleinstehend ist, leiht sie sich trotz Jetlag einen Wagen und nimmt die etwa einstündige Fahrt auf sich. Als der Verkehr komplett zum Erliegen kommt, mehrere Bomben in der Stadt hochgehen und sie eine Leiche in einem Auto in "ihrem" Stau findet, verschärft sich die ohnehin schwierige Situation nochmal enorm. Und Billy, die eigentlich ihren Vorruhestand einreichen wollte, sobald sie nach Hause gekommen wäre, fängt an zu ermitteln...
Der Thriller hat mir sehr gut gefallen. Rasant geschrieben mit einer sehr sympathischen, etwas kantigen Protagonistin und einer Gruppe Menschen, die alle ihre Geheimnisse haben... Immer wieder aufgelockert wird der Schreibfluss durch kleine Passagen, die jeweils aus der Ich-Perspektive der einzelnen Mit-im-Stau-Stehenden geschrieben sind, wohingegen der Rest aus Billys Sicht geschildert, aber nicht in Ich-Form geschrieben ist.
Die Auflösung des Falls hat mich absolut überzeugt und der Schluss hat mir sehr gut gefallen. Und hervorragend gelungen sind auch die sehr persönlichen Dinge, die Billy erleiden muss - wie dringend sie auf die Toilette muss, dass sie hungrig und durstig wird, unter dem Jetlag leidet und anfängt, ihren eigenen Geruch zu bemerken.
Klare Leseempfehlung für einen sehr gut geschriebenen Thriller mit einer tollen Protagonistin!
Der Thriller hat mir sehr gut gefallen. Rasant geschrieben mit einer sehr sympathischen, etwas kantigen Protagonistin und einer Gruppe Menschen, die alle ihre Geheimnisse haben... Immer wieder aufgelockert wird der Schreibfluss durch kleine Passagen, die jeweils aus der Ich-Perspektive der einzelnen Mit-im-Stau-Stehenden geschrieben sind, wohingegen der Rest aus Billys Sicht geschildert, aber nicht in Ich-Form geschrieben ist.
Die Auflösung des Falls hat mich absolut überzeugt und der Schluss hat mir sehr gut gefallen. Und hervorragend gelungen sind auch die sehr persönlichen Dinge, die Billy erleiden muss - wie dringend sie auf die Toilette muss, dass sie hungrig und durstig wird, unter dem Jetlag leidet und anfängt, ihren eigenen Geruch zu bemerken.
Klare Leseempfehlung für einen sehr gut geschriebenen Thriller mit einer tollen Protagonistin!
June 22, 2025
Gute Idee, holprige Umsetzung?
Eine Kommissarin sitzt fest, eine Leiche taucht auf, und der Mörder muss noch unter den im Stau gefangenen Menschen sein. Die Ausgangssituation versprach Hochspannung pur. Am Anfang bin ich richtig gut in die Geschichte reingekommen. Das Setting war gut gewählt, und die Atmosphäre wirklich beklemmend und dicht. Man spürt förmlich die Hitze, die Enge und die wachsende Panik, was mir wirklich gut gefallen hat.
Was vielversprechend begann, wurde im Verlauf des Buches für mich leider etwas holprig. 😕 Ob es der Schreibstil war, die Charaktere oder die Handlung selbst, es fühlte sich nach und nach nicht mehr ganz so rund an. Es war nicht so, dass es komplett unspannend war, aber es gab einfach zu viele irrelevante Ablenkungen, die leider nicht gut ausgearbeitet waren wie beispielsweise von bestimmten körperlichen Bedürfnissen einer Figur, da hätte ich ja schreien können 🤣Solche Wiederholungen und unnötigen Details haben die Geschichte für mich leider unnötig gestreckt.
Trotzdem wollte ich natürlich wissen, wie die ganze Sache ausgeht. Die Auflösung war jetzt nicht super überraschend, aber sie war stimmig und ich konnte damit leben.
Insgesamt ist es ein Thriller, der mit einer originellen Idee punktet und definitiv seine Momente hat. Es ist schade, dass die Umsetzung an einigen Stellen leider nicht ganz mithalten konnte und so viel Potenzial verschenkt wurde. Am Ende ist es für mich ein solides Buch mit positiven Ansätzen, das ich persönlich aber nicht uneingeschränkt weiterempfehlen würde.
Eine Kommissarin sitzt fest, eine Leiche taucht auf, und der Mörder muss noch unter den im Stau gefangenen Menschen sein. Die Ausgangssituation versprach Hochspannung pur. Am Anfang bin ich richtig gut in die Geschichte reingekommen. Das Setting war gut gewählt, und die Atmosphäre wirklich beklemmend und dicht. Man spürt förmlich die Hitze, die Enge und die wachsende Panik, was mir wirklich gut gefallen hat.
Was vielversprechend begann, wurde im Verlauf des Buches für mich leider etwas holprig. 😕 Ob es der Schreibstil war, die Charaktere oder die Handlung selbst, es fühlte sich nach und nach nicht mehr ganz so rund an. Es war nicht so, dass es komplett unspannend war, aber es gab einfach zu viele irrelevante Ablenkungen, die leider nicht gut ausgearbeitet waren wie beispielsweise von bestimmten körperlichen Bedürfnissen einer Figur, da hätte ich ja schreien können 🤣Solche Wiederholungen und unnötigen Details haben die Geschichte für mich leider unnötig gestreckt.
Trotzdem wollte ich natürlich wissen, wie die ganze Sache ausgeht. Die Auflösung war jetzt nicht super überraschend, aber sie war stimmig und ich konnte damit leben.
Insgesamt ist es ein Thriller, der mit einer originellen Idee punktet und definitiv seine Momente hat. Es ist schade, dass die Umsetzung an einigen Stellen leider nicht ganz mithalten konnte und so viel Potenzial verschenkt wurde. Am Ende ist es für mich ein solides Buch mit positiven Ansätzen, das ich persönlich aber nicht uneingeschränkt weiterempfehlen würde.
June 16, 2024
This is a great idea for a crime and mystery story. An off-duty police officer, Sergeant Belinda 'Billy' Kidd, is caught up in a gridlock. She is on her way home from a trip to Australia and is suffering from jet lag, it is hot, and she is menopausal and contemplating leaving the force after 30 years. Even struggling with a couple of these problems is bad enough! If that wasn't enough, there is a car with a body. He didn't die from natural causes, well unless a skewer accidentally ended up in the back of his neck.
This has all the signs of a locked room mystery as the characters involved are all trapped as such. They remain with their cars as that is where their belongings are and also it is the only way they will be able to get home when the traffic jam is cleared. Billy is a copper with experience, but not really the drive to go further, there are mentions of why further on in the book. She does have help from some unlikely people, these are made up of other drivers. Some seem ok, but then others are not exactly being completely honest when Billy is asking them questions. Would you trust a random stranger on the motorway who has no ID, warrant card or anything to indicate they are an officer? If that person was then to start asking questions, would you tell the truth or be a bit cagey?
Having several people that are, as mentioned, "cagey", makes this an interesting story. It feels like a cat and mouse as Billy is back and forth between the other drivers and passengers to try to work out who the killer is, whether they are still on the scene, collecting evidence that cannot be analysed and generally running around in circles. Things are not helped when any support is not able to get to her.
This is a very good concept and I am sure it is one that many of us can imagine. Especially if you have been stuck in traffic jams. I had not thought about a murder taking place during a standstill, but I am glad the author did and it made for a great read.
There is some tension, but I think it is more the frustration that Billy was feeling as she tried to work a scene solo. She can get some help from a colleague over the phone and other leads that she can follow. The main crux of her investigation is down to gut instinct. Knowing how to read people, notice body language, and remember items of information all comes down to being in the role for years for it to become second nature.
This is a slower pace for a crime story and this is down to it being just one person going back and forth to people, asking questions differently and trying to discover the truth. What it lacks in excitement it does make up for in tension and mystery. It is a police procedural as such because a lot of what Billy does is what she would do in her role anyway. But having a lack of resources and also having the risk of the jam clearing and a potential killer driving away adds more tension.
I really enjoyed this one, a bit different and enjoyable. One for fans of crime mysteries that rely on gut instinct and a sleuthing style of investigation. It is one I would happily recommend.
This has all the signs of a locked room mystery as the characters involved are all trapped as such. They remain with their cars as that is where their belongings are and also it is the only way they will be able to get home when the traffic jam is cleared. Billy is a copper with experience, but not really the drive to go further, there are mentions of why further on in the book. She does have help from some unlikely people, these are made up of other drivers. Some seem ok, but then others are not exactly being completely honest when Billy is asking them questions. Would you trust a random stranger on the motorway who has no ID, warrant card or anything to indicate they are an officer? If that person was then to start asking questions, would you tell the truth or be a bit cagey?
Having several people that are, as mentioned, "cagey", makes this an interesting story. It feels like a cat and mouse as Billy is back and forth between the other drivers and passengers to try to work out who the killer is, whether they are still on the scene, collecting evidence that cannot be analysed and generally running around in circles. Things are not helped when any support is not able to get to her.
This is a very good concept and I am sure it is one that many of us can imagine. Especially if you have been stuck in traffic jams. I had not thought about a murder taking place during a standstill, but I am glad the author did and it made for a great read.
There is some tension, but I think it is more the frustration that Billy was feeling as she tried to work a scene solo. She can get some help from a colleague over the phone and other leads that she can follow. The main crux of her investigation is down to gut instinct. Knowing how to read people, notice body language, and remember items of information all comes down to being in the role for years for it to become second nature.
This is a slower pace for a crime story and this is down to it being just one person going back and forth to people, asking questions differently and trying to discover the truth. What it lacks in excitement it does make up for in tension and mystery. It is a police procedural as such because a lot of what Billy does is what she would do in her role anyway. But having a lack of resources and also having the risk of the jam clearing and a potential killer driving away adds more tension.
I really enjoyed this one, a bit different and enjoyable. One for fans of crime mysteries that rely on gut instinct and a sleuthing style of investigation. It is one I would happily recommend.
June 6, 2025
Totul pornește de la o crimă petrecută în mijlocul unui ambuteiaj pe autostradă. E clar că șoferul a fost ucis, dar și mai clar că ucigașul se află în apropiere, poate chiar într-una dintre mașinile din jur. Cine este și cum va fi descoperit devine miza poveștii.😶🌫️
Detectiva Billy mi-a plăcut foarte mult, și face meseria cu atenție și asumare. Ținând cont de circumstanțele neobișnuite, am simțit că face tot ce poate pentru a păstra controlul și a nu compromite dovezile.
Pentru că acțiunea se petrece într-un spațiu restrâns, m-a prins rapid, am bănuit pe toată lumea, m-am lăsat purtată de la un șofer la altul, de la un pasager la celălalt. Toți par să aibă ceva de ascuns.🤫
Finalul m-a luat prin surprindere, nu m-am gândit deloc la acea variantă. Nu a fost neapărat un impact wow, dar twistul a fost bine gândit. La un moment dat, chiar am avut un vibe de Hercule Poirot și mă așteptam să fie genul de final în care toți sunt vinovați, dar m-a bucurat că nu a fost cazul.🤭
A fost o lectură care m-a ținut în poveste, mi-a sporit suspansul și m-a făcut curioasă până la final. O recomand!
Detectiva Billy mi-a plăcut foarte mult, și face meseria cu atenție și asumare. Ținând cont de circumstanțele neobișnuite, am simțit că face tot ce poate pentru a păstra controlul și a nu compromite dovezile.
Pentru că acțiunea se petrece într-un spațiu restrâns, m-a prins rapid, am bănuit pe toată lumea, m-am lăsat purtată de la un șofer la altul, de la un pasager la celălalt. Toți par să aibă ceva de ascuns.🤫
Finalul m-a luat prin surprindere, nu m-am gândit deloc la acea variantă. Nu a fost neapărat un impact wow, dar twistul a fost bine gândit. La un moment dat, chiar am avut un vibe de Hercule Poirot și mă așteptam să fie genul de final în care toți sunt vinovați, dar m-a bucurat că nu a fost cazul.🤭
A fost o lectură care m-a ținut în poveste, mi-a sporit suspansul și m-a făcut curioasă până la final. O recomand!
August 17, 2024
Dead Mile is an engaging and original thriller that elevates the locked-room mystery to a new level. This time, it's not a traditional locked room—instead, the characters find themselves trapped in traffic following what appears to be a terrorist attack. Unable to move, they are left to grapple with boredom, fear, and the looming threat posed by some among them.
Billy Kidd, just back from vacation and on the brink of retirement, notices that one of the nearby cars contains a dead man. Taking charge of the situation, she begins investigating and interrogating the other passengers, trying to uncover any connections between them and the victim.
The main character is strong, occasionally funny, and quite likable—I thoroughly enjoyed reading from her perspective. This was a fun thriller that felt fresh and innovative, making me eager to explore more books that evoke similar feelings. While the mystery itself didn’t completely captivate me and the conclusion wasn’t entirely satisfying, it was still a solid novel for fans of mystery and action.
Billy Kidd, just back from vacation and on the brink of retirement, notices that one of the nearby cars contains a dead man. Taking charge of the situation, she begins investigating and interrogating the other passengers, trying to uncover any connections between them and the victim.
The main character is strong, occasionally funny, and quite likable—I thoroughly enjoyed reading from her perspective. This was a fun thriller that felt fresh and innovative, making me eager to explore more books that evoke similar feelings. While the mystery itself didn’t completely captivate me and the conclusion wasn’t entirely satisfying, it was still a solid novel for fans of mystery and action.
June 15, 2024
Sergeant Belinda ‘Billy’ Kidd is driving home when she gets stuck in a grid lock and it seems the motor way won’t be open again for a long while. Soon after she finds a dead driver who appears to have been killed. How could he have been murdered with hundreds of witnesses in a traffic jam?
I was intrigued to read this one as it adds something a touch different to the usual locked room mystery. The idea is very fresh and compelling. I found the overall novel entertaining and the story took plenty of turns. I did find the story slows a lot as you carry on reading and I found myself not as invested as I would have liked to have been. There are a lot of characters and at times I was getting them a bit muddled, however I did like the character of Billy and would enjoy reading more of her in a series. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this copy in return for an honest review.
I was intrigued to read this one as it adds something a touch different to the usual locked room mystery. The idea is very fresh and compelling. I found the overall novel entertaining and the story took plenty of turns. I did find the story slows a lot as you carry on reading and I found myself not as invested as I would have liked to have been. There are a lot of characters and at times I was getting them a bit muddled, however I did like the character of Billy and would enjoy reading more of her in a series. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this copy in return for an honest review.
July 8, 2024
Oh wow! This is such an original and clever twist on a murder mystery/thriller/police procedural! Multi-layered, thoroughly gripping and so blooming satisfying - I very much enjoyed this one! I devoured most of this book in a day as it is one heck of a page turner. With short, snappy chapters and an hour by hour countdown, this is a book you can easily race through. I really liked Billy, I’m sort of hoping that this might be the start of a series with her as the star...
Jo Furniss is a great author who is new to me and I really look forward to reading more by this author.
4.5 stars rounded up to 5.
Jo Furniss is a great author who is new to me and I really look forward to reading more by this author.
4.5 stars rounded up to 5.
Read
July 19, 2025Per total, Unghi mort este o carte foarte buna, pe care insa mi-as fi dorit-o un pic mai alerta. Dar poate sunt eu prea grabit ori poate m-a prins intr-o stare nu foarte buna. Pasionatii de thrillere o vor aprecia, mai ales ca un peisaj de genul, deschis (ca e in aer liber) dar totodata inchis (ca nu poti scapa fara sa te vada cineva), este ceva ce nu gasesti … pe toate drumurile.
https://citestemil.ro/unghi-mort-jo-f...
https://citestemil.ro/unghi-mort-jo-f...
May 15, 2025
J’étais vraiment dedans mais la résolution oui elle est pas mal mais trop tôt et ensuite les 30 dernières pages c’est trop fluffy enfin je sais pas je suis pas fully convinced
(for work)
(for work)
Displaying 1 - 30 of 148 reviews