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Cassie Raven #4
Dead Fall
Lenght: 9h 14min
"Being attuned to the last thoughts of the dead is a gift-but also a curse . . .
Talented yet troubled, singer-songwriter Bronte was hailed as the next big thing-until she threw herself off her tenth-floor balcony.
Hyper-intuitive mortuary technician Cassie Raven is shocked to see Bronte turn up on her autopsy table. The two of them were classmates until an incident that prompted Bronte's sudden exit from school, which has haunted Cassie for years.
Bronte was battling personal demons and paparazzi alike, but she was on the brink of international stardom. Why would she kill herself?
Amid frenzied speculation by the tabloids and online ""detectives,"" Cassie finds herself drawn dangerously deep into Bronte's personal life-her warring parents, her druggie boyfriend, and the sharks that cruise the music biz.
To make amends now and avoid Bronte's fate, Cassie must work out who to trust-and who to fear . . .
"
"Being attuned to the last thoughts of the dead is a gift-but also a curse . . .
Talented yet troubled, singer-songwriter Bronte was hailed as the next big thing-until she threw herself off her tenth-floor balcony.
Hyper-intuitive mortuary technician Cassie Raven is shocked to see Bronte turn up on her autopsy table. The two of them were classmates until an incident that prompted Bronte's sudden exit from school, which has haunted Cassie for years.
Bronte was battling personal demons and paparazzi alike, but she was on the brink of international stardom. Why would she kill herself?
Amid frenzied speculation by the tabloids and online ""detectives,"" Cassie finds herself drawn dangerously deep into Bronte's personal life-her warring parents, her druggie boyfriend, and the sharks that cruise the music biz.
To make amends now and avoid Bronte's fate, Cassie must work out who to trust-and who to fear . . .
"
9 pages, Audible Audio
First published July 18, 2024
46 people are currently reading
513 people want to read
About the author
A.K. Turner
6 books211 followersA.K.A. Anya Lipska
A K Turner likes to create memorable characters, throw them into unusual settings, and add a hefty dose of murder and a twisty-turny plot. Her latest book, Body Language, introduces a new kind of forensic heroine - a crime-solving Goth-girl mortuary technician who talks to the dead, a character first launched in two crime shorts aired on BBC Radio 4. A K's previous series, written under the pen name Anya Lipska, starred a London-based Polish fixer who's happy to crack heads to solve crimes - which saw her being selected for Val McDermid's prestigious New Blood Panel at Harrogate Crime Festival in 2012.
A K (aka Ali) lives in East London where she is writing more mortuary-set mysteries. Her day job is producing TV documentaries on true crime and science topics. And just for light relief she is training to be a City of London guide...
Read more about A K's books over at www.anyalipska.com where you can sign up to her newsletter for news and giveaways.
A K Turner likes to create memorable characters, throw them into unusual settings, and add a hefty dose of murder and a twisty-turny plot. Her latest book, Body Language, introduces a new kind of forensic heroine - a crime-solving Goth-girl mortuary technician who talks to the dead, a character first launched in two crime shorts aired on BBC Radio 4. A K's previous series, written under the pen name Anya Lipska, starred a London-based Polish fixer who's happy to crack heads to solve crimes - which saw her being selected for Val McDermid's prestigious New Blood Panel at Harrogate Crime Festival in 2012.
A K (aka Ali) lives in East London where she is writing more mortuary-set mysteries. Her day job is producing TV documentaries on true crime and science topics. And just for light relief she is training to be a City of London guide...
Read more about A K's books over at www.anyalipska.com where you can sign up to her newsletter for news and giveaways.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 57 reviews
September 14, 2024
Ugh, I need more people to read Cassie Raven. The series is set in Camden Town, the "haven of counter culture" in London, and yet it manages to feel like a small town even within a big city. Cassie is a mortician's assistant, who is often pigeonholed by her goth appearance and prickliness, but she is careful, intelligent, and treats the deceased in her care with the utmost respect--and even tenderness. This particular case involves the sudden death of a young singer, with the parallels to one of Camden's most famous residents, Amy Winehouse, acknowledged.
I’ve learned to keep my expectations in check with most series as they progress, but this one keeps delivering with interesting crimes, methodical police procedurals, fascinating forensic and medical science, quietly compelling characters, and above all, steadfast compassion and empathy for both the dead and the living. I read so many thrillers that are so focused on the "gotcha" shock factor and completely ignore what makes stories interesting—the people, their lives, and their motivations. This series never forgets that behind every crime, there are human beings in pain, and that there are professionals who are doing their best to honor them. I also appreciate how the author, through Cassie’s matter-of-fact gentleness and humane treatment of the bodies she cares for, demystifies death and shakes off the revulsion and ghoulishness we so often associate with it. Probably my favorite thriller/mystery series discovery of the last few years.
Audio Notes: Ellie Kendrick’s voice and delivery are absolute perfection. She narrates with both subtlety and feeling—a really great match of voice actor and text. I can’t imagine anyone else as Cassie, and I hope she narrates many more audiobooks to come.
I’ve learned to keep my expectations in check with most series as they progress, but this one keeps delivering with interesting crimes, methodical police procedurals, fascinating forensic and medical science, quietly compelling characters, and above all, steadfast compassion and empathy for both the dead and the living. I read so many thrillers that are so focused on the "gotcha" shock factor and completely ignore what makes stories interesting—the people, their lives, and their motivations. This series never forgets that behind every crime, there are human beings in pain, and that there are professionals who are doing their best to honor them. I also appreciate how the author, through Cassie’s matter-of-fact gentleness and humane treatment of the bodies she cares for, demystifies death and shakes off the revulsion and ghoulishness we so often associate with it. Probably my favorite thriller/mystery series discovery of the last few years.
Audio Notes: Ellie Kendrick’s voice and delivery are absolute perfection. She narrates with both subtlety and feeling—a really great match of voice actor and text. I can’t imagine anyone else as Cassie, and I hope she narrates many more audiobooks to come.
August 25, 2024
I love Cassie Raven series. There's something strangely compelling about those books. Yes, it's the cases, it's the smart writing, but most of all, it's Cassie herself. Smart, witty, strong, vurnerable, quirky, just a perfect lead.
Dead Fall is a brilliant book. The case itself not as straight-forward as it first seems, Cassie's connection to the victim, shared past, there are so many great aspects to the story.
There are also all the characters. A.K. Turner writes people brilliantly. We have Cassie, we have her grandmother and other people who are given their own voices. It's all so so good.
I love those books and highly recommend them.
Dead Fall is a brilliant book. The case itself not as straight-forward as it first seems, Cassie's connection to the victim, shared past, there are so many great aspects to the story.
There are also all the characters. A.K. Turner writes people brilliantly. We have Cassie, we have her grandmother and other people who are given their own voices. It's all so so good.
I love those books and highly recommend them.
July 15, 2024
This is a great crime thriller.
I love Cassie and the role she plays in these books, as she’s definitely more than a mortuary assistant.
When a woman is brought in to the mortuary Cassie realises she used to go to school with her and finds it hard to believe she committed suicide.
Flyte is now working for internal investigations but is asked to look into Bronte’s case so visits Cassie to ask some questions. She’s working with a Detective and soon they realise there’s more to this case than a suicide.
Cassie helps Flyte get the answers she needs but then they are left with a predicament on their hands.
This is a great crime thriller that I’d highly recommend.
Thanks to Bonnier Books and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book.
I love Cassie and the role she plays in these books, as she’s definitely more than a mortuary assistant.
When a woman is brought in to the mortuary Cassie realises she used to go to school with her and finds it hard to believe she committed suicide.
Flyte is now working for internal investigations but is asked to look into Bronte’s case so visits Cassie to ask some questions. She’s working with a Detective and soon they realise there’s more to this case than a suicide.
Cassie helps Flyte get the answers she needs but then they are left with a predicament on their hands.
This is a great crime thriller that I’d highly recommend.
Thanks to Bonnier Books and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book.
August 21, 2024
Brilliant as usual from A. K. Turner.
Cassie Raven, APT in the mortuary at Camden, gets herself embroiled in the supposed suicide of an old schoolmate. Sophia, or Bronte as she's known to her adoring multitude of fans, is a rising star in the music industry and has inexplicably hurled herself from her apartment balcony to her death.
Former DS, Phyllida Flyte, Cassie's one-time nemesis but now friend and sometimes colleague, appears in her new role working as an investigator for the IOPC, hopefully bringing her experience as an ex-officer in the MET to bring rogue police officers into line.
Phyllida and Cassie begin to look into the death of Bronte together with DI "Streaky " Bacon, a large ginger haired copper who turns out to have surprisingly redeeming qualities.
Cassie's secret quality of "speaking" to the cadavers in the mortuary once again gives her insights into the life of Bronte.
The novel fairly flew along with a few good twists and turns, and I was sorry to find I'd reached the end.
Can't wait for the next in the series.
Cassie Raven, APT in the mortuary at Camden, gets herself embroiled in the supposed suicide of an old schoolmate. Sophia, or Bronte as she's known to her adoring multitude of fans, is a rising star in the music industry and has inexplicably hurled herself from her apartment balcony to her death.
Former DS, Phyllida Flyte, Cassie's one-time nemesis but now friend and sometimes colleague, appears in her new role working as an investigator for the IOPC, hopefully bringing her experience as an ex-officer in the MET to bring rogue police officers into line.
Phyllida and Cassie begin to look into the death of Bronte together with DI "Streaky " Bacon, a large ginger haired copper who turns out to have surprisingly redeeming qualities.
Cassie's secret quality of "speaking" to the cadavers in the mortuary once again gives her insights into the life of Bronte.
The novel fairly flew along with a few good twists and turns, and I was sorry to find I'd reached the end.
Can't wait for the next in the series.
June 9, 2024
I only discovered Cassie Raven last year and I was excited to see a new book coming. In case you haven't caught on yet, goth Cassie is a mortuary technician working in trendy Camden, in London. Living on a canal boat with her cat, she has weathered a lot in her life so far, which gives her sympathy for the casualties of life who wash up, as it were, on the mortuary slab - and a natural antipathy for powers and principalities such as her own managers, or then local police.
Cassie also has a special talent - the ability (sometimes) to hear the dead, enabling her to resolve issues for her deceased clients. Such as solving their murders.
A supernatural twist like this could easily be overdone, made into a Get Out of Jail Free card, but Turner resists this. She uses the idea in these books with great subtlety. Cassie gets hints and feelings from the dead, not their detailed memoirs. It is, though, enough to spur her on to pursue justice where it seems to be lacking. This special sense is though somehow bound up with Cassie's own rather traumatic past, so she's very alert to the danger of simply projecting her own feelings onto the corpses she encounters in her job.
And in Dead Fall, she needs to be. Local up-and-coming young singer Bronte, who has apparently taken her own life, is someone Cassie had unfinished business with from way back - unfinished business that leaves her feeling guilty, and means there is a real risk that she's turning nothing into something when she concludes that Bronte was, in fact, murdered. Nevertheless, she's not going to fail Bronte a second time, so Cassie begins to look into the girl's troubled life and background.
In a novel that therefore explores the pressures of fame and success - and the exploitative nature of the music industry - Turner therefore riffs off Camden's reputation as an edgy, creative but diverse sort of place as well as well as documenting the hounding, online and offline, of a vulnerable young woman. Of course in the background is the tragedy that befell Amy Winehouse, another notable Camden figure as well as the prurient interest of the Press, the fans - and the bitter attentions of patriarchy.
In Dead Fall we therefore get a real zinger of a story: a perplexing mystery with a very contemporary edge, one which draws on a very human tragedy. At the same time Cassie is trying to make sense of her relationship the genial, Hooray Henryish Archie, a wealthy doctor who wants to take her out of Camden to a life in his own wholesome, rural milieu. There's a struggle for integrity too, I think, with Cassie also tempted by ex DS Phyllida Flyte. Buttoned up Flyte recently came out as gay, and there's a real romantic tension between the two women, a tension even more piquant because of Cassie dilates for police. Given the circumstances in which Phyllida left the Force in the last book, Case Sensitive, it's perhaps a little unlikely that she would be involved in a Camden case, as she is here, so soon, but I can let that go given the edge that her and Cassie's relationship brings to these books.
All in all, another great episode in this series and I can't rate it highly enough. Get this one ordered ion.
Cassie also has a special talent - the ability (sometimes) to hear the dead, enabling her to resolve issues for her deceased clients. Such as solving their murders.
A supernatural twist like this could easily be overdone, made into a Get Out of Jail Free card, but Turner resists this. She uses the idea in these books with great subtlety. Cassie gets hints and feelings from the dead, not their detailed memoirs. It is, though, enough to spur her on to pursue justice where it seems to be lacking. This special sense is though somehow bound up with Cassie's own rather traumatic past, so she's very alert to the danger of simply projecting her own feelings onto the corpses she encounters in her job.
And in Dead Fall, she needs to be. Local up-and-coming young singer Bronte, who has apparently taken her own life, is someone Cassie had unfinished business with from way back - unfinished business that leaves her feeling guilty, and means there is a real risk that she's turning nothing into something when she concludes that Bronte was, in fact, murdered. Nevertheless, she's not going to fail Bronte a second time, so Cassie begins to look into the girl's troubled life and background.
In a novel that therefore explores the pressures of fame and success - and the exploitative nature of the music industry - Turner therefore riffs off Camden's reputation as an edgy, creative but diverse sort of place as well as well as documenting the hounding, online and offline, of a vulnerable young woman. Of course in the background is the tragedy that befell Amy Winehouse, another notable Camden figure as well as the prurient interest of the Press, the fans - and the bitter attentions of patriarchy.
In Dead Fall we therefore get a real zinger of a story: a perplexing mystery with a very contemporary edge, one which draws on a very human tragedy. At the same time Cassie is trying to make sense of her relationship the genial, Hooray Henryish Archie, a wealthy doctor who wants to take her out of Camden to a life in his own wholesome, rural milieu. There's a struggle for integrity too, I think, with Cassie also tempted by ex DS Phyllida Flyte. Buttoned up Flyte recently came out as gay, and there's a real romantic tension between the two women, a tension even more piquant because of Cassie dilates for police. Given the circumstances in which Phyllida left the Force in the last book, Case Sensitive, it's perhaps a little unlikely that she would be involved in a Camden case, as she is here, so soon, but I can let that go given the edge that her and Cassie's relationship brings to these books.
All in all, another great episode in this series and I can't rate it highly enough. Get this one ordered ion.
May 24, 2025
Gripping, smart, and darkly compelling
Dead Fall is another triumph in the Cassie Raven series. A.K. Turner once again delivers a gritty, twist-laden thriller, blending forensic intrigue with sharp dialogue and a protagonist you can’t help but root for. Cassie is as rebellious and intuitive as ever, and the tension never lets up. The London/Camden setting is vivid, the pacing tight, and the plot satisfyingly layered. Perfect for fans of character-driven crime fiction with an edge.
Dead Fall is another triumph in the Cassie Raven series. A.K. Turner once again delivers a gritty, twist-laden thriller, blending forensic intrigue with sharp dialogue and a protagonist you can’t help but root for. Cassie is as rebellious and intuitive as ever, and the tension never lets up. The London/Camden setting is vivid, the pacing tight, and the plot satisfyingly layered. Perfect for fans of character-driven crime fiction with an edge.
August 24, 2024
This is one of my very favourite series and I can’t recommend it enough. The main characters of Cassie and Flyte are such great creations and i absolutely adore their relationship-it’s been developed perfectly throughout the series!
Dead Fall follows Cassie as she attends to the body of a suspected suicide and realises that she knows the deceased from school. They weren’t friends but they had history. Cassie is very sensitive to the feelings of the dead but here the personal connection really does affect her more than usual. She’s like no other investigator I’ve met before and that’s what makes this series so special-I really do love her so much! The relationship with Flyte isn’t the only connection that makes her such a relatable character. There’s her grandmother and also her father and although their interactions don’t take up much of the storyline, they form an important part of who Cassie is.
The storyline line was an emotional one at times, kept interesting enough for me to struggle to put the book down and took some unexpected twists and turns. It’s hard to pick my favourite book of the series but this one is definitely a contender! More please!
Dead Fall follows Cassie as she attends to the body of a suspected suicide and realises that she knows the deceased from school. They weren’t friends but they had history. Cassie is very sensitive to the feelings of the dead but here the personal connection really does affect her more than usual. She’s like no other investigator I’ve met before and that’s what makes this series so special-I really do love her so much! The relationship with Flyte isn’t the only connection that makes her such a relatable character. There’s her grandmother and also her father and although their interactions don’t take up much of the storyline, they form an important part of who Cassie is.
The storyline line was an emotional one at times, kept interesting enough for me to struggle to put the book down and took some unexpected twists and turns. It’s hard to pick my favourite book of the series but this one is definitely a contender! More please!
July 3, 2024
We're now into book #4 of this amazing series, and with each new book, I just love Cassie Raven even more.
Cassie Raven is an unusual Mortuary Technician. Not only does she go above and beyond for her 'guests', often staying with them overnight to keep them company, but she has a very special yet secret talent.... she hears them!
Cassie is a bit of a loner, with her goth appearance, tattoos, and piercings. She may look intimidating, but she has the kindest soul, amazing apathy, and is just 'misunderstood' .
If you haven't yet read the previous books, please do... not only because they are truly worth every second of reading them, but they give a real backstory of Cassie that I think is worth knowing *no spoilers*
In book #4, the mortuary receives a new guest, someone that Cassie recognises from her unhappy school days. Bronte, an up and coming music star, who was known to Cassie as Sophia. Sophia also suffered at school, and Cassie feels there is unfinished business.
Thought to have been a suicide, something feels off to Cassie, her injuries don't line up with what she expects so when Brontes voice mutters "I don't want to die", she knows she needs to find answers.
Now an ex officer, Phyllida Flyte, is brought back into the fold. Whilst their last parting wasn't on the best of terms, there is still an underlying flirtatious tension between them but can they stop butting heads and get back on track to get justice for Bronte and her family?
This is one hell of a read that leaves your head swimming with twists galore. It's definitely a perplexing plot that is also really informative on the mortuary procedures that I love.
Huge thanks to Netgalley and Bonnier Books for the ARC.
Cassie Raven is an unusual Mortuary Technician. Not only does she go above and beyond for her 'guests', often staying with them overnight to keep them company, but she has a very special yet secret talent.... she hears them!
Cassie is a bit of a loner, with her goth appearance, tattoos, and piercings. She may look intimidating, but she has the kindest soul, amazing apathy, and is just 'misunderstood' .
If you haven't yet read the previous books, please do... not only because they are truly worth every second of reading them, but they give a real backstory of Cassie that I think is worth knowing *no spoilers*
In book #4, the mortuary receives a new guest, someone that Cassie recognises from her unhappy school days. Bronte, an up and coming music star, who was known to Cassie as Sophia. Sophia also suffered at school, and Cassie feels there is unfinished business.
Thought to have been a suicide, something feels off to Cassie, her injuries don't line up with what she expects so when Brontes voice mutters "I don't want to die", she knows she needs to find answers.
Now an ex officer, Phyllida Flyte, is brought back into the fold. Whilst their last parting wasn't on the best of terms, there is still an underlying flirtatious tension between them but can they stop butting heads and get back on track to get justice for Bronte and her family?
This is one hell of a read that leaves your head swimming with twists galore. It's definitely a perplexing plot that is also really informative on the mortuary procedures that I love.
Huge thanks to Netgalley and Bonnier Books for the ARC.
February 24, 2025
This is the first book in the series that I've read and really started to enjoy the characters featured in the book, especially Cassie and Flyte. A body falls from an apartment and is ruled as suicide. However, doubt is quickly cast upon this case and it becomes a potential murder investigation. Will it be uncovered and the perpetrator brought to justice?
March 29, 2025
Listened on audible - so good, I loved these characters and a really good story, the subsidiary characters are well drawn and developed and as a bonus they are so well narrated, I’d been saving this 4th instalment for a while and it was great, am already looking forward to seeing where cassie (and Philyda) go next
April 10, 2025
I love the main characters but I couldn't focus on the plot. And it was such an awful story...😢😥
The narrator was fantastic.
The narrator was fantastic.
January 11, 2026
I've read and really enjoyed the other books in the Cassie Raven series, so when I spotted Dead Fall on audiobook, I thought I'd give it a listen.
Morgue technician Cassie Raven is tasked to look after the body of a young up-and-coming musician, Bronte, who was thought to have died by suicide. She quickly realises it was a woman she'd gone to school with. Cassie doesn't believe it's suicide and with her unique ability of talking to the dead, and a little help from former detective turned internal investigator Phyllida Flyte, she digs into the case.
Honestly, I keep coming back to this series because of Cassie and Flyte. Cassie has a lot of emotional baggage and a tendency to act before she thinks, which pairs perfectly with the solid and dependable Flyte.
I loved the chemistry between Cassie and Flyte! They've always had a will they, won't they, thing going on, but the attraction between the pair became a lot more obvious during this book.
I would say that the mystery wasn't as strong for me in this book. There didn't seem to be as much intrigue as in previous novels. Then there was the character of Bronte, which seemed to be heavily inspired by Amy Winehouse, which just put me off a little.
A solid crime thriller, with a unique premise and characters who you can't help but root for.
March 22, 2025
Cassie Raven and Phylida Flyte return, this time investigating the seeming suicide of troubled pop star Bronte.
The story explores difficult family relationships, and the parallels allow Cassie to appreciate the growing importance of her father in her life. Meanwhile, Flyte is struggling to settle into her new role, investigating the police, and welcomes the chance to do a bit of detective work again, bringing her back into contact with Cassie.
There were some really good themes and ideas in this book, although the central mystery was a bit obvious. I felt the school connection between Cassie and Bronte was a little contrived and didn't really add to the plot, but the friendship Cassie developed with Bronte's mother was beautifully written.
I really disliked the way Cassie's relationship with Archie was handled. In a series in which character development is normally so good, this felt false and out of step with the rest of the series. Cassie's reverse snobbery was out of character, and Archie just ended up as a clichéd posh boy. If the author wanted to move in a different direction with Cassie's relationship, that's fine, but make it believable.
The absolute best thing about this book, however, was the introduction of DI 'Streaky' Bacon. He was a man of hidden depths!! I'm looking forward to lots more from him in future books.
The story explores difficult family relationships, and the parallels allow Cassie to appreciate the growing importance of her father in her life. Meanwhile, Flyte is struggling to settle into her new role, investigating the police, and welcomes the chance to do a bit of detective work again, bringing her back into contact with Cassie.
There were some really good themes and ideas in this book, although the central mystery was a bit obvious. I felt the school connection between Cassie and Bronte was a little contrived and didn't really add to the plot, but the friendship Cassie developed with Bronte's mother was beautifully written.
I really disliked the way Cassie's relationship with Archie was handled. In a series in which character development is normally so good, this felt false and out of step with the rest of the series. Cassie's reverse snobbery was out of character, and Archie just ended up as a clichéd posh boy. If the author wanted to move in a different direction with Cassie's relationship, that's fine, but make it believable.
The absolute best thing about this book, however, was the introduction of DI 'Streaky' Bacon. He was a man of hidden depths!! I'm looking forward to lots more from him in future books.
July 9, 2024
Cassie Raven is a Pathologist Technician who shows great care for the recently dead. So much empathy that she can occasionally connect with them, hearing their last thoughts.
Phyllida Flyte is a former Detective who is now working for the Police Complaints, investigating mis-handled cases.
The pair of them collide when the body of Sophia is discovered next to the canal at the foot of a block of flats. Initially dismissed as a suicide by the attending Sergeant, Cassie 'hears' Sophia's calls for help whilst in the mortuary leading her to believe this was not a suicide.
A media circus outside the mortuary causes the Police concern when they realise this is a 'Celebrity' death. Sophia is actually up and coming music sensation, 'Bronte'. Who's life was frequently in the headlines due to her drink, drugs and reportedly abusive boyfriend, Ethan.
The case is handed over to Flyte following a complaint from 'Bronte's' mum at the initial mis-handling of the case. Can Flyte find the killer, now 10days has passed, the crime scene now cold?
What follows is a story of Cassie's love-life and her attraction to her Current boyfriend, Bronte's ex-boyfriend and also Flyte. There is a need to flesh out the back story of characters but I did feel there was too much love interest for Cassie. If they had a pulse, she was interested.
Cassie's occasional fantasy of hearing the voices of the dead isn't much of a distraction. Whilst its an interesting concept, it has been done better elsewhere but it certainly doesn't distract from the story. It's not overdone and is used sparingly to help the narrative.
For me, the highlight of this book is Phyllida Flyte and her working relationship with DI Bacon (Streaky). With Flyte no longer being a Detective she has to let Bacon take the lead. Something she is clearly at odds with.
This was my introduction to the world of Cassie Raven and its clear that their is an interesting backstory that is touched on in this book. The story of her mum and dad is one I would like to hear more of, her being murdered and the dad being imprisoned for it have obviously been told in a previous novel.
Whilst this was an entertaining read with an interesting plot and unique motives, I would suggest it wise to read earlier Cassie Raven novels before picking up this one.
Thank you to AK Turner and publishers Zaffre, for providing a free copy of this book for review consideration via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.
Phyllida Flyte is a former Detective who is now working for the Police Complaints, investigating mis-handled cases.
The pair of them collide when the body of Sophia is discovered next to the canal at the foot of a block of flats. Initially dismissed as a suicide by the attending Sergeant, Cassie 'hears' Sophia's calls for help whilst in the mortuary leading her to believe this was not a suicide.
A media circus outside the mortuary causes the Police concern when they realise this is a 'Celebrity' death. Sophia is actually up and coming music sensation, 'Bronte'. Who's life was frequently in the headlines due to her drink, drugs and reportedly abusive boyfriend, Ethan.
The case is handed over to Flyte following a complaint from 'Bronte's' mum at the initial mis-handling of the case. Can Flyte find the killer, now 10days has passed, the crime scene now cold?
What follows is a story of Cassie's love-life and her attraction to her Current boyfriend, Bronte's ex-boyfriend and also Flyte. There is a need to flesh out the back story of characters but I did feel there was too much love interest for Cassie. If they had a pulse, she was interested.
Cassie's occasional fantasy of hearing the voices of the dead isn't much of a distraction. Whilst its an interesting concept, it has been done better elsewhere but it certainly doesn't distract from the story. It's not overdone and is used sparingly to help the narrative.
For me, the highlight of this book is Phyllida Flyte and her working relationship with DI Bacon (Streaky). With Flyte no longer being a Detective she has to let Bacon take the lead. Something she is clearly at odds with.
This was my introduction to the world of Cassie Raven and its clear that their is an interesting backstory that is touched on in this book. The story of her mum and dad is one I would like to hear more of, her being murdered and the dad being imprisoned for it have obviously been told in a previous novel.
Whilst this was an entertaining read with an interesting plot and unique motives, I would suggest it wise to read earlier Cassie Raven novels before picking up this one.
Thank you to AK Turner and publishers Zaffre, for providing a free copy of this book for review consideration via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.
July 25, 2024
Set in Camden, London, Cassie is an Anatomical Pathology Technician in a hospital mortuary, and often “hears” the guests in her cold store which sometimes provides otherwise unknown clues as to how they died. Walking to work one day, her path is blocked by the gruesome aftermath of a woman who has plummeted ten floors to her death, and to her shock at work she opens a body bag to discover it’s Sophia Angelopoulos, a girl she knew at school, a bit of an outsider at the time but who has now reached minor celebrity status by having a massive hit song on TikTok. Known as Bronte, she appears to have emulated Amy Winehouse, both in life and in death. Another member of the 27 club. Cassie thinks the local police have been inept and too quick to call it a suicide, Bronte’s corpse calls out to Cassie and the girl’s parents, spurred on by an amateur online detective, demand that the police are investigated by the IOPC. Enter Phyllida Flyte in her new role who jumps at the chance of looking into a live case again. As the police open a murder investigation, soon the pair are joining up once more, together with the very likable DI “Streaky” Bacon, to find out what really happened on the flat’s balcony.
The relationship between Cassie and Flyte is complex, a result of their shared history, but both ladies are clever, gifted and tenacious when they have a crime to solve, and the “will they/won’t they” frisson between them continues throughout the story. I loved the character of Streaky, proof that you should never judge a book by its cover. There’s warmth and humour in the book, coupled with an engrossing storyline that features plenty of suspects and clues for the reader in a gripping solid police procedural enhanced by the added dimension of Cassie’s work. I thoroughly enjoyed this story, the first one I have read in the series, and I will definitely be going back to read the first three books with hopefully more to come in the future.
The relationship between Cassie and Flyte is complex, a result of their shared history, but both ladies are clever, gifted and tenacious when they have a crime to solve, and the “will they/won’t they” frisson between them continues throughout the story. I loved the character of Streaky, proof that you should never judge a book by its cover. There’s warmth and humour in the book, coupled with an engrossing storyline that features plenty of suspects and clues for the reader in a gripping solid police procedural enhanced by the added dimension of Cassie’s work. I thoroughly enjoyed this story, the first one I have read in the series, and I will definitely be going back to read the first three books with hopefully more to come in the future.
July 26, 2024
Cassie Raven's world is Camden: a part of London which, despite being a byword for cool, does not often feature in fiction. Her workplace is the area's mortuary where she is an anatomical pathology technician, or APT, and she lives on a houseboat on the canal (with a boyfriend who is really too tall to enjoy the experience...).
The latest arrival in her fridge shocks Cassie: Sophia, aka Bronte, was a former high school classmate who became a rising star in the music world. She apparently jumped from the balcony of her apartment to her death aged just 27. Bronte's parents, Chrysanthi and George, are estranged and both deep in grief. But their daughter's death doesn't bring them closer, instead their animosity rekindles.
DS Phillida Flyte, an acquaintance of Cassie's who was in previous novels a Met Police officer, is now part of the Independent Office for Police Conduct - still investigating bad guys, but now just making recommendations rather than slapping the cuffs on. She is asked to investigate the Camden cops' investigation, for which she is teamed up with DI Alvin "Streaky" Bacon, who appears to be a throwback to a more neanderthal era of policing but has hidden depths that are often joyously entertaining.
Cassie is led to a discovery that strongly suggests Bronte didn't throw herself off the balcony at all, and Flyte and Bacon find details the first investigators missed. But it's the details of the why that take the breath away, with long-held secrets spilling poison down the generations.
For a novel that deals with crime and the realities of death, Dead Fall is remarkably warm and uplifting as all the cast have both dark thoughts about the case and lighter moments with friends and family, and Cassie and the cops in particular care deeply for those they deal with. These are characters I have enjoyed spending time with and the series is definitely one that will be reread so I can visit them again.
The latest arrival in her fridge shocks Cassie: Sophia, aka Bronte, was a former high school classmate who became a rising star in the music world. She apparently jumped from the balcony of her apartment to her death aged just 27. Bronte's parents, Chrysanthi and George, are estranged and both deep in grief. But their daughter's death doesn't bring them closer, instead their animosity rekindles.
DS Phillida Flyte, an acquaintance of Cassie's who was in previous novels a Met Police officer, is now part of the Independent Office for Police Conduct - still investigating bad guys, but now just making recommendations rather than slapping the cuffs on. She is asked to investigate the Camden cops' investigation, for which she is teamed up with DI Alvin "Streaky" Bacon, who appears to be a throwback to a more neanderthal era of policing but has hidden depths that are often joyously entertaining.
Cassie is led to a discovery that strongly suggests Bronte didn't throw herself off the balcony at all, and Flyte and Bacon find details the first investigators missed. But it's the details of the why that take the breath away, with long-held secrets spilling poison down the generations.
For a novel that deals with crime and the realities of death, Dead Fall is remarkably warm and uplifting as all the cast have both dark thoughts about the case and lighter moments with friends and family, and Cassie and the cops in particular care deeply for those they deal with. These are characters I have enjoyed spending time with and the series is definitely one that will be reread so I can visit them again.
November 25, 2025
Mit "Was die Toten sehen“ setzt A.K. Turner ihre außergewöhnliche Thrillerreihe rund um die Pathologieassistentin Cassie Raven und Ex-Polizistin Phyllida Flyte gekonnt fort. Auch der vierte Band bleibt der bisherigen Messlatte treu: Es wird spannend, emotional und ungewöhnlich perspektivisch.
Phyllida hat sich nach ihrer Polizeikarriere dem IOPC angeschlossen – einer Behörde, die sich mit Fehlverhalten innerhalb der Polizei befasst. Was zunächst nach einem sinnvollen Neuanfang klingt, entpuppt sich schnell als ernüchternd. Doch als sich der Tod des berühmten Musikstars Bronte ereignet, kreuzt sich ihr Weg erneut mit Cassies – und das Schicksal nimmt seinen Lauf.
Die besondere Stärke dieser Reihe liegt im Ermittlungsansatz: Cassie hat ein feines Gespür für Details, die anderen verborgen bleiben – nicht zuletzt, weil sie mit den Toten auf eine sehr eigene Art „kommuniziert“. Ihre Gabe wird von der Autorin eindrucksvoll, aber stets glaubwürdig dargestellt, ohne in Übernatürliches abzudriften.
Zitat S. 12:
„Cassie hatte schon immer mit den Toten in ihrer Obhut geredet, als wären sie noch am Leben. Die Leichenhalle hatte sie stets als ein Schattenland betrachtet, in dem die kürzlich Verstorbenen zwischen Leben und Tod hingen."
Die Handlung rund um Brontes Tod ist spannend konstruiert, mit klugen Wendungen und vielschichtigen Figuren. Besonders gelungen ist, wie A.K. Turner auch das Privatleben ihrer beiden Hauptfiguren nicht ausspart und deren persönliche Entwicklung über die Bände hinweg sichtbar macht.
Zwar ist die Grundhandlung auch ohne Vorkenntnisse verständlich, doch für den vollen emotionalen Tiefgang empfiehlt sich, die Reihe chronologisch zu lesen.
Fazit: Ein fesselnder Thriller mit ungewöhnlicher Perspektive, komplexen Figuren und einer Ermittlerin, die den Toten eine Stimme gibt. "Was die Toten sehen" überzeugt durch Tiefgang, Spannung und Authentizität – eine Leseempfehlung für Fans kluger, emotionaler Thriller.
Phyllida hat sich nach ihrer Polizeikarriere dem IOPC angeschlossen – einer Behörde, die sich mit Fehlverhalten innerhalb der Polizei befasst. Was zunächst nach einem sinnvollen Neuanfang klingt, entpuppt sich schnell als ernüchternd. Doch als sich der Tod des berühmten Musikstars Bronte ereignet, kreuzt sich ihr Weg erneut mit Cassies – und das Schicksal nimmt seinen Lauf.
Die besondere Stärke dieser Reihe liegt im Ermittlungsansatz: Cassie hat ein feines Gespür für Details, die anderen verborgen bleiben – nicht zuletzt, weil sie mit den Toten auf eine sehr eigene Art „kommuniziert“. Ihre Gabe wird von der Autorin eindrucksvoll, aber stets glaubwürdig dargestellt, ohne in Übernatürliches abzudriften.
Zitat S. 12:
„Cassie hatte schon immer mit den Toten in ihrer Obhut geredet, als wären sie noch am Leben. Die Leichenhalle hatte sie stets als ein Schattenland betrachtet, in dem die kürzlich Verstorbenen zwischen Leben und Tod hingen."
Die Handlung rund um Brontes Tod ist spannend konstruiert, mit klugen Wendungen und vielschichtigen Figuren. Besonders gelungen ist, wie A.K. Turner auch das Privatleben ihrer beiden Hauptfiguren nicht ausspart und deren persönliche Entwicklung über die Bände hinweg sichtbar macht.
Zwar ist die Grundhandlung auch ohne Vorkenntnisse verständlich, doch für den vollen emotionalen Tiefgang empfiehlt sich, die Reihe chronologisch zu lesen.
Fazit: Ein fesselnder Thriller mit ungewöhnlicher Perspektive, komplexen Figuren und einer Ermittlerin, die den Toten eine Stimme gibt. "Was die Toten sehen" überzeugt durch Tiefgang, Spannung und Authentizität – eine Leseempfehlung für Fans kluger, emotionaler Thriller.
July 28, 2024
This book, the 4th in the Cassie Raven series, is as good as the others, which is saying a lot.
Cassie is a twenty-something mortuary technician in Camden, a neighbourhood in north London. Her “special power” — if it exists — is that the dead speak to her. Not literally; this isn’t Stephen King. But when she’s taking care of her “guests” in the mortuary, some of whom have been murdered, she often feels that they are speaking to her. And she learns things that more experienced pathologists and police don’t pick up.
Unlike so many series of this kind, Raven is rarely in physical danger, and some of the stories have a Holmesian edge to them — she sees clues, and we see them as well, and by following the logic, we can guess who may have committed the crime, and how.
Raven is a very appealing character, a bit of a cross between Lisbeth Salander and Hercule Poirot, and the supporting cast are well-drawn and appealing — Cassie’s Polish grandmother who raised her (and who, while living in Poland battled the Stalinists — and the author actually uses the word “Stalinists”); the ice-cold blonde police detective Phyllida Flyte; and a newcomer, but very appealing DI Alvin “Streaky” Bacon. (OK, the author is having WAY too much fun with names here.)
Turner has captured a lot of the essence of London, and north London in particular. Very few of her characters are the kinds of people who would pop up in an Agatha Christie novel — in fact, Cassie Raven would rather be dead than live in the idyllic English countryside. Her Polish grandmother is forever preparing Polish food, the victim in this book is of Greek Cypriot origins, and one can almost smell the cooking and hear the accented English. Welcome to one of the most culturally diverse cities in the world.
A wonderful series — may it long continue.
Cassie is a twenty-something mortuary technician in Camden, a neighbourhood in north London. Her “special power” — if it exists — is that the dead speak to her. Not literally; this isn’t Stephen King. But when she’s taking care of her “guests” in the mortuary, some of whom have been murdered, she often feels that they are speaking to her. And she learns things that more experienced pathologists and police don’t pick up.
Unlike so many series of this kind, Raven is rarely in physical danger, and some of the stories have a Holmesian edge to them — she sees clues, and we see them as well, and by following the logic, we can guess who may have committed the crime, and how.
Raven is a very appealing character, a bit of a cross between Lisbeth Salander and Hercule Poirot, and the supporting cast are well-drawn and appealing — Cassie’s Polish grandmother who raised her (and who, while living in Poland battled the Stalinists — and the author actually uses the word “Stalinists”); the ice-cold blonde police detective Phyllida Flyte; and a newcomer, but very appealing DI Alvin “Streaky” Bacon. (OK, the author is having WAY too much fun with names here.)
Turner has captured a lot of the essence of London, and north London in particular. Very few of her characters are the kinds of people who would pop up in an Agatha Christie novel — in fact, Cassie Raven would rather be dead than live in the idyllic English countryside. Her Polish grandmother is forever preparing Polish food, the victim in this book is of Greek Cypriot origins, and one can almost smell the cooking and hear the accented English. Welcome to one of the most culturally diverse cities in the world.
A wonderful series — may it long continue.
July 18, 2024
Cassie Raven is back in A.K. Turner’s latest thriller, Dead Fall. A.K. Turner opens the book with the shocking discovery of the body of Bronte, a woman on the brink of stardom, and Cassie herself has connections to her from when they were both at school together. It is clear to see the impact this case has on Cassie. Cassie has a unique gift, she believes she has the ability to communicate with the dead after they’ve passed, and Cassie uses her gift to try and solve cases. It appears that Bronte may have committed suicide, but Cassie is sure someone else was behind Bronte’s death, and she is determined to get justice for her friend.
This book also sees the return of Detective Phyllida Flyte, who no longer works for the Met, but is drafted in to help with the case. Both Phyllida and Cassie are two engaging, unique characters and they are what make this series different. Cassie’s love for her job shines through on the page, and the respect that she has for the dead is really refreshing to see. Cassie still thinks of them as real people; she wants to be that person fighting for them, and making sure that the victims see justice.
Each chapter really had me gripped as the book progressed, and I tore through the book in just a couple of sittings. It was really interesting seeing Cassie and Phyllida’s relationship move forward in the book. I kept getting the sense that something might happen between the two characters, and I’m interested to see where A.K. Turner will take them both on their path next. This does add a little to the tension as well, which is what I really liked about this aspect of the book. It is clear to see that Cassie is more interested in Phyllida than Phyllida may appear to be in her. A.K. Turner does a brilliant job of getting inside their heads and we really get a sense of who they are as people, as well as their thoughts and feelings towards each other.
I am totally hooked by this series and I can’t wait to see where A.K. Turner takes us next. If you love thrillers with a supernatural edge to them, you need to read these books.
This book also sees the return of Detective Phyllida Flyte, who no longer works for the Met, but is drafted in to help with the case. Both Phyllida and Cassie are two engaging, unique characters and they are what make this series different. Cassie’s love for her job shines through on the page, and the respect that she has for the dead is really refreshing to see. Cassie still thinks of them as real people; she wants to be that person fighting for them, and making sure that the victims see justice.
Each chapter really had me gripped as the book progressed, and I tore through the book in just a couple of sittings. It was really interesting seeing Cassie and Phyllida’s relationship move forward in the book. I kept getting the sense that something might happen between the two characters, and I’m interested to see where A.K. Turner will take them both on their path next. This does add a little to the tension as well, which is what I really liked about this aspect of the book. It is clear to see that Cassie is more interested in Phyllida than Phyllida may appear to be in her. A.K. Turner does a brilliant job of getting inside their heads and we really get a sense of who they are as people, as well as their thoughts and feelings towards each other.
I am totally hooked by this series and I can’t wait to see where A.K. Turner takes us next. If you love thrillers with a supernatural edge to them, you need to read these books.
July 24, 2024
The irrepressible rule taking, risk taking, and unique Cassie Raven is back with a new 'guest' at the mortuary and a questionable cause of death to investigate.
I'm finding this one difficult to review because I don't want to spoil it. But I definitely want to shout from the rooftops about how good it is.
This thriller is one that is quite unique in that it is mostly based in and around the main character, Cassie, mortuary technician. The mortuary and the local police force that she works both with and alongside. Using her unique intuition (with the help of her guests), people skills, knowledge, and tenacity in order to try to solve unanswered questions, and provide clarity, closure, and peace to those who have gone and those left behind.
With a plotline loosely based around Amy Winehouse's life. It highlights and explores the pressure and price of fame. Dysfunctional family dynamics, secrets, bullying, love, quilt, loyalty, and the effects that social media and internet sleuths have on investigations on death and disappearances. Including the role that mortuaries have in a deceased person's journey.
It's raw, it's gritty, emotional, tense, and packed with brilliantly written and executed characters, twists, turns, bombshells, inspiration, love, relevant societal issues , friendship, police procedure, and has THE BIGGEST bombshell ending that I would never ever have guessed. Which is a testament to what an excellent and talented writer A.K. is!!
I absolutely LOVED it!! An easy 5 star read for me.
I've read the first book in the series ( I loved that too!), and I also have books 2 and 3 on my tbr. Which i am going to make it my mission to read SOON!
A.K. is most definitely an auto-buy author for me.
I'm finding this one difficult to review because I don't want to spoil it. But I definitely want to shout from the rooftops about how good it is.
This thriller is one that is quite unique in that it is mostly based in and around the main character, Cassie, mortuary technician. The mortuary and the local police force that she works both with and alongside. Using her unique intuition (with the help of her guests), people skills, knowledge, and tenacity in order to try to solve unanswered questions, and provide clarity, closure, and peace to those who have gone and those left behind.
With a plotline loosely based around Amy Winehouse's life. It highlights and explores the pressure and price of fame. Dysfunctional family dynamics, secrets, bullying, love, quilt, loyalty, and the effects that social media and internet sleuths have on investigations on death and disappearances. Including the role that mortuaries have in a deceased person's journey.
It's raw, it's gritty, emotional, tense, and packed with brilliantly written and executed characters, twists, turns, bombshells, inspiration, love, relevant societal issues , friendship, police procedure, and has THE BIGGEST bombshell ending that I would never ever have guessed. Which is a testament to what an excellent and talented writer A.K. is!!
I absolutely LOVED it!! An easy 5 star read for me.
I've read the first book in the series ( I loved that too!), and I also have books 2 and 3 on my tbr. Which i am going to make it my mission to read SOON!
A.K. is most definitely an auto-buy author for me.
December 28, 2025
Was die Toten sehen ist für mich einer der stärksten Bände der Reihe – düster, emotional und inhaltlich erstaunlich tiefgehend.
A. K. Turner schafft es erneut, Rechtsmedizin nicht als bloßes Ermittlungswerkzeug zu nutzen, sondern als Blick in das, was Menschen hinterlassen, wenn sie sterben: Spuren, Geheimnisse, Schuld.
Im Mittelpunkt steht wieder Cassie Raven, die mit ihrer direkten, kantigen Art sofort präsent ist. Der Fall führt sie zu einem rätselhaften Todesopfer, dessen Geschichte sich Schicht für Schicht entfaltet – und dabei immer unbequemer wird. Besonders stark fand ich, wie Vergangenheit und Gegenwart miteinander verknüpft werden: Es geht nicht nur um die Frage, wer getötet hat, sondern vor allem um das Warum und darum, wie sehr alte Entscheidungen noch lange nachwirken können.
Die Atmosphäre ist durchgehend dicht und beklemmend, ohne je reißerisch zu sein. Turner nimmt sich Zeit für Details, für forensische Abläufe, für Zwischentöne – und genau das macht den Roman so glaubwürdig. Gleichzeitig bleibt die Spannung konstant hoch, mit Wendungen, die nicht laut daherkommen, sondern sich langsam, fast unmerklich entfalten.
Was mir besonders gefallen hat: Die Figuren wirken verletzlich und echt. Cassie ist keine makellose Heldin, sondern jemand mit Ecken, Zweifeln und inneren Konflikten – gerade das macht sie so überzeugend. Auch das Zusammenspiel mit Flyte hat Tiefe und Entwicklung, ohne aufgesetzt zu wirken.
Ein intelligenter, atmosphärischer Thriller, der mehr ist als ein klassischer Krimi. Düster, klug erzählt und lange nachhallend. Für mich ganz klar ein Highlight der Reihe.
A. K. Turner schafft es erneut, Rechtsmedizin nicht als bloßes Ermittlungswerkzeug zu nutzen, sondern als Blick in das, was Menschen hinterlassen, wenn sie sterben: Spuren, Geheimnisse, Schuld.
Im Mittelpunkt steht wieder Cassie Raven, die mit ihrer direkten, kantigen Art sofort präsent ist. Der Fall führt sie zu einem rätselhaften Todesopfer, dessen Geschichte sich Schicht für Schicht entfaltet – und dabei immer unbequemer wird. Besonders stark fand ich, wie Vergangenheit und Gegenwart miteinander verknüpft werden: Es geht nicht nur um die Frage, wer getötet hat, sondern vor allem um das Warum und darum, wie sehr alte Entscheidungen noch lange nachwirken können.
Die Atmosphäre ist durchgehend dicht und beklemmend, ohne je reißerisch zu sein. Turner nimmt sich Zeit für Details, für forensische Abläufe, für Zwischentöne – und genau das macht den Roman so glaubwürdig. Gleichzeitig bleibt die Spannung konstant hoch, mit Wendungen, die nicht laut daherkommen, sondern sich langsam, fast unmerklich entfalten.
Was mir besonders gefallen hat: Die Figuren wirken verletzlich und echt. Cassie ist keine makellose Heldin, sondern jemand mit Ecken, Zweifeln und inneren Konflikten – gerade das macht sie so überzeugend. Auch das Zusammenspiel mit Flyte hat Tiefe und Entwicklung, ohne aufgesetzt zu wirken.
Ein intelligenter, atmosphärischer Thriller, der mehr ist als ein klassischer Krimi. Düster, klug erzählt und lange nachhallend. Für mich ganz klar ein Highlight der Reihe.
October 5, 2025
Dead Fall by A.K. Turner
I received an advance review copy for free thanks to NetGalley and Zaffre and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Blurb
Being attuned to the last thoughts of the dead is a gift - but also a curse...
Talented yet troubled, singer-songwriter Bronte was hailed as the next big thing - until she threw herself off her tenth-floor balcony. Hyper-intuitive mortuary technician Cassie Raven is shocked to see Bronte turn up on her autopsy table. The two of them were classmates until an incident that prompted Bronte's sudden exit from school, which has haunted Cassie for years. Bronte was battling personal demons and paparazzi alike, but she was on the brink of international stardom. Why would she kill herself? Amid frenzied speculation by the tabloids and online 'detectives', Cassie finds herself drawn dangerously deep into Bronte's personal life - her warring parents, her druggie boyfriend, and the sharks that cruise the music biz.
To make amends now and avoid Bronte's fate, Cassie must work out who to trust - and who to fear...
My Opinion
I am really enjoying the Cassie Raven series and this was a great addition. I have to highly recommend this series although I would recommend reading the books in the correct order. A great thriller with some well-written characters.
Rating 4/5
I received an advance review copy for free thanks to NetGalley and Zaffre and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Blurb
Being attuned to the last thoughts of the dead is a gift - but also a curse...
Talented yet troubled, singer-songwriter Bronte was hailed as the next big thing - until she threw herself off her tenth-floor balcony. Hyper-intuitive mortuary technician Cassie Raven is shocked to see Bronte turn up on her autopsy table. The two of them were classmates until an incident that prompted Bronte's sudden exit from school, which has haunted Cassie for years. Bronte was battling personal demons and paparazzi alike, but she was on the brink of international stardom. Why would she kill herself? Amid frenzied speculation by the tabloids and online 'detectives', Cassie finds herself drawn dangerously deep into Bronte's personal life - her warring parents, her druggie boyfriend, and the sharks that cruise the music biz.
To make amends now and avoid Bronte's fate, Cassie must work out who to trust - and who to fear...
My Opinion
I am really enjoying the Cassie Raven series and this was a great addition. I have to highly recommend this series although I would recommend reading the books in the correct order. A great thriller with some well-written characters.
Rating 4/5
September 1, 2024
Acknowledged as the heiress to Amy Winehouse, Camden-based singer Bronte is found dead outside her flat. The police say she fell in an accident, the fans say it was murder and social media is going wild. Forensic technician Cassie Raven is shocked to find the body in the mortuary as she knew Bronte as Sophia Angelopoulous, a fellow victim of the school bullies, and she wants to find justice. Meanwhile Phyllida had left the Met and is now supporting an independent enquiry into Bronte's death.
I hadn't read the previous novels in the series and was actually surprised to find that this was the fourth, such is the subtle way backstory is woven into the narrative. It's a solid enough plot which satisfies the reader's needs for twists and turns. The characters are mainly nicely put together, especially loved DI Bacon! In fact the only thing that I didn't like was the whole 'voices from the dead' bit, but that is not over-egged.
I hadn't read the previous novels in the series and was actually surprised to find that this was the fourth, such is the subtle way backstory is woven into the narrative. It's a solid enough plot which satisfies the reader's needs for twists and turns. The characters are mainly nicely put together, especially loved DI Bacon! In fact the only thing that I didn't like was the whole 'voices from the dead' bit, but that is not over-egged.
September 3, 2024
Dead Fall is the fourth book in the Cassie Raven series by A K Turner.
In short, mortuary technician Cassie Raven was shocked to find the body of a familiar girl, a school mate and now talented singer on her way up…police say it was a suicide jump, however, Cassie’s instincts are telling her it’s murder.
This is the first book I’ve read by A K Turner and I found it refreshingly different having a series based on a mortuary technician using her instincts to challenge unexplained deaths. Dead Fall has a interesting plot which delved into detailed facts and cleverly revealing the story of the twisted truth of death. I particularly love the way Cassie has a unique way of talking and looking after the bodies, treating them with the utmost respect. I’m looking forward to reading more in this series.
Big thanks to A K Turner, Bonnier Books and NetGalley for this eARC which I chose to read in return for my honest review.
In short, mortuary technician Cassie Raven was shocked to find the body of a familiar girl, a school mate and now talented singer on her way up…police say it was a suicide jump, however, Cassie’s instincts are telling her it’s murder.
This is the first book I’ve read by A K Turner and I found it refreshingly different having a series based on a mortuary technician using her instincts to challenge unexplained deaths. Dead Fall has a interesting plot which delved into detailed facts and cleverly revealing the story of the twisted truth of death. I particularly love the way Cassie has a unique way of talking and looking after the bodies, treating them with the utmost respect. I’m looking forward to reading more in this series.
Big thanks to A K Turner, Bonnier Books and NetGalley for this eARC which I chose to read in return for my honest review.
July 9, 2024
This is book 4 in the Cassie Raven series and I recommend reading them in order to understand Cassie's character and her relationship with Flyte. It is a great series. I love Cassie's character and Flyte has grown on me throughout the series. I need more of the two interacting though. They are so different and work so well together. I enjoyed the addition of DI Bacon and I look forward to seeing more from him. He defintely wasn't what I was expecting. The hint of supernatural with Cassie hearing from the dead is done well and left open for the reader to decide whether it's a gift or just subconcious attention to detail. The Investigation is full of twists and turns and made harder by the fact they didn't start investigating straight away. I had no idea who had killed Sophia or why and the ending was heartbreaking.
I received a copy of the ebook via NetGalley
I received a copy of the ebook via NetGalley
July 22, 2024
Loved this book!
What a book...
The striking combination of artwork and blurb attracted me, and I was absolutely not disappointed.
This book is part of the Cassie Raven series, and she's back with another death to solve in her own very unique way.
I adored Cassie as a character, and I felt the information on how the Mortuary Cassie works in runs plus how the Police work but I think A.J.'s background supported this (given her background in producing True Crime documentaries!)
I absolutely adored the Cassie/Flyte dymantic and the 'will they won't they' mystery!
The story is littered with clues and breadcrumbs so you can attempt to solve the mystery yourself!
It is an incredibly addictive story that makes you want to read until the bitter end!
Fantastic book and highly recommend!
What a book...
The striking combination of artwork and blurb attracted me, and I was absolutely not disappointed.
This book is part of the Cassie Raven series, and she's back with another death to solve in her own very unique way.
I adored Cassie as a character, and I felt the information on how the Mortuary Cassie works in runs plus how the Police work but I think A.J.'s background supported this (given her background in producing True Crime documentaries!)
I absolutely adored the Cassie/Flyte dymantic and the 'will they won't they' mystery!
The story is littered with clues and breadcrumbs so you can attempt to solve the mystery yourself!
It is an incredibly addictive story that makes you want to read until the bitter end!
Fantastic book and highly recommend!
July 16, 2024
I was introduced to mortuary technician Cassie Raven and her interest in assisting in solving suspicious deaths in book one “Body Language” and it was nice to see her here again, in book four “Dead Fall”. Her unique character has developed in maturity and she has more of an understanding of the gift she has with the dead, a unique bond of sensing their emotions, to help guide her to why they died. Her welcoming speech to her ‘guests’ when they arrive at the morgue is tender, caring and full of empathy. Often knowing the deceased admitted, this propels her determination to seek justice and with DS Phyllida Flyte often on the case, she can make sure her intuitions reach the right ears. In this book Phyllida is now with the Police Complaints dept and we see Cassie and her, develop a more closer personal relationship, hopefully setting up future storylines.
Set in Camden Town, London, the vivid descriptions of the people and the area really stages the scene and with a seamless blend of a forensic thriller, police procedural and modern, current themes makes this book (and the series) engaging and entertaining. I was particularly interested in the difference between forensic and routine postmortems and I admire the amount of research the author must had undertaken, to produce such a detailed series based on solving crimes within a mortuary.
#DeadFall - ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Set in Camden Town, London, the vivid descriptions of the people and the area really stages the scene and with a seamless blend of a forensic thriller, police procedural and modern, current themes makes this book (and the series) engaging and entertaining. I was particularly interested in the difference between forensic and routine postmortems and I admire the amount of research the author must had undertaken, to produce such a detailed series based on solving crimes within a mortuary.
#DeadFall - ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
July 12, 2024
Another fascinating case for mortuary assistant Cassie Raven to investigate. The twists and turns in the plot are many and unexpected and the ending spectacular. Cassie excels herself this time getting involved in solving the death of an old school friend. Her investigations uncover secrets the police couldn't even guess at. Her character is such that people trust her and confide in her despite her goth appearance and this shines through in A K. Turners writing. Can't recommend the series highly enough. Bring on the next one!
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read an advance copy. All opinions are my own.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read an advance copy. All opinions are my own.
July 25, 2024
A warm welcome back for Cassie Raven, the Goth mortuary assistant with a spiritual connection to the dead. In what is my favourite of the series so far, she is shocked by the apparant suicide of the young singer known as Bronte, who had gone viral with her song “Clean Break” but who had been caught up in drug addiction and a toxic relationship. For Cassie this case is personal- she knew Bronte when she was Sophia, a classmate from school who, like her, was mercilessly bullied, and she decides to make amends for her behavior then by finding out who was responsible for Bronte’s death. An intriguing and moving mystery unravels, with lots of twists and a fascinating trail of evidence that is slowly uncovered by the work of Cassie and her old nemesis, Phyllida Flyte. As always, the forensic detail is interesting, the characters and their quirks are developed further, and the story is thought-provoking. I also enjoyed meeting the new police character, “Streaky” Bacon, who has more going for him than first appears. A cracking crime read with depth.
February 19, 2025
I almost didn't give such a high review. The whole start rehashing much of what I already knew about the characters and storyline, this being the 4th book in the series. My other bugbear being, constantly hearing how pretty Cassie or how pretty she finds Phyillida, who gets her own way with turning on her charms. And saying those thoughts are tiny as I still devoured this book the stroy telling that path your lead down I didn't want to put it down at all, the characters are all fully formed with thier own little quirks that make it impossible to not want to get to the end and see where the path is leading too.
I do so hope there will be another in this series.
I do so hope there will be another in this series.
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