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Sophie Kent #1
Breaking Dead
For fans of Kimberley Chambers and The Cuckoo's Calling, this compelling crime novel uncovers the dark side of high fashion.
Sophie Kent is hanging on by a thread. Her tenacity and talent have seen her rise through the ranks of a tough newspaper industry. But her brother's suicide has thrown her career and personal life into chaos.
Whilst out on the job interviewing witnesses of a brutal child murder, Sophie befriends a beautiful but traumatised Russian model. When the girl's mutilated body turns up in an upmarket hotel on the eve of London Fashion Week, Sophie knows she could have saved her. Eaten away by guilt, she throws herself headfirst into the edgy, fast-paced world of fashion with one goal in mind: to catch the killer. Only then can she piece her grief-stricken self back together. As she chips away at the industry's glittery surface, she uncovers a toxic underworld rife with drugs, secrets, prostitution and blackmail.
The investigation propels Sophie from the glamour of the catwalk to London's darkest corners, towards a sinister past and a twenty-year-old murder case that could hold the key. Battling her demons and her wealthy, dysfunctional family along the way, Sophie pushes her personal problems to one side as she goes head to head with a crazed killer; a killer who is only just getting started...
Sophie Kent is hanging on by a thread. Her tenacity and talent have seen her rise through the ranks of a tough newspaper industry. But her brother's suicide has thrown her career and personal life into chaos.
Whilst out on the job interviewing witnesses of a brutal child murder, Sophie befriends a beautiful but traumatised Russian model. When the girl's mutilated body turns up in an upmarket hotel on the eve of London Fashion Week, Sophie knows she could have saved her. Eaten away by guilt, she throws herself headfirst into the edgy, fast-paced world of fashion with one goal in mind: to catch the killer. Only then can she piece her grief-stricken self back together. As she chips away at the industry's glittery surface, she uncovers a toxic underworld rife with drugs, secrets, prostitution and blackmail.
The investigation propels Sophie from the glamour of the catwalk to London's darkest corners, towards a sinister past and a twenty-year-old murder case that could hold the key. Battling her demons and her wealthy, dysfunctional family along the way, Sophie pushes her personal problems to one side as she goes head to head with a crazed killer; a killer who is only just getting started...
368 pages, Kindle Edition
First published April 21, 2016
14 people are currently reading
507 people want to read
About the author
Corrie Jackson
3 books51 followersCorrie Jackson has been a journalist for fifteen years. During that time she has worked at Harper’s Bazaar, the Daily Mail, Grazia and Glamour. Corrie now lives in Greenwich, Connecticut with her husband and two children.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 83 reviews
September 7, 2016
So Kindle is now charged (honestly who doesn't take their Kindle charger to bed with them?!) and I'm now able to bring you my full review of Breaking Dead which, you may have seen earlier, I thought was absolutely brilliant! I have to firstly thank Mairead,who blogs at Swirls and Threads, for pointing me in the direction of this book as I had previously thought it possibly wasn't for me but how wrong was I? I don't know what I was expecting but it certainly wasn't this strongly plotted, brilliantly character driven crime thriller with a difference. The difference being that Sophie Kent, who takes a personal interest in a horrific murder investigation, is not a police officer but a journalist. And a journalist with a difference who will do whatever it takes to get her story but does it while maintaining the trust of all she connects with. She isn't perfect, far from it, as she is dealing with a personal loss that is constantly with her and she has the most messed up love life I've come across recently!
This is a very hard hitting book, quite graphic in places and has some quite upsetting scenes at times. The setting of the modelling world isn't the glamourous world we see in the fashion magazines but a very dark and disturbing behind-the-scenes look at a world where very young women are thrown in at the sleazy end where money, sex and drugs rule. And heaven forbid they eat! When Sophie meets Natalia while investigating a murder on the estate she lives on, she realises straight away that she is hiding something from her. The more she digs, the more terrified the young Russian model gets. Then a series of murders lead Sophie to follow the trail of a sadistic and cunning killer but is she putting others at risk with her diligent detection or even herself?
For me what made this book rise head and shoulders above others was Sophie herself. I just loved her attitude and her honesty which combined to make her one of the most endearing heroines I have ever met. She was flawed and impulsive but she never gave up in her request for the truth. That doesn't mean that she always played by the rules and the line between her personal and private life was constantly crossed but this is, essentially, a journalist with a heart. I just loved her and now I can't wait to meet her again as the ending of Breaking Dead leads me to believe that we may not have heard the last of the London Heralds rogue reporter! And if the plot is going to be the one I'm expecting then I just can't wait!!
Corrie Jackson has done a whole heap of in-depth investigating herself here and this storyline is packed full of interesting and detailed descriptions to show that she's researched the hell out of this! Having read her bio, I can see that she's probably used a lot of her background in fashion journalism to create an intensely competitive fictional environment for Sophie to prowl around and it has worked perfectly.
A well deserved 5 star review for this debut novel and highly recommended by me.
I received a copy of this book via netgalley in return for an unbiased review.
This is a very hard hitting book, quite graphic in places and has some quite upsetting scenes at times. The setting of the modelling world isn't the glamourous world we see in the fashion magazines but a very dark and disturbing behind-the-scenes look at a world where very young women are thrown in at the sleazy end where money, sex and drugs rule. And heaven forbid they eat! When Sophie meets Natalia while investigating a murder on the estate she lives on, she realises straight away that she is hiding something from her. The more she digs, the more terrified the young Russian model gets. Then a series of murders lead Sophie to follow the trail of a sadistic and cunning killer but is she putting others at risk with her diligent detection or even herself?
For me what made this book rise head and shoulders above others was Sophie herself. I just loved her attitude and her honesty which combined to make her one of the most endearing heroines I have ever met. She was flawed and impulsive but she never gave up in her request for the truth. That doesn't mean that she always played by the rules and the line between her personal and private life was constantly crossed but this is, essentially, a journalist with a heart. I just loved her and now I can't wait to meet her again as the ending of Breaking Dead leads me to believe that we may not have heard the last of the London Heralds rogue reporter! And if the plot is going to be the one I'm expecting then I just can't wait!!
Corrie Jackson has done a whole heap of in-depth investigating herself here and this storyline is packed full of interesting and detailed descriptions to show that she's researched the hell out of this! Having read her bio, I can see that she's probably used a lot of her background in fashion journalism to create an intensely competitive fictional environment for Sophie to prowl around and it has worked perfectly.
A well deserved 5 star review for this debut novel and highly recommended by me.
I received a copy of this book via netgalley in return for an unbiased review.
March 28, 2016
This is the first novel in a new crime series, featuring investigative reporter Sophie Kent. Sophie works for The London Herald and, from the beginning, we are thrust into the very underbelly of London life, with her being called to the murder of a young boy on an estate. While looking for witnesses, Sophie meets a young, Russian model called Natalia. It is obvious that Natalia has been hurt by someone and Sophie, unable to get her to talk, arranges to meet her later. Eventually, Natalia admits that she has been raped, but refuses to name her accuser.
It is London Fashion Week and, when a model is found murdered in a hotel room, it turns out to be Natalia. Already grief stricken over the death of her brother a few months previously, Sophie sets out to find out who killed the young woman she tried to help. What evolves is a trek through the less than glamorous fashion world, with the pressure of staying thin and getting thinner, getting jobs and climbing out of debt and the constant spectre of drugs.
This is a debut novel and it is obvious that the author is finding her feet and that of her character. Sophie is a determined, but damaged character. From a wealthy family, she has rejected the world of her parents and struggles to the death of her brother to the point of despair. At times, this constant, visceral grief made for uncomfortable reading; although it made better sense near the end of the novel. Also, sometimes the author is in danger of adding more when a little less would work better. So, the sun is ‘buttery,’ the air, ‘fizzes with promise,’ and Sophie takes a, ‘long, golden breath.’ That said, the story and setting is good enough that you can forgive the author wanting to throw everything at a first book and I feel sure that I will continue reading this series. Lastly, I received a copy of this book from the publisher, via NetGalley, for review.
It is London Fashion Week and, when a model is found murdered in a hotel room, it turns out to be Natalia. Already grief stricken over the death of her brother a few months previously, Sophie sets out to find out who killed the young woman she tried to help. What evolves is a trek through the less than glamorous fashion world, with the pressure of staying thin and getting thinner, getting jobs and climbing out of debt and the constant spectre of drugs.
This is a debut novel and it is obvious that the author is finding her feet and that of her character. Sophie is a determined, but damaged character. From a wealthy family, she has rejected the world of her parents and struggles to the death of her brother to the point of despair. At times, this constant, visceral grief made for uncomfortable reading; although it made better sense near the end of the novel. Also, sometimes the author is in danger of adding more when a little less would work better. So, the sun is ‘buttery,’ the air, ‘fizzes with promise,’ and Sophie takes a, ‘long, golden breath.’ That said, the story and setting is good enough that you can forgive the author wanting to throw everything at a first book and I feel sure that I will continue reading this series. Lastly, I received a copy of this book from the publisher, via NetGalley, for review.
April 2, 2016
This is an engaging and absorbing read by a debut author where we encounter the not so glamorous world of modelling. The side very few talk about. Sophie is a complex, tortured and guilt ridden journalist with fraught relations with her well off family. Her brother has committed suicide which is tearing her apart. To top it all, she is having an affair with her very married editor at the London Herald. Not a good idea.
Sophie encounters a Russian model, Natalia, on a estate who later informs her that she was raped but not by whom. When Natalia is murdered in a hotel room, Sophie investigates, determined to discover what happened. This plunges her into the murky and dark underworld of modelling that includes prostitution, drugs, debt and the invidious pressures to lose weight and get ever thinner. On this twisted and increasingly dangerous trail, Sophie comes across further murders.
Grief and loss haunt this story and its main character. In a well constructed novel, the author keeps us gripped right up until the end. I understand that this is the first of a series, I look forward to reading the next one. Many thanks to Bonnier for an ARC via netgalley.
Sophie encounters a Russian model, Natalia, on a estate who later informs her that she was raped but not by whom. When Natalia is murdered in a hotel room, Sophie investigates, determined to discover what happened. This plunges her into the murky and dark underworld of modelling that includes prostitution, drugs, debt and the invidious pressures to lose weight and get ever thinner. On this twisted and increasingly dangerous trail, Sophie comes across further murders.
Grief and loss haunt this story and its main character. In a well constructed novel, the author keeps us gripped right up until the end. I understand that this is the first of a series, I look forward to reading the next one. Many thanks to Bonnier for an ARC via netgalley.
January 24, 2018
Szukasz kryminału, który wciągnie Cię od pierwszych stron, zachwyci i przerazi Cię jednocześnie, a to wszystko opowiedziane z punktu widzenia łamiącej stereotypy głównej bohaterki? Dobrze, że tu jesteś. Bo Breaking Dead (w polskim tłum. Fashion Victim) jest właśnie taką książką.
Wszystko zaczyna się z wysokiego "c" - brutalne morderstwo w nieciekawej dzielnicy. Dziennikarka śledcza o nieciekawej, trudnej przeszłości, Sophie Kent próbuje znaleźć świadków zbrodni w pobliskim hotelu. Tam trafia na ślad pięknej Natalii - rosyjskiej, początkującej modelki, która w Londynie chce rozwijać karierę, a w domyśle zostawić za sobą biedę i brak perspektyw. Dziewczyna jest wyraźnie zaniepokojona, na jej ciele Sophie dostrzega ślady świadczące o przemocy lub gwałcie. Jej dziennikarski nos jest wyczulony na takie sygnały. Spotyka się z dziewczyną, by poznać jej historię, ale gdy modelka zostaje zamordowana, Kent rozpoczyna pogoń za mordercą.
Breaking Dead to jedna z tych książek, które błyskawicznie się rozkręcają, a później gnają na łeb na szyję i wcale nie zwalniają tempa. Byłam pewna, że w końcu akcja się załamie, poziom spadnie, ale nic z tego. Gnaliśmy dalej i dalej, nowi świadkowie i podejrzani, kolejne przesłuchania i poszlaki. W między czasie poznajemy historię Sophie, pochodzącej z dość bogatej rodziny, mającej za sobą wiele traumatycznych przeżyć. Sophie jest pęknięta, nerwowa, ale jednocześnie twarda i bezwzględna. To jedna z tych kobiet, które nigdy nie odpuszczają, podnoszą się za każdym razem, gdy upadają, jeszcze silniejsze, jeszcze mądrzejsze. To bohaterka łamiąca wszelkie stereotypy - w swojej twardości nie jest "męska", nie zbliża się do typowych bohaterów kryminałów, policjantów, detektywów czy dziennikarzy, zazwyczaj płci męskiej, którzy po trupach dążą do rozwiązania zagadki. Ma momenty słabości, siłuje się z problemami, które można zakwalifikować jako typowo kobiecie, ale to tylko sprawia, że jest bardziej żywa i realistyczna.
Samo zakończenie robi z człowiekiem coś, co tylko najlepsi są w stanie zrobić - pytanie o drugi tom nasuwa się samoistnie. Ja nie mogę się doczekać. A do tego czasu mogę Was tylko namawiać do sięgnięcia po tę pozycję.
Wszystko zaczyna się z wysokiego "c" - brutalne morderstwo w nieciekawej dzielnicy. Dziennikarka śledcza o nieciekawej, trudnej przeszłości, Sophie Kent próbuje znaleźć świadków zbrodni w pobliskim hotelu. Tam trafia na ślad pięknej Natalii - rosyjskiej, początkującej modelki, która w Londynie chce rozwijać karierę, a w domyśle zostawić za sobą biedę i brak perspektyw. Dziewczyna jest wyraźnie zaniepokojona, na jej ciele Sophie dostrzega ślady świadczące o przemocy lub gwałcie. Jej dziennikarski nos jest wyczulony na takie sygnały. Spotyka się z dziewczyną, by poznać jej historię, ale gdy modelka zostaje zamordowana, Kent rozpoczyna pogoń za mordercą.
Breaking Dead to jedna z tych książek, które błyskawicznie się rozkręcają, a później gnają na łeb na szyję i wcale nie zwalniają tempa. Byłam pewna, że w końcu akcja się załamie, poziom spadnie, ale nic z tego. Gnaliśmy dalej i dalej, nowi świadkowie i podejrzani, kolejne przesłuchania i poszlaki. W między czasie poznajemy historię Sophie, pochodzącej z dość bogatej rodziny, mającej za sobą wiele traumatycznych przeżyć. Sophie jest pęknięta, nerwowa, ale jednocześnie twarda i bezwzględna. To jedna z tych kobiet, które nigdy nie odpuszczają, podnoszą się za każdym razem, gdy upadają, jeszcze silniejsze, jeszcze mądrzejsze. To bohaterka łamiąca wszelkie stereotypy - w swojej twardości nie jest "męska", nie zbliża się do typowych bohaterów kryminałów, policjantów, detektywów czy dziennikarzy, zazwyczaj płci męskiej, którzy po trupach dążą do rozwiązania zagadki. Ma momenty słabości, siłuje się z problemami, które można zakwalifikować jako typowo kobiecie, ale to tylko sprawia, że jest bardziej żywa i realistyczna.
Samo zakończenie robi z człowiekiem coś, co tylko najlepsi są w stanie zrobić - pytanie o drugi tom nasuwa się samoistnie. Ja nie mogę się doczekać. A do tego czasu mogę Was tylko namawiać do sięgnięcia po tę pozycję.
March 28, 2016
Sophie Kent is a journalist in the middle of a crisis. Her beloved brother committed suicide and she's still trying to have some kind of closure. She's having an affair with a married man .. her boss, no less. And she's smart enough to know this is not doing her job any good. She doesn't sleep, even when she's drinking to excess.
When the tortured body of a model is found the night before London Fashion Week begins, Sophie recognizes her as someone she interviewed shortly before her death. Now she's feeling guilty and swears she's going to find who did this.
What she finds in her investigation is the gritty, sordid world of modeling. The industry is drowning in drugs, both legal and illegal, prostitution, blackmail, lies and secrets. When a second model, and then a third, are viciously slaughtered, Sophie pushes her personal issues away and finds herself in more danger than she thought possible.
Sophie, as a character, is multi-layered. Coming from a rich family who don't understand her need to be out on the streets, they are always butting heads. Her father is emotionally distant, more so after the death of his son. Sophie carries her anger ..and her feeling of guilt ... as a cloak.
Her boss has bent over backwards trying to keep Sophie from crossing that invisible line that journalists must be aware of. Sophie does it her way .. which jeopardizes the very thing that keeps her somewhat grounded.
The lead investigator and Sophie are working sort of in tandem .... they have shared information and of course, Sophie can go places and do things that law enforcement cannot. They don't come to blows, but there are choice words thrown at each other when things really get out of hand.
I'm looking forward to seeing more of Sophie Kent ... I'd like to follow her trail to see how she fares.
My thanks to the author / Bonnier Publishing / NetGalley who provided a digital copy in exchange for an honest, unbiased review.
When the tortured body of a model is found the night before London Fashion Week begins, Sophie recognizes her as someone she interviewed shortly before her death. Now she's feeling guilty and swears she's going to find who did this.
What she finds in her investigation is the gritty, sordid world of modeling. The industry is drowning in drugs, both legal and illegal, prostitution, blackmail, lies and secrets. When a second model, and then a third, are viciously slaughtered, Sophie pushes her personal issues away and finds herself in more danger than she thought possible.
Sophie, as a character, is multi-layered. Coming from a rich family who don't understand her need to be out on the streets, they are always butting heads. Her father is emotionally distant, more so after the death of his son. Sophie carries her anger ..and her feeling of guilt ... as a cloak.
Her boss has bent over backwards trying to keep Sophie from crossing that invisible line that journalists must be aware of. Sophie does it her way .. which jeopardizes the very thing that keeps her somewhat grounded.
The lead investigator and Sophie are working sort of in tandem .... they have shared information and of course, Sophie can go places and do things that law enforcement cannot. They don't come to blows, but there are choice words thrown at each other when things really get out of hand.
I'm looking forward to seeing more of Sophie Kent ... I'd like to follow her trail to see how she fares.
My thanks to the author / Bonnier Publishing / NetGalley who provided a digital copy in exchange for an honest, unbiased review.
January 16, 2017
First in a series about a journalist, Sophie Kent, in England. The protagonist investigates a death connected to fashion models and the high-pressure gossipy twittering world they inhabit. Her personal life is something of a mess, which does deepen her as a character but doesn't necessarily make us like her. She's certainly resourceful and her handbag contains everything but the kitchen sink.
I couldn't get over how much everyone talked to this journalist they didn't know, about people they did know, including their bosses and their model clients, in the midst of trouble. I was also very surprised that a crime journalist is shown as not knowing what the deep web is; really? The detail is well layered and we see perhaps more exploitation in the fashion world than we'd wish. Sometimes it's better not to know how the magic is made. Let's find out where Sophie casts her eye in the next book.
I read an ARC from Net Galley. This is an unbiased review.
I couldn't get over how much everyone talked to this journalist they didn't know, about people they did know, including their bosses and their model clients, in the midst of trouble. I was also very surprised that a crime journalist is shown as not knowing what the deep web is; really? The detail is well layered and we see perhaps more exploitation in the fashion world than we'd wish. Sometimes it's better not to know how the magic is made. Let's find out where Sophie casts her eye in the next book.
I read an ARC from Net Galley. This is an unbiased review.
February 11, 2018
„Fashion Victim” to niby typowy, klasycznie napisany thriller, ale widać, że Corrie Jackson dzięki swojemu własnemu doświadczeniu w modowej branży dobrze wie, o czym pisze i dzięki temu zgrabnie połączyła dziennikarsko-modową rzeczywistość z brutalną, przerysowaną fikcją literacką. Światła reflektorów, bezlitosne, wymuszone uśmiechy, błyski fleszy i... zbrodnia! To świetna, odprężająca lektura dla miłośników gatunku, a zwieńczeniem całości jest fakt, że to dopiero początek kryminalnej serii z dreszczykiem o Sophie Kent.
May 22, 2016
Booktrail the locations here
I can't claim to know a lot about the fashion world But I've never thought it was all glam and glitz. Well, this just proves it. Blimey I've just never read a crime novel like this set in the fashion world.
This was just a really unique read and gave a really fresh addition to gripping crime fiction. Some very dark dark scenes and themes in this book but never to the extent that they're there just for the shock value. Everything in this novel fits well together and adds something to the overall story.
Sophie Kent is a great character and I already feel as if I want to see and read her about her again. There's a lot more to come from her and it's a cracking plot she's involved with this time - very grimly and grisly realistic. There was a lot to this novel and I will definitely be putting Corrie on the crime radar and on the TBR pile future reads.
I can't claim to know a lot about the fashion world But I've never thought it was all glam and glitz. Well, this just proves it. Blimey I've just never read a crime novel like this set in the fashion world.
This was just a really unique read and gave a really fresh addition to gripping crime fiction. Some very dark dark scenes and themes in this book but never to the extent that they're there just for the shock value. Everything in this novel fits well together and adds something to the overall story.
Sophie Kent is a great character and I already feel as if I want to see and read her about her again. There's a lot more to come from her and it's a cracking plot she's involved with this time - very grimly and grisly realistic. There was a lot to this novel and I will definitely be putting Corrie on the crime radar and on the TBR pile future reads.
April 21, 2016
A great character in Sophie Kent, a journalist investigating the abuse of models by powerful industry figures. I read the last 1/3 at top speed, desperate to find out who "the baddies" were. If you enjoy reading about the fashion industry, and heart-stopping crime fiction, this is the novel for you. Despite the sordid - in some places - subject matter, it's a fast, entertaining novel of our times. Sophie is a heroine to root for (even though she's got the luck of the devil!) Very much looking forward to the next novel!
Full review to come on https://crimeworm.wordpress.com/
Full review to come on https://crimeworm.wordpress.com/
August 30, 2016
Breaking Dead is the debut novel from Corrie Jackson. Published by Twenty7, an imprint of Bonnier Zaffre Publishing, Breaking Dead was released in Kindle Edition before the Summer. It is now due to be released in paperback format early in September.
I received my copy from NetGalley and Bonnier Zaffre in exchange for my honest review. I do hope you enjoy!!
The Blurb:
‘Breaking Dead is the first book in a compelling crime series starring investigative journalist, Sophie Kent.
Sophie’s tenacity and talent have seen her rise through the ranks of a tough newspaper industry, but her brother’s suicide has thrown her career and personal life into chaos.
Whilst interviewing witnesses of a brutal child murder, Sophie befriends a traumatised Russian model. When the girl’s mutilated body turns up in an upmarket hotel on the eve of London Fashion Week, Sophie knows she could have saved her.
Eaten away by guilt, she throws herself headfirst into the edgy, fast-paced world of fashion with one goal in mind: to catch the killer. Only then can she piece her grief-stricken self back together.
As Sophie chips away at the industry’s glittery surface, she uncovers a toxic underworld rife with drugs, secrets, prostitution and blackmail. The investigation propels Sophie from the glamour of the catwalk to London’s darkest corners, towards a sinister past and a twenty-year-old murder case that could hold the key.
Battling her demons and her wealthy, dysfunctional family along the way, Sophie pushes her personal problems to one side as she goes head to head with a crazed killer.
A killer who is only just getting started…’
‘Liquorice was my Daddy’s favourite. He always gave me a twist of liquorice when he finished touching me’
A creepy opening to a brilliantly executed but deeply disturbing read.
Breaking Dead is a book that took me quite by surprise. The writing is unbelievably that of a debut author. Corrie Jackson has written an exciting heart-racing read about investigative journalist, Sophie Kent. Sophie works for The London Herald. Sophie was reared in an affluent home but was deprived of the love and affection of her parents,
‘Ours was always a fractured relationship. Affection had been in short supply in Antony Kent’s childhood. His own father had steel running through his veins, so he grew up equating emotion with weakness.’
As a result, Sophie has always strived to be the best she can, forever proving herself in a world dominated by men.Recently returned to work, following the apparent suicide of her younger brother Tommy, Sophie seems intent on messing up her career, barreling into crime scenes with no agenda in her head.
One day everything changes. A chance encounter with a Russian model, Natalia Kotov, leads Sophie down into the underworld of the modelling industry. After befriending Natalia and hoping to scoop a big story about the seedy side of modelling, Sophie gets more than she bargained for. Natalia’s body is discovered degraded and mutilated in a hotel bedroom and Sophie is set on a very dangerous course of investigation.
‘The memory made me light-headed and I sank onto the bed. Being surrounded by Natalia’s things, the minutiae of her life, weighed me down with sadness.’
Sophie begins an almost personal crusade to get to the core of what happened to Natalia. She exposes herself to many dangers and discovers a darker world she never knew existed.
Her actions put her life in serious danger. She seems to be capable of getting in the door of anywhere, with her forthright attitude and disregard for her own personal safety.
But will Sophie take it one step too far?
Corrie Jackson has written a brilliantly detailed story about damaged and very twisted individuals. Her insider knowledge of the forensics and post mortem details are excellent, almost to the point where you can feel the strong emotions and get the smell of fear and death off the pages.
I read this book with my heart thumping as I flipped to each page. The book is fast paced and an absolute thrill to read. I look forward to the next book in this series and am quite excited to see where Corrie Jackson will take us next.
Most recently I have read thrillers told from the police perspective, this time we get the view from the journalist, giving a very different angle to a crime thriller. I highly recommend Breaking Dead if you are looking for great crime read that will set your blood pumping and your heart racing!!.
Please do pick up a copy and let me know what you think!!
Who is Corrie Jackson?
Corrie Jackson has been a journalist for thirteen years. She has worked at Harpers Bazaar, The Daily Mail, Grazia and Glamour and has also written for The Times and Sunday Times Style.
In 2013 Corrie left her role as Assistant Editor at Glamour to move to Los Angeles with her husband’s job, where she took time out to write her debut novel.
She recently returned to the UK and now lives in Surrey, where she has just had her second child and is working on her second book.
I received my copy from NetGalley and Bonnier Zaffre in exchange for my honest review. I do hope you enjoy!!
The Blurb:
‘Breaking Dead is the first book in a compelling crime series starring investigative journalist, Sophie Kent.
Sophie’s tenacity and talent have seen her rise through the ranks of a tough newspaper industry, but her brother’s suicide has thrown her career and personal life into chaos.
Whilst interviewing witnesses of a brutal child murder, Sophie befriends a traumatised Russian model. When the girl’s mutilated body turns up in an upmarket hotel on the eve of London Fashion Week, Sophie knows she could have saved her.
Eaten away by guilt, she throws herself headfirst into the edgy, fast-paced world of fashion with one goal in mind: to catch the killer. Only then can she piece her grief-stricken self back together.
As Sophie chips away at the industry’s glittery surface, she uncovers a toxic underworld rife with drugs, secrets, prostitution and blackmail. The investigation propels Sophie from the glamour of the catwalk to London’s darkest corners, towards a sinister past and a twenty-year-old murder case that could hold the key.
Battling her demons and her wealthy, dysfunctional family along the way, Sophie pushes her personal problems to one side as she goes head to head with a crazed killer.
A killer who is only just getting started…’
‘Liquorice was my Daddy’s favourite. He always gave me a twist of liquorice when he finished touching me’
A creepy opening to a brilliantly executed but deeply disturbing read.
Breaking Dead is a book that took me quite by surprise. The writing is unbelievably that of a debut author. Corrie Jackson has written an exciting heart-racing read about investigative journalist, Sophie Kent. Sophie works for The London Herald. Sophie was reared in an affluent home but was deprived of the love and affection of her parents,
‘Ours was always a fractured relationship. Affection had been in short supply in Antony Kent’s childhood. His own father had steel running through his veins, so he grew up equating emotion with weakness.’
As a result, Sophie has always strived to be the best she can, forever proving herself in a world dominated by men.Recently returned to work, following the apparent suicide of her younger brother Tommy, Sophie seems intent on messing up her career, barreling into crime scenes with no agenda in her head.
One day everything changes. A chance encounter with a Russian model, Natalia Kotov, leads Sophie down into the underworld of the modelling industry. After befriending Natalia and hoping to scoop a big story about the seedy side of modelling, Sophie gets more than she bargained for. Natalia’s body is discovered degraded and mutilated in a hotel bedroom and Sophie is set on a very dangerous course of investigation.
‘The memory made me light-headed and I sank onto the bed. Being surrounded by Natalia’s things, the minutiae of her life, weighed me down with sadness.’
Sophie begins an almost personal crusade to get to the core of what happened to Natalia. She exposes herself to many dangers and discovers a darker world she never knew existed.
Her actions put her life in serious danger. She seems to be capable of getting in the door of anywhere, with her forthright attitude and disregard for her own personal safety.
But will Sophie take it one step too far?
Corrie Jackson has written a brilliantly detailed story about damaged and very twisted individuals. Her insider knowledge of the forensics and post mortem details are excellent, almost to the point where you can feel the strong emotions and get the smell of fear and death off the pages.
I read this book with my heart thumping as I flipped to each page. The book is fast paced and an absolute thrill to read. I look forward to the next book in this series and am quite excited to see where Corrie Jackson will take us next.
Most recently I have read thrillers told from the police perspective, this time we get the view from the journalist, giving a very different angle to a crime thriller. I highly recommend Breaking Dead if you are looking for great crime read that will set your blood pumping and your heart racing!!.
Please do pick up a copy and let me know what you think!!
Who is Corrie Jackson?
Corrie Jackson has been a journalist for thirteen years. She has worked at Harpers Bazaar, The Daily Mail, Grazia and Glamour and has also written for The Times and Sunday Times Style.
In 2013 Corrie left her role as Assistant Editor at Glamour to move to Los Angeles with her husband’s job, where she took time out to write her debut novel.
She recently returned to the UK and now lives in Surrey, where she has just had her second child and is working on her second book.
September 13, 2016
Wow!
Sophie Kent is one of the best characters I have had the pleasure of reading in a long time and knowing that this is the first book about her is just brilliant!
While investigating the murder of a teenage boy in a London estate, Sophie meets Natalia, a young girl who's in a bit of a bad way. Sophie's journalistic senses prick up and she knows there is something going on with this young model so she tries to befriend her. A few days later, Sophie receives a text message, follows the instructions and finds Natalie's dead body in a posh hotel room, leading Sophie to make a promise to herself not to rest until her killer is caught.
This is not your typical crime thriller, it is fresh, bold and brazenly original. Every police procedural fan in the world knows what a hindrance those pesky journalists are to the investigations of our favourite coppers but not now. Now I have a whole lot of respect for them. Jackson has shown us a whole new world and my gosh, what a world it is!
From the first page to the last, Breaking Dead is gritty, nerve-tingling and completely relentless. The pace does not give up at all; it is truly breath-taking! As the story unfolds, we are shown the murky world of modelling, Jackson literally scratches the surface to uncover a world of sex, drugs and murder and discovers that there is literally no one she can trust. Everyone has a secret and there is no second guessing in this book at all!
I love the relationship Sophie has with the police. It's a really refreshing angle to see the police actually working with a journalist and the journalist actually helping the police too. It has always seemed to me that the two should "work" together but, reading crime books they always seem to clash, most often with negative outcomes for both sides.
Jackson's writing is easy to follow, the plots are thick and twisted, intelligent and imaginative and Breaking Dead is a perfect example of how to write a debut novel. I cannot wait to see what else she has in store for us!
I'd like to thank the publishers and Net Galley for providing me with a copy in exchange for my honest review.
Sophie Kent is one of the best characters I have had the pleasure of reading in a long time and knowing that this is the first book about her is just brilliant!
While investigating the murder of a teenage boy in a London estate, Sophie meets Natalia, a young girl who's in a bit of a bad way. Sophie's journalistic senses prick up and she knows there is something going on with this young model so she tries to befriend her. A few days later, Sophie receives a text message, follows the instructions and finds Natalie's dead body in a posh hotel room, leading Sophie to make a promise to herself not to rest until her killer is caught.
This is not your typical crime thriller, it is fresh, bold and brazenly original. Every police procedural fan in the world knows what a hindrance those pesky journalists are to the investigations of our favourite coppers but not now. Now I have a whole lot of respect for them. Jackson has shown us a whole new world and my gosh, what a world it is!
From the first page to the last, Breaking Dead is gritty, nerve-tingling and completely relentless. The pace does not give up at all; it is truly breath-taking! As the story unfolds, we are shown the murky world of modelling, Jackson literally scratches the surface to uncover a world of sex, drugs and murder and discovers that there is literally no one she can trust. Everyone has a secret and there is no second guessing in this book at all!
I love the relationship Sophie has with the police. It's a really refreshing angle to see the police actually working with a journalist and the journalist actually helping the police too. It has always seemed to me that the two should "work" together but, reading crime books they always seem to clash, most often with negative outcomes for both sides.
Jackson's writing is easy to follow, the plots are thick and twisted, intelligent and imaginative and Breaking Dead is a perfect example of how to write a debut novel. I cannot wait to see what else she has in store for us!
I'd like to thank the publishers and Net Galley for providing me with a copy in exchange for my honest review.
April 20, 2016
First of all big thumbs up to Sophie Kent. Deliciously well drawn, intriguing, drags you along with her in her wake as she enters the murky world hiding under the seemingly glamorous fashion industry and she has an emotive and engaging back story. So right there with Breaking Dead you are already onto a winner…
Then on top of that you get a pacy, intelligent and bang on thriller, darkly observant and grimly realistic that has the added benefit of being a real page turner – I barely drew breath through this one, a rocking read first page to last. I probably inhaled some caffeine at some point but one afternoon and this was done. No messing. You won’t put it down unless someone forces you to do something useful. I’m not usually terribly useful anyway but any hope that my loved ones had that I might make some dinner or something soon faded when they took a look at me. “Mums got her reading face on” was the comment from my 8 year old.
I loved the layers Corrie Jackson put in, the little descriptive things that built such a gutsy picture, sometimes heart wrenching, walking the line between keeping it real and keeping it entertaining really well. This is one of those books you put down and go YAY another author to add to the must read list. Or in my case, Oh God really? whilst glaring at the randomly strewn book piles everywhere. Still, roll on book two. After all there is no such thing as too many (brilliant) books. As an aside Twenty7 seems to be finding an awful lot of them. Not had a bad read from them yet.
A big tick in ye olde recommendation box from me.
Then on top of that you get a pacy, intelligent and bang on thriller, darkly observant and grimly realistic that has the added benefit of being a real page turner – I barely drew breath through this one, a rocking read first page to last. I probably inhaled some caffeine at some point but one afternoon and this was done. No messing. You won’t put it down unless someone forces you to do something useful. I’m not usually terribly useful anyway but any hope that my loved ones had that I might make some dinner or something soon faded when they took a look at me. “Mums got her reading face on” was the comment from my 8 year old.
I loved the layers Corrie Jackson put in, the little descriptive things that built such a gutsy picture, sometimes heart wrenching, walking the line between keeping it real and keeping it entertaining really well. This is one of those books you put down and go YAY another author to add to the must read list. Or in my case, Oh God really? whilst glaring at the randomly strewn book piles everywhere. Still, roll on book two. After all there is no such thing as too many (brilliant) books. As an aside Twenty7 seems to be finding an awful lot of them. Not had a bad read from them yet.
A big tick in ye olde recommendation box from me.
May 22, 2017
Exactly what it's deemed to be,if it was a tin of paint it would definitely be as it says on the tin!!
A fast paced thriller,in the beginning I couldn't get to grips with the pace and I didn't fully understand Sophie and her line of work,however,it didn't take too long to get into the grips of this book.
It sucked me in and spat me out!Despite the journey and Sophies dedication thoroughly took me by surprise,it's dark edges of the murder,prostitution,rape is definitely not for the faint hearted,some bits were very frabucated and far fetched however this is what makes this book addictive and fast.It works really well.
The ending for me in my opinion didn't cut it for me,it fitted the base of the thriller,for me it was far too easy,for a character such as Sophie it did fit her dramatically however I wanted something less obvious.It didn't shock me as it did in some areas of the book.
Saying this...I would be very keen to read more of her work,looking forward to her next read.
A fast paced thriller,in the beginning I couldn't get to grips with the pace and I didn't fully understand Sophie and her line of work,however,it didn't take too long to get into the grips of this book.
It sucked me in and spat me out!Despite the journey and Sophies dedication thoroughly took me by surprise,it's dark edges of the murder,prostitution,rape is definitely not for the faint hearted,some bits were very frabucated and far fetched however this is what makes this book addictive and fast.It works really well.
The ending for me in my opinion didn't cut it for me,it fitted the base of the thriller,for me it was far too easy,for a character such as Sophie it did fit her dramatically however I wanted something less obvious.It didn't shock me as it did in some areas of the book.
Saying this...I would be very keen to read more of her work,looking forward to her next read.
July 3, 2016
This debut crime thriller introduces us to Sophie Kent, a journalist returning to work after a brief time of compassionate leave following the death of her brother. As with all the best protagonists and heroines, Sophie is bright, determined, fiercely loyal and prepared to take any risks in order to uncover the truth. She is also damaged, vulnerable, dealing with grief, guilt and her own demons. It may be Corrie Jackson's first book but there is nothing novice at her ability to create an intriguingly complex character and spin a story where the back story of the protagonist is as compulsive and affecting as the serious crimes around which the main plot revolves.
Synopsis:
Whilst out on the job interviewing witnesses of a brutal child murder, Sophie befriends a beautiful but traumatised Russian model. When the girl's mutilated body turns up in an upmarket hotel on the eve of London Fashion Week, Sophie knows she could have saved her. Eaten away by guilt, she throws herself headfirst into the edgy, fast-paced world of fashion with one goal in mind: to catch the killer. Only then can she piece her grief-stricken self back together. As she chips away at the industry's glittery surface, she uncovers a toxic underworld rife with drugs, secrets, prostitution and blackmail.
The investigation propels Sophie from the glamour of the catwalk to London's darkest corners, towards a sinister past and a twenty-year-old murder case that could hold the key. Battling her demons and her wealthy, dysfunctional family along the way, Sophie pushes her personal problems to one side as she goes head to head with a crazed killer; a killer who is only just getting started...
Sophie is a great character. At the moment there are lots of books around with strong, talented women who manage to take on the world while their own life hangs together by a fine thread and Sophie is no exception. Jackson has created a protagonist as interesting as any of the others I have recently come across in the world of crime writing and if you like Marnie Riches, Alex Caan, Michael Wood and Nikki Owen you will love this book.
Jackson gives us a journalist who has fought to get to the top of her game in the tough world of the newspaper industry and we are rooting for her to regain her reputation once more. Sophie's grief is raw and real. She describes herself as staring "down the barrel of grief so raw it felt as though it had fused into my blood stream" and although her boss is suspicious of her decision to return to work, she is acutely aware of the "long stretch go sharp edged moments" from her time off and throws herself back into work with a determination which shows not only her dedication as a journalist but also her attempts to escape the chaos of her personal life - a balance which the reader fears will affect not only her work but her emotional fragility. Therefore from the outset, the premise of this book is already filled with tension- and that's without even considering the murders Sophie's paper are trying to report!
As a journalist, Sophie has a privileged position of being able to go places the detectives can not and I found this really captivating. It also creates more danger and more emotional entanglement with the victims as Sophie has interacted with them on a personal level. The murder of Russian model Natalia is a gripping opening as Sophie has formed a relationship with this woman and feels as if she could have prevented her death. This drives her further into the dark underworld of the fashion industry to search out the truth.
The novel is extremely fast paced. The story packs a punch. It is gritty, realistic and paints a grim picture of the not so glamorous world of fashion. There is no let up in the violence or sometimes very gruesome details of the murders. Jackson is a brave author who writes unflinchingly about death and police procedure. The detail in some of the postmortem scenes is slightly stomach churning but all in all adds to the foreboding atmosphere and suspense of the novel as it hurtles towards its climactic finale. And Jackson is relentless. The murders keep coming. The personal life of Sophie keeps threatening to distract her. Even in the last quarter of the book, there is no respite and nothing is fully resolved until I was literally watching my kindle race along at 96%, still waiting for the final conclusion to be revealed!
I'm sure we will be seeing more of Sophie Kent. I hope so anyway - and judging by the absolutely glowing reviews on Goodreads, so do many many more readers! Jackson is clearly talented and this is a great first book. I liked reading about a journalist and their relationship with the police as this was slightly different from the usual point for a crime novel. It was as compelling - perhaps even more so than that of a female detective and Jackson is clearly able to combine all the necessary ingredients required for a successful page turning thriller.
Synopsis:
Whilst out on the job interviewing witnesses of a brutal child murder, Sophie befriends a beautiful but traumatised Russian model. When the girl's mutilated body turns up in an upmarket hotel on the eve of London Fashion Week, Sophie knows she could have saved her. Eaten away by guilt, she throws herself headfirst into the edgy, fast-paced world of fashion with one goal in mind: to catch the killer. Only then can she piece her grief-stricken self back together. As she chips away at the industry's glittery surface, she uncovers a toxic underworld rife with drugs, secrets, prostitution and blackmail.
The investigation propels Sophie from the glamour of the catwalk to London's darkest corners, towards a sinister past and a twenty-year-old murder case that could hold the key. Battling her demons and her wealthy, dysfunctional family along the way, Sophie pushes her personal problems to one side as she goes head to head with a crazed killer; a killer who is only just getting started...
Sophie is a great character. At the moment there are lots of books around with strong, talented women who manage to take on the world while their own life hangs together by a fine thread and Sophie is no exception. Jackson has created a protagonist as interesting as any of the others I have recently come across in the world of crime writing and if you like Marnie Riches, Alex Caan, Michael Wood and Nikki Owen you will love this book.
Jackson gives us a journalist who has fought to get to the top of her game in the tough world of the newspaper industry and we are rooting for her to regain her reputation once more. Sophie's grief is raw and real. She describes herself as staring "down the barrel of grief so raw it felt as though it had fused into my blood stream" and although her boss is suspicious of her decision to return to work, she is acutely aware of the "long stretch go sharp edged moments" from her time off and throws herself back into work with a determination which shows not only her dedication as a journalist but also her attempts to escape the chaos of her personal life - a balance which the reader fears will affect not only her work but her emotional fragility. Therefore from the outset, the premise of this book is already filled with tension- and that's without even considering the murders Sophie's paper are trying to report!
As a journalist, Sophie has a privileged position of being able to go places the detectives can not and I found this really captivating. It also creates more danger and more emotional entanglement with the victims as Sophie has interacted with them on a personal level. The murder of Russian model Natalia is a gripping opening as Sophie has formed a relationship with this woman and feels as if she could have prevented her death. This drives her further into the dark underworld of the fashion industry to search out the truth.
The novel is extremely fast paced. The story packs a punch. It is gritty, realistic and paints a grim picture of the not so glamorous world of fashion. There is no let up in the violence or sometimes very gruesome details of the murders. Jackson is a brave author who writes unflinchingly about death and police procedure. The detail in some of the postmortem scenes is slightly stomach churning but all in all adds to the foreboding atmosphere and suspense of the novel as it hurtles towards its climactic finale. And Jackson is relentless. The murders keep coming. The personal life of Sophie keeps threatening to distract her. Even in the last quarter of the book, there is no respite and nothing is fully resolved until I was literally watching my kindle race along at 96%, still waiting for the final conclusion to be revealed!
I'm sure we will be seeing more of Sophie Kent. I hope so anyway - and judging by the absolutely glowing reviews on Goodreads, so do many many more readers! Jackson is clearly talented and this is a great first book. I liked reading about a journalist and their relationship with the police as this was slightly different from the usual point for a crime novel. It was as compelling - perhaps even more so than that of a female detective and Jackson is clearly able to combine all the necessary ingredients required for a successful page turning thriller.
Read
April 17, 2020DNF @ ~60%
I just realized I don't care enough to continue reading. Maybe I'll google who the murderer was, maybe not.
I just realized I don't care enough to continue reading. Maybe I'll google who the murderer was, maybe not.
October 19, 2016
Breaking Dead is a brilliant debut thriller by Corrie Jackson, first in a series featuring Sophie Kent, a newspaper journalist working and living in London. It starts off with a bang with Sophie covering the story of a teenager murder for her paper. Whilst looking for witnesses to interview, she meets a beautiful but distraught Russian model whom she befriends. When the model's body is found brutally murdered in an upmarket hotel, the night before the opening of London Fashion Week, Sophie is overwhelmed with guilt and determined to bring the killer to justice.
This was a great thriller that felt more like part of an already established series rather than a debut novel. It had a great pace which hooked me from the first page right until the end. It had some extremely creepy elements, particularly the short scenes when alone with the killer's thoughts. It made me squirm at times when the writing got quite dark. I had an idea who the murderer might be, but there was an outstanding twist that I didn't see coming.
I loved Sophie's character, not her job, but the fact that she persevered in spite of her personal demons and difficulties at work. I loved the setting within the fashion industry, with all the gossip and intrigue playing out, how I've always imagined it to be.
I highly recommend this to thriller fans and can't wait to meet Sophie again and read the next book in the series. I suppose this could work in a book club situation, but there are some very gritty parts that might be too difficult to talk about in such a setting. Thanks to nudge-book.com and twenty7 for the copy.
This was a great thriller that felt more like part of an already established series rather than a debut novel. It had a great pace which hooked me from the first page right until the end. It had some extremely creepy elements, particularly the short scenes when alone with the killer's thoughts. It made me squirm at times when the writing got quite dark. I had an idea who the murderer might be, but there was an outstanding twist that I didn't see coming.
I loved Sophie's character, not her job, but the fact that she persevered in spite of her personal demons and difficulties at work. I loved the setting within the fashion industry, with all the gossip and intrigue playing out, how I've always imagined it to be.
I highly recommend this to thriller fans and can't wait to meet Sophie again and read the next book in the series. I suppose this could work in a book club situation, but there are some very gritty parts that might be too difficult to talk about in such a setting. Thanks to nudge-book.com and twenty7 for the copy.
March 9, 2018
3,5/5
Nie było tragedii! Ba, nawet źle nie było!
Dziennikarka Sophie Kent jest na tropie afery w brytyjskim świecie mody. Ginie jedna z modelek, podejrzanych jest mnóstwo, do tego dostajemy jeszcze wzmianki o życiu prywatnym i rodzinie Sophie (tutaj też kryje się kilka tajemnic i mam wrażenie, że wiele się wyjaśni w drugiej książce z tej serii). Nie ukrywam, że pierwsze kilkaset stron spędziłam na zastanawianiu się, czy na obiad następnego dnia zrobić mielończaki, czy schaboszczaki, albo dumałam nad tym, kiedy śmieciarze wywożą frakcję suchą. No zupełnie nie potrafiłam się wciągnąć! Ale potem nagle coś zrobiło KLIK, akcja nabrała tempa i resztę powieści połknęłam w jeden dzień. Nie jestem specjalną miłośniczką kryminałów, w których zagadki rozwiązują śledczy/dziennikarze i inni Rutkowscy, ale postać Sophie przypadła mi do gustu i jestem ciekawa jej dalszych losów, więc liczę, że Wydawnictwo Wab wprowadzi na nasz rynek również drugą część (blurb z wersji anglojęzycznej zdecydowanie zachęca!).
Nie było tragedii! Ba, nawet źle nie było!
Dziennikarka Sophie Kent jest na tropie afery w brytyjskim świecie mody. Ginie jedna z modelek, podejrzanych jest mnóstwo, do tego dostajemy jeszcze wzmianki o życiu prywatnym i rodzinie Sophie (tutaj też kryje się kilka tajemnic i mam wrażenie, że wiele się wyjaśni w drugiej książce z tej serii). Nie ukrywam, że pierwsze kilkaset stron spędziłam na zastanawianiu się, czy na obiad następnego dnia zrobić mielończaki, czy schaboszczaki, albo dumałam nad tym, kiedy śmieciarze wywożą frakcję suchą. No zupełnie nie potrafiłam się wciągnąć! Ale potem nagle coś zrobiło KLIK, akcja nabrała tempa i resztę powieści połknęłam w jeden dzień. Nie jestem specjalną miłośniczką kryminałów, w których zagadki rozwiązują śledczy/dziennikarze i inni Rutkowscy, ale postać Sophie przypadła mi do gustu i jestem ciekawa jej dalszych losów, więc liczę, że Wydawnictwo Wab wprowadzi na nasz rynek również drugą część (blurb z wersji anglojęzycznej zdecydowanie zachęca!).
June 6, 2016
This is the first novel featuring Sophie Kent who is an investigative reported working for the London Herald. She is investigating the murder of a young boy and during her investigation she meets a Russian model but Sophie realizes Natalia was hiding things of her own. Natalia is later found murdered. Now Sophie wants to find who murdered Natalia when she had tried to help Sophie. Sophie has problems of her own she is trying to overcome and while she is denying her problems she finds herself in danger. Great Read. I would like to thank the Publisher and Net Galley for the chance to read this ARC.
May 9, 2019
I give this 3.5 stars as the theme was different from the usual murder/crime novel and the prose flowed quite nicely which is always a bonus. As a crime novel it was enjoyable and kept the reader guessing to the end although the protagonist, Sophie Kent, did become a little annoying with her interference, but then again she was a reporter.
The modelling world theme did make me wonder how much is based on what actually happens in the world of modelling and fashion magazines and shoots and I understand why there is such a hew and cry about the state models get themselves into for the sake of 'beauty'.
Will read more by this author as I found her prose easy reading.
The modelling world theme did make me wonder how much is based on what actually happens in the world of modelling and fashion magazines and shoots and I understand why there is such a hew and cry about the state models get themselves into for the sake of 'beauty'.
Will read more by this author as I found her prose easy reading.
January 10, 2018
RECENZJA PRZEDPREMIEROWA
Premiera: 17.01.2018
Photoshop może zdziałać cuda. Wygładzić cerę, wydłużyć nogi, dodać lub raczej odjąć kilogramów. Jednak nawet najlepszy grafik, doświadczony w obrabianiu materiałów reklamowych dla branży modowej, nie będzie w stanie zamaskować oznak śmierci. Bo zdjęć na miejscu zbrodni nie robi fotograf, który w swoim atelier wzywa modelki i modeli do przybierania przeróżnych póz, ale policyjny technik, który uwiecznia „dzieło” zniszczenia poczynione przez psychopatycznego mordercę. A może morderców?
Tak… Zbrodnia, a będąc bardziej precyzyjnym – zbrodnie w świecie mody opisane przez Corrie Jackson w thrillerze „Fashion victim” są brutalne, a ich motywy brudne i perwersyjne. Jackson stworzyła powieść absorbującą, chociaż w przeważającej części lektury umiarkowanie trzymającą w napięciu z uwagi na przewagę dialogów nad opisami. Można to jednak usprawiedliwić tym, iż główną bohaterką książki jest dziennikarka londyńskiej gazety Sophie Kent, z natury rzeczy nastawiona na rozmowę oraz zdobywanie informacji od uczestników zdarzeń, będących materiałem na pierwszą stronę. Kent i jej poczynania stanowią sztandarowy pokaz kryminalnego dziennikarstwa śledczego, ponieważ obserwujemy nieustępliwe działania tej pierwszoplanowej postaci, żelazną logikę wnioskowania, uwrażliwienie na detal, a niekiedy brawurę w zdobywaniu informacji. Drastyczne morderstwa dokonane na pięknych modelkach są jedynie czubkiem góry lodowej, która pod taflą wzburzonego morza zdarzeń kryje pozbawiony makijażu i odstręczający proceder, zrzeszający dobrze sytuowanych ludzi z całego świata.
Nie chcę zdradzać zbyt wiele z fabuły powieści, aby nie zrujnować nikomu czasu spędzonego nad tym tytułem, ale mogę powiedzieć, że Jackson udało się odrzeć świat modelingu z zasłon poprawności, która tylko w teorii brzydzi się używkami, fałszowaniem metryk modelek czy odpracowywaniem przez nie „w naturze” długu zaciągniętego w agencjach modelingowych na poczet przyszłych zarobków. Chciałabym wierzyć, że opisane przez autorkę wypadki są jedynie literacką, przerysowaną fikcją, ale gdzieś podskórnie czuję, że ci, których znamy z kampanii promocyjnych największych marek odzieżowych częściej żyją na pokaz niż na pokazach chodzą.
W taki dość zawoalowany sposób chciałabym zachęcić was do lektury „Fashion victim”. Przekonajcie się sami, kto tak naprawdę jest ofiarą świata mody. A ja sama nie będę ukrywać, że z zainteresowaniem przeczytam kolejny tom perypetii Sophie Kent, ponieważ stanowiące drugi wątek książki sprawy prywatne dziennikarki, związane ze śmiercią członka jej rodziny, nie zostały wyjaśnione.
Serdecznie dziękuję Wydawnictwu W.A.B. za możliwość przedpremierowej lektury książki.
Premiera: 17.01.2018
Photoshop może zdziałać cuda. Wygładzić cerę, wydłużyć nogi, dodać lub raczej odjąć kilogramów. Jednak nawet najlepszy grafik, doświadczony w obrabianiu materiałów reklamowych dla branży modowej, nie będzie w stanie zamaskować oznak śmierci. Bo zdjęć na miejscu zbrodni nie robi fotograf, który w swoim atelier wzywa modelki i modeli do przybierania przeróżnych póz, ale policyjny technik, który uwiecznia „dzieło” zniszczenia poczynione przez psychopatycznego mordercę. A może morderców?
Tak… Zbrodnia, a będąc bardziej precyzyjnym – zbrodnie w świecie mody opisane przez Corrie Jackson w thrillerze „Fashion victim” są brutalne, a ich motywy brudne i perwersyjne. Jackson stworzyła powieść absorbującą, chociaż w przeważającej części lektury umiarkowanie trzymającą w napięciu z uwagi na przewagę dialogów nad opisami. Można to jednak usprawiedliwić tym, iż główną bohaterką książki jest dziennikarka londyńskiej gazety Sophie Kent, z natury rzeczy nastawiona na rozmowę oraz zdobywanie informacji od uczestników zdarzeń, będących materiałem na pierwszą stronę. Kent i jej poczynania stanowią sztandarowy pokaz kryminalnego dziennikarstwa śledczego, ponieważ obserwujemy nieustępliwe działania tej pierwszoplanowej postaci, żelazną logikę wnioskowania, uwrażliwienie na detal, a niekiedy brawurę w zdobywaniu informacji. Drastyczne morderstwa dokonane na pięknych modelkach są jedynie czubkiem góry lodowej, która pod taflą wzburzonego morza zdarzeń kryje pozbawiony makijażu i odstręczający proceder, zrzeszający dobrze sytuowanych ludzi z całego świata.
Nie chcę zdradzać zbyt wiele z fabuły powieści, aby nie zrujnować nikomu czasu spędzonego nad tym tytułem, ale mogę powiedzieć, że Jackson udało się odrzeć świat modelingu z zasłon poprawności, która tylko w teorii brzydzi się używkami, fałszowaniem metryk modelek czy odpracowywaniem przez nie „w naturze” długu zaciągniętego w agencjach modelingowych na poczet przyszłych zarobków. Chciałabym wierzyć, że opisane przez autorkę wypadki są jedynie literacką, przerysowaną fikcją, ale gdzieś podskórnie czuję, że ci, których znamy z kampanii promocyjnych największych marek odzieżowych częściej żyją na pokaz niż na pokazach chodzą.
W taki dość zawoalowany sposób chciałabym zachęcić was do lektury „Fashion victim”. Przekonajcie się sami, kto tak naprawdę jest ofiarą świata mody. A ja sama nie będę ukrywać, że z zainteresowaniem przeczytam kolejny tom perypetii Sophie Kent, ponieważ stanowiące drugi wątek książki sprawy prywatne dziennikarki, związane ze śmiercią członka jej rodziny, nie zostały wyjaśnione.
Serdecznie dziękuję Wydawnictwu W.A.B. za możliwość przedpremierowej lektury książki.
April 20, 2020
Kryminalna powieść przedstawiająca świat mody - nie tak kolorowy, jakby się można było tego spodziewać. Modelki rywalizujące o większą sławę, narkotyki, gwałty, nadzieje na lepsze życie.
Czyta się bardzo szybko. Fabuła dość mroczna. Nie za bardzo przedstawienie dojścia do prawdy głównej bohaterki mi się podobało, jak i sama główna bohaterka która, trochę mnie wkurzała. Mimo wszystko warta przeczytania, a ja zabieram się za drugą część losów dziennikarki Sophie Kent.
Czyta się bardzo szybko. Fabuła dość mroczna. Nie za bardzo przedstawienie dojścia do prawdy głównej bohaterki mi się podobało, jak i sama główna bohaterka która, trochę mnie wkurzała. Mimo wszystko warta przeczytania, a ja zabieram się za drugą część losów dziennikarki Sophie Kent.
November 18, 2022
Modelky, vrazdy, seriovy vrah, tajny klub uchylu no proste vsechno co by tam melo byt. Samozrejme nechybela rozharana novinarka, co na vse prijde. Malinko pritazene ale celkem ctive. Druhou knihu klidne dam
November 13, 2017
OMG! what a ride. Read most of this today as I could not put it down. I recommend you read this if you love a good murder thriller
April 19, 2016
A VERY SATISFYING CRIME DEBUT - 5 STARS
This is the first book in a new crime series featuring newspaper journalist Sophie Kent. When the mutilated body of a Russian model that Sophie interviewed a few days before turns up in an upmarket hotel on the eve of London Fashion Week, she knows that she could have saved her and she throws herself headfirst into the edgy, fast-paced world of fashion with one goal in mind: to catch the killer. As she chips away at the industry's glittery surface, she uncovers a toxic underworld rife with drugs, secrets, prostitution and blackmail. Battling her demons Sophie goes head to head with a crazed killer; a killer who is only just getting started...
I found this to be a stylish, very readable crime thriller with no pretensions of being anything more than a good, uncomplicated story. Sophie is a very well developed character along the same vein and many female leads before her - she is complicated, vulnerable and has many personal issues, not the least a wealthy, dysfunctional family but can put all these problems aside when it comes to getting her teeth into a story. What better story is there than the murder of three models close after each other, especially as Sophie knew the first model to be murdered and let her run away scared from an interview.
The author's depiction of the sordid, drug and booze-addled underworld of the fashion industry is quite frighteningly realistic and the combination of this and the sometimes equally murky world of tabloid journalism works extremely well as a backdrop to what is a very good crime story in its own right. The book was just about the right length (just shy of 300 pages) and I read it within a couple of sittings, mainly due to the characterizations and the enthralling story, obviously two of the most important facets of a good book!
One of my favourite things about being a reviewer is reading author's debut novels and I have only read (or part read because I gave up) one really bad one. This one is easily in the top five and maybe the top three and I see that it hasn't been reviewed on any of the main sites yet, so my review could be the first one! How good is that? If Corrie reads this review, I send her my congratulations for an excellent debut and request that she get going, if she hasn't already, with a follow up!
Digger95
Breakaway Reviewers received a copy of the book to review.
This is the first book in a new crime series featuring newspaper journalist Sophie Kent. When the mutilated body of a Russian model that Sophie interviewed a few days before turns up in an upmarket hotel on the eve of London Fashion Week, she knows that she could have saved her and she throws herself headfirst into the edgy, fast-paced world of fashion with one goal in mind: to catch the killer. As she chips away at the industry's glittery surface, she uncovers a toxic underworld rife with drugs, secrets, prostitution and blackmail. Battling her demons Sophie goes head to head with a crazed killer; a killer who is only just getting started...
I found this to be a stylish, very readable crime thriller with no pretensions of being anything more than a good, uncomplicated story. Sophie is a very well developed character along the same vein and many female leads before her - she is complicated, vulnerable and has many personal issues, not the least a wealthy, dysfunctional family but can put all these problems aside when it comes to getting her teeth into a story. What better story is there than the murder of three models close after each other, especially as Sophie knew the first model to be murdered and let her run away scared from an interview.
The author's depiction of the sordid, drug and booze-addled underworld of the fashion industry is quite frighteningly realistic and the combination of this and the sometimes equally murky world of tabloid journalism works extremely well as a backdrop to what is a very good crime story in its own right. The book was just about the right length (just shy of 300 pages) and I read it within a couple of sittings, mainly due to the characterizations and the enthralling story, obviously two of the most important facets of a good book!
One of my favourite things about being a reviewer is reading author's debut novels and I have only read (or part read because I gave up) one really bad one. This one is easily in the top five and maybe the top three and I see that it hasn't been reviewed on any of the main sites yet, so my review could be the first one! How good is that? If Corrie reads this review, I send her my congratulations for an excellent debut and request that she get going, if she hasn't already, with a follow up!
Digger95
Breakaway Reviewers received a copy of the book to review.
October 15, 2016
They say you should write about what you know, so perhaps we shouldn't be shocked to find a former journalist with experience of the fashion industry writing about a journalist looking into a story involving the fashion industry. That's unfairly cynical though. Sure, the book starts with a decent chunk of clichés, but they're not contrite and help set-up a decent foundation upon which the rest of the book is built.
After breezing through the first hundred-ish pages and being all settled in for a light and breezy crime story the plot thickened pretty fast - things got dark and messy, and a dollop more exciting. I found myself drawn in and keen to see what happened next.
The plot is simple enough - journalist gets a lead on a story and the investigation ensues. In fact it handles the whole journalist doing the police's job trope better than average, no doubt helped by Jackson's earlier career. It feels more realistic than most efforts and our protagonist isn't a secret action hero ready to teach everyone else how to do their job - in fact she actually works with other people and the like. Rather enjoyable actually. Of course it can't stay simple forever and there are good twists thrown in to keep you on your toes. They're delivered well; coming at a good tempo and placed with care they flow well with the story.
That's the main focus of your attention taken care of, which is handy because the book does try a bit too hard in places. Mixing in real events is good for keeping you alert but some efforts are just a little overdone, but not enough to cause any harm. The characters are a mixed bag. We don't really get to know anyone especially well with a lot of them feeling pretty disposable. There are a couple of glimmers, but I suspect they'll just glimmer until later books.
Overall the book manages a fairy broad appeal, but it feels a little unsteady and looking for a real place in the world. If you like your crime novels dark and intense it's not quite there - it dips a toe in those murky waters as things unravel but it never really dives in. It's definitely not a heavyweight in that regard, although it isn't excessively light either - for those who prefer a cozy mystery it'll be a pretty intense read, but it knows when to back off and not scare those readers away either. It;s a very delicate balance and not easy to find, but Jackson manages it well.
A good read. I received my copy through First Reads.
After breezing through the first hundred-ish pages and being all settled in for a light and breezy crime story the plot thickened pretty fast - things got dark and messy, and a dollop more exciting. I found myself drawn in and keen to see what happened next.
The plot is simple enough - journalist gets a lead on a story and the investigation ensues. In fact it handles the whole journalist doing the police's job trope better than average, no doubt helped by Jackson's earlier career. It feels more realistic than most efforts and our protagonist isn't a secret action hero ready to teach everyone else how to do their job - in fact she actually works with other people and the like. Rather enjoyable actually. Of course it can't stay simple forever and there are good twists thrown in to keep you on your toes. They're delivered well; coming at a good tempo and placed with care they flow well with the story.
That's the main focus of your attention taken care of, which is handy because the book does try a bit too hard in places. Mixing in real events is good for keeping you alert but some efforts are just a little overdone, but not enough to cause any harm. The characters are a mixed bag. We don't really get to know anyone especially well with a lot of them feeling pretty disposable. There are a couple of glimmers, but I suspect they'll just glimmer until later books.
Overall the book manages a fairy broad appeal, but it feels a little unsteady and looking for a real place in the world. If you like your crime novels dark and intense it's not quite there - it dips a toe in those murky waters as things unravel but it never really dives in. It's definitely not a heavyweight in that regard, although it isn't excessively light either - for those who prefer a cozy mystery it'll be a pretty intense read, but it knows when to back off and not scare those readers away either. It;s a very delicate balance and not easy to find, but Jackson manages it well.
A good read. I received my copy through First Reads.
May 5, 2016
Sophie Kent is a feisty, spirited young reporter, desperate to make her name in the frantic and seamy world of modern day journalism, where moral and ethical considerations come second to seeing off the competition and running a sensational story about a murder victim on the same day as her funeral is just sound business practice.
She is also a wounded bird, left emotionally vulnerable by a domineering and unsympathetic father and the loss of the younger brother on whom she has always doted. As if to protect herself from the effects of both, she lives life at a breakneck pace which leaves her with no time to reflect. Hers is a world of snatched or missed meals, frantic cab rides back and forth across London, pressurised meetings with colleagues who always seem determined to rein her back in and relationships that appear to be leading nowhere.
She is tough, determined and driven but it's a carapace that hasn't yet been really tested.
When someone starts killing models and she is drawn into the centre of the developing story, she recognises this as her big opportunity to make a name for herself and earn some sort of recognition from her employers and colleagues. But with Sophie Kent the personal issues are never very far below the surface and this story is going to test out the effectiveness of the emotional walls that have been holding things together.
This is an extremely effective debut novel. If you enjoy thrillers with real pace, tightly constructed plots and a strong sense of location, this is definitely for you. If you also enjoy identifying with a character and following her from book to book, the ending makes it clear that we have not seen the last of Sophie Kent. I enjoyed getting in on the ground floor with Rebus, Joe Faraday, Harry Bosch, Dave Robicheaux, Lucas Davenport and many others. I wonder whether, ten years from now, I might be adding Sophie Kent to the list.
Terrific debut.
She is also a wounded bird, left emotionally vulnerable by a domineering and unsympathetic father and the loss of the younger brother on whom she has always doted. As if to protect herself from the effects of both, she lives life at a breakneck pace which leaves her with no time to reflect. Hers is a world of snatched or missed meals, frantic cab rides back and forth across London, pressurised meetings with colleagues who always seem determined to rein her back in and relationships that appear to be leading nowhere.
She is tough, determined and driven but it's a carapace that hasn't yet been really tested.
When someone starts killing models and she is drawn into the centre of the developing story, she recognises this as her big opportunity to make a name for herself and earn some sort of recognition from her employers and colleagues. But with Sophie Kent the personal issues are never very far below the surface and this story is going to test out the effectiveness of the emotional walls that have been holding things together.
This is an extremely effective debut novel. If you enjoy thrillers with real pace, tightly constructed plots and a strong sense of location, this is definitely for you. If you also enjoy identifying with a character and following her from book to book, the ending makes it clear that we have not seen the last of Sophie Kent. I enjoyed getting in on the ground floor with Rebus, Joe Faraday, Harry Bosch, Dave Robicheaux, Lucas Davenport and many others. I wonder whether, ten years from now, I might be adding Sophie Kent to the list.
Terrific debut.
April 21, 2016
Breaking Dead is the debut novel from Corrie Jackson and features Sophie Kent, an investigative journalist who is still coming to terms with the death of her brother.
During her investigations into the murder of a 14 year old boy she encounters Natalia, a Russian model. Natalia has a nasty bruise on her face and has obviously been the victim of violence. Natalia opens up to Sophie and tells her that she was raped. Before Natalia can disclose the name of her attacker she gets cold feet. Later that night Sophie receives a strange text directing her to the Rose Hotel. As she arrives she discovers that the body of a young woman has been found in one of the rooms. She is shocked to find out that it is Natalia. Sophie learns that hours earlier Natalia had attended a glitzy party at the hotel, to celebrate the start of London fashion week. Sophie is eager to discover what happened to the young model, and soon finds herself drawn in to the seedy world of the fashion industry.
Sophie is a great new character. She has many personal issues, not in the least the guilt she feels over her brothers death, but she is strong, and has that urge that all good reporters have, to root out a good story. Even if, by doing so, she puts herself in danger.
I particularly liked her relationship with DCI Sam Durand. I will be keen to see how it develops.
The story flows really well. The pace of the novel is good. The characters are very well drawn out. I would be interested to know if Corrie worked on any stories in the fashion industry during her time as a journalist because the setting is very realistic. I really enjoyed it.
It is a very good debut novel. I thoroughly recommend it, and am looking forward to the next in the series.
I would like to thank Bonnier Zaffre and the author for an advance review copy of this novel.
During her investigations into the murder of a 14 year old boy she encounters Natalia, a Russian model. Natalia has a nasty bruise on her face and has obviously been the victim of violence. Natalia opens up to Sophie and tells her that she was raped. Before Natalia can disclose the name of her attacker she gets cold feet. Later that night Sophie receives a strange text directing her to the Rose Hotel. As she arrives she discovers that the body of a young woman has been found in one of the rooms. She is shocked to find out that it is Natalia. Sophie learns that hours earlier Natalia had attended a glitzy party at the hotel, to celebrate the start of London fashion week. Sophie is eager to discover what happened to the young model, and soon finds herself drawn in to the seedy world of the fashion industry.
Sophie is a great new character. She has many personal issues, not in the least the guilt she feels over her brothers death, but she is strong, and has that urge that all good reporters have, to root out a good story. Even if, by doing so, she puts herself in danger.
I particularly liked her relationship with DCI Sam Durand. I will be keen to see how it develops.
The story flows really well. The pace of the novel is good. The characters are very well drawn out. I would be interested to know if Corrie worked on any stories in the fashion industry during her time as a journalist because the setting is very realistic. I really enjoyed it.
It is a very good debut novel. I thoroughly recommend it, and am looking forward to the next in the series.
I would like to thank Bonnier Zaffre and the author for an advance review copy of this novel.
August 24, 2016
Breaking Dead is the first book in a new series by Corrie Jackson. It shows that Ms Jackson worked as a journalist for years, most of it for fashion magazines, because the fashion and media world she presents in Breaking Dead is authentic (except for the crimes, I hope!).
The story drew me in from the beginning, not just because it was intense from page one, but because I liked the characters. Sophie is a flawed character but her complexity makes her appealing and the reader can't help but root for her to find the killer of the models. I particularly loved her relationships with her co-workers and DCI Sam Durand and I hope the author will explore the latter in the future.
The plot and pace helped build suspense throughout and the motives that were revealed at the very end made the gruesome murders seem believable. It all made the novel unputdownable.
After Sophie’s development through the story and the revelation about her brother towards the end I am looking forward to reading the next novel in the series.
The story drew me in from the beginning, not just because it was intense from page one, but because I liked the characters. Sophie is a flawed character but her complexity makes her appealing and the reader can't help but root for her to find the killer of the models. I particularly loved her relationships with her co-workers and DCI Sam Durand and I hope the author will explore the latter in the future.
The plot and pace helped build suspense throughout and the motives that were revealed at the very end made the gruesome murders seem believable. It all made the novel unputdownable.
After Sophie’s development through the story and the revelation about her brother towards the end I am looking forward to reading the next novel in the series.
October 31, 2016
An absorbing novel exploring the seedier side of the fashion world as well as the ugly truth behind murder, the dark web, substance abuse and the press and their methods. Quite eye-opening. As the author is a former journalist, I believe there are significant truths laid out in this novel that we'd like to think don't actually happen - but they evidently do. It doesn't attempt to hide this fact but there are occasions when a moral compass does come into play from our protagonist. Perhaps that's why she's moved into the field of writing novels.
Nothing is left to the imagination, including fairly detailed descriptions of murder victims' injuries which were toe curling in parts.
A slick plot line and the majority of the character development was well done. I had a real sense of who the key players were. I did hypothesise on the killer(s) and was correct but it didn't spoil anything for me. It was more about the why rather than the who. Will watch out for more from this author.
Nothing is left to the imagination, including fairly detailed descriptions of murder victims' injuries which were toe curling in parts.
A slick plot line and the majority of the character development was well done. I had a real sense of who the key players were. I did hypothesise on the killer(s) and was correct but it didn't spoil anything for me. It was more about the why rather than the who. Will watch out for more from this author.
October 19, 2017
Graphic murders being investigated by a journalist Sophie Kent. She wants to be moral but struggles when enveloped in the fashion industry. Great book!
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