Efter din död

DI Zigic and DS Ferreira #3

by Eva Dolan

Dawn Prentice är redan ett bekant namn för hatbrottsenheten i Peterborough. Under den gångna sommaren har hon ringt en rad samtal, där hon utförligt beskrev de trakasserier som hon och hennes gravt handikappade tonårsdotter fick utstå.
Nu är hon död. Knivhuggen till döds. Och dottern, Holly, har lämnats att svälta ihjäl på övervåningen. Kriminalinspektör Ferreira - nyligen tillbaka i tjänst efter att ha skadats allvarligt i jobbet - har träffat Dawn tidigare under sommaren. Borde hon ha tagit Dawns anklagelser på större allvar? Och visste mördaren ens att Holly befann sig på övervåningen medan mamman blödde till döds?
Medan Ferreira kämpar med sina demoner, fast besluten att visa att hon är tillbaka vid frontlinjen, dras kommissarie Zigic in i en konflikt med en regeringstjänsteman som tycks vara fast besluten att dölja sanningen.
Ska Zigic och Ferreira lyckas ta reda på vad som hänt mor och dotter, och ställa deras mördare inför rättvisan?

EVA DOLAN är en brittisk kriminalförfattare. Lång väg hem, hennes debutroman, var första delen i en av de mest hyllade brittiska kriminalserierna på senare år, följd av Döda talar inte som blev lika omskriven och bland annat nominerades till Theakston Old Peculier Crime Novel of the Year 2016. Efter din död är den tredje boken i serien om Zigic och Ferreira.

Genres: Crime, Fiction, Mystery, Procedural, Thriller, British Literature

400 pages, Hardcover

First published January 14, 2016

About the author

Eva Dolan was shortlisted for the CWA Dagger for unpublished authors when only a teenager. The four novels in her Zigic and Ferreira series have been published to widespread critical acclaim: Tell No Tales and After You Die were shortlisted for the Theakston’s Crime Novel of the Year Award and After You Die was also longlisted for the CWA Gold Dagger. She lives in Cambridge.

@eva_dolan

Reviews

[Maureen · Rating 4 out of 5]

*4.5 stars*

Dawn Prentice was already known to Peterborough Hate Crimes Unit, having suffered harassment on previous occasions that year - then she was found dead in her home with multiple stab wounds. Her disabled daughter Holly was found upstairs in bed, having starved to death following her mother's murder. The bodies were only discovered after a gas explosion at an adjoining house. This was a really suspenseful mystery that highlights the ever increasing problem of cyber bullying, along with some very dark secrets. The spotlight falls on many suspects, with lots of red herrings. The pace was great with palpable tension right the way through. Very very good!

* Thank you to Netgalley and Random House UK, vintage Publishing for my ARC*

[Emma · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 stars

Not having read any Eva Dolan before, I picked this book up not only because of the interesting blurb, but because I used to live in Peterborough and rarely see novels set there.

Thankfully, I liked the book more than I liked the city.

Dolan has a real skill in putting together a plot which allows a multitude of characters to move in and out of the two Detectives' suspicions without being forced or unnatural. Their investigation feels authentic, moving from one clue to the next, and letting the evidence take them forward. People are portrayed in all their glory- petty, self-obsessed, secretive, real. Even those who have very little page time are made manifest and remain as part of the story even when put to the side.

All of this meant that I was unable to guess the ending- there were viable suspects right until the very last. Anyone able to fool me is clearly brilliant (!) and I can't wait to see more from her.

Many thanks to Eva Dolan, Vintage, and Netgalley for this copy in exchange for an honest review.

[Liz Barnsley · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the 3rd novel from Eva Dolan, the best one yet (and the previous books ain’t exactly shabby) also the one that put this author firmly on what I call my “chronic impatience” list – as in hurry along another one or I might collapse from chronic impatience….

So in this instalment we move in a slighty different direction mystery wise, giving Zigic and Ferreira an opportunity to spread their wings so to speak as they look into the emotionally horrific deaths of a mother and daughter. This is one that will haunt you as it haunts our main protagonists – the “what if” elements , especially as far as Holly, left to slowly starve to death goes, really did touch my thoughts during random parts of my day and still does even weeks after reading it. The writing is beautiful, digs deep into your subconcious and that is at least one of the reasons why I can quite firmly say that I loved this one. If a book touches me to that degree then as far as I’m concerned it simply demands that I shout about it. Yes, I’m sorry. (Not really sorry)

Even if that was all it would be quite enough but that is not all. The mystery elements aside, the characters we have come to know a little through the previous two novels absolutely shine in this one – fast becoming one of my favourite crime duo’s Zigic and Ferreira have a huge amount going for them in the crime series stakes. Eva Dolan has a keen eye for character development, a way of drawing you in and slowly allowing you to see different aspects of their lives and thoughts in a way that just makes you want to know them better – they are raw, real and absolutely believable in every way. I think it bears saying that even with some of the top crime series out there, you don’t get this level of emotional engagement with the characters you meet in each book – this really is top notch first page to last.

The plot is tightly woven, real enough to hit home, incredibly moving at times and madly addictive. It IS hard to put down, genuinely, as proven by the amount of muttering I did during reading it – when I had to do really annoying things like go to work. Apparently it is frowned upon to take a random reading day, honestly – we really do need to sort that out.

Overall then, quite simply brilliant. You can read “After you Die” as a standalone, it works well on that level, but equally I would not want you to miss out on the others as every book is just a bit of a marvel.

[Rachel (not currently receiving notifications) Hall · Rating 5 out of 5]

My review featured on www.crimepieces.com

When Eva Dolan stormed onto the crime fiction market in 2014 she struck a chord with police procedural fans everywhere. With the introduction of DI Zigic and DS Ferreira who head up the Peterborough Hate Crimes Division, here was a series set to explore and exploit the differences which polarise us all. Timely, with a keen eye on contemporary politics Dolan cast her unremitting eye on rising racial tension in an age where austerity predominates and immigration and human trafficking are rife. Authentic and punchy with an edgy feel, she explored the darker elements of a modern day society that so many other authors fear to tread.

Whilst After You Die explores a slightly different element of harassment in the form of disability hate crime, all of the key components of a Zigic and Ferreira novel remain and this third outing is undoubtedly the most emotionally charged read of the series so far. This is the first mass market crime novel with the bravery to tackle disability hate crime head on that I have come across and, with her ever sensitive eye, it could be in no safer hands. Eva Dolan deserves top marks for her treatment of the subject matter and her exploration of the prevailing attitude towards the disabled and the related hate crimes amongst society is spot on.

Moving away from their more familiar stomping ground of Peterborough to the quiet village of Elton, Ferreira was called the previous summer to the house of single mother Dawn Prentice after she made several calls logging harassment complaints. As the mother of a severely disabled sixteen year old, Holly, Dawn detailed the harassment that the family were experiencing. With little substance to prove any of these complaints and no obvious suspect, Ferreira put the incidents to bed. When a gas leak in the house next door causes damage to Dawn’s home and forced entry becomes necessary, Dawn is found with multiple stab wounds clearly having bled to death and Holly has been left to die helpless upstairs.

Was Ferreira negligent in not taking Dawn’s accusations more seriously? Ever keen for an opportunity to beat herself up she is well aware that her own prejudices and uncomfortable attitude toward the severely disabled Holly clouded her approach to this case. When the question of who was the real target of this crime becomes central to making any headway, it becomes apparent that Ferreira spent little time speaking with the daughter on her initial visit to the house and the duo are forced to delve further into the lives of the family. Setting high standards for herself regarding her career, Ferreira is niggled by the feeling that perhaps she was was too quick to brush this matter aside and goes all out in seeking justice for the victims. Crucially, if Dawn were the intended victim did the killer even know Holly was upstairs?

Touching upon wider issues such as the right to die campaign and the life of a full time carer, this novel packs a weighty punch. Also central is the role of social media in the current age with both Dawn and Holly living rather fuller lives online. In proving that this case warrants being approached as a hate crime, Zigic and Ferreira are up against a ticking clock with DCS Riggott keen to hand the matter over to the remit of CID. With a leading suspect well known to another department of the force who seem keen to prevent contact, we soon learn that plenty of local residents have something to hide.

As with Dolan’s previous novels Long Way Home and Tell No Tales, the obvious rapport of the central detectives is pivotal to the success of this series, with Zigic the calming influence on his sometime rash and mouthy sergeant. With compelling back stories and interesting home lives the fact that they are so realistic and wonderfully humane, unfettered by the common stereotypes which abound in crime fiction detectives adds to their appeal.

Retaining the snappy dialogue and the hard-hitting subject matter which made the first two novels so compelling, this is Eva Dolan at her brilliant best. With a compulsive and addictively dark storyline, After You Die treads new ground in the crime fiction genre. Delivering plenty of twists along the way, Dolan draws her readers in with her irresistibly fluid writing style and never lets up from the off. Spending a few hours in the company of Zigic and Ferreira is a thrill ride readers won’t forget in a hurry and an unadulterated pleasure. Once again, Eva Dolan nails it with an emotive plot which strikes at the very heart of your emotions. Setting a high standard for the rest of the series Zigic and Ferreira clearly have plenty more cases in them and I await future outings with bated breath. Eva Dolan is a name every crime fiction fan needs to know.

[Karen · Rating 5 out of 5]

DI Zigic and DS Ferriera investigate hate crimes. When the body of Dawn Prentice is found following a gas explosion at an adjoining property, the case is immediately passed to them because of the previous harassment claims against the family which Ferriera had briefly been involved in. However they are against the clock to discover whether this is a crime connected to those incidents before the case is taken off them and passed to CID.

This was a tragic case. Dawn’s murder led to the death of her teenage disabled daughter Holly. Holly was paralysed following an accident and relied totally on others for her care. Holly was left to die. Who could be so callous?

There are no shortage of suspects for the deaths of both Dawn and Holly and at first it is unclear who was the intended victim. Holly was a vocal advocate for the ‘right to die’ which led to her being targeted by online trolls and the victim of harassment at home.

Add into the mix an 11 year old boy, on the run and armed with a knife and the list of suspects grows.

I haven’t yet read books 1 and 2 in the Zigic and Ferreira series but After You Die can be read as a standalone. There is just enough explanation to show the current state of mind of the two detectives to engage and draw the reader into the story from the beginning. However the conclusion of the previous story is referred to so do bear this in mind if you want to read the series.

This character driven crime thriller is full of suspense and intrigue and was a 5* read for me. The characters are believable and the contrasting personalities of Zigic and Ferreria added to the enjoyment. Zigic is more of a solid, 'by the book' family man whilst Ferreira can be unpredictable and obviously has personal issues resulting from a previous story which made me want to find out more. Everyone has their secrets and the two detectives have their work cut out to discover who and why. The many red herrings planted by Eva ensured that it was quite some time before I worked out ‘whodunnit’.

I shall now be adding books 1 and 2 to my never ending pile of ‘must read’ books!

My thanks to the author and publisher for the copy to review.

[Lynn Mccarthy · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the first book I have read by this Author I thought it was superb.
Holly was disabled in a climbing accident and can not do anything for herself except use her hands she sets up an internet blog and talks about how she feels and she wants to die but somebody starts to bully her on the blog site.
When the house next door explodes the find Holly's mum Dawn dead in the kitchen with multiple stab wounds and Holly upstairs in bed also dead not killed but dead because there was nobody there to look after her.The Author takes us into the world of holly her mum and the ex father.
Who is Nathan that runs away at the start of the story who is only 12 with a knife in his pocket what has he to hide?
You will be drawn into this story and not stop till the end of the book where if like me you will be surprised at the ending.Already downloaded the Authors other 2 books i liked this one so much a must read book i enjoyed every minute of the journey.

Thank you Netgalley the Author and publisher for a chance to read this book.

[David Reviews · Rating 5 out of 5]

After You Die is lovely British crime thriller from Eva Dolan that’s hard to put down. I read this in one sitting unable to resist the way the plot was revealed and I soon got to enjoy the company of Hate Crimes department’s Zigic and Ferreira. Cleverly plotted and smartly written this a book well worth the read and a crime story that keeps you hanging on right to the end before it’s finally solved.

Ferreira has had dealings with Dawn Prentice before and when she is found murdered in the Village of Elton, Ferreira wonders if she is could have done more for the victim. Two bodies have to be investigated, after Dawn’s death there was sadly nobody to look after her handicapped bed-ridden daughter Holly and so she died too.

There’s an array of suspects for Dawn’s murder and it becomes an involved and fascinating journey as the police slowly eliminate them one by one. It feels very real and believable and the author takes us just far enough into Zigic’s and Ferreira’s personal lives to add interest without intruding on the main investigation.

There is further mystery created when one of their main suspects goes missing. A young boy who is under the supervision of another police department and they just aren’t cooperating for reasons unknown.

It’s a wholly contemporary crime story that touches on some very current themes and moral dilemmas. But then again it’s also a very traditional British police crime investigation with the occasional slip-up and lots of hard work barking up the wrong tree. Exactly the kind of thing we all love to pass a few hours with, as we try to outwit the author and work out whodunit before the end. Powerful stuff and an enjoyable book from author Eva Dolan and I will definitely look out for her other books in this series. (Received ARC)

[Paul · Rating 5 out of 5]

After You Die – A Superb Thriller

Eva Dolan is the sort of writer that draws you in at the prologue and does not let you go until the final full stop in the book. After You Die is an excellent thriller that really gets under your skin and you are begging the police to find the killer, especially as there is the death of a child and her mother. After You Die, is part of the Zigic/Ferreira series, but I have read this as a standalone thriller and was enthralled.

Eva Dolan knows how to write thrillers of the highest quality that delivers on every level for the reader, with a harrowing plot that will leave you stunned. Eva Dolan is not afraid to tackle a subject that can cause others so much pain; she just delivers a thriller of superb quality.

DI Zigic is head of the Hate Crimes Unit in Peterborough with his DS Mel Ferreira, who has just returned to duty after being away with serious injuries caused in the line of duty. They are both called out to a murder scene in a quiet village just outside Peterborough, where a mother has been viciously stabbed to death and her disabled daughter has starved to death in bed.

The scene in which Dawn Prentice and her daughter Holly are found presents a number of forensic problems as the scene has been compromised due to a gas explosion and fireman stamping all over the place. Dawn and Holly are known to the Hate Crimes Unit, as being the victims of harassment but not much evidence of it being taken seriously.

Dawn has interesting private life, where she was going through a divorce, which had turned bitter; she also had a number of lovers online enough suspects to keep the police busy for a long time. All the people of the village say the same thing, Dawn had no enemies, she had a close friend in the village, a foster carer, and one of her children has gone missing about the same time. So the Police have suspects, but no evidence and so begin a cat and mouse chase to find the truth. One thing they do know is that the village is in complete turmoil.

After You Die is a superb thriller from an excellent writer who is at the top of her game and whose prose is engaging, draws you in from the start, and you just want to read, and find it a joy. What to expect from her storytelling? Twists and turns plots and subplots, explosive themes and two excellent detectives at the top of their game. Eva Dolan proves that she is an excellent storyteller, she knows what makes the reader tick, and delivers on every level. Dolan is like a sniper; she zeros in on her target and does not waste the bullets but hits the target every time.

[Kate · Rating 5 out of 5]

Having never read any of Eva Dolan's previous books, I didn't know what to expect when I started After You Die. I certainly wasn't expecting to be hooked immediately and not wanting to leave the book down to sleep, but with 2 kids, I need sleep :)
Happily, when I picked it back up, I was just as engrossed. I started the book on Tuesday night and had it finished last night. It was utterly addictive reading!
While the themes in the book are tough subject matter, they were handled skilfully, both by the author and the characters she has created. Zigic and Ferreira are one of the best, and most cohesive pairs of detectives I've read in a while. I often find that one or the other gets more time, or demands more attention, but both were equally present throughout the narrative.
The plot in After You Die was very tight. Every story was perfectly constructed, and together they intermingled brilliantly. You felt something for almost every character, whether it be sympathy, sadness, happiness or anger, and that is something I look for in the books I read. If I can't connect, I find it harder to concentrate on the story. No fear of that here!!!
I'm not going go into details of the plot, the synopsis above should be enough to whet your appetite. I, for one, am glad I went in without reading more that the synopsis as it was such a layered book that I wasn't expecting half of what happened! Also, as usual lately, I guessed the perpetrator and was wrong, again!

[Sarah · Rating 5 out of 5]

After You Die is the first book I have read by this author and it is also the third book in the Zigic & Ferreira series. Even though I haven't read the first two in the series I didn't feel I was at a disadvantage at all as it read very easily as a stand alone. Having read this book though I will certainly be reading more by this author.

I have to say the death of Dawn and her disabled daughter Holly really got to me. I wanted the murderer found as much as their friends and the police. The thought of Holly being left to die really did infuriate me as her death was so meaningless and down right cruel. It's certainly a storyline that I won't forget in a hurry.

Zigic & Ferreira really have their work cut out trying to find the culprit and I didn't envy them at all. I loved both of the main characters and they make a great team. They seem to be quite the opposite of each other which I think brings out the best in them.

Nathan was such a complex character. I really had mixed feelings for him. He has obviously been through a terrible ordeal but the fact that his past is hidden from us as well as the police was so frustrating. My heart to a certain extent was going out to him yet I wasn't sure whether it should be. Rachel who has all the answers to the readers and detective's questions was such an infuriating character. I really wanted to give the woman a good slap. Eventually all does get revealed though you can tell how much Rachel hates having to give out the information.

It certainly had me guessing through out about who the murderer was. I constantly kept changing my mind and all I will say is that all my guesses were wrong.

After You Die makes for one hell of a dark and tense reading experience. It had me gripped from start to finish. A brilliant crime thriller.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Random House UK, Vintage Publishing for an advanced readers copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

[Kate · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a great start to my reading year! Character-driven throughout, this is such a good piece of crime fiction.

[Craig Sisterson · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was the first of Dolan's acclaimed Zigic and Ferreira series that I'd read, and it has well and truly ensured I put her backlist and whatever books are to come on my 'absolutely-must-read list'. AFTER YOU DIE is a very fine crime novel, a British police procedural with so much more than good helpings of police and procedure. Not that I should be surprised - Dolan won the CWA Debut Dagger as a teenager, and her novels have been listed for the Theakstons and Gold Dagger awards.

AFTER YOU DIE is kick-started by a horrible crime in Peterborough that's a double-tragedy. A struggling mother who'd been harassed about her disabled daughter is found dead. Even worse, her daughter, marooned upstairs without a carer, has starved to death too. It’s a crime that understandably shakes Ferreira, Zigic, and their police colleagues. Worse for DS Ferreira, who’s scrabbling to get back to her old form – physically, mentally, and emotionally – after returning from a bad injury, she’d spoken to the victim about the earlier harassment. Could she have done more? What did she miss? As she tries to fight the doubts that she thinks others must have about her return, the doubts she tries to deny or silence in herself, how will she cope?

Dolan does a great job in evoking plenty of emotion in her characters, and the reader, without it becoming melodrama. The events and reactions in AFTER YOU DIE all read very authentic, very human and real, not forced or done for effect. Dolan has a great touch for infusing her writing with substance as well as style, and making you care, making you feel, while keeping the pages easily turning.

Even if, like me, you come to this third book in the series first, the characters and their personalities, troubles, and choices draw you in. They’re fully rounded people, flawed but understandable. I imagine that if you’ve been following DI Zigic and DS Ferreira since the beginning, you might appreciate the character development in AFTER YOU DIE even more. The two main characters face some challenges and tough obstacles in the case itself, and their wider lives. Witnessing how they handle this gives us a greater insight into who they are as people.

Overall, AFTER YOU DIE is a terrific crime novel, with a strong narrative drive, freshness in the prose, and good characters that keep you intrigued beyond how they go about solving the horrible crime they’re faced with. Strongly recommended.

This review was first published on Crime Watch: http://kiwicrime.blogspot.com

[Kim · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a real page turner and my first book by Eva Dolan. You are drawn in from the opening paragraphs. It’s part of a series- but I was able to enjoy it as a stand alone novel. That being said- I am now keen to discover everything Eva has written.
The characters were really great and the team are investigating a case through the Peterborough Hate Crimes which was a new area of crime for me.
They are called to a case where Dawn Prentice has been found stabbed to death after being called out to an explosion next door. Unfortunately her disabled daughter had died due to starving becase she was unable to look after herself after her mum was killed. Her daughter had run a blog and has that got anything to do with this crime?
I really enjoyed this one. I would like to thank Eva Dolan, the publisher and Net Galley for the chance to read this one.

[Lotten · Rating 4 out of 5]

Efter din död är en lättläst och välskriven deckare. Efter att ha läst ett antal deckare som tar ut svängarna, så känns det väldigt skönt med en deckare där fokus ligger på ”hederligt polisarbete” i en realistisk miljö. Det är inte bladvändarspänning, men historien går framåt i bra tempo, och språket och därmed läsningen flyter bra.

Det kanske säger något om deckargenrens utveckling men jag tycker det är enormt skönt att läsa en deckare som inte innehåller poliser som är skurkar, eller brottslingar som bara har personliga vendettor mot poliserna (eller den som är huvudperson i ”utredningen”/mysteriet). Det här är en berättelse som står med båda fötterna stadigt i jorden. Mysteriet är väl uppbyggt, och jag kunde inte gissa upplösningen i förväg.

Eva Dolans serie utspelar sig i en miljö där brottsligheten är hög, och människorna har inte hög status i samhället i stort. Det känns som en realistisk beskrivning som är intressant i sig. Karaktärsteckningen är bra, och personerna känns verkliga. Men det är många sorgliga karaktärer, och andelen som är tilltufsade och bittra över livet är stor. I Efter din död så blir jag ännu mer intresserad av Zigic och Ferreira än vad jag blivit i de två tidigare böckerna, jag vill absolut läsa mer om de två. Men precis som förra gången undrar jag varför dessa två med något enstaka undantag endast benämns med efternamnet?

Utöver det tragiska i berättelsen så är det en scen med Ferreira och hennes skador (från förra boken) som jag minns. Den är så hemsk att den kommer att jaga mig i mardrömmar framöver…

Som det råkar sig så har jag en till oläst bok i den här serien. Förhoppningsvis dröjer det inte så länge innan jag läser den.

Omdöme: Välskrivet och realistiskt om förhoppningar, föräldraskap och utsatthet
Betyg: 4

Hela recensionen här:
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[Sharon · Rating 4 out of 5]

Heart in my throat finishing this. Introduced to Eva Dolan at Bloody Scotland, in a discussion about social issues vs serial killers in crime fiction. Was impressed by her in person and impressed in writing too! Really different leading characters and back stories (granted I started halfway through the series), but the humanity in this book really came through and opened my eyes to stuff I probably like to pretend is not happening. Will definitely read more.

[Wendy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Not having had the pleasure of reading one of Eva Dolan’s books before, I was a little concerned that I’d be able to jump into a series at book three and actually get away with it, as it were. Well, I’m pleased to say the stealthy plot stole most of my day until I’d finished. Heck, I’m not complaining. It was a whirlwind of read, which didn’t dodge sensitive subject matters, and its suspense was a killer.

Although there are references to a previous case, I didn’t feel the author left me drifting without a paddle, and for that I’m grateful. Yes, my curiosity was certainly piqued as to past events, but there’s nothing at all to interfere with this imposing storyline, as casual references to the characters’ history only succeeded in layering their lives in the now.

Our investigating duo are detectives Zigic and Ferreira. There’s a lasting impression throughout that a nasty incident in book two has resulted in Ferreira being a little withdrawn from her post but still determined, as she strives to rehabilitate herself by pushing herself to the limit and beyond. She’s a complex one, not giving too much of herself away, but not overly moody either. Zigic seems like decent, down-to-earth chap. His wife is expecting their third child and the everyday domesticity of decorating the nursery is a far cry from the confused scene of crime he is called to attend…

A gas explosion in a property leads the team to the outskirts of the village and to a neighbouring house where two bodies lie undiscovered. Disturbing circumstances already you may think, but the crime scene presents more difficulties than originally suspected. Ferreira has been there before, you see, as the family had appeared on her radar as a target of a hate crime, her team’s investigative speciality.

When Dawn Prentice is found savagely murdered in the supposed safety of her own home, the immediate reaction is one of absolute horror. But the worst is to come as Holly, her disabled daughter who paralysed during a climbing accident, is discovered upstairs having apparently been neglected for a period of days. It begs the question as to how much her daughter had suffered and why no one popped in to check in on them, not even Holly’s own father.

The case leaves Ferreira haunted by her last attempt to contact the family, remembering how she hit a brick wall with the investigation before pushing it to once side to pursue other pressing cases. Current leads guide the team into the darker territory of abuse from an anonymous source, the deceased’s relationship with old friends, and new acquaintances. AND it doesn’t stop there. Alarm bells are ringing for a mysterious and troubled young foster boy who hasn’t been seen since the tragedy, while a hostile woman known only as Rachel is threatening his every move. Her involvement provides an edgy tangent for the team to pursue. She’s the perfectly elusive character, who has a few tricks up her sleeve to hinder Zigic’s day, appearing to force the case down a needlessly frustrating alley.

After You Die has an essence of unpredictability. The brilliance of this unsettling story is, just when you think you have it sussed a whisper of a new lead will put doubt in your mind as nothing is quite as it seems. And our crime duo are champions at being human, making the odd mistake and facing the fallout as and when it happens. I like that, and have no hesitation in giving After You Die a raving 5/5.

(Huge thanks to the author and publisher for arranging an ARC for review.)

[Lainy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Time Taken to Read - 2 days

Pages - 400

Publisher - Random House UK

Blurb from Goodreads

A gas leak leads to the discovery of two bodies—a mother and her severely disabled teenage daughter—in the third installment in Eva Dolan's gripping series following two detectives from the Hate Crimes Unit. Was the target of the killer the mother or daughter?

Dawn Prentice was already known to the Peterborough Hate Crimes Unit. The previous summer she had logged a number of calls detailing the harassment she and her severely disabled teenage daughter were undergoing. Now she is dead, stabbed to death, while Holly Prentice has been left to starve upstairs. DS Ferreira, only recently back serving on the force after being severely injured in the line of duty, had met with Dawn that summer. Was she negligent in not taking Dawn’s accusations more seriously? Did the murderer even know that Holly was helpless upstairs while her mother bled to death? While Ferreira battles her demons, determined to prove she's up to the frontline, DI Zigic is drawn into conflict with an official seemingly resolved to hide the truth about one of his main suspects. Can either officer unpick the truth about mother and daughter, and bring their killer to justice?



My Review

This is the third in a series of DI Zigic & DS Ferreira, you can get by without reading the earlier books and I wasn't a huge fan of the first book, I hadn't read the second one. This book features the same detectives although this book, for me, has a different and stronger tone. Dawn Prentice is found murdered in her house, her disabled child is also found dead. The list of suspects is headed by Dawn's ex husband, as the list grows Dawn's male visitors come to light as well and some threats aimed at both Dawn and her daughter. Whilst both detectives have personal lives and issues to deal with, the case is their main focus and catching their killer. With only one potential witness, Zigic needs to barter through red tape and politics to try and find the truth and get justice.

I really liked this book, I think the hard hitting aspects of it and sadly the fact that these kind of hate crimes exist really pull the reader is because of the realism entwined in the story. Not only do we have murder, promiscuity, disability and personal issues being dealt with, the book also examines euthanasia. A young disabled child wanted to end her life and shared her thoughts via an online blog and received threats, abuse and hate as a result, as did her parents. Some readers may find this hard to read however I feel it was handled well and added depth to the story.

There are many suspects, the pace is well set, Dawn & her daughter need justice and the detectives won't stop until they get it. I will be tracking down the second book in this series I missed and I look forward to the next, 4/5 for me this time.

[Susan Hampson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Although this is the third book following two detectives from the Hate Crimes Unit, it is the first in the series that I have read. I don't feel that this really affected the enjoyment of the book. A gas explosion exposes the body of a gruesomely murdered woman in an adjoining house and the body of her disabled teenage daughter starved and dehydrated to death because her mother had not been discovered sooner.
As the team dig deep into the mother and daughter's past, they discover more red herrings than could fit into an average size garden fish pond. I do enjoy a really good who done it and so this novel ticked the boxes in that department. The writer makes you feel part of the team, working and eliminating the could be's until you are left with the has to be. I had it down to the last two.
There is also a secondary story line running along side the murders which left me with an uneasy feeling at it's conclusion, as I felt it was all so true. This book does have intense moments and a pretty good end.
I wish to thank Netgalley and Vintage Publishing for allowing me the opportunity to read and review this book

[Linda Boa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Technically a 4.5 (I'm trying to stop giving every single book a 5!)

Catch my review on the Blog Tour on Tuesday 26th January.

[John · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another excellent book in this police procedural series. The lead characters are growing in authority and the plot is intricate and involving. This is a very very sad story but deserves to be read. Lucky me, still two books by Eva Dolan waiting to be read.

[Elizabeth Allen · Rating 4 out of 5]

My second Eva Dolan book and really good. Gripping and quite horrifying in places but a really good read.

[Book Addict Shaun · Rating 4 out of 5]

After You Die once again introduces us to the fantastic duo of DS Ferreira and DI Zigic. In the beginning we are told about Dawn Prentice. Dawn was already known to the Peterborough Hate Crimes unit before she was discovered stabbed to death and she was known to the police because she had told them the previous summer about the harassment that she and her severely disabled daughter had been receiving. Dawn's daughter Holly had been left to starve upstairs, found by the police after the discovery of Dawn's body. Eva Dolan has an incredibly powerful writing style, it really packs a punch and leaves its mark on the reader. She has this incredible ability of making her characters become real people, and whilst this is fiction, some deft research, brilliant characterisation and storytelling make this a book that goes way beyond being just another crime fiction book.

As well as giving us that real human element to her stories, Eva always centres them around events that are real talking points, things that in the media would get people's blood boiling and leave those at home wanting justice for the victims. That's exactly how I felt when reading After You Die. I am loathe to discuss the particulars in too much detail because the blurb is ambiguous in revealing where the duos investigation leads them, and it leads them down many different paths, with numerous suspects. Despite it being a tried and tested formula, it always feels new and different with Eva's books, and following the investigation, and singling out some suspects more than others is always something I enjoy with this series. After You Die is an incredibly thought-provoking book, talking about things I already have firm opinions on, and things which whilst being sensitive subjects, are tackled in such a skillful way by Eva that they never become gratuitous. This is a story that could be discussed for hours at a book club.

DS Ferreira and DI Zigic are a unique and brilliant duo. Their own personal stories once again being extended further throughout the story but never at the cost of the main plot. Everything runs along smoothly. They are two characters that every reader should and will have no trouble rooting for and believing in. I particularly like how different they both are from each other, but at the same time just how well they work together despite that. I don't find it difficult to choose a favourite, and that favourite is DS Ferreira. She is perhaps the more complex one out of the two to read about and she's been on quite a journey across the series and whilst Zigic has also been on a journey of his own, I just think I enjoy (if that's the right word) reading about Ferreira's more. I probably like them as a duo even more because they don't suffer from Supercop syndrome which I do find seems to affect American detectives more than those on British soil. Ferreira and Zigic are flawed and make mistakes, a huge one in Ferreira's case as she blames herself for not doing more to help Dawn and Holly.

I often find there's some snobbery when it comes to crime fiction, and whilst I would say After You Die is more towards the 'higher class' of crime fiction, should such a system exist, I do still think that books such as this don't receive all the recognition that they should because this really is an outstanding piece of not just crime fiction, but writing in itself. That said, Eva has made great waves in the genre and is a much-respected author and I know that I'm not the only one who is incredibly excited to see how she continues this series and I hope that one day we can see it on the small screen, as it would make for a brilliant (and long-running) TV series. If you are yet to pick up one of Eva Dolan's books then what are you waiting for? They are beautifully researched, making them incredibly authentic and her emotive writing leaves its mark long after you've turned that final page and started another book, her characters will still be pushing their way to the front of your mind.

[Amit Tiwary · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 Stars.

This combination of DI Zigic and DS Ferreira works almost flawless. Eva Dolan spins a complex web of narratives around a heinous crime. Keeps you hooked.

A good one time read.

[Thebooktrail · Rating 4 out of 5]

Visit the locations in the novel here Eva Dolan booktrail

A mother and her disabled daughter – the latest case for the Peterborough Hate Crimes Unit.

Eva Dolan won an award in the 2015 Booktrail Awards for ‘ Book that punches you in the face’. Well this book might just win her a similar award for the impact it had on me. The work of a hate crimes unit is not something that I’d read about before in crime fiction until these books and this case haunted me for days, no weeks after reading it. It reminded me of a case on the news years ago and this also could be heartbreakingly true. There is so much emotional investment in the characters that you’ll feel their pain and wipe their tears and I felt myself outraged in public, reading on the bus, to the point where someone noted that ‘ it must be a good book’. I told her just enough for her to say she was going to get it. I think this bus book recommendation service might just catch on!

Eva Dolan always manages to grab me by the throat and show me an aspect of people’s lives I’d never really thought of before – the life of caring for a disabled relative, the right to die, hate crimes…and the role of social media in their lives. This will stay with me for some time.

This book certainly does put Peterborough on the map – the deaths of a mother and daughter is emotional, heartbreaking and shockingly realistic. Hate crimes, the life of a carer, the role of social media in the lives of people isolated from all other aspects of society are all handled by Peterborough police and show the difficulty of doing so. The nature of the crimes, the way both police and the wider society view the disabled and related hate crimes is just heartbreaking, poignant and desperately sad.

Peterborough here could be any town or city across England but it reflects the fact that in the smaller and picturesque places, crime can be grave and hidden. This is not the capital city that has sadly seen it all, this is a place where a woman and her disabled daughter become hate figures. DI Zigic and Ferreira have never dealt with such a ticking clock before and the veil of suspicion soon covers many in the small town and the corridors of officialdom.

We've put together a map on : Eva Dolan booktrail to show you the two sides of the city in the novel.

[Richard · Rating 4 out of 5]

It is good to catch up with an author as their series of books develop. You see their characters are more familiar yet continue to grew and you are rewarded with clear indications of the quality of writing improving and expanding within a world they have created.
DI Zigic and DS Ferreira are the stars of this police procedural but we learn more as time goes by of the rest of the team and the cohesive workings of the Peterborough Hate Crimes Unit. Zigic is so pleased that Ferreira is back from almost career ending injuries but he has doubts when a new case comes his way that she may not be fully ready to return to the day to day demands. This may be especially true in this murder investigation as she had visited the family to assess the level of abuse and harrassment they were receiving last year. The case had been closed but now that decision seems premature as the Mother has been murdered and her daughter left to die.
A brutal crime scene leaves everyone shocked but soon the police appear to have more suspects than staff to process them and establish their alibis; there is shock within the small community where the murdered happened but it transpires not everyone liked the family.
What I like about Dolan's work is that it presents issues in an open non-judgemental way. Here she tackles severe life changing injury and the right to die. As well as the normal conflicts of adult relationships she adds children within the care system, second family dynamics, infidelity and the changes pregnancy makes on everyone. This isn't just seen within the police investigation but parts are reflected in the police officers own lives. In addition there are political matters regarding funding, whose case it is and pressure from above regarding pre-existing concerns.
All this produces a thrill of a read set within just a few days of the enquiry. It is full of action and exhaustion revealing the difficulties of mounting a murder investigation; the blind alleys and dead ends that crop up and they lack of complete joy even when the case appears solved.
I especially enjoyed the change of scene for the team and the number of interviews under caution that demonstrate what a good pair of detectives Zigic and Ferreira; with their mutual understanding and changing roles before those being questioned. There are also hints at a deeper chemistry within the squad which we can leave for the next book; ready and waiting.

[Stephanie · Rating 5 out of 5]

After You Die is the third book in the Zigic and Ferreira series and is one that I have been waiting impatiently to read since the cliff hanger ending in book two. It was well worth waiting for!
Unlike the first two books, which involved hate crimes against those from a different country this was about hate crime aimed at a disabled blogger. Holly was paralysed in an accident a few years previously. Her accident caused her parents marriage to breakdown, her mother was active on dating websites and she had very little contact with her father who blamed himself. When Dawn is murdered, Holly is left to die from natural causes in her bedroom.
Ferreira has just returned to work after a bad injury she suffered while on active duty. She is still affected by them, both mentally and physically but is determined to prove that she can cope despite concerns from her colleagues. Zigic is fighting to keep the case in the hate crimes department and is angered by restrictions placed on him when a potential witness needs to be interviewed. Nathan was an enigma, I kept on reading just a little bit more to find out what his past was and why Zigic was having to hold back.
A lot of people have views on the right to die issue. The topic was handled very well in the novel. I imagine that the abuse that Holly received via her blog was pretty accurate. She was a great character, one of the nicest and definitely one of the bravest people in the book. She had a big impact on Ferreira who was desperate to get answers into the killings.
Quite sad at times, especially the storylines with the younger people who feature. It was harder to feel any sympathy or warmth towards any of the other characters. The crime itself was very cold and calculating. Probably one of the most calculating that I have read for a while.
The Zigic and Ferreira detective series is one of my favourites. I've enjoyed each book, you get to know the main characters a little more in each one but their personal lives don't impact the main story. If you haven't read them I would recommend reading in order.

With thanks to the publisher and the author for the copy received.

[Frue_s · Rating 5 out of 5]

En väldigt spännande deckare! Har ingen aning om vem mördaren är eller motiv. Många intressanta sidospår i jakten på förövaren. Kunde nästan inte sluta läsa. Riktigt, riktigt bra!

[Roman Clodia · Rating 4 out of 5]

The thing I like about Dolan is that she keeps her crime realistic (no macabre motives, people obsessed with something that happened 30 years ago, or tricky coded messages sent to the police) and writes well in an unobtrusive, fluent style.

That said, this is a more conventional or regular entry in her series which has links to past events but which doesn't have the same bleakness and brutality of the last book which made it so special. There is still a politicised edge to the work, here issues around social responses to disability, and internet trolls are touched on amongst other social issues, but they never take over the story.

Overall, this is a very good police procedural and it’s nice that we're getting to learn more about the personal lives of our main characters - I guess I expected something extra from Dolan given her previous work... A solid 4-stars but it somehow lacks the contemporary politicised edge of her past books.

[Denise · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the first book I have read by Eva Dolan and I really enjoyed this suspenseful mystery, it was easy to read and hard to put down as each chapter unraveled.
Brilliantly paced, the tension builds throughout this novel to a dramatic conclusion. This book covers some dark themes and in doing so it provides a thought-provoking read.
After You Die is the third in a series of books featuring Detectives Zigic and FerreiraI but can be read as a stand alone. I look forward to reading the first two books and more from Eva Dolan.

[Marina Sofia · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not a refugee or immigrant in sight here, in this 3rd crime novel by Eva Dolan looking at life in or near Peterborough. Yet, as always, a tight, well-written story, with a great deal of sadness at its heart. Never one to shy away from topical discussions, this time the author looks at cyberbullying, attitudes towards disabled people and assisted death.