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Morgan Vine #2
Kill Me Twice
Karl Savage is dead.
He must be. His ex, Anjelica, is in prison for murdering him in an arson attack. Multiple forensic experts testified to finding his charred remains.
So when Anjelica begs investigative journalist Morgan Vine to prove her innocence, it seems an impossible task. It doesn't matter that Karl was abusive. That Anjelica has a baby to care for. That she's petrified of fire. The whole world knows Karl is dead.
Then he walks past Morgan's window . . .
He must be. His ex, Anjelica, is in prison for murdering him in an arson attack. Multiple forensic experts testified to finding his charred remains.
So when Anjelica begs investigative journalist Morgan Vine to prove her innocence, it seems an impossible task. It doesn't matter that Karl was abusive. That Anjelica has a baby to care for. That she's petrified of fire. The whole world knows Karl is dead.
Then he walks past Morgan's window . . .
448 pages, Kindle Edition
First published August 24, 2017
78 people are currently reading
332 people want to read
About the author
Simon Booker
7 books36 followersI’m an author and screenwriter with many credits in primetime drama on BBC1 and ITV. I’ve written original thrillers like The Stepfather for ITV1, penned BBC1 adaptations such as Just William, and worked on long-running series including The Inspector Lynley Mysteries, Holby City and The Mrs Bradley Mysteries starring the wonderful Diana Rigg. I’ve also written romantic comedies for American TV, including Perfect Strangers starring Anna Friel and Rob Lowe (and yes, his eyes really are that blue). I started my writing career with a collection of plays for BBC Radio 4 and have worked extensively as a TV and radio producer, and as a journalist.
Without Trace is the first in a series of psychological thrillers featuring Morgan Vine, a single mother and journalist who specialises in miscarriages of justice. I enjoy writing for TV but it’s great to branch out into new territory. And I hope Morgan Vine might one day show up on a screen near you.
I live in London and Deal, Kent. I’m a volunteer facilitator in restorative justice, working with offenders at HMP Brixton. My partner is fellow crime writer Melanie "M.J." McGrath. We often discuss murder methods over breakfast.
Without Trace is the first in a series of psychological thrillers featuring Morgan Vine, a single mother and journalist who specialises in miscarriages of justice. I enjoy writing for TV but it’s great to branch out into new territory. And I hope Morgan Vine might one day show up on a screen near you.
I live in London and Deal, Kent. I’m a volunteer facilitator in restorative justice, working with offenders at HMP Brixton. My partner is fellow crime writer Melanie "M.J." McGrath. We often discuss murder methods over breakfast.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 70 reviews
August 9, 2017
I really enjoyed reading "Kill Me Twice" by Simon Booker, it was a tense and well plotted crime novel that kept my attention from the first few intense pages.
Karl Savage is dead. Or is he? His ex girlfriend Angelica is in prison for murdering him after multiple experts testified to finding his charred remains. So when Angelica begs investigative journalist Morgan Vine to prove her innocence it seems an impossible task, everyone knows he's dead - right? But then he's turns up outside Morgan's window......
This is a very character driven story in my opinion, with well portrayed and varied characters. I'm not sure I actually liked Morgan or her daughter Lissa. Morgan has a deep distrust of men after several failed relationships but to be honest, I felt she did tend to treat the men in the story quite unfairly. Lissa is a bit of a spoilt brat that doesn't really do anything to make her endearing or likeable. I did like Joe Cassidy and hope maybe in a future story, he and Morgan may build on their tentative friendship. I also had some sympathy for Karl Savage even though he's the 'baddie' in the story and I think considering the way he was treated as a kid his emotions and actions were quite understandable although obviously not condonable.
I have no idea how I would deal with the information Morgan found out regarding Kiki's murder - the twist regarding the revelation of the murderer is quite a shock and unexpected but suits the story perfectly and looking back now can see how everything fitted together.
The story ratchets up the tension in the last quarter of the book with an excellent storyline that keeps you guessing throughout and with a shocking twist there's nothing not to like about this book.
I haven't read the first in the Morgan Vine series "Without Trace" but I would happily read more by this author and hope that there is another book in the pipeline to follow.
5 stars!
Karl Savage is dead. Or is he? His ex girlfriend Angelica is in prison for murdering him after multiple experts testified to finding his charred remains. So when Angelica begs investigative journalist Morgan Vine to prove her innocence it seems an impossible task, everyone knows he's dead - right? But then he's turns up outside Morgan's window......
This is a very character driven story in my opinion, with well portrayed and varied characters. I'm not sure I actually liked Morgan or her daughter Lissa. Morgan has a deep distrust of men after several failed relationships but to be honest, I felt she did tend to treat the men in the story quite unfairly. Lissa is a bit of a spoilt brat that doesn't really do anything to make her endearing or likeable. I did like Joe Cassidy and hope maybe in a future story, he and Morgan may build on their tentative friendship. I also had some sympathy for Karl Savage even though he's the 'baddie' in the story and I think considering the way he was treated as a kid his emotions and actions were quite understandable although obviously not condonable.
I have no idea how I would deal with the information Morgan found out regarding Kiki's murder - the twist regarding the revelation of the murderer is quite a shock and unexpected but suits the story perfectly and looking back now can see how everything fitted together.
The story ratchets up the tension in the last quarter of the book with an excellent storyline that keeps you guessing throughout and with a shocking twist there's nothing not to like about this book.
I haven't read the first in the Morgan Vine series "Without Trace" but I would happily read more by this author and hope that there is another book in the pipeline to follow.
5 stars!
December 6, 2017
For my written review, please check out the link below:
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Debs :-)
Debra's Book Cafe
Debs :-)
August 16, 2017
We are back with Morgan Vine again having met her once in “Without a Trace” – this time she is looking into the case of possibly wrongly convicted arsonist Anjelica in a story so twisted you may have to sit down for a while after finishing it.
I love when a crime thriller is fast paced and yet utterly character driven – Simon Booker writes with a kind of frenetic pacy style that keeps you turning the pages whilst still managing to convey a real sense of the characters he has created and revealing their many human layers. In “Kill Me Twice” he throws in a real corker of a mystery too, with dead men walking and several external distractions for Morgan to sort through, at the same time trying to save her daughter from herself and find her way forward in her personal life.
There is a genuinely clever and somewhat unexpected resolution, the plot is intelligently woven, you have to pay attention – whilst if I had one small bugbear it was that I wanted to kill Lissa with my bare hands and I’m not a violent person – Kill Me Twice is a riveting and brilliantly plotted bit of storytelling that may keep you up at night.
Recommended.
I love when a crime thriller is fast paced and yet utterly character driven – Simon Booker writes with a kind of frenetic pacy style that keeps you turning the pages whilst still managing to convey a real sense of the characters he has created and revealing their many human layers. In “Kill Me Twice” he throws in a real corker of a mystery too, with dead men walking and several external distractions for Morgan to sort through, at the same time trying to save her daughter from herself and find her way forward in her personal life.
There is a genuinely clever and somewhat unexpected resolution, the plot is intelligently woven, you have to pay attention – whilst if I had one small bugbear it was that I wanted to kill Lissa with my bare hands and I’m not a violent person – Kill Me Twice is a riveting and brilliantly plotted bit of storytelling that may keep you up at night.
Recommended.
August 4, 2017
Another great book by Zaffre
After a terrible row Karl told Angelica that she was a terrible mother and he threatened to snatch their child Marlon and take him out of the country. Angelica spent months plotting her escape. While Karl was at work she took Marlon to the park. She never came back. The headlines in the paper Karl Savage died in a flat fire. His body was so badly burnt that he had to be identified by dental records. The police want to know where Angelica was the night he died?.The way the police see Karl death is that Angelica started the fire to kill Karl so he couldn't snatch Marlon and take him out of the country. The whole world knows that Karl Savage is dead. Would you like to know what really happened? I hope lots of readers will buy Kill Me Twice and find out. Kill Me Twice is a compulsively gripping thriller perfect for fans of Harlan Coben.
After a terrible row Karl told Angelica that she was a terrible mother and he threatened to snatch their child Marlon and take him out of the country. Angelica spent months plotting her escape. While Karl was at work she took Marlon to the park. She never came back. The headlines in the paper Karl Savage died in a flat fire. His body was so badly burnt that he had to be identified by dental records. The police want to know where Angelica was the night he died?.The way the police see Karl death is that Angelica started the fire to kill Karl so he couldn't snatch Marlon and take him out of the country. The whole world knows that Karl Savage is dead. Would you like to know what really happened? I hope lots of readers will buy Kill Me Twice and find out. Kill Me Twice is a compulsively gripping thriller perfect for fans of Harlan Coben.
October 26, 2017
For those of you who know me well or follow my reviews you will know how I feel about reading books "out of order", I come over in a hot sweat, my palms start itching and I have to lie down in a dark room for an hour, so you can imagine my feelings when about 20% into this book I realised it was the 2nd in a series and *SHRIEK GASP* I hadn't read the first yet. After quickly messaging a book guru friend (thanks Liz Barnsley!) she assured me that I could continue to read this book as both books work well as a standalone. Thankfully the 20% I had read had already grabbed me and I then settled down to read the rest.
It is very obvious from the style of writing that the author is a screenwriter, he brings locations and characters to life with ease and even though I was conscious of not knowing the background of the main character, at no time did I feel I was missing out or struggling to keep up with the history or backstory of Morgan Vine. Kill Me Twice is a very tense and often disturbing story which centres around Morgan Vine, an investigative journalist who is determined to prove the innocence of a young mother jailed for the murder and arson attack on her ex-boyfriend.
The plot was fast and furious and the tension was evident throughout the book, with an extremely disturbed villain, some great characters and some gritty and disturbing scenarios KILL ME TWICE is a page turner with twists and turns throughout. Highly recommended and the good news is that I downloaded WITHOUT A TRACE immediately!
It is very obvious from the style of writing that the author is a screenwriter, he brings locations and characters to life with ease and even though I was conscious of not knowing the background of the main character, at no time did I feel I was missing out or struggling to keep up with the history or backstory of Morgan Vine. Kill Me Twice is a very tense and often disturbing story which centres around Morgan Vine, an investigative journalist who is determined to prove the innocence of a young mother jailed for the murder and arson attack on her ex-boyfriend.
The plot was fast and furious and the tension was evident throughout the book, with an extremely disturbed villain, some great characters and some gritty and disturbing scenarios KILL ME TWICE is a page turner with twists and turns throughout. Highly recommended and the good news is that I downloaded WITHOUT A TRACE immediately!
December 22, 2019
Five stars may (or may not) have been a teeny over-reaction but I'd been in a bit of a slump and this book totally grabbed me and didn't let me go until I'd finished the damn thing. Taut plotting made this book totally gripping. Loved it. I'd be really keen to see a third book in this little series.
August 25, 2017
I liked the premise of this one and it didn't disappoint. A well-written and well-plotted thriller that I enjoyed immensely. The relationship between journalist Morgan Vine and the prisoner whose innocence she is trying to prove is interesting and the sub-story involving Morgan's daughter is equally fascinating as is Morgan's relationship with the police. My only criticism if any is that there were a lot of other subsidiary characters which meant I kept forgetting who they were and had to go back to check. That was only a minor irritation in an otherwise excellent read.
March 16, 2020
Review to come.
May 8, 2020
This book was fantastic! When I picked it up in a 3 for £5 deal, I never thought it would exactly be a 5 star read. But it surprised me. I absolutely loved the story and the characters and especially the twists.
The Characters
Morgan is our main character in this book and she plays the heroine to perfection. She a fabulous sleuth, great eye for detail and always a genius when reading between the lines or seeing things that others miss.
Her daughter Lissa was a brat. At 20 year old and acting the way she did drove me loopy. She was probably the one thing I didn’t like in this whole story. She acted like my 2 year old when she doesn’t get what she wants. I have no idea why this author thought to write a 20 year old as a teenager but it didn’t suit her.
All the other characters played their parts well, they kept it interesting and definitely kept Morgan on her toes. (I can’t mention the names or it give it all away).
The Storyline
Very well put together and thought out. Cleverly portrayed and executed. I was definitely surprised when it was all revealed. Just a shame about Lissa’s character.
This authors writing style is addictive and thrilling and I recommend his work to anything into a good old mystery.
The Characters
Morgan is our main character in this book and she plays the heroine to perfection. She a fabulous sleuth, great eye for detail and always a genius when reading between the lines or seeing things that others miss.
Her daughter Lissa was a brat. At 20 year old and acting the way she did drove me loopy. She was probably the one thing I didn’t like in this whole story. She acted like my 2 year old when she doesn’t get what she wants. I have no idea why this author thought to write a 20 year old as a teenager but it didn’t suit her.
All the other characters played their parts well, they kept it interesting and definitely kept Morgan on her toes. (I can’t mention the names or it give it all away).
The Storyline
Very well put together and thought out. Cleverly portrayed and executed. I was definitely surprised when it was all revealed. Just a shame about Lissa’s character.
This authors writing style is addictive and thrilling and I recommend his work to anything into a good old mystery.
August 25, 2020
It's a fast-paced book that is big on action. The little flashbacks to Karl Savage's childhood do help you to understand why he ended up so evil, even if you can't feel sorry for him. It's a tense read with plenty of descriptions of people and places to help you really imagine the settings and a feel-good ending that all the bad guys are locked up and you can go to sleep happy. Just one thing disappointed me - the fact that the series ends here. Come on Simon, I'm sure Morgan has a few more great stories in her yet !
(Full review on my blog : https://madhousefamilyreviews.blogspo...)
(Full review on my blog : https://madhousefamilyreviews.blogspo...)
January 26, 2020
Thoroughly enjoyed this book.
September 8, 2017
*** Actual Rating 3.5 / 5 ***
This is the second outing for journo, Morgan Vine, and although I haven’t had the pleasure of reading the first book I was quickly attracted to the underlying story of the potential miscarriages of justice she investigates.
On this occasion, all the evidence supports the fact that Angelica Fry is a murdering arsonist (unfortunate surname given her conviction), so how could she ever hope to convince a complete stranger of her innocence when she has nothing new to offer in her defence?
It’s interesting to see how Morgan Vine tackles this dilemma, especially as she learns of a few unsavoury prison activities during the process and by doing so she gets caught in a perilous web where a deadly spider is waiting – you know, one of those crafty blighters you tackled with the TV guide only to learn it’s been under the sofa and plotting a surprise attack.
The story leaves the starting blocks off at quite a pace. There’s an intriguing plot and the characters appear level-headed and grounded… until... well, events conspire and all logic leaves the building. The Vine family display some dreadful judgement in their personal lives and place themselves in unnecessary danger – in fact they actively throw themselves in its path at times!
There are also various lines of enquiry to consider as many-a-moral compass has cracked under severe pressure. While I can’t help but have very little sympathy for Morgan’s daughter (she became increasingly irritating as time and tragedy ticked on), I couldn’t help but feel appalled for the unlucky recipient of a treasured biscuit tin, the contents of which were a sickening display of the psychological torment they were subjected to.
All in all this was a decent read and kept my interest. Given the outcome of this investigation I would be intrigued to see how life pans out for Morgan Vine in the future.
This is the second outing for journo, Morgan Vine, and although I haven’t had the pleasure of reading the first book I was quickly attracted to the underlying story of the potential miscarriages of justice she investigates.
On this occasion, all the evidence supports the fact that Angelica Fry is a murdering arsonist (unfortunate surname given her conviction), so how could she ever hope to convince a complete stranger of her innocence when she has nothing new to offer in her defence?
It’s interesting to see how Morgan Vine tackles this dilemma, especially as she learns of a few unsavoury prison activities during the process and by doing so she gets caught in a perilous web where a deadly spider is waiting – you know, one of those crafty blighters you tackled with the TV guide only to learn it’s been under the sofa and plotting a surprise attack.
The story leaves the starting blocks off at quite a pace. There’s an intriguing plot and the characters appear level-headed and grounded… until... well, events conspire and all logic leaves the building. The Vine family display some dreadful judgement in their personal lives and place themselves in unnecessary danger – in fact they actively throw themselves in its path at times!
There are also various lines of enquiry to consider as many-a-moral compass has cracked under severe pressure. While I can’t help but have very little sympathy for Morgan’s daughter (she became increasingly irritating as time and tragedy ticked on), I couldn’t help but feel appalled for the unlucky recipient of a treasured biscuit tin, the contents of which were a sickening display of the psychological torment they were subjected to.
All in all this was a decent read and kept my interest. Given the outcome of this investigation I would be intrigued to see how life pans out for Morgan Vine in the future.
April 29, 2018
My Review: For those of you who know me well or follow my reviews you will know how I feel about reading books “out of order”, I come over in a hot sweat, my palms start itching and I have to lie down in a dark room for an hour, so you can imagine my feelings when about 20% into this book I realised it was the 2nd in a series and *SHRIEK GASP* I hadn’t read the first yet. After quickly messaging a book guru friend (thanks Liz Barnsley!) she assured me that I could continue to read this book as both books work well as a standalone. Thankfully the 20% I had read had already grabbed me and I then settled down to read the rest.
It is very obvious from the style of writing that the author is a screenwriter, he brings locations and characters to life with ease and even though I was conscious of not knowing the background of the main character, at no time did I feel I was missing out or struggling to keep up with the history or backstory of Morgan Vine. Kill Me Twice is a very tense and often disturbing story which centres around Morgan Vine, an investigative journalist who is determined to prove the innocence of a young mother jailed for the murder and arson attack on her ex-boyfriend.
The plot was fast and furious and the tension was evident throughout the book, with an extremely disturbed villain, some great characters and some gritty and disturbing scenarios KILL ME TWICE is a page turner with twists and turns throughout. Highly recommended and the good news is that I downloaded WITHOUT A TRACE immediately!
It is very obvious from the style of writing that the author is a screenwriter, he brings locations and characters to life with ease and even though I was conscious of not knowing the background of the main character, at no time did I feel I was missing out or struggling to keep up with the history or backstory of Morgan Vine. Kill Me Twice is a very tense and often disturbing story which centres around Morgan Vine, an investigative journalist who is determined to prove the innocence of a young mother jailed for the murder and arson attack on her ex-boyfriend.
The plot was fast and furious and the tension was evident throughout the book, with an extremely disturbed villain, some great characters and some gritty and disturbing scenarios KILL ME TWICE is a page turner with twists and turns throughout. Highly recommended and the good news is that I downloaded WITHOUT A TRACE immediately!
August 21, 2017
Despite my dislike of joining a series anywhere but at the start, I seem to be picking up a lot of books at this second book stage. What I will say about Kill Me Twice, is that if you hadn't told me it was book 2 in the series, I really wouldn't have known...until I looked up what else the author had written to add it to my wish list. So in my humble opinion, Kill Me Twice can definitely be read as a standalone novel and a VERY enjoyable one at that.
It gives me chills just writing about the start of the book, as it has every ingredient you need for a gripping thriller. Morgan feels somebody watching her and her daughter, Lissa, as they take a walk along the coast. As Morgan lies reeling from a blow to the back of her head, she hears the 'clink-rasp' of a lighter and smells the burning of human hair. Morgan found herself completely powerless to defend her daughter from this vicious attack.
Morgan wrote a book about miscarriages of justice, so she manages to find something to take her mind off this mindless attack: the case of Anjelica Fry. Anjelica was convicted of killing her boyfriend, Karl Savage, in an arson attack. So why does Morgan think she is innocent? Some things don't add up and then when Morgan sees Karl watching her house, she knows for sure that Anjelica has been wrongly imprisoned. What she doesn't know is how Karl managed to fake his own death and why he wanted Anjelica to be sent down for it.
What follows is a story so fast-paced and gripping, that makes Kill Me Twice a thriller of the highest calibre. There are so many little twists and surprises as we delve into Karl's life and the lives of the women he has loved and destroyed - he's Savage by name and savage by nature. Morgan is a superb character - she is like a dog with a bone once she gets something into her head. Her relationship with her daughter, Lissa, was interesting too as they don't seem that close at the start but Morgan is clearly there for Lissa when the chips are down.
One slight criticism I have, and it doesn't take anything at all away from the 5 stars I have awarded this book, is the overuse of the phrase 'blowing out his/her cheeks'. It just seemed to appear a lot and once I noticed it, it seemed to pop up a lot more!
Kill Me Twice really is a spectacular book, one that has me immediately adding the first book, Without Trace, to my cart as opposed to just my wishlist, and keeping a VERY keen eye out for book number 3. There are some vivid and slightly uncomfortable scenes as Karl shows his true colours, but I couldn't have torn my eyes away from the page if my life depended on it. A superb book, one that is very hard to put down and had me gripped from start to finish. I wholeheartily recommend this one!
I chose to read an ARC and this is my honest and unbiased opinion.
It gives me chills just writing about the start of the book, as it has every ingredient you need for a gripping thriller. Morgan feels somebody watching her and her daughter, Lissa, as they take a walk along the coast. As Morgan lies reeling from a blow to the back of her head, she hears the 'clink-rasp' of a lighter and smells the burning of human hair. Morgan found herself completely powerless to defend her daughter from this vicious attack.
Morgan wrote a book about miscarriages of justice, so she manages to find something to take her mind off this mindless attack: the case of Anjelica Fry. Anjelica was convicted of killing her boyfriend, Karl Savage, in an arson attack. So why does Morgan think she is innocent? Some things don't add up and then when Morgan sees Karl watching her house, she knows for sure that Anjelica has been wrongly imprisoned. What she doesn't know is how Karl managed to fake his own death and why he wanted Anjelica to be sent down for it.
What follows is a story so fast-paced and gripping, that makes Kill Me Twice a thriller of the highest calibre. There are so many little twists and surprises as we delve into Karl's life and the lives of the women he has loved and destroyed - he's Savage by name and savage by nature. Morgan is a superb character - she is like a dog with a bone once she gets something into her head. Her relationship with her daughter, Lissa, was interesting too as they don't seem that close at the start but Morgan is clearly there for Lissa when the chips are down.
One slight criticism I have, and it doesn't take anything at all away from the 5 stars I have awarded this book, is the overuse of the phrase 'blowing out his/her cheeks'. It just seemed to appear a lot and once I noticed it, it seemed to pop up a lot more!
Kill Me Twice really is a spectacular book, one that has me immediately adding the first book, Without Trace, to my cart as opposed to just my wishlist, and keeping a VERY keen eye out for book number 3. There are some vivid and slightly uncomfortable scenes as Karl shows his true colours, but I couldn't have torn my eyes away from the page if my life depended on it. A superb book, one that is very hard to put down and had me gripped from start to finish. I wholeheartily recommend this one!
I chose to read an ARC and this is my honest and unbiased opinion.
August 19, 2017
Kill Me Twice is the second in the Morgan Vine series following on from Booker’s debut thriller Without Trace. I really enjoyed the first book and really looked forward to this one. While I have the benefit of having read the previous book in the series, Kill Me Twice stands up as a novel that can be read on its own.
What really appealed to me about this series is the fact that Morgan is an investigative journalist rather than a detective which gives this series a different slant and it, therefore, comes from a different perspective. In Kill Me Twice we meet with Morgan following the success of her book Trial and Error: A History of Miscarriages of Justice as she is setting herself up to help those who have been wrongfully convicted. This leads her to assist in the case of Anjelica Fry, a mother currently in prison for the murder of her partner and baby’s father Karl Savage. But is Karl Savage actually dead?
Booker has created great characters for this series. Morgan is an independent, tenacious single mother who will not give up on what she believes to be the truth even when those around her doubt her. Lissa her twenty-year-old daughter again plays a large part in this book. I’m not keen on Lissa, she is not particularly likeable and comes across as a bit of a spoilt brat although I sense a vulnerability about her that I don’t yet fully understand. This adds to the series in that it gives you a contrast of characters and Lissa, while I don’t like her, would be a miss as she adds to the trouble that Morgan faces and I feel that there is more to learn about her.
I always like it when we gain an insight into the antagonist and the writer gives them depth making them a fully rounded character. Booker has written the character of Karl Savage in such a way that while he is utterly despicable you understand why and how he ended up being this way and at points I did feel a degree of sympathy for him. This adds an additional layer to Kill Me Twice.
Kill Me Twice took me on a journey I really wasn’t expecting, I had read the blurb (and actually remembered what the synopsis of the book was, which is pretty amazing for me!) and, I guess, I was expecting a certain plot direction. Kill Me Twice’s trajectory ended up being far, far removed from the average storyline. While Morgan expects to be assisting in a miscarriage of justice case her relationship with Anjelica ends up in her discovering a seedy underground business that relies on vulnerable women to propel it forward and, ultimately, becomes very personal.
Booker’s use of short, punchy sentences in the first chapter are incredibly effective in building up tension, a sense of unease and ensures that the atmosphere and tone of the book is set. You just know that Booker is going to take you to some dark places.
A complex story that is well written and well plotted, Kill Me Twice takes you on one hell of a ride. The ending shocked me and had me muttering ‘oh my God’ to the book. A deliciously dark read that has me eagerly awaiting the third in the series.
A huge thank you to Simon Booker and Bonnier Zaffre for the advance copy and for inviting me to take part in the blog tour.
What really appealed to me about this series is the fact that Morgan is an investigative journalist rather than a detective which gives this series a different slant and it, therefore, comes from a different perspective. In Kill Me Twice we meet with Morgan following the success of her book Trial and Error: A History of Miscarriages of Justice as she is setting herself up to help those who have been wrongfully convicted. This leads her to assist in the case of Anjelica Fry, a mother currently in prison for the murder of her partner and baby’s father Karl Savage. But is Karl Savage actually dead?
Booker has created great characters for this series. Morgan is an independent, tenacious single mother who will not give up on what she believes to be the truth even when those around her doubt her. Lissa her twenty-year-old daughter again plays a large part in this book. I’m not keen on Lissa, she is not particularly likeable and comes across as a bit of a spoilt brat although I sense a vulnerability about her that I don’t yet fully understand. This adds to the series in that it gives you a contrast of characters and Lissa, while I don’t like her, would be a miss as she adds to the trouble that Morgan faces and I feel that there is more to learn about her.
I always like it when we gain an insight into the antagonist and the writer gives them depth making them a fully rounded character. Booker has written the character of Karl Savage in such a way that while he is utterly despicable you understand why and how he ended up being this way and at points I did feel a degree of sympathy for him. This adds an additional layer to Kill Me Twice.
Kill Me Twice took me on a journey I really wasn’t expecting, I had read the blurb (and actually remembered what the synopsis of the book was, which is pretty amazing for me!) and, I guess, I was expecting a certain plot direction. Kill Me Twice’s trajectory ended up being far, far removed from the average storyline. While Morgan expects to be assisting in a miscarriage of justice case her relationship with Anjelica ends up in her discovering a seedy underground business that relies on vulnerable women to propel it forward and, ultimately, becomes very personal.
Booker’s use of short, punchy sentences in the first chapter are incredibly effective in building up tension, a sense of unease and ensures that the atmosphere and tone of the book is set. You just know that Booker is going to take you to some dark places.
A complex story that is well written and well plotted, Kill Me Twice takes you on one hell of a ride. The ending shocked me and had me muttering ‘oh my God’ to the book. A deliciously dark read that has me eagerly awaiting the third in the series.
A huge thank you to Simon Booker and Bonnier Zaffre for the advance copy and for inviting me to take part in the blog tour.
October 19, 2017
A murder mystery with a twist in the tail (tale?)
Apparently, this is the second of the ‘Morgan Vine investigates’ crime thrillers (the first being “Without Trace”). Morgan is a freelance journalist whose success in writing a best seller identifying miscarriages of justice through the ages has. perhaps unfairly, earned her a reputation of disliking the police. However, it has also drawn her to the attention of those who feel they have been wrongly convicted. One case grabs her attention – that of Anjelica Fry who is in prison for murdering her boyfriend, who she is convinced is still alive.
Before the author wrote his first two books he had a successful career as a TV scriptwriter and it shows. The structure of the plot just feels right with the correct amount of calm followed by action, light and dark and changes of pace which retain the reader’s interest throughout.
The characters are well-developed and, quite unusually, they feel very human. Each has his faults – even the heroines of the piece. The female prisoners who feature widely in the story are also shown, in many cases, to have been victims of their desperate circumstances. Just how much of our lives are in fact determined by who we are and where we come from?
So far, so good. Well-formed characters, great dialogue and an interesting plot. However, I was not so convinced by the actions of some of the principal actors but, as an aside, have a similar view of many TV series as well. For this reason, it receives 4 stars instead of 5.
The twist at the end was totally unexpected but a reflection of what could well have happened in real life. The reading group questions on the very last page are excellent and thought-provoking and any book of this type would benefit from such an addition.
I shall now be purchasing Mr Booker’s first novel.
mr zorg
Breakaway Reviewers received a copy of the book to review
Apparently, this is the second of the ‘Morgan Vine investigates’ crime thrillers (the first being “Without Trace”). Morgan is a freelance journalist whose success in writing a best seller identifying miscarriages of justice through the ages has. perhaps unfairly, earned her a reputation of disliking the police. However, it has also drawn her to the attention of those who feel they have been wrongly convicted. One case grabs her attention – that of Anjelica Fry who is in prison for murdering her boyfriend, who she is convinced is still alive.
Before the author wrote his first two books he had a successful career as a TV scriptwriter and it shows. The structure of the plot just feels right with the correct amount of calm followed by action, light and dark and changes of pace which retain the reader’s interest throughout.
The characters are well-developed and, quite unusually, they feel very human. Each has his faults – even the heroines of the piece. The female prisoners who feature widely in the story are also shown, in many cases, to have been victims of their desperate circumstances. Just how much of our lives are in fact determined by who we are and where we come from?
So far, so good. Well-formed characters, great dialogue and an interesting plot. However, I was not so convinced by the actions of some of the principal actors but, as an aside, have a similar view of many TV series as well. For this reason, it receives 4 stars instead of 5.
The twist at the end was totally unexpected but a reflection of what could well have happened in real life. The reading group questions on the very last page are excellent and thought-provoking and any book of this type would benefit from such an addition.
I shall now be purchasing Mr Booker’s first novel.
mr zorg
Breakaway Reviewers received a copy of the book to review
August 3, 2017
Kill me twice is a great psychological thriller. Morgan vine is a very likeable character. Down to earth and very relatable when it comes to her daughter and motherly instincts.
Morgan is a freelance journalist, who also specialises in helping people who are wrongly accused of crimes they haven't committed.
Anjelica fry is wrongly accused of killing her boyfriend and father of her son in a house fire during the night. Morgan doesn't know if she should take the cases because quite frankly she's doesn't know if Anjelica is telling the truth. Until one night she sees the dead man sitting outside her house, in a van, smoking a cigarette and alive. Morgans character comes across in the book as someone who would do anything for the wrongly accuse Anjelica and help her prove her innocence.
Anjelicas back from the dead boyfriend Karl Savage also goes by the name of Pablo and is the boyfriend of her daughter lissas. To her horror of finding this out she has to put her daughter safety first.
Proving hard to make Anjelicas lawyer, the police and all karls ex partners believe that karl is in actual fact still alive. It's a race against time for morgan.
On the first impression of this book i expected it to be a good read. But in actual fact this turned out to be a great read with some really good unexpected twists right until the end. I would highly recommend the book to everyone and anyone.
Morgan is a freelance journalist, who also specialises in helping people who are wrongly accused of crimes they haven't committed.
Anjelica fry is wrongly accused of killing her boyfriend and father of her son in a house fire during the night. Morgan doesn't know if she should take the cases because quite frankly she's doesn't know if Anjelica is telling the truth. Until one night she sees the dead man sitting outside her house, in a van, smoking a cigarette and alive. Morgans character comes across in the book as someone who would do anything for the wrongly accuse Anjelica and help her prove her innocence.
Anjelicas back from the dead boyfriend Karl Savage also goes by the name of Pablo and is the boyfriend of her daughter lissas. To her horror of finding this out she has to put her daughter safety first.
Proving hard to make Anjelicas lawyer, the police and all karls ex partners believe that karl is in actual fact still alive. It's a race against time for morgan.
On the first impression of this book i expected it to be a good read. But in actual fact this turned out to be a great read with some really good unexpected twists right until the end. I would highly recommend the book to everyone and anyone.
October 22, 2017
Thanks to Bonnier Zaffre for the copy of the book that I won in a giveaway on Goodreads.
Thrilled that I'd won something, I saw that the book was the second in the series, so I got the first, 'Without Trace' quickly, read it and enjoyed it. Thought it was similar in style to that of Michael Robotham, thought the story was well done, the writing style gripping and that this was the start of a series I'd enjoy. You would have to suspend disbelief at times and the main character Morgan Vine was prone to doing completely stupid things that would take you out of the book, but you could ignore that, thanks in part, to the clever plotting.
So, Kill Me Twice is the weaker of the two, it was harder to get into than the first, didnt have the same hook, and so many problems have to be overcome by Morgan that the odds are piled against Morgan to a ridiculous degree. A character, who I wont name due to spoilers, suffered in the first book but the three incidents that are inflicted on her (in the same book) make you wonder what could possibly left to happen to her.
I get that she is flawed in ways , and its consistent with her character, but Morgan keeps doing stupid things where you have to stop reading as your eyes are rolling too much.
However the prose is as good as in the first book, and I will read the next in the series hoping its as good as the first.
Thrilled that I'd won something, I saw that the book was the second in the series, so I got the first, 'Without Trace' quickly, read it and enjoyed it. Thought it was similar in style to that of Michael Robotham, thought the story was well done, the writing style gripping and that this was the start of a series I'd enjoy. You would have to suspend disbelief at times and the main character Morgan Vine was prone to doing completely stupid things that would take you out of the book, but you could ignore that, thanks in part, to the clever plotting.
So, Kill Me Twice is the weaker of the two, it was harder to get into than the first, didnt have the same hook, and so many problems have to be overcome by Morgan that the odds are piled against Morgan to a ridiculous degree. A character, who I wont name due to spoilers, suffered in the first book but the three incidents that are inflicted on her (in the same book) make you wonder what could possibly left to happen to her.
I get that she is flawed in ways , and its consistent with her character, but Morgan keeps doing stupid things where you have to stop reading as your eyes are rolling too much.
However the prose is as good as in the first book, and I will read the next in the series hoping its as good as the first.
August 3, 2017
I really enjoyed this book, right up until the last few chapters. Then it seemed to end slightly abruptly and I felt that there were a few lose ends.
Morgan Vine is asked by Anjelica to look into her conviction for the murder of Karl, her ex boyfriend, by arson. To the police, it's clear cut - he had threatened to take their baby so she killed him. But Anjelica is afraid of fire and is insistent that she didn't do it.
Meanwhile Morgan's daughter, Lissa, seems to have broken up with the older boyfriend that she hadn't introduced to her mother.
They are attacked by an unknown assailant who sets fire to Lissa's hair. It seems that the boyfriend has things in common with Karl, that's because he is Karl, but noone will believe Morgan that he's alive and its down to her to prove that the investigation into his murder was flawed.
September 2, 2017
3.5 Stars. It’s pretty hard to argue the appeal of an underdog fighting for other underdogs… and when that terrier is a feisty female investigative journalist, all the better. I appreciated the tangled web of crime, coercion and psychopathy Booker has pitted his lead against in
Kill Me Twice
. That complexity, along with the isolation and eeriness of the windswept coastal setting makes for compelling reading.
Read full review >>
April 22, 2021
This is a slightly odd story line where a crime author sets out to prove the innocence of a woman in prison but it turns out the real killer is already dating her daughter. Morgan's daughter, Lissa, is a bit of a nightmare and makes things a lot harder but getting herself embroiled in dodgy stuff. There always seems to be a man around ready to help Morgan but she does manage to solve the crime and the book ends with her ready to help the next person that needs her. This was ok but I have waited a couple of months to write the review and I have already forgotten most of the key details in the book
October 2, 2017
I enjoyed this book. The main character is Morgan, a journalist and single mother. she is also the author of a book questioning the legal system. From the many letters asking for her help, is one from a mother jailed for killing the father of her child. Morgan thinks she saw him at her house. This was an interesting read that continually twists to keep the readers interest high. Highly recommended. I am now looking for the first book in this series!
October 4, 2017
Great concept, interesting characters, enjoyable read. A couple of times it took a few minutes to figure out the wording, like "nappy".
September 20, 2020
I enjoyed the book a lot will be looking for more books by Simon Booker
July 16, 2017
Morgan Vine is an investigative journalist, specialising in miscarriage of justice. Drawn into the case of a woman convicted of arson and killing her abusive boyfriend, she struggles to find the evidence, that the said boyfriend, is still very much alive!! This is a nice book that has an interesting twist at the end.
July 14, 2017
netgalley
3.5 stars
an ok read. you will find yourself backtracking, there's a lot going on.
3.5 stars
an ok read. you will find yourself backtracking, there's a lot going on.
July 8, 2017
The book was a little hard to get into at first, and there were alot of characters. It was hard to keep everyone straight sometimes. The concept of the book was interesting I thought.
There were some twists that I didn't really see coming. I figured out what was going on with Jukes pretty early in the book, although the twist at the end with Lissa was a surprise to me. Overall, I enjoyed the book and would recommend it to other people.
There were some twists that I didn't really see coming. I figured out what was going on with Jukes pretty early in the book, although the twist at the end with Lissa was a surprise to me. Overall, I enjoyed the book and would recommend it to other people.
July 6, 2017
There were many characters in this novel and sometimes it was hard to keep them straight. However, the main plot held my interest. When Morgan meets with an inmate accused of killing the father of her child, she uncovers proof that maybe he didn't die after all. Many female inmates are pregnant and Morgan suspects a plot involving the women and the babies. The plot involving Morgan's daughter Lissa is not really plausible. In all, book 1 was better than book 2. I'm thankful to the publisher and NetGalley for allowing me to be an early reader in exchange for a fair and honest review.
July 12, 2017
I would like to thank Netgalley and Bonnier Zaffre for an advance copy of Kill Me Twice, the second novel to feature freelance investigative journalist Morgan Vine.
After the publication of her book on famous miscarriages of British justice Morgan receives sackfuls of letters from prisoners asking her to take up their case. It is the case of Anjelica Fry that resonates with her. Anjelica was jailed with overwhelming forensic evidence for killing her abusive ex lover and father of her child, Karl Savage, in an arson attack but Morgan finds it hard to believe that she would abandon her sick child to travel across London to get revenge on a man she had left. Her doubt is further increased when she sees the deceased Karl Savage outside her house. Struggling to be believed Morgan decides to hunt him down and exonerate Anjelica on her own.
I thoroughly enjoyed Kill Me Twice. It has a pacy style and so many twists and turns it takes stamina to keep up. It's a great read. Looking at it, however, in the cold light of day after a few hours the plot lacks a certain realism and the reader is asked to swallow a fair amount of incredulity but during the read it doesn't matter as you just get caught up in the action which is so continuous you don't have time to stop and think.
I really like Morgan in this my first encounter. She is tough, feisty and determined, relentless is the word used to describe her. A young, single mother with a moody, selfish 20 year old daughter she struggles to deal with she does her best. It is a brilliant depiction of uneasy parenthood. Through it all she continues her one woman crusade for justice. A lesser woman, like myself, would buckle under the strain but not Morgan she just girds her loins tighter and carries on.
Kill Me Twice is a great thriller which I have no hesitation in recommending.
After the publication of her book on famous miscarriages of British justice Morgan receives sackfuls of letters from prisoners asking her to take up their case. It is the case of Anjelica Fry that resonates with her. Anjelica was jailed with overwhelming forensic evidence for killing her abusive ex lover and father of her child, Karl Savage, in an arson attack but Morgan finds it hard to believe that she would abandon her sick child to travel across London to get revenge on a man she had left. Her doubt is further increased when she sees the deceased Karl Savage outside her house. Struggling to be believed Morgan decides to hunt him down and exonerate Anjelica on her own.
I thoroughly enjoyed Kill Me Twice. It has a pacy style and so many twists and turns it takes stamina to keep up. It's a great read. Looking at it, however, in the cold light of day after a few hours the plot lacks a certain realism and the reader is asked to swallow a fair amount of incredulity but during the read it doesn't matter as you just get caught up in the action which is so continuous you don't have time to stop and think.
I really like Morgan in this my first encounter. She is tough, feisty and determined, relentless is the word used to describe her. A young, single mother with a moody, selfish 20 year old daughter she struggles to deal with she does her best. It is a brilliant depiction of uneasy parenthood. Through it all she continues her one woman crusade for justice. A lesser woman, like myself, would buckle under the strain but not Morgan she just girds her loins tighter and carries on.
Kill Me Twice is a great thriller which I have no hesitation in recommending.
August 21, 2017
This is book two in a series and, although the main story here is complete within the book, I believe that to get the best from the characters with regard to backstory and development, it would be better read after book one. Also, with book one I was warned not to start it if I had anything else to do as it would grip me totally and I found it did just that, as did this sequel likewise.
So, we have a dead person, Karl, and his murderer, Angelica, in prison for it. She still proclaims her innocence and here is where our protagonist, Morgan Vine, comes in. Despite the way thing ended with the last case she worked on, she is still using her skills of an investigative journalist, to campaign for the innocent and she agrees to take on Angelica's case. Quite early on, we find out that, as with the previous case, things start to get personal for Morgan as her daughter appears to get caught up in the proceedings. Then she starts to believe that maybe Angelica is innocent and that maybe, just maybe it's because Karl is still alive and she's been framed. Could this be a simple case of mistaken identification of the corpse or is there something more sinister going on. As Morgan continues her visits at the prison, it also becomes evident that some of the women have been in prison longer than they have been pregnant. Is this connected to what happened to Karl, and if so, how does it all fit together. With this new found knowledge, Morgan goes all in to find the truth, but at what personal cost is yet to be determined.
Blooming heck, this book took me on a rather wild, and sometimes scary, ride. I found myself gripped from the very first page and that hold kept me and my attention nicely until the last and I'm glad I took my own advice and read it on a day where I had nothing planned and plenty of pickings in the fridge so I didn't need to be parted from it for long. It's already mentioned in the blurb that Karl was abusive and the author pulls no punches in describing this side of things so please take care if you think this could affect you personally. I especially found the parts depicting Karl's childhood quite harrowing and a bit hard to read at times.
Characterisation was just as good as the opener, although I am getting a little bit annoyed with Lissa, especially with some of the things she does here in this book as well as the way she plays her mother who literally deserves a medal for sticking with her.
There is a stage in the book where it all kinda gets thrown up in the air and there was a chance that it all could go horribly wrong for the author, but... the pieces all fall down rather nicely and the ending, when it eventually came, was completely satisfying.
All in all, a great follow up book in a series that is now firmly cemented on my watch list. Can't wait to see what Mr Booker serves me up next time.
My thanks go to the Publisher and Netgalley for the chance to read this book.
So, we have a dead person, Karl, and his murderer, Angelica, in prison for it. She still proclaims her innocence and here is where our protagonist, Morgan Vine, comes in. Despite the way thing ended with the last case she worked on, she is still using her skills of an investigative journalist, to campaign for the innocent and she agrees to take on Angelica's case. Quite early on, we find out that, as with the previous case, things start to get personal for Morgan as her daughter appears to get caught up in the proceedings. Then she starts to believe that maybe Angelica is innocent and that maybe, just maybe it's because Karl is still alive and she's been framed. Could this be a simple case of mistaken identification of the corpse or is there something more sinister going on. As Morgan continues her visits at the prison, it also becomes evident that some of the women have been in prison longer than they have been pregnant. Is this connected to what happened to Karl, and if so, how does it all fit together. With this new found knowledge, Morgan goes all in to find the truth, but at what personal cost is yet to be determined.
Blooming heck, this book took me on a rather wild, and sometimes scary, ride. I found myself gripped from the very first page and that hold kept me and my attention nicely until the last and I'm glad I took my own advice and read it on a day where I had nothing planned and plenty of pickings in the fridge so I didn't need to be parted from it for long. It's already mentioned in the blurb that Karl was abusive and the author pulls no punches in describing this side of things so please take care if you think this could affect you personally. I especially found the parts depicting Karl's childhood quite harrowing and a bit hard to read at times.
Characterisation was just as good as the opener, although I am getting a little bit annoyed with Lissa, especially with some of the things she does here in this book as well as the way she plays her mother who literally deserves a medal for sticking with her.
There is a stage in the book where it all kinda gets thrown up in the air and there was a chance that it all could go horribly wrong for the author, but... the pieces all fall down rather nicely and the ending, when it eventually came, was completely satisfying.
All in all, a great follow up book in a series that is now firmly cemented on my watch list. Can't wait to see what Mr Booker serves me up next time.
My thanks go to the Publisher and Netgalley for the chance to read this book.
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