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The Death Of Her
The Death of Her is a haunting psychological thriller from Debbie Howells, author of the bestselling Richard and Judy Book Club success The Bones of You.
A woman’s body is discovered on a Cornish farm, battered and left for dead in a maize field. Airlifted to hospital, her life hanging in the balance, no one’s sure who she is. Three days later she comes round, but her memory is damaged. She knows her name – Evie – but no more, until she remembers another name. Angel – her three-year-old daughter.
As the police circulate Evie’s photo, someone recognizes her. Charlotte knew her years ago, at school, when another child went missing. Leah Danning, who vanished whilst in Evie’s care.
When the police search Evie’s home, there’s no sign of Angel. More disturbingly, there’s no evidence that she ever lived there, forcing the police to question whether Evie’s having some kind of breakdown.
But even from the darkest place she’s ever known, Evie believes her daughter is alive. The police remain unconvinced – unaware that on the fringes of Evie’s life, there’s someone else. Someone hidden, watching her every move, with their own agenda and their own twisted version of reality.
A woman’s body is discovered on a Cornish farm, battered and left for dead in a maize field. Airlifted to hospital, her life hanging in the balance, no one’s sure who she is. Three days later she comes round, but her memory is damaged. She knows her name – Evie – but no more, until she remembers another name. Angel – her three-year-old daughter.
As the police circulate Evie’s photo, someone recognizes her. Charlotte knew her years ago, at school, when another child went missing. Leah Danning, who vanished whilst in Evie’s care.
When the police search Evie’s home, there’s no sign of Angel. More disturbingly, there’s no evidence that she ever lived there, forcing the police to question whether Evie’s having some kind of breakdown.
But even from the darkest place she’s ever known, Evie believes her daughter is alive. The police remain unconvinced – unaware that on the fringes of Evie’s life, there’s someone else. Someone hidden, watching her every move, with their own agenda and their own twisted version of reality.
352 pages, Hardcover
First published August 24, 2017
27 people are currently reading
751 people want to read
About the author
Debbie Howells
41 books746 followersDebbie self-published three women's fiction novels before writing The Bones of You, her first psychological thriller. It was a Sunday Times bestseller and selected for the Richard and Judy book club.
Since, she was written The Beauty of the End, The Death of Her, Her Sister's Lie, the e-book bestseller The Vow, and her latest, The Secret.
Her women's fiction novel, The Life You Left Behind will be published on 23rd February.
Follow her on Facebook at Debbie Howells writer and on Instagram @_debbiehowells.
Since, she was written The Beauty of the End, The Death of Her, Her Sister's Lie, the e-book bestseller The Vow, and her latest, The Secret.
Her women's fiction novel, The Life You Left Behind will be published on 23rd February.
Follow her on Facebook at Debbie Howells writer and on Instagram @_debbiehowells.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 114 reviews
May 25, 2020
A young women has brutally attacked and airlifted to hospital, no one is quite sure who she is whilst her only memory is that shes called Evie.
That is until the story makes the news and Charlotte recognise her from when the pair were at school together, but she knew her as Jen.
After informing the police, Charlotte soon becomes hesitant with getting to involved in the mystery.
Having initially claimed that she was due to go on a trip as a little white lie to avoid becoming a point of contact, it wasn't long until she was fully involved.
That perfectly sums up this book as the reader wants to know what has happened to Jen/Evie.
At times the plot becomes to clever and complex for it's own good as it starts to become a difficult drag during the second half.
The intriguing simple premise was strong enough to keep me wanting to know the truth.
That is until the story makes the news and Charlotte recognise her from when the pair were at school together, but she knew her as Jen.
After informing the police, Charlotte soon becomes hesitant with getting to involved in the mystery.
Having initially claimed that she was due to go on a trip as a little white lie to avoid becoming a point of contact, it wasn't long until she was fully involved.
That perfectly sums up this book as the reader wants to know what has happened to Jen/Evie.
At times the plot becomes to clever and complex for it's own good as it starts to become a difficult drag during the second half.
The intriguing simple premise was strong enough to keep me wanting to know the truth.
July 2, 2017
I am indebted to Net Galley and Pan Macmillan for an ARC of this book.
3.5 stars. Although the narrative had the potential to be more captivating and the plot could have been less draggy, this was a fairly good read with a great plot twist.
3.5 stars. Although the narrative had the potential to be more captivating and the plot could have been less draggy, this was a fairly good read with a great plot twist.
December 28, 2017
I received a copy of The Death of Her from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
3.5
A woman is found horribly beaten and left for dead in a corn field in Cornwall. Though things are touch and go when she is admitted to the hospital, she does regain consciousness. Unfortunately, the attack has left her memory tattered and she can only remember her name - Evie - and that she has a young daughter named Angel. How she ended up bloodied and almost dead on a farm is a mystery to her and to the police.
Desperate for any information on Evie, the police release a photo of her. A woman recognizes Evie as someone she went to school with but her name wasn’t Evie back then, it was Jen. There was also a tragic event surrounding Jen/Evie - a child she was babysitting went missing and was never found. Charlotte, at the request of the police, visits Evie in the hospital with the hope that seeing someone from her past will help jog Evie’s memory. It doesn’t really help at first but it gives Evie a little comfort to have someone there. She’ll need comfort because the police cannot find Angel. Worse, they are unable to find any proof that Angel ever lived at Evie’s home or that she ever even existed. Has the attack left Evie confused and suffering a break of some kind? Or has someone gone out of their way to erase Angel?
Multiple perspectives are used as well as different timelines: Charlotte, a police detective named Jack Bentley and Evie are used for the present timeline while a girl named Casey (the sister of the little girl who went missing in Jen/Evie’s care) relates the past accounts. At times, the story is very tense and I raced through it, reading half the book in one sitting. At times, the story is very tense and I raced through it, reading half the book in one sitting. The different POVs and times get a little confusing but I still found it entertaining and mostly fast-paced. There were times I wanted to shake Evie and more than a few times I didn’t quite trust Charlotte.
Though I liked the book and would recommend it to fans of psychological thrillers, I’d rate it 3.5 for the multiple loose ends that were left dangling. I thought I must have overlooked the resolutions to some plot points but no, there were three or four instances where Howells did not tie things up neatly - or at all. I found that disappointing and surprising. Even with the loose ends, I thought it was a well-written book with a good mystery and a good twist. I’d definitely read more by Howells.
3.5
A woman is found horribly beaten and left for dead in a corn field in Cornwall. Though things are touch and go when she is admitted to the hospital, she does regain consciousness. Unfortunately, the attack has left her memory tattered and she can only remember her name - Evie - and that she has a young daughter named Angel. How she ended up bloodied and almost dead on a farm is a mystery to her and to the police.
Desperate for any information on Evie, the police release a photo of her. A woman recognizes Evie as someone she went to school with but her name wasn’t Evie back then, it was Jen. There was also a tragic event surrounding Jen/Evie - a child she was babysitting went missing and was never found. Charlotte, at the request of the police, visits Evie in the hospital with the hope that seeing someone from her past will help jog Evie’s memory. It doesn’t really help at first but it gives Evie a little comfort to have someone there. She’ll need comfort because the police cannot find Angel. Worse, they are unable to find any proof that Angel ever lived at Evie’s home or that she ever even existed. Has the attack left Evie confused and suffering a break of some kind? Or has someone gone out of their way to erase Angel?
Multiple perspectives are used as well as different timelines: Charlotte, a police detective named Jack Bentley and Evie are used for the present timeline while a girl named Casey (the sister of the little girl who went missing in Jen/Evie’s care) relates the past accounts. At times, the story is very tense and I raced through it, reading half the book in one sitting. At times, the story is very tense and I raced through it, reading half the book in one sitting. The different POVs and times get a little confusing but I still found it entertaining and mostly fast-paced. There were times I wanted to shake Evie and more than a few times I didn’t quite trust Charlotte.
Though I liked the book and would recommend it to fans of psychological thrillers, I’d rate it 3.5 for the multiple loose ends that were left dangling. I thought I must have overlooked the resolutions to some plot points but no, there were three or four instances where Howells did not tie things up neatly - or at all. I found that disappointing and surprising. Even with the loose ends, I thought it was a well-written book with a good mystery and a good twist. I’d definitely read more by Howells.
August 5, 2017
a woman is found beaten almost to death in a field in Cornwall. these things don't happen there. Evie awakes but cant remember much.. except that she has a daughter who is nowhere to be seen. and old school friend recognizes her and tries to help her remember. this is a good story.. a bit drawn out in places but and enjoyable read. thank you to Netgalley and Pan McMillan from a copy of this book to read and review
June 22, 2019
I'm so far behind on my reading that I'm probably missing out on some great stories and this one released in 2017 is one I wished I'd got around to reading earlier as it's a really enjoyable thriller. There are some people who we are led to believe are not who they might seem and then some who genuinely aren't who they seem but those are the twists. There's a lot going on; we have murders, women being attacked, mutilated animals, potential satanic rituals and a missing child who may not even exist in the first place. All effortlessly woven into the story.
I wasn't so keen on Casey's flashback narrative. It eventually made sense as to why these were in there but for me didn't really add that much. I enjoyed the characters and once I got to the end, without spoiling, I learnt why I just couldn't take to one in particular.
Overall a really good book and pleased I finally got around to reading it.
I wasn't so keen on Casey's flashback narrative. It eventually made sense as to why these were in there but for me didn't really add that much. I enjoyed the characters and once I got to the end, without spoiling, I learnt why I just couldn't take to one in particular.
Overall a really good book and pleased I finally got around to reading it.
February 24, 2021
This was quite unrealistic the whole way through, and I guessed the twist around 50 pages in.
A highlight for me was the bird flying past the crime scene that just happened to drop the dead girl’s necklace in front of the lead detective.
A highlight for me was the bird flying past the crime scene that just happened to drop the dead girl’s necklace in front of the lead detective.
June 7, 2017
Another tense atmospheric beautifully written psychological thriller from Debbie Howells. Also very addictive! Full review nearer to August publication.
November 9, 2022
2.5* The plot idea is fine, nothing extraordinary, but it doesn't have to be all new and shiny every time, if the story is told in a great engaging manner.
This is imo not the case here unfortunately.
The pace is very slow and with way to many unnecessary POVs it makes the story drag on and on with practically nothing.
The author clearly have talent for the more poetic writing, and I actually liked it when it shone through (that writing style was used with one characters pov). But in the end the many POV made the story more fragmented.
Sadly I felt (or you could say guessed) the culprit early on, of course I'm not giving out the details.
Now there's is a spoiler ahead...
...
....
.....
......
The whole theme about satanic groups and halloween sacrifice, which ended up whit no bearings at all, feels like the authors need for dumping her moralistic views upon us, even with it mentioned in the authors note almost (I would even say, she does) encourage the readers to search for more information about human sacrificing by satanic cults. This feels very weird and out of place, as the author do NOT choose this as the actual plot, only a theory by a police officer, a theory he was in the wrong, but as a side note still believes is going on. It tastes of the authors need for a witch hunt in a matter of subject that's clearly on her mind.
As I'm 100% pro non-censorship, and authors should write what ever they want, this do however give me a bad taste especially with the "need" for her to mention it in an authors note.
This is imo not the case here unfortunately.
The pace is very slow and with way to many unnecessary POVs it makes the story drag on and on with practically nothing.
The author clearly have talent for the more poetic writing, and I actually liked it when it shone through (that writing style was used with one characters pov). But in the end the many POV made the story more fragmented.
Sadly I felt (or you could say guessed) the culprit early on, of course I'm not giving out the details.
Now there's is a spoiler ahead...
...
....
.....
......
The whole theme about satanic groups and halloween sacrifice, which ended up whit no bearings at all, feels like the authors need for dumping her moralistic views upon us, even with it mentioned in the authors note almost (I would even say, she does) encourage the readers to search for more information about human sacrificing by satanic cults. This feels very weird and out of place, as the author do NOT choose this as the actual plot, only a theory by a police officer, a theory he was in the wrong, but as a side note still believes is going on. It tastes of the authors need for a witch hunt in a matter of subject that's clearly on her mind.
As I'm 100% pro non-censorship, and authors should write what ever they want, this do however give me a bad taste especially with the "need" for her to mention it in an authors note.
June 26, 2017
I'm a huge fan of Debbie Howells and have read all her books. The Death of Her definitely didn't disappoint.
When a woman called Evie is found assaulted in a field in Cornwall she's convinced that her child, Angel was with her and has been abducted. Local woman, Charlotte, recognises the woman as Jen, an acquaintance from her school days and remembers that there was scandal around her because a young girl called Leah went missing from her care and was never found.
The police - and Charlotte - even begin to wonder if Evie/Jen even has a child and that Angel isn't just a figment of her imagination, perhaps brought on by guilt after what happened to Leah.
I don't want to say too much without giving it away as there are lots of twists and turns in this book. I was gripped from the very beginning. I couldn't turn the pages fast enough, wanting to know whether Jen/Evie was responsible for Leah's disappearance all those years ago, and whether she really did have a child called Angel. And what does a red-headed teenager found dead in a field have to do with it all? The twists left me breathless and I never expected that ending.
An excellent read.
When a woman called Evie is found assaulted in a field in Cornwall she's convinced that her child, Angel was with her and has been abducted. Local woman, Charlotte, recognises the woman as Jen, an acquaintance from her school days and remembers that there was scandal around her because a young girl called Leah went missing from her care and was never found.
The police - and Charlotte - even begin to wonder if Evie/Jen even has a child and that Angel isn't just a figment of her imagination, perhaps brought on by guilt after what happened to Leah.
I don't want to say too much without giving it away as there are lots of twists and turns in this book. I was gripped from the very beginning. I couldn't turn the pages fast enough, wanting to know whether Jen/Evie was responsible for Leah's disappearance all those years ago, and whether she really did have a child called Angel. And what does a red-headed teenager found dead in a field have to do with it all? The twists left me breathless and I never expected that ending.
An excellent read.
August 11, 2017
I received a free digital copy of this book from the publishers/author via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
When a woman is beaten up and left for dead in a small village in Cornwall, Charlotte isn’t too interested. That’s until she sees a photo of the woman, called Evie, and realises she knew her in school but her name was Jen. Now Charlotte becomes involved with helping Evie/Jen back to health while also helping the police investigate the disappearance of Evie’s daughter who may or may not actually exist.
This was a twisty turning book that definitely kept me guessing for a majority of the novel. From the get go, practically everything is suspicious about this story from Evie’s memory loss, the lackadaisical efforts of the police, Evie’s link with a missing girl from 20 years ago and even at times Charlotte’s involvement with the story.
This definitely had me creeped out at times, especially when there’s some suspicions Angel’s disappearance and Evie’s attack may have something to do with a Satanic club in the area (like what?) and then to be honest, for some reason the cover of the book freaks me out as well. I think it reminds me of a halloween I paid to be chased through a maze by a guy with a chainsaw. Yeah, I know.
The ending of this was good and some reveals had me reeling. I did feel like the police in this were at times laughable cause they were so bad. I also am not a huge fan of the ‘safe and sound’ epilogue in a lot of thrillers.
When a woman is beaten up and left for dead in a small village in Cornwall, Charlotte isn’t too interested. That’s until she sees a photo of the woman, called Evie, and realises she knew her in school but her name was Jen. Now Charlotte becomes involved with helping Evie/Jen back to health while also helping the police investigate the disappearance of Evie’s daughter who may or may not actually exist.
This was a twisty turning book that definitely kept me guessing for a majority of the novel. From the get go, practically everything is suspicious about this story from Evie’s memory loss, the lackadaisical efforts of the police, Evie’s link with a missing girl from 20 years ago and even at times Charlotte’s involvement with the story.
This definitely had me creeped out at times, especially when there’s some suspicions Angel’s disappearance and Evie’s attack may have something to do with a Satanic club in the area (like what?) and then to be honest, for some reason the cover of the book freaks me out as well. I think it reminds me of a halloween I paid to be chased through a maze by a guy with a chainsaw. Yeah, I know.
The ending of this was good and some reveals had me reeling. I did feel like the police in this were at times laughable cause they were so bad. I also am not a huge fan of the ‘safe and sound’ epilogue in a lot of thrillers.
August 12, 2017
Pretty good book, no major complaints...
...but am I missing something?
Did my copy get cut off before the rest of the blanks were filled in?
As you can see from all my unanswered questions, I'm a little frustrated with this book.
But somehow, I don't think I'll be changing my rating from 3 stars to 2 stars in the future--although this does occasionally happen as I further ruminate over a book and later wonder whether I initially gave it the most accurate rating I possibly could.
Besides the many questions I still have, I did like the book.
It was well-written, had zero typos from what I could tell, and the pace was really, really nice. It was brisk and clipped along without getting hung up on stupid, unnecessary details and characters made to throw me off the scent of the real killer(s)/attacker(s).
And I'll say this for the book: it had a creepy element that I definitely could not shake.
The whole Satanist thing really gave me the heebie-jeebies, and I fully regretted reading it after sundown. The scene in the woods with Jack and the group of people and the stag...I was like, "Holy crap, this is WEIRD!" I think with this scene alone the book would be a great read in October. (Especially since it mentioned October and Halloween so many times!)
In fact, as I wrote this review, I couldn't resist getting up and shutting my bedroom window--after hearing what I hope is a cat jumping the fence--because I'm too convinced that the Satanists are out there, lurking in the dark, waiting for me. AND this is the second night in a row, mind you. So much for sleeping with the window open and enjoying the breezy summer night. Eh.
My only other complaint was Casey's character. The chapters devoted to her were sooooo typical of someone like her.
I want to begin by saying that I am NOT writing off mental illness as something trivial. In fact, quite the opposite.
But Casey's chapters were SO filled with malice, and SO angry with the world around her, and were SO dark and disturbing that it all felt more than a little forced and done to death. I mean, so you've grown up in a crappy family and you resent people and are forced to be classmates with prettier, more popular kids.
Big damn deal. That is basically everyone in reality.
Other than this, the book was pretty good, and I'd be willing to read something else written by Howells in the future. She writes pretty good mystery/suspense. :)
*An ARC was kindly provided by NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.*
...but am I missing something?
Did my copy get cut off before the rest of the blanks were filled in?
As you can see from all my unanswered questions, I'm a little frustrated with this book.
But somehow, I don't think I'll be changing my rating from 3 stars to 2 stars in the future--although this does occasionally happen as I further ruminate over a book and later wonder whether I initially gave it the most accurate rating I possibly could.
Besides the many questions I still have, I did like the book.
It was well-written, had zero typos from what I could tell, and the pace was really, really nice. It was brisk and clipped along without getting hung up on stupid, unnecessary details and characters made to throw me off the scent of the real killer(s)/attacker(s).
And I'll say this for the book: it had a creepy element that I definitely could not shake.
The whole Satanist thing really gave me the heebie-jeebies, and I fully regretted reading it after sundown. The scene in the woods with Jack and the group of people and the stag...I was like, "Holy crap, this is WEIRD!" I think with this scene alone the book would be a great read in October. (Especially since it mentioned October and Halloween so many times!)
In fact, as I wrote this review, I couldn't resist getting up and shutting my bedroom window--after hearing what I hope is a cat jumping the fence--because I'm too convinced that the Satanists are out there, lurking in the dark, waiting for me. AND this is the second night in a row, mind you. So much for sleeping with the window open and enjoying the breezy summer night. Eh.
My only other complaint was Casey's character. The chapters devoted to her were sooooo typical of someone like her.
I want to begin by saying that I am NOT writing off mental illness as something trivial. In fact, quite the opposite.
But Casey's chapters were SO filled with malice, and SO angry with the world around her, and were SO dark and disturbing that it all felt more than a little forced and done to death. I mean, so you've grown up in a crappy family and you resent people and are forced to be classmates with prettier, more popular kids.
Big damn deal. That is basically everyone in reality.
Other than this, the book was pretty good, and I'd be willing to read something else written by Howells in the future. She writes pretty good mystery/suspense. :)
*An ARC was kindly provided by NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.*
May 2, 2025
⭐☆☆☆☆ (1 star)
Unfortunately, The Death of Her was a major letdown for me.
From the start, I found myself struggling to stay engaged. The pacing was incredibly slow, with long stretches where nothing meaningful seemed to happen. I kept hoping the story would build to something gripping or emotionally impactful, but that moment never came. For a psychological thriller, it lacked both suspense and depth. Instead, it felt flat, drawn out, and, frankly, boring.
One of the biggest issues I had was how predictable the plot was. I could see most of the “twists” coming a mile away, and without any genuine surprise or tension, the story just dragged. Even the big reveals felt underwhelming, as they were telegraphed so early on. Nothing caught me off guard, and that made the entire experience feel repetitive and uninspired.
To make matters worse, I found many of the things that happened hard to believe. Characters made decisions that didn’t make sense, certain plot points felt forced or conveniently placed, and the overall narrative lacked credibility.
Another element that really frustrated me was the memory loss storyline. I know this is a common device in thrillers, but personally, I find it incredibly frustrating to read about. It often feels like a lazy way to create suspense—keeping readers in the dark simply because the protagonist conveniently can’t remember anything. In this case, it didn’t feel compelling or emotionally resonant; it just felt like a barrier to connecting with the character or investing in the story.
Lastly, I didn’t enjoy the narrative style. The use of a POV that withholds key information or misleads the reader isn’t something I generally enjoy, and here it felt especially forced. Rather than being intrigued, I felt kept at a distance, unable to connect with or care about the characters. The lack of transparency made the story feel more like a puzzle missing pieces than a well-constructed mystery.
All in all, The Death of Her simply didn’t work for me. It was slow, predictable, unbelievable, and built on narrative choices I don’t enjoy. While others may find value in the atmosphere or structure, I personally found it frustrating, forgettable, and disappointing.
Unfortunately, The Death of Her was a major letdown for me.
From the start, I found myself struggling to stay engaged. The pacing was incredibly slow, with long stretches where nothing meaningful seemed to happen. I kept hoping the story would build to something gripping or emotionally impactful, but that moment never came. For a psychological thriller, it lacked both suspense and depth. Instead, it felt flat, drawn out, and, frankly, boring.
One of the biggest issues I had was how predictable the plot was. I could see most of the “twists” coming a mile away, and without any genuine surprise or tension, the story just dragged. Even the big reveals felt underwhelming, as they were telegraphed so early on. Nothing caught me off guard, and that made the entire experience feel repetitive and uninspired.
To make matters worse, I found many of the things that happened hard to believe. Characters made decisions that didn’t make sense, certain plot points felt forced or conveniently placed, and the overall narrative lacked credibility.
Another element that really frustrated me was the memory loss storyline. I know this is a common device in thrillers, but personally, I find it incredibly frustrating to read about. It often feels like a lazy way to create suspense—keeping readers in the dark simply because the protagonist conveniently can’t remember anything. In this case, it didn’t feel compelling or emotionally resonant; it just felt like a barrier to connecting with the character or investing in the story.
Lastly, I didn’t enjoy the narrative style. The use of a POV that withholds key information or misleads the reader isn’t something I generally enjoy, and here it felt especially forced. Rather than being intrigued, I felt kept at a distance, unable to connect with or care about the characters. The lack of transparency made the story feel more like a puzzle missing pieces than a well-constructed mystery.
All in all, The Death of Her simply didn’t work for me. It was slow, predictable, unbelievable, and built on narrative choices I don’t enjoy. While others may find value in the atmosphere or structure, I personally found it frustrating, forgettable, and disappointing.
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November 6, 2017Book reviews on www.snazzybooks.com
The Death of Her is a tense, twisty novel which kept me intrigued throughout. The characters are really interesting and I enjoyed seeing the story from different perspectives, some of which were a surprise and some which gave an insight into the police investigation. I don't want to give too much away but there's definitely a sense of bewilderment at times whilst reading this - Debbie Howells effectively keeps you guessing and unsure of what exactly is going on sometimes, which I really liked.
I enjoyed reading about Cornwall and the investigation, though the police seemed a bit slow in their investigation sometimes! However there's plenty of twists and surprises - the mix of Evie's daughter Angel being missing, but there being doubts as to whether she event existed, combined with other possible crimes and unrealiable characters, left me wanting to read on! I guessed a few smaller parts but the end left me feeling surprised and satisfied; I really enjoyed this novel from start to finish!
Many thanks to Pan Macmillan for providing a copy of this novel on which I chose to write an honest and unbiased review.
The Death of Her is a tense, twisty novel which kept me intrigued throughout. The characters are really interesting and I enjoyed seeing the story from different perspectives, some of which were a surprise and some which gave an insight into the police investigation. I don't want to give too much away but there's definitely a sense of bewilderment at times whilst reading this - Debbie Howells effectively keeps you guessing and unsure of what exactly is going on sometimes, which I really liked.
I enjoyed reading about Cornwall and the investigation, though the police seemed a bit slow in their investigation sometimes! However there's plenty of twists and surprises - the mix of Evie's daughter Angel being missing, but there being doubts as to whether she event existed, combined with other possible crimes and unrealiable characters, left me wanting to read on! I guessed a few smaller parts but the end left me feeling surprised and satisfied; I really enjoyed this novel from start to finish!
Many thanks to Pan Macmillan for providing a copy of this novel on which I chose to write an honest and unbiased review.
January 19, 2021
The plot of this was good and on paper sounds great but it was very slow paced and I found the police relationships with the other characters very implausible
Based in Cornwall I enjoyed picturing the scenes espy of the walks. A woman is found beaten up but with no memory of what has happened or where her daughter is
Based in Cornwall I enjoyed picturing the scenes espy of the walks. A woman is found beaten up but with no memory of what has happened or where her daughter is
January 11, 2018
Thrilling with many twists,, some of which I guessed. A great story all the same.
July 4, 2017
Edge of your seat the whole way through. Just who is telling the truth? I enjoyed this one because I almost couldn't guess where it was headed. I liked that the romance was so subtle that you aren't even sure if it's there. When I read a mystery/thriller I don't want romance getting in the way of the story. This was nicely done. I will definitely put Ms. Howells on my list of gotta have authors.
December 17, 2017
A young woman comes round in hospital three days after being discovered on a Cornish farm,battered and left for dead.She is suffering from amnesia and only knows that her name is Evie,Until she suddenly remembers that she has a three year old daughter called Angel.
After the police launch a appeal for information a local woman Charlotte Harrison comes forward and says that she knew Evie many years ago,at school.When another young girl Leah Denning vanished whilst in Evie`s care.
After the police search Evie`s house and find no evidence of her ever having a child they begin to wonder if Evie is having a breakdown.Maybe Angel is just a figment of her imagination.
Meanwhile on the fringes of Evie`s life someone is watching her every move,someone with their own agenda and their own twisted version of reality.
The story is narrated by Charlotte Harrison,DCI Jack Bentley and a few chapters told from Evie`s pov.Interspersed throughout the book are chapters set in the past that are voiced by a young girl called Casey who was Leah Denning`s sister.I liked DCI Jack Bentley and DI Abbie Rose,I liked their open mindedness when they were discussing certain aspects of the case.But I didn't think their actions while dealing with Evie were very professional at times and the murder of another young girl wasn't investigated properly.
The mystery of wether Angel was real or just a figment of Evie`s imagination was intreguing,it was easy to understand why most of the officers had doubts about her existence because Evie kept changing her story which made everything that she said unreliable.
It was a enjoyable read about loss,grief and revenge,it kept me guessing and doubting how trustworthy a couple of characters really were as the story unfolded.My only issue with the story was that everything was wrapped up a little too easily and a bit unrealistically but that didn't spoil my enjoyment of the book.I haven't read any other books by this author and I would happily read more in the future especially of the story involved Jack Bentley and Abbie Rose
Many thanks to Pan Macmillan for a arc of this book via Netgalley in exchange for a honest review
After the police launch a appeal for information a local woman Charlotte Harrison comes forward and says that she knew Evie many years ago,at school.When another young girl Leah Denning vanished whilst in Evie`s care.
After the police search Evie`s house and find no evidence of her ever having a child they begin to wonder if Evie is having a breakdown.Maybe Angel is just a figment of her imagination.
Meanwhile on the fringes of Evie`s life someone is watching her every move,someone with their own agenda and their own twisted version of reality.
The story is narrated by Charlotte Harrison,DCI Jack Bentley and a few chapters told from Evie`s pov.Interspersed throughout the book are chapters set in the past that are voiced by a young girl called Casey who was Leah Denning`s sister.I liked DCI Jack Bentley and DI Abbie Rose,I liked their open mindedness when they were discussing certain aspects of the case.But I didn't think their actions while dealing with Evie were very professional at times and the murder of another young girl wasn't investigated properly.
The mystery of wether Angel was real or just a figment of Evie`s imagination was intreguing,it was easy to understand why most of the officers had doubts about her existence because Evie kept changing her story which made everything that she said unreliable.
It was a enjoyable read about loss,grief and revenge,it kept me guessing and doubting how trustworthy a couple of characters really were as the story unfolded.My only issue with the story was that everything was wrapped up a little too easily and a bit unrealistically but that didn't spoil my enjoyment of the book.I haven't read any other books by this author and I would happily read more in the future especially of the story involved Jack Bentley and Abbie Rose
Many thanks to Pan Macmillan for a arc of this book via Netgalley in exchange for a honest review
June 23, 2017
I would like to thank Netgalley and Pan for an advance copy of The Death of Her, a psychological thriller set in Cornwall.
A woman is found battered and close to death in a maize field. When she comes round she knows her name is Evie and that her 3 year old daughter Angel is missing but that's about it because she has amnesia. The problem is that the police can find no record or proof that Angel exists. When an old school friend of Evie, Charlotte Harrison, identifies her as Jen the plot thickens.
The Death of Her is an interesting read as you can't help but get drawn into Evie's story as she struggles with her lack of memory and police scepticism about Angel's existence as everything points against it but as the story unfolds it gets harder to swallow disbelief at some of the convenient plot twists.
The novel is mostly narrated from Charlotte's point of view but as she is an unpleasant character you have to question her motives for spending time with Evie. This puts the novel firmly in the unreliable narrator camp, another fad I'm not very fond of.
The novel takes a fairly predictable route so I had a pretty good idea of what was to come early on. For me the interest lies in Evie's memories. They are unreliable (that word again) and often contradictory which works against her in the police's eyes. How true this behaviour is is never explained but it's fascinating to watch.
The Death of Her is a solid read and an easy way to while away a few hours.
A woman is found battered and close to death in a maize field. When she comes round she knows her name is Evie and that her 3 year old daughter Angel is missing but that's about it because she has amnesia. The problem is that the police can find no record or proof that Angel exists. When an old school friend of Evie, Charlotte Harrison, identifies her as Jen the plot thickens.
The Death of Her is an interesting read as you can't help but get drawn into Evie's story as she struggles with her lack of memory and police scepticism about Angel's existence as everything points against it but as the story unfolds it gets harder to swallow disbelief at some of the convenient plot twists.
The novel is mostly narrated from Charlotte's point of view but as she is an unpleasant character you have to question her motives for spending time with Evie. This puts the novel firmly in the unreliable narrator camp, another fad I'm not very fond of.
The novel takes a fairly predictable route so I had a pretty good idea of what was to come early on. For me the interest lies in Evie's memories. They are unreliable (that word again) and often contradictory which works against her in the police's eyes. How true this behaviour is is never explained but it's fascinating to watch.
The Death of Her is a solid read and an easy way to while away a few hours.
September 23, 2023
The first part was very intriguing , then I started putting things together , and the end fell flat.
On the whole a decent- ish psychological thriller but there are many obvious questions one can ask regarding Angel, especially in this technologically advanced 21st century.
On the whole a decent- ish psychological thriller but there are many obvious questions one can ask regarding Angel, especially in this technologically advanced 21st century.
August 24, 2017
I’ve long been a fan of unreliable narration in novels, while this unreliable narration being achieved through memory loss is not a new idea, it’s one that works really well – The Death of Her is a perfect example of this. I really liked the way Howell chose to display this unreliable narration, rather than Evie as the narrator, the story was narrated mainly by Charlotte – the school friend from years ago, Jack – a police officer investigating the case and Casey – the sister of Leah Danning. Keeping Evie’s first-person narrative from us created the suspense because we were never privy to the inner workings of her mind, without some insight into the what she was thinking and only what she told others, made it hard to decide whether to believe her or if she was hiding information, disguising it as memory loss.
While all narration was in the present day, Casey’s started in 1998 and talked a lot about her childhood – it was the darkest of the narrations but it added another level of uncertainty to the plot because you weren’t sure if her narrative was going to end up casting Evie in a positive or negative light.
The events in this novel don’t come thick and fast, in fact, things happen at a very slow pace, yet this novel is a quick read – I read it in one sitting. As the events moved at a slow pace, it felt sometimes like the plot was dragging a bit, it felt like for too long nothing was happening. As there was no complex character studies on display, I felt there was nothing to push along the excitement or suspense after a while. Howell does give us a look at one of the characters in more detail and this has the potential for psychological thrills but for me, I felt this plot was more reliant on the mystery itself (who attacked Evie) rather than the psychological elements.
The writing style was simple (that isn’t a criticism) and this allowed me to continue reading even when my interest dipped at times. The Death of Her falls on the ‘light-hearted’ side of psychological thrillers and may be perfect for readers who don’t like their psychological thrillers deep and disturbing. This plot may come across as weak to the seasoned psychological thriller reader due to the simplicity of the plot and lack of in-depth detail, you never really feel the danger Evie’s facing.
Overall, I enjoyed this book for what it was; I wouldn’t rush to recommend it but if it crosses your path and you’re in the mood for an easy-read, pick it up.
*My thanks to the publisher (Macmillan) for granting me access to a digital copy of this book via Netgalley*
While all narration was in the present day, Casey’s started in 1998 and talked a lot about her childhood – it was the darkest of the narrations but it added another level of uncertainty to the plot because you weren’t sure if her narrative was going to end up casting Evie in a positive or negative light.
The events in this novel don’t come thick and fast, in fact, things happen at a very slow pace, yet this novel is a quick read – I read it in one sitting. As the events moved at a slow pace, it felt sometimes like the plot was dragging a bit, it felt like for too long nothing was happening. As there was no complex character studies on display, I felt there was nothing to push along the excitement or suspense after a while. Howell does give us a look at one of the characters in more detail and this has the potential for psychological thrills but for me, I felt this plot was more reliant on the mystery itself (who attacked Evie) rather than the psychological elements.
The writing style was simple (that isn’t a criticism) and this allowed me to continue reading even when my interest dipped at times. The Death of Her falls on the ‘light-hearted’ side of psychological thrillers and may be perfect for readers who don’t like their psychological thrillers deep and disturbing. This plot may come across as weak to the seasoned psychological thriller reader due to the simplicity of the plot and lack of in-depth detail, you never really feel the danger Evie’s facing.
Overall, I enjoyed this book for what it was; I wouldn’t rush to recommend it but if it crosses your path and you’re in the mood for an easy-read, pick it up.
*My thanks to the publisher (Macmillan) for granting me access to a digital copy of this book via Netgalley*
June 29, 2017
I really shouldn't have read this book. I was a bit disappointed with Debbie Howells's first two novels, The Bones Of You (I didn't like the supernatural element) and The Beauty Of The End (the characters behaved in an unrealistic way). But I liked them enough to try this one... but was a bit disappointed again.
The novel starts well, and initially I was gripped by the mystery of Evie, a woman living in Cornwall who is beaten up and awakes unable to remember some of her past, but desperate to find her missing three-year-old daughter Angel. And yet the police can find no evidence that Angel ever existed.
It's partly narrated by Charlotte, who knew Evie when she was at school... when Evie was called Jen, and was babysitting another little girl, Leah, when Leah disappeared without a trace, never to be seen again. Is Evie confusing that time, and that little girl with her own life? The other narrator is policeman Jack, who comes back from a holiday in Spain to work on the case, and is still grieving the loss of his son Josh to a car accident, as well as the fact that he recently split from his wife. We also go back in time to hear from Casey, the older sister of Leah, who resented Leah's birth and the way her parents favoured Leah over her.
SPOILER ALERT!
Debbie Howells is very good at writing a mystery, but for me, this mystery wasn't sustained, and the characters were not clearly defined and did not behave in a very convincing way. I thought it strange that the police, particularly Jack, concentrated on Evie's case, when a 12-year-old girl, Tamsyn, is also found brutally murdered. Apart from one visit to her mother, who didn't care about her anyway, this murder is not really investigated at all.
The writing style is rather melodramatic, and becomes repetitive after a while - I lost count of the number of descriptions of Evie's anguish over the loss of Angel. And yet I never had a clear idea about what Angel was like, her personality was not described in any detail. The whole satanist plot-line was very odd. If satanic murders really had been going on for years, why hadn't Jack investigated them before? Jack seemed to suddenly jump to outlandish conclusions on the basis of little evidence - something I can't imagine a real policeman doing. For me, this was an underwhelming thriller, and I guessed the ending about halfway through.
The novel starts well, and initially I was gripped by the mystery of Evie, a woman living in Cornwall who is beaten up and awakes unable to remember some of her past, but desperate to find her missing three-year-old daughter Angel. And yet the police can find no evidence that Angel ever existed.
It's partly narrated by Charlotte, who knew Evie when she was at school... when Evie was called Jen, and was babysitting another little girl, Leah, when Leah disappeared without a trace, never to be seen again. Is Evie confusing that time, and that little girl with her own life? The other narrator is policeman Jack, who comes back from a holiday in Spain to work on the case, and is still grieving the loss of his son Josh to a car accident, as well as the fact that he recently split from his wife. We also go back in time to hear from Casey, the older sister of Leah, who resented Leah's birth and the way her parents favoured Leah over her.
SPOILER ALERT!
Debbie Howells is very good at writing a mystery, but for me, this mystery wasn't sustained, and the characters were not clearly defined and did not behave in a very convincing way. I thought it strange that the police, particularly Jack, concentrated on Evie's case, when a 12-year-old girl, Tamsyn, is also found brutally murdered. Apart from one visit to her mother, who didn't care about her anyway, this murder is not really investigated at all.
The writing style is rather melodramatic, and becomes repetitive after a while - I lost count of the number of descriptions of Evie's anguish over the loss of Angel. And yet I never had a clear idea about what Angel was like, her personality was not described in any detail. The whole satanist plot-line was very odd. If satanic murders really had been going on for years, why hadn't Jack investigated them before? Jack seemed to suddenly jump to outlandish conclusions on the basis of little evidence - something I can't imagine a real policeman doing. For me, this was an underwhelming thriller, and I guessed the ending about halfway through.
September 26, 2017
Howells's novel caught my attention with the summary on one of the book blogs I read. A woman is discovered in a maize field on a Cornish farm badly injured after being attacked. When she comes round she has lost much of a memory, but recalls her name and that of her 3 year old daughter. Her daughter is nowhere to be found, and when her identity is confirmed, it is with a different name that the one she claims.
After the powerful opening though, the novel heads downhill and ultimately disappoints. Looking back at my reviews of this genre, psychological crime thrillers, so many seem to do this that it made me think if it is the same traps they seem to fall into. In this case, the writing is not strong enough to keep the reader interested, and the characters fail to make the reader care about them, in particular the police, whose relationships with the other characters seems quite implausible.
There is an interesting twist, but overall the book left me feeling that the proportion of novels I read in this genre that score 4 or more stars is getting less. Are there too many of them around?
After the powerful opening though, the novel heads downhill and ultimately disappoints. Looking back at my reviews of this genre, psychological crime thrillers, so many seem to do this that it made me think if it is the same traps they seem to fall into. In this case, the writing is not strong enough to keep the reader interested, and the characters fail to make the reader care about them, in particular the police, whose relationships with the other characters seems quite implausible.
There is an interesting twist, but overall the book left me feeling that the proportion of novels I read in this genre that score 4 or more stars is getting less. Are there too many of them around?
April 13, 2019
I was disappointed with this one I’m sorry to say. I didn’t like most of the characters with the exception of DCI Jack Bentley who was a very caring man who had suffered tragedy in his life. The story should have held my attention but it quite simply didn’t, especially the first half where the style was rather clunky and clumsy, there were some repetitive comments and some statements of the blooming obvious. I thought Casey’s story felt the most real although this was a bleak and sad story. Nick as a character irritated the life out of me and I wanted to slap him 🙄😕😂. I was saying Whaaaat in my head when the crows bought beads to Evie but then I read the Epilogue where the author explained it so ok, I’ll let that one go!!! Though why on earth were bluebells, snowdrops and hyacinths flowering in October? I assume that was the supernatural element in the book but it was never explained nor was what DC Miller was up to. The ending wasn’t great although I did like that life seemed more optimistic for Jack and Evie. Not bad but not great either!
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June 20, 2017Thanks to netgalley and Pan Macmillan for an ARC.
Debbie wrote three women's fiction novels before writing The Bones of You, her first psychological thriller.She now writes full time from her home, in a small West Sussex village where she lives with her family
from netgalley
Debbie wrote three women's fiction novels before writing The Bones of You, her first psychological thriller.She now writes full time from her home, in a small West Sussex village where she lives with her family
from netgalley
August 24, 2018
Listened to this on audio. I always love Debbie Howells's books. Love Claire Corbett as narrator. There's always the air of the old-fashioned mystery about her books. The Beauty of the End, is still my favorite, though.
February 14, 2021
One of those books that I found hard to put down once I had started and it kept me guessing throughout. I will definitely read more books by this author
February 18, 2021
Wow, this book had me hooked from start to finish, I absolutely loved it
February 8, 2025
Debbie Howells is very good at putting that unexpected twist in at the end of her books
July 27, 2020
An alright read, kept me interested. I was disappointed by the end
September 12, 2022
Evie’s body is found beaten up and she is left for dead, after she recovers her consciousness she remembers her name but seems to have forgotten a lot of her past life – now she has to work with the police to piece her memory together while also having to make them believe that her daughter Angel is really missing.
While trying to solve the current mystery the cops also have to figure what happened to the kid Leah who went missing so many years ago – and is the present connected to the past.
Thanks to Netgalley, Debbie Howells & Pan Macmillan for approving the ARC
While trying to solve the current mystery the cops also have to figure what happened to the kid Leah who went missing so many years ago – and is the present connected to the past.
Thanks to Netgalley, Debbie Howells & Pan Macmillan for approving the ARC
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