What do you think?
Rate this book
Every Time He Dies
Daphne Lawrence is haunted. Two years ago, her fiancée died in a terrible accident, her mother passed away from cancer and she stopped speaking to her father. As an embalmer, Daff is used to the company of dead people, but she isn’t used to them talking back. In fact, Daff isn’t used to anything that could be considered woo-woo including, but not limited psychics, crystal, meditation, tarot cards, vision quests and coincidences. Too bad that’s everything she’s experiencing.
Daff is forced to confront her own long ignored grief when she discovers a haunted watch buried in the sand at Golden Beach. The problem is, her ghost has no memory of his former life or how he died.
As Daff seeks to discover the spectre’s identity, dangerous truths and hidden secrets are revealed. Soon, she finds herself in the middle of an on-going homicide investigation led by Detective Sergeant Jon Lawrence, her father. A story about grief, time and identity, Every Time He Dies will leave you wondering whether our dearly beloveds ever really depart.
Daff is forced to confront her own long ignored grief when she discovers a haunted watch buried in the sand at Golden Beach. The problem is, her ghost has no memory of his former life or how he died.
As Daff seeks to discover the spectre’s identity, dangerous truths and hidden secrets are revealed. Soon, she finds herself in the middle of an on-going homicide investigation led by Detective Sergeant Jon Lawrence, her father. A story about grief, time and identity, Every Time He Dies will leave you wondering whether our dearly beloveds ever really depart.
- GenresFantasy
477 pages, Kindle Edition
Published November 5, 2019
2 people are currently reading
38 people want to read
About the author
Tara East
1 book10 followersTara East is a Doctoral candidate with degrees in Journalism, Editing and Publishing and Creative Writing. Her articles on writing, literature, gender and culture have appeared in Writing from Below, Queensland Writers Centre, The Huffington Post and The Artifice and her fiction has appeared in TEXT journal and October Hill Magazine among others. Home is with her partner, Ashley, and their mini-schnauzer, Sadie. She maintains an active writing blog at www.taraeast.com and has a YouTube channel dedicated to writing advice here: https://bit.ly/2GD0kBP.
Her debut novel, Every Time He Dies, is a murder mystery about a woman who finds a watch that is the same design as her deceased boyfriend’s only it is haunted by a ghost with amnesia. While trying to uncover the ghost’s identity, she becomes involved in her estranged father’s homicide investigation.
'Who knew that a book about murder, grief and disintegrated families could be so funny?' - Paul Williams
'A unique modern mystery that is one part psychic practices and one part police procedural. The fast pace, dynamic characters and intricate plot will keep readers hooked until the end.' - Gregory James
'It's rare to find an Australian-set book of this scope and genre that could stand among its international peers and hold its own, but I won't be surprised to see this book find its success in all corners of the crime genre reading world.' - Shayla Morgansen
Tara has also published a time-travelling, romp called, When Bell Met Bowie. This science fiction novella is a story about identity, paternity, and of course, music.
Stay connected on:
Instagram @authortaraeast
Twitter @authortaraeast
YouTube: https://bit.ly/2GD0kBP
Facebook: authortaraeast
Her debut novel, Every Time He Dies, is a murder mystery about a woman who finds a watch that is the same design as her deceased boyfriend’s only it is haunted by a ghost with amnesia. While trying to uncover the ghost’s identity, she becomes involved in her estranged father’s homicide investigation.
'Who knew that a book about murder, grief and disintegrated families could be so funny?' - Paul Williams
'A unique modern mystery that is one part psychic practices and one part police procedural. The fast pace, dynamic characters and intricate plot will keep readers hooked until the end.' - Gregory James
'It's rare to find an Australian-set book of this scope and genre that could stand among its international peers and hold its own, but I won't be surprised to see this book find its success in all corners of the crime genre reading world.' - Shayla Morgansen
Tara has also published a time-travelling, romp called, When Bell Met Bowie. This science fiction novella is a story about identity, paternity, and of course, music.
Stay connected on:
Instagram @authortaraeast
Twitter @authortaraeast
YouTube: https://bit.ly/2GD0kBP
Facebook: authortaraeast
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews
December 1, 2019
TLDR: What a great book! Definitely recommend it to anyone who likes ghosts and mysteries.
Synopsis
When Daphne's cop fiance dies in an accident that she feels responsible for, she gives up her career dreams of becoming a toxicologist and instead becomes an embalmer. A year and a half later, she finds a wristwatch on the ground at the beach, and she is suddenly haunted by the ghost of a man who doesn't remember who he is or how he died. Daphne is forced to confront the grief of losing her fiance while helping this man to find peace. Meanwhile, her estranged cop father is investigating a brutal murder, and Daphne unknowingly finds herself caught in the killer's crosshairs...
Plot
Every Time He Dies is a gripping read from its very first pages. Told in the third person, there are multiple perspectives shown throughout the novel, including those of Daphne and her father. It isn't clear right away where the story is going to go, and there are several seemingly disconnected subplots. Tara East expertly weaves from one to the other, so that the two subplots do not actually seem all that disjointed. All the subplots tie together quite nicely in a climactic end to a thrilling read. There are no plot holes in this thrill ride.
There are quite a few twists and turns in the plot, and a couple of them were shocking. For one of them, I stared at the page for a couple of moments, then grabbed my notebook and was like "I gotta remember to mention this". I love a book that lays out the clues to a twist yet diverts your attention from them, so that when there's the big "reveal", you realize that you could have seen it coming had you known where to look.
Characters
Daphne (Daff) is a well-rounded main character. She's tough, yet relatable, and it was honestly refreshing to read a book about a woman who makes reasonable decisions. When she first sees Liam, the ghost, she assumes she has a head injury, yet this yarn isn't overplayed when it eventually becomes clear to her that she doesn't have brain damage and isn't insane. Liam is real, and she spends the appropriate amount of time denying this. So often when books explore the supernatural, the one with the "scientific" mind won't believe, even when the truth smacks them in the face (sometimes quite literally).
While Daphne's been grieving her dead fiance for the last year and a half, and this loss has clearly impacted her life decisions and her outlook on life, her point of view scenes don't have too dark of an edge to them. The book maintains a tense atmosphere, but without delving into the arena of dark fiction. The plot is thrilling, the characters are damaged, but there is still a sense of hope that all will work itself out in the end. (I won't tell you if it does or not--you'll have to read it to find out!)
As mentioned earlier, the two primary points of view come from Daphne and her father, Lawrence. I particularly enjoyed exploring their relationship, which is virtually non-existent in the beginning of the book, as they haven't spoken with each other in over four years. I was particularly engaged in this relationship, which to me was a highlight of the book.
Language
Every Time He Dies has a compelling writing style, with just enough time spent on description to set the scene, but not so much that the pacing suffers for it. The writing is easy to follow, and there are occasional moments of poetry in the style, which makes for a rewarding read.
Setting
The final readers' advisory appeal element is 'setting'. When Daphne suddenly develops psychic powers, I was a little worried that they wouldn't be consistent, which would ruin the realism of the way that psychics work in this book (at least, for me). However, it became clear that Daphne's abilities are somewhat limited, and every vision that she has serves to propel the plot forward with clues and insights into characters.
I recommend this book to anyone who wants to read a cozy mystery for younger audiences, one that explores the relationship between a woman and her estranged father, and one that has a focus on the supernatural.
*Thank you to the author for the advanced reader copy for review*
This review appeared first on https://powerlibrarian.wordpress.com/
Instagram | Blog | Website | Twitter
My 2019 Reading Challenge
Synopsis
When Daphne's cop fiance dies in an accident that she feels responsible for, she gives up her career dreams of becoming a toxicologist and instead becomes an embalmer. A year and a half later, she finds a wristwatch on the ground at the beach, and she is suddenly haunted by the ghost of a man who doesn't remember who he is or how he died. Daphne is forced to confront the grief of losing her fiance while helping this man to find peace. Meanwhile, her estranged cop father is investigating a brutal murder, and Daphne unknowingly finds herself caught in the killer's crosshairs...
Plot
Every Time He Dies is a gripping read from its very first pages. Told in the third person, there are multiple perspectives shown throughout the novel, including those of Daphne and her father. It isn't clear right away where the story is going to go, and there are several seemingly disconnected subplots. Tara East expertly weaves from one to the other, so that the two subplots do not actually seem all that disjointed. All the subplots tie together quite nicely in a climactic end to a thrilling read. There are no plot holes in this thrill ride.
There are quite a few twists and turns in the plot, and a couple of them were shocking. For one of them, I stared at the page for a couple of moments, then grabbed my notebook and was like "I gotta remember to mention this". I love a book that lays out the clues to a twist yet diverts your attention from them, so that when there's the big "reveal", you realize that you could have seen it coming had you known where to look.
Characters
Daphne (Daff) is a well-rounded main character. She's tough, yet relatable, and it was honestly refreshing to read a book about a woman who makes reasonable decisions. When she first sees Liam, the ghost, she assumes she has a head injury, yet this yarn isn't overplayed when it eventually becomes clear to her that she doesn't have brain damage and isn't insane. Liam is real, and she spends the appropriate amount of time denying this. So often when books explore the supernatural, the one with the "scientific" mind won't believe, even when the truth smacks them in the face (sometimes quite literally).
While Daphne's been grieving her dead fiance for the last year and a half, and this loss has clearly impacted her life decisions and her outlook on life, her point of view scenes don't have too dark of an edge to them. The book maintains a tense atmosphere, but without delving into the arena of dark fiction. The plot is thrilling, the characters are damaged, but there is still a sense of hope that all will work itself out in the end. (I won't tell you if it does or not--you'll have to read it to find out!)
As mentioned earlier, the two primary points of view come from Daphne and her father, Lawrence. I particularly enjoyed exploring their relationship, which is virtually non-existent in the beginning of the book, as they haven't spoken with each other in over four years. I was particularly engaged in this relationship, which to me was a highlight of the book.
Language
Every Time He Dies has a compelling writing style, with just enough time spent on description to set the scene, but not so much that the pacing suffers for it. The writing is easy to follow, and there are occasional moments of poetry in the style, which makes for a rewarding read.
Setting
The final readers' advisory appeal element is 'setting'. When Daphne suddenly develops psychic powers, I was a little worried that they wouldn't be consistent, which would ruin the realism of the way that psychics work in this book (at least, for me). However, it became clear that Daphne's abilities are somewhat limited, and every vision that she has serves to propel the plot forward with clues and insights into characters.
I recommend this book to anyone who wants to read a cozy mystery for younger audiences, one that explores the relationship between a woman and her estranged father, and one that has a focus on the supernatural.
*Thank you to the author for the advanced reader copy for review*
This review appeared first on https://powerlibrarian.wordpress.com/
Instagram | Blog | Website | Twitter
My 2019 Reading Challenge
September 23, 2019
Can someone please make this into a TV series ? This is a fabulous read and i want to see Liam and Daff on the small screen.
My View:
A brilliant debut!
This is a multilayered, deeply moving narrative of redemption, forgiveness, identity, moving on, grieving, bikies, lies, mysteries and ghosts. What a fabulous read and oh so satisfying.
Tara East is a very visual storyteller; I watched this story play out in technicolour 3D in my head, the locations, very Australian, (is it coincidence that the most readable speculative fiction I have come across are based in/around Brisbane, Queensland?), the characters so vibrant (I love you Daff and Liam, well mostly Liam but Daff you are a very engaging protagonist) and the mysteries, intriguing.
I do hope that this is the start of a series, I can’t wait to read more about Daff’s adventures as she assists the newly dead on their quests.
My View:
A brilliant debut!
This is a multilayered, deeply moving narrative of redemption, forgiveness, identity, moving on, grieving, bikies, lies, mysteries and ghosts. What a fabulous read and oh so satisfying.
Tara East is a very visual storyteller; I watched this story play out in technicolour 3D in my head, the locations, very Australian, (is it coincidence that the most readable speculative fiction I have come across are based in/around Brisbane, Queensland?), the characters so vibrant (I love you Daff and Liam, well mostly Liam but Daff you are a very engaging protagonist) and the mysteries, intriguing.
I do hope that this is the start of a series, I can’t wait to read more about Daff’s adventures as she assists the newly dead on their quests.
October 31, 2019
This review was published on Lost in
a Good Book
Note: I received a copy of this book for review
East has created a captivating and engaging story that brings together humour, love, family, and a little bit of the unknown. Told from dual perspectives we get to see Daphne’s life and the perspective of her estranged father, Detective Lawrence, on the cusp of his retirement from the force with an ongoing battle against old adversaries. Daphne on the other hand, is still coming to terms with, and in a way running from, her own grief after her fiancé Tom dies.
The structure of the story is done incredibly well because East leads us into the story providing detailed yet simple backgrounds about characters and situations, but then also throws us into the unexpected and uses these new situations to slowly pull out further detail making a well-rounded and beautifully complicated story.
I loved how we are introduced to this new phenomenon of Daphne’s and her realisation she can see a ghost. That first encounter was wonderful and the ideal draw card to get you intrigued into the supernatural aspect of this story and with a realism and humour that stays through the whole narrative. East’s descriptions are vivid and I could picture every scene as if it were playing out in front of me. From the start I fell comfortably into this narrative and it felt believable, even with the supernatural elements East anchors it in reality and possibility with a touch of the unknown but ever possible.
The characters are complicated and have deep personal issues and worries but East balances it perfectly and while there are ongoing references and emotional moments, it never felt over the top or overly dramatic. The emotions of these characters comes and goes at natural intervals, often with realistic and believable prompts and it is a great example how the death of a loved one never really leaves you no matter how much time has passed.
The dialogue is natural which was a huge plus for me. There is emotion and frustration, cheek and humour but it felt like conversations people actually had. The voices were great too because they are distinct and each character became their own person. One thing that impressed me was that East captures the detective voice so well without being stereotypical and cleverly manages to shift it between policeman and father and still make it feel like the same person. I believed Lawrence to be an aging cop, on the brink of retirement, still wanting to do his job but also able to see how much things have changed in his time on the force.
I liked Daff as a character too. She was grieving but trying to push the pain down, and East shows us the hurt is still there but she also wants to move on with her life. Even Liam who didn’t remember his own name or who had no memory of his life was a character of depth. I fell in love with him almost immediately and he and Daphne make a great pair. His personality shone through and his interactions with Daphne were some of my favourite parts of the story.
I loved this story from start to finish; East grabs your attention straight away with one storyline but then manages to pull you in further and hooks you with two others. It is most definitely a story about love and family, but it’s also about ghosts and the mystical and a fascinating police procedural with bikies and murder which becomes wonderfully and complicatedly intertwined as these things often do.
a Good Book
Note: I received a copy of this book for review
East has created a captivating and engaging story that brings together humour, love, family, and a little bit of the unknown. Told from dual perspectives we get to see Daphne’s life and the perspective of her estranged father, Detective Lawrence, on the cusp of his retirement from the force with an ongoing battle against old adversaries. Daphne on the other hand, is still coming to terms with, and in a way running from, her own grief after her fiancé Tom dies.
The structure of the story is done incredibly well because East leads us into the story providing detailed yet simple backgrounds about characters and situations, but then also throws us into the unexpected and uses these new situations to slowly pull out further detail making a well-rounded and beautifully complicated story.
I loved how we are introduced to this new phenomenon of Daphne’s and her realisation she can see a ghost. That first encounter was wonderful and the ideal draw card to get you intrigued into the supernatural aspect of this story and with a realism and humour that stays through the whole narrative. East’s descriptions are vivid and I could picture every scene as if it were playing out in front of me. From the start I fell comfortably into this narrative and it felt believable, even with the supernatural elements East anchors it in reality and possibility with a touch of the unknown but ever possible.
The characters are complicated and have deep personal issues and worries but East balances it perfectly and while there are ongoing references and emotional moments, it never felt over the top or overly dramatic. The emotions of these characters comes and goes at natural intervals, often with realistic and believable prompts and it is a great example how the death of a loved one never really leaves you no matter how much time has passed.
The dialogue is natural which was a huge plus for me. There is emotion and frustration, cheek and humour but it felt like conversations people actually had. The voices were great too because they are distinct and each character became their own person. One thing that impressed me was that East captures the detective voice so well without being stereotypical and cleverly manages to shift it between policeman and father and still make it feel like the same person. I believed Lawrence to be an aging cop, on the brink of retirement, still wanting to do his job but also able to see how much things have changed in his time on the force.
I liked Daff as a character too. She was grieving but trying to push the pain down, and East shows us the hurt is still there but she also wants to move on with her life. Even Liam who didn’t remember his own name or who had no memory of his life was a character of depth. I fell in love with him almost immediately and he and Daphne make a great pair. His personality shone through and his interactions with Daphne were some of my favourite parts of the story.
I loved this story from start to finish; East grabs your attention straight away with one storyline but then manages to pull you in further and hooks you with two others. It is most definitely a story about love and family, but it’s also about ghosts and the mystical and a fascinating police procedural with bikies and murder which becomes wonderfully and complicatedly intertwined as these things often do.
September 5, 2019
I received an advance copy of this title in exchange for an honest review.
I thoroughly enjoyed this clever, well-paced paranormal crime thriller. Unique in its precise composition of genre and setting, Every Time He Dies follows two parallel plotlines as both father and daughter are brought reluctantly into the same dangerous case of gang violence and unexpectedly haunted jewellery. Bitter, world-worn cop Lawrence and equally bitter, practical embalmer Daff are brought to life by Tara East's deft hand, with dialogue that rings true, meticulously researched law enforcement and funeral home practices, and a richly detailed, breathing Brisbane setting in which the narrative becomes eerily real, especially for anyone familiar with the city. It's rare to find an Australian-set book of this scope and genre that could stand among its international peers and hold its own, but I won't be surprised to see this book find its success in all corners of the crime genre reading world.
I thoroughly enjoyed this clever, well-paced paranormal crime thriller. Unique in its precise composition of genre and setting, Every Time He Dies follows two parallel plotlines as both father and daughter are brought reluctantly into the same dangerous case of gang violence and unexpectedly haunted jewellery. Bitter, world-worn cop Lawrence and equally bitter, practical embalmer Daff are brought to life by Tara East's deft hand, with dialogue that rings true, meticulously researched law enforcement and funeral home practices, and a richly detailed, breathing Brisbane setting in which the narrative becomes eerily real, especially for anyone familiar with the city. It's rare to find an Australian-set book of this scope and genre that could stand among its international peers and hold its own, but I won't be surprised to see this book find its success in all corners of the crime genre reading world.
October 15, 2019
‘Every Time He Dies’ by Tara East is a very well written, fast paced story of gang crime in Brisbane. I was hooked from page one and really enjoyed exploring the mystery behind a number of murders. I’d definitely recommend this one, it’s 5 stars from me!
My full review: https://whatrebeccasread.wordpress.co...
My full review: https://whatrebeccasread.wordpress.co...
December 1, 2019
I came across a review of this book on a blog recently and it piqued my curiosity. So glad I took a chance on this book, a great debut.
All the characters are believable and brought to life and I’d love to see more of Daff.
All the characters are believable and brought to life and I’d love to see more of Daff.
October 17, 2019
My review can be found here: https://miclovesbooks.home.blog/2019/...
I am not really sure where to start with this one, so I'm going to start with the weird associations that go on in my head sometimes and tell you the one thing I don't like about this book.... I don't like the title. A song came on the radio in the car one day last week and now every single time I think of the book I start hearing "Every Time She Cries" by John Farnham and Human Nature. I can't explain it, but it did get a little frustrating.
My hope for this one is that it is actually the beginning of a series because I think there is a fantastic foundation for a long running series featuring the main character, and I almost think the ending sets it up for a sequel... I live in hope anyway. The heroine is certainly a character I would follow.
Every Time He Dies is part police procedural, part outlaw bikie gang and part paranormal. It was an intriguing premise and I definitely think that East has pulled it off.
Daphne Lawrence has had a rough couple of years, she’s been living a pretty solitary life since the accident that took the life of her fiancé a year and a half ago. She hasn’t really made new friends since her move up the coast from Brisbane and she’s okay with that, she hasn’t moved on from her grief and she certainly hasn’t dealt with it.
In another life Daphne (Daff) was studying forensic toxicology, she had six months left of her degree when the accident changed the entire course of her life. Instead of remaining on that course Daff uses her degree as the starting point for an apprenticeship in embalming.
Daff’s fiancé was a police officer and so is her estranged father, I guess this had a lot to do with her decision to change career paths and stay away from the force.
Every Time He Dies is a gritty crime tale but it has moments of real humour which kept it relatively light. There were some twists that I really didn’t see coming and some that were a little more predictable.
We have two character stories weaving their way towards the ties that connect them; Daff and her estranged father.
Daff is deeply rooted in science; she believes only what she can see, and sometimes what can be confirmed by someone else being able to see too. She has no faith in the hippie psychic claptrap her best friend Peta believes in, but sometimes it doesn’t matter what you believe if the spirits believe in you.
Peta convinces Daff, against her better judgement, to attend a guided meditation on the beach with her one evening and creates yet another path for her life. Early into the meditation Daff tunes out the circle leader and focuses on the crackle of the fire while enjoying the inactivity. She has a daydream that throws her off balance and then while taking a walk on the beach afterwards she comes across a watch that looks eerily familiar; unable to leave it there in the sand she picks it up and takes it with her.
The watch has an earthbound sprit attached to it, a spirit who has no memory of who he was, or why he is still hanging around. Daff does all she can to explain it away as a hallucination but when things take another step into la-la land while she’s at work it’s definitely time to explore the possibility that this is really happening.
Daff works as an embalmer so she is in contact with the lifeless bodies of the dead all of the time, if she’s going to have visions it is going to make her worklife really interesting. The two she has to work on directly after the meditation are connected to the Road Dogs outlaw motorcycle club, a club that her estranged father has been working on trying to bring down for years. It seems that Daff may need to reach out to her father, even if it is the last thing she wants to do.
It would be easy to get spoilery, and I’m starting to get rambly so I think now is probably the time to start wrapping up.
I loved the character development in Every Time He Dies and though there isn’t a shortage of crime drama with a paranormal theme and psychic helpers I think East has brought an original spin to the premise in her debut.
I think the writing is tight, the humour and dialogue is engaging and the characters are ones you can connect with. There is a lot going on within the different story arcs and it’s all brought together quite nicely.
There were a few whys left at the end that I didn’t find were properly resolved but I may have missed something.
I love that by the end of the book Daff is incorporating her new skills into her everyday work and she is rebuilding relationships. I believe this could go on to become a successful series and I would definitely follow it.
Thanks for an entertaining read, I’ll be sure to keep my eye out for more.
I am not really sure where to start with this one, so I'm going to start with the weird associations that go on in my head sometimes and tell you the one thing I don't like about this book.... I don't like the title. A song came on the radio in the car one day last week and now every single time I think of the book I start hearing "Every Time She Cries" by John Farnham and Human Nature. I can't explain it, but it did get a little frustrating.
My hope for this one is that it is actually the beginning of a series because I think there is a fantastic foundation for a long running series featuring the main character, and I almost think the ending sets it up for a sequel... I live in hope anyway. The heroine is certainly a character I would follow.
Every Time He Dies is part police procedural, part outlaw bikie gang and part paranormal. It was an intriguing premise and I definitely think that East has pulled it off.
Daphne Lawrence has had a rough couple of years, she’s been living a pretty solitary life since the accident that took the life of her fiancé a year and a half ago. She hasn’t really made new friends since her move up the coast from Brisbane and she’s okay with that, she hasn’t moved on from her grief and she certainly hasn’t dealt with it.
In another life Daphne (Daff) was studying forensic toxicology, she had six months left of her degree when the accident changed the entire course of her life. Instead of remaining on that course Daff uses her degree as the starting point for an apprenticeship in embalming.
Daff’s fiancé was a police officer and so is her estranged father, I guess this had a lot to do with her decision to change career paths and stay away from the force.
Every Time He Dies is a gritty crime tale but it has moments of real humour which kept it relatively light. There were some twists that I really didn’t see coming and some that were a little more predictable.
We have two character stories weaving their way towards the ties that connect them; Daff and her estranged father.
Daff is deeply rooted in science; she believes only what she can see, and sometimes what can be confirmed by someone else being able to see too. She has no faith in the hippie psychic claptrap her best friend Peta believes in, but sometimes it doesn’t matter what you believe if the spirits believe in you.
Peta convinces Daff, against her better judgement, to attend a guided meditation on the beach with her one evening and creates yet another path for her life. Early into the meditation Daff tunes out the circle leader and focuses on the crackle of the fire while enjoying the inactivity. She has a daydream that throws her off balance and then while taking a walk on the beach afterwards she comes across a watch that looks eerily familiar; unable to leave it there in the sand she picks it up and takes it with her.
The watch has an earthbound sprit attached to it, a spirit who has no memory of who he was, or why he is still hanging around. Daff does all she can to explain it away as a hallucination but when things take another step into la-la land while she’s at work it’s definitely time to explore the possibility that this is really happening.
Daff works as an embalmer so she is in contact with the lifeless bodies of the dead all of the time, if she’s going to have visions it is going to make her worklife really interesting. The two she has to work on directly after the meditation are connected to the Road Dogs outlaw motorcycle club, a club that her estranged father has been working on trying to bring down for years. It seems that Daff may need to reach out to her father, even if it is the last thing she wants to do.
It would be easy to get spoilery, and I’m starting to get rambly so I think now is probably the time to start wrapping up.
I loved the character development in Every Time He Dies and though there isn’t a shortage of crime drama with a paranormal theme and psychic helpers I think East has brought an original spin to the premise in her debut.
I think the writing is tight, the humour and dialogue is engaging and the characters are ones you can connect with. There is a lot going on within the different story arcs and it’s all brought together quite nicely.
There were a few whys left at the end that I didn’t find were properly resolved but I may have missed something.
I love that by the end of the book Daff is incorporating her new skills into her everyday work and she is rebuilding relationships. I believe this could go on to become a successful series and I would definitely follow it.
Thanks for an entertaining read, I’ll be sure to keep my eye out for more.
October 27, 2019
What Made Me Read It I was sent a copy of the book in exchange for an honest review. The author described it as a novel about "a woman [who] finds a watch that is the same design as her deceased boyfriend's, only it is haunted by a ghost with amnesia. While trying to uncover the ghost's identity she becomes involved in her estranged father's homicide investigation". The crime genre doesn't particularly appeal to me but the premise of the book sounded intriguing: a familiar-looking haunted watch, an amnesiac ghost and a crime case that connects it all.
The Plot After a tragic car accident that took the life of her fiance, 27-year-old Daphne Lawrence moves to the Sunny Coast to start a new life as an embalmer at Dean & Clayton's funeral home. A science woman who doesn't believe in ghosts, Daff's world is turned upside down when she recovers a familiar-looking watch buried in the sands of Golden Beach and meets the amnesiac smart arse spirit bound to it. It takes a disturbing experience at the morgue and the well-meant interference from her best friend Peta and psychic Melissa Sweet to accept Liam is more than a mere hallucination brought about by her grief, and as the only person who can see him, Daff must use her newly awaken psychic abilities in order to help Liam recover his lost memories. But the more she digs into his past the more she finds herself uncomfortably close to her estranged father's world of gang violence and murder.
In Brisbane, Detective Jon Lawrence is 3 months away from retirement from the police force and, after 6 months with his new partner Detective Timothy McPhee, it can't come soon enough. For a long time he had tried to put an end to the Road Dogs, a club of bikers with a history of assault, petty theft and drug dealing in the Valley. But after a veiled threat from the club's president Henry Ernst, Lawrence decided it was best to let the Road Dogs be someone else's problem. Until a double murder case in a shady motel gives Lawrence one last chance of disbanding the motorcycle club for good and make Henry pay for the threat on Lawrence's estranged daughter's life.
The Good "Every time he dies" is a murder thriller novel with paranormal elements, set in modern days Brisbane and Sunny Coast, Australia. The narrative is told from alternating points of view, Daphne's and Detective Lawrence's, and takes place over the course of 5 days as one character tries to discover one ghost's forgotten identify while the other solves a double murder case connected to biker gang violence. Both seemingly independent storylines gradually merge together into a single plot filled with an intriguing mystery and unexpected twists and turns. The author manages to connect all the dots brilliantly in a way that is logical and realistic, even with all the metaphysical elements woven into the story.
The author mentioned she had interviewed retired detectives, active police officers, embalmers and funeral directors. The amount of research done is clearly evident in the detailed police procedures and funeral practices described throughout the book. The characters are 3-dimentional and complex, with realistic behaviors and motivations, and the novel explores themes of grief, anger, guilt, redemption, forgiveness and identity.
Read the full review on: https://literaryportals.blogspot.com/...
Final Rating 5 of 5 stars. "Every time he dies" is a murder thriller novel with paranormal elements, set in modern days Brisbane and Sunny Coast, Australia. Recommended for those who enjoy crime stories and murder mysteries mixed with the paranormal, ghosts and psychic abilities.
The Plot After a tragic car accident that took the life of her fiance, 27-year-old Daphne Lawrence moves to the Sunny Coast to start a new life as an embalmer at Dean & Clayton's funeral home. A science woman who doesn't believe in ghosts, Daff's world is turned upside down when she recovers a familiar-looking watch buried in the sands of Golden Beach and meets the amnesiac smart arse spirit bound to it. It takes a disturbing experience at the morgue and the well-meant interference from her best friend Peta and psychic Melissa Sweet to accept Liam is more than a mere hallucination brought about by her grief, and as the only person who can see him, Daff must use her newly awaken psychic abilities in order to help Liam recover his lost memories. But the more she digs into his past the more she finds herself uncomfortably close to her estranged father's world of gang violence and murder.
In Brisbane, Detective Jon Lawrence is 3 months away from retirement from the police force and, after 6 months with his new partner Detective Timothy McPhee, it can't come soon enough. For a long time he had tried to put an end to the Road Dogs, a club of bikers with a history of assault, petty theft and drug dealing in the Valley. But after a veiled threat from the club's president Henry Ernst, Lawrence decided it was best to let the Road Dogs be someone else's problem. Until a double murder case in a shady motel gives Lawrence one last chance of disbanding the motorcycle club for good and make Henry pay for the threat on Lawrence's estranged daughter's life.
The Good "Every time he dies" is a murder thriller novel with paranormal elements, set in modern days Brisbane and Sunny Coast, Australia. The narrative is told from alternating points of view, Daphne's and Detective Lawrence's, and takes place over the course of 5 days as one character tries to discover one ghost's forgotten identify while the other solves a double murder case connected to biker gang violence. Both seemingly independent storylines gradually merge together into a single plot filled with an intriguing mystery and unexpected twists and turns. The author manages to connect all the dots brilliantly in a way that is logical and realistic, even with all the metaphysical elements woven into the story.
The author mentioned she had interviewed retired detectives, active police officers, embalmers and funeral directors. The amount of research done is clearly evident in the detailed police procedures and funeral practices described throughout the book. The characters are 3-dimentional and complex, with realistic behaviors and motivations, and the novel explores themes of grief, anger, guilt, redemption, forgiveness and identity.
Read the full review on: https://literaryportals.blogspot.com/...
Final Rating 5 of 5 stars. "Every time he dies" is a murder thriller novel with paranormal elements, set in modern days Brisbane and Sunny Coast, Australia. Recommended for those who enjoy crime stories and murder mysteries mixed with the paranormal, ghosts and psychic abilities.
September 23, 2019
Title: Every Time He Dies
Author: Tara East
Publisher: Tara East; 1 edition
Date of Publishing: 5 November 2019
Sold By: Amazon Asia-Pacific Holdings Private Limited
Number of pages: 253 pages
ASIN: B07WSGQ3CY
Every Time He Dies is a soft-boiled crime/mystery novel with paranormal elements.The wonderful novel will release around November 5, 2019 and is a novel every book lover should look forward to.
Without giving the plot away, author Tara East has written a beautiful novel about relationships with a twist of the supernatural. By the end of the novel, you are likely to put down the book to call your parent or that distant cousin or aunt that you always loved, but for some reason haven’t kept in touch with. You will count your blessings, remember those who have impacted your life permanently and in a good way.
Daphe, the protagonist goes through a myriad of emotions after she meets a stranger and befriends him. He teaches her of the purest kind of love that is not ascertained by names and titles. He teaches her to forgive and move on. He teaches her what living is really about.
While the stranger teaches Daff about life, her best friend reminds her of what true friends are all about.
While Daff journeys through unusual circumstances, she learns about her strengths and gifts that transforms her life.
Author Tara East has come up with a novel one can easily connect to. The language is simple and evocative. The author creates beautiful imagery with her words in the novel, Every Time He Dies.
The novel Every Time He Dies by Tara East has an interesting plot The climax of the book is unpredictable. This is a novel that you can’t stop thinking about until you finish it. The end of the book makes it unforgettable.
An interesting, thrilling, mysterious and lovely book like Every Time He Dies by Tara East absolutely deserves 5 stars ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️
Author: Tara East
Publisher: Tara East; 1 edition
Date of Publishing: 5 November 2019
Sold By: Amazon Asia-Pacific Holdings Private Limited
Number of pages: 253 pages
ASIN: B07WSGQ3CY
Every Time He Dies is a soft-boiled crime/mystery novel with paranormal elements.The wonderful novel will release around November 5, 2019 and is a novel every book lover should look forward to.
Without giving the plot away, author Tara East has written a beautiful novel about relationships with a twist of the supernatural. By the end of the novel, you are likely to put down the book to call your parent or that distant cousin or aunt that you always loved, but for some reason haven’t kept in touch with. You will count your blessings, remember those who have impacted your life permanently and in a good way.
Daphe, the protagonist goes through a myriad of emotions after she meets a stranger and befriends him. He teaches her of the purest kind of love that is not ascertained by names and titles. He teaches her to forgive and move on. He teaches her what living is really about.
While the stranger teaches Daff about life, her best friend reminds her of what true friends are all about.
While Daff journeys through unusual circumstances, she learns about her strengths and gifts that transforms her life.
Author Tara East has come up with a novel one can easily connect to. The language is simple and evocative. The author creates beautiful imagery with her words in the novel, Every Time He Dies.
The novel Every Time He Dies by Tara East has an interesting plot The climax of the book is unpredictable. This is a novel that you can’t stop thinking about until you finish it. The end of the book makes it unforgettable.
An interesting, thrilling, mysterious and lovely book like Every Time He Dies by Tara East absolutely deserves 5 stars ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️
October 27, 2019
This is a very impressive debut novel!
A paranormal crime drama set in Brisbane, Australia, follows the lives of Daff (mortician) and her estranged father Lawrence (retiring detective), as they seek to unravel the threads of their own respective mysteries. Woven into the crime-drama genre is grief, ghosts, and biker gangs--each surprisingly authentic. The writing is tight, with punch and verve.
I must confess this is not usually my genre, but I found the characters to be real and compelling, and the story pulled me along. The threads were satisfyingly complex (though one or two points I found to be a bit convenient). My biggest criticism is that the vernacular started off American, but gathered more and more Australianisms as it went, so that at the beginning I didn't really know where I was, but by the end I was convinced. I believe there was actually a shift in setting during the writing process, so that would explain it, but overall, the dialogue crackled. I read the second half of the book in one sitting. Good plot, satisfying ending, convincing research, and the potential for more. Well done, Tara East!
*I received a free copy of the e-book in exchange for an honest review.
A paranormal crime drama set in Brisbane, Australia, follows the lives of Daff (mortician) and her estranged father Lawrence (retiring detective), as they seek to unravel the threads of their own respective mysteries. Woven into the crime-drama genre is grief, ghosts, and biker gangs--each surprisingly authentic. The writing is tight, with punch and verve.
I must confess this is not usually my genre, but I found the characters to be real and compelling, and the story pulled me along. The threads were satisfyingly complex (though one or two points I found to be a bit convenient). My biggest criticism is that the vernacular started off American, but gathered more and more Australianisms as it went, so that at the beginning I didn't really know where I was, but by the end I was convinced. I believe there was actually a shift in setting during the writing process, so that would explain it, but overall, the dialogue crackled. I read the second half of the book in one sitting. Good plot, satisfying ending, convincing research, and the potential for more. Well done, Tara East!
*I received a free copy of the e-book in exchange for an honest review.
October 29, 2019
Tara East’s debut novel is a knock-out read. Its protagonist, Daphne Lawrence, hits the pages casting hooks that reel her readers into a world of brutal murders, bikie gangs, psychics – and ghosts. Daff is an embalmer. She sees things. And dead people talk to her. Her dad, co-protagonist Detective Sergeant Jon Lawrence deducts things. Criminals don’t talk to him – willingly. But together, despite being estranged, they independently strive to discover the truth behind the grisly crimes – with the help of an amnesic ghost. Daff ‘wasn’t raised on sentimental bush poetry…’ As a child ‘she was shown how to kick a guy in the nuts, scream like thunder, call 000 and hide under the bed.’ As an adult she matured into something much tougher. She communicates with the dead but finds it impossible to talk to her dad. But will the truth behind the murders help Daff to rebuild her relationship with her father – and uncover the memories of the ghost who can’t remember? This is a multi-layered novel of Brisbane’s underbelly delivered against a backdrop of family rifts and paranormal interventions. A compelling story. It works.
November 5, 2019
You can read my complete review here. I was given a copy of Every Time He Dies via Author Tara East for an honest review.
Completely entranced by Tara East's writing in Every Time He Dies. East wrote an intriguing story that increasingly progresses throughout to weave many characters into one well-rounded read. With a wonderful writing style, the novel flowed easily without creating chaos and not once did I feel lost in the reading. Tara East’s debut novel is a perfect read and definitely a must to pick up as a gift this holiday season for the book lover in your life!
Completely entranced by Tara East's writing in Every Time He Dies. East wrote an intriguing story that increasingly progresses throughout to weave many characters into one well-rounded read. With a wonderful writing style, the novel flowed easily without creating chaos and not once did I feel lost in the reading. Tara East’s debut novel is a perfect read and definitely a must to pick up as a gift this holiday season for the book lover in your life!
November 5, 2019
Every Time He Dies is a captivating story about family, love, loss, and Ghosts! I do not normally read family emotional stories about love and loss because it can not keep my attention. However this book is well written with great characters and flowing dialogue, and intriguing plot, and a supernatural element that drew me in. It is also a very clever paranormal crime thriller that anyone would enjoy reading. Along with the great plot you will enjoy the dynamic between Daff and Jon, her father, as well as enjoy the chemistry between Daff and Liam (the ghost).
This is a well-paced book that will have you looking out for watches on the beach. If you are not into paranormal stories you should still read this book because the police and funeral home procedures, and all other real life elements are well written and keep the story grounded in reality. I recommend this book to all readers because you will enjoy the intensity of the crime and relationships, as well as the paranormal aspects throughout the story.
Check out my blog for more book love!
This is a well-paced book that will have you looking out for watches on the beach. If you are not into paranormal stories you should still read this book because the police and funeral home procedures, and all other real life elements are well written and keep the story grounded in reality. I recommend this book to all readers because you will enjoy the intensity of the crime and relationships, as well as the paranormal aspects throughout the story.
Check out my blog for more book love!
November 1, 2019
The cover of this book alone would prompt me to read it. As a Texas gal who lives in a city where El Día de los Muertos, the skeleton with its ties to Sugar Skulls drew me in. This book is about grief, hauntings, and identity.
The protaognist, Daphne Lawrence (Daff) is haunted by recent events in her life. Her fiancé died in a tragic accident (one Daff fears she may have caused), her mother passed away from cancer, and she shut her father out of her life. She shifted her field of study from toxicology to embalming. She is a rational woman of science and doesn’t believe in what she calls “woo-woo” things like crystals and ghosts and psychics. When she discovers a haunted watch buried in the sand, she must rethink her life.
This is a well-paced thrilled which follows two threads: Daff as she confronts her grief and her father as solves his last homicide before he retires from the police force. Author Tara East successfully blends paranormal, biker gangs, police procedurals, and “woo-woo” stuff, all in a well-delineated setting of Brisbane, Australia.
The protaognist, Daphne Lawrence (Daff) is haunted by recent events in her life. Her fiancé died in a tragic accident (one Daff fears she may have caused), her mother passed away from cancer, and she shut her father out of her life. She shifted her field of study from toxicology to embalming. She is a rational woman of science and doesn’t believe in what she calls “woo-woo” things like crystals and ghosts and psychics. When she discovers a haunted watch buried in the sand, she must rethink her life.
This is a well-paced thrilled which follows two threads: Daff as she confronts her grief and her father as solves his last homicide before he retires from the police force. Author Tara East successfully blends paranormal, biker gangs, police procedurals, and “woo-woo” stuff, all in a well-delineated setting of Brisbane, Australia.
January 19, 2020
What a great book from my home country, Australia. I received this book as a gift, but honestly, if I saw it in a shop, I would buy it based on its cover alone. Its so beautiful.
This was a great ghost story, with a mystery intertwined. It reminded me of the show, Medium, but with its own twist.
It delves into the underground world of the bikie culture with great realisim and also into the paranormal world, with the twist of a murder mystery. It grabbed me from the start.
My first 5 ⭐ rating if the year. Highly recommend this book.
This was a great ghost story, with a mystery intertwined. It reminded me of the show, Medium, but with its own twist.
It delves into the underground world of the bikie culture with great realisim and also into the paranormal world, with the twist of a murder mystery. It grabbed me from the start.
My first 5 ⭐ rating if the year. Highly recommend this book.
June 16, 2020
Content:
Loosing everyone she loves, Daff seems to be haunted. Her fiancée died in an accident, her mother passed away and she stopped speaking to her father, a homicide detective. Still she doesn’t believe in anything that could be considered woo-woo, including tarot cards and vision quests. When she finds a watch, that is haunted by a ghost with amnesia, she is forced to confront her own long ignored grief. While she uncovers his former life and how he died, she becomes involved with her estranged father's homicide investigation, which leads to an outlaw motorcycle gang.
🖋
POV: third person narrative with alternating chapters from Daff and her father, revealing the ghost story and the murder case
🖋
My opinion: Through her use of simile and onomatopoeia, Tara East’s first sentence directly caught my interest. I continued to enjoy her writing skills over the entire novel. It was a very captivating and refreshing read, especially because the combination of a logically connected detective and supernatural story was completely new to me. The detective story was exciting and the ghost story even more so, additionally enriched with a fine sense of humor.
🖋
Conclusion: beautiful storytelling – suspenseful and mystical
🖋
Recommendation for readers who love suspense and ghost stories
Loosing everyone she loves, Daff seems to be haunted. Her fiancée died in an accident, her mother passed away and she stopped speaking to her father, a homicide detective. Still she doesn’t believe in anything that could be considered woo-woo, including tarot cards and vision quests. When she finds a watch, that is haunted by a ghost with amnesia, she is forced to confront her own long ignored grief. While she uncovers his former life and how he died, she becomes involved with her estranged father's homicide investigation, which leads to an outlaw motorcycle gang.
🖋
POV: third person narrative with alternating chapters from Daff and her father, revealing the ghost story and the murder case
🖋
My opinion: Through her use of simile and onomatopoeia, Tara East’s first sentence directly caught my interest. I continued to enjoy her writing skills over the entire novel. It was a very captivating and refreshing read, especially because the combination of a logically connected detective and supernatural story was completely new to me. The detective story was exciting and the ghost story even more so, additionally enriched with a fine sense of humor.
🖋
Conclusion: beautiful storytelling – suspenseful and mystical
🖋
Recommendation for readers who love suspense and ghost stories
January 15, 2020
I was given a physical ARC of Every Time He Dies from the author in exchange for an honest review.
Tara East’s debut novel Every Time He Dies packs a punch! The story is part police procedure, part mysticism, and part realism. Though East successfully blurs the lines.
When the author contacted me for a review, I was astounded that she would send me a physical copy, however, this has not played into my rating whatsoever. Though I very much enjoy the weight and feel of the pages. And the cover is to die for! (Pun intended.)
After a horrific car accident that kills her fiancee, cancer kills her mother, and her father’s abhorrent behaviour ends their communication, Daff relies on the soothing routine of embalming dead people. She is good at it and has come a long way since her first day.
But when she finds a watch and the prior owner latches on to her, she is forced to confront her grief and personal problems while trying to find out what the watch’s owner wants with her. Though he tries to tell her just what he would like from her, she doesn’t want to hear it.
Or, as a matter of fact, see him. She wants the hallucination gone. Because that’s all he is, right?
Her friend Peta gently forces her, if there is such a thing, to see psychic after psychic to help her help the hallucination Daff has named Liam.
Little does Daff know this assistance lands her directly into the middle of a crime scene. One that her father, Detective Sergeant Jon Lawrence, is leading.
But can Daff figure out the mystery behind who Liam is before the people in his past find her?
This book is a whirlwind of emotions and something you’ll miss once you settle it back in it’s nook on your bookshelf. Every Time He Dies deals with heartache, violence, grief, love, truth, mistrust, and so much more. You will speed read this book just to find out what the end has in store.
Daff is a hard-hitting woman, she has been hardened by grief and anger for many years. Her characterisation is perfectly portrayed. The way she reacts to a situation feels real and her dialogue is consistent. I loved her for many reasons, but the main reason is the fact that she is strong! Forgot the female characters who appear strong and capable—yet not immune to heartache—Daff should be your go-to woman.
Her friend Peta is also characterised well. Despite not seeing too much of her throughout the book, the reason is relevant once you read it, she is a pivotal character. When Daff needs someone, she is there, no matter the cost, and always tells it like it is.
Liam is someone you’re going to love to hate and hate to love. The story is worth reading just to untangle his part to play in the subplots surrounding Daff and her father. When he latches onto Daff, he has no idea who he is, but there are reasons to suggest he might not be telling the truth. By the end of the book, you’ll wish Liam had more page time.
Daff’s father, Jon, read like a cop from one of the police television shows we see today. He struggles to keep up with the younger police, he, like Daff, has been hardened, he was not the best husband or father, but you have to love him. His dialogue is consistent and his character arc is surprising. While he behaves similarly to the television police, there is something so real and lifelike about it.
And, as a special mention, I would like to talk a bit about the psychic Melissa. I did not expect her role to become as entwined with Daff’s as it did, but the author weaved the stories together seamlessly. Melissa is not your run-of-the-mill psychic, she truly has mystic powers. This woman can perform some dodgy tasks, but there are very good reasons for this. Reasons you will have to read the book to find out.
Beyond the characters, the overwhelming amount of research that must have gone into this book is astounding. As part of Daff’s character, she would describe what she was doing or had to do in order to successfully perform her embalming jobs. Sometimes I got caught in the detail as if I was reading an engrossing textbook on embalming. I had no idea they had to do so much disgusting work!
The research that must have gone into the police investigations and procedures is another fascinating part about Every Time He Dies. Somehow I learned specific information about the topics while speed reading Jon’s chapters.
Every Time He Dies is split between the viewpoints of Daff and Jon with a few other oddities thrown in. I loved getting a glimpse into who Jon was and what had brought him to “this” time period.
If you enjoy well-written and researched novels based on investigations into an unknown world and murder, you will love Every Time He Dies!
Tara East’s debut novel Every Time He Dies packs a punch! The story is part police procedure, part mysticism, and part realism. Though East successfully blurs the lines.
When the author contacted me for a review, I was astounded that she would send me a physical copy, however, this has not played into my rating whatsoever. Though I very much enjoy the weight and feel of the pages. And the cover is to die for! (Pun intended.)
After a horrific car accident that kills her fiancee, cancer kills her mother, and her father’s abhorrent behaviour ends their communication, Daff relies on the soothing routine of embalming dead people. She is good at it and has come a long way since her first day.
But when she finds a watch and the prior owner latches on to her, she is forced to confront her grief and personal problems while trying to find out what the watch’s owner wants with her. Though he tries to tell her just what he would like from her, she doesn’t want to hear it.
Or, as a matter of fact, see him. She wants the hallucination gone. Because that’s all he is, right?
Her friend Peta gently forces her, if there is such a thing, to see psychic after psychic to help her help the hallucination Daff has named Liam.
Little does Daff know this assistance lands her directly into the middle of a crime scene. One that her father, Detective Sergeant Jon Lawrence, is leading.
But can Daff figure out the mystery behind who Liam is before the people in his past find her?
This book is a whirlwind of emotions and something you’ll miss once you settle it back in it’s nook on your bookshelf. Every Time He Dies deals with heartache, violence, grief, love, truth, mistrust, and so much more. You will speed read this book just to find out what the end has in store.
Daff is a hard-hitting woman, she has been hardened by grief and anger for many years. Her characterisation is perfectly portrayed. The way she reacts to a situation feels real and her dialogue is consistent. I loved her for many reasons, but the main reason is the fact that she is strong! Forgot the female characters who appear strong and capable—yet not immune to heartache—Daff should be your go-to woman.
Her friend Peta is also characterised well. Despite not seeing too much of her throughout the book, the reason is relevant once you read it, she is a pivotal character. When Daff needs someone, she is there, no matter the cost, and always tells it like it is.
Liam is someone you’re going to love to hate and hate to love. The story is worth reading just to untangle his part to play in the subplots surrounding Daff and her father. When he latches onto Daff, he has no idea who he is, but there are reasons to suggest he might not be telling the truth. By the end of the book, you’ll wish Liam had more page time.
Daff’s father, Jon, read like a cop from one of the police television shows we see today. He struggles to keep up with the younger police, he, like Daff, has been hardened, he was not the best husband or father, but you have to love him. His dialogue is consistent and his character arc is surprising. While he behaves similarly to the television police, there is something so real and lifelike about it.
And, as a special mention, I would like to talk a bit about the psychic Melissa. I did not expect her role to become as entwined with Daff’s as it did, but the author weaved the stories together seamlessly. Melissa is not your run-of-the-mill psychic, she truly has mystic powers. This woman can perform some dodgy tasks, but there are very good reasons for this. Reasons you will have to read the book to find out.
Beyond the characters, the overwhelming amount of research that must have gone into this book is astounding. As part of Daff’s character, she would describe what she was doing or had to do in order to successfully perform her embalming jobs. Sometimes I got caught in the detail as if I was reading an engrossing textbook on embalming. I had no idea they had to do so much disgusting work!
The research that must have gone into the police investigations and procedures is another fascinating part about Every Time He Dies. Somehow I learned specific information about the topics while speed reading Jon’s chapters.
Every Time He Dies is split between the viewpoints of Daff and Jon with a few other oddities thrown in. I loved getting a glimpse into who Jon was and what had brought him to “this” time period.
If you enjoy well-written and researched novels based on investigations into an unknown world and murder, you will love Every Time He Dies!
December 21, 2019
Every time he dies, is a paranormal mystery book and it was such a joy to read. It is one of the best paranormal books that I have read so far. And look at that cover! Stunning!
The book is about Daf (Daphne) and Liam who meet under very strange circumstances. Liam has some sort of amnesia and has no recollection of who he is so Daf will, throughout the story, help him find out who he really is and what happened to him.
I loved all of the characters in the book. Each of them is unique in their own way.
Daf is a rather strong and stubborn young woman. We meet her while she is struggling to deal with loosing her mum as well as the love of her life in the span of a few months. And of course she has a special gift! But I cannot tell you more about that, you will have to read the book to find out!
Liam, even though he has no recollection of who he is, strikes the reader as a gentleman. Calm and always trying to save the day. I cannot say more about Liam without spoilers so I wont.
Then there is also detective Lawrence, Daf's dad, who is as stubborn and strong minded as his daughter.
Through the book we get a view of dealing with loss along with lots of action. At the beginning the parts of the story related to Daf and Liam along with the parts of the story related to detective Lawrence seem to be totally irrelevant but moving along the book they are all so skillfully intertwined. The link of the stories is not forced at all and Tara takes her time to guide the reader through with the words flowing through the pages.
It is also worth mentioning that not one stone is left un-turned, everything is analyzed and nothing is left for the reader to guess at the end of the story. As mentioned above every part it skillfully linked together. There is closure for everyone taking part in the story which is something that we do not see very often in books. You are not left wondering what happened at the end of the book but you are left with a clear picture of the whole plot right in front of your eyes.
The book was sent to me by the author for an honest review.
The book is about Daf (Daphne) and Liam who meet under very strange circumstances. Liam has some sort of amnesia and has no recollection of who he is so Daf will, throughout the story, help him find out who he really is and what happened to him.
I loved all of the characters in the book. Each of them is unique in their own way.
Daf is a rather strong and stubborn young woman. We meet her while she is struggling to deal with loosing her mum as well as the love of her life in the span of a few months. And of course she has a special gift! But I cannot tell you more about that, you will have to read the book to find out!
Liam, even though he has no recollection of who he is, strikes the reader as a gentleman. Calm and always trying to save the day. I cannot say more about Liam without spoilers so I wont.
Then there is also detective Lawrence, Daf's dad, who is as stubborn and strong minded as his daughter.
Through the book we get a view of dealing with loss along with lots of action. At the beginning the parts of the story related to Daf and Liam along with the parts of the story related to detective Lawrence seem to be totally irrelevant but moving along the book they are all so skillfully intertwined. The link of the stories is not forced at all and Tara takes her time to guide the reader through with the words flowing through the pages.
It is also worth mentioning that not one stone is left un-turned, everything is analyzed and nothing is left for the reader to guess at the end of the story. As mentioned above every part it skillfully linked together. There is closure for everyone taking part in the story which is something that we do not see very often in books. You are not left wondering what happened at the end of the book but you are left with a clear picture of the whole plot right in front of your eyes.
The book was sent to me by the author for an honest review.
Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews