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Judi Westerholme #1
Trust Me, I'm Dead
SHORTLISTED FOR THE 2018 CWA DEBUT DAGGER FOR UNPUBLISHED FIRST NOVEL
She hasn't seen her brother in years. Now, he's dead.
When Judi Westerholme finds out her estranged brother has been murdered, she assumes it's connected to his long term drug addiction. Returning home, she is shocked to discover he had been clean for years, had a wife – now missing – a child and led a respectable life. But if he had turned his life around, why was he killed in a drug deal shooting? And where is his wife?
Desperate to know what really happened, Judi sets out to uncover the truth, even though it means confronting her own traumatic past. But she's not the only one looking for answers...
With a gutsy, unapologetic protagonist, Trust Me, I'm Dead is a gritty and bold crime thriller that explores the sacrifices people will make for their families.
'Gripping and disturbing, Clark delves into dark places close to home.
268 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 2019
28 people are currently reading
258 people want to read
About the author
Sherryl Clark
78 books95 followersSome of my first short stories were crime fiction, and although in the last 20 years I have focused a lot more on writing children's and YA books, I've kept going with my crime writing. The first two novels are now stowed somewhere in the back of my filing cabinet!
But "Trust Me, I'm Dead", first draft written in 2009, was shortlisted for the CWA Debut Dagger and then published by Verve Books in the UK. What a journey with that novel. I love the character, a grumpy woman (secretly modelled on a young Judi Dench), and couldn't let go of the story. Nine drafts later ...
There are two more Judi novels ("Dead and Gone" and "Mad, Bad and Dead") - but my brand new character is PI Lou Alcott, with "Woman, Missing" published in 2024 by HQ/Harlequin.
More about my crime writing and books at www.sherrylclarkcrimewriter.com
I have been writing poems and stories for over twenty-five years, and have two collections of poetry published. Perseverance really does count, I think, for all kinds of writing.
In 1996 I wrote my first children’s book, "The Too-Tight Tutu", which was published in 1997 by Penguin Australia. I have since written over 60 children's and YA books, which are published around the world.
My verse novel "Farm Kid" won the 2005 NSW Premier’s Literary Award for Children’s Books. "Sixth Grade Style Queen (Not!)" was a 2008 CBCA Honour Book. My YA novel "Dying to Tell Me", published in the USA by KaneMiller, has also been published in Australia by me.
My author website for children's books is at www.sherrylclark.com. I also work as a freelance editor, manuscript development editor and mentor - information on these at www.sherrylclarkwritingcoach.com.
But "Trust Me, I'm Dead", first draft written in 2009, was shortlisted for the CWA Debut Dagger and then published by Verve Books in the UK. What a journey with that novel. I love the character, a grumpy woman (secretly modelled on a young Judi Dench), and couldn't let go of the story. Nine drafts later ...
There are two more Judi novels ("Dead and Gone" and "Mad, Bad and Dead") - but my brand new character is PI Lou Alcott, with "Woman, Missing" published in 2024 by HQ/Harlequin.
More about my crime writing and books at www.sherrylclarkcrimewriter.com
I have been writing poems and stories for over twenty-five years, and have two collections of poetry published. Perseverance really does count, I think, for all kinds of writing.
In 1996 I wrote my first children’s book, "The Too-Tight Tutu", which was published in 1997 by Penguin Australia. I have since written over 60 children's and YA books, which are published around the world.
My verse novel "Farm Kid" won the 2005 NSW Premier’s Literary Award for Children’s Books. "Sixth Grade Style Queen (Not!)" was a 2008 CBCA Honour Book. My YA novel "Dying to Tell Me", published in the USA by KaneMiller, has also been published in Australia by me.
My author website for children's books is at www.sherrylclark.com. I also work as a freelance editor, manuscript development editor and mentor - information on these at www.sherrylclarkwritingcoach.com.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 73 reviews
June 24, 2020
Shortlisted for the 2018 CWA Debut Daggar, TRUST ME, I'M DEAD, is the first crime novel from New Zealand born, Australian resident writer Sherryl Clark, best known for her children's writing, although I understand there's now a sequel to this novel planned for this year. Any possible sequel should be regarded as a very good thing, whenever it is released.
Judi Westerholme leads a secluded life, out in a rural area, working her vegetable patch, and mostly minding her own business, she's a woman with a past of her own. She hasn't seen her brother for years, having been heartily disappointed with his drug addiction and life choices, so she's surprised to find that it looks like he turned his life around. He's been holding down a job, bought a house, got married, they had a baby. Which makes the fact that he was shot dead in what looks like a drug deal gone wrong, his wife gone missing, seem even more inexplicable.
As their mother lives in a nursing home and isn't quite with it anymore, Judi is called back to Melbourne, to arrange his funeral and sort out his affairs, hoping that his wife will turn up eventually. Only to find a weird set of circumstances involving their grandmother's home, a missing toolbox, questions about his lifestyle, and a policeman investigating his death. To say nothing of a baby that his will has left in Judi's care - the last thing in this world she thought she'd be lumbered with.
There is so much potential in this novel it's hard to know where to start. I did see a summary somewhere where the author has great fondness for the character Judi Westerholme, a wonderfully grumpy, matter of fact, determined, bloody minded sort of a woman, secretly modelled on a young Judi Dench, and it's not hard to see how you could have enormous time for that person. She's resourceful without being super-woman, she's flawed without wallowing in it, she's strong and grumpy and knows how to take bloody minded to the edge of bloody annoying without tipping over. Even a bit of unresolved sexual tension with the investigating police officer manages to avoid the dreaded inevitability.
Alongside good characters, there's a good sense of place, with most of the action taking place in inner Melbourne suburbs, although a brief visit to a medium sized town that I know pretty well these days made me laugh at the observations of lack of activity after dark. There's a good, clever, plot at the heart of everything, and pace is never sacrificed to personal or character development. There's menace aplenty and it's a real page turner.
TRUST ME, I'M DEAD was sadly one of those books that I'd missed much commentary about when it was shortlisted. Hope that changes, and I hope we're not waiting too long for the sequel.
https://www.austcrimefiction.org/revi...
Judi Westerholme leads a secluded life, out in a rural area, working her vegetable patch, and mostly minding her own business, she's a woman with a past of her own. She hasn't seen her brother for years, having been heartily disappointed with his drug addiction and life choices, so she's surprised to find that it looks like he turned his life around. He's been holding down a job, bought a house, got married, they had a baby. Which makes the fact that he was shot dead in what looks like a drug deal gone wrong, his wife gone missing, seem even more inexplicable.
As their mother lives in a nursing home and isn't quite with it anymore, Judi is called back to Melbourne, to arrange his funeral and sort out his affairs, hoping that his wife will turn up eventually. Only to find a weird set of circumstances involving their grandmother's home, a missing toolbox, questions about his lifestyle, and a policeman investigating his death. To say nothing of a baby that his will has left in Judi's care - the last thing in this world she thought she'd be lumbered with.
There is so much potential in this novel it's hard to know where to start. I did see a summary somewhere where the author has great fondness for the character Judi Westerholme, a wonderfully grumpy, matter of fact, determined, bloody minded sort of a woman, secretly modelled on a young Judi Dench, and it's not hard to see how you could have enormous time for that person. She's resourceful without being super-woman, she's flawed without wallowing in it, she's strong and grumpy and knows how to take bloody minded to the edge of bloody annoying without tipping over. Even a bit of unresolved sexual tension with the investigating police officer manages to avoid the dreaded inevitability.
Alongside good characters, there's a good sense of place, with most of the action taking place in inner Melbourne suburbs, although a brief visit to a medium sized town that I know pretty well these days made me laugh at the observations of lack of activity after dark. There's a good, clever, plot at the heart of everything, and pace is never sacrificed to personal or character development. There's menace aplenty and it's a real page turner.
TRUST ME, I'M DEAD was sadly one of those books that I'd missed much commentary about when it was shortlisted. Hope that changes, and I hope we're not waiting too long for the sequel.
https://www.austcrimefiction.org/revi...
August 5, 2019
Sherryl Clark is an author who crafts her stories well. Across several genres. The test for me as a reader is whether I can relax within the first few pages, confident the research is accurate, the plot is well thought out , I can experience the setting from the sensual clues and the character is engaging. Within a couple of pages,' Trust Me I'm Dead' had me satisfied. And I sat up late last night to finish the book.
Firstly the ambiguous title intrigued, and did relate accurately to the missing brother who had set up the puzzle for his sister to solve, and thus safeguard his little daughter. I love setting which are genuinely local and Ascot Vale and inner Melbourne hasn't featured in many crime novels so far. Hopefully there will be sequels.
The police procedural business sounded accurate and Clark has recently completed a forensic / police medical course. The plot twists relating to gangland drug wars were sufficiently relevant but the emphasis on family relationships gone wrong and the growing URST (unresolved sexual tension) with
Heath,the investigating Homicide officer maintained interest.
I admire the physical resilience of Judi, the narrator who seems to cope with endless 'accidents' in the course of the plot. Readers can empathise with her and admire her compassion and resourcefulness. And I learnt a bit about gardening...
Sherryl Clark has been a respected university tutor of writing for many years and her skills are evident
in 'Trust Me, I'm Dead'. In the end notes she credits those who have helped in the almost ten years it took to write the many drafts.
Highly recommended. And book clubs will love it for the potential discussion of the clues.
Firstly the ambiguous title intrigued, and did relate accurately to the missing brother who had set up the puzzle for his sister to solve, and thus safeguard his little daughter. I love setting which are genuinely local and Ascot Vale and inner Melbourne hasn't featured in many crime novels so far. Hopefully there will be sequels.
The police procedural business sounded accurate and Clark has recently completed a forensic / police medical course. The plot twists relating to gangland drug wars were sufficiently relevant but the emphasis on family relationships gone wrong and the growing URST (unresolved sexual tension) with
Heath,the investigating Homicide officer maintained interest.
I admire the physical resilience of Judi, the narrator who seems to cope with endless 'accidents' in the course of the plot. Readers can empathise with her and admire her compassion and resourcefulness. And I learnt a bit about gardening...
Sherryl Clark has been a respected university tutor of writing for many years and her skills are evident
in 'Trust Me, I'm Dead'. In the end notes she credits those who have helped in the almost ten years it took to write the many drafts.
Highly recommended. And book clubs will love it for the potential discussion of the clues.
July 26, 2019
Trust Me, I’m Dead. My first thought was “this should be on a t-shirt!” This efficient title hides a strong novel filled with small and big games, and the fact that no matter how great your sneakers are, you can’t run away from your past.
Judi hasn’t seen her brother in years, but the news of his death is a shock. The sharp contrast of Judi’s quiet live in the countryside and the awful truth that Andrew has been murdered made me extremely curious from the start. If the first chapter gives the reader a snippet of Judi’s recluse life, we don’t have time to get to know her nurturing her garden. Instead, we get swept away to the city, with a shocked and shaken woman forced to deal with matters she’d clearly could have done without.
Judi knew her brother as a clever boy, a target for an abusive father, and later, a drug addict. But the picture she gets from his life in Melbourne is completely different. A million years away from what I expected! A wife, a little kid, a respectable job, a nice house, and taxes paid on time. I had issues connecting Judi’s memories to the facts I was given, and Judi had the same problem! Murder rang well with his previous lifestyle, but didn’t fit the new portray of Andrew.
Judi is a really interesting character. Resilient, she can appear rude and hard, but it is easy to guess this is just a shell. A thick and heavy shell made to help her carry the weight of a lifetime of hardships. Her reactions sometimes took me by surprise, but old pains and grief are dealt with in a million ways. The more time I spent with Judi, the clearer I could see through her. She had retreated and somehow punished herself with a life of ‘keeping busy’, surviving rather than living. Now I sound very gloom, but she contents herself with gardening and movie nights with her friend Connor… until Andrew’s passing away forces her out of her bubble. Judi is witty, bold, with a heart of gold hidden beneath an armor. I rooted for her so easily I surprised myself! Her family history is not glorious and hangs over her head like an ominous cloud filled with eternal rain. But there is some beauty in the horrors Judi goes through, and the shackles she’s been living with get looser as she learns to get closer again to her dead brother.
But there is no time for bonding, as Judi meets the detective in charge of Andrew’s case, and what he thinks is “off” turns out to be wickedly off indeed. So off that danger starts springing from everywhere! Try keeping your mourning head cold with a two-year-old niece you have never met, the planning of funeral, and a search for the truth. I loved how subtle the plot is. Yes, drugs are quite the simple deal, but nothing is simple in this book! Relationships, memories, tricks and games sit one on top of the other, leaving Judi as the player of a puzzle with missing pieces and demons at her heels.
The writing is sharp, injecting tension, humor, bits of warmth cute moments, and scary moments. Judi’s shell’s cracks as the world grows darker and more dangerous. To solve the mystery around his death, Andrew takes her sister down memory lane, leaving clues behind him for her to decipher. As engrossed in the solving of the case as I was, what struck me the most was Andrew’s schemes. It broke my heart to see him bringing his sister to life via his own death. Well, she has to dodge many deadly traps to stay alive, for sure, but being pushed out of her routine sparks a light in her, a fire that the past had almost entirely extinguished. Andrew rekindles it from beyond the grave, and the story of those siblings is both complicated and beautiful. Don’t we love it when a gritty and compelling crime novel holds more than you hoped for?
Families… No matter what we say, they always have an impact on us. The author skillfully explores probes the wounds of a dysfunctional family.
Trust Me, I’m Dead is an intense, addictive read with enough action to get your heart beating for characters to die for.
Judi hasn’t seen her brother in years, but the news of his death is a shock. The sharp contrast of Judi’s quiet live in the countryside and the awful truth that Andrew has been murdered made me extremely curious from the start. If the first chapter gives the reader a snippet of Judi’s recluse life, we don’t have time to get to know her nurturing her garden. Instead, we get swept away to the city, with a shocked and shaken woman forced to deal with matters she’d clearly could have done without.
Judi knew her brother as a clever boy, a target for an abusive father, and later, a drug addict. But the picture she gets from his life in Melbourne is completely different. A million years away from what I expected! A wife, a little kid, a respectable job, a nice house, and taxes paid on time. I had issues connecting Judi’s memories to the facts I was given, and Judi had the same problem! Murder rang well with his previous lifestyle, but didn’t fit the new portray of Andrew.
Judi is a really interesting character. Resilient, she can appear rude and hard, but it is easy to guess this is just a shell. A thick and heavy shell made to help her carry the weight of a lifetime of hardships. Her reactions sometimes took me by surprise, but old pains and grief are dealt with in a million ways. The more time I spent with Judi, the clearer I could see through her. She had retreated and somehow punished herself with a life of ‘keeping busy’, surviving rather than living. Now I sound very gloom, but she contents herself with gardening and movie nights with her friend Connor… until Andrew’s passing away forces her out of her bubble. Judi is witty, bold, with a heart of gold hidden beneath an armor. I rooted for her so easily I surprised myself! Her family history is not glorious and hangs over her head like an ominous cloud filled with eternal rain. But there is some beauty in the horrors Judi goes through, and the shackles she’s been living with get looser as she learns to get closer again to her dead brother.
But there is no time for bonding, as Judi meets the detective in charge of Andrew’s case, and what he thinks is “off” turns out to be wickedly off indeed. So off that danger starts springing from everywhere! Try keeping your mourning head cold with a two-year-old niece you have never met, the planning of funeral, and a search for the truth. I loved how subtle the plot is. Yes, drugs are quite the simple deal, but nothing is simple in this book! Relationships, memories, tricks and games sit one on top of the other, leaving Judi as the player of a puzzle with missing pieces and demons at her heels.
The writing is sharp, injecting tension, humor, bits of warmth cute moments, and scary moments. Judi’s shell’s cracks as the world grows darker and more dangerous. To solve the mystery around his death, Andrew takes her sister down memory lane, leaving clues behind him for her to decipher. As engrossed in the solving of the case as I was, what struck me the most was Andrew’s schemes. It broke my heart to see him bringing his sister to life via his own death. Well, she has to dodge many deadly traps to stay alive, for sure, but being pushed out of her routine sparks a light in her, a fire that the past had almost entirely extinguished. Andrew rekindles it from beyond the grave, and the story of those siblings is both complicated and beautiful. Don’t we love it when a gritty and compelling crime novel holds more than you hoped for?
Families… No matter what we say, they always have an impact on us. The author skillfully explores probes the wounds of a dysfunctional family.
Trust Me, I’m Dead is an intense, addictive read with enough action to get your heart beating for characters to die for.
August 8, 2019
I demolished this book in two days! The pacing of the story is perfect. The reader is hurled into the action from the very first page with just the right amount of detail given to have you desperate to know more.
I define a book as an ‘easy read’ by how much the writing is able to immerse you into the world it paints and the characters that come to life off the pages.
And this was one such book.
I turned each page never conscious of the fact that I was ‘reading’, instead I felt part of Judi’s journey. Right there with her, holding her hand.
Enjoyed this immensely and excited to read more of your work! Well done, Sherryl! 👏🏾
I define a book as an ‘easy read’ by how much the writing is able to immerse you into the world it paints and the characters that come to life off the pages.
And this was one such book.
I turned each page never conscious of the fact that I was ‘reading’, instead I felt part of Judi’s journey. Right there with her, holding her hand.
Enjoyed this immensely and excited to read more of your work! Well done, Sherryl! 👏🏾
March 3, 2020
When Judi Westerholme finds out her estranged brother has been murdered, she assumes it's connected to his long term drug addiction. Returning home, she is shocked to discover he had been clean for years, had a wife (who’s now missing), a child and led a respectable life. But if he had turned his life around, why was he killed in a drug deal shooting? And where is his wife? Desperate to know what really happened, Judi sets out to uncover the truth, even though it means confronting her own traumatic past. But she's not the only one looking for answers…
Although a fairly straightforward story, this is told with a vivid voice and features a wonderfully individual protagonist, a heroine who’s been hurt in the past - physically and emotionally - and lives with the pain both torments have scarred her with. With the action quickly switching to Melbourne - the city she was desperate to escape from - this takes in dysfunctional families, abuse and gangland warfare, rocketing through to a nicely satisfying conclusion. I liked Judi a lot (and Mia, the little girl she ends up looking after) and Heath, the policeman who takes an interest in her case is well used, a sparkling tension between them cleverly not fully explored. With a great sense of location, well drawn family dynamics and some sharp patches of brutal violence, this is intensely readable and thoroughly enjoyable. Very much recommended.
Although a fairly straightforward story, this is told with a vivid voice and features a wonderfully individual protagonist, a heroine who’s been hurt in the past - physically and emotionally - and lives with the pain both torments have scarred her with. With the action quickly switching to Melbourne - the city she was desperate to escape from - this takes in dysfunctional families, abuse and gangland warfare, rocketing through to a nicely satisfying conclusion. I liked Judi a lot (and Mia, the little girl she ends up looking after) and Heath, the policeman who takes an interest in her case is well used, a sparkling tension between them cleverly not fully explored. With a great sense of location, well drawn family dynamics and some sharp patches of brutal violence, this is intensely readable and thoroughly enjoyable. Very much recommended.
July 27, 2019
#poorpoorJudi I really felt for Judi all the way through this story. Her best friend comes to tell her her only sibling had been murdered and she’s got to pick up the pieces. But these aren’t the normal pieces, no siree. Brother Andy has left a right mess for her. Oh the guilt she felt for distancing herself from Andy, heartbreaking!
Judi’s hunt for the clues her clever brother had left her was addictive. I tried to keep up with Judi and the clues but I was as flummoxed as she was with Andy’s carefully disguised clues. Ms Clark has created a brilliant (yet deceased) character in Andy, communicating from beyond the grave. He is such a key character and yet he’s not there, just omnipresent!
Anyway, I for one am glad that Ms Clark has turned her hand to crime fiction. This felt like an impeccably planned treasure hunt with tension interwoven into the story to lasso my attention right to the end. I’ll be watching for the author’s next crime fiction offering!
Judi’s hunt for the clues her clever brother had left her was addictive. I tried to keep up with Judi and the clues but I was as flummoxed as she was with Andy’s carefully disguised clues. Ms Clark has created a brilliant (yet deceased) character in Andy, communicating from beyond the grave. He is such a key character and yet he’s not there, just omnipresent!
Anyway, I for one am glad that Ms Clark has turned her hand to crime fiction. This felt like an impeccably planned treasure hunt with tension interwoven into the story to lasso my attention right to the end. I’ll be watching for the author’s next crime fiction offering!
May 12, 2020
Trust me, this book is dead.
The cover tells me it has won or been nominated for awards. If true, any faith I had in the book industry has been undermined. What was the competition like? In her acknowledgements the author tells us proudly that she did, I think, eight rewrites. I don't know whether to respond 'Eight? Whoopee. Why didn't you do more?', or 'Eight! O my god, what must the first seven have been like!?'.
I can't understand how this was published. The plot is over-complicated, improbable, full of inconsistencies & contradictions (not in a good way), and ludicrous. The account of police procedure & the law is embarrassing. The relationship between the protagonist & the investigating officer is wooden and predictable. There are a number of plot 'twists' that are just lame attempts to get the author out of the holes she has dug herself. The book stalls and repeats itself from about 3/4 of the way through. The prose is plodding (the title says it all); the characterisation awkward, hackneyed, and boring; and the attempts to locate the book in a recognisable Melbourne are token—dropping a few street and suburb names without any real sense of what those areas are like, or how they inform the characters, mood, or plot; they may as well have been made up.
I started this book because it was on the recommended shelf at my local library and I wanted something diverting between more challenging reading. I finished it out of misplaced dutifulness—finish what you start &c. I wish I hadn't. Reading it was laborious and made me doubt my capacity to read, understand, or appreciate anything; like reading bad student work. (I’m a fast reader but I got so bogged in this book it took me 4 or 5 days.) I got over it, but after accidentally coming across the other reviews I felt I had to join Goodreads to write this as a corrective.
I don't like condemning people's work, but this is a terrible, terrible, terrible, terrible book. I can’t help feeling the author was let down by her publishers. I certainly was.
Easily the worst book I've read in about 5 years, and one of the worst ever.
Save yourself the time.
The cover tells me it has won or been nominated for awards. If true, any faith I had in the book industry has been undermined. What was the competition like? In her acknowledgements the author tells us proudly that she did, I think, eight rewrites. I don't know whether to respond 'Eight? Whoopee. Why didn't you do more?', or 'Eight! O my god, what must the first seven have been like!?'.
I can't understand how this was published. The plot is over-complicated, improbable, full of inconsistencies & contradictions (not in a good way), and ludicrous. The account of police procedure & the law is embarrassing. The relationship between the protagonist & the investigating officer is wooden and predictable. There are a number of plot 'twists' that are just lame attempts to get the author out of the holes she has dug herself. The book stalls and repeats itself from about 3/4 of the way through. The prose is plodding (the title says it all); the characterisation awkward, hackneyed, and boring; and the attempts to locate the book in a recognisable Melbourne are token—dropping a few street and suburb names without any real sense of what those areas are like, or how they inform the characters, mood, or plot; they may as well have been made up.
I started this book because it was on the recommended shelf at my local library and I wanted something diverting between more challenging reading. I finished it out of misplaced dutifulness—finish what you start &c. I wish I hadn't. Reading it was laborious and made me doubt my capacity to read, understand, or appreciate anything; like reading bad student work. (I’m a fast reader but I got so bogged in this book it took me 4 or 5 days.) I got over it, but after accidentally coming across the other reviews I felt I had to join Goodreads to write this as a corrective.
I don't like condemning people's work, but this is a terrible, terrible, terrible, terrible book. I can’t help feeling the author was let down by her publishers. I certainly was.
Easily the worst book I've read in about 5 years, and one of the worst ever.
Save yourself the time.
August 12, 2019
It only took me three sittings to read Trust Me, I’m Dead, and the tension held all the way. Judi Westerholme is a woman who says what she thinks, especially when she shouldn’t. This trait gets her into a lot of trouble but also threads the narrative with her unique humour. There’s an array of fascinating characters, lots of shocking twists, and underneath it all a tale of a broken family and the aftermath. This is a novel that’s easy to fall into and hard to extract yourself from. Looking forward to the next one!
September 2, 2019
Absolutely loved it.
It’s been a long time since I’ve been excited to finish whatever it is I’m doing (work, sleeping etc) to be able to get back to a book... and that’s exactly what I found myself doing with this one.
Easy and enjoyable to read, I was keen to get to the end to find out what happened. It was especially interesting to be familiar with the suburbs and settings in Melbourne, and found it to be an authentic telling of the location and Australian characters.
Can’t wait for Sherryl’s next adult crime fiction, which I’m hoping will be available sooner than later.
It’s been a long time since I’ve been excited to finish whatever it is I’m doing (work, sleeping etc) to be able to get back to a book... and that’s exactly what I found myself doing with this one.
Easy and enjoyable to read, I was keen to get to the end to find out what happened. It was especially interesting to be familiar with the suburbs and settings in Melbourne, and found it to be an authentic telling of the location and Australian characters.
Can’t wait for Sherryl’s next adult crime fiction, which I’m hoping will be available sooner than later.
August 7, 2019
Trust Me, I'm Dead grabbed me from the opening pages. A beautiful way with language, a plot full of suspense and a strong, vulnerable and relatable protagonist. What more could anyone want from this genre? The author's first foray into Crime Thrillers is impressive and I can't wait for the follow up!
September 15, 2019
Trust me, this story is a ripper!
March 22, 2025
A good read, made me gasp many times
June 27, 2020
Now this is what I call a bloody good read!
I absolutely hated the main character at first, mainly because of how she was portrayed behaving, thinking, even speaking at times (I know, I am weird).
But then as the story unravels her character changes a lot! Her thinking and the ability to start showing and FEELING love (other than for her garden) and satisfaction from life, she actually becomes the polished version of the strong woman she already was. All the small pieces along the way that change her outlook and tie into the bigger string of her character development, remind me of a very gentle butterfly effect!
Character development in the book is great! Atmosphere was always detailed and one could imagine perfectly, not a single pin missing in this department! A few times I thought I knew what would happen next (guessing the usual suspects for a cliche’d way out really) but the author proved me wrong each time! Including the ending!
It is a brilliant page-turner without the usual overdone suspense we see in other cases!
Highly recommended!!
I absolutely hated the main character at first, mainly because of how she was portrayed behaving, thinking, even speaking at times (I know, I am weird).
But then as the story unravels her character changes a lot! Her thinking and the ability to start showing and FEELING love (other than for her garden) and satisfaction from life, she actually becomes the polished version of the strong woman she already was. All the small pieces along the way that change her outlook and tie into the bigger string of her character development, remind me of a very gentle butterfly effect!
Character development in the book is great! Atmosphere was always detailed and one could imagine perfectly, not a single pin missing in this department! A few times I thought I knew what would happen next (guessing the usual suspects for a cliche’d way out really) but the author proved me wrong each time! Including the ending!
It is a brilliant page-turner without the usual overdone suspense we see in other cases!
Highly recommended!!
January 7, 2020
I honestly cant remember the last time I read a book like this one! I read so many contemporary thrillers but have never fallen upon a contemporary mystery before but after reading this one I will definitely be looking out for them!
A brilliant page turner that sucked me in. Not a fantastic crime thriller which some might expect and I got frustrated with the main character missing obvious 'clues' bit all in all a thoroughly good easy read.
3*
Thanks to netgalley and Oldcastle Books for the ARC.
A brilliant page turner that sucked me in. Not a fantastic crime thriller which some might expect and I got frustrated with the main character missing obvious 'clues' bit all in all a thoroughly good easy read.
3*
Thanks to netgalley and Oldcastle Books for the ARC.
May 13, 2020
Good Aussie mystery
A woman returns to Melbourne because her ne'er do well brother's been killed. He'd apparently turned his life around, but then appeared to have been involved in underworld goings-on again, and everyone was after her to find something her brother had hidden.
She does indulge in some aggravating behaviour, which puts her into unnecessary danger a few times in the story, but it was good to see her turns of intelligence at critical points....not just a damsel in distress.
A woman returns to Melbourne because her ne'er do well brother's been killed. He'd apparently turned his life around, but then appeared to have been involved in underworld goings-on again, and everyone was after her to find something her brother had hidden.
She does indulge in some aggravating behaviour, which puts her into unnecessary danger a few times in the story, but it was good to see her turns of intelligence at critical points....not just a damsel in distress.
September 17, 2019
Amazing first adult book after being so successful as a children's book author.
Waiting for next one!!
Waiting for next one!!
January 5, 2020
Absolutely loved this book! Kept me hooked and wanting to read on! It also made me feel tense in chapters. Definitely recommend
October 15, 2024
This book was quite good and lots happened but i thought the ending would be more climactic. the love story was horrible and very disappointing.
July 5, 2020
A witty story that had me gripped from the start. Look forward to reading more from this author in the future.
June 19, 2020
•| Trust me, I’m dead - Sherryl Clark |•
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Is it possible to find a crime novel wholesome at the same time? 🤔 this book was just a random pick off the shelf at the library, the title was the first thing that stood out to me, loved it. •
•
Trust me, I’m dead is a nice short read. At first I could not stand Judi the main character but she grew on me just like she was supposed to. I ended up really feeling for her and rooting for her in the end. For a crime novel there weren’t too many twists and turns or big reveals and it was quite predictable to me (maybe I am just twisted by now) BUT it did take some focus to wrap my head around it (stories about the mafia and underworld always do that to me, so many names). Anyway, Judi strikes you as very cold to start with but I am really happy with her story and would love to see what happened to her and Mia (and Heath, something has to happen there) •
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I got through this one in a day. I mentioned that it was wholesome, a few characters in the book (next door neighbour, Mia, Heath) were so lovely and the ending had the perfect amount of closure. •
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⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5
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Is it possible to find a crime novel wholesome at the same time? 🤔 this book was just a random pick off the shelf at the library, the title was the first thing that stood out to me, loved it. •
•
Trust me, I’m dead is a nice short read. At first I could not stand Judi the main character but she grew on me just like she was supposed to. I ended up really feeling for her and rooting for her in the end. For a crime novel there weren’t too many twists and turns or big reveals and it was quite predictable to me (maybe I am just twisted by now) BUT it did take some focus to wrap my head around it (stories about the mafia and underworld always do that to me, so many names). Anyway, Judi strikes you as very cold to start with but I am really happy with her story and would love to see what happened to her and Mia (and Heath, something has to happen there) •
•
I got through this one in a day. I mentioned that it was wholesome, a few characters in the book (next door neighbour, Mia, Heath) were so lovely and the ending had the perfect amount of closure. •
•
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 12, 2020
I found this book just a little slow going for me, maybe because I have just read a couple of very fast paced novels, it has affected my joy of this one. It’s not what I would call a com-lex read, more of an easy curl up and chill read. More of a contemporary thriller.
The story is narrated by Judi Westerholme the main character, she finds out her brother is dead, she believes it to be from his long term drug use, she hasn’t seen him in a few years, having escaped Melbourne, Australia, to live in the country. But when she goes back home she is shocked to find he had cleaned up his act, has been drug free for years and is now married, with a child and leading a respectable life.
But if he was clean why was he killed in a drug deal shooting? His wife is missing, where is she? Along with the fact his body is clean from drugs. Judi is determined to get to the bottom of things with the help of Police investigator Heath. But this means facing her own past, which was traumatic. I found it a little frustrating at times, when Judi missed some very obvious clues, it made it less believable. Some of the police actions just didn’t work for me either, especially when it seemed Judi is not the only person looking for answers.
Judi as a character is good, she says what she thinks, which can at times land her in trouble, other times it made me chuckle. She is a strong but also vulnerable character.
I would like to thank #netgalley and #Vervebooks for an eARC of this book in exchange for an honest, fair and unbiased review.
The story is narrated by Judi Westerholme the main character, she finds out her brother is dead, she believes it to be from his long term drug use, she hasn’t seen him in a few years, having escaped Melbourne, Australia, to live in the country. But when she goes back home she is shocked to find he had cleaned up his act, has been drug free for years and is now married, with a child and leading a respectable life.
But if he was clean why was he killed in a drug deal shooting? His wife is missing, where is she? Along with the fact his body is clean from drugs. Judi is determined to get to the bottom of things with the help of Police investigator Heath. But this means facing her own past, which was traumatic. I found it a little frustrating at times, when Judi missed some very obvious clues, it made it less believable. Some of the police actions just didn’t work for me either, especially when it seemed Judi is not the only person looking for answers.
Judi as a character is good, she says what she thinks, which can at times land her in trouble, other times it made me chuckle. She is a strong but also vulnerable character.
I would like to thank #netgalley and #Vervebooks for an eARC of this book in exchange for an honest, fair and unbiased review.
January 18, 2020
Good story line ending a bit weak
March 22, 2021
When Judi finds out her brother is dead her whole world turns up side down. Judi hasn’t seen her drug addicted brother in years and is surprised to hear that he has turned his life around, is married and has a 2 year old daughter.
Even though Andy but seems to have turned his life around both the police and Judi are puzzled when Andy’s death is linked to known drug users and dealers. Judi is prepared to go to extreme measures to find out why her brother was murdered and soon finds herself in extreme danger when the dealers target her and want her help to find something that Andy was suppose to hand over to them before her was murderer.
This was an exciting suspense thriller with so much action packed into it there was no time to get bored. I’m pleased to see there’s is a 2nd book to follow as the ending was a bit sudden and there were many questions I had that were left unanswered so I look forward to reading the next book 🙂
Even though Andy but seems to have turned his life around both the police and Judi are puzzled when Andy’s death is linked to known drug users and dealers. Judi is prepared to go to extreme measures to find out why her brother was murdered and soon finds herself in extreme danger when the dealers target her and want her help to find something that Andy was suppose to hand over to them before her was murderer.
This was an exciting suspense thriller with so much action packed into it there was no time to get bored. I’m pleased to see there’s is a 2nd book to follow as the ending was a bit sudden and there were many questions I had that were left unanswered so I look forward to reading the next book 🙂
June 13, 2023
I was really drawn in by the premise of this book but gave up about halfway through. I wanted to know what the deal with the brother was, I thought the concept was very clever! Unfortunately every chapter seemed to be so distracted by the main character’s crush on the lead detective. I just was not interested? Normally I can ignore subplots and flirtations but I was skipping whole paragraphs about his aftershave and her nerves because I wanted to know wtf happened?? In the end I gave up; it’s not that this author isn’t talented, it’s just that it wasn’t what I was looking for when I picked up this novel. I gave it a few go’s and on try 4, I decided to return it to the library.
I’m here to support Aussie writers and I hope her work continues to do well, it just wasn’t the book I was hoping for, based on the blurb and reviews. Maybe next one!
I’m here to support Aussie writers and I hope her work continues to do well, it just wasn’t the book I was hoping for, based on the blurb and reviews. Maybe next one!
May 25, 2020
Judi had not seen her drug dependent brother, Andy, for three years. Now he had been murdered. It appears Andy had turned his life around. He was off drugs, had a partner and a little girl Mia. When Mia's mother takes an overdose, Judi is left with her young niece and solving the clues left by her brother in order to solve his murder.
The cops in this were really rubbish and Judi quite nieve and lucky not to have been killed herself.
Could easily have come up with an alternative ending to this book which would have given it a nice twist which it was sadly lacking.
Good for a quick short read.
The cops in this were really rubbish and Judi quite nieve and lucky not to have been killed herself.
Could easily have come up with an alternative ending to this book which would have given it a nice twist which it was sadly lacking.
Good for a quick short read.
November 8, 2020
I am enjoying this story which follows Judi in her the amateur detective search for information relating to her brother’s recent murder, and the disappearance of his girlfriend, who left her young child in the temporary care of a friend. Called back from here child-free life alone, to her childhood town to identify his body, Judi meets and befriends the detective working in her brother’s case, and finds she has been granted guardianship of her baby niece.
The back story of her brother's past history as a drug addict may help explain the thugs who attack her in order to get hold of his ‘goodie box. A lively story in which the main characters’ back stories are clearly revealed.
⭐️⭐️⭐️
The back story of her brother's past history as a drug addict may help explain the thugs who attack her in order to get hold of his ‘goodie box. A lively story in which the main characters’ back stories are clearly revealed.
⭐️⭐️⭐️
February 7, 2022
The Plot:
Judy lives a quite life, by her own design. She takes each day as it comes. Until she gets the news her brother has died, murderd. Expected, as he was addicted. Nothing surprises her more to find he had a wife-now missing- and a kid. He turned his life around. What had happened, what lead to his murder.
The Review:
I liked the book. Most of its characters are unlikable. Even through that you feel for them. The book focuses on the murder-mystery of it all, with a tiny hint it romance. Over all: an enjoyable read
Judy lives a quite life, by her own design. She takes each day as it comes. Until she gets the news her brother has died, murderd. Expected, as he was addicted. Nothing surprises her more to find he had a wife-now missing- and a kid. He turned his life around. What had happened, what lead to his murder.
The Review:
I liked the book. Most of its characters are unlikable. Even through that you feel for them. The book focuses on the murder-mystery of it all, with a tiny hint it romance. Over all: an enjoyable read
January 1, 2024
Judi moved to Candlebark to escape past events and people. It was where she felt safe. That is until her brother is murdered and there is a child he has left to her in his will. That is weird, too, because her brother had a partner, the mother of the child, but she’s vanished too. Judi wrenches herself out of her retreat and heads to town to get to the bottom of the murder and disappearance. What does she find?
I enjoyed the twists and turns in this story and the rich characters.
Recommended for any reader who enjoys murder mysteries.
I enjoyed the twists and turns in this story and the rich characters.
Recommended for any reader who enjoys murder mysteries.
July 19, 2025
Nothing says “family reunion” quite like flying home to identify your estranged brother’s body and finding out he’s been murdered in a suspicious drug deal… despite supposedly cleaning up his act, getting married, and having a child you never knew existed.
Trust Me, I’m Dead kicks off with a solid premise and plenty of gritty potential. Judi Westerholme returns to a past she’d rather leave buried, only to find that things don’t quite add up; not the drugs, not the missing wife, and certainly not the toddler suddenly in need of a guardian.
Judi is unapologetically tough, which I usually admire, but here it sometimes veers into prickly-for-the-sake-of-it. She calls the detective rude but seems allergic to basic empathy herself (see: begrudging thoughts about a now-orphaned niece). Her relationship with the hotshot detective also felt a bit stapled on. Let’s just say the novel could have done with one more editorial brush-up.
Still, there’s something compelling about a flawed, messy protagonist flailing through grief and guilt, even if you occasionally want to shake her. Bonus points for a title that makes an excellent passive-aggressive statement if you’re reading it in public.
Do you enjoy reading crime novels where the protagonist isn’t particularly likeable?
Trust Me, I’m Dead kicks off with a solid premise and plenty of gritty potential. Judi Westerholme returns to a past she’d rather leave buried, only to find that things don’t quite add up; not the drugs, not the missing wife, and certainly not the toddler suddenly in need of a guardian.
Judi is unapologetically tough, which I usually admire, but here it sometimes veers into prickly-for-the-sake-of-it. She calls the detective rude but seems allergic to basic empathy herself (see: begrudging thoughts about a now-orphaned niece). Her relationship with the hotshot detective also felt a bit stapled on. Let’s just say the novel could have done with one more editorial brush-up.
Still, there’s something compelling about a flawed, messy protagonist flailing through grief and guilt, even if you occasionally want to shake her. Bonus points for a title that makes an excellent passive-aggressive statement if you’re reading it in public.
Do you enjoy reading crime novels where the protagonist isn’t particularly likeable?
April 14, 2023
This book came to me as part of an anonymous book swap last year sometime. I put it on my shelf and there it sat. Then in the process of performing a book cull I picked it up and read the first chapter and was immediately sucked in. I liked the Australian setting as it was completely different from what I had been reading. I liked the characters. I just liked it, and I didn’t expect to. I love it when that happens.
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