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Harlow Series #1
If She Dies
Nearly a year ago, Tess’s five-year-old daughter was tragically killed in a car accident. The driver, Brady, is now in prison—but for the grief-stricken mother, nothing will bring back her baby. When Brady’s own young daughter goes missing, suspicion falls on Tess… What happened to Eve?
264 pages, Kindle Edition
First published December 14, 2020
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About the author
Erik Therme
11 books611 followersErik Therme has thrashed in garage bands, inadvertently harbored runaways, and met Darth Vader. He currently resides in Iowa City, Iowa—one of only twenty-eight places in the world that UNESCO has certified as a City of Literature.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 357 reviews
June 11, 2021
Tess lost her daughter to a tragic accident. The man responsible is in prison. But is that enough Justice for Tess. After all…he has a daughter too.
This was a very slow moving read. I felt that I needed to push the characters along at times. I kept waiting for something to happen. And it just didn’t…
Though it is touted as a thriller it felt more like a domestic drama to me. The ‘thrill’ got lost in the shuffle as the book went on.
The writing is solid and the characters were all well developed. Yet, it seemed as though the focus was off.🤷🏻♀️
Posted to: https://books-are-a-girls-best-friend...
Thank you to Goodreads Giveaway!
This was a very slow moving read. I felt that I needed to push the characters along at times. I kept waiting for something to happen. And it just didn’t…
Though it is touted as a thriller it felt more like a domestic drama to me. The ‘thrill’ got lost in the shuffle as the book went on.
The writing is solid and the characters were all well developed. Yet, it seemed as though the focus was off.🤷🏻♀️
Posted to: https://books-are-a-girls-best-friend...
Thank you to Goodreads Giveaway!
September 8, 2023
3.5⭐
Genre ~ domestic fiction
Series ~ Harlow #1
Publication date ~ February 21, 2021
Page Count ~ 264
Audio length ~ 9 hours 4 minutes
Narrator ~ Marguerite Gavin
POV ~ single 1st
Featuring ~ deceased child, depression, grief, dumb choices, stalking, secrets, lies
Tess & Josh's 5 year old daughter, Lily, was killed 9 months ago. Understandably, Tess is still grieving and sets her sights on Eve, the step daughter of the man that killed her daughter. She gives off a stalker vibe right away, which is what she is, but I thought it was going to go a different way than it did.
Tess is pretty unreliable, which leads her to make some pretty dumb choices and assumptions. Since it's only told by her we can only go on what she thinks Josh's feelings are, which doesn't make him sound great at times. I felt a little bad for him. I haven't been in her shoes, but Tess's grief did seem realistic.
Eve goes missing and Tess is set up to take the fall. I liked the mystery leading up to this, but as far as the reasoning,
Overall, it was well written, but slow moving and the ending felt a bit abrupt to me, but perhaps it's because the story will continue in If She Wakes.
Narration notes:
I did not listen to this one, but am just giving the info above for reference.
*Thanks to the author sending me a copy. I am voluntarily leaving my honest review*
Connect with me ➡ Blog ~ Facebook ~ Twitter
Genre ~ domestic fiction
Series ~ Harlow #1
Publication date ~ February 21, 2021
Page Count ~ 264
Audio length ~ 9 hours 4 minutes
Narrator ~ Marguerite Gavin
POV ~ single 1st
Featuring ~ deceased child, depression, grief, dumb choices, stalking, secrets, lies
Tess & Josh's 5 year old daughter, Lily, was killed 9 months ago. Understandably, Tess is still grieving and sets her sights on Eve, the step daughter of the man that killed her daughter. She gives off a stalker vibe right away, which is what she is, but I thought it was going to go a different way than it did.
Tess is pretty unreliable, which leads her to make some pretty dumb choices and assumptions. Since it's only told by her we can only go on what she thinks Josh's feelings are, which doesn't make him sound great at times. I felt a little bad for him. I haven't been in her shoes, but Tess's grief did seem realistic.
Eve goes missing and Tess is set up to take the fall. I liked the mystery leading up to this, but as far as the reasoning,
Overall, it was well written, but slow moving and the ending felt a bit abrupt to me, but perhaps it's because the story will continue in If She Wakes.
Narration notes:
I did not listen to this one, but am just giving the info above for reference.
*Thanks to the author sending me a copy. I am voluntarily leaving my honest review*
Connect with me ➡ Blog ~ Facebook ~ Twitter
March 6, 2021
If She Dies is a suspenseful thriller about a woman trying to find the truth to clear her name. Tess’s daughter was killed in a car accident and the driver, Brady, went to prison. Tess starts watching, Eve, Brady’s daughter. When Eve goes missing, Tess seems like the obvious choice, so Eve needs to find Eve before it’s too late to clear her name. If She Dies is a great thriller. There is suspense throughout the book. At first I was waiting for Eve to go missing, and then I think I was as stressed as Tess as she was trying to find Eve. Tess has been having marital problems since her daughter’s death and then her twin brother shows up. Her husband and brother have never gotten along. I understand why Tess seems suspicious to everyone, but as the reader it is so obvious that Tess has only been watching. Tess’s husband even knows she is lying about what she does all day, and Tess catches him in lies too. Tess’s brother is suspicious and always comes in and out of their lives. Tess thinks he could be involved and is trying to save him. The combination of suspense, family drama, and marital problems made If She Dies an unputdownable thriller.
Thank you Damp Pebbles for including me on this blog tour.
Full Review: https://justreadingjess.wordpress.com...
Thank you Damp Pebbles for including me on this blog tour.
Full Review: https://justreadingjess.wordpress.com...
May 24, 2021
5☆ A Gripping and Twisty Thriller, I couldn't put down!
If She Dies is a Highly Compelling, Enthralling and Twisty Thriller that once I started reading I couldn't put down!
The book starts with Tess following Eve a 12yr old girl. We quickly learn that Tess has been religiously following Eve everyday for several weeks.
We also find out that Tess's daughter Lily was killed by a driver called Brady, and she resents Eve being alive when her Daughter isn't. As Eve is Brady's Daughter!
Josh is Tess hubby and although they are coping with their grief differently, Tess clearly Is struggling and instead of helping Josh just keeps making things worse, as they drift further apart!
He thinks it's time they move on and Tess is paranoid and anxious.
But what Josh doesn't know, is that Tess has every right to be paranoid and anxious. Someone is sending her letters, messages and graffiti over Lily's grave.
Could it be connected to the man who killed Lily or someone else?
Then Eve goes missing and Tess's life is about to get a whole lot more twisted and complicated. But Who has taken Eve?
I loved this book, it starts off with a eerie feel to it, but as the story unravels and Secrets are revealed the plot thickens quickly and the suspense intensifies.
It was not only an Enthralling Thriller but a mystery too.
The characters were brilliantly written and witnessing Tess grief was heartbreaking.
If you haven't yet had the pleasure of reading Erik Therme books then I highly recommend you pick up a copy of If She Dies!
Thank you to Damppebbles Tours for this copy which I reviewed honestly and voluntarily.
You can Find this Review and all my Other Reviews on My Blog :-
https://dashfan81.blogspot.com/2021/0...
If She Dies is a Highly Compelling, Enthralling and Twisty Thriller that once I started reading I couldn't put down!
The book starts with Tess following Eve a 12yr old girl. We quickly learn that Tess has been religiously following Eve everyday for several weeks.
We also find out that Tess's daughter Lily was killed by a driver called Brady, and she resents Eve being alive when her Daughter isn't. As Eve is Brady's Daughter!
Josh is Tess hubby and although they are coping with their grief differently, Tess clearly Is struggling and instead of helping Josh just keeps making things worse, as they drift further apart!
He thinks it's time they move on and Tess is paranoid and anxious.
But what Josh doesn't know, is that Tess has every right to be paranoid and anxious. Someone is sending her letters, messages and graffiti over Lily's grave.
Could it be connected to the man who killed Lily or someone else?
Then Eve goes missing and Tess's life is about to get a whole lot more twisted and complicated. But Who has taken Eve?
I loved this book, it starts off with a eerie feel to it, but as the story unravels and Secrets are revealed the plot thickens quickly and the suspense intensifies.
It was not only an Enthralling Thriller but a mystery too.
The characters were brilliantly written and witnessing Tess grief was heartbreaking.
If you haven't yet had the pleasure of reading Erik Therme books then I highly recommend you pick up a copy of If She Dies!
Thank you to Damppebbles Tours for this copy which I reviewed honestly and voluntarily.
You can Find this Review and all my Other Reviews on My Blog :-
https://dashfan81.blogspot.com/2021/0...
June 27, 2022
This one truly kept me on the edge of my seat. The main character, I truly felt sympathy for with all she's been dealing with. So many twists you don't expect, and the end will SHOCK you. Loved this book! Found it at a used book store and so glad I grabbed it!
March 7, 2021
IF SHE DIES is a psychological thriller/ psychological drama by Erik Therme.
Tess Parker’s five-year-old daughter Lily was killed in a car accident nine years ago. The driver, Brady Becker is now serving two years in prison…but this doesn’t bring her daughter back.
Meanwhile, Brady has a twelve-year-old daughter, Eve, that gets to live, while Tess’s daughter does not.
Tess and her husband, Josh’s marriage is strained, because Tess can’t move on, after the death of their daughter. She is depressed and Josh wants his wife to see a therapist, where everything will go back to the way they were before. They had moved a month ago from Newton to Harlow, as Josh was born in Harlow…hoping that by leaving the town of the deadly accident, Tess would be able to move on with her life. But this wasn’t going to happen. Josh wanted to forget the past…but Tess couldn’t!
Brady also has a daughter: A twelve-year-old named Eve, raised by his wife, Meg, while he is in prison. Eve walks to school every day. Tess knows this because she's been watching Eve for the last three weeks. It isn’t fair that Brady’s daughter gets to live, while Tess’s daughter does not.
Then Tess and Josh start receiving anonymous letters/messages after they had moved. Who knew where they had moved to?
Then someone had sprayed-painted Lily’s headstone with a bloody red X. A targeted attack?
When Eve goes missing, all eyes turn to Tess, who doesn’t have an alibi. But Tess isn’t guilty.
This was a well written novel with dramatical relatable characters and satisfactory unpredicted ending. A very enjoyable read!
Many thanks to the author, and The Book Club (FB) for my digital copy.
Tess Parker’s five-year-old daughter Lily was killed in a car accident nine years ago. The driver, Brady Becker is now serving two years in prison…but this doesn’t bring her daughter back.
Meanwhile, Brady has a twelve-year-old daughter, Eve, that gets to live, while Tess’s daughter does not.
Tess and her husband, Josh’s marriage is strained, because Tess can’t move on, after the death of their daughter. She is depressed and Josh wants his wife to see a therapist, where everything will go back to the way they were before. They had moved a month ago from Newton to Harlow, as Josh was born in Harlow…hoping that by leaving the town of the deadly accident, Tess would be able to move on with her life. But this wasn’t going to happen. Josh wanted to forget the past…but Tess couldn’t!
Brady also has a daughter: A twelve-year-old named Eve, raised by his wife, Meg, while he is in prison. Eve walks to school every day. Tess knows this because she's been watching Eve for the last three weeks. It isn’t fair that Brady’s daughter gets to live, while Tess’s daughter does not.
Then Tess and Josh start receiving anonymous letters/messages after they had moved. Who knew where they had moved to?
Then someone had sprayed-painted Lily’s headstone with a bloody red X. A targeted attack?
When Eve goes missing, all eyes turn to Tess, who doesn’t have an alibi. But Tess isn’t guilty.
This was a well written novel with dramatical relatable characters and satisfactory unpredicted ending. A very enjoyable read!
Many thanks to the author, and The Book Club (FB) for my digital copy.
April 21, 2021
Book Reviewed on www.whisperingstories.com
4.5 Stars
If She Dies is a brilliantly written, compelling thriller that hooks you from the start and I could not put the book down. The vocabulary and symbolism used by Erik Therme throughout is impressive to say the least and Therme is successful in creating an emotional connection between the reader and the characters, especially the protagonist, Tess Parker.
Tess Parker’s five-year-old daughter Lily was killed in a car accident, dying in her mother’s arms, a memory that is as sharp as the day it happened and consumes her every waking moment. The novel begins 9 months after the traumatic event. Tess and her husband Josh have relocated to a neighbourly town. Josh appears to have put Lily’s death behind him and expects Tess to do the same in the hope that their life will return to a semblance of normality.
The resentment she has for her husband is clearly growing especially since he has bought a brand-new jeep with the insurance money that the couple received from their daughter’s death. But Tess doesn’t know the half of it because she’s too caught up in her own struggle to know what her husband is thinking or feeling. When Josh raises the question of having another child, Tess is horrified and cannot even contemplate betraying the memory of her daughter in such a way.
Eve Becker is 12 years’ old and every day, she takes the same route to Chandler Middle School. Tess knows this because she’s been watching Eve for the last few weeks and believes that their paths crossing was unavoidable. But this isn’t pure coincidence. For Eve Becker is the daughter of the man who was responsible for killing Lily. Now serving a prison sentence, Tess feels an affiliation and a fondness for Eve whose life has also been affected by Lily’s death.
The depth of layers to Tess’s character are heart-warming and her ultimate sadness and desperation draws you in thanks to Therme’s detailed and rich descriptions. When Tess’ twin brother, Colin, comes back into her life it adds yet another dimension. She believed that her free-spirited twin had been travelling but in fact, he was living a short car ride away. He’s selfish but loveable and it quickly becomes clear why he couldn’t be around to prop Tess up emotionally.
When Eve goes missing Tess sits firmly in the frame with the Police keen to speak with her. But Tess is adamant that she would never have done such a thing, or so she believes. If She Dies is a superb thriller that reeled me in and kept me turning the pages until the end. All in all, a superb read that I would highly recommend.
4.5 Stars
If She Dies is a brilliantly written, compelling thriller that hooks you from the start and I could not put the book down. The vocabulary and symbolism used by Erik Therme throughout is impressive to say the least and Therme is successful in creating an emotional connection between the reader and the characters, especially the protagonist, Tess Parker.
Tess Parker’s five-year-old daughter Lily was killed in a car accident, dying in her mother’s arms, a memory that is as sharp as the day it happened and consumes her every waking moment. The novel begins 9 months after the traumatic event. Tess and her husband Josh have relocated to a neighbourly town. Josh appears to have put Lily’s death behind him and expects Tess to do the same in the hope that their life will return to a semblance of normality.
The resentment she has for her husband is clearly growing especially since he has bought a brand-new jeep with the insurance money that the couple received from their daughter’s death. But Tess doesn’t know the half of it because she’s too caught up in her own struggle to know what her husband is thinking or feeling. When Josh raises the question of having another child, Tess is horrified and cannot even contemplate betraying the memory of her daughter in such a way.
Eve Becker is 12 years’ old and every day, she takes the same route to Chandler Middle School. Tess knows this because she’s been watching Eve for the last few weeks and believes that their paths crossing was unavoidable. But this isn’t pure coincidence. For Eve Becker is the daughter of the man who was responsible for killing Lily. Now serving a prison sentence, Tess feels an affiliation and a fondness for Eve whose life has also been affected by Lily’s death.
The depth of layers to Tess’s character are heart-warming and her ultimate sadness and desperation draws you in thanks to Therme’s detailed and rich descriptions. When Tess’ twin brother, Colin, comes back into her life it adds yet another dimension. She believed that her free-spirited twin had been travelling but in fact, he was living a short car ride away. He’s selfish but loveable and it quickly becomes clear why he couldn’t be around to prop Tess up emotionally.
When Eve goes missing Tess sits firmly in the frame with the Police keen to speak with her. But Tess is adamant that she would never have done such a thing, or so she believes. If She Dies is a superb thriller that reeled me in and kept me turning the pages until the end. All in all, a superb read that I would highly recommend.
February 21, 2021
Tess' 5-year-old daughter who was killed when she ran out into the road and was killed by a speeding car. The driver, Brady Becker, was sentenced to two years in jail.
Tess can't work her way through it. Her husband tells her to 'move on' since it's been 9 months since the daughter's death. What Tess does is something else .....
Becker has a 12-year-old daughter, being raised by his wife while he is in prison. Eve is a beautiful girl doing her best to live with a mother who seems to have a drinking problem. Some might call it stalking, but Tess isn't really stalking. She just sits in her car or in the coffee shop across the street from where they live. She follows Eve to school and then again from school ... every day.
But then the unthinkable happens .. Eve goes missing. Tess is the first, primary suspect, especially as she has no alibi for the time frame the cops are looking at.
But Tess isn't guilty ... or is she?
As a parent, I can't imagine anything worse than losing a child. That being said, I'm not sure what I would do ... the same as Tess? This is well written, with credible characters. I feel compassion for Tess, not so much for Josh as he seems to only want Tess to forget, give all her things away, maybe have a replacement baby. Tess seems so lost ... her parents are gone, she rarely ever sees her twin brother, and now, her daughter. There are a few twists and turns to get to the truth .. leading to an unexpected conclusion.
Many thanks to the author/ The Book Cub (FB) for the digital copy of this psychological drama. Read and reviewed voluntarily, opinions expressed here are unbiased and entirely my own.
Tess can't work her way through it. Her husband tells her to 'move on' since it's been 9 months since the daughter's death. What Tess does is something else .....
Becker has a 12-year-old daughter, being raised by his wife while he is in prison. Eve is a beautiful girl doing her best to live with a mother who seems to have a drinking problem. Some might call it stalking, but Tess isn't really stalking. She just sits in her car or in the coffee shop across the street from where they live. She follows Eve to school and then again from school ... every day.
But then the unthinkable happens .. Eve goes missing. Tess is the first, primary suspect, especially as she has no alibi for the time frame the cops are looking at.
But Tess isn't guilty ... or is she?
As a parent, I can't imagine anything worse than losing a child. That being said, I'm not sure what I would do ... the same as Tess? This is well written, with credible characters. I feel compassion for Tess, not so much for Josh as he seems to only want Tess to forget, give all her things away, maybe have a replacement baby. Tess seems so lost ... her parents are gone, she rarely ever sees her twin brother, and now, her daughter. There are a few twists and turns to get to the truth .. leading to an unexpected conclusion.
Many thanks to the author/ The Book Cub (FB) for the digital copy of this psychological drama. Read and reviewed voluntarily, opinions expressed here are unbiased and entirely my own.
April 12, 2021
A suspenseful drama drenched in grief. Tess is living every mother‘s worst nightmare, her five-year-old daughter has been killed. Tess not surprisingly is having a hard time processing this. How can it be that her beautiful daughter is gone and yet the killer’s teenage daughter Lily is still alive? Tess becomes obsessed with watching Lily, convincing herself that she just wants to make sure the girl is safe. Tess’s marriage to Josh is also suffering. There appears to be a complete breakdown in communication. Then when Tess’s brother unexpectedly shows up things get even more complicated.
This book is much more suspense/family drama then thriller. I think you do need to know that going in because I would not want your expectations to ruin your opinion of this book. I thought this was an extremely well done Story. The grief in this book was palpable it was dripping off the pages. This family had gone through so much and my heart just broke for them. The relationship between Tess and Josh seemed so raw and authentic. A well told story packed with emotion.
This book is much more suspense/family drama then thriller. I think you do need to know that going in because I would not want your expectations to ruin your opinion of this book. I thought this was an extremely well done Story. The grief in this book was palpable it was dripping off the pages. This family had gone through so much and my heart just broke for them. The relationship between Tess and Josh seemed so raw and authentic. A well told story packed with emotion.
April 5, 2021
If She Dies by Erik Therme was a suspenseful mystery that took me a little bit to get into but once I was hooked, I was HOOKED. This was a super quick listen which I would assume would make it a quick read as well. Tess was such an interesting character and the entire book is told from her viewpoint. My heart broke for her but at the same time, she makes some very questionable choices as well. I loved the way Therme kept me guessing and the writing was very fluid and compendious, and you definitely won't find yourself wishing for less book. The audio is fairly short at just over 9 hours and it goes very fast. Marguerite Gavin is our narrator and I thought she did a really fantastic job. I haven't listened to anything else she has narrated but I would definitely not be upset if I got to listen to her again.
SO MANY SECRETS! This book is filled with secrets and as they slowly unravel you will be surprised at what you find out. Almost everyone was suspicious, and I don't think I trusted a single character in If She Dies. I was a little thrown by the ending and it wasn't really what I expected, but it sure was a ride to get there. I thought this was more drama than thriller, so I would keep that in mind if you choose to pick it up. I happen to love drama and between that and the suspensefulness of the novel, I didn't want to put it down. I hadn't heard of Therme before I read this, and I am very happy to have discovered another new-to-me author. I loved his writing and will definitely be seeking out more from him!
Thank you to the publisher and Let’s Talk Books Promo for my free copy. Thoughts and opinions are my own.
SO MANY SECRETS! This book is filled with secrets and as they slowly unravel you will be surprised at what you find out. Almost everyone was suspicious, and I don't think I trusted a single character in If She Dies. I was a little thrown by the ending and it wasn't really what I expected, but it sure was a ride to get there. I thought this was more drama than thriller, so I would keep that in mind if you choose to pick it up. I happen to love drama and between that and the suspensefulness of the novel, I didn't want to put it down. I hadn't heard of Therme before I read this, and I am very happy to have discovered another new-to-me author. I loved his writing and will definitely be seeking out more from him!
Thank you to the publisher and Let’s Talk Books Promo for my free copy. Thoughts and opinions are my own.
October 27, 2021
I won this book in a goodreads drawing.
A woman's daughter is killed by a drunk driver who only gets two years in prison. Drowning in grief, she stalks the daughter of the driver. When that daughter disappears, guess who is the primary suspect?
Slow getting started, and felt like it was stuck in second for a long time, and only ever got to third gear.
A woman's daughter is killed by a drunk driver who only gets two years in prison. Drowning in grief, she stalks the daughter of the driver. When that daughter disappears, guess who is the primary suspect?
Slow getting started, and felt like it was stuck in second for a long time, and only ever got to third gear.
April 5, 2021
Review
I received If She Dies by Erik Therme as a Goodreads giveaway. It was an entertaining book, but it got convoluted at the end. I would be interested in finding out what happens to the characters in the future though.
I received If She Dies by Erik Therme as a Goodreads giveaway. It was an entertaining book, but it got convoluted at the end. I would be interested in finding out what happens to the characters in the future though.
February 21, 2021
3.5 stars
If She Dies by Erik is touted as a psychological thriller.
First, let me thank the author for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
My Synopsis: (No major reveals, but if concerned, skip to My Opinions)
Josh and Tess Parker have moved from the small town of Newton to another small town, not far away. Josh felt it was the right time to get away. Nine months ago, their five-year-old daughter Lily was killed in a car accident in Newton. Josh is moving on. Tess, not so much. She knows Josh is right, and it's time to get on with her life, but nothing really matters. She goes along with whatever makes Josh happy. She doesn't feel like she deserves more. Josh thinks she should get a job, and see a therapist. Tess knows that won't help. Josh is trying so hard, but nothing helps.
Brady Becker, the driver who took Lily's life, was sentenced to two years in prison. This, Tess finds is unacceptable. Brady's daughter Eve gets to live, and Tess doesn't think that's fair. Every day, Tess watches Eve. She watches her walk back and forth to school. She watches her at lunch. She watches her when she gets home from school. She starts to care for her.
Then the unthinkable happens, and Eve goes missing.
Everything points to Tess, but who would believe her when she says she didn't take Eve? She's been keeping secrets. Even Josh is questioning things. But then, he is keeping secrets too.
My Opinions:
This book was a little slow. Don't get me wrong, I liked it. It kept me interested from start to finish, but it was more drama than it was psychological thriller. It is very well written, and we can feel the anguish Tess is feeling, her paranoia, her love yet disgust for her husband's actions. It's a very emotional read.
I didn't really like any of the characters. I felt sorry for a few of them, but didn't relate or like them. I found Tess to be a sad, depressed woman from start to finish. Her husband didn't get it, and his actions and words just pissed me off. Her future sister-in-law was a bitch, and her brother who I somewhat liked, was also somewhat useless.
For a book that seemed so slow moving, the story was very good, it was very well-written, and it was a relatively fast read.
The author hinted that there may be a follow up to this book, and I would be interested in knowing where it goes, but honestly, I liked the fact that we could draw our own conclusions, and just leave it go. I would, though, read a sequel.
For a more complete review of this book and others (including author information and the reason I chose to read/review this book), please visit my blog: http://katlovesbooksblog.wordpress.com/
If She Dies by Erik is touted as a psychological thriller.
First, let me thank the author for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
My Synopsis: (No major reveals, but if concerned, skip to My Opinions)
Josh and Tess Parker have moved from the small town of Newton to another small town, not far away. Josh felt it was the right time to get away. Nine months ago, their five-year-old daughter Lily was killed in a car accident in Newton. Josh is moving on. Tess, not so much. She knows Josh is right, and it's time to get on with her life, but nothing really matters. She goes along with whatever makes Josh happy. She doesn't feel like she deserves more. Josh thinks she should get a job, and see a therapist. Tess knows that won't help. Josh is trying so hard, but nothing helps.
Brady Becker, the driver who took Lily's life, was sentenced to two years in prison. This, Tess finds is unacceptable. Brady's daughter Eve gets to live, and Tess doesn't think that's fair. Every day, Tess watches Eve. She watches her walk back and forth to school. She watches her at lunch. She watches her when she gets home from school. She starts to care for her.
Then the unthinkable happens, and Eve goes missing.
Everything points to Tess, but who would believe her when she says she didn't take Eve? She's been keeping secrets. Even Josh is questioning things. But then, he is keeping secrets too.
My Opinions:
This book was a little slow. Don't get me wrong, I liked it. It kept me interested from start to finish, but it was more drama than it was psychological thriller. It is very well written, and we can feel the anguish Tess is feeling, her paranoia, her love yet disgust for her husband's actions. It's a very emotional read.
I didn't really like any of the characters. I felt sorry for a few of them, but didn't relate or like them. I found Tess to be a sad, depressed woman from start to finish. Her husband didn't get it, and his actions and words just pissed me off. Her future sister-in-law was a bitch, and her brother who I somewhat liked, was also somewhat useless.
For a book that seemed so slow moving, the story was very good, it was very well-written, and it was a relatively fast read.
The author hinted that there may be a follow up to this book, and I would be interested in knowing where it goes, but honestly, I liked the fact that we could draw our own conclusions, and just leave it go. I would, though, read a sequel.
For a more complete review of this book and others (including author information and the reason I chose to read/review this book), please visit my blog: http://katlovesbooksblog.wordpress.com/
April 19, 2021
Tess and Josh Parker's daughter Lily was killed in a motor vehicle accident. Unable to get over the loss of their daughter, Tess withdraws into herself and becomes obsessed with stalking the daughter of the responsible party, Eve Becker.
Then one day, Eve goes missing and all fingers point to Tess as the perpetrator. Now it's up to Tess to exonerate herself, but can she?
If She Dies is a slow build mystery. It is a novel that keeps you on the suspenseful edge as the story develops. However, like anything else, if kept in suspense too long, that "edge" gets dull, which is what I found to be the case with this novel.
The players in the novel are solid and if an author can make the reader hate them, he/she has done a very good job of characterizing and portraying them. That is what the author has done with the main character set in If She Dies.
The plot started off well enough, but somehow it seemed to get away from reality and reasonableness. The tangential side stories didn't help, and the focus of the story got lost. As a side note, I still have no clue as to how the title of the novel ties into the narrative.
Overall, an okay read.
I received a digital copy of the book from the author, Erik Therme. The review herein is completely my own and contains my honest thoughts and opinions.
Then one day, Eve goes missing and all fingers point to Tess as the perpetrator. Now it's up to Tess to exonerate herself, but can she?
If She Dies is a slow build mystery. It is a novel that keeps you on the suspenseful edge as the story develops. However, like anything else, if kept in suspense too long, that "edge" gets dull, which is what I found to be the case with this novel.
The players in the novel are solid and if an author can make the reader hate them, he/she has done a very good job of characterizing and portraying them. That is what the author has done with the main character set in If She Dies.
The plot started off well enough, but somehow it seemed to get away from reality and reasonableness. The tangential side stories didn't help, and the focus of the story got lost. As a side note, I still have no clue as to how the title of the novel ties into the narrative.
Overall, an okay read.
I received a digital copy of the book from the author, Erik Therme. The review herein is completely my own and contains my honest thoughts and opinions.
February 16, 2021
This was a twisty little thriller that pulled me in from the beginning. The author did a great job - he kept me interested, kept me guessing, and made me want to keep turning those pages.
Just when I thought I had something figured out and knew what was going to happen next...NOPE. Guess again. I loved that.
The unpredictability of a well-written, suspenseful read is why I love a good thriller every now and then. And this was exactly that.
With a plot that kept unraveling like a ball of yarn, I was hooked. I didn’t want to put this book down. I had to get to the end to find the answers. I needed them.
And what a journey for Tess and Josh. A roller coaster of struggles and emotions.
Loss and grief,
secrets and lies,
trust and hope,
paranoia and betrayal.
This was a nail-biter of a story that kept me on my toes and I’d love more.
It wasn’t a cliffhanger per se, but there are definitely a few things that could use some wrapping up. And that would make me a really happy reader if that happened in another book. **Mr. Therme...this is a hint you need to write a follow-up to this book. Please & thank you.**
Just when I thought I had something figured out and knew what was going to happen next...NOPE. Guess again. I loved that.
The unpredictability of a well-written, suspenseful read is why I love a good thriller every now and then. And this was exactly that.
With a plot that kept unraveling like a ball of yarn, I was hooked. I didn’t want to put this book down. I had to get to the end to find the answers. I needed them.
And what a journey for Tess and Josh. A roller coaster of struggles and emotions.
Loss and grief,
secrets and lies,
trust and hope,
paranoia and betrayal.
This was a nail-biter of a story that kept me on my toes and I’d love more.
It wasn’t a cliffhanger per se, but there are definitely a few things that could use some wrapping up. And that would make me a really happy reader if that happened in another book. **Mr. Therme...this is a hint you need to write a follow-up to this book. Please & thank you.**
March 8, 2021
This is the second book that I have read by Erik Therme. Just like Roam, If She Dies has that dark undertone constantly running through it. Imagine walking through the woods in the pitch darkness, you have not seen anyone, but you have the sinking suspicion that someone is out there watching you. Within reading a few pages, I had many questions. In fact, I had questions on top of questions which then spawned more questions. All because Therme introduced us to Tess. Any mother can get into the same headspace that Tess is in; just how do you move on from the death of a child?
If She Dies is an incredibly harrowing examination at a mother’s struggle with grief and obsession. Tess is struggling, never in her wildest imagination that she would be faced with having to bury a child. Her five-year-old daughter was killed when she ran onto the road and was hit by an oncoming speeding driver. The driver, Brady Becker was arrested, tried and court and sentenced to two years in jail. My initial thoughts were how can a child’s life be equated to two years in prison? As a mother that would be an extremely hard pill to swallow.
If She Dies was a hard read, it isn’t meant to be a lighthearted read. It has the capability of puncturing your chest and ripping your heart out with it, still beating. Think dark and gritty and then multiply that again by an incredibly high number. This is one woman’s world shattering into tiny pieces, so small that it is in all probability will never be whole again.
Things aren’t getting any better nine months and her husband things she should be healing; he suggests she move on…who is anyone to tell you how you should grieve but I digress.
Tess Is descending into madness slightly, she discovers that Becker has a twelve-year-old daughter being raised by her mother. Somehow that knowledge takes root in her mind and she can’t let it go. Any rational person knows that this isn’t going to help but Tess is anything but rational at this point. Tess begins a routine of stalking, well she wouldn’t call it that, but well, it is. She follows her to and from school every single day…until something happens.
If She Dies is the kind of novel that excels in masterful misdirection. Just when I thought I had it all figured out boom…Therme kicked a curveball off my skull. It’s the best feeling when an author can lead you down one path and you are totally satisfied that you know where its going, only for them to laugh in your face.
If She Dies is pitch black…a bruising drama that calls out to the reader’s human side. Psychologically astute.
If She Dies is an incredibly harrowing examination at a mother’s struggle with grief and obsession. Tess is struggling, never in her wildest imagination that she would be faced with having to bury a child. Her five-year-old daughter was killed when she ran onto the road and was hit by an oncoming speeding driver. The driver, Brady Becker was arrested, tried and court and sentenced to two years in jail. My initial thoughts were how can a child’s life be equated to two years in prison? As a mother that would be an extremely hard pill to swallow.
If She Dies was a hard read, it isn’t meant to be a lighthearted read. It has the capability of puncturing your chest and ripping your heart out with it, still beating. Think dark and gritty and then multiply that again by an incredibly high number. This is one woman’s world shattering into tiny pieces, so small that it is in all probability will never be whole again.
Things aren’t getting any better nine months and her husband things she should be healing; he suggests she move on…who is anyone to tell you how you should grieve but I digress.
Tess Is descending into madness slightly, she discovers that Becker has a twelve-year-old daughter being raised by her mother. Somehow that knowledge takes root in her mind and she can’t let it go. Any rational person knows that this isn’t going to help but Tess is anything but rational at this point. Tess begins a routine of stalking, well she wouldn’t call it that, but well, it is. She follows her to and from school every single day…until something happens.
If She Dies is the kind of novel that excels in masterful misdirection. Just when I thought I had it all figured out boom…Therme kicked a curveball off my skull. It’s the best feeling when an author can lead you down one path and you are totally satisfied that you know where its going, only for them to laugh in your face.
If She Dies is pitch black…a bruising drama that calls out to the reader’s human side. Psychologically astute.
June 2, 2022
This is a new author to me and I downloaded this on a free promotion day as it sounded interesting....the Amazon synopsis turned out to be a little misleading but no matter. I did enjoy it and will happily buy the next one in the series.
Some reviewers weren't keen on Tess and called her whiny but she didn't really wind me up till about 68% in and by then she began to irritate me a tad. And I'm usually extremely light on sympathy !! I began to really feel for poor Josh, her long-suffering and just lovely husband. She was lucky he put up with her ! I was quite sniffy at something he did.....but there were too many secrets between this couple. It all comes out in the end as always ! I did have to smile that they had PRE-marital counselling !! What's all that about ? Things don't bode well when you're into that before you even marry.
I did happen upon some errors, hence the one dropped star. He mentioned natty hair when I am pretty sure he meant matty, wrote fixed and not fixing, tenant's not tenants', then he spells discernible twice as discernable.....which American writers tend to do a great deal, and it isn't just their way of bastardising English. He did that thing too of writing as you speak, "There's no police cruisers...." I do wonder too how many bloody anagrams they can have over there for drunk-driving....DWI, DUI and a new one to me, OWI......I had to enlist Google's help there.
All in all, an enjoyable read for me, though, and, as stated, an author I'm going to read again.
Some reviewers weren't keen on Tess and called her whiny but she didn't really wind me up till about 68% in and by then she began to irritate me a tad. And I'm usually extremely light on sympathy !! I began to really feel for poor Josh, her long-suffering and just lovely husband. She was lucky he put up with her ! I was quite sniffy at something he did.....but there were too many secrets between this couple. It all comes out in the end as always ! I did have to smile that they had PRE-marital counselling !! What's all that about ? Things don't bode well when you're into that before you even marry.
I did happen upon some errors, hence the one dropped star. He mentioned natty hair when I am pretty sure he meant matty, wrote fixed and not fixing, tenant's not tenants', then he spells discernible twice as discernable.....which American writers tend to do a great deal, and it isn't just their way of bastardising English. He did that thing too of writing as you speak, "There's no police cruisers...." I do wonder too how many bloody anagrams they can have over there for drunk-driving....DWI, DUI and a new one to me, OWI......I had to enlist Google's help there.
All in all, an enjoyable read for me, though, and, as stated, an author I'm going to read again.
January 6, 2021
As the story opens, Tess has already lost her daughter to a car accident and is on the brink of losing her marriage as well. The grief is all consuming and she can barely function. Her husband has insisted on moving them out of town to a house she can't stand and he believes the change of scenery and a little therapy is going to set her on the path to becoming "old Tess" again.
What he doesn't know is that she stalks and spies on the wife and child of her daughter's killer nearly every day. While she is watching them, someone is watching her! Ominous messages in festive red envelopes have been showing up addressed to Tess that taunt her over her daughter's death. Who would want to torment a grieving mother? On top of all this is some domestic drama with her brother, and the secrets her husband seems to be keeping. This harrowing psychological thriller is loaded with suspense and a roller coaster of emotions. I grieved with Tess for her loss, and all the twists made it impossible for me to know who to trust.
I received an advance copy for review.
What he doesn't know is that she stalks and spies on the wife and child of her daughter's killer nearly every day. While she is watching them, someone is watching her! Ominous messages in festive red envelopes have been showing up addressed to Tess that taunt her over her daughter's death. Who would want to torment a grieving mother? On top of all this is some domestic drama with her brother, and the secrets her husband seems to be keeping. This harrowing psychological thriller is loaded with suspense and a roller coaster of emotions. I grieved with Tess for her loss, and all the twists made it impossible for me to know who to trust.
I received an advance copy for review.
December 16, 2022
Just another unremarkable thiller.
April 2, 2021
I received a complimentary audiobook copy of IF SHE DIES by Erik Therme as part of a Let’s Talk Books promotional tour!
Rating: 3.5 / 5
IF SHE DIES follows Tess. Nine months ago her five year old daughter was killed in an accident. The man behind the wheel of the car who hit her is in jail, but that hasn’t taken away Tess’ grief and loss. Her husband is starting to encourage her to start moving on, but Tess is keeping the depth of her grief hidden from him. Her husband doesn’t know that Tess is secretly following around the family of the man in prison, watching the little girl named Eve that he still has in his life.
This book was much different than what I expected it to be! I would highly recommend going into this one blind because I felt the synopsis was a bit misleading, giving details of the plot that don’t occur until the book is more than half over. This one is labeled as a thriller, but it really is more focused on Tess’ pain and grief than I would expect in a typical thriller. There is still some suspense and it does keep you wanting to know what has happened and what will happen next.
Tess was an interesting, but also sometimes frustrating, character to follow. She is quite understandably lost in her grief and the twists and turns of the book do leave her in some difficult situations, but I did struggle with her lack of communication and her poor choices. Her husband makes a few mistakes along the way as well and their strained relationship is a difficulty to them both, but I felt for him as he was trying to figure out what was going on with his wife behind the barriers she’s put up.
This was a quick and interesting read and one I’d recommend for people who like complicated protagonists. It is out now and available as a Kindle Unlimited pick!
Rating: 3.5 / 5
IF SHE DIES follows Tess. Nine months ago her five year old daughter was killed in an accident. The man behind the wheel of the car who hit her is in jail, but that hasn’t taken away Tess’ grief and loss. Her husband is starting to encourage her to start moving on, but Tess is keeping the depth of her grief hidden from him. Her husband doesn’t know that Tess is secretly following around the family of the man in prison, watching the little girl named Eve that he still has in his life.
This book was much different than what I expected it to be! I would highly recommend going into this one blind because I felt the synopsis was a bit misleading, giving details of the plot that don’t occur until the book is more than half over. This one is labeled as a thriller, but it really is more focused on Tess’ pain and grief than I would expect in a typical thriller. There is still some suspense and it does keep you wanting to know what has happened and what will happen next.
Tess was an interesting, but also sometimes frustrating, character to follow. She is quite understandably lost in her grief and the twists and turns of the book do leave her in some difficult situations, but I did struggle with her lack of communication and her poor choices. Her husband makes a few mistakes along the way as well and their strained relationship is a difficulty to them both, but I felt for him as he was trying to figure out what was going on with his wife behind the barriers she’s put up.
This was a quick and interesting read and one I’d recommend for people who like complicated protagonists. It is out now and available as a Kindle Unlimited pick!
January 30, 2021
Tess is grieving the loss of her 5 year old daughter, Lily, killed by a drunk driver several months ago. She can't cope with her grief and is overcome to the point of being irrational and not able to function day-to-day. Her marriage is disintegrating, her mental health is suspect.
And now she spends her days stalking the daughter of the man who hit and killed Lily. She is consumed with thoughts of this girl and how unfair it is that she is alive to walk to school and play in the park and go home to her mother at the end of each day.
This thriller is well written and you risk becoming engrossed in the page-turning plot. The characters are well developed even though we get the entire story from Tess's point of view and the conversations she can't avoid. The twists and turns create some legitimate panic throughout the book, and I promise your heart will pound a little bit while the story comes together at the end.
And now she spends her days stalking the daughter of the man who hit and killed Lily. She is consumed with thoughts of this girl and how unfair it is that she is alive to walk to school and play in the park and go home to her mother at the end of each day.
This thriller is well written and you risk becoming engrossed in the page-turning plot. The characters are well developed even though we get the entire story from Tess's point of view and the conversations she can't avoid. The twists and turns create some legitimate panic throughout the book, and I promise your heart will pound a little bit while the story comes together at the end.
January 25, 2021
As with Mr. Therme's previous books, the first thing to strike me is that he is a really good writer. There aren’t wasted words or scenes you read and think, did I need to know that? He pulls you into the complexity of his stories with clear descriptions of people and setting. In If She Dies, you are drawn into an emotional story of the heartbreak and tragedy of parents losing their five-year-old. Grief hits and is handled by each of us intwined with the uniqueness of our faiths and life experiences and support systems. The mother, Tess, and the father, Josh, are at crossroads in how they deal with losing their little girl.
Tess spends her days observing the adolescent daughter of the man who killed her child. He’s in prison, but his family lives their days without consequence for his actions. Or do they?
Tess spends her days observing the adolescent daughter of the man who killed her child. He’s in prison, but his family lives their days without consequence for his actions. Or do they?
November 30, 2022
A riviting story. Heartbreaking for a parent to lose a child.
March 22, 2025
If She Dies is the first in a series of three books that take place in or around the fictional small town of Harlow.
Tess and Josh, both age 40, have been married for 15 years and recently moved to Harlow where Josh was raised. Nine months ago their daughter Lily, age five, was killed in an auto accident while they were living in another small town nearby. It happened in a grocery store parking lot, Lily was with Tess at the time, and Tess blames herself for Lily’s death. Consumed by guilt and grief, she is barely able to function. For his part, Josh has been doing his best to put the horror of their daughter’s death behind him, but his marriage to Tess is disintegrating in the process since she can’t even cope with the present much less focus on the future.
To make matters worse, as they navigate their emotional minefields in their own separate ways, the two of them keep secrets from each other and lie to each other. Communication between them has broken down.
While Josh toils away each day as the assistant manager at an insurance agency, Tess spends her days obsessed with Eve, the twelve-year-old stepdaughter of the driver of the vehicle which killed Lily. His name is Brady and he’s serving a two-year prison sentence for vehicular homicide. Tess surreptitiously follows Eve each day as she walks to and from school. It’s not even clear to Tess why she follows Eve. Is it to cause Eve harm to deprive Brady of his daughter as Brady did to Tess? Or is it to save her from an angry and bitter mother, Brady’s wife Meg?
Strange and ominous events start to occur. Someone is anonymously mailing Tess threatening letters. Lily’s gravestone is defaced with a bloody red X. Despite the best efforts of Tess to remain invisible, Eve seems to recognize her, waving to Tess in her car one day. And after months of absence predating Lily’s death, Tess’s wayward twin brother Colin suddenly reappears, in remission, he says, from a cancer Tess didn’t even know about. In a brilliantly written chapter 15, Josh harshly admonishes Colin, notwithstanding his cancer, for abandoning his sister when she needed him the most.
Then one Sunday morning, Tess discovers that Eve has been missing for at least 24 hours. Did Eve run away or was she kidnapped? And who had sent Tess a mysterious message on Facebook the night before asking if she had checked on Eve the day before? And who notified the police that Tess is a suspect in Eve’s disappearance? Tess knows she’s not guilty, so who’s framing her, and why?
I was not only impressed by the complicated and intricate answers to these questions, but also by the author’s skill as a writer, and not just because he considered all the convoluted pieces to the Byzantine puzzle he created. The story is narrated by Tess, and the author (who is male) is a master at understanding and expressing her thoughts and feelings about her daughter, her loss, her husband, her brother, and the many other characters she encounters as her drama unfolds. The author has not only provided a complex mystery and resolution to surprise his readers, he has also showcased a literary style and technique that other authors would do well to emulate.
Tess and Josh, both age 40, have been married for 15 years and recently moved to Harlow where Josh was raised. Nine months ago their daughter Lily, age five, was killed in an auto accident while they were living in another small town nearby. It happened in a grocery store parking lot, Lily was with Tess at the time, and Tess blames herself for Lily’s death. Consumed by guilt and grief, she is barely able to function. For his part, Josh has been doing his best to put the horror of their daughter’s death behind him, but his marriage to Tess is disintegrating in the process since she can’t even cope with the present much less focus on the future.
To make matters worse, as they navigate their emotional minefields in their own separate ways, the two of them keep secrets from each other and lie to each other. Communication between them has broken down.
While Josh toils away each day as the assistant manager at an insurance agency, Tess spends her days obsessed with Eve, the twelve-year-old stepdaughter of the driver of the vehicle which killed Lily. His name is Brady and he’s serving a two-year prison sentence for vehicular homicide. Tess surreptitiously follows Eve each day as she walks to and from school. It’s not even clear to Tess why she follows Eve. Is it to cause Eve harm to deprive Brady of his daughter as Brady did to Tess? Or is it to save her from an angry and bitter mother, Brady’s wife Meg?
Strange and ominous events start to occur. Someone is anonymously mailing Tess threatening letters. Lily’s gravestone is defaced with a bloody red X. Despite the best efforts of Tess to remain invisible, Eve seems to recognize her, waving to Tess in her car one day. And after months of absence predating Lily’s death, Tess’s wayward twin brother Colin suddenly reappears, in remission, he says, from a cancer Tess didn’t even know about. In a brilliantly written chapter 15, Josh harshly admonishes Colin, notwithstanding his cancer, for abandoning his sister when she needed him the most.
Then one Sunday morning, Tess discovers that Eve has been missing for at least 24 hours. Did Eve run away or was she kidnapped? And who had sent Tess a mysterious message on Facebook the night before asking if she had checked on Eve the day before? And who notified the police that Tess is a suspect in Eve’s disappearance? Tess knows she’s not guilty, so who’s framing her, and why?
I was not only impressed by the complicated and intricate answers to these questions, but also by the author’s skill as a writer, and not just because he considered all the convoluted pieces to the Byzantine puzzle he created. The story is narrated by Tess, and the author (who is male) is a master at understanding and expressing her thoughts and feelings about her daughter, her loss, her husband, her brother, and the many other characters she encounters as her drama unfolds. The author has not only provided a complex mystery and resolution to surprise his readers, he has also showcased a literary style and technique that other authors would do well to emulate.
March 11, 2021
WOW, what a read! The plot was intense, powerful and thrilling and held me captive all the way through! The characters fairly leaped off the page, and the tension was palpable. If you are looking for a book that you just CAN’T put down, then this is DEFINITELY the book for you!
*I received a complimentary ARC of this book in order to read and provide a voluntary, unbiased and honest review, should I choose to do so.
*I received a complimentary ARC of this book in order to read and provide a voluntary, unbiased and honest review, should I choose to do so.
May 10, 2021
If She Dies is the harrowing tale of a mother’s grief, and shows how couples can be affected very differently by the loss of a child; in fact, a lot of relationships don’t survive this kind of stress. Nine months after losing their daughter, Lily, in a tragic accident, Tess and her husband, Josh, are on very different pages when it comes to dealing with their loss. Tess is slightly unhinged, behaving in an obsessive way and lying to her husband about what she does all day. Josh has a different way of coping and seems, unreasonably, to expect Tess to move on and return to how she was before.
Erik Therme has managed to get inside Tess’s head and give the reader a convincing portrayal of her grief. The story is told solely from Tess’s point of view, and this first person narrative really ramps up the atmosphere of paranoia, and emphasises that she is hanging on to her sanity by a thread. Despite her strange behaviour, I had great empathy for Tess and her situation. This story was not always easy to read, but perfectly captured the sense that she was on the edge and could go either way.
The pace is uneven with a very long stretch at the beginning to set the scene, and then the story did not go in the direction that I expected it to, which was not necessarily a bad thing. If She Dies does not really fit into the psychological thriller mould and is, in fact, quite difficult to categorise. I had not read anything by this author before so did not know what to expect, but will definitely look out for some of his earlier books.
It is well written with believable characters, some likeable some not. I know Josh was hurting too, but I found it hard to feel much sympathy for him. There was such a gulf between him and Tess I’m not sure they would ever be reconciled. In this respect, the ending was unsatisfactory; I would have liked some kind of epilogue to find out if their relationship survived.
Thanks to Erik Therme for a digital copy that I reviewed as a member of Rosie’s Book Review Team #RBRT
Erik Therme has managed to get inside Tess’s head and give the reader a convincing portrayal of her grief. The story is told solely from Tess’s point of view, and this first person narrative really ramps up the atmosphere of paranoia, and emphasises that she is hanging on to her sanity by a thread. Despite her strange behaviour, I had great empathy for Tess and her situation. This story was not always easy to read, but perfectly captured the sense that she was on the edge and could go either way.
The pace is uneven with a very long stretch at the beginning to set the scene, and then the story did not go in the direction that I expected it to, which was not necessarily a bad thing. If She Dies does not really fit into the psychological thriller mould and is, in fact, quite difficult to categorise. I had not read anything by this author before so did not know what to expect, but will definitely look out for some of his earlier books.
It is well written with believable characters, some likeable some not. I know Josh was hurting too, but I found it hard to feel much sympathy for him. There was such a gulf between him and Tess I’m not sure they would ever be reconciled. In this respect, the ending was unsatisfactory; I would have liked some kind of epilogue to find out if their relationship survived.
Thanks to Erik Therme for a digital copy that I reviewed as a member of Rosie’s Book Review Team #RBRT
March 6, 2021
Months after the death of her five-year-old daughter, Tess has fallen into a daily routine – a routine that involves watching someone else’s child as the girl makes her way to school. Tess knows Eve Brady is the daughter of the man responsible for the death of her own daughter, but such things can’t be fair – why should this girl get to live? When young Eve goes missing, Tess discovers that her own strange behaviour has been noticed. But surely no-one would believe she’s guilty of anything other than spying on the girl?
This is the first book I’ve read by this author so wasn’t sure what to expect. To begin with we are presented with a situation that could have several explanations, but then we’re given a few clues that suggest where the story might be heading. But then it changes, and we see the main character’s life isn’t what we thought after all. As the story unfolds, Erik Therme keeps the plot twisting and turning, throwing up new revelations about his characters that leave us wondering what on earth might be going on.
With everything seen from the protagonist’s POV, we are able to share in her reflections as she considers her situation. With her relationship on the brink of collapse and her husband seemingly not quite ‘getting’ how Tess is feeling, she faces new challenges at every turn. Though we do get a lot of insight into what Tess is going through, her ‘reflections’ did begin to get a bit repetitive after a while. However, the author’s skill ensured the story kept rattling along, and although the plot occasionally slows down a little, there was never a time when I didn’t want to know what would happen next. A great read that had me riveted all the way through.
This is the first book I’ve read by this author so wasn’t sure what to expect. To begin with we are presented with a situation that could have several explanations, but then we’re given a few clues that suggest where the story might be heading. But then it changes, and we see the main character’s life isn’t what we thought after all. As the story unfolds, Erik Therme keeps the plot twisting and turning, throwing up new revelations about his characters that leave us wondering what on earth might be going on.
With everything seen from the protagonist’s POV, we are able to share in her reflections as she considers her situation. With her relationship on the brink of collapse and her husband seemingly not quite ‘getting’ how Tess is feeling, she faces new challenges at every turn. Though we do get a lot of insight into what Tess is going through, her ‘reflections’ did begin to get a bit repetitive after a while. However, the author’s skill ensured the story kept rattling along, and although the plot occasionally slows down a little, there was never a time when I didn’t want to know what would happen next. A great read that had me riveted all the way through.
May 31, 2021
A grieving mother, who had lost her child to an accident was the main POV in this book. Reading an Erik Therme novel after a long time, the story spoke about her waves of pain and a need to find restitution.
This was Tess’s story, etched by the author emotively, to show each moment felt by her. A male author writing the nuances of a female character was well done. Not many could achieve that. It was commendable that the author managed to get into the skin of the main character.
Lily was gone, and Brady was in prison. But Tess kept a watch on his step-daughter, Eve. I liked how the mother’s mind went from wanting revenge to offering protection. There was a realistic projection of her inner turmoil and pain.
The first 60% was slow, and the blurb came into play only around that point. The characters were understandable, not likable. Each one tried in their own way. I liked how the author interjected the story with disturbing incidents. That made me more curious to flip pages to get down to the end.
The ending was unexpected; my theories were quite far off from the reality of the author’s imagination and prowess. This book satisfied my need to get into the mind of the author. (I’d missed the last 2 books.)
Overall, an engrossing slow burn suspense.
This was Tess’s story, etched by the author emotively, to show each moment felt by her. A male author writing the nuances of a female character was well done. Not many could achieve that. It was commendable that the author managed to get into the skin of the main character.
Lily was gone, and Brady was in prison. But Tess kept a watch on his step-daughter, Eve. I liked how the mother’s mind went from wanting revenge to offering protection. There was a realistic projection of her inner turmoil and pain.
The first 60% was slow, and the blurb came into play only around that point. The characters were understandable, not likable. Each one tried in their own way. I liked how the author interjected the story with disturbing incidents. That made me more curious to flip pages to get down to the end.
The ending was unexpected; my theories were quite far off from the reality of the author’s imagination and prowess. This book satisfied my need to get into the mind of the author. (I’d missed the last 2 books.)
Overall, an engrossing slow burn suspense.
March 9, 2021
If She Dies by Erik Therme is an excellent thriller. My first read from this author, and I’m impressed. From the first page to the last, this book was addicting. I love the build of suspense, and the fact that I was on the edge of my seat.
I really liked the developed characters. I think books are stronger when the characters are like they are in If She Dies. It makes the story more compelling to follow characters that feel incredibly real.
The writing is excellent. The plot kept me flipping the pages as quickly as possible, and the characters made it even better. This will not be my last read from this author. I highly recommend giving this one a read.
*I received a free copy of this book from Damppebbles Blog Tours to review honestly on the blog tour. All opinions are my own and unbiased.*
I really liked the developed characters. I think books are stronger when the characters are like they are in If She Dies. It makes the story more compelling to follow characters that feel incredibly real.
The writing is excellent. The plot kept me flipping the pages as quickly as possible, and the characters made it even better. This will not be my last read from this author. I highly recommend giving this one a read.
*I received a free copy of this book from Damppebbles Blog Tours to review honestly on the blog tour. All opinions are my own and unbiased.*
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